Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

intelligence

Pronunciation: /inˈteləjəns/

The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills

If there is one thing I hate above all others, it is when people make the assumption that I am stupid or uneducated based on what they assume I read, watch, and/or listen to. Let me explain a little bit about me:

I am an author of paranormal romance. I have been working on a BDSM series. I also have written contemporary romance.
I love to read romance. It is one of my favorite genres. It doesn't mean that is ALL I read. I enjoy lots of different genres: horror, sci fi, non-fiction, chick lit, urban fantasy and LITERATURE. I have read every James Herriott book ever written. I own hardcover copies of The Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, The Portrait of Dorian Grey, Portrait of a Woman, Don Quixote, Tom Sawyer, Peter Pan...you get the idea. And I've read them all.

I am, basically, a music junkie. I listen to everything from classical to rock. Beethoven, Mozart, nature sounds, Celtic Thunder, Pink, Josh Groban, Merle Haggard, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Rhianna, Enrique Iglesias, Tanya Tucker, and the list goes on. I grew up listening to country music and it is the music I listen to most often. It is comfort food for my soul. Doesn't mean I'm some dumb hick. Just means I'm comfortable there.

As for the movies/tv shows I watch, I seldom have time to sit and watch anything. When I do, I turn to the shows and movies that feed me in an emotional or mental capacity. I've been on a Netflix kick for the last month. I've watched shows that make me laugh. The world is such a dark place these days so I go to my list and find things to watch that make me smile. I had a The Ranch marathon (Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson) and laughed out loud. I fell in love with Grace and Frankie (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin) and I'm working on The Gilmore Girls because I LOVE this show. The mother/daughter dynamic hits every emotional chord a person has...especially if that person is a daughter. I have watched every single episode, but I can watch it over and over again.

You see, I'm not a person who believes in wasting my time. I know what I like, how I like it, and when I like it. I don't do something because everyone else does it nor do I listen to the critics. If I did, I would never discover new bands, new authors, or new shows. But I don't believe the world or social media should dictate the things I allow myself to enjoy.

Here's the reason for this rant:
I have someone who believes it is okay to put me down simply because of the things listed above. I've been told I limit myself because I won't "explore" what this person thinks I should. I don't have unlimited hours in my day to lay around and watch television or read books that don't interest me. Like I said, I don 't believe in wasting my time. My time is a very precious commodity these days. I spend it doing things I love with the people I love. This doesn't mean that I'm unintelligent because of my likes or dislikes. I think I'm incredibly intelligent, but I don't feel the need to reiterate it on a daily basis. I have wisdom and knowledge. I study up on the things that have a direct impact on my world or those who reside in my world. I don't believe I need to use million dollar words to impress upon people the level of my intelligence. I have made some very poor decisions in the last couple of years because I listened to people who didn't have my best interest at heart. But I'm also a big believer that this doesn't mean I have failed. It simply means I've learned from that experience. I've started listening to my heart and following it where I need to go. Here is where the old adage of "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" comes into play. If you have never made a mistake, that is awesome. However:

There are so many varying degrees of intelligence and no one has the right to make you feel inferior. We all know things that others don't. Some of the most intelligent people I know never graduated high school or went to college. And some of the most unintelligent people stand in front of a classroom of students who are hungry to learn, but cannot instill knowledge.

So, do you wanna share? Tell me about the lessons Life has taught you because you truly only fail if you never try. Show me I'm not alone here!