Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Being George Washington - Week 6
A continuation of my social experiment of incorporating a set of rules George Washington himself used and obviously helped define him into being the great man who helped shape our nation.
15. Keep your nails clean and short, also your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any great concern for them.
Well, in my defense, I believe this rule is meant for men. I am not going to cut my nails. The purpose of this rules goes beyond nail length however. We live in a time and age where personal hygiene is a given. We all know to comb our hair, brush our teeth and clean under our fingernails. Yet the key point is the last part of this sentence, "yet without showing any great concern for them." This rule is warning against vanity, conceit, and in some respects - selfishness.
I have been blessed with naturally curly hair. It has been a topic of conversation since I was a little girl and strangers would ask my mother if they could buy me candy because I was so cute. (yeah - I was that cute.) Throughout my life, strangers have stopped me to compliment my hair. It just happens and I am used to it. Recently, while at my mother's house during an event she was hosting, I had my back turned to someone as I heard them say, "I love your hair!" Without even thinking twice, I responded with a sweet thank you (I know I'm awesome subliminally included) ... only to hear back, "Oh, I wasn't talking to you." I was momentarily stunned. Talk about open mouth - insert foot! I laughed at my own folly and made a mental note to take a large slice of humble pie.
16. Do not puff up the cheeks, loll not out the tongue with the hands or beard, thrust out the lips or bite them, or keep the lips too open or too close.
Huh?? I really need some help with this one. I'm stumped. Any thoughts? I have quite an assortment of mental images as I read all that and yes they are all disturbing, but have no personal experience or dealing with this one.
17. Be no flatterer, neither play with any that delight not to be played withal.
Be no flatterer - Ahhh.... Insincerity. I immediately think of sales people. (sorry - prejudicial choice, I know) Insincerity may get you into society or professional positions that you want, but it will never keep you there. Eventually you will be found out and then lose all those "friends" you made along the way.
Personally, I am a sucker for a compliment. (read rule 15 again..lol) It takes wisdom and intuition to decipher between sincere appreciation and insincere flattery. Some years ago while shopping at the mall, I was stopped by a sales person at a kiosk. I now know to avoid them like the plague, but I suffered a moment of stupidity and was drawn in like a moth to the flame. Drawn in even further when he started complimenting me. I walked away purchasing a nail care set not only for me, but all my sisters, sister-in-laws and mothers as well! I was one big sucker for sure. That experience made me realize how valuable words are to me and how to avoid in the future that being used against me!
Next Blog: Rules 18 - 20
18. Read no letter, books, or papers in company, but when there is a necessity for the doing of it, you must ask leave; come not near the books or writings of another so as to read them unless desired, or give your opinion of them unasked. Also look not nigh when another is writing a letter.
19. Let your countenance be pleasant but in serious matters somewhat grave.
20. The gestures of the body must be suited to the discourse you are upon.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Being George Washington - Week 5
My intention of doing this weekly has turned into, well.... not weekly blog posts. Things have a way of creeping into every aspect of life and keeping us occupied with busy nothings. However, I am determined to get through this list, be it weekly, monthly... just trying to avoid yearly.
Rule 12: Shake not the head, feet, or legs; roll not the eyes; lift not one eyebrow higher than the other, wry not the mouth, and bedew no man's face with your spittle by approaching too near him when you speak.
Bedew... Spell check does not like this word. I looked it up at dictionary.com and this is what it had to say about it, "to wet or cover with or as if with drops of dew." So clearly, don't get in someone's face and spit while you talk. I'd like to say I never do this, but I have noticed a time or two while when I'm talking with someone, sunlight glistens off a tiny droplet of spit that has just been ejected from my mouth between words. It grosses me out and I pretend not to notice, hoping the person I am with doesn't see it either. I do like my personal space, so I avoid getting too close to people when I speak to them, also to spare them any garlic or onion breath (I like my food flavorful!).
Roll not the eyes... I immediately think of children. How often did I roll my eyes at my parents as a child? I'd like to think I don't tolerate it in my children as much as my parents did with me - but I believe that is wishful thinking. After all, children imitate their parents and... yes... regrettably, I still roll my eyes at my mother. Some habits die hard. (Love you mom!)
I wish I could lift one eyebrow higher than the other, but I can't. Paul's aunt has this awesome facial expression that involves raising one eyebrow. This look can stop any child's naughtiness faster than you can say, "Go to the Principal's office!" She was a school teacher, so it is evident this tactic was used quite often and is sheer magic to witness such an event. I am in awe and claim myself unworthy when in her presence. Ok, slight exaggeration...but only slightly! Still - I know this is actually referring to the act of expressing incredulity towards someone else, which I think I disagree with having a rule against it. Using this expression could be used in a rude manner, but at the same time could be used as a sign of your intuitiveness of others - such as when dealing with a used car salesman...
13. Kill no vermin, or fleas, lice, ticks, etc. in the sight of others; if you see any filth or thick spittle put your foot dexterously upon it; if it be upon the clothes of your companions, put it off privately, and if it be upon your own clothes, return thanks to him who puts it off.
