WORDS: Angie McBride
Growing up I would question myself because I wasn’t doing the things others do. I felt judged and quizzed on why I liked or didn’t like certain things. I didn’t begrudge others having their own likes and dislikes so why were my quirks such an issue? That left me feeling completely confused by life and by people.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I began to feel comfortable with my life choices. It was probably by watching lots of Oprah and Dr Phil.
What makes me unique and a bit weird, according to ‘social norms?
I don’t drink coffee. I love the smell of brewed coffee but don’t like the taste. When I have been on ‘coffee’ dates and tell them I don’t drink coffee; the guys would look at me like I had asked them for a kidney!
I don’t drink wine. I am gifted it regularly. My friends love it though, as they get plenty of free wine! Instead, I have sipped on a few Pina Coladas in my time. Sadly, I haven’t drunk them getting caught in the rain, yet.
I don’t add salt to hot chips. My beating heart loves me for that one!
When I eat pizza, I eat the top first and then the base. If I eat a pie of any kind, I take the top off, eat the contents with a fork first, followed by the pastry shell. I know these are shameful acts!
I don’t eat bananas and have a phobia of chewing gum. That explanation is for another column! I like Brussel Sprouts. I feel sorry for the Brussel and it being unpopular on the dinner plate.
I don’t watch Married at First Sight or The Bachelor, but I do watch Ghost Adventures and Catfish. These television shows have taught me how to hunt ghosts and to not get scammed online. Much needed life skills!
We know ourselves better than anyone else. There is a benefit to being older and feeling confident that you have made the correct choices for yourself.
My parents divorced when I was ten, which could be one of the reasons why I have never married. It hasn’t happened for me yet. Maybe the fact I have watched too many Hallmark romance movies over the years could also be why! Surely the man I am supposed to marry will have zero flaws and live in a castle with a moat?
I decided by the age of fifteen I didn’t want children. People would look at me like I had three eyes and say to me ‘you have to have children’. But why? I was determined not to have children because society said I had too. What a rebel I am!
I replaced not having babies with kittens! My Nanna used to take in stray cats regularly. Spending the day with Nanna and kittens was one of my cherished memories that will stick with me forever. When it was time for me to own kittens, those around me would say you can’t call a cat, Madonna. Yep, you guessed it; I had a cat called Madonna! It was out of defiance of course. My current cat, Edna, is a bit weird and unique too. She sleeps on my hip rather than the comfort of the mattress.
Being weird and unique is like being a ‘nerd’. Having nerd status used to have negative connotations. Today we would all be lost without technology and extremely smart people. Do you remember the 1985 John Hughes movie Weird Science? Two high school ‘geeks’ created their perfect woman with technology and science. Now this is seen as a good thing and isn’t too far from being normal.
My uniqueness isn’t hurting anyone. Why shouldn’t I be me and give myself a huge hug for it? I am just a person who likes different things from the masses. We know ourselves better than anyone else. There is a benefit to being older and feeling confident that you have made the correct choices for yourself.
You do you, but please be kind and considerate of others. The reality probably is there are readers out there who are just as unique and weird as me. We are all trying to navigate life and learn as we go along. Embrace your uniqueness!
Weekend Breakfast with Michael Keelan and Angie McBride from 6am Saturdays and Sundays on FIVEaa
