So you think I need to grown up?

     Ok,  as many of you know I am straight edge.  This means I do not, nor will I ever take part in drinking, drugs, or hooking up with random girls.  A comment I get all too much is "Why don't you grown up".  Who gives me these comments?  The people I went to high school with.  Now I know you're probably saying to yourself "what is this about?"  Well I am going to rant a little here so hang on.  It will all come together in the end.  I spent most of my high school days being an outcast because I was a punk kid.  I hung out with punk kids,  I had a punk girlfriend,  I went to punk, ska and hardcore concerts, stage dived, slamdanced, etc, etc... but I never drank or took part in parties in high school.  The reason for this is simple.  My punk lifestyle went beyond fashion.  It went beyond spikey hair and bondage pants.  I became a punk because I wanted to separate myself from the people I went to school with.  These kids were seen as "the ones most likely to succeed!"  These kids were also the ones who spouted homophobic remarks at me in gym class for not being good at sports.  Words such as "faggot", "homo", and "queer" were spat at me on a regular basis.  On a side note,  I am guilty of calling things gay in my high school days.  I never meant for it to be used in a demeaning manner.  I just used it because in those days it was just another word for me to describe things I thought looked stereo typically "gay". I was young, and didn't really think about it.   But as time went by, I learned why you probably shouldn't call things gay.  I hardly, if ever used it towards someone to put them down because I never felt that being gay or lesbian, or transexual was NOT a bad thing.  What does this have to do with straight edge?  Well,  I became straight edge because it was a great way to distance myself as far as possible from these morons.  I hated them sooooo much.  I did what ever it took to distinguish myself from them as much as possible.  Because of this,  I was also made fun of by my teachers, mostly my 10th grade english teacher Mrs. Wright.  So to sum up this part of the rant, the kids that were looked upon as good people were the ones that went to parties, had sex with drunk girls, beat up people like me, and constantly spat out racist and homophobic remarks at anyone who wasn't like them.
   
      In present times, when I run into someone from high school, they usually ask me what I am doing with myself.  I say "Well, i'm still in college, trying to get my degree, playing in a band, and living at home with my parents."  What I get back as a response is "Wow,  still living in the high school days."  First of all, Fuck you!  Second, what the hell do you do with your life.  You have a kid, you're married, probably didn't finish college but you are making enough money to support yourself.  Ok, I can see where we are different and why you would say something like that to me.  But, lets analyse this a little bit.  When I go on your facebook page, and look at your pictures, what are you doing in most of them?  DRINKING!!! JUST LIKE IN HIGH SCHOOL! You still play beer pong, your get black out drunk, and you are telling me I still live in high school?  I spend my weekends, hiking, biking, playing in my band, traveling with my band, and hanging out with my friends.  You drink your lives away just like in high school.  You pretty much admit to me that all you do is work all week, then spend your free time at a fucking bar!?!  Let me repeat that... You work 8-10 hours a day, then go to a bar and drink until you want to go to bed.  And that is almost all that you do.  What a great life you lead fine ladies and gentlemen.  Glad to see that you have such a great personality to come up with all that fun shit!  Who is the one still in high school now?  I feel that people are conditioned to think that a part of growing up is partaking in "grown up" things like drinking at bars.  In reality, this is just a childish way for people to feel that they are grown up.  Sure I still walk around the mall, but walking around the mall is a great way to get exercise, and it is the perfect cure for boredom.  I could sit in my house, lay on my bed, watch tv and be bored.  Or I could walk around the mall and be bored.  What sounds better?  At least I don't spend my free time "mingling" at a god damn bar!  Your grown up standards make me want to vomit.  Why don't you take a look at your own damn life instead of basing what is "grown up" around some stupid moral standard that you are taught from birth.

     To sum everything up,  I DO NOT have a problem with people who drink.  If you want to drink that's fine!  That's your choice!  I DO have a problem with people who don't think for themselves.  That goes for punk kids who dress punk, or drink 40's, and wear leather jackets when it is 100 degrees outside too.  You're just as bad as the kids from my high school.  Think for yourself.  Do what YOU want.  Not what is expected of you.  And last but not least, live your life because you can only do it once.  (cheese fest)

     I hope this made sense.  I am too tired to proof read and I really don;t care that much.  Here are some pics of me in high school. enjoy!