Nothing is more embarrassing as having attention brought upon yourself for strange things. I think in modern vocabulary this would be equal to, "Pop no zit, give no spit bath to others..." you get my point. Speaking of spit baths... I cringe when I see mothers do that to their children. Horrific memories of my mothers thumb coming towards my face and the "aromatic" smell that accompanies it brings quivers to my body. (Sorry Mom... Wow. Lots of Mom issues today. Where's Freud when you need him?) Paul knows my aversion to spit baths... when he's feeling especially ornery he attempts to try it. Lucky me.
14. Turn not your back to others, especially in speaking; jog not the table or desk on which another reads or writes; lean not upon anyone.
Talk about the ultimate exclusion! This one's all about the cliques! We've all seen it, experienced it, or seen it in movies. You know - the new girl at school trying to talk to popular girls and gets shut out. Don't do it people! It's just plain rude! Then there's the jock who comes along and shakes the desk... So, this is saying, don't be stuck up and don't be a jerk! The lean not upon anyone makes me think of someone who is needy, probably emotionally needy. I might have to chew on that for a while and delve deeper, I think it has a lot more implications than at first glance and may require a post all to itself someday.
Next Blog: Rules 15-17
15. Keep your nails clean and short, also your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any great concern for them.
16. Do not puff up the cheeks, loll not out the tongue with the hands or beard, thrust out the lips or bite them, or keep the lips too open or too close.
17. Be no flatterer, neither play with any that delight not to be played withal.
Rule 12: Shake not the head, feet, or legs; roll not the eyes; lift not one eyebrow higher than the other, wry not the mouth, and bedew no man's face with your spittle by approaching too near him when you speak.
Bedew... Spell check does not like this word. I looked it up at dictionary.com and this is what it had to say about it, "to wet or cover with or as if with drops of dew." So clearly, don't get in someone's face and spit while you talk. I'd like to say I never do this, but I have noticed a time or two while when I'm talking with someone, sunlight glistens off a tiny droplet of spit that has just been ejected from my mouth between words. It grosses me out and I pretend not to notice, hoping the person I am with doesn't see it either. I do like my personal space, so I avoid getting too close to people when I speak to them, also to spare them any garlic or onion breath (I like my food flavorful!).
Roll not the eyes... I immediately think of children. How often did I roll my eyes at my parents as a child? I'd like to think I don't tolerate it in my children as much as my parents did with me - but I believe that is wishful thinking. After all, children imitate their parents and... yes... regrettably, I still roll my eyes at my mother. Some habits die hard. (Love you mom!)
I wish I could lift one eyebrow higher than the other, but I can't. Paul's aunt has this awesome facial expression that involves raising one eyebrow. This look can stop any child's naughtiness faster than you can say, "Go to the Principal's office!" She was a school teacher, so it is evident this tactic was used quite often and is sheer magic to witness such an event. I am in awe and claim myself unworthy when in her presence. Ok, slight exaggeration...but only slightly! Still - I know this is actually referring to the act of expressing incredulity towards someone else, which I think I disagree with having a rule against it. Using this expression could be used in a rude manner, but at the same time could be used as a sign of your intuitiveness of others - such as when dealing with a used car salesman...
13. Kill no vermin, or fleas, lice, ticks, etc. in the sight of others; if you see any filth or thick spittle put your foot dexterously upon it; if it be upon the clothes of your companions, put it off privately, and if it be upon your own clothes, return thanks to him who puts it off.
Nothing is more embarrassing as having attention brought upon yourself for strange things. I think in modern vocabulary this would be equal to, "Pop no zit, give no spit bath to others..." you get my point. Speaking of spit baths... I cringe when I see mothers do that to their children. Horrific memories of my mothers thumb coming towards my face and the "aromatic" smell that accompanies it brings quivers to my body. (Sorry Mom... Wow. Lots of Mom issues today. Where's Freud when you need him?) Paul knows my aversion to spit baths... when he's feeling especially ornery he attempts to try it. Lucky me.
14. Turn not your back to others, especially in speaking; jog not the table or desk on which another reads or writes; lean not upon anyone.
Talk about the ultimate exclusion! This one's all about the cliques! We've all seen it, experienced it, or seen it in movies. You know - the new girl at school trying to talk to popular girls and gets shut out. Don't do it people! It's just plain rude! Then there's the jock who comes along and shakes the desk... So, this is saying, don't be stuck up and don't be a jerk! The lean not upon anyone makes me think of someone who is needy, probably emotionally needy. I might have to chew on that for a while and delve deeper, I think it has a lot more implications than at first glance and may require a post all to itself someday.
Next Blog: Rules 15-17
15. Keep your nails clean and short, also your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any great concern for them.
16. Do not puff up the cheeks, loll not out the tongue with the hands or beard, thrust out the lips or bite them, or keep the lips too open or too close.
17. Be no flatterer, neither play with any that delight not to be played withal.
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