Mr. Know It All

I got to spend the day with my second family, aka the Lanczaks, yesterday. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see them this summer due to our busy schedules, but lucky I did! We went to a minor league baseball game for the Traverse City Beach Bums. Their two mascots are Suntan and Sunburn, two bears who play silly pranks and help interact with younger fans.
Obviously this wasn't my first baseball game; I played softball for 8 years and watched my brothers play even longer. My brother even works for a Major League team! I forgot how obnoxious some of the fans can be! One family behind us kept meowing (not sure why), another family couldn't control their kids, etc. But the cherry on top for obnoxious fans was this older man who was loud, obnoxious, and plain rude. He definitely had an opinion, and wasn't afraid to express it. He was no stranger to the Beach Bums too; he's a regular ticket holder each season. I feel so bad for the players having to put up with him every game. He even had the nerve to catch a foul ball that was meant for my friend!
He was a know it all, when sadly he didn't know anything. He kept heckling the other players and just wouldn't keep his mouth shut. He had to comment on every little play and be as sarcastic as possible. Lately it seems like I'm running into a lot of these people. Trust me, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but some are plain ridiculous. They're negative, degrading, and plain mean. Not everyone wants to hear everything you're thinking.

I fell in love with Kelly Clarkson when I first heard "Breakaway". At the time I never even heard of American Idol (lack of television and fast Internet). Her music is so powerful, especially her new music.She's not afraid to be herself and know what's best for her. Kelly won't take any nonsense, which is a good message for anyone to apply to their lives. This is one of my all time favorite songs, especially since it really relates to my life right now. I find "know it all's" everywhere, from work, school, and even random strangers. I don't want them to lead my life when I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself.
No one wants to work or be associated with a person who thinks their opinion is the only one that matters, or makes it so that they're always the center of attention. It starts to look embarrassing after a while. Sometimes, these comments can really affect your ego and emotions. Last year, someone repeatedly called me "bitter" for expressing how much I missed Aquinas. He/she always has to ask why I hate being home each summer, and why I suddenly developed a bad attitude. Usually with comments like this, I ended up keeping my emotions bottled until I basically exploded. But these comments kept continuing, and getting worse. It started to affect my confidence and how I interacted with others.
And this person isn't the only one: there are plenty of people who like to push me aside into the shadows so they can claim the spotlight. I was taught to be polite and respect everyone, but sometimes, you just have to throw out all you've learned and start fresh. Unfortunately, not every friendship is worth keeping, not everyone you work with will be the nicest, and sometimes you can't censor others. There are acceptable places to let yourself be the center of attention/expression your opinions, and some places where no one wants to hear what's on your mind. I consider my blog my safe-haven, where I can express my opinions. I don't like keeping a journal like others, because I want others to know what I'm thinking most of the time, without hurting their feelings or seeming arrogant.