Overachievers are overrated.

In recent years, especially since becoming a psychology major/grad student, I have come to think of myself as fairly self-aware. This in and of itself shows how truly self-unaware I actually am. However, I am learning to identify, modify, and when appropriate, accept my faults because they make me who I am. So...

On this, the 31st day of August, in the year 2010, I proclaim that I finally agree with everyone else that I am an overachiever.

Upon discussion with my thesis advisor, who does not let me get away with any kind of shenanagan or irrational thought (that's what I get for choosing a clinical psychologist as a thesis advisor), I realized that being involved in a Master's thesis, three other research projects, 2 jobs, and 2 graduate-level classes, makes me a pathological overachiever. Or maybe just plain stupid.

However, my overachiever-ness has really kicked into high gear recently and had proven beneficial because I have now completed 4 more tasks. I am now exactly halfway done with my to-do list!

13. Smile at a stranger: Completed tonight. I was reading an article in the student union when I looked up to see someone looking directly at me. Instead of my usual "What? Is there something in my teeth?" look, I actually smiled at them. Yes, it was a closed mouth smile, not a toothy grin or a Deschenes smile for your psychology nerds out there, but a smile nonetheless. If you know me, you probably find this shocking.

16. Teach someone how to do something: I was not going to include this instance, but after some persuasion by a friend from the musical, I will include it. I taught a bunch of nondancers how to dance this summer while working as the choreographer for "Joseph and the Amazing, Technicolor Dreamcoat." All but a small handful of folks had never danced a day in their life (except maybe the Chicken Dance or some equivalent). The cast was such a pleasure to work with and most of us seem to be having withdrawals from hanging out with each other. By the way, they all learned the dances beautifully, including a 1960's go-go dance, a Country Western hoedown, a French apache (pronounced: a-pah-sh), and a calypso number complete with Conga line.

29. Show someone appreciation by more than just saying, "Thank you." Upon a fantastic suggestion by a friend in the cast, the cast sang the Glee rendition of "To Sir, With Love" for our Musical director and Stage Director (and other members of the production crew). I had a small solo (Kurt's part in Verse 2!). One of the guys in the cast played the guitar, about 10 of use sang small solos or duets, and the rest of the cast sang and/or clapped along to the choruses. The directors had no idea and I think they appreciated it. Way to go, Joseph cast and great idea, Brandon!

32. Win: My uncle and I beat my grandmother and aunt in a round of Hand and Foot. At first we thought we lost (#33), then tied (#34), until we realized they had hidden some extra negative points (more than 500!). So, we won. But what shocked me the most was that my darling, innocent grandmother cheated. She CHEATED. Innocent my foot.

26 down. 26 to go. Anybody want to ride in a grocery cart with me?

Celebrity Status

I very unexpectedly met a celebrity tonight (Task #6)!!!!!! We had just finished our second to last show of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and had gone out to the front of the theatre to shake the audience's hands, when someone so kindly pointed out to me that I had an opportunity to meet a celebrity and thus complete a task. The one and only Sonny Shroyer was standing less than 15 feet away from me, talking to the guy who played Joseph. He played Enos in the Dukes of Hazzard television show.

One of the stage crew/moms of one of the kids in the show saw me creep toward him and offered to introduce me to him and take our picture. I was like a 13 year old girl who just saw Justin Beiber or something, only minus the crying and screaming. He was very nice and personable and commented on how much he enjoyed the show (and choreography!!).

So, there we are, me and Sonny, chillin'. Yeah...

Also, I have now completed Task 20 (Secretly make someone's day brighter) and Task 36 (Babysit). I actually "babysat" back in June or July, but had forgotten about it because it was not in the traditional sense. My cousins came to visit and I took them off my aunt and uncle's hands for a while by taking them grocery shopping with me, which totally constitutes babysitting in my book when you're trying to push a grocery cart and keep an eye on three girls.
22 down. 30 to go????
How has your summer been?