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2011
Ten Thing Thursday: Manners and Crowdsourcing Edition
1. A friendly PSA: As a patron in a restaurant, you are still bound by the normal rules of society, such as being civil, and living up to the terms of the social contract, and not being a complete dick. This applies even if something has gone wrong–yes, it does! Even if you, whose needs are clearly paramount in any and every situation, have suffered a hardship such as not getting a bread basket or having to wait for your wine, being an asshole about it is not okay. It makes everyone but you feel like shit, and it makes some people want to punch you. Most importantly, it makes you a bad person. So, no more of that, okay?
2. Crowdsourcing: Whenever I wear a necklace, the hair at the nape of my neck gets hopelessly tangled in the chain and I have to rip it out of my scalp to remove the necklace, and then painstakingly tweeze all of the hairs out of the chain. Is there some way to prevent this that other women know about and I don’t? Please tell me what it is, because a bald spot on the back of my head is not going to be an asset to Project Love Me.
3. My number one: I had a very important realization while watching movie previews this weekend about who my #1 celebrity crush is. I usually say Ed Norton, or Joaquin Phoenix, or Paul Rudd. And I like them. But I would watch Mark Wahlberg read the phone book, and if he did it with a really thick Boston accent, I would pay double. I feel better knowing that about myself.
4. Paris: One month from today, I will be in Paris eating macarons and crepes and cheese. Do you have any awesome Parisian things to tell me about? Please do.
5. This post rocked my world this week, particularly as it came just hours after I posted my last entry about not getting over Lieu very well. It’s also very similar to a book I’m reading called Radical Acceptance, which is all about not hiding from yourself and accepting yourself as you are, ugly parts and all. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the post and the book. Here’s an excerpt from the post:
…But in order to truly transform into someone who can not just walk, but run the path of love fearlessly, you have to accept the inherent dangers. Like the Hero above, boldness can be acquired by digesting your hurt in teeny tiny bits, over time.
Make no mistake, the hurt, will hurt. But by being present with it, you can vaccinate yourself. Suffering itself is not the path, but the ability to embrace your whole self–light and shadow, bright and dark moments–will give you the confidence to approach love audaciously. The path of love is the most rewarding anyone can choose, but it is not for the feint of heart. I eat my pain, not because it nourishes, but because the lessons it provides prepares me for the path ahead.
6. Fascinating article about a couple who were captured by Somali pirates and held for 388 days. I really enjoyed reading it, but I came away with one big question: does the phrase “seaman in captivity” make you giggle and think of blue balls? Or is that just me?
7. Do you have some productivity to burn? Play the Kerning Game and say goodbye to getting anything done! I find it soothing and transfixing. Plus I’m really good at it.
8. On Swistle‘s recommendation I am reading The Sociopath Next Door. It is, as she said, what might have been a very interesting article s t r e t c h e d painfully to fill a book, but interesting nonetheless. The author says that 1 in 25 Americans are sociopaths–the same incidence as anorexia. She says everyone knows one, though they are notoriously hard to spot. I could tell you stories about living up close and personal with a classic narcissist that would dislocate your jaw from all the dropping, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a sociopath (thank god.) Have you? See characteristics here.
9. FAIL OMFG I just spend an hour trying to find a picture of the coat I bought for Paris because it is amazing–but I failed. I am a master Googler. I can find anything. I actually got up to go look at the coat and prove that it exists, because I can’t BELIEVE it’s not online. I am unreasonably stressed out by this and need to go to bed, so I guess this is a top nine. Grrrrr.
Can you take your own picture of the coat and post?
I especially love #s 1 and 3.
I love #1. I waitressed in my younger years, and it made me hate all of humanity. One summer I worked 25 straight days and by the end of that stretch I wanted to burn the whole place to the ground. As a general rule, people are assy to waitresses.
As for #2, I think it depends on the type of chain. My friend swears that those “snake” chains get stuck in her hair all the time. For me, I only rarely have that problem, which is good because my hair is thin and I can’t really afford losing lots of hair.
Mark Wahlberg – I watched The Fighter just because I thought I would see a lot of scenes with him shirtless. I was disappointed because there weren’t many. But it was a good movie. But I wanted to see some skin, dammit. My number one is Hugh Jackman.
If you find a way to not have a bald spot at the back of your head, please share. My head needs it too.
Hi! I went to Paris last month and I have a suggestion for you! Bistrot Paul Bert (in or near Le Marais) was an outstanding lunch. We had the steak frites on someone else’s recommendation and it was the best steak I have ever had.
Ambrose Bierce is worth checking out. Most famous for An Occurrence at Owl Creek bridge. He wrote something called the Devils Dictionary. This had me thinking about #1 I found the word Abasement defined as
: ABASEMENT, n. A decent and customary mental attitude in the presence of wealth or power. Peculiarly appropriate in an employee when addressing an employer.
In regards to #1
I think some people react according to feelings of inadequacy about their position in the socioeconomic strata of life. They take on the role of employer behaving as they believe they should behave or how they are treated. It’s not cool at all.
An on top of that as we all know some employers treat their employees well.
There is plenty to make noise about besides breadbaskets.
I now want a picture of this elusive coat too – it bugs me like hell when I can’t find things on the internet
I put my hair up in a high ponytail or two buns; those are the only ways in which my hair does not get eaten by my necklace. I have not discovered how to do this with my hair loose.
Ditto on the hairball/necklace situation. Only solution I’ve found is to not wear one for very long. NOT the solution I want. I’ve broken more chains than I can count by trying to get rid of those disgusting wads of hair.
PARIS! Go to l’As du Falafel in the Marais as well. Best falafel you will ever forget. Don’t forget the hot sauce. There are some nice vintage shops in the Marais too so check those out. It’s the hipster-ish neighborhood of the city.
The Breton restaurants are mostly near the Gare Montparnasse. Those are the ones you want to hit up for crepes/galettes because they are the cuisine of Brittany. Mmmmm savory galette…my mouth is watering at the very thought.
The covered markets up in Montmartre are cool, as is the flea market on the outskirts of the city. HAVE FUN! I’m jealous of you
I hate it when chains catch my hair! I think it’s the type of chain. Though I can’t find any proof, in my experience, it’s the chains with tighter links that catch – like the snakey ones or solid looking ones. Looser linked chains with bigger, slippery-er holes seem to not tangle. Wow. That was really helpful. Or not.
Ride the bus for cheap, authentic, and low-energy tours of city sights. Try lines 38, 96, and 28. Try a Mike’s Bikes tour if you can ride a bike. Kinda cheesy but fun.
Also Breizh Cafe for buckwheat crepes! In the Marais.
109 Rue Vielle du Temple
75003 Paris
M° Saint-Sebastien-Froissart
http://www.breizhcafe.com/
I’m reading the sociopath book, too. I can’t think of any I’ve known (or at least been targeted by).