y'know the whole "tragic flaw" thing?

Don't use this blog entry to do your English Lit homework, kids.  I have no idea if my memory is correct or not!

One of the few things I remember from my lit classes is that the tragic flaw isn't always a wholly bad thing.  That is, it was a good quality or characteristic that "went bad" ... and thus became tragic.

Stubborn Dutch people (incl lil sis), circa 1988?

The other night I emailed my mom, sister, and brothers the stats I posted in my last blog entry, and my mom's reply was, "no surprise when my daughter is dedicated to something."  The light went on in my head that OHMYWORD my tragic flaw has finally been put to good use!

For years, I've been The Most Stubborn Child My Parents Had (I was also The Most Rebellious Child They Had, but that's another story), and my stubbornness has gotten me into more trouble than you can imagine.  My father is from the Dutch province of Friesland, and evidently, Frisian stubbornness is legendary, and I got ALL of my dad's stubbornness.  And then some.

So now I know:  the reason I have been able to stay dedicated and committed for the last year is because I am stubborn.

So really, all the drug companies need to do is to figure out how to make people stubborn and they can make piles of money.

stubborn Dutch people, August 1991

I got a follow-up email from my mom when I said something back to her about how my stubbornness was actually paying off.  I will cherish it forever.  She said, "Do you know that your dad always considered stubbornness (in himself) a positive quality?"  My dad died in 1998, and I did not know that.  And I'm so glad I do :)

Stubborn Dutch people, circa 1992

a whole lotta Stubborn Dutch People, November 1998