Define Normal

So there I was, laying on the red line in the hallway at Mountain View, pondering what to do to break a social norm for Mr. Glahn’s Sociology class. My friend Chelynn came over to tell me that I was weird, and that I obviously didn’t care what people thought of me if I was on my back in the middle of the hall. When I asked her why it mattered she said, “It’s just not normal.” And that’s when it hit me. The social norm I broke was laying down in the hallway in a public place, in this case, school. I started out on the red line by the choir room, but I wasn’t getting enough reaction, so I switched directions so I was perpendicular to the red line. People had to step over me to get through the hall. There were two main reaction types that I observed: ignoring me and making a big deal of it.

Most of the people who passed by me just ignored the fact that I was in their pathway. My friends who were watching said that they would stare at me when they first noticed. Then they would pointedly look away when they got close enough for me to see them. Students and teachers just walked on past without saying a word, or acknowledging my odd behavior. Even some people I knew didn’t even bother to look down and see who the freak on the floor was. After a while, people would avoid the situation altogether by taking the alternate route; down the stairs, over to the next set of stairs, up, and away. I found the reactions very funny, so I spent most of the time laughing, which didn’t help my image. I’m sure a good portion of the students think I am a freak now.

While those who didn’t know me just passed on by, most of the people who did made a big deal of it. Principal Clark passed by and made a big deal of having a “dead body” in the hallway. Noelle Reid pretended to step on me and then threw her backpack on me. Ouch! Austin Miner asked me in a very skeptical voice, “What are you doing?” Some of my friends who saw me stayed to see the reactions of others. It was nice having my friends there for moral support. It got kind of awkward sometimes. Like once a girl said, “Why don’t you just sit up for goodness sake?” That was very uncomfortable. Or when a guy tripped over me. Let me tell ya, not my favorite thing in the world.

People in general were very tactful about the situation. It was very funny to see the looks of questioning in their eyes, and yet have them say nothing. I think that people are raised to not call attention to certain things. Society tells people how to behave toward different people or situations. People reacted the way they did because that was how society told them to react.

Oldest child complex

For those who don't know, I'm the eldest of six children. Being the oldest child is really hard sometimes, yet it has it's benefits. Like being able to have a "do what I say or else" policy with my siblings. Lately though, my ability to "speak softly and carry a big stick" has been declining. You see, I have finished growing... mostly. My younger siblings on the other hand have not. This poses a problem. I am used to mostly getting my way, but its not working out that way all the time now. For instance, my brother Jeffery* no longer does what I tell him to do. It used to be that I could tell him to bring my a snack or get me my backpack and he would do it. Now he says no, and though I hate to admit it, I can't force him to do it anymore. *Sigh* Maybe thats why I've been so grumpy lately. Doing your own work is harder than it looks.

*Name has been changed to protect his identity. (For you Tiff.)

Sweet seventeen... or something like that

Why is it that turning a year older makes no difference at all? Except for a select few, each age feels like the next. Of all these unimportant ages I've been, seventeen is the worst. This is because last year I turned sixteen and got all the benefits of that, next year I'll be able to vote, and I'll be an adult, and this year all I get is another year older. The excitement of last year, and the promise of next make turning seventeen even less special. I think that because change is gradual, we don't feel different day to day, including a birthday. If we waited to change untill our birthday, things could get a little crazy.