I may not always say the right thing...

My sister's blog about her peeve of adults butting in line and acting like they have more important things than you have to do sparked my thought process, and since I can't sleep... hey... here ya go.

At the end she said she apoligizes if she has unintentionally done that which she is bugged by others doing. Here are some intentional and unintentional times that I've made a jerk of myself.

Last summer I had a lunch playdate with a friend who's child has Turrets syndrome among other difficulties. And Kellan was going through a difficult behavioral time where he was pushing other kids (remember Tiffany?!) and he'd constantly go through the entire list of 'naughty words' when he got in trouble for it! I'd sit him in time out, and leave the room, he'd start saying "stupid, idiot, ugly, butthole (yes! that one too)..." etc, etc. And I was telling this friend about it after having to put Kellan in time out during the playdate, and I stupidly said "He has 'naughty word Turrets when he is in trouble." I didn't even realize how awful that was, and what she must have thought, until later that day. We've never had a playdate since... :-/

There is a mom at preschool that I see every morning when I would be dropping off one child or another, she seemed really nice, reminded me of a brunette Reese Witherspoon. (see, the celebrity comparision thing I do again.) And I'd see her at Chic-fil-A on Fridays, and at Target. It's like we were constantly crossing paths. I am always social and friendly to everyone, so I said once in passing with a usual hello that "We seem to take our kids to the same places, there's a cute little park near here, if you ever go there too that would be fun to get to know you." I thought she'd say "Yeah! Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime!" But she seriously looked around me and said "Hmm!" with a pursed lip curteous smile and kept walking! Soooo, a few days later she was backing her minivan out of the parking spot, and she backed into an incoming car! I was buckeling Kellan back into his seat, saw it/heard it, and I audiably said "Heh!" Then thought ::whoops!:: and ducked into my car and drove off. I had my cat with claws moment and felt good.

James brings this one up a lot: When I was single, I was super flirty, and consequentially was flirted with a lot too... sometimes not by the guys I would prefer to flirt with, but hey. I took the bus to work in the mornings, and would usually stop at either Einstein's Bagels or Bagel Brother's for breakfasts. One morning getting the 'yooszh' I couldn't remember which side of the street I picked that day, so the cashier tells me my total, and I ask "Who do I write the check out to?" (yes, back in the day when places accepted checks!) The boy said "To the 'Scott Milner who wants to take you out on a date fund'..." To which I quick-wittedly replied "Well, if I have to donate to that fund it doesn't sound appealing." Then I think that is one of few times I have ever blushed, I apoligized for being in a foul mood, took my food, and never went there again. I really was trying to be clever, and often I deliver more of a different kind of 'ness' that rhymes with *itchy.*

When I was pregnant with Max, I was headed to church (yes, I do go there, it's just been a while recently!) and a car in front of me was really impatient. Another driver in front of them signaled to turn right onto a street, slowed down, and made their turn. As the car in front of them was moving off of the road, the impatient car blares their horn and continues on their way after being slowed down for a second. We continue on, them in front of me, and they turned onto a street to the right, so after I slowed behind them as they turned off, I blared my horn at them and continued on my way... thinking I was clever for giving them a taste of their own rudeness. I turned on the next street after them, and cut over to get to church. I pull into the parking lot, and then they did right after me. Yup, someone at my church. I'm not sure if they realized it was me behind them, but I realized it was them in front of me. And I still maintain it was MORE awesome because they go to my church that I did that, maybe they'll be more conscience of their Christ-like strivings! And no, they probably don't read my blog.


*Note from the editor: Yes, I realize I need to work on my compassion. It's on the list.