“Stupid Is As Stupid Does”

I wrote an entry about a month ago titled “Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates” and decided to write a series of entries with quotes from the movie “Forrest Gump” as inspiration.  I really like that movie because it’s about a guy who, through no real manipulation of his own, gets into extraordinary situations… be it luck, fate, or providence – the viewer is left to interpret.  His only role is to live with integrity and with a singular vision for each phase of his life.  There’s something really admirable in that.  Maybe I’m also a little envious.  I wish that sometimes I could just take life as it comes and not think too much about stuff.  I wish it was as simple as having a goal and just trodding on with it until you’re successful.  But life is rarely that simple… isn’t it?

Anyhow, I suppose the title of this entry could be referring to this endeavor in general.  It could just wind up being really stupid.  We shall see.  God only knows (well, actually, and a lot of other people too) how many stupid things I’ve done in my life.  I’ve put my foot in my mouth so many times that a significant portion of my protein intake is from shoe leather.

Or the title could refer to the fact that my brain works in very strange ways… it’s actually quite annoying.

Like, I’ll remember that 1983 was the last year the U.S. made completely copper pennies, but I actually had to have someone help me find out my neighbor’s name because, even though I’ve lived next to him for a year now, I’ve forgotten (not even sure if I actually ever remembered) his name.  I still have no clue what his wife’s name is.

Or the fact that it takes me a few hours to get to the point where I can focus on a task as simple as reading a two page report, but once I do I can virtually recite for you word for word some of the content and four months later be able to tell you what color ink or what type font it was written in.

I found out that the reason I couldn’t learn anything in lecture while I was at Georgia Tech was that I was trying to write notes and listen at the same time.  My comprehension increased exponentially in my (second) Junior year when I stopped taking notes and just listened in class.

So I guess you can say I’m more like Raymond in “Rainman” except instead of watching Wapner at 4:30, I have to watch the Simpsons.  And instead of being a sweet, docile, lovable, simple guy who has his heart in the right place, I’m the bitter, loud, obnoxious, guy who thinks too much and wants to create chaos wherever he goes.  But we both like pancakes with maple syrup and both think we’re excellent, excellent drivers…