The Beginning of the End

 I have never been much of one for introductory posts.  As epic as I may want to appear, I often get bogged down by the details - for instance, in the mere drafting stages of this post, I became so utterly consumed by the notion of perfection that I revised my first paragraph nearly a dozen times before I abandoned it entirely.  My intention was to introduce myself, my history of nicknames, and link it all back to my rationale for starting this blog.  While I am sure that such an anecdote would have been a delightful little post, I am beginning to realize that I need to not worry so much about creating such impeccable entries because, frankly, I will never be able to finish a thought if I continue to hold myself to such exacting standards.  Malarkey Magoo is my new home for all my musings and, as imperfect as it may be, I just need to roll with it.

My name is Maggie but, in this realm, I just go by Magoo.  For my sixteenth birthday, my Mom bought me a ticket to see Whose Line is it Anyway? live at the Paramount Theater in downtown Seattle and I was seated right alongside the aisle on the main floor.  Participants at this show were routinely pulled from the audience by Drew Carey so that they could participate in improv games.  As an awkward and reserved teenager, I had absolutely no interest in being pulled up on stage since I have never been much of one to want to be in the spotlight and, of course, the thought of interacting with C-list celebrities in such a public setting was absolutely terrifying.  I remember thinking that, as long as I avoided making eye contact with Mr. Carey, I would be just fine.  Not surprisingly, my instincts betrayed me - the show had almost reached its conclusion and, on the last go around down my aisle, I had my eyes glued to the floor when I heard a booming voice say "I'm going to choose the person that looks the least interested..." That least interested person was, of course, me.  While being swiftly whisked onstage, Drew asked me if I had any hobbies or if there were any other activities I enjoyed (presumably to find a theme for their improv game) but, since I was too shocked to think of anything, I answered all of their questions with 'no'.  Surely this was quite the conundrum for the Whose Line is it Anyway? crew.  Nonetheless, they had to roll with it and two cast members ended up singing a dueling love opera about me with lyrics suggesting that I might seem boring, however, that there was definitely something interesting about me.  It was quite the hoot.  Upon reflecting on this event nearly a decade later, I have come to realize that some of these traits of my adolescence still hold true - I may not have one activity or thing that moves me, however, I am constantly inspired by the world around me and enjoy reflecting on it most of all.  Drew Carey and his crew may have been more intuitive than they ever could have realized.  

There are countless passions in my life and Malarkey Magoo will serve as an honest reflection of all my pursuits. While there may not be one subject or hobby that moves me most of all, I intend to form concrete thoughts about all things that inspire me here on this blog and I hope that, in embarking on this endeavor, I can loosen up just a bit and celebrate the wonders of life. It's quite easy for me to become paralyzed by anxiety and, frankly, I don't want to be that twitchy hot mess anymore. As trying as it may be for me to just decompress and relax, I hope that this blog will inspire me to take note of the whimsical and wonderful absurdities around me and, in the process, I hope that I become a bit more balanced. Here we go!