I Will

Will is the best word. Almost as good as Hat. Which is my word.
I am a moose. A Moose in a Hat....
Anyway. Will. Will is both the word that says, yes, I'm going to do or be or achieve whatever it might be, and the way you do that. I Will, because I Will it to be so, Through Will (the force) I will (the action).
Such a good word.
I will be bold. I WILL.
I will be me. I will stop being afraid of what others might think. I will wear what I want, I will make the art I want, and if you don't like it, that is not my problem. It is not my fault.
This would be easier to accomplish if I weren't going to see my grandparents tomorrow. My mom's reactions are likely to be difficult enough. I know they're not going to stop loving me if I wear a tutu, but they want explanations. Why did you dye your hair purple? Why are you wearing that? Why don't you get a job and be normal?
Because I want to. Because I can. Because I have tried to be the person you want me to be for long enough, and that isn't who I am. And it's not making me happy.
Perhaps because I have been letting them get their way for so long, it is harder to break free. Most off my friends stopped doing things because they were "supposed to" gradually, over years, starting in middle and high school. I am doing it more abruptly, and later. And it's hard. But I have to. For me. I Will.
If everyone did this, we would all stop trying to make other people who we think they should be, and let them be who they are.

Apologies

I don't seem to make enough of them.
Gibbs says "never apologize, it's a sign of weakness".
But I'm not convinced. So, just a quick post to say I'm sorry.
Sorry that I never post. Sorrier that I never act on the impulse to call or write or let you know that I'm alive, and that I wonder how you are and I miss you. Sorry that I don't do the things you want me to do, that I can't be the person you want me to be. Sorry that I'm so selfish and whiny and that I keep making you put up with it. I only hope that the sarcastic commentary is occasionally funny enough to make up for it. And not just annoying, as I suspect it is.
And I want to say thank you for being my friend anyway.
The reason: I realized that I've been trying to make myself this woman, which means I have to make one of you this man. Which isn't very fair. And I've been doing a lousy job of it, so I keep making us these people instead. At least it's music I like, even if it does mean I keep ending up with fucked up relationships with my guy friends.
Or maybe you all think we're fine, and it's all in my head because I'm completely egomaniacal. Which is apparently not a word. But the only word I know that's similar is vainglorious. And obviously, I can't use that. Not only because that would mean I was saying the problem is that I'm Christopher-esque, which I am distinctly not, but because vainglorious doesn't convey the right level of self-absorption. Its more boastful and is about pride rather than general self obsession. And I'm pretty sure egomaniacal is a word, and that time it didn't underline it, so what the fuck? As Robin would say, dwonky.
In other news: since I've been home, I have accomplished very little. A couple hours "cleaning" mostly so I'd have space to take out my cold-weather clothes. I've been biting my nails, which I completely stopped in Canada. And last night and today, I've done a little art. Maybe I'll eventually have some to show. And I'll sort out my costume for Halloween. Votes on if I should be Psyloche or Rouge?
And see, again, in a post that was meant to just be an appology for being a shitty, self-absorbed friend, I've gone completely off into talking about myself. Seriously though, I need to learn to shut up about myself. Danielle thinks it would make me less offensive. Friedman says he doesn't get offended, and that I shouldn't worry about people who do. I dunno, I'm trying to be a decent human. I'm just failing spectacularly. But really, I do love you all and I miss you. Call me or email me or something, because I'm clearly never going to manage to contact you. But I'll keep trying.

Is it legit?

I always wonder, when I'm explaining that I had a stroke, is it fair? Can I really blame this problem or that one on it? I mean, yeah, I'm tired and my left leg hurts from wandering the city, but is that a post-stroke left side failure or a lazy bum failure? If I can't do a pull-up does that mean, the muscles in my left arm totally atrophied last year and aren't up to it yet or does it just mean I'm a weakling? If my Spanish class is too hard, is the problem the stroke or the material? Was my brain really that different a year ago? Has my recovery to date not been sufficient?
If you met me, you'd never guess that I was less than a year post-stroke. Ian knew me a little before, and he didn't even know it had happened, so apparently, if you knew me before and saw me know, you wouldn't know. But I know. I am constantly aware of all my defects, especially the ones i think are stroke related.
And I don't want to be defined by the stroke. And yet, there is a big part of me that wants to dedicate my life to helping others overcome this. And I keep using it to excuse my failings to others. But I feel guilty and torn about telling them. Why am I embarrassed? Not of the stroke, I don't care if people know that. I think because I feel like its a failure. I haven't recovered enough. I should work harder. I should be able to do everything, and if I can't, because of the stroke or any other reason, I feel bad.
I know it's dumb but it's true. I'm so tired.... maybe a nap and then my 10 bazillion hours of homework.