normal.

What is normal? Everyone's favorite question, right?

I just looked it up and according to Mr. Webster, normal is, but not limited to the following: a) conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern b) occurring naturally c) perpendicular to a tangent at a point of tangency and my personal fave, d) free from mental disorder. That is my favorite because finally, after all these years, I have proof that I am normal. Becky D. McKee (SHOUT OUT) can no longer claim, in all her infinite wisdom, that I'm some sort of side show in the shit show of life.

I digress.

Growing up, everything that your family does is normal to you. It usually takes years and years of adulthood and being around lots of other people for you to find the indiscretions taking place in your family home. For instance, as a youngster, I thought everyone had a 32-gallon trash can in their kitchen. Turns out, that isn't the case, most kitchens have 13-gallon trash cans. Who knew that other families across the country weren't hoarding a small dumpster next to their respective fridges? Not me, I tell you, not me.

I think I've treaded, albeit lightly (BEN FRANKLIN-- SHOUT OUT), on this subject before, but I seriously had no idea that other families didn't get up at 3am to begin road trips. Turns out, in other families, 630 or 7am is pretty early. But, if you told my family, "we're leaving pretty early...about 630..." I think we'd all laugh in your face and tell you that you might as well not come at all.

More digression.

It seems to me, that lately, more and more people are under the disillusionment that their role in society is something different than just being their normal self. Everyone is desperately trying to fit into some weird mold that wasn't made for them. Ie; Jon Gosselin wearing Ed Hardy (or anyone wearing Ed Hardy, really), Spencer and Heidi seeking out fame without accomplishing anything that would actually make them worthy of fame...Middle-aged men in rural Pennsylvania with eight children do not naturally progress to wearing Ed Hardy and typically people don't become famous without accomplishing something.

If being normal is letting things occur naturally, why don't we do more of that? I mean, I've been trying to be famous since birth, but I'm letting it occur naturally. Meaning, I'm absolutely convinced that I will be discovered, some day, for my dancing skills or my biting sarcasm. Either way, I'm not forcing it.

I say, let's just all move to a more normal way of life-- let things occur naturally and quit trying to fit yourself into an undersized Ed Hardy tiger-laden-shirt with bedazzled teeth.