Is this crazy?? It’s TOTALLY NUTS, but I’ll TAKE it!!
It seems that my whole life has been revolving around the words, “Never say Never.” Sometimes I wish life could just be ‘simple, uneventful and practical.’ No need for that ‘RUSH’ of successful accomplishment! That wistful feeling of hearing your Mom say, “I’m PROUD of You!” Some of us are just ‘big kids,’ that still have a lot of growing up to do! I admit to that. In lots of ways, I feel more mature and intelligent than my own parents, but there’s always that ONE SPOT- you know the spot. The ‘Need for APPROVAL Spot.’ We can only get that from our Mom or Dad, and they know it! In fact, it’s their Ace in the Hole! It keeps us comin’ back!
If we admit to it right now, our lives will take on a more simplistic role. “We need our parents approval, no matter HOW OLD we get!” There it is. It’s the ‘pink elephant’ in the room, and it’s NOT going away, so we might as well be accepting of it. Period.
What’s even scarier is that we also look for our CHILDRENS’ approval! We are just gluttons for punishment that are stuck between two generations! It’s a ‘No Win,’ so just force yourselves to Move on!
Let’s seriously think about this: Our parents’ approval is almost unattainable, and when we receive it, it’s always ‘short lived.’ We have strived and struggled and resented and worshiped these two people we call, “Mom and Dad” for our entire lives! ‘Who died and made them boss??’ We are SMART People- how could we let this happen? No matter How mad we are at them, we still want them to LIKE what we’re doing. In fact: it’s almost hard to accept, but we actually Want to BE like Them! Ridiculous. The only thing MORE ridiculous, is that we allow our children to fall into the same patterns and molds- just with US as the ‘unattainable creatures.’ Haha! It feels so right! What the hell… they’ll do it to their kids too…!
Back to the book, …I’m so easily distracted.
Yesterday it became a Best Seller! This little ‘niche radio book’ that we all participated in, “Is This Thing ON?”, climbed the “never say never” ladder, and stood tall and proud, all on it’s own- …and I STILL wanted my parents to say, “I’m Proud of you Robin!” Instead, I have a Dad that doesn’t own a computer, so he couldn’t see the press releases, and my Mom HAS a computer, but doesn’t know how to turn it on!
They both said to me, as I tried to explain the ‘best seller’ concept that had just happened, “Robin, we already READ the book, and told you we LIKED the book, so… isn’t this just like a bunch of more people saying the same thing?” What can you say to that, except, … “Yes!” These are the same two people that have busy signals when you call them! Who doesn’t have ‘call waiting’ in this day and age, accept our parents!!! So?
OK! A bunch of people liked the book and voted to make it a number one best seller on Barnes and Noble. MOST people would take that info and run into the wind, feeling the breeze blowing their hair back, face uplifted to the wind, smiling and in awe of life! Me? I have to analyze what to do NEXT. 🙂 It is, what it is, and I know what I have, haha! I guess my parents do too, which explains their reaction. LOL! They know me so well, that they know to ‘down play it’ or I’ll never let them rest in peace! (giggling here!)
Let me say this, and say it Proudly: I am PROUD of all of you that wrote in this book! You did a Bang Up job, and without YOUR STORIES, there’s be NO BOOK! GREAT JOB- just in case your mom or dad forgot to say it.
Pick up a copy and help the Make A Wish Foundation. I think we’ve done right by them so far, and THAT- makes Me Proud!
My site offers the book in color, and it’s a bit more expensive as a result, but it’s your choice and I won’t be offended, nor will my son who illustrated the book. http://robinmarshallvo.com/book.html
If you’d like to order through http://Barnesandnoble.com type in Is This Thing ON? and grab it in Black and white- same for Amazon and it will be a bit less money.
Either way, we’re in it together, check out my son’s website if you need graphics or free hand for logo work too, http://DylanShaneDesigns.com Just remember he’s one of the ones that I’m still trying to make proud of ME! It’s SO much easier for ME to be proud of HIM! Maybe that’s something that’s changed through the generations? The loss of ‘holding your cards close to your vest’ and allowing your kids to know HOW PROUD you really are!
In closing: Being your friend, I’d love to know what venture you’re involved in, because I’m sure it’s something I’d be proud of you for- just like I’m feeling you must be proud of me! So feel free to let me know, right here on the blog. What are you up to?