Category Archives: It’s Human Observation

Day to Day Wanderings That Lead To Observations Of Humanity At Large

Some People Are Not Every People

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First, I would like to thank, BIG THANK YOU, all the people who visited my last entry and went over to Heathers to comment for a cause. I was beyond thrilled, heart warmed and excited by the response. Thank You so much!
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peaceSometimes it’s a public incident that gets feathers ruffled and a blanket outcry of generalization happens…For example, Kanye West and his most memorable stage performance, ever, Swiftly evolved into “where have manners gone, people have become so rude, kids haven’t been raised with morals and America is in decline.” OH Hello, say again? A spoiled, rude rapper who has always been so full of himself you can practically smell the stench of shit on his nose as a result of  having his head up his own arse, is the yardstick of humanity? I beg to differ.

Ok, so some people might bring up the tennis match temper tantrum or the (extremely out of line) liar moment. I’ll agree, those are also examples of two more people displaying bad manners. But what I refuse to concur with is that all people are therefore guilty by assosication because we live in the same country as these people. Alright, alright, I know there are other examples of rudeness (ugliness,vileness, badness etc) out there. And?

I still believe people, the majority of people, are wonderful. To believe otherwise would be purchasing into a general assumed consensus (lemming effect) and getting in line for that thought process would be like lining up for an infectious disease shot. Here’s a dose of Swine Flu, enjoy, it’s the current popular trend……to which I say, thank you for offering generalization, but no thank you~ See how easy it is to display good manners?

Not all people generalize, and I’m happy to say I personally know more people who don’t participate in sweeping assumptions than those that do. I consider that further proof not all people are every people. I do know someone who is a chronic generalizer and it drives me crazy. He makes ‘all people have gone to hell’ remarks on a regular basis and I take it upon myself to argue every single sweep he makes. The way I see it, if I didn’t fight it, his ideas…the type that circled around the West/Swift episode saying Ah Ha! See! Everyone is rude these days! it would become an epidemic.

Him: Did you see that?! People are so rude!
Me: No, not all people are rude, that person was rude.

Him: I hate watching the news, it’s all murder and crime. This world has gone to hell.
Me: No, the world hasn’t gone to hell, but those two people should.

Him: Did you see that kid? Kids are selfish and spoiled these days.
Me: Are you saying mine are? Or so and so? Or so and so, or so and so? That one child was having a bad moment.
Him: No, not yours, but most are.
Me: You insult my children and millions of other wonderful kids with your first statement.

Him: No one reads books anymore, it’s all about TV and Internet.
Me: I read books, I know you read books, so why do say ‘no one,’ it makes you sound ignorant.

The way I see it, something can apply to someone somewhere. But nothing is everything to everyone. Words have immeasurable power and casually using broad statements like, “Everyone, all people, no one, all of them, people are, etc.” perpetuates assumptions, giving strength to negative generalization and I deplore that sort of movement.

Just something to consider today~

Or, if that was too heavy and you were hoping for a bit of laughter and light banter, I will give you this. Last weeks hands down winning Google search to stumble upon my blog.
 ”"how to convert a whoring mentality into a wholesome wife mentality?”"
~I hope whoever she/he was, found solid inspiration and wifey wisdom within my blog pages~

I Blog to Hear Myself Think

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image123I’ve decided the next time someone asks me why I blog, my new improved answer will be, “Based on the human condition regarded as individual impression, blogging is good for the balance. This condition is also known as swimming in solitary shark infested waters that are located deep inside our own minds that employ mind tricks on a daily basis whereas suggesting to an individual they are all alone, perhaps strange or just plain weird. Being a blogger lets you know you are aren’t the only freaky oddity after all and  it illustrates everyone else is just as strange and unique as you think you are. There is comfort in group waters. We even virtual hug”

Then when the persons mouth drops and their lips form a little O, I will spare them the brain strain and say, ” In other words, blogging can be validation of the extraordinary peculiarities I may have.”

If they still go, “HUH?”

I’ll follow up with, ” I blog to hear myself think.”

Would it be hypocritical to say I wish could swoop up all you non-huggers and anti-smoochers and give you a big hug and a kiss for being touch resistant like me? Ya, probably…. but my previous entry gave me strength though numbers. The next time I’m bent over like a broken tree with my ass jutting out into another state, I’ll be thinking of that entry, all the comments and I WILL smile like I really mean it.

And for you authentic huggers who braved all us anti-hugglypoo people by describing how and why you hug, I do believe I’d let you envelope me in a pretzel embrace and show me the bounty of your grace. You could even give me lessons and show me the error of my ways. I promise, unless specifically requested, I won’t run my leg up and down yours or smother you in my breasts~

Now, Kate from the fabulous, Blogging is my only Vice asked in her comment, “How do you feel about close talkers?” When I thought about it, my mind misted up and I realized I could write an entire series just based on social graces that perplex me, scare me or otherwise make me laugh most of the time.

