jakorte's blog

I have realized that I am adaptable.

Living in New York City, I developed a hard, aloof edge and wore mostly black. I saw no reason to ever live anywhere else, when everything I could ever want was easily accessible in the Big Apple.

When I lived in Massachusetts, I bought khakis, duck shoes, and came to eventually understand that “you could pahhhk your cahhh for only a qwatta, and great idears could be found in the ly-berry.�

When I moved to Tennessee, I discovered floral prints, drank sweet tea, and defensively developed a sweet southern drawl in a vain attempt to understand what I was hearing. (Reference: Humor: That's Random: Child's Name?)

When I moved to Michigan, I thought there was some sort of strange inbreeding here that caused folks to run around barefoot, wearing shorts when the temperature hit 50 degrees.

8 years later, I have adapted. Now, I ditch the winter coat and pull out the spring wind-breaker as soon as the temperature hits 50.5 degrees. I guess there are still some limits to my adaptability. Before we get too far in to this, please note that in my little world: Adaptability and Flexibility are not the same thing. (Reference: Humor: Flexibility Nola 2007)

Because of my adaptive nature, if I am surrounded by negative people all day, I become negative. The problem is not always easily remedied. I am, unfortunately, not in a situation that promotes drastic change. I cannot just pick up and change jobs, or move to another city, right now. Although, I readily admit those actions have previously been my way of dealing with many issues, I must find a way to remedy my current situation by influencing it.

Responding to negativity with positive encouragement is not easy, and not always well received. The answer to another’s whining, “It’s only Tuesday!� would be my cheerful “At least it’s not Monday!� And believe me, I have found that if I dare to meet my conversationalist’s glance after such an upbeat attempt, I am usually treated to a “look� that implies “I’d sure like to smack you upside your head.�

Does this stop me from promoting cheeriness? You bet it does, on a daily basis.

But like a Jack Russell terrier at the end of a tow-rope that’s been tied to a six-year-old pedaling downhill on a tricycle, I sometimes just don’t know when to let go. So, I keep trying. I keep trying with certain people, trying to pick my battles carefully.

Not every minute of every day, because I sincerely believe that the “looks� harbour a very real potential to eventually turn in to very real, physical smacks.

jak