Dismounting the Sassy Horse

In a constant effort to prove to the world just how smart, charming, and witty I really am, I often find myself riding the Sassy Horse.

The Sassy Horse can definitely be fun. It gives you power over not just other individuals, but sometimes whole groups. If you have the ability to consistently zing people with one-liners and not let snobs and intellectuals intimidate you, consider hoping on and taking a ride! But I warn you, once you get on it gets going fast and it's not always easy to get off.

Especially if you let the nerves of just meeting someone dictate the gait of the Sassy Horse. There have been way too many times where I've met someone that I thought was cool, or hot, or smart, or whatever, and I wanted them to like me. So on I climbed. And then I'd be on fire! Zing, zap, dart, pow, make a joke, tell a witty story, give a pointed look, quote a book, make another joke or two and the show's over. That was fun, and they like you! But you're exhausted.

And then the next time you meet them you have to climb back on, because that's what they expect, that's how they know you, that's why you're cool - you're pretty sure that's why they like you. Dismounting in the middle of this ride could leave awkard pauses in the conversation, self-doubt on your part, and just not as fun of a time.

So I'm changing my pace. Oh don't worry, I'll still let myself climb on and go for a ride on a regular basis. But I'll warm up to it, especially with new people. You know, let them like me for the real me, and all that crap, before I let them in on a little secret - that I can be pretty damn smart, charming, and witty too. It's just that they don't have to learn all of that secret in the first five minutes they meet me.