Back in May, 2016 I wrote a post on What I’m not. The post revolved around not being long or tall, not being blonde, or (gasp) young.

I believe it’s time to make a part 2 of what I’m not. I’ve thought about this a lot these past few months as my life has taken an unexpected turn and focus. As this focus has brought me to many school board meetings and events revolved around what is happening in our schools right now, I realize that I’m NOT a fashion magnate. Look, I buy a few pairs of new Vera Wang leggings at Kohls each year and any other clothes I buy is at weightlifting meets where Gina at Gameday Sports literally keeps me clothed. In fact, I’ve started traveling to meets with the shirt on my back and maybe one other non-weightlifting shirt and my “officialing” gear which I’ve decided is hideous and will attempt to find a new blue suit for Worlds in December. My current “blues” is in Savannah when I didn’t have room for them in my carry on to Baton Rouge in August and had to send them home with the Polly Pocket who drove so had plenty of room to throw my stinky suit in with her stuff.

I wish I was fashion. I admire women who effortlessly throw together an outfit and wear clothes like a hanger. I don’t need to be a Gigi Hadid but I do kinda wonder if leggings and gym shirts are the new housecoats and that’s all I wear?

I’m not not sassy. Sorrynotsorry. I don’t know know how not to be sassy. It’s in my DNA. The other day, an organization that wanted to publish one of my recent letters to the school board asked if I’d write a quick “bio” to put on the heading of the letter. Sure, I say, here it is: ‘Juli Peterson is an advocate for children’s safety from the teachings of radical ideologies, DIE, SEL. Opt-Out your children from ALL surveys.’

The entire bio took me about 28 seconds to write. Short, sweet, to the point, that’s me. However, the liaison of the group told me that the bio as written was too heavy and they’d like something lighter. My replay? ‘Juli lives in Tosa.’ Srsly, please to fuck off. This group has the opportunity to do some good work in Tosa and they are so concerned with others being mad at them that they refuse to recognize the groups they are up against. Truth be told, they have told me repeatedly that I am “too” much and I’m done. I don’t need a group of adults I’m not invested in to continue to make me feel bad for who I am, I had the Peterson’s for that. I’m sassy. This is me.

I’m not without pain in my life. I have worked very hard to get through to my husband that life has pain AND we can walk in joy. Now, pain is subjective. There is a kind man down in Wichita Falls Texas who is walking in unimaginable pain and my heart hurts for him and the loss of his son. My pain is different. It is not subdued by the enormity of others hurts, but placed in a perspective that I can appreciate. Life is pain (Princess) and learning to appreciate a sunrise; a kind smile from a stranger, or hitting all the green lights on Bluemound is worth taking a ‘W’ for a moment.

I am not without fear. I have fear, in moments an irrational amount of it. I credit those times to learning very early in life that security can be bullshit and really bad things happen. I have fear in competition where I’ve learned to bring that fear with me and put it to work in making things happen. I have a nervousness ( I don’t think it’s the same as fear but it presents the same) when speaking out at school board meetings against a runaway school board but I do it anyway. Matt reminds me that my content is far more clear than any shaking in my voice and I’m comforted by that (the Bigg guy is pretty good at that;) I am NOT fearless, I just don’t let my fear hold me back.

Lastly, I am not quiet. Again, sorrynotsorry. I am solid in my beliefs and the more I learn, the more I will not stay quiet. I have watched, since the inauguration of Obama a core group of Americans who refuse to shut the fuck up on how racist and awful America is and to that I say, piss off. Conservatives are far too willing to sit back and try to live their lives in quiet dignity while extreme far left lunatic liberals have brought many of our institutions to the brink of collapse and I refuse to leave that world for my grandbabies. I. Refuse.

My grandbabies will know that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Their schools will not be overrun by radical theorists and sexual groomers. Not on my watch. My “why”? Morgan, Luca Nakoa, and Kulani.

Everything I’m “not” is going to be underappreciated by some, ignored by others, and ridiculed by the phat Shelley’s of the world. The extra last thing I’m not? Affected by it.

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one. Marcus Aurelius