I overheard my aunt tell my mother years ago, “I don’t care anymore! I say what’s on my mind now. I’m tired of trying to make everyone happy. I’m to the point where I speak my mind. They don’t like it? Tough. I am sick to death of everyone and their nonsense!”
My 24 year old self thought, She shouldn’t be that way. What is making her so unhappy? She should be more open, more sensitive to the needs of others. She should open her mind and see their point of view.
My 45 year old self? She’s all, Right on, sister!
LOL. Never too soon to start, BG. Am looking forward to it.
Posted by: brenda | July 10, 2009 at 02:58 PM
A. Men.
Posted by: Jennifer | July 10, 2009 at 03:10 PM
However... I'm now wondering... does this verbal freedom justify the makeover attack??
Posted by: Jennifer | July 10, 2009 at 03:11 PM
I'm in the "yes, but" camp on this one. I hate being a prisoner to other people's neuroses, but I've know too many nasty people who enjoyed saying mean things, followed by "I'm just telling it like it is!"
Posted by: MikeT | July 10, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Brenda, your posts about Mo and your friend's beach house and your pink pin striped friend with the 5 inch heels, hailing that cab -- had a ton to do with why I wrote this post. They've been just great. I loved this:
"...Nobody got it. But see, if everybody "gets" it, I mean, if we're sellin' stuff like hotcakes, then I'd know we were doin' something wrong. They're not supposta get it, see? Cause it's not for everybody, what I do. This place here...It's all about past lives. Other stores with the guys with the bow-ties, the accoutrements, and the banal talk...They're narcotizing. They keep ya from thinkin' for yourself."
Wonderful! I've had too much narcotizing going on around me lately. Your posts have been great.
Jennifer, actually the two ladies who were ambushed on yesterday's Today Show played a part in this, too. I felt so sorry for them! Because they were ambushed but also because I felt bad they didn't think to just haul off and punch that blonde with the microphone right in the kisser!
They were both in their 60s or 70s. And you could tell they had led lives where they just totally "went along" no matter how demeaning -- trying to please.
I wish they both would have met my aunt, years ago.
Posted by: blue girl | July 10, 2009 at 04:06 PM
Mike T, some people can be very tough to be around. Everyone's gotta find their own truth, though. It's a difficult balance. Being polite while not putting up with a bunch of BS that makes your hair stand on end.
Posted by: blue girl | July 10, 2009 at 04:21 PM
Everyone's gotta find their own truth
BG- that sounds like it came from some college conversation I had at 3am after partaking in... well, after expanding my consciousness. :)
Posted by: Jennifer | July 10, 2009 at 05:09 PM
Just give me some truth. Man.
Posted by: blue girl | July 10, 2009 at 05:23 PM
:)
Posted by: Jennifer | July 10, 2009 at 05:41 PM
he's some truth, Beege.
There's a lot of anger floating around out there. and a lot of passive-aggressive bullshit.
So I agree with your ideas about speaking up and letting people know how you feel. But maybe, you know, there are empowering and respectful ways to do that without sending someone a bottle of Scope?
Gawd, do I sound like a bleeding heart liberal or what?
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | July 10, 2009 at 06:28 PM
The truth doesn't have to hurt, Beege.
That misspelling in my above comment does, though. Ouch! Ouch!
Posted by: zombie rotten mcdonald | July 10, 2009 at 06:30 PM
it's just a talk, most of the time, talk is easier than doing.
so forget it lol
Posted by: dofus kamas | July 11, 2009 at 02:46 AM
My tooth hurts.
~
Posted by: ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© | July 11, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Halelujia, Sister Blue!!!
Posted by: yaya | July 11, 2009 at 04:15 PM