Life Tips


I never was a huge fan of stereotypes. I still think that stereotypes are a copout. But hey what do I know? I'm just a fag right? Err... wait... I'm gay. Yea that's it. I mean... gosh... am I weird these days?

Someone please tell me! What the heck am I?

It's funny listening to people talk about you when they don't know your listening. At least that's what I'm told.

Over the course of the past year I have come to realize a few things. These are a few things that I believe should be taught to kids with an unusual laugh, eccentric tendencies, and a craving to kick back to the good old' days of infancy. For those of you who don't know whom that may be describing, please, read this aloud: Alex Wipper.

The first life-tip I have learned is that words are only as good as the power you give them. For example, these words that appear in black and white on the paper in front of you are only as good as the power you entrust them with. You can read my entire column but you can decide to not let anything sink in. Only you can let things in and either motivate you or start a domino effect that could lead to self-destruction. My personal experiences with this life-tip are all the times that someone has said to me, "You're a loser! Why do you matter?"

Oh I know that the preceding statement seems fabricated, but that's what makes it all the more tragic. One of my fellow classmates, who shall remain nameless, said this to me numerous times throughout our tenure in Elementary school. And for years, that ate away at me and ate away at me until finally my self-esteem was either on a distant vacation or simply non-existent. Now, years later, I completely realize and accept that it was my fault, not the one who threw the stone, that it shredded my self-esteem like a termite eats wood. I'm not saying that the person was justified in saying this. I do not feel that way and I'm sure most of you don't. But, life is 90% attitude and 10% what you make of it.

The second life-tip I have come to terms with recently is that if you cannot be labeled in high school, you're S.O.L. - and you know what that means - because of your sheer individuality. In a society where everyone is taught that each one is special and different from the next, the more radical one may seem the more wrath from his or her peers that person receives.

My personal life experience with this wonderful life-tip is that I have always been a "floater". I've never remained with one clique due to my uncontrollable need for variety in my life-diet. I've also been a very unique individual with my values, beliefs, hobbies, interests, and vocabulary. This has led to many "gay" and "fag" remarks being directed at yours truly. Now, to me this simply means that if you are unable to be pigeonholed then you will either be praised for you truly being yourself or you could be outcast as something of which you know nothing about.

And now the final life-tip from the Book of Wipper! If you wake up in the morning and know it's going to be a bad day... it will be a bad day! However, if you rise and say, "Today I'm gonna have some fun!" then the odds are stacked for you to have quite the enjoyable day. Again life is only 10% what happens and y our attitude makes up the other 90%.

In closing...

Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

Copyright © 2006 Alex Wipper
I actually run my school's magazine. I created it last year from nothing and this is a recent article I wrote.It's an editorial but many faculty have said that this was one of my best pieces ever.

Stories / Articles 2006



More Stories For Life