Upping the competition
Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you I have a highly competitive streak. I don’t deny it. In fact, I point to it as a contributing factor in the many successes I’ve had in life.
When I was very young, I had a hard time losing at anything. It wasn’t uncommon for me to cry if things didn’t go my way while playing a game or sport. I remember the emotional toll that losing took on me, like it was a direct slight to my worth as a person. I even reached a point where I stopped playing board games because the thought of losing was too much to handle.
Later, during high school and college, my competitiveness jumped up a notch. At that stage, I had to win. I wouldn’t go so far that I’d cheat, but I’d look for every competitive advantage I could find. The difference during this period and my youth was that the sadness from losing turned into anger.
This usually manifested in sports, which I was heavily involved in. I played with a profound intensity, demanding that everyone I competed with also play at this level. And if things didn’t go my way, it took everything in my power not to explode at myself or those around me.
Luckily, I usually held it in check. It was afterwards when no one was around that I usually lost control. I had several losing moments when I nearly broke my hand by punching the steering wheel or shower wall.
I’ve now calmed down to a point where I’ve learned to lose. Don’t get me wrong… I still like to win and try my hardest to win every time I engage in any competitive situation; I just don’t let it define me in any way.
This holiday season was a perfect example.
I decided sometime in October that I was going to knock out all my Christmas chores ahead of time. My plan was to decorate the inside and outside of my house, get my tree up, do all my Christmas shopping, mail all of my holiday cards, and make plans for a holiday party all before Dec. 1.
I approached things the same way last year and was pleased with the results. By getting everything done ahead of time, I left myself with a very relaxed holiday. In fact, it was so relaxed that my wife and I made a couple trips to the mall just to walk around and watch the madness. It was weirdly exhilarating not to be part of the chaos, but merely a curious spectator.
So, as soon as our Thanksgiving meal ended, I put my plan into action. By the end of Black Friday, I had ordered almost all of my Christmas gifts online, taking advantage of numerous sales. I had also decorated the entire outside of my house, complete with wreaths and garland strung across several windows and doors, with accompanying white lights for holiday bling. Red bows added a final splash of color to make things pop.
During the following weekend, I attacked the inside of my house, spicing it up from top to bottom with the boxes of decorations that we’ve collocated over 30 years. I then put up our tree (yes, it’s fake) and reset several hundred blown out lights. Fake trees are supposed to be easier, but I can say after owning one for a couple years, it’s not that much easier. And when you buy one as expensive as ours, it’s definitely not saving you any money.
In the following days, I got all of my Christmas cards in the mail and secured everything for a holiday party. When Dec. 1 hit, I was officially done. Or so I thought.
This is when my competitive juices started kicking in. While out jogging, I started to see other people decorating their houses with much more flare. It seemed like everywhere I looked, there was a house that looked more Christmassy than mine. Before I knew it, I was back in the stores looking for more lights and decorations.
I then started to question the validity of my indoor decorating, feeling like I had neglected some rooms over others and contemplating whether I needed to upgrade older decorations. Again, I hit the stores for more ornamentation in my quest to have the perfect holiday environment.
Eventually, my wife had to pull me aside to gently tell me to calm down. She explained very nicely that I was in danger of going full Clark Griswold if I didn’t reign in the over-decorating. I begrudgingly agreed and then tried really hard not to punch the shower wall.
This week’s film, “Jumanji: The Next Level,” also has its share of competitive frustrations. In the fourth installment of the popular franchise (originally created by writer Chris Van Allsburg), the same cast of characters are back to play the game again, this time with an interesting twist to their personalities.
At its heart, this a big budget children’s movie that will get a chuckle or two out of adults, but ultimately leave them feeling listless. However, given the magic of the holiday season, just seeing little ones entertained is reason enough to go.
A “C” for “Jumanji: The Next Level.”
Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.
