Saturday, February 11, 2006

Who Am I?

I was talking with a good friend a while ago and telling her how one of my neighbors might be my next really close friend. I was a little shocked when I realized it because she is not someone I would normally pick to be a close friend. Acquaintance, yes. Friend, yes. Really good friend? I should preface this by saying that it's nothing wrong with her, it's just that she is really different from the mold I thought all my close friends fit into. She is quieter, she thinks before she speaks, she is artistic, she is independent. Most of my close friends are loud, off-the-cuff, in-your-face, active, passionate. Some of them would call themselves "choleric" from the old temperament test we all took about 10-15 years ago. And most of these friends I would not have picked as close friends, I was forced to learn how to relate and a friendship blossomed later. As I shared this with Good Friend, she started laughing and asked how I see myself. "Easy," I said, "quiet, introverted, takes a while to warm up, honest but tactful...." I stopped because she was laughing so hard.
"Are you serious?" she challenged me. "I don't see you that way!"
Unfortunately our conversation didn't go much longer because children needed us on both ends of the phone.
I began thinking about all the words I had used to describe myself. Most of them were labels not adjectives.
For instance, here are four adjectives to choose from. Pick one and only one. Which one would you pick to describe you?
Friendly
Faithful
Funny
Forceful
I picked "Friendly" because I am not usually funny (although I try), I am faithful, I am almost never forceful but I really like to make people feel at ease if I can.
But then there's these choices:
Unpopular
Uninvolved
Unpredictable
Unaffectionate
I can't pick one. Normally I would say "unpopular." I am almost always involved in something (or too many things), I am fairly predictable and I have made great strides with being affectionate. Hmmmm.
Just my thoughts.... I'm trying to to label myself anymore and just be myself and let my friends be themselves. I'm going to try (really hard) not to over analyze my friends - who they are and why we're friends. So for now, here I am and I know who I am! I am a daughter, wife and mother. I am a person who enjoys baking, cooking and creating things. I am thoughtful, even if my thoughtfulness doesn't quite make it into action, I sincerely think about my friends and try to help. I do too much. I think I like having a martyr complex. I am artsy; I have good taste in colors and decorating. I am a good listener; I am a good friend. I calm down by venting. I love to play with my children. I enjoy small adventures. I hope someday to enjoy gardening, both flowers and vegetables! I hope to pick up scrapbooking again soon. I love my family. I love my close friends. I am selective with my friends and I will be loyal to those people.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Good Outside Pictures





Why "How I Met Your Mother" Rocks:

1) it appeals to a core purchasing demographic- young single adults ages 18-35
2) Cobie Smulders is believable as a yuppie enjoying life
3) Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious as the "playa" we all know but don't admit to
4) Alyson Hannigan - 'nuf said
5) the writing is great, but it really is the actors that pull it off
6) with Friends gone, there is literally NO competition for my attention or the space on the TiVo 7) the world will always need a sitcom that young adults to relate to, this one fills a void Joey couldn't
8) almost perfect scheduling - still in the "family hour" so there's no language to worry about and any innuendoes, while vague, are still funny
9) more perfect scheduling - wedged between CBS's solid sitcoms King of Queens and Two and a Half Men
10) the flow is all about story-telling, not about watching a drama unfold. It may be jumpy for some, but it feels like a conversation with a bunch of friends - all trying to tell their story on top of someone else yet all equally interesting.
11) closure from "Ross & Rachel". It's been almost 2 years since we watched their relationship finally solidify. There has been no one else to root for, to hope for, to wonder about. Now we all wonder "who is Ted going to end up with?" "Who is 'your mother' from the title?" We all get to root for Ted, just like that brother or friend who remains single & no one understands why.

THIS is why "How I Met Your Mother" rocks and should stay on the air as long as possible. But please, please, please don't move it to Thursday night!

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