Green Room - Week 25 - Day 5

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

And at the end of the day, I wish I could hear you say, we’re at the starting gate, and the voting is on again!! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/562742.html

Which is definitely the most important thing that I have to share today. Because what could be more important than a vote? ;)

I was fortunate enough to have Survivor’s own Shane Powers (from Exile Island) select one of my questions to answer on the most recent Rob Has a Podcast. I’m mentioning this for a couple of reasons – first of all, to gloat. Because it’s awesome! At least I think so!!

Secondly though, I asked him what his proudest moment as a father was… and his answer was really awesome.

Which got me thinking about you guys – and a question that doesn’t get asked nearly enough – What is YOUR proudest moment (so far) as a person???

Comments

[noodledays.livejournal.com]

what was his answer??

*and I'm not sure about my absolute proudest, but close probably is one Mother's Day when my daughter gave me a sheet of questions she'd answered about me and a couple of the answers were melt-your-heart sweet. 8,)

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

You're FIRST!! Wheee!!!! *throws confetti*

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

The trouble with being raised with high expectations is that it's hard to exceed them. I haven't really done anything I'm proud of yet, except the summer in P-town I wrote about my first season in Idol (I plopped myself in a place I'd never been, didn't know anyone, and didn't have a job or place to live, and spent the summer there.)

I guess I've got some work to do! Hrmm...

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I hear that.
I graduated hs with a 3.48 Gpa and got yelled at every quarter because my graids weren't good enough.

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

Proudest moment so far? I don't know, but overall I'm proud of who I am and I'm proud of my squishy little kid. :D

What was his answer?

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Awwwwww!

[michikatinski.livejournal.com]

Giving birth to my daughter was my proudest moment. <3

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

*Awww!*

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Well, you're just hitting all the high notes lately, Gary! W00t!

I'm not sure what my overall proudest moment is; I'm proud of my outlook on life, that I can keep a positive, optimistic view on things, and that I am generous with my time and energies, and enjoy helping people out. I also recently submitted one of my poems for publication, and will hopefully hear back within a month or two (the website says 6-8 weeks, it's been maybe two). Keeping my fingers crossed for my little villanelle! =)

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm proud of being a nice person with a mostly optimistic view on life too. But I wasn't thinking in terms of that, but in stuff I've actually done. I do think that's something to be proud of though!

Good luck with the poem!

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Like tigrkittn said above, being one with high expectations, I haven't really done anything that's worked out that I'm insanely proud about. Some might think being the first person in my family to graduate high school, much less get a masters degree, would be something to be proud of. And I feel like I should... Except where did it get me? I made a serious mistake with all that except that it brought me to California. That is something I'm very happy about since I love it here and love being close to Java :)

What would make me proud of myself? Getting into a career that I love and that can still sustain me financially. Then I'll be proud of everything else I've done to her there.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

I think you can and should be proud of *everything* you've accomplished to this point, honey. You always tell me that I need to be proud of getting my degree even when I tell you that it's not doing me any good whatsoever. You perservered and overcame a lot of adversity to get where you are. Maybe it's not where you want to be but you will get there. Be proud of everything you've accomplished on the journey so far... there is much better yet to come.

[sarcasmoqueen.livejournal.com]

Proudest moment? That's a tough one. I think I do little things to be a little proud of, but nothing major like overcoming adversity or raising kids or rescuing an animal... hmm. I may have to get back to you on that one!

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Oh I bet you have more to be proud of than you think!

[comedychick.livejournal.com]

I decided to try and pop in because I was talking to similiesslip about a week and she said she missed seeing me around these parts. Now I drop in on a day you ask us a question? :P I'd answer properly if I weren't typing from my phone, in bed, in a hotel room in Taiwan. I just wanted to say hi, and see how everyone was doing. I can't believe how busy I've been this season. Hopefully I'll have more time to hang out next season.

If anyone's curious... I was in Seoul, South Korea last week. Enjoyed it, despite it probably being the city that lacks the most people who speak any English I've ever been to in Asia (which might surprise people considering I've been to many less developed cities, though I theorize that might be part of the reason). Actually I think that was part of it's appeal. It was cool figuring out how to communicate through other means. And ordering things from menus with 100% Korean characters. I'd love to go back since I didn't get to see everything I was interested in. Like, did you know they have tours that take you near the North Korean border and you can look into that country? I was really curious about that one, but it probably wasn't appropriate to take my kids to. So, another time!

