What better topic could their possibly be for my first post, than being first. It's a heavy honor and responsibility to be number one. No pencil has ever gotten to be number one, nor has any building address. Races and sports always have someone end in first, the winner, the guy who everybody wants to be. On internet videos someone always likes to be the first comment. It's a little game for supremacy to put your stamp on a video and say "Na na, I beat you!" With the first place honor you are rewarded with blue ribbons, large trophies, and bragging rights. Humankind is always looking for ways to outdo each other and set themselves above those around them. Being slightly better than someone else is a goal, and people have created so many competitive fields where they can prove their own strengths and crush the dreams of others. It's crazy really when you watch game shows, reality contests, and the big Sunday game only to see one person or team walk away victorious and the other feeling worse than when they entered.
Think about some of your own firsts. Your first word, first step, first fight, first kiss. The first time you earned praise, or the first time you let someone down. The first action figure you got, or the first brand of makeup that went on your face. Your first real friend, and your first more than friend. The first time you lost someone important to you, the first funeral you attended, the first break-up. All these firsts are usually followed by a second, and a third, and a fourth, and so on.
Being anything but first leads to disappointment in many areas. Think of any movie sequel and tell me that it wasn't disappointing. Because the first had to be great for you to want a sequel, and the second has much higher expectations. Sequels can't be as good as the original they have to be better. If they are on the same level than they won't earn any notice, and if they are worse, as most are, than they disgrace the series. Even with a horrific second movie, many series will still earn enough to dish out a third that will be so poorly put together it makes the second look like it was written by DaVinci and produced by Michelangelo. Video games are usually the exact opposite of this stereotype. The first game will be spectacular and the creators will only add on to what made the first so great. Address a few concerns here and there with gameplay or storytelling and it comes out better than the first. In this case the first is worse, the second is best, the third is the one with the hairy chest. (wait, what?)
Being first is fun. It's not easy either. To do this you have to have some kind of skill or talent about you that will give you the upper hand. You have to be naturally gifted, or train hard to be first, but the rewards are worth it. Whether a physical prize or just the sense of overwhelming accomplishment, being first is awesome.
