I was 15 years old when I first watched USA’s Up All Night [ Uh? How do I even remember this? ]. And one night I caught this comment. The camera was focused a stool. A man walks out sits and goes into teaching us all why the movie is good, and that we should watch it [ Because it's awesome, and it's late, so uh... cough, uh yeah the movies suck ]
But here I’ve reached this stage in my life, and this monologue came back to me.
You notice how everybody uses this word “dysfunctional” all the time, like:
“You’re dysfunctional!”
“I was in a very dysfunctional relationship.” (Translation: he was a jerk.)
“I grew up in a dysfunctional family.” (Translation: we yelled a lot.)
But the ones that get me are the people who are PROUD of it. They want you to know just how dysfunctional they are. They’ll tell you how they were SOOOO dysfunctional that it shaped their personality forever and so now they’ll never be able to have a lasting relationship because blah blah blah and they keep changing the color of their hair because this dysfunctional thing happened and they’re insecure now and blah blah blah and keep using this word, over and over again, like “I’m dysfunctional, and my FAMILY was dysfunctional, and I’m attracted to dysfunctional people,” and after a while you wanna say “why don’t all you dysfunctionals get up a softball team or something?” As my grandma used to say, “That boy needs a hobby.”
Anyhow, listen to me:
When you’re 14 years old, MAYBE you can blame your parents for doing all this dysfunctional stuff that screwed you up.
When you’re 34 years old, you are what’s known in America as a “grown-up.”
You can’t blame it on THEM anymore! Understand?
They might have screwed up the first 14, but the last 20 are YOURS.
This whole “dysfunctional” thing is some kind of psychiatrist deal, isn’t it? They invented it to make more money.
Cause we all know how life works, right?
You’re born.
You make up a bunch of goals and plans.
You don’t do any of em.
A bunch of stuff you didn’t think of comes along and makes you into something you didn’t wanna be.
You whine about being “dysfunctional.”
You eat a lot of Mexican food.
You die.
This isn’t anything new. This is the way it’s always been.
Get over it, okay?
I don’t wanna have to explain this again.
And this still stuck with me… well at least the Mexican didn’t [ Phew, that would of sucked ]. But the fact that I need to let go of the past and be what I want to be today. It’s my life, I need to make it what I want.
So… Today. I remind myself that I’m going to get over it… well maybe tomorrow. Cause procrastination is also very American… 
No. kidding. To love, live and make a little magic in the moonlight. Now that’s the life I want.
Yeah. Procrastination is the American way. And we wonder why the Japanese are kicking our butts. Love this though. We do own our lives. And if they are screwed up and we don’t like the way things are going, it’s on us to change it. Nice. Especially the part about the Mexican food.
Nicki´s last blog ..After yesterday…a fluff piece…
Mmmm, Mexican!!
IntrigueMe´s last blog ..Another Clean Slate: 2010
this made me laugh out loud!
StudentMama´s last blog ..Blogging is Awesome.
LOL. Now that made me laugh.
Travis – A GOOD reminder. Your post actually comes perfectly for me. I spent so much time focusing on my problems, as you mentioned, that I forgot to look for a solution!
I’m working on finding the solution much more often. = ) Thanks for that speech!
StudentMama´s last blog ..Blogging is Awesome.
Rock on Travis. We’ve got to take responsibility for our own choices and behavior.
Big City Dad´s last blog ..Fun or Discipline?
I find most interesting about this monologue was that I first heard it when I was 15, and it stuck ever since.
And then stuff happened, and I forgot. Yesterday, for some reason, it came back to me.
And now, I think I will have Mexican tonight. Thanks Sarah!
Anything I can do to assist! Last night I had Italian. (HAAAA if you only knew). I crack myself up sometimes.
IntrigueMe´s last blog ..Die Hard. ROCK Hard.