365 Days (Part 2) | ✓

311. Easy-Peasy

311. Easy-Peasy: Write about doing something effortlessly.

One time a boy who wanted to get to know me better asked me what I liked and what I was good at. Awkwardly I looked at him and blanked. So turning to my mother (who was watching with amusement), I turned the question over to her, like any truly independent adult does.

"What am I good at?" I asked Mom.

There was this horrific moment when we both blanked, and stared at each other. I could see her scrambling to come up with an answer.

"Well --" she began, "You're good at a lot of things."

I turned to the boy and laughed easily, though I was a little concerned by how I didn't have an answer. "I'm not good at anything," I said, with a grin.

He wasn't done yet. The determination of boys who like girls never ceases to amaze me. "You must be good at something," he said. "Do you have any hobbies?"

I didn't exactly want to tell him that I spent a good portion of my life cracking up at Tumblr posts concerning the superiority of cats.

"Not... really," I said.

"You’re good at reading!" my mom said.

Oh great. That's my only talent. I'm a fabulous reader. I wanted to laugh and resign myself to being homeless at the same time.

"And you... you're good at drawing," my mom said.

Now she was telling tales, I thought. I wasn’t good at drawing; I just liked to draw.

"I'm going to have a hard time finding a career," I said.

This incident still remains in my memory, because I still can't think of anything I'm particular good at or that's been naturally easy for me. I like to read, but I've been a "reader" for so long I have no idea if I was born with an affinity to words or if I learned it. I like to write, but any skill with writing correlates directly with how many books I've read and how much time I've spent learning this craft. I like to draw, but I can only produce likenesses because of the immense amount of time I spend studying the human face and devouring drawing books.

I really don't think I'm good at anything without trying.

I like to talk to people, but socializing is an art. It’s learned by being interested in and kind to others. I like to crochet, but I was taught to do that and have to focus to make something. I like to dance, but I'm a terrible dancer no matter how many Just Dance games I am given as a "joke."

There's nothing I can think of that I've automatically been able to do. Some things come easier than others -- but I'm not a naturally talented person. I'm a stubborn person, and I stick to something until I can be called passable in that skill. Practice makes progress, after all.

Effortless. Oh some things are effortless... but they always turn out pretty horrendously without that effort.