When I see a stranger wearing what is obviously a handknit scarf, I compliment them. I even do this for the most hideous of basic handknit scarves. You know the ones. The ones that look like someone skinned a clown and then tried to paste them back together with glitter glue? Those.
I do this because I know this person is wearing it for one of two reasons.
Number one: it’s this person’s first scarf and they’re wearing it because they’re very proud, and they’ll enjoy telling me about it.
Number two: it was a gift from someone who made it for them, and they love that person and will be happy to brag about their handmade gift.
Regardless, nobody deliberately wears a scarf like that unless wearing it makes them feel really good above and beyond just having a snazzy scarf to wear.
Complimenting them is and is not a lie. It is a lie because chances are, I hate the way their scarf looks. But it’s not a lie because I love the fact that they’re wearing it, and what wearing it says about them. Commenting on it makes me feel good and it makes them feel good.
Do you tell any little white lies because you know they’ll give a boost to the recipient?
We start out with my homies harassing me for not posting frequently enough.
Palin: I’ll post. “I found a lightsaber, Torkal got a dog, everybody else got some stuff, and we almost died. The end.”
Torkal: Ahem.
Torkal: PIMPDOG.
Palin: Right. Sorry.
Torkal: Thank you.
Palin: Mr. Snugglypoof is indeed awesome.
Torkal: I will kill you.
No need, Torkal!
A story from my dad’s youth:
“When I was younger, I saw a cartoon. The cartoon was this dingy bar, you know, just a dive, with a big old brute of a bartender standing there with bandaids on him, and he had the phone to his ear saying “Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood speaking.” It stuck with me.
When mom would get off work she’d call Nancy (note: my dad’s older sister). I think she was the only one who had a car at the time. So we got a call, and I knew it was my mother.
I thought I would blow her mind a little bit, and I thought I’d be funny, so I picked up the phone and said, “Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood speaking.”
Momma said, “Well this is Maid Marion, would you come down to the Sheriff of Nottingham to pick me up please?”
And I was going “uh, uh, uh…” She got me back a lot faster than I thought she would.”
Which just goes to show that the sense of humor runs in the family, from Grandma down to Dad down to me and down to Em. Many thanks to my father for passing on his insane sense of humor.
Everybody say happy birthday to my dad, who is 39 again this year. I love you like crazy, Dad.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!
…stay inside and surf the web.
http://unhappyhipsters.com/
http://itmademyday.com/
http://epicwinftw.com/
http://autocompleteme.com/
There is an excellent sledding hill at the Marion Diehl Center on Tyvola. Em and I were out there with our Flexible Flyer (thanks, Mom!) and another young couple was out there with the round plastic lid to a garbage can.
Em had lots of fun sledding, until we hit a spot with a large dip. (The dip was easily visible but she still wanted to try it, so don’t worry if you’re coming out). She took a bit of a tumble, not too bad, but she was cold and done so we came on home.
I may go out again later on my own. We also have a garbage can lid, and that looked like lots of fun.
Actual conversation after school yesterday.
Em: Smell me.
Me: Mmm. Cotton candy?
Em: Cherry.
Me: Why do you smell like cherry?
Em: I found some lip balm.
Me: Where?
Em: On the ground.
Me: Oh dear. Did you put it on?
Em: No, it was empty. I threw it in the trash can when we went inside from recess.
Me: …but you still smell like cherry?
Em: Yeah.
Hmmm… Was I wrong to be suspicious?…
I hope it doesn’t snow this weekend. I KNOW! Shocking, coming from me.
It is no great secret that I love the snow. It fills me with such joy and anticipation, I feel happy and alive, like I’m ten years old again. And there are certain rituals one must perform when there’s snow in the forecast.
To bring on the snow, you must drink hot cocoa. I make mine from scratch, with unsweetened cocoa, sugar, milk, and a dash of salt. Marshmallows are a bonus. There is also a snow dance which may be performed. Any little edge that we can get down here in NC to bring on the snow is helpful.
This Friday night, the chance of snow is about 90 percent. But this weekend is my father’s birthday, and my father HATES the snow. Haaaaaaaates. Ever since an incident as a young man in the Air Force up in Alaska, the thought of the wintry weather has filled him with dread. And while I love the snow, it goes without saying that I love my father more. And snow on his birthday would be the worst birthday present ever.
And so for the next four days, I will forego the cocoa. I will hide the marshmallows. I will keep my happy feet planted firmly on the ground. This I do for my wonderful, sweet dad.
Come Monday, though, all bets are off.
Em’s class is having a big field trip this Spring. They’re going to Washington D.C. Em decided pretty early on that she didn’t want to go, and that was fine with us. Her father and I understand how difficult that would be for her. Had she chosen to go, I would have chaperoned, but I really do think she made the best decision to sit this one out.
Many of her teachers and specialists at school look a little disappointed when we say that she’s not going. And I understand that, but it really is for the best. She’d be pretty miserable. That was reinforced a bit with today’s assignment. Today in writing they had to write a paragraph about why they wanted to go to Washington, D.C. If they weren’t going, they should write as if they were going.
Em’s first sentence: “I’m (full name) and I am sad because I do not like going very far away.”
I think that’s very true for her for many new things. We’ve told her that she and Daddy and I can all three go to D.C. this summer, which I think would be a less stressful trip for all concerned. She’s semi onboard with it. We’ll see how she feels in a few months.
GM Vaschon: ok! When last we left our intrepid and gifted adventurers…
Palin: Is he talking about us?
GM Vaschon: oh wrong group
Palin: heh
GM Vaschon: Your party discovered the hidden treasure chamber and managed to beat the odds in the deck of many things.
Aleanghi: Boyandhow.
Torkal: Might I remind you all?
Torkal: BATTLEDOG
GM Vaschon: Your party now rested sits at the mouth of the cavern facing west. There is a 50′ drop to the ground. The nearest mushroom is 7′ away and 2′ up from level.
So, get to the mushroom. Should be quick and easy, right?
