a lesson in un-compliments

Compliments...are a funny thing...and a topic that I would love to write a book on someday, because so few people actually get it. Few people know how to give truly good, make-another-person-feel-grand compliments. For the record, "you've lost weight" is not a compliment. It's commentary. "You look awesome!" is a compliment. Never say to a woman, "that dress is amazing." That is not a compliment to the woman...that's a compliment to the dress. When complimenting someone, or attempting to, phrasing is everything!

FYI: when in doubt about what is or isn't a great compliment, stick with a heartfelt, "it's so great to see you". Better no compliment than a bad one.

Speaking of bad ones. A funny thing happened on my way back from the Antiqueland adventures...we stayed at a very nice hotel in Richardson, near the home office of Joal's company. We've stayed there before and it's one of my favorites. It's nicely located and easy to navigate around...there was a time when it was close to a couple of great scrapbooking stores, but unfortunately, they are no longer open. It's close to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen (my favorite southern seafood place) and now, of course, Antiqueland, which I will definately be frequenting on our return trips. Occasionally, I have the pleasure of a few days respite when Joal is working at the office, so it's nice to have exciting things close by.

So back to my little story. I'm walking through the lobby of the nice hotel (you can always judge a hotel by the quality of the art on it's walls...and this one is fantastic), purse on my arm and my new Droid X phone in my hand. I'm enjoying passing by the colorful glass sculptures that adorn the wall, wondering if they are original Chihuly or knock-offs...when I catch a young(er) man at the hotel podium watching me. I expect him to say something along the lines of "Can I help you?'. I've been here a time or two and I know my way around pretty good. I take about two more steps and he says "I like your Droid."

What?
Now I realize I am not the girl that men randomly hit on, ever. I've never been that girl. I'm 38. I rarely even notice men younger than myself and I certainly don't expect compliments from random men of any age. There's only *one* man from whom I like to get compliments of any sort. Well, OK, two, if I count my Dad.

But wait.
He said what?
"I like your Droid."
I'm stunned.
Exactly what is the proper response to an alleged compliment about the choice of technology a woman carries? Do I need a consultation with Emily Post to figure this out, because, clearly I have no idea how to respond. Am I supposed to say "thank you"? Was that even an actual compliment? Is this what passes for a compliment these days? (I do hope not.)

Lemme get this straight. On this particular day, I've abandoned the mom-uniform of jeans, a sweater and sneakers, and for once, I'm well-dressed. My hair is done, I'm wearing nice shoes and a snappy bracelet. I've been shopping at that fabulous treasure den, and I'm sure the rush of it is still coarsing through my veins. I'm happy as a clam...does it show? There are plenty of options for appropriate compliments, if you feel you absolutely must point out something. (I'd rather you didn't but whatever.)

But no.
The best this person can come up with is "I like your Droid."
It's a phone, Bozo. That's the equivalent of me saying "I like your FAX, dude."
It's a gadget. It is definately not compliment-worthy, to any woman, especially not me.
The more I say it, in retrospect, the creepier it sounds.

"I like your Droid."
Later I imagine it in the deep-Italian accent that Joey from Friends used to say "Howyoudoin'?".
See.
It just gets worse.

Is this all the (non)compliment that a 38-year-old woman can expect? I was suddenly tempted to run to my room and hide for the rest of the evening. Those little wrinkles that have been appearing around the corners of my eyes just grew deeper--I'm sure of it. All in the space of four words from a boy I don't even know.

Joal thinks it's severely funny and reminds me that he bought me a fancy phone because he likes me. (And because he needed someone to teach him how to use his Droid X.) And he reminds me that he knows exactly how to give a woman--this woman--a compliment...a genuine, from-the-heart compliment that says "I love you, I notice you, and I choose you" all in one little phrase...and it has nothing, nothing at all to do with the Droid X in my hand.

I'll take that any day.

AntiqueLand in Dallas...oh my.

If ever there was an appropriately-named store, it's this one. Antiqueland. Plain and simple...it rocks. Here are some of my favorite images from my time there.

Six Things I've Been Meaning to Blog About

So I'm just going to make a list...of the six things I've been meaning to blog about lately.

One
To all my friends who have birthdays in October, (and there are sooo many of you) I'm sorry I missed your birthdays. I have no excuse. October just got away from me and I didn't get any cards made (or even bought) or mailed. So sorry. Please know that you are still loved...and not forgotten.

Two
Popcorn
I love popcorn. Well, truthfully, I love butter and popcorn. Since college, I have enjoyed a small bag (sometimes half) of microwave popcorn almost every night. It's a ritual. I eat a little popcorn and watch a little tv...it's calming. So imagine my surprise when I read about something called "popcorn cough". Apparently, there's a chemical in microwave popcorn that can collect in one's system and cause a lung condition. I know, I know. It sounds like an internet spoof/hoax/prank/legend but it seems to check out. You can google it if you want.

With this in mind, I started experimenting with the old fashioned way of making popcorn on the stove. Turns out, it's much less complicated than I remembered and has several advantages, not the least of which is price. Purchasing a bottle of whole popcorn kernals is *significantly* less expensive than purchasing the envelopes of prepared microwave popcorn. A bottle of popcorn costs about $4 (not including any coupon savings) and contains enough kernals for about 30 of my nightly bowls. Stovetop popcorn does require a touch of oil, but the savings is still quite a bit, when you consider that the prepared bags of microwave popcorn usually cost around a dollar each, depending on sales and brand choices.

Another advantage is that I can easily adjust the amount of popcorn made, so none gets wasted . And did I mention that there are no foreign chemicals and no "popcorn cough"?
And the kernals are larger.
And there's no messy bag to dispose of.
And the time involved is only about 4 minutes.

Now I can't remember why I liked microwave popcorn to begin with.

Three
Bad Holiday Sweaters
If you need a bad holiday sweater, the Goodwill Thrift Store on Highway 96 in Franklin is well-stocked. Glitter, bells, patchwork Santas...crazy holiday embellishments run amuck! I love a good holiday sweater...and trust me, there are some real gems hanging out there. For cheap.

Four
Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan's Purse
The boys and I have been box-packers for several years now and every year I get such a thrill out of packing two Christmas boxes for two boys we don't even know. We are so very blessed and sharing God's blessings is such a special thing. The boys really get into it and it sparks alot of good conversations.

Five
I recently discovered this silicone spatula and it's divine. Easy to use and easy to clean. Worth every penny. Available at Publix, too.

Six
Also from Publix, Bom Dia Acai Juice with Pomegranate. Oh man. Stick it in the freezer for a few minutes and enjoy. Delightfulness with a little kick.

So now we are all caught up.
Happy Saturday!