Be Weird.

Holy crud, back already. Is that alright? What's that mean, did I break it? Thought I'd put it out there in what my little sister calls "prime time," a time when apparently everyone is on the internets. Get weird on it.

Billionaire Venture Capitalist Chris Sacca gave the commencement speech at the University of Minnesota a few years ago where he gave the graduates his formula for "the path to happiness." The whole speech is brilliant, but the last and most important piece of his formula is what really stood out to me.  "Be your unapologetically weird self."

It took me by surprise to hear a billionaire talk about being weird, wearing only cowboy shirts, and how mullet wigs change everything. But I freakin' loved it. Especially coming from a dude as successful as Chris, I felt like it gave me some permission to be who I really am, the weird ass dude who just wants to have a lot of fun. It also reminded me of some real world examples of me being my "unapologetically weird self," out in the real world. There's one place in particular where I really seem to step into the weirdness more than others: the dance floor. And more specifically: wedding dance floors.


I've always enjoyed movin' and grovin' my body to a good song, and really started to get down on the dance floor in college at the legendary GMA's on Saturday nights, but recently it's just gone to a whole new level of weird. I don't really know what happened, it kinda came out of no where, but about a year and a half ago my legs, specifically my feet, just started moving at incredible rates out on the dance floor.  Some of you know have witnessed what I'm referencing.
 

The camera point is always a good dance move

At weddings, most "cool guys" post up in a chair a little off the dance floor and get into their "cool guy" position. You know, where they're slightly leaning back, hand on their drink with their bent black straw, possibly even have a leg up on the other knee, the ice on their wrist fully visible. I have nothing against this guy, and need the occasional break from shredding the floor myself, but when the music gets rockin my weird comes out and my hips don't lie. 

Forgoing the dancing for videography

I used to let the thoughts creep in my head of, "All right, tone it down, adults are watching." (Because I'm still obviously not an adult) And wondering if I'm hurting my reputation or something. But I've fully come to embrace who I am, and be my absolute weird self. Being weird is awesome, and I want to do more awesome things. 

One thing I didn't think about before writing this post is now people are going to expect a lot out of my wedding moves.  Good. I'm ready. This is what I live for.

I'm pretty weird outside of just dancing at weddings, that one just came to mind when I thought of Chris's quote. If you saw me in the morning singing and dancing while making breakfast you'd think I'm pretty weird. If you saw me as a 29 year old going as hard as I can against 14 year olds in dodge ball you'd think I'm pretty weird. If you were Alissa and you lived with me you'd think I'm pretty weird. But then again, if you were me and saw her up on a stool singing to her homemade kombucha or talking to her sauerkraut when it's fermenting, you'd think she's pretty damn weird too.  Which makes sense why we're married. Chris wrapped up this speech with an even better quote that fit us to a tee. 
"We're all a little weird, and life's a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them. We fall in mutual weirdness, and we call it love."

Keep being your true, unapologetically weird self, doing what you love with who you love as much as possible, and I'll see you on the dance floors of the world.  

Alissa instructing me on my malasana yoga pose technique

Didn't think I'd go all love talk at the end of post #2. That was weird.


Be Awesome. (And weird)


-Tom Spaniol


"Weirdness lies at the heart of all happiness. You wanna be happy? Just go on with your weird self."
 -Chris Sacca