You’re probably smart. Well, you can read, anyway. That’s something. You probably listened to your mother, finished what you started, and paid your bills on time. Or maybe you’re a dog owner. The disciplined kind. You kennel Fido at night so no one needs to worry about life and limb. In that case, you may find the information below completely superfluous. Feel free to add a few lessons of your own to the list for my benefit. But for those of you who insist on learning things the hard way like me, I thought I would contribute my two cents over the next couple of days. Perhaps it will save you some trouble.
I’ll start with a simple one.
1. Black cats are hard to see at night.
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But it didn’t occur to me until after a number of very unfortunate incidents. I bet my cat wishes I had figured this one out faster as well. Maybe folks who are near-sighted should not be allowed to adopt black cats. Still, it might behoove her to avoid lolling on the stairs or around the base of the toilet after dark.
I would make a snide comment about Darwinism here except that she is often quite charming, and reasonably intelligent about other matters–like how to get the mouse cage off the top shelf, for example.
2. Projecting self-confidence may have less to do with Dale Carnegie and more to do with proper carriage.
Despite years of ballet and constant admonishment from my mother, my terrible posture endures. I naturally slump and slide my neck out like a chicken, and though it drives me crazy, I cannot seem to fix it. When I do actively focus on alignment it makes me sound and feel more confident, and it is amazing how people respond. My theory is that this is the physical side of “acting as if.” (My apologies. That phrase bugs the crap out of me, too.)
What seemed to get good posture off the back burner was when my exasperated yoga teacher finally said: “It’s not about pulling your shoulders down or back; it’s about leading with your sternum.” And as I was trying to internalize her words, I realized that what she was suggesting actually feels like sticking your boobs out into the great unknown. What’s more, it works. Everything magically falls into place. Seriously, if you have them, it’s worth a try.
Unfortunately, I have also discovered some truth in “the bigger, the better,” and the first time I stood up straight and wore a wonderbra simultaneously, the response was a little frightening. My jokes were funnier, my comments carried more weight. Both men and women complimented me profusely and asked, “What’s different, though? Did you change your hair?” That was all a bit depressing, so I shelved that wiry contraption, but I guess it’s useful information to have in case of an emergency.
Extra bonus of better posture: fewer lectures from the cranky chiropractor.
Downside: It’s hard for me to concentrate on what I’m saying while working so hard to align the spine. Now I look smarter, but sound insipid. Oh, well. See #3.
3. Deep down we are all a bit shallow.
Now I should probably parent a little. More tomorrow.
Bad Parenting 101 