My wife rocks because she keeps teaching me this over and over. She’s so free because she is always engaged. And it’s been a wonderful thing to reflect on.

This doesn’t diminish skill or standards, trust me—I’m a literal perfectionist and it’s why I don’t post. If it’s not perfect, why share? But the art of sucking at stuff shows me that the mere act of participating is enough. It’s enjoyable. And it enhances what it means to be a human.

I love that I get to be in a world of diversity and love where you all make and do things I can’t even imagine. And when I’m wrong it’s funny! I get to laugh because my theories aren’t that serious. Even my paper, supported by academic research, is held loosely because it’s based on my subjectivity.

Sometimes, sucking is more about appreciating the fact that you’ll never be good at something rather than using it as a launching point to become excellent at it. For me, it’s an exercise in humility and understanding that I do not know everything and I never will. And thank goodness!

It’s like an exercise in trust that I do not have to be the best in everything I’m passionate about. I’ll never experience playing Tchaikovsky, but I am able to wrap my mind around a piece beyond me. I’ll never be an Olympian, but I can appreciate volleyball as an art because I get the nuance.

I’m 5’11 (and a half)—I’m never going to be a good hitter no matter how high I jump or how hard I hit. I’m literally not tall enough. I’ll never play a 10th on a piano—I have sausage fingers. I’ll probably never beat Colton in unwiished—they are leagues beyond my capabilities now. This is good!

If I could sum up every genius’s fall from grace it is due to the fact that they become repelled by humility and learning. I think this is why having more than 1 hobby is important—my skill at writing, therapy, volleyball, coaching, music, fighting games, and speedrunning all vary wildly—on purpose!

Any admissions person reading this: all I’m saying though is that you’d be able to cause the alliterative Dr. Davis to happen and I think that’s neat.

I think also that my essays and personal statements are really well done and reflect me well. And honestly? Win or lose, I think that’s a huge win. I’m proud of myself and what I could bring to the table but if it’s not time for me, then that’s okay too.

Also gonna be reading oathbreakers once I get more books on the Lombard league and Frederick Barbarossa. The relationship between him, the communes, Abelard, Bernard, Arnold of Brescia (my actual focus), and the carolignian dynasty all fascinate me but I need all the context first before I dive in.

Oh poison Ivy, easy.

Kinda gnarly I just get to do this for like, until I die or something.

Read this as Ru Paul and was very confused but also somehow understanding LOL.