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  • SUNDAY JUNE 17 2012 9:05 PM

Confessions Of A Reluctant Dater: Penny Lane

by Bradley Suicide

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[Above: Bradley Suicide in Sugar Kitty]

“I always tell the girls, never take it seriously, if ya never take it seriously, ya never get hurt, ya never get hurt, ya always have fun, and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.”
– Penny Lane, Almost Famous, 2000



Am I always going to be the Penny Lane?

That’s the question I find myself asking again and again. As I have stated previously, I have a thing for rock stars (yes, I mean that in the literal sense of the term). Past experience has taught me to lump the good in with the bad and roll with it. Dating a musician is hard enough, then you add the famous component and you can imagine how complicated things can get. Emotionally, I am in a constant state of turmoil. There is never a dull moment, that’s for sure. But that’s also probably half of the appeal. The uncertainty, the roaming from city to city, being the pretty girl on the arm, and knowing that – even though there are thousands of girls in the audience screaming for him – I’m the one that’s with him. That ‘jet-setting never know what you’re going to get’ life is one that I love and feed off of. But I can’t help but wonder, am I ever going to be the girl that they settle down with? Am I ever going to get my rock star version of happily ever after? Will I be the one that gets all of the kind words, the sweet looks, the hugs and the kisses, but not the commitment in the end when all is said and done? Am I going to always be the Marilyn and never the Jackie?

This thought began to eat at me. Especially because at the moment I am seeing someone that I could easily see myself being with for the long term if the chips fall that way. The more I pondered this, the more depressed I began to feel. So what did I do? I called my very close friend from back home. As I sat on the phone with him and painfully explained the situation he came at me with a point that made everything snap into focus. Below is what he told me,

“Screw all of that. Stay strong and confident in who you are. Own it. Be it. Say, ‘If I’m a Penny Lane then fuck ya I’m proud.’ There are a lot of people who go through life in denial, trying to fool themselves as to who they are. You have to know about yourself and who you are. You can’t live a genuine life unless you know who you are. Then own it and be who you are. You don’t have to apologize for anything. I look at it like this: if someone doesn’t like me that’s cool, I’m not here because I need you to justify my existence. I’m cool with who I am. Self awareness is sexy. Don’t apologize, don’t lie, and don’t cover up who you are. I attract people who are like-minded. I don’t have to pretend to be someone else.”

Those wise words, from a wise friend made everything so much more clear. Why would I ever want to be something that I’m not? I am who I am, and if you can’t handle me as a Marilyn for the long term then you just straight up don’t deserve me. Plus I would probably end up driving you crazy with my drunken antics and blonde girl escapades that you would end up with a heart condition and losing your hair from stress. Maybe it’s just like Carrie Bradshaw said, “Some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with” (I swear, those Sex & the City writers had shit on point).

Since talking with my friend I have also realized another excellent side of this whole equation. Some women would be happy being the Jackie. Getting wifed up, having the 2.5 kids, the white picket fence and having dinner ready to go when the hubby gets home from his 9-5…I am just not one of them. If I had to settle down and have a “normal” life I think I would become a horrible bitter and depressed mess. Maybe trying to be the Jackie is the worst thing for me, trying to fit that mold would be me trying to be something that I am not, a square peg in a round hole sort of a deal. Part of me wishes that I wanted the perfect little life of being on the PTA, having the dog named spot, the whole package, because I feel like my heart would be a lot more protected and life would be a lot less complicated. I just can’t see myself being happy with it.

So screw it. I have realized that I want something different from the average bear in every facet of my life, so why would my love life be any different? I have realized that I am who I am. I am a complicated, crazy, fun loving blonde who wants to be young, wild, and usually drunk. I want the life that I want and I am not going to worry about where it takes me. And I’m not changing myself to court others’ approval. Things will work out the way that they are supposed to and I will end up with MY version of happily ever after someday. I am really not sure at this point what that is, but who says that I need to know right now? I firmly believe that when I find it, I will know its right. So what if I am the Marilyn or the Penny Lane? If you don’t like it then I don’t need you in my life, simple as that. I am owning this part of me. I am not ashamed and I am not apologetic about who I am. If you can’t handle me then we aren’t meant to be, rock star or not.

I don’t know where this pothole-riddled road will take me, but riding that road across the world in a tour bus or two has made for a pretty fun trip so far. Party on.

