Stuart Smalley

Do you remember Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live? I think that guy who later went into politics in Minnesota played that character. Why can't I think of his name? Whatever, like I care at this moment? No. I CLEARLY remember Stuart Smalley with his sweater and slight lisp and big oval mirror. He was the affirmations guy who ended with "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me."

Today I am feeling rather disheartened and inadequate and so I am trying to do some affirmations. They all sound as hokey as Stuart's. Why are we so hard on ourselves as a race of beings? If we are not hard on ourselves we call it "narcissism" and in the Midwest it is very much expected that we be self-ingratiating. I mean, you'll be given sideways glances of reproach if you dare tout your accomplishments in this neck of the woods. But really, culture is not to blame in this instance.

I got my W-2 in the mail today, and to my dismay it is a fur piece off from last year's earnings. You see, you all thought I was a psychologist, but actually I am a widget maker. And I did not track my widgets carefully and apparently made far fewer than last year. So I am internalizing and personalizing this in a grandly ineffective manner (ineffective in making me feel good about myself). Now it's about my work ethic (lazy and inefficient) and my ability as an adult (bad provider for family, selfish). Blehhhhhhhh.

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and gosh darn it people like me. Money is not everything, money is not everything, money is not everything.....