[lawchicky.livejournal.com]

Picking a proudest moment is like picking favorites. I HATE favorites! I'm very proud of my children though- they make me smile every day.

We have another day on tap of "SO MUCH TO DO!"

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

I think you're an awesome person and a *great* mom... things you should totally be proud of. :-)

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Hey, anyone know if there's a way for a non-LJ-er to subscribe to entries on an LJ? I have a buddy who isn't on LJ but wants to read my blog. Or is it pretty much, dude, bookmark the link and check back weekly?

Thanks!

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

there must be, because i have a friend who used to be on LJ who said she was going to add my LJ to her RSS list. I don't know if she ever did, but she seemed sure it was possible.

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I don't really do proudest moments thou I was quite pleased with the birth of my children
When Amber got her first level green belt in tie quan doe (yes I know its not spelled right)
When I finnished the art for my tarot.
getting into Iowa State University - even if my health crashed on me before I finnished. (I had 12 credits left towards my BS degree - Animal science)

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

I'm a very lucky person, and I have a lot of proud moments (I'm also an arrogant bitch, so there you go). But what sticks out right now is creating a solo show that toured, and people liked it enough to bring their friends and come a second time. And someone liked a line from the show enough that they tattooed it on their arm, and two more people considered getting tattoos but instead got it inscribed on rings. So that's pretty awesome, that someone liked something I wrote enough to tattoo it on their body.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

That is seriously awesome and I imagine, it has to be very flattering! Kudos to you!

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

My proudest moment so far was finally managing to graduate and with honors to boot... especially because some folks in my life, (including my parents and my girlfriend at the time) told me again and again to not get my hopes up because it wasn't likely going to happen. It was sooooooooo gratifying to give everybody that doubted me a big "F YOU" afterward. Yeah, maybe not the most mature reaction but hey, it felt good. :-)

On the flip side, one my least proud moments occurred last night... I was awake loooooong into the night. Stupid insomnia. When I did finally manage to fall asleep, I managed to roll out of bed... I have a pretty high bed and hard wood floors.... needless to say, landing on the base of my desk chair and then on the floor pretty much sucked and now my back and ribs are hurtin' for certain today. Go me. Ugh.

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

*grins* That defiant "nyah nyah" kind of feeling is awesome, isn't it. To hell with the critics! You did a great job. :)

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

The first time I went to college, I had major problems with depression and I withdrew. I went back home and lived with my family, which felt like a major failure. Every one kept telling me how much potential I had, but it sounded like the past tense all the time.

My proudest moment was really a series of moments and accomplishments - I worked out a lot of my issues in therapy, came to terms with who I was, and decided to go back to school. I got back all my scholarships (major bureaucratic hurdles there), got accepted to the university again, moved out, and completed a degree and three minors. I graduated summa cum laude. I've battled with the depression demons time and again, but I can always look back to that time in my life and say "yeah, it can be done. I can beat these flames back and see the sky again." And I have.

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

That is a fantastic thing. Big congratulations to you for conquering those hurdles both inside and out and doing so well!

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

I saved a woman's life once (which is a way longer story than would fit in a comment).

But this was an Idol topic way back in season mumbletyother, and I wrote about another thing, which, having re-read it just now, is also a proudest moment (why have just one?). http://kathrynrose.livejournal.com/?skip=40&tag=therealljidol

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

Why have just one, indeed. :) Those are both great moments, and certainly things to be proud of!

Re: Here be bragging

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

That's a very awesome story. Congratulations on your success!!!

[copyright1983.livejournal.com]

During my last couple of years of college, I worked part-time in the tutoring center, mostly on math and physics. Most of my clients were freshmen who were trying to get out of Calc I, but I also had a couple of seniors who had neglected their requirements and needed to pass Business Stats or the like finish things up.

Having a couple of those students come up to me at one of the graduation ceremonies and say, "I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you"...yeah, that was a pretty proud moment.

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

Awesome! It's always great to know that you've put some good into the world and made it a better place. :)

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

I'm not great at being proud of myself due to high expectations and other reasons, but I'll share. This may sound like straight-up brown-nosing, but, honestly, actually joining Idol (despite being terrified of it) and just consistently writing stuff has made me proud. And making the Top 50! Go me!

