E-R-I-N

For a good portion of my adolescence I can remember doing acrostic poems and brochures for every conceivable project in school. Acrostic name/vocabulary words/protagonists/antagonists poems, as well as brochures to Mecca, Jamestown, Wisconsin, and even a personal one in the mix. I am unclear as to whether teachers were advised that these were great projects that could be applied to all subjects or simply something easy to explain to 7th graders.

Either way, I found myself thinking about the classic acrostic name poem, and if I thought I'd use the same words to describe myself today. Granted, I don't have too much room for change when there are only four letters. I can remember clear as day the exact words I used too:

E-energetic
R-responsible
I-interesting (sometimes intelligent, depending on the day's math lesson)
N-nice

For someone who read a lot as a child, I'm rather underwhelmed with the language.

I think my energy physically has plummeted. Recess was an activity most kids counted down to each day. When I get home from work now I nearly bribe myself with a glass of wine to work out. And I really don't think nutritionists advise hydrating with wine. However, I think energy as it relates to stamina and achievement is still prevalent. I am not a procrastinator, if anything I jump the gun too early, thus my energy to get things done and checked off my list (or clear the table too early as I'm sure my parents remember). I like tasks done efficiently, and appreciate this characteristic in others. So much, that I must exert tremendous amounts of patience for friends on the other side of the spectrum.

To quote MXPX, "responsibility, what's that?" Seriously, I have never known responsibility since this wave of house buying hit. WOW. So long paying rent on the first of the month and calling for maintenance requests, hello homeowner's insurance, loan docs, and a mortgage. It's not to say that I am unprepared to take these head on, we just went from zero to 60 in about a month. I am convinced my looks have aged 50 years in the last few weeks.

Interesting. I was awkward most of my adolescence, being that I've been about the same height and weight since 4th grade. That was horrible as a 10 year old when your friends are a foot shorter and the boys are virtually babies. I was certainly a spectacle of interesting to the other kids in my class. Interesting today is Scott raising an eyebrow when I told him I entered a Harry Potter Ultimate Fan contest for the Ellen DeGeneres show. I wasn't selected.

Well, nice will never change because it's pretty hard for me to be mean. My parents pounded the Golden Rule into my sponge brain and I think even the most cynical soul can respond to a certain amount of courtesy politeness. Don't get me wrong, it's not given out free and easily, but I figure if I set the bar high, at least I tried. Pleasantries really do go far in customer service, and frankly, it gets you places. So yeah, I suppose I'm still nice. It would really be terrible if during this self-reflection I realized I was mean.

If I had to rewrite my acrostic poem today, things may even remain the same. We change and grow, and the "Erin" I was as a 12 year old has defined this Erin at 26.