Stupidity and Appearances

I say that I'm not big on appearances. I say it, but deep down, I don't really believe it. To some extent, we all care about how we look.

Take for example, when I go out to smoke when I'm at home (talk about stupidity, I want to quit smoking, but can't. Somebody help me!), I usually don't wear a shirt. Hell, when I'm at home, nine times out of ten all I'm wearing are my pajama pants! Anyway, when I go outside to smoke, I usually don't care that I'm not wearing a shirt until I see one of my neighbors. Then I become self conscious about my belly. It's not huge or anything, I mean, I'm not fat by any means, but it's far from the washboard abs I wish I had. So I find myself sucking in my gut.

What does this have to do with stupidity?

Well, in my opinion, caring about what other people think or say about you is stupid. Granted we all do it, myself included, it is stupid. Because, when it's all said and done and you're on your death bed, you are the only one you have to answer to. It will be you that you have to convince that you were right not to stand up in front of the entire bar and sing Born this Way by Lady GaGa on karaoke.

It will be you that has to convince yourself that you were right not to hit on that waitress in the diner who brought you extra food when you didn't ask for it all because you were embarrassed or *gasp* the gods forbid, you ask and she said no! How could you live with the embarrassment?

The bottom line is, forget embarrassment, forget how you'll look to someone else. You are all that matters. Make yourself happy. Sing that song, ask that girl (or guy) out. When you're on your way out, make sure you have the least amount of what ifs that you can.

Living a life for someone else is just plain stupidity. Especially if that person really means nothing to you in your life.

With that being said, I'm heading outside to smoke (stupidly) and I'm going to poke my belly out for the world to see! My wife doesn't mind it so much.