scarecrow

Have I written about this before? I feel like I have but can’t remember for sure. Whatever, doesn’t matter. Feels right to talk about it now, regardless.

It’s easy to be blinded by infatuation and think that someone you don’t know well is amazing, great, perfect. Spend 10 years with them, go on vacations and road trips with them, make decisions about buying houses and property together, make decisions about how to live in a space together, smell their shit after they’ve punished the toilet. See them when they are short on sleep or stressed from work and at their worst, their most selfish, unkind, rude. Really give someone the chance to make it out of the honeymoon phase, and then see how perfect you think they are.

This is all to say: no one is perfect. No one is as wonderful as they seem during the honeymoon phase, and anyone who lets themself believe such a thing is thoroughly deluded.

It is because of this that I hope to hell that I die before Jenn. I like me lots but I know how difficult I am at the best of times, and don’t want to go through having to show another person all of my flaws, insecurities, worst aspects. I don’t want to thoroughly disappoint anyone in the way I am sure everyone else would disappoint me.

: )

fb lady

A couple days ago I bought a shelf from a woman on FB marketplace. Her profile pics made her look like an attractive 20-something year old. Yeah, I could tell there were a ton of filters on the pics but I have to admit that I was still fooled — I thought she obviously wouldn’t look as polished and perfect as her pics but would still probably be a reasonably attractive human. Then I got there and a withered old crone welcomed me. I thought this must be the seller’s mom, but nope. This was her. She only looked to be in her late 40’s but it was a rough late 40’s: weathered, dried out, tissue paper skin with millions of tiny wrinkles; beady little pig eyes; thoroughly scorched and frizzy hair. It was incredible, I was actually in disbelief that this was the same person from the photos I saw.

It blows my mind and makes me sad that anyone feels the need to create such an absurd illusion as to who they are. It says a lot about our society, superficial values, insecurities, stuff like that. It would be like me posting this pic and claiming it’s me:

^{This is actually pretty close tho}

I wonder if this woman does it because she finds she sells more stuff when she appears young and attractive. That’s very possible, and sad in different ways. Huh.

Whatever. I still wish people would care less about virtual junk and more about their real selves. Oh well, not much I can do about it except be grateful that I’m not on social media and seeing more of this or feeling pressure to join the trend. And I bought the scarecrow’s shelf and it looks pretty cool in our house now so hey, all’s well that ends well.

^{Pretty sweet, hey}