Is It Just Me?
Is it just me...
...or does everyone need a vacation upon returning from their vacation?
...or do most Americans seem really rude? And why does rude behavior witnessed regularly still surprise me?
...or do most people wish the press would simply stick to reporting real news?
...or does everyone worry about their credit score?
...or would most people think it's inappropriate for a three- or four-year-old girl to walk the aisles of the grocery store without a shirt?
...or does smashing the cake into your new spouse's face at your wedding seem like a really bad way to start a marriage?
...or does everyone feel embarrassed when their pet misbehaves?
...or does everyone read their horoscope even though they don't put any stock in at at all?
...or is there anything better than seeing your children giggle?
It's perfectly okay if it's just me.
...or does everyone need a vacation upon returning from their vacation?
...or do most Americans seem really rude? And why does rude behavior witnessed regularly still surprise me?
...or do most people wish the press would simply stick to reporting real news?
...or does everyone worry about their credit score?
...or would most people think it's inappropriate for a three- or four-year-old girl to walk the aisles of the grocery store without a shirt?
...or does smashing the cake into your new spouse's face at your wedding seem like a really bad way to start a marriage?
...or does everyone feel embarrassed when their pet misbehaves?
...or does everyone read their horoscope even though they don't put any stock in at at all?
...or is there anything better than seeing your children giggle?
It's perfectly okay if it's just me.
posted by Elsie | 7:38 AM
11 Comments:
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
BIG Yes.
Yes. (Eeeew!)
Yes.
Yes.
No. (Taurus is usually boring so I don't bother anymore.)
No. Giggling is da' Top!
It ain't just you, Elsie.
(And I hope I counted correctly.)
Even a weekend can knock me out.
Most Americans strike me as too friendly.
What is real news?
What is a credit score?
About the kid, how could anyone know, and why would anyone care?
Was it good cake?
How can a pet misbehaves?
Hey, horoscopes are serious business.
Even a stranger's kid can bring a smile.
Mary, thanks for making me feel better. But are you saying Taurus people are boring (I don't think so), or that your horoscope is usually boring compare to how you live?
Jack, Jack, Jack,
What kind of weekends are you having?!!
Real news is something other than the latest Hollywood gossip and other equally ridiculous stuff that's given time on the nightly news or space on the front page. It may be news to the people involved, but to me it's entertainment and should never be portrayed as " real news."
A credit score -- a number given to a person based on their perceived creditworthiness (did I just make up that word?). It impacts whether or not you are able to get a loan and the interest rate you are offered. It can also be used by employers when deciding whether or not to offer you a job. It can be a scary thing. Fortunately, mine is pretty good, but one little mistake can make it plummet.
About the kid -- this just happened the other day -- I knew the child was a girl because she was wearing the cutest pink shorts, pink ribbons in her hair, wearing cutsie pierced earrings (that's another issue altogether for me), and carrying a sweet little baby doll. Now if I was unable to tell that the child was a girl, I probably wouldn't have been so shocked. And the reason I care is that there are a lot of weirdos out there, and I see no point in drawing attention to your small child. And I think it's the parent's job to teach even a young child about what is appropriate. We already have enough teenagers around here showing off way too much of their bodies (and frankly it's usually not too pretty with how chubby they all have become compared to when I was a kid). Let's not get them started. It just really bugged me. I'm not saying that I haven't let my own child, at that age, wander around the pool with no shirt on, but in public.... do you really think it's appropriate?
The cake was delicious. Don't know if the bride felt the same when it was all over the front of her dress. You haven't been to an American wedding in a while, have you Jack?
My pet misbehaves every chance he gets! Running and jumping on people when greeting them. Stealing food from strangers. The list goes on. Oh, I know it's me and the way I trained him, but to my credit, I did take him for many rounds of obedience training. You can't teach a new dog old tricks.
What sign are you?
Yes, stranger's kids can certainly bring a smile, but not when they're half naked wandering through a public place! Okay, maybe even then...but the mom gets a big, mean frown!
No, it's not just you. I'm with you on most of these, except reading my daily horoscope (don't do) and the last one. When kids have been on a giggling spree, it is better when they finally shut up and get quiet.
Now, Winston, are you seriously telling me that a giggling child doesn't get your inner child giggling, too?
Jack, oops, I skipped one -- Americans are too friendly? How can anyone be too friendly? Too familiar, perhaps, but too friendly? I don't get it.
Oh yeah, my inner child loves to giggle, and cute kids definitely get cuter when they giggle. My own and others I have known, once their tickle-box got turned upside down, they don't know when to stop, and everything just triggers more. That's what I was thinking about. That's when the quiet is welcome.
Underneath an occasionally textured exterior, in most situations and most of the time, I prefer -- nay, cherish -- peace and quiet.
Taurus.
I think I meant too friendly but too familiar also covers what I mean.
Last week an American woman I had never met asked me straight away with no preface or introduction: "How are you?" This so took me aback I had to ask: "Are you inquiring after my health?" To that she put on a hurt look and explained: "I was only saying hello."
Her wounded voice caused me to apologize not for my question but because I had forgotten Americans do that sort of thing innocently.
Friendly flows from innocence.
Familiar flows from ignorance.
But what do I know.
Jack,
"How are you?" is what we routinely ask as a greeting. You should see what happens when someone actually answers -- "I'm not feeling that great today...." because, generally (especially when you don't know the person), it's not truly a question. Confusing? I imagine it would be if you're not familiar with it.
And, as a child, it was one of the first things we learned in French class. Comment allez vous? To which we were to respond -- tres bien, merci, et vous? In English our response "should be" similar. In other words, no one expects a real answer. It's just small talk.
So Americans probably are too familiar and too friendly!
I was talking to someone who has just returned from a holiday in the US and he said how polite and friendly and helpful all the Americans were!
'I'm good' is the usual answer, isn't it? To the rhetorical 'How are you?'
Liz, "I'm good" is a perfectly fine answer. Sometimes it's just "Good, how are you?" Do people ask the same sort of thing in Wales?
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