I am not the guy in the video.
Just had to get that off my chest.
I mean yes, that’s me up there. There’s no internet imposter scandal. But people do not smile when I walk by. I don’t create happiness wherever I go.
In person, I can, from time to time, be rather cranky. I do, occasionally, have a bad attitude. There have been moments where I have not lived life to its fullest potential.
Don”t get me wrong. I love traveling and these last few months were a hoot. But it’s not always fun, and sometimes the hassles take their toll on my behavior.
Sometimes I use this blog to vent my frustration. Sometimes I write how I feel and it makes me feel better afterwards. And sometimes it pisses other people off.
So I made this thing — this video. And a lot of people are watching it. And they take away a message. It’s unspoken, and maybe because it’s never articulated it becomes more potent. By saying nothing, people hear exactly what they want to. And that guy on the screen becomes a symbol for what’s important, what’s possible…
There are folks debating online about whether or not I actually exist. Seems irrefutable to me, but it’s a contended issue.
Point being: they expect a lot out of that guy on the screen.
And then they come here and poke around. Things go downhill quickly.
So I just want to clarify. I want to manage your expectations.
The video isn’t a lie. It’s a sincere expression of how I feel about…stuff. I’m thrilled that it inspires people. I”m thrilled that they find meaning in it. But understand that as soon as I stop dancing, it’s bound to get more complicated. The brotherhood I feel toward my fellow man does not extend to the man next to me on the plane who just farted while clearing his sinuses.
People tell me how jealous they are. They want to be that dancing guy.
I want to be that dancing guy. It’s a worthwhile aspiration. But I’ve got a long way to go. There are gaps in between those clips.
And Canada, please, take it easy. I won’t make excuses. I’m really sorry I neglected to put you in there. It was not intended as a slight. I will work to remedy. In the meantime, cool it with the comments, emails, voice messages, headless teddy bears on my doorstep, and blood-inked poetry on my windshield. I’m not ignoring you. I don’t hate you. We can work this out.
We can all work this out.