At the end of this week I am going to a Highlander: the Series convention. Not only that but I’m taking two days off of work so I can properly enjoy the experience. I have the time, and I have the money and there’s no reason not to do it.

When I mentioned that I was taking work off for that purpose one of my co-workers said (more or less jokingly) “and you admit to that?”

You know what? I do admit to that. I used to hide who I was and duck my head, vaguely embarrassed, if something that I did that was out of the norm came up. I would mumble and make excuses and turn different interesting colors. Not any more. Nowadays I am who I am and I don’t hide the things I enjoy doing. Why should I? It’s part of the warp and weft of the human existence.

So I’m going to take Friday and Monday off and I’m going to go to the Highlander Worldwide Convention, the apparent last Highlander convention there will be, and I’m going to have a good time. I very much enjoyed the series when it was on and am looking forward to this as a way to celebrate something I loved.

When I think about it I wonder why I allowed myself to be embarrassed about the things that made me happy. Why do we fret about what others think? My co-worker was only kidding but past me would have decided he thought I was an oddball weirdo and fretted about it. And even if I am, that’s my business and my concern. I’ve discovered at this stage in my life that it is much harder to try and conceal who you are and bend yourself into a pretzel to be something you’re not. Instead I am who I am (I yam who I yam) and let the chips fall where they may. It’s so much easier that way. I can stand up and say “yep, that’s what I like doing” and if someone decides to judge me for it, that’s on them, not me. We all have things we enjoy that may not be to other’s liking but that’s what makes the world fun. For me it’s Highlander (among others), for others it’s Disneyland, or collecting salt and pepper shakers, or watching football, or a myriad of things that keep us occupied.

And just remember, at the end of the day, there can be only one.

Claire