The Dream Chaser

Chapter 12The Celebrity Factor

Who wants to be a celebrity? It's kind of becoming the thing, or maybe it's always been a thing. I do not see myself as a celebrity, but I am stopped in every city I go to. I think I'm just an Internet celebrity, but today that matters. I'm in a small city called Pompano Beach writing my book, and I was getting into my car at Publix as these three young women were getting out of their car. I asked them if they wanted my cart, and one of them said, “Hey, you're the guy who does those videos on Facebook!” It made me laugh. I've been getting recognized for years now in some of the strangest places. Last week I was in Tampa, Florida, and I went through a Burger King drive-thru and the young lady serving me said, “What are you doing way down here in Tampa? I see you on my TV!” It's strange to me how we see the world as so big with so many people, but in every city I go to someone in a random place recognizes me from online. Although it's been happening for years, I'm not bombarded by people like an A-list celebrity is, so I still haven't gotten used to it. I still have to remind people of my name because a lot of them just know my face, so there is still work to do. You don't think you're a celebrity because you're in your own skin. You see your flaws and your regularness every day, so you don't sweat yourself. You're no big deal to yourself. My wife chops me down to size often because she doesn't treat me any differently than when she first met me, ...