I'm remembering a moment when I was in 10th grade volunteering in the 9th grade biology lab/classroom. I managed to explain an experiment to one of the students in a way she understood and I just felt so smart that day. This is a teeny tiny moment and probably not my proudest if I spend more time thinking, but I was super-pleased with myself that day. Yay for understanding science (that I couldn't explain to you *now*)!

[rattsu.livejournal.com]

Proudest moment? Got so many of them...

But right now it's a three way split between being called 'a danger to the hobby' in the paper, getting published (for money!) for the first time, and my first great review.

[theafaye.livejournal.com]

See, now, proudest moment as a person is a different question to thing you're proudest of accomplishing. The latter would be when someone who wanted me to write for him told me that he'd quoted an article I'd had published in an article he'd had published, which I guess makes me a school of thought or something.

Proudest moment as a person was restraining myself at the weekend when the guy who'd done work on our house accused me of fabricating a leak in the roof to get out of paying him...

...when we'd paid him two days previously.

Bummer.

[jacq22.livejournal.com]

Would have needed restraining myself. What a ****head. Cancel the darned cheque.

[kickthehobbit.livejournal.com]

Proudest moment? uh. Right now probably college graduation, because it was like, "FINALLY I'M DONE WOO"

but talk to me in four-ish years and it will probably be successfully defending my PhD thesis.

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

One that comes to mind for me is when a reader of Valley, my Sims magnum opus, told me that at her daughter's Halloween party, everyone had gathered around the computer and read it. The little girls asked if I was a published author, and more than one asked if they could come back and read it when I updated (it wasn't finished at the time).

Also a few weeks ago an 18 year old contacted me and said that she'd been a fan since my first Sims story in 2005 and that she looked up to me more than most adults in her life.

Another 15 year old fan has reached out to me for advice on stuff and she's said that she wants to be like me when she grows up.

And just yesterday, a young man in the Sims community who I didn't even know still read my stuff or still liked me wrote a post inspired by my post on my LJ, asking how I could improve my writing. He said that I was a person he appreciated and admired.

And those are four specifics that I remember, but there's many more. And I'm fairly sure that there's more who's never said anything.

So I guess - what I'm most proud of is how I've reached people through my writing, especially young people, and how I've apparently been a role model for a lot of teenagers without even realizing it.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

That is so awesome :)

The brain, she does not wish to function.

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

You've seen me go on at length about my self-esteem issues, and how my mother's insane expectations of me contributed to them. Between that, and the fact that I've had a long exhausting day, I can't think of a single damned thing I'm truly proud of right now.

But at least I no longer have images of shameful, embarrassing incidents running through my mind right now. Once, not all that long ago, that would have been my automatic reaction to a question like the one Gary posed: coming up with a laundry list of all the reasons why I shouldn't be proud of myself.

I can't say I feel truly "proud" of this development, as I think it took me way too damned long to reach this state... but I do see it as a step in the right direction, a sign of hope.

Re: The brain, she does not wish to function.

[similiesslip.livejournal.com]

YES! Managing to overcome automatic reactions that put yourself down is VERY HARD and you did GREAT! I would say that is DEFINITELY something to be proud of!:)

[unmowngrass.livejournal.com]

The moment I felt the proudest I've ever felt is for a smaller achievement than some of the ones that followed it.

I got grade B in Textiles GCSE. Grade B! Whoohoo! I really worked my arse off for it, and I completed it and it was great. The steepest mountain I ever climbed.

[similiesslip.livejournal.com]

That sounds difficult. GReat job!:)

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Okay, I completed a ridiculous analysis spreadsheet that I'd like to take 5 minutes to be proud of. At least until Evil One tears it apart because I'm supposed to do things that are impossible or read her mind.

But for now, I'm done with it. 748 unit apartment complex with about 20 different floor plans and comps that were about the same (one comp had 30 different 1 bedrooms... I wish I was kidding... One of which was $3,400 a month). Our property has 20 pools and it's 20 buildings. I have to do signage and pool furniture as well. This is going to be fun.

But for now... I'm done. Now to catch up on all the work I was supposed to do today and I have 30 minutes left to do that *boggles*