Friday, August 8, 2014

Does bragging help?

So I happen to know a lot of people who brag about themselves almost constantly. They brag about where they are in life. They brag about what they've done. They brag about what they want to do and what they are doing to make that happen.

I noticed that I don't brag about myself more than a little "woo-whoo this happened sort of way". It happens and I get excited and then later I start to think that what I've done wasn't all that spectacular after all. I don't know why I sell myself short.

I am a nineteen year old female by the name of Danielle Standiford. My mother is a 42 year old woman with diabetes, heart disease, and has had three herniated disks in her back since I was young. My dad is a 50 year old truck driver for a medical company. My brother and I started helping our parents out early with household chores and getting them things. My brother is a 22 year old with a wife and son (Elias the butthead). He is in the Air force and doing great things with his life. However he lives far away and I don't get to see him much....even when he is up is Wisconsin. I had "three" sets of grandparents growing up. I had Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Dan which was my dad's dad and his girlfriend (not wife they never marries though she was always around). Then I had my Grandpa Bill and Grandma Judy which was my dad's mom and her husband (never really saw either of those two because they live in a nudist camp in florida...yeah so not gonna happen). Then there was my Grandma Diane and my Grandpa John which were my mom's parents (they were my "main" grandparents meaning I saw them more than once a year). There is a lot of drugs and alcohol problems in my family. Though I could go into all the family trouble I had I'd rather not and there really isn't even enough time either.

Despite all my setbacks where family and my past is concerned I have met almost all my goals. That is unless my goals changed first.

I was reading some questionnaire that I took in my first year of high school. It first asked where I wanted to be in five years? My answer was "in college". Today I am now not only a graduate of high school but in my second year of college.

Second; It asked what I wanted to be when I was older? I answered a doctor. Which I know that goal changed not only because I hate science but because I literally have a sort of phobia with hospitals.

Third; It asked what my favorite subject is? I answered: "Reding!" Now I know that "reding" isn't a thing and that I probably actually meant "reading" but this is my favorite answer from the questionnaire. Freshman year was the first year I actually picked up a real book to read. It sparked my imagination and made me want to be a writer which is remarkable because I sucked at writing, and grammar, and....well...writing. Of course I started to like English and Writing so much that I became better at it. Practice makes better! But reading this answer was awesome because without writing and reading I wouldn't be me right now and I wrote that answer before I became ME. The me I am now is a different me than I was then but the funny thing is that I would have answered the same....maybe in better grammar but the same answer essentially.

I am a nineteen year old female by the name Danielle Standiford and I am starting my second year of college. I already have my second year of college planned out and don't need to take loans again this year. Do to careful planning last year, though I don't have a job, I still have the funds to pay off the 600 dollar textbook fee out of pocket and still have money left for next semesters books. I am going to school to be a writer. Though I am also minor-ing in teaching because teaching a lit class to high school-ers or college students wouldn't be SO terrible. I'm in a technical college right now about to transfer to a university. I have already gotten about 5-7 short stories published online and this year during college I have a spot on the school newspaper as an opinion writer. I don't have a boyfriend or a baby yet but that means I can take this time to focus on school.

All these accomplishments...and yet I sell myself short....I should really give myself some credit. I have single handedly set out to pursue my dreams....that's amazing.