Weird

I've come to the conclusion that I'm weird. Ok, maybe peculiar sounds a little better. Yes, I am peculiar.

See, I've always been different than everybody else, even as a child. I was smaller than everyone else (almost runt-like). I'd rather stay inside and bury myself into the pages of a great book for hours on end than turn double-dutch and run behind my friends while they rode their bikes. I never did learn how to ride a bike. . .

My favorite place to go, more than anywhere else in the world (except for maybe my grandmother's house), was the Harold Washington Library downtown. That place is freakin HUGE! It was like my young version of heaven, where the streets were paved with carpet and the walls were covered in. . .books. The library was the SPOT!

Then, there's the way I always hung around the 'grown folks'. I think this is mostly because up until the age of 6, I was an only child, and grown folks is who I was usually surrounded by. But then, it got to the point where at family gatherings, I'd be sitting around with the grand-folks (you know, grandparents and those old aunts and uncles) listening to their stories and such, while all the other kids were livin it up and having a high time playing in the grass.

On field trips, when we partnered up, if there was an extra person he-she would have to be the teacher's partner. I loved being the teacher's partner!

Now, don't get me wrong. I definately wouldn't label myself as being a 'nerd' back in those days (but maybe I'm biased), I had my cool points. I had plenty of friends, and they loved the heck out of me. Then again, they did get mad when their parents asked why they couldn't be more like me. (not funny, this happened more times than even I believed!)

And now, especially lately, I've come to realize how peculiar I really am. Who else knows a black girl from the south side of Chicago (wild 100's ya'll-but you might not know nothin' bout that) who gets classical music stuck in her head and speaks to people in spanish on a regular basis regardless of whether they understand or not? And who likes to spell some words the european way (which everyone says is wrong) just becuase it seems right, like grey? Or who has no problem wearing her hair wrapped in a range of colors and prints on a daily basis for months on end? There's too many things to list!

I'm peculiar.
But it's okay.
I know you still love me anyway :)