Close proximity talkers get about the same effect from me as swooping huggers get, just the opposite direction. I’ll unhinge at the hips and go the opposite direction with my shoulders leaning back, back and way back. …….basically, it’s ‘here, talk to my birthing hips, they produced two children, they can handle your breath, pores and space invasion’   I do not enjoy a close talker. Nope, not at all, makes my skin itch and the air feels quite dense around me. I call that, start to suffocate and check out time. To be honest, I’d jump into the arms of a hugger before I subjected myself to a 5 inch from my nose talker……………

Lets think about this, group effort moment. I don’t think these things are really pet peeves, but rather the evolution of comfort zones. One of the most fascinating realizations of my previous entry and comments was the mention of several people who had moved and were forced into hug submission by region rather then hugging being a natural reflex…… 

I’d love to know what old Emily Post would have said about a close talker and how she would describe the perfect hug. Google…here I come…..What other social graces give us the heebie jeebies and which ones bring us enjoyment? That is the question rattling around in my thinking blogger self today ~

When did huggable become social grace?

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This is alittle close for comfort

This is alittle close for comfort

So, something has been bothering me. This issue, although non-life threatening, changing, and basically insignificant…..is like a piece of sand floating around on my eyeball and despite my valiant effort to ignore it, it’s still annoying me. So, I’ll just slander myself here and call it good.

It wasn’t the first time and I doubt it will be the last time, but after the last five day social fiesta, I was once again accused of dropping the hug etiquette ball. Basically, I am a non-hugger. Or maybe that should read……Rebecca is often forced to hug, but evidence suggests she fails (flails) miserably at it.

Robert: “You are so funny to watch when people are hugging you. You really suck at hug etiquette.”
Rebecca: “What do you mean?!! I hug. I hugged no less then 10 people tonight.”
Robert: “Ya, ok, you ‘hugged’ if you call it that. But you’re stiff as a board and you are the only person I’ve ever seen put 3 feet of space between you and the person you’re hugging. You may not realize it, but it makes you look cold and uncaring.”
Rebecca;”Damnit, I’m not a cold and uncaring person just because I don’t melt my body with someone I barely know. I care! I’m kind!”
Robert: ” I know that, but you can be confusing to people because you give off mixed signals. You’ll talk to them, make them feel all warm and cozy, but when they go to give you a hug you practically run from them.”
Rebecca: ” I hug you and the girls good enough, don’t I?”
Robert: “Yes you do, you hug us like you mean it, but we are the exception. Everyone else gets the tree that bends in the middle for a quick shoulder to shoulder touch”
Rebecca: “Great, I’m an unhuggable tree. Anything else you’d like to add?”
Robert: ” Your ass does look cute when you stick it way out and away from everyone.”
Rebecca: ” Good to know.”

I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing wrong. I know my ass does tend to stick out because usually everyone is shorter then me and I’m bending over to recieve the impending hug. Perhaps this is evasive action, but I unhinge at the hip, bend way over and out thereby touching my shoulders to their shoulders. This I believe creates that 3 feet of space Robert was referring to and I’ll usually throw in a one handed back pat. I’ll pat twice if I’m feeling gracious, three times if I’m feeling rambunctious, and quickly retreat back to an upright position. Not good enough? Not feeling some care from that?

Would it be better if I stood up straight, wrapped my arms around the person in earnest, pulled them in flush to my body? I could really show some love by pressing their nose into the valley between my breasts and hummmm softly. Would that imply caring or simply smother a person into a cozy zone?

I’d really like to fix this failing social grace of mine. Maybe the next time a man that is of equal size or taller hugs me (if he’s shorter he would probably enjoy the above paragraph), I could wrap a leg behind theirs and slide it up and down for some extra lovin. I could probably throw in an ass grab and press my boobs against their chest to convey a memorable ‘nice to meet you sir’ gesture.

When it comes down to it, I admit, I’m not a touchy feelie sort of person. I do happen to enjoy people very much, but that doesn’t mean I need a soul pressing hug to validate my internal emotions.

What happened to the handshake in a social setting? Is a handshake so cold and impersonal that it’s currently off the social menu? Why is connection signed, sealed and delivered through physical contact, i.e. an authentic, zero personal space, hug? These questions are the social sand in my eye.

And for you honest huggers out there. I admire your ability to press solidly, pat soundly and impart your physical impression on others. Just don’t hold my 3 feet against me. K?

Wellness is a Gift

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Today Is Beautiful

Today Is Beautiful

Oh Hey, Hello. How ya doing? For the record, this is not being written by a devastated family member. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I believe yesterday I went into my dentist for a voluntary death wish. As far as I’m concerned, they granted that wish and this is I Rebecca, reincarnated.

I could still be in pain. I could be a thousand times better. Who’s to say. I wouldn’t know because they doubled the strength of my pain killers, packed my new found nemesis ‘dry socket’ with foam and anointed the blessed area with clove oil. I’m numb from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and plan on remaining there until I’m positive coming off the drugs will not hurt.

