Things That Don't Matter

One day when I was 7 or 8 years old I was bored and looking for something to read (I don’t get cable at my house, and this was way before you could watch so much online). Perusing the bookshelf in my living room I stumbled across something called the “The Calvin and Hobbes 10th Anniversary Book”. I picked it up and flipped through, I was delighted to find that it was full of comics and instantly began reading. Thus began what could easily be called a love affair with Bill Watterson’s masterpiece. For the couple weeks it took me to read it I carried this book everywhere with me, and when I finished I’m pretty sure I went back and read it again. After that I collected more whenever possible, and at this point I believe I’ve read just about every strip that’s been published. This comic literally made me who I am today. Calvin was the expression of everything I felt as a kid, things like why do we have to do homework? why do we have to get up so early for school? why do grownups get to control us the way they do? I connected with him more than I think I’ve ever connected to anyone on the face of the earth. He taught me to say no, to question why, to live in the moment with total disregard for any and all consequences. I shudder to think what I would be like had I not learned these lessons from him, and my parents probably sigh regretfully. Those of you who have read Calvin and Hobbes (If you haven’t I consider you as culturally deprived as I consider myself to be) know that Calvin utilizes quite an extensive vocabulary, which I think I can credit as being responsible for my own comprehensive diction from an early age. That of course, is only half of it. Hobbes too defined me as a person. It is from him that I learned wit, his constant air of superiority and offhand comments most definitely rubbed off on me. To this day I pride myself on my skill with the quick quip. So if you’ve never read Calvin and Hobbes I strongly suggest that you do so, it’ll change your life. Oh and did I mention that it’s hilarious?