I is for Idiot.

Today, I am linking up with my gal pal Myya over at Myya Says for her "Stick your foot in your mouth, Monday."  After you read mine, you should head on over to read hers, and maybe take a minute to link up with her as well.  I promise, we'll only laugh WITH you.  Not AT you. 

So, this story takes me all the way back to high school.  I graduated high school in 1999, from a high school in Utah.  However, to understand this story completely, you must know that I completed the majority of my schooling in a little farm community in Ohio.  My Freshman and Sophomore years of high school were in this little community.  For several reasons, which included my parent's divorce, my grades slipped once I reached high school.  Like, I'd be lucky to get into a community college kind of slipped.  Once the divorce was final, my mom moved our family out to Utah, the summer after my Sophomore year.  Immediately, my grades improved.  I excelled in English, and brought my GPA up dramatically. 

In the final weeks of my Senior year, I received a letter, informing me that I would be receiving an award or scholarship at the upcoming awards ceremony.  I was psyched!  Unfortunately, the wind was let out of my sails, when at the award ceremony, I was one of several people to receive the award "most improved grades".  Some people may have found this to be a great honor.  I was not some people. 

Later in the day, after the award ceremony, I sat in my Medical Terminology class where a friend of mine asked about my prestigious award.  It was then, that I began to rant.  "Oh, this thing?  It's basically an insulting piece of paper, that says that hey, at least you're not as stupid as you used to be.  I'm still too stupid to get a scholarship, or any kind of award indicating I'm smart, so they had to invent an award to give me."  I was basking in the hilarity that was my make believe prize, when I realized that one of the guys in my class had also been the recipient of the same award.  When he had walked into class, he was carrying his certificate with is head held high, and a smile on his face.  However, when I turned around to hear the conversation he was having with his girlfriend (a friend of mine), his demeaner had changed.  He was now sullen, and he had folded his certificate up, and was telling her that it didn't mean he wasn't dumb, just not as dumb as he used to be. 
I felt HORRIBLE!!!  I felt about as tall as Stuart Little, and immediately wished I could take back what I had said.  I apologized to him, and told him that I'm sure that his grades had improved more than mine, so the award probably meant more for him.  It was too late though.  I had already tarnished his view of the award. 
This is exactly why I shouldn't rant.  I'm much less aware of my surroundings when I do. 

Go ahead, try to beat that one!

On an unrelated note, have you entered my QUINCE QUOTE giveaway yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?!  So far, I only have 2 people entered.  Contest ends, tomorrow at midnight.  HOP TO IT!!!