Do you know anyone that had a normal childhood? I guess the first thing that we have to do is contrive a norm: mother, father, siblings, no divorce, no abuse, didn’t move around too much, didn’t get in too much trouble, reasonably good health for everyone in the nuclear unit, economic stability, graduated from high school, and even got an undergraduate degree. That’s what Republican America thinks people should have, as far as I can tell; I made it up with the help of Leave It to Beaver. Continue reading…
The beginning
March 18, 2008
Humans have a fascination with firsts, but I’m not sure why. I’m betting two-thirds of people would gladly skip the first day of the week if they could — find some way to phone it in and get past it. I used to show up late to meetings because the first few minutes weren’t worth the effort. First times, first impressions, first drafts, first words, first dates, and definitely least of all, first posts? Shine them. Over-hyped and under-performing more often than not. The reason why so many new software projects live in perpetual beta? Fear of the first release. Too much pressure and emphasis is placed on the first of anything.
There are only two firsts worth keeping. First looks on things of beauty can shake you to your soul. I could be convinced to extend this to first tastes and so on, but it’s the same class of experience.
First kisses with the right person maybe make it worth all the attempts with the wrong people and all the effort trying to get back to that moment of bliss.
This is the first part of the rest of this story. To be honest, I would have started telling it sooner if I could have just skipped past the uncomfortable “first”.