Not So Perfect

I have to tell you that since this blog was started, I have become fans of some really incredibly talented bloggers.  I’ve laughed and cried reading their stories.  Recently, I read a blog entry posted by Jodi Ambrose that made me take notice.  Besides being incredibly funny, she wrote about her experience at a local Starbucks where a man judged her by her appearance.  What she said about the idea of perfection made this ‘not so perfect’ woman want to stand up and cheer.  Personally, I think perfection is boring.  Being imperfect and riddled with mistakes is called living life.  In fact, it’s what makes me want to write and tell stories.  My characters are anything but perfect.  They have doubts, are insecure, fall for the wrong person and are definitely not the perfect size 2 that I will never be (even in my dreams or even if I ran from here to China and back). If everything in our lives went as planned or if we all looked polished without a bad hair day in sight what would be the point (and what would we do with all of our baseball hats?).

I certainly don’t pick up a book expecting to read about the perfect woman who has the perfect life, falls for the perfect man and looks absolutely perfect.  Can you say boring? We watch reality TV shows not because of perfect lives that we expect to see but because of the train wreck that is sure to pop up on the screen.  I live for those moments! I like complicated relationships in my romantic comedies.  I like a messy bed sometimes.  I especially like the “Stars Without Makeup Doing Errands” section of US Magazine.  And, most of all, I enjoy ordering my steaming cup of whole milk latte from Starbucks in the mornings wearing my baggy sweatpants without having someone judging me for it.  If that makes me imperfect, then I’m proud to be a member of the Club.  Sign me up, Jodie!

Erin