Play "Wild Card" with Me

When I don't have any idea about what to actually blog...

While driving around I sometimes (most of the time) listen to NPR when I’m not listening to obnoxious music that would make most of you cringe. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to stumble upon Rachel Martin’s Wild Card segments from her Podcast. What she does (for those not in the know) is interviews famous people in which they pick from three cards to determine the question they need to answer. They do this for three different categories - Memories, Insights, and Beliefs. Someone over on Reddit took some time to pull together some of the questions from Rachel’s deck since (as of this post) an actual deck doesn’t seem to exist. As I look at being more introspective (like that’s possible for me) I figured every once in a while I’d randomly pick a question or two (or three) and answer them. Mostly, because these questions tend to be thought provoking causing the interviewee to really have to think and sometimes, I need that.

The way the game will be played (for me) is I will use a random number generator combined with the list of questions, Once a question has been answered I will remove it from the list. So The first random number (between one and three) will determine the category (Memories, Insights, or Beliefs) the second will determine the actual question. You can always reply in the comments with your answer if you want to be that bold.

Please note this has nothing to do with George R.R. Martin’s Anthology Series “Wild Cards” which deals with people getting superpowers… I did read it while in high school, but I will not be gaining any superpowers except maybe the power to put people to sleep while reading my drivel.

The First Roll- 2. The Second Roll- 22.

Insights: In what ways do you choose to find joy?

Wow, good question… especially for someone like me who tends to feel like I’m more of a curmudgeon. I recall my mother once asking me why I was so negative, and replying “It’s the way I was raised.” I don’t think she liked my answer.

Joy can be difficult to find especially these days where everyone seems to be so negative on the internet. Being a self proclaimed introvert I think I find joy mostly in those quiet times when I’m by myself. Sitting back reading, drawing or having a creative outlet where I can just be me. Recently I’ve bee throwing myself into various projects. I was building my LEGO Winter Village, but also doodling out some ideas for a few projects I’m working on. Completing these or at least getting things to point where I was happy brought me joy. Maybe it’s because I spent what I remember as a large part of my childhood entertaining my self that I’m not as focused on other people to make me happy.

As a young boy I was locked alone in a tower on most weekends and even though it was the 70’s I never could grow my hair long enough to be able to escape… Actually my parents were usually busy with sportsing things and if I didn’t attend I was told to stay inside, and not answer the door or the phone. So I would involve myself in imaginative play. There was no Internet and we only had “Pong” when it came to video games. This would have been around 3rd grade which I repeated, so two years of my young life. I think back on these times sometimes feeling sorry for myself, but mostly with a bit of joy… I was free to do anything I wanted as long as I didn’t go outside, answer the door or the phone. I became independent and learned that I didn’t need others to feel joy.

So I now find joy in kitty sleeping next to me (like Bailey is right now). Looking at a drawing I did and wondering “Who drew that?” because it was way too good to be done by me. Reading a book and just getting lost in the story. Thinking up a story and figuring out how I might be able to make it into something more. Being in a place and taking an awesome photo, or just creating a memory. Yes, spending time with friends brings joy, but for me also a bit of anxiety… I guess I just go back to high school when I discovered I was the perpetual fifth wheel among my group of “friends.” SO even now, I worry that I’m probably the person everyone groans about when they see me walking into the room. Hence I tend to find my joy in solitude.

Bailey, while I was answering this question… pure unadulterated bliss.

As we are in the middle of the most joyous time of the year, thinking about what brings me joy… as for now- just having the freedom to be me.