Resurrection is good, reeks and tastes like holy cloves, but good nonetheless!

This little bleep on my radar has brought to surface just how much I take for granted feeling well 95% of the rest of the year. Normally I’m zipping around, doing exactly what I want, when I want, without regard to the effortless movement my body allows me. Feeling healthy in my reality is as involuntary as breathing.

Experiences like what I’ve been temporarily dealing with, encourages me to think about those who suffer from chronic pain and ongoing health issues. My heart goes out to those where pain is simply a matter of levels and daily maintenance. I can’t imagine how (but I know I would, if I needed) some people must tailor a life around something that is out of their control and can’t be taken away by time and healing. To the people who deal with ongoing health issues, I admire your perseverance.

I’ve heard the notion a lot, that life is fragile. Maybe that’s true to some degree….. Individual life is a fragile gift of time and can be gone in a second of circumstance when the body can no longer function. But I don’t believe people themselves resemble fragile, at all. People are tenacious, fighters, strong and full of involuntary desire to endure just about anything life can toss our way.

People don’t die from heartbreak, nor horrendous days or even excruciating tooth pain. People remain despite terrible childhoods and vicious partnerships. People suffer devastating losses of entire families in a car wreck and continue on. We lose grandparents, parents, children, the worst sort of internal pain and yet, people carry on. Life may be a fragile state of being held to reality by a thin current of physical energy, but people can and do survive the unimaginable, the unexplainable, the ongoing ugly life can conjure up and everything in between. How can I not admire that resilience?

I guess sometimes I just sit back and marvel at the beauty and power of humanity. It doesn’t take pharmaceutical drugs and the scent of cloves for my mind to realize the precious appreciation I feel for life around me. My mind frequently wanders there, today I just felt like mentioning it since I’ve been nose to nose my own version of Jesus over the last week~

Secondary Overture

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noteLast night kicked off the annual Music Festival in my wee little town and I was there for the evening of musical sensations. I had to get there early, really early, since my youngest daughter, Kaitlyn was performing.

I didn’t mind this, because it afforded me the opportunity to seek and claim prime real estate. I had 10,000 seats to choose from, so based on Kaitlyn’s position on the floor and I staked out a seat directly above her. Perfection achieved!

However, being only one singular body, I could only claim one piece of the row. One seat. This left room for others to horn in on my space of perfection. Being the lucky soul that I am, I got a big family that filed in next to me. Being the extraordinary person that I am, I got the little boy of theirs, age….oh 6 or 7….right next to me, elbow to elbow.

Right out the gate, the little one figured out his chair rocked, sorta. He took all his amped energy and tried to work it out and through that chair of his…squeak, squeak, squeak, rapid fire, squeak squeak……He held onto the arm rests and drove that chair like it would take off eventually and shoot for the sky. After the first 30 minutes of listening to that, it took everything in me not to jump up and sit my ass down on top of him to just stop the insanity.

I have to assume his Mother didn’t stop him because the concert hadn’t started yet and she was letting him dissolve some of that energy. That, or she is completely and totally immune to such noises coming from her son..(or she had highly evolved selective hearing)…..Occasionally he’d pause and belt out, “I’m soooooooooooo bored” and resume his back and forth squeak…..I know, I could have moved, but my seat was perfection! The area had filled up, I would have been banished to the nosebleed section if I had tossed a drumstick in.

Finally the concert started. I kicked back, ready to soak up the music and made a little prayer to Beethoven to bring mercy on my coveted location. All I can say is the louder the music got, the louder little man protested.

“I’m going to dieeeeeeeeeeeee” was his favorite. He said this, loudly, no less the 20 times during the night.

Another favorite of mine became, “Mommyyyyy!! Why are you torturing me???!!!”

During the jazz segment I admit, I had to laugh at him. He covered his ears in agony, squirmed around backwards in his chair and shook his head wildly back and forth like a possessed kid chanting, “Make it gooooo away, Make it go awayyyyyy” Honestly, it took restraint on my part, but I swallowed down my own potential chant of “The power of Christ compels you, The power of Christ compels YOU!”

I’ve always thought any age is the perfect age to be introduced to musical types. His Mom had him there, that’s listening under force……or in his case, duress. I have to give her credit for trying. But he didn’t seem to enjoy any of it. Be it the choir, the orchestra, the honors band and especially NOT the Jazz band.

It makes me wonder what type of music he’ll ultimately enjoy in life. Will his musical tastes be well rounded or will he find one single type and remain steadfast. I’m always interested in people’s music choices. I believe it tells a lot about the individual and even personality. I know I’m all over the place with my music, I listen to it all, with the exception of Jazz. Little man and I agreed on one thing. Jazz, for both of us, is mentally painful. And you? Does Jazz sooth your soul or does it feel like someone is driving a dull screw through your skull?