Have You Ever Noticed?

There's something empowering about being disliked by someone.  Now, I'm not talking about your boss of your boyfriend's mom (that's not good).   I'm not talking about the girl you stole the boyfriend of (that's expected).   I'm talking about when you discover a completely random, unexpected person hates you for no particular reason.

Now, don't get me wrong - it's not that I rejoice in this.  However, a person has to CARE to not like you.  

It's especially interesting when it involves someone you don't necessarily see regularly.  Surely, it's easy to be bothered by the regular annoying qualities of a coworker or a classmate.  However, to carry a dislike for someone who is no longer a part of your life seems to be reserved for those who've committed only a handful of serious offenses against you.  

Although there were plenty of people from both high school and college who I didn't exactly like at the time being, I can honestly say I can't think of anyone I actively dislike from either place (and I am still looking for someone who will describe me as 'forgiving').   Anyone who wasn't to my liking is no longer in my life at this point, and the people who aren't in my life aren't worth the energy for the most point.

However, once in a while, we'll all come along a little nougat of info that someone we haven't seen/talked to/even thought of in forever REALLY DOESN'T LIKE US.  There's some satisfaction in knowing that we must, on some level, albeit negatively, matter to that person.  

As I'm  sure you've inferred, this has happened to me recently.  Of course, despite what I've mentioned above, this situation is of course clouded by the ever-persistent human question - "why?"   

Some of You May Have Noticed....

....it's been a while since I've hated on Barack.  Well, I am not hating on Barack - I think he's doing ok (considering he hasn't even taken office yet) - he's appointed some smart people, which is all he's really been asked to do so far - ok, fine....

However, I've had enough!!  I've had enough of talking about him!  ENOUGH!  (Yes, I realize I'm doing it now.)  Obviously, Barbara Walters (who, for someone who really had to work hard to break barriers for women in journalism, seems to be phoning it in over the past couple years) named him the most fascinating person of the year.  I'm sick of everyone being fascinated by him.  I'm sick of commemorative plates (shouldn't that come after the end of his presidency?!?!  Just sayin'!!).  

I'm sick of articles about 'what's on Obama's I-pod', 'Christmas at the Obama house', 'the Obama daughter's chores', 'Obama's haircut' - AHHHHH!!!   Seriously, the man is our president - not Britney Spears.  I realize there's a certain amount of human interest stories with all public figures, but COME ON.  

I can't help but think - two popular presidents from my lifetime - Clinton and Reagan - certainly had their moments when they were less than loved by the general public.  All president approval ratings have ebbs and flows - and Obama is only human.  I can't wait until he formally assumes office so the press and everyone else can stop worshiping the ground he walks on.  URGH!  

Currently Listening To....

I love love love it!!  I am not a country music gal, but goshdarnit - I am jumping on the bandwagon!

Piper said she likes it when I write reviews - I honestly have no idea on how to review a cd.  I remember back on the high school newspaper, there were a couple boys who would always review cds, but they would review their favorite cds and talk about how great these bands were  (which have at this point all broken up or, at least, haven't produced a hit in a decade).

Anyhow, I digress.  I am sure there is something objective to write about when reviewing a cd (the song lyrics, the quality of use of the instrument or something like that), but I am not familiar with how to do this.  So I will just say I love this cd!!

Random Question

How come every infomercial offers a free product with the product it's selling?  It's failproof.  Call now and you'll get this random sometimes completely unrelated product!!!!   Often times the included product is not necessarily miniscule wherein there has to be some cost to it itself.   Does anyone ever miss out and not get that extra prize because they didn't "CALL NOW"?   One can't really argue it might have something to do with measuring advertising results because the calling in itself does that.  Seriously, what's the point of the throw in - there has to be one since they all consistently do it.  Anyone know?  Hmm.  

Sad Day

I went to the dentist today.   My mouth is, apparently, the home of one single solitary cavity.    It is about to become the home to a filling.  Well, I haven't made the appointment yet.  A small part of me is thinking about ignoring it - if I hadn't gone to the dentist, I wouldn't know and would continue to go about things just fine.  Maybe I should put this up to a vote....

I took my cavity-less existence for granted.  I apparently didn't do enough to prevent it, but I thought since what I'd done had prevented cavities each and every time before, I was safe.  

As you can see, I am very upset about this.  It may sound trite in the big picture, but perhaps it's one of the more minor annoyances in a series of unfortunate events.  Grr.  

