The only thing I’ve ever been good at

Thinking about all that has happened in my life so far, it probably is a really good thing I get to be a big-time editor at The Lumberjack. To tell you all the truth, I’ve never been much good at anything else. 

When I was 8, my parents signed me up to be a soccer player. They didn’t really care if I was any good or not they just wanted me to learn about teamwork and good sportsmanship. It was me who wanted to be a great player. A bunch of the other kids on my team played for clubs or during the All-Stars Tournament and every year I hated being left out. One season, when my dad coached my team, he nominated me to try out for the all-stars team. All I can remember is starting a Kesha sing-along and never getting asked back. 

The first time I ever scored a goal was when we played a team that was so bad, there was no chance we were going to lose the game. Instead of proper defense or anything, my teammates only passed the ball to me and only blocked the people in front of me. It was a great moment between me and my friends but when something like that happens, it’s probably time to admit, “I really am that awful at soccer.”

When I was 16, I thought I would try and learn how to play the guitar. Back then, I worked at a grocery store and met a customer of mine who offered to give me lessons. He was a passionate follower of music, a really chill guy who just wanted to spread his love for guitar with anyone who would give him the time. Honestly, I thought he was annoying and so it was decided that I would teach myself how to play the guitar.

The guitar I bought for myself was a cheap electric guitar. I hadn’t bought an amp or any of the equipment I was supposed to so instead I just played it quietly in my room. I’m sure it looked really cool but I was definitely lacking in the sounding good department. A few weeks later I was serenaded to “Riptide” by Vance Joy and it was enough to make me never want to even look at my guitar again. 

A couple of times in my life I tried to fall in love. I thought I might be a politician someday. I’ve begun writing the beginning of dozens of different books. I tried doing poetry but got anxious about sharing my feelings. I tried being on the radio and hated the sound of my voice. I tried going out every night and I tried being all by myself. I thought about how cool it would be to be a scientist until I failed biology class. 

I’ve never been good at anything in my life like I’ve been good at editing. I like adding hyphens into compound words that are missing them. I like pointing out unnecessary words in sentences and I like debating the “Associated Press Stylebook.” When I’m editing, I like that I can sing out loud to Kesha while I go through captions and I love that when I go to work I get to hang out with all my biggest supporters. 

In another life, I’m a FIFA star, or maybe I’m married with five children and also an international rockstar. But even with my five amazing children, Daisy I, Daisy II, Daisy III, Daisy IV and Daisy V, plus all the fame of my self-titled band “The Daisy Johnston Group” I am so glad to have been born into this universe where I’m an editor. Being anything else just wouldn’t feel right.