Odd duck.

[merimask]

 Today it struck me that I am a very strange bird, indeed.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.  I'm just strange.

I haven't written much because there's not been a lot to say.   Just more of my usual oddness, really.  I've been working on the Best Damn Dragon Keychain I Can Possibly Make and it's driving me batty.  I can't stop futzing with it.   I put three different eyes in there 'cause I couldn't make up my mind which color looked best, and I ripped out the chin gussett twice because it wasn't "quite right".  I need to just finish the damn thing & be done with it...it's destroying my equilibrium.

I went to my 6 week evaluation at the gym and it was a sobering experience.  I still have such a long way to go.  :-(   I feel all strong & special until they do that damn body fat analysis and my poor ego just crumbles.  Damn you, Nature!  Why'd you have to go & make me so short??   I'm not overweight.  I'm undertall.  My ancestors, generation after generation of squat Mediterranean people, point at me through the aeons and laugh.  All I can do is stand here in my shorty-mcShort petite size 12 jeans and sulk.  I'll never ever be a two no matter how hard I work at it.  Woe. 

For those of you who are curious, here is how I explained "Getting thrown under the bus" to Takao.

" Your English skills are very good!  I'm impressed.  I thought I'd find a pen pal who might want to brush up on their English skills, but you don't need any help there, really.  So!  I have decided to help you in another way.  Here in America there are "sayings"...pop culture phrases that catch on and everyone uses.  Here is one of my favorites.  I'll pass it along to you and you can use it and impress your friends.  It's called "being thrown under the bus".  You use it like this...

 

Let's say you are out at a bar with a guy friend of yours.  You are relaxing and along comes a pretty girl, and she starts flirting with you.  You flirt back.  Just when you're thinking about asking her for her phone number, your friend asks you in a LOUD voice if you remembered to call your girlfriend.  Your friend just threw you under the bus."

Takao says:
"I wish I knew this sooner.  I think I get thrown under busses all the time at work!  It is a great thing to know!  You are a good friend."

We also discussed at length how very funny it is that there are two popular Japanese expressions that are used all the time.  One is "do your best!!"  (ganbatte!)  and the other is "Don't strain yourself" or something like that.  It's funny 'cause they kind of go together.  Really, you need to find a balance between the two, somewhere, I think.  Ideally.

 

 

Comments

[ramblinsuze.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I can totally empathize with the "undertall" problem. I was just looking at a plus-size clothing catalog today and thinking how annoying it is that the "plus size" models they use are, like, 6 feet tall and *maybe* a size 12. How the heck am I supposed to know what the clothes look like on much shorter, much fatter, me??? Annoying.

I meant to tell you that I loved the...what was it...a cheetah mask that you made custom for someone? The tiny eyeholes and the chin piece just make it so much more realistic. Awesome!

Thrown under the bus. Heh. XD

[empath-eia.livejournal.com]

Muri shinaide! (I think.)

He sounds brilliant. XD ♥

Also, I'm not overweight. I'm undertall. made me laugh kind of hard. I have the same thingie, I think.

[zannachan.livejournal.com]

Hee, I love your discussion of being thrown under the bus :)

"I'm not overweight. I'm undertall."

Hee, I love this! But I confess, I'm a bit worried about all this pressure you put on yourself to lose weight. I can understand the need/desire to be thinner, to look trimmer--last fall I not only put back on the weight I had lost toward the end of Canada, but I went up another pant size (sigh) and it frustrates me because I am trying to be as good as DB's diet restrictions, my responsibilities, income, and body will allow. And there's so much pressure to not just be fit, but to be really skinny. Not just the tall, size 0 models, but socially (nothing flattering like having your father tell you that your face looks fatter these days. Thanks dad. That makes me feel really good about my 30-something changing body).

But I'm also worried because you aren't eating that much--didn't yous say you were averaging about 1300 calories a day?--and you do all that walking/biking/skiing, weather permitting. The exercise is good for you--but it needs not calories and a balanced diet to go with it. I've always thought you looked great. And I think it's great if you want to make yourself healthier, fitter--but sometimes I wonder if you aren't pushing yourself too much, set your standards too high. Just make sure that you aren't losing weight at the expense of your health.

By the way, I sent you a message on Etsy but I don't know if it went through properly, but I'm back on-line again.