Xoxo
Bradley

Related Posts
Confessions Of A Reluctant Dater
Confessions Of A Reluctant Dater: Champagne Wishes And Rockstar Dreams

 

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Comments
tattooed_eric

tattooed_eric

Jackson, TN
February 2012

JUN 19, 2012 10:25 AM

Well put do what you do screw everyone else ARRR!!!

PortlandMusician

PortlandMusician

Beaverton, OR
September 2008

JUN 20, 2012 01:16 AM

keep doing the same thing, keep getting the same result. If it's been working out fine and you're happy then no problem. Although you rarely ever see someone achieve happiness when they limit themselves to such superficial standards> find me one rockstar chaser who lived happily ever after?

nika74

nika74

Eugene, OR
April 2012

JUN 20, 2012 05:30 PM

you make a very good point. ive been feeling pressured to settle down because all my friends have kids or are getting married. but you know im happy the way i am and this only makes me feel more comfortable telling people to piss off about it.

Keith

Keith

Hooker, OK
August 2002

JUN 20, 2012 08:01 PM

I love how everyone thinks like this in their early 20s and yet thinks they're the only one who ever thought like this. As if the 'white picket fences' people weren't young and stupid wild once, too. There are millions of boring. contented soccer moms and dads out there who did a lot of drugs, drank a lot of booze, and fucked a lot of people when they were young. :cough: Because after a certain age, living that lifestyle ceases to be cool, and just becomes sad, if not tragic.

Hankstir

Hankstir

Santa Rosa, CA
April 2012

JUN 20, 2012 11:02 PM

Great article! I'm in the relatively same place and can relate to it.

Stiles

Stiles

Philadelphia, PA
November 2002

JUN 21, 2012 01:35 AM


I am who I am, and if you can’t handle me as a Marilyn for the long term then you just straight up don’t deserve me.



Marilyn couldn't handle Marilyn for the long term. Dead at 36 of an OD.


Part of me wishes that I wanted the perfect little life of being on the PTA, having the dog named spot, the whole package, because I feel like my heart would be a lot more protected and life would be a lot less complicated.



In what alternate universe is being married with kids, a house and a dog less complicated than being the girlfriend hitching a ride on the tour bus?

Clidna

Clidna

Canada
January 2005

JUN 21, 2012 06:49 AM

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Let's have a comparison - I've got a house, 4 kids and a cat, I want to see how much less complicated my life is than hers biggrin

Keith said:
I love how everyone thinks like this in their early 20s and yet thinks they're the only one who ever thought like this. As if the 'white picket fences' people weren't young and stupid wild once, too. There are millions of boring. contented soccer moms and dads out there who did a lot of drugs, drank a lot of booze, and fucked a lot of people when they were young. :cough: Because after a certain age, living that lifestyle ceases to be cool, and just becomes sad, if not tragic.


This. I was pretty crazy once, too - grew out of it.

scoo

scoo

Los Angeles, CA
October 2011

JUN 21, 2012 08:18 AM

There are no more rock stars except old and dead ones. I live next door to three so- called modern ones, and no one knows who they are. eeek

Metaverse

Metaverse

USA
March 2005

JUN 21, 2012 12:48 PM

History...learn it.

Laurelin

Laurelin

Boston, MA
August 2006

JUN 21, 2012 01:33 PM

our lives are way more fun. always will be. white picket fences look way better on fire! haters gonna hate, bloggers gonna blog, girls like us? we drink and never regret. kiss

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

JUN 21, 2012 03:04 PM

People who talk like this at 22-24 are always the FIRST people to settle down and marry.

MisterSatan

MisterSatan

Portland, OR
August 2002

JUN 21, 2012 04:12 PM

Laurelin said:
our lives are way more fun. always will be.



Your articles say otherwise.

Keith

Keith

Hooker, OK
August 2002

JUN 21, 2012 05:51 PM

MisterSatan said:

Laurelin said:
our lives are way more fun. always will be.



Your articles say otherwise.




CoyoteMike

CoyoteMike

Iowa City, IA
May 2006

JUN 21, 2012 05:57 PM

scoo said:
There are no more rock stars except old and dead ones. I live next door to three so- called modern ones, and no one knows who they are. eeek



You still have Beiber.

CodyW

CodyW

Nacogdoches, TX
December 2004

JUN 21, 2012 05:58 PM

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