Square Peg

My sister made an interesting comment on Facebook the other day. She mentioned that she feels like the only square peg in a sea of round pegs and holes. There were several resounding "Amens" in the comments, particularly from her siblings.

Yes, my parents must have both been carriers of some serious recessive square peg gene, because they seem to have passed it on to all six of their children.

I started to make a list of all the areas that I don't quite seem to fit into in this Utah Mormon society in which I live. The list got rather lengthy, so I had to quit, but here are just a few examples:

1. I have never run a marathon, half-marathon, 5K, or even as far as my street corner. I have not dressed as a zombie or a witch or covered myself in mud to run such races. I have no desire to do so and pity the poor souls I see out running each morning.

2. I wouldn't recognize a Taylor Swift song if I heard one. There is one One Direction song that I might recognize thanks to Facebook. Isn't it something about a girl thinking she's super ugly and then a hot boy comes along and tells her that she's beautiful and she just never knew it? Is that the lunch bell? Oh sorry, I thought I was back in 8th grade for a minute there.

3. I do not have an Etsy account where I sell my gorgeous handmade craft items.

4. I don't craft. See number 3.

5. I haven't read a single book from the Twilight series. I did however, read Bram Stoker's Dracula when I was 14, and it is one of my favorite books.

6. I've never tried Zumba, don't really care to. I lack the coordination.

7. My body is still sporting its original breasts. They're small and saggy, but they're mine nonetheless.

8. I've never been on a cruise, and probably never will. I prefer to enjoy the ocean from land.

9. I haven't read a single Harry Potter book.

10. I read the first two Hunger Games books then got bored and didn't care to read the last one. I don't really care about what's her name, Catnip?... and whatever boy she ends up with...what's his name, Pita?

11. I don't follow Walking Dead or Downtown Abbey, but I never miss a Ken Burns documentary.

12. I do not enjoy shopping.

13. I read a lot of dry history and memoirs.

14. I gave up 11th row Jazz tickets but spent good money on nose-bleed seats for the Utah Symphony's performance of Bolero.

So, you can see why sometimes I just don't feel like I fit in. It can be difficult to carry on a conversation with those around me, which is why I tend to be reclusive in nature. Well, and also because I prefer to sit alone in my house reading biographies, listening to Bach's cello suites, and eating delicious pastries. Yep, a pure, bona fide square peg, and I may just be raising four little square pegs of my own.

There's not much that can be done at this point. I have learned that I just have to try to Be Stephanie in a place of round pegs. In my own little world, it's Hip to Be Square. I guess that's all that matters.