Adulting: People are people, unfortunately

People might not be wishing the worst for you, but they certainly aren’t wishing you the best either. There’s something about bettering yourself that makes people uncomfortable and angry. People have no problem assuming what I’m incapable of without giving thought to all the things I’ve already accomplished. Or if they have, it’s dismissed with little regard.

I’ve wondered why it is that people want to think of me as lesser than, less intelligent, less of everything than they are. I’ve concluded it’s a combination of insecurity, social conditioning, and a lack of desire on their part. You can say what you want about progress. In my eyes it comes in many shapes and fails to become anything more than a concept, like most things.

Sometimes I wish people would just come out and say, “I’m supposed to be better than you. I’m not Black.” This goes unsaid, but it’s clear in the way people behave and how they speak. It’s evident in the opportunities that aren’t given, in the invitations that aren’t sent, the lack of consideration to the way you feel…I could go on.

I’m not writing with an emphasis on eloquence or a desire to be politically correct. I’m writing with the intent of transparency and making my thoughts clear for anyone reading. In the past year I’ve come up against some of the worst kinds of people. Racists, misogynists, people who can’t shake their own misery who desire to suck everyone into it like an inescapable void. That’s a pathetic kind of life, isn’t it.

It’s takes more courage to be generous and happy than it does to be hateful and injurious. While I have the propensity for forgiveness, I believe forgiveness isn’t warranted on all occasions, nor is it applicable. I don’t need apologies. I need for people to stop being trash.

‘Cinder’ Made Me Think Long and Hard About YA Book Trends

For my Young Adult book club this month, we read Marissa Meyer’s Cinder, which you can guess by the cover and the title is based on the much beloved, horse beaten story line that is Cinderella. I didn’t mind the book, which is a mild way of saying I didn’t really like it but was fine in its existence in YA section overall. To give you a better idea, my scale range is from “Ye Gods! Thank you for this gift! We are not worthy!” which is the Harry Potter series, to “God, I hope my kids don’t realize that I grew up when Twilight was big.” Which includes all versions of Twilight from Twilight One to Twilight Four, Revenge of the Twilight — or whatever it’s called. Cinder hits middle.