A Bad Reputation

I was ALREADY writing this blog in my mind, and then I went to the Relief Society Meeting tonight...

I remember hearing the quote when I was young that went something like:

"Pick the REPUTATION you want, and then LIVE UP to it"

This was suppose to inspire us to behave in the way we wanted others to perceive us. With my SENIOR YEAR of High School came the opportunity to IMMORTALIZE our REPUTATIONS by putting our PERCEPTIONS to a VOTE. Senior Superlative. You remember Biggest Flirt, Cutest Couple, Luscious Locks (I had to add that because my "B.F.F." was voted Luscious Locks because she really does have the BEST HAIR ever!!) anyways- our chance to pin a reputation on someone that will last in their unopened year book for forever. THIS was the chance. Did the I LIVE UP to the REPUTATION I had chosen?? I don't even remember how it was phrased. Most Nicest? Most Friendly? Something along those lines. I kept thinking how good it would be to be remembered as THE NICEST girl in our High School. Voting Day Came. And being on the Student Council, I was one of the people assigned to collect ballots. NO I didn't LOOK. I didn't have to. Every class was willing to tell their picks. Surprise Surprise - I was NOT Most Friendly. I was however, "MOST LIKELY TO JOIN THE CIRCUS."

Obviously this was MUCH MORE FITTING.

Now as I look back- I wonder if anything has changed??

I was recently noticing among my friends that I am rapidly gaining the Reputation of The One Who Will Say the Thing No One Else Wants to Say. Or maybe The One to Say the Thing She SHOULDN'T Say. HAVE I TAKEN CLASS CLOWN TOO FAR?? Am I saying things I REALLY SHOULDN'T say-- JUST TO GET A LAUGH??

Will I NEVER be The Nicest because I am too busy being the Loudest?

As I have been planning my REFORMATION, and thinking of the Perfect Place to UNVEIL the NEW MOST NICEST KATIE TYLER, I went to the Ward's Relief Society Party...

We were all asked to write One Thing About Ourselves that No One Else Knows. This is a hard enough Task for a Big Mouth Like ME. Everyone knows Everything about me. I scan my brain for something, some crazy act that no one knows about- when I think of my REFORMATION! Ah Ha! This is my chance. Tell something SIMPLE, and NICE about myself!! Nothing Crazy. Nothing Shocking. Nothing Mischievous. Just Me.

Then they begin to read the Anonymous Things and we are suppose to GUESS WHO did it.

Fun, Right?

Here are some of the Things:

"This person has a Tattoo" (remember we are a group of Mormons, so this is breaching scandalous)

Everyone's Unanimous Guess:

"Katie Tyler"

Now I am forced to answer "I DO HAVE a tattoo, but that wasn't mine"

"This person MOONED such and such Hall at BYU" (once again, this is really crazy for a bunch of old Mormons!)

Everyone's Unanimous Guess:

"Katie Tyler"

Now I am forced to ask my self "Have I mooned that hall?" Before replying that again it was not me.

Soon it became RIDICULOUS how Quickly Everyone Thought Things were ME.

(I should insert the Disclaimer here that it was a Really Fun activity and we were all Laughing. You were all Laughing at me, I was Laughing at the Irony of this Night FEEDING into THIS POST!)

SO- After MANY GUESSES I think we ALL came to the CONCLUSION that IF it SEEMS kind of Mischievous (I am using this word because MOST of you do not Speak Malagasy so you don't know the word MADITRA which is much more appropriate but I can't think of the RIGHT English Translation so we are going with Mischievous instead of Naughty-- because that sounds creepy) ANYWAYS-- IF it SEEMS Scandalous it is PROBABLY KATIE. In all Honesty- I am seriously wondering if this has gotten out of hand? Am I misrepresenting myself? Or my values? I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression of me.

SO NOW WHAT?

What if I LIVED UP to the WRONG REPUTATION?! Are there any DO OVERS? Can't we go back and everyone Guess ME for the Random Acts of Kindness? the Never Been Kissed? any one of Things that someone voted MOST NICEST would probably do??

Is it too late?

NEW GOAL FOR KATIE TYLER:

Scale Back on the Most Likely to Do or Say Something She Shouldn't DO or SAY and become Most Likely to DO and Say the NICEST THING...

wish me luck,

you can find me at the circus.