I think I'm going with ignoring the cavity, as childish as that may be.  Thoughts?

Blush...A Spade Was Called....

Quote from the book I'm reading:

"What did bother her about most blogs was their wistfulness.  No matter how self-effacing the bloggers were, they clearly believed themselves on some sort of world stage, where they just might be attended to."

Sigh.  

Currently Reading....

The Writing Class by Jincy Willett....

You know, review to come....

Sidenote:  antp, I think you would specifically like/appreciate some aspects of this book....

For a Regularly Contributing Commenter

Happy Birthday Tom!

Recurring Dream...

So for the past two nights in a row, I've had the dream that I was back in senior year of college.  Now, normally for me, the idea of a dream about being back in school and having to deal with classes, tests, etc. is a complete and total nightmare.  Normally I feel very relieved when I wake up from these kind of dreams - it's not that I stressed out about school that much, it just wasn't fun and I was glad when it was over.  However, I felt perfectly at ease and even happy in these dreams (well, senior year of college wasn't the most busy).  

Also, randomly, I can't recall the last time I had a dream about being back in college - perhaps I'd had some the first year after graduating but certainly not recently.  I am curious where these dreams came from and what they mean.  

Funny Stuff?

So a friend of mine recently brought up the point that she'd read somewhere - that guys are intimidated by funny women (kind of in the same sense that they are intimidated by women who make more money than them).  A lot of men will say a 'great sense of humor' is very important to them in the woman they date, but they really mean they want someone who will laugh at their jokes, as opposed to make them laugh.  

I kind of think this is true - not across the board with every guy but generally speaking.  I know there have been some guys I knew briefly who found me to 'not have a sense of humor' (because I didn't find them all that funny and didn't pretend to).  In reality, I think I have a pretty great one.   Also, I tend to be the kind of person who thinks I'm funny and I'm typically the type to be making the jokes - maybe this is one of those 'opposites attract' kind of things - two people who think they're funny don't jive because they are battling for the stage.  

Also, I regularly notice articles and studies saying women want a man who can 'make them laugh' - listing this quality as one of the most important ones a woman looks for in a mate.  For me personally, although of course it is important to find someone who I can laugh and enjoy myself with, I certainly couldn't say I'm specifically looking for 'someone who can make me laugh' - I couldn't even put that quality in my top ten.  

Anyhow, I guess, in short (well, at this point, can I even say that?), my question is this - do many guys pride themselves on being able to make the women in their lives laugh?  Are men intimidated by sarcastic women?  Do sarcastic women need to be with men who don't pride themselves on their ability to make a woman laugh?  

All I know is this - I am sarcastic and like to crack jokes (regardless of whether or not people find me funny at times), and I am not changing for anyone.  I am a feminist - I am not going to pretend to be some weak girl who is going to fawn over and fake laugh at some guy who thinks he is funny.  I have a sense of humor, but I don't humor the men who try to date me.  (However, as stated earlier - I don't really take into consideration whether or not a guy can make me laugh - the quality is not all that important to me.)

Thoughts?

Random...

Loving it, Google!

Black Wednesday

Today is apparently the biggest DUI night of the year.  I suppose that the thought of spending the entire next day with one's extended family sparks calls for desperate measures.  That, and people probably don't plan ahead for today like they do for New Year's Eve, etc., it's more a 'stop for one (or 12) on the way home from work', kind of day.

I am reminded of a time when I was working the lunch shift at Chili's on this day - I believe it was either sophomore or junior year of college and I was working the lunch shift in my hometown, right across the street from my former high school, on a break from college.  

Around 12, a large group of teachers from my high school (some of them my very own former teachers) meandered in (I remembered there was usually a half day of school on this day).  They started as a table of 12 (but kept expanding as the afternoon went on).   

Their server was slightly less than thrilled with them.  They sat for something around four hours (as of when I left, they may have stayed even longer), and they had ordered something over $120 of alcohol (mind you, this was at Chili's - home of the $5 as-big-as-your-head margarita), yet the only food they had was one order of boneless buffalo wings (amongst the however many at that point).  

A group of 12 first graders would have been quieter and better behaved.  The manager went over and asked them to keep it down a couple times.  I remember two of the female teachers standing up and kissing each other on the lips and all the men applauding rowdily.  As I was leaving, the management was contemplating asking them to leave because they were disrupting virtually everyone on their side of the restaurant.  

For some unknown reason, thinking of my former teachers in this disjointed, disruptive, inappropriate state always makes me smile to this day.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!