Crowd: Hi, Paco!
Me: . . . and it's been three weeks since I was last an obnoxious killjoy.
Maybe it's not quite that extreme, but I imagine we've all been in the position in which we've either been the killjoy or been the one annoyed or saddened by someone else being a killjoy about something that brings us . . . well, for lack of a better word, joy.
Admittedly, one of the unfortunate tendencies I still struggle with is that of trying to come across as being snarky, witty, and cute rather than being nice or, even better, saying nothing at all when something that brings someone else happiness, but does nothing at all for me, is expressed or mentioned. It can be a very fine line, and sometimes I do not realize that I've crossed it until it is too late.
While social media has many positives, it also exacerbates the problem of the killjoy.
One of the ground rules of improv, and it applies here, is that you never sell out a teammate for a cheap joke. Though it may generate a chuckle or two, it ultimately damages team cohesion and makes you, well, a weenie. This is what the killjoy does.
It is a rule that applies to improv, and likewise it most certainly applies to friendship.
I remember a specific conversation not that long ago when I found myself caught in this trap, after which I pimp-slapped myself emotionally for my thoughtlessness. Comic-Con, or one of those other similar cosplay events was approaching, and a friend mentioned how excited she was that one of her favorite actors was scheduled to appear. I muttered something about how I (KILLJOY ALERT) "can't stand" this particular person.
If this friend happens to be reading this, and you can recall me being a jerkface on this occasion, I hope you'll accept my apologies. Or, let's talk about it in person sometime, and I'll buy you an ice cream.
The whole Pokémon Go thing, for example, did nothing and does nothing for me. Animé as a whole I find uninteresting and unappealing in basically every way. Nevertheless, this has been one of the things about which I can pat myself on the back and say, "Good for you. It's not your thing, but you weren't a killjoy about this." I've enjoyed seeing family members and friends post their Pokémon Go photos and tell their stories about going out hunting for Pokémons here and there and having a great time doing so. I've been geocaching before, which I'm told is somewhat similar to this craze, and I loved the experience of doing that.
Not being a killjoy does not connote agreement; it just means not being "that guy" that no one likes, who pooh-poohs something you love to do.
And so, my friends, please don't let any of the times I've been a killjoy stop you from pursuing your dreams, creating your creations, writing your plays, singing your songs, drawing your drawings, dancing your dances, and above all fanboy your fanboy-ing stuff. (Is that a verb? It is now.) Not that you need my permission.
We all have a compelling story to tell, and while some of us do it through blogging, others do it in other ways. Embrace and enjoy your Pokémon Go, travel, cosplay, concerts, photography, favorite sitcoms, articles you read and found interesting, sports, "Doctor Who," Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit hobbies. Or what-have-you. Meanwhile, I hope you'll continue to encourage me to do the same in my own way. Thank you for being patient and understanding with me during those times when I slip. It's what friends do.
However, if you're going to make an inordinate number of status updates or post several dozen photos of yourself doing these things to clog up my feeds on Facebook, Instagram, and the like, we might be having a different conversation.
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