be the duck

My 29th birthday is coming up ladies and germs, and seeing as I'm like AGES older than the majority of you, I thought I may impart some wisdom.

I have been thinking about this for a couple days, sparked by an immensly immature and passive-aggressive Twitter war I was sucked into. Which is a big no-no in the first place, because you can never win an argument on the internet. Nobody wins, you just go around in circles forever, getting frustrated and angry when the person on the other end is not worth your time.

That's lesson number one, everybody. Don't let internet things get your goat, it is never worth it. Do not respond. I repeat, do not respond. You can smash your mouse against the wall if it makes you feel better, but don't feed the bears! At the tattoo shop we've adopted a saying: Be the duck. Meaning, let it all roll off your back.

Basically though, the thing that got me was that a 20 year old girl told the internet that "someone" is pathetic for being happy in a "dead end job" and the internet should feel sorry for "them". She later denied it was about me, which is her typical M.O., bitch about someone without using names, then get busted and cowardly deny it.

Now, of course my first reaction was to be angry, but now that I'm thinking about it, I shouldn't let her ignorance bother me, right? I mean, what does she know of humanity? She is judging me based on a very limited worldview. I would like to talk to her about it in ten years and see what she has to say to me then.

Literally one of the most important things I have learned over my 29 years is that everybody has a story. Everybody is interesting if you take the time to get to know them. And I do mean everybody. The nine year old you used to babysit, the seventy year old man talking to himself on the corner...

Everybody has a different path, and if you judge them on their choices or lifestyle it is probably because you don't understand where they've been and what caused them to make the decisions they make. There is no wrong way to make a life, as long as it is balanced, healthy and that the person in question is happy.

In my case, I've found happiness in simplicity. I have the time and mental space to do other things around my job, and during the work week I am basically getting paid to hang out with my friends. Um, to me that is awesome. I know plenty of people in careers who are bored stiff, not making much more money than I am, and slowly drying up and dying inside.

I am one hundred percent content in my life, with the exception of having to take the bus every day and having hurt feet. :) But how many people can truly say that? I am very free right now, I can do what I want when I want. I'm not locked into contracts, I'm not married to someone I hate, I am happy.

If you find yourself in my position, with somebody telling you that you're not good enough, or you are a loser or should do more with your life, then just remember that a fancy career and money do not buy happiness! And that is true. One hundred percent. Take it from someone who used to be "the rich girl" who lived in the biggest house in our town. I left that place and became a dirt-poor semi-homeless hippie. On purpose.

Do what makes you happy and never listen to life critics. Usually it means they are unhappy with themselves in some way and are trying to drag you  down to their level. Stay above it. Let it roll off your back.

Be the duck.