Funny How Those Compliments Can Make You Feel So Full of it

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Girl Friday

A topic that I never tire of delving into is decoding boy talk.  I’ve received a lot of compliments of late, and I’m a little thrown by them.  Obviously I am fabulous and well attired, but I dress up for myself, put on makeup for myself, do my hair for myself…  I subscribe to the sorority girl motto of always looking my personal best.  Of course it’s nice when others notice, but I went the first eighteen years of my life thinking I was invisible (or visible for the wrong reasons).  The last thing I’d want to be accused of is being vain.

Anyway, what does it mean when a boy compliments you?

“I like your shirt,” appears to be benign compliment.  You might be wearing something super cute like your favorite boatneck shirt or a witty t-shirt that cost more than it should have.  Translation:  I like your chest in that top.  You may not even be wearing a supposed “booby shirt,” but rest assured, that’s what that compliment means, according to my source on the inside.

In the past week I’ve gotten repeated compliments on my jackets. It’s starting to get colder, so I’ve taken to picking a new one everyday.  I have a slew of blazers, jackets, and coats.  It’s a sick obsession, I tell you.  They’re not even super nice or expensive pieces of clothing.  I have an eagle eye for bargains on blazers—just ask Notorious M.A.G.  She was with me the day I found my coveted $4 tapestry jacket (Shh!  Don’t tell!  It’s from JC Penny).  I wore the aforementioned blazer on Friday, and I was only in the office for a half-day.  I got two compliments from boys.  At first I thought it was a fluke—both boys are way metrosexual—one wears (I kid you not) the same Lucky Jeans as I do and puts more product in his hair than Ryan Seacrest, the other wears double Lacoste Polo shirts with the collars flipped up with Topsiders.  I chalked up their attentions to their über-stylish tendencies, but today I wore my olive green military jacket and two more boys took note!  I’m really trying not to be weirded out by the undue attention.  They’re just jackets!

What does this all mean!?  I turned to my in-house expert.  The BF said boys don’t notice clothes all that much, but they do notice the girl wearing them.  Hmmm and Grrr and WTF!?  Did I stumble into some good lighting?  Do my jackets possess some sort of magical hypnotizing power?  Is their dating pool really that dry?  Or…could I possibly be a pro at wielding my feminine wiles?  What is it with younger men and me?  My whole life I’ve seemed to attract guys that are five years younger than me.  What’s up with that?  No date for prom, but when I was in college all the high school boys that worked at the smoothie shop couldn’t wait try their pick-up lines on me.  They were too adorable.  One of them used to give me whatever I wanted for free, but he made The BF pay for his!

I guess life could be worse.  I could be totally un-cute and totally un-noteworthy!

Posted in Life, Random | 5 Comments

Today’s a Very Special Day

Posted on September 11, 2006 by Girl Friday

I swore that today would be Girl Friday’s day.  I was planning on reclaiming the spotlight just a little, but then I got a phone call.

The Pink Fairy called in the middle of the workday.  I hadn’t heard from her in a few weeks.  She’s been incredibly busy selling fashionable sports wear, packing up her Texas apartment, and getting ready to move to The Big Apple.  As if those things aren’t enough to drive a sane woman mad, she also went to Oregon for her brother’s wedding.  She had the daunting task of designing and making the bride’s gown!  (No matter what Tim and Santino said, The Pink Fairy is awesome and has mad skills.)

Imagine my delight when my cell phone became abuzz while I was tearing out my hair in work-related frustration.  I picked up the phone and was really thankful at that moment that all my bosses and coworkers were out of the office. The Pink Fairy called to announce her impending nuptials!  I squeed with joy and congratulated her heartily.  The Pink Fairy has been serious about marriage for a while now.  She’s been dropping not so subtle hints, and it had me wondering if her boyfriend was really that oblivious.  Being a man of theatrics, he planned an elaborate surprise for the proposal.  I’m shocked that her response was just Y-E-S.  I thought for sure she’d tack on RFN!  She’s a doll and I wish her the best in life.  I know Five-0 (as in Hawaii Five-0) will keep her laughing, entertained, and happy for…well, ever.

Apparently I was the last person of our acquaintance to find out about her engagement.  Upon conferring with Notorious M.A.G. later that afternoon, I discovered even she knew because The Pink Fairy’s step-mom blabbed it to Notorious M.A.G.’s mom a while back.  I’m glad The Pink Fairy followed her instincts and chose to tell me before posting it on My Space.  Something about bulletins seem a bit impersonal.

I remember when The Pink Fairy and I bonded over boys.  We used to sit on the grassy knoll and I was Trixee and she was Skittles (because a cute boy said so, and so it stuck).  Will things ever be the same?  We used to play MASH and make up ridiculous stories about the materials of our hypothetical wedding gowns.  I do distinctly recall grey sweatshirt material, orange work jumpers, and camouflage as some of our unpleasant choices.

Congratulations to The Pink Fairy!  Here’s to Champagne bubbles, yards of tulle, and something blue.  Cheers!

Posted in Announcements, Life, Ships | 2 Comments

If You Kiss Me Mister You Must Think I’m Pretty

Posted on September 10, 2006 by Girl Friday

Remember when a boy teased you it meant he had a crush on you?  Oy.  Another sordid singleton tale…

Weltsie has been having a hard time reading a boy of interest, Andy, who also happens to be her coworker (shall we go there a second time this week?).  They have some unresolved sexual tension.  She’s dealing with playful banter o’ plenty, a few platonic sleepovers, and more physical contact than seems necessary.  So what’s the meaning of it all?  Can you really rely on the adage of, “He’s just not that into you,” in all cases?

We spent the afternoon discussing the details over coff-ay (I’ve pinched d’s word).  To further confuse everything that stands between Weltsie and Andy, they both have a boy and girl on the side.  Andy is seeing a girl he’s been pining over for a while.  She is just now giving him a chance, but it’s long distance.  Weltsie recently attracted a man in uniform.  Hello, Sailor!  She’s debating which item has more promise—the one with an expiration date (Navy boy ships out in two months), or the one that is a big, nasty box of uncertainty.

I don’t know.  I was never very savvy about dating when I was single.  My only advice is that boys are simple creatures.  They don’t think too much about what they want or if what they want is realistic.  If a guy really likes you, he’ll take the risk and make a move.  To completely contradict myself, men are also very lazy and like the path of least resistance.  Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful!

It’s difficult to make sweeping generalizations about men and women.  The problem with theories about dating is they forget that every individual has a complex history.  Apparently no matter how old we get, a part of us will always be twelve years old.  We carry around baggage we should have dumped ages ago.  (I’m too tall, I’m too plain, I’m too shy, I’m too weird.)  The same insecurities plague us and we find more spectacular, creative ways to compensate for them.  (Will you like me better in these clothes, will you like me better if I say yes, will you like me better if I’m someone other than myself?)  We fall into the same traps time and time again—and after each crash landing we promise to learn from our mistakes and not inflict the same wounds on another.

I think the cliché is right—it’s all about timing.  Maybe you have to make a happy ending amidst broken hearts and mending scars, for we are all works in progress.

Posted in Life, Ships | 2 Comments