You are what you eat...

Or what you consume to be more precise. I remember being seventeen years old with propositions of 'business ideas' in the form of selling ridiculous soaps or household goods while generating a steady and unrelenting stream of income. All I had to do was attend some meetings and ask every single person I ever run into if they would like to buy into this stupid scheme. Welcome to sales... I eventually moved along in my life while still being tugged at easy ways to make income. I even sold vacuums for a while. Embarrassing as it was I made fairly decent money. At the 'dawn of the internet' I gracefully missed an opportunity to become a part of one of the biggest multi-level marketing scheme launches in decades. Even telemarketing was on my list of crazy jobs I've had. For every sale of the day my pay would increase by a dollar an hour. Once I figured out what I was selling and how the 'closers' would close the deal I quit...

In the world of sales there are some common catch phrases and techniques for instilling hope and motivation for the poor souls who know in their heart that they're ripping people off just to eat for the week. One that I've thought of a lot lately is the idea that if you surround yourself with successful people, you'll probably become successful yourself. It doesn't so much work when you're burning bridges while trying to convince your elderly grandparents to switch long distance providers, but it does apply in the more practical aspects of proceeding forward in life. One reason my restaurant was successful and it is still open to this day is that I built it with a big part of the foundation being from influence of successful people. Even with that, the previous success of someone wasn't the only thing that helped me along. I was able to be around people who were real movers and shakers. To a point, I was becoming one of them. Too bad I was in a town that I despised. I was able to be heard and a good majority of the people listened. A lot happened because of what I built and I know if I stayed, a lot more would have been done... I'm not done yet though.

The thing about becoming like the people you surround yourself with holds true in so many ways. The military allowed me to find a niche group of people that I could relate to on a level that I wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. I felt limited in my personal progression as a person while in the service so it was a motivator in me deciding to get out while I could. If I would have stayed I would have been successful for sure, but only on a level set forth by the ones I had to kiss ass to.

Fast forwarding to my life as it stands today, I've become a little too close to something I despise. Drama, talk, gossip, backstabbing, lack-of-empathy and numerous other judgmental terms describe people-events in my life. I live in a small town where no shit, everyone knows everyone. It's annoying. I admit, I talk shit. We all do in our own special way. I'm not an antagonistic person so I'm not going to prompt a discussion with someone about why I think they are total fucking idiots, but if they ask for my uncensored opinion I'll gladly give it to them with the disclaimer that their feelings may get hurt. And it's not like some of these tool-bags I'm talking about would take what I say seriously anyways so the best way I can vent about it is to process it the same way others in my life do...

So why am I bitching about it? Why don't I just ignore everyone and live my own life? Why do I even care? Why don't I just leave? Well plain and simply I've immersed myself in it to participate in an education program to become a pilot. I am leaving soon but it doesn't mean that I can't be affected by what has consumed me for the past two years. I should I say, what I've consumed. Regardless of age, maturity, experience, intent or even gender I've allowed myself to live amongst others the only way I know given the circumstances.

If friendships are like harvested food, whatever I've found here came from the edge of the field that apparently doesn't get watered too much. Problem here is just as the population of decent women is scarce, genuine friends are just as hard to find. Meh... to the bar... just a few weeks left...