I am teaching a week long course in Oregon, and this creek runs through downtown Ashland. It's awesome. The entire downtown area feels like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at DisneyLand. You know how it's dark, and the water is there, and you can hear the silverware clinking at the restaurant in the center of the ride? It's just like that!
I teach a lot of classes for teachers (specifically: math) and being so far from home has brought some of my....peculiarities...to the surface. For one thing? Apparently it's considered unusual to use a 1950s train case for carrying your pens, math tools, and office supplies. I disagree.Also? All week? I've had a raging internal debate. Am I socially awkward? Or just really inappropriate? And can I actually separate these things? Or, is it a 'chicken and the egg' situation? Like, am I inappropriate, which causes social awkwardness? Or does my social awkwardness cause me to overcompensate, resulting in inappropriate behavior?
Here's an example. On Monday, we were joking around in one of our sessions. ('joking around' being part of my problem...I love to laugh. I love me some silly, and I laugh, all the time. I laugh so hard I can't breath, my stomach hurts for days, my eyes water...and I love it. I love to laugh, and I will always take the joke. If it's funny, I will make the joke, even if it's...inappropriate...or awkward. Oops.) So we were joking around on Monday about needing caffeine.
I don't drink coffee, but you'll find me just about any time of the day or night with a diet pepsi in my hand. So, I was pretty vexed to find no vending machine, no diet soda offered with lunch, no NOTHING. The Oregon folks filled me in: apparently, there was some law passed where no soda would be allowed at the schools. Not for kids, or adults! It seems that the 'law' may have been relaxed somewhat, eventually, in that adults can now have sodas at the schools, but there would be no on site vending machines that sell the sodas.
So. I crack wise. "So you can have soda, you just can't buy soda?" And they laugh and say, yeah, basically. At which point. For some reason. I follow up with, "You know what? I think that's actually the current pot law in California." They bust out laughing, I turn red, and then I'm left wondering...
Clearly inappropriate. Also awkward?
Yes. I think so.
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Are they allowed to pump their own gas in Oregon yet? When I lived in Washington, there was a girl we hired who drove up from Oregon - once in Wa, she pulled into the gas station and just sat their. She was a bit peeved when noone came over to pump her gas so she went inside to complain. They explained they don't do that in Wa, you have to pump your own gas. She said she stood next to her car for 15 min before someone pulled in and showed her how to do it... *shaking my head*
ReplyDeleteLet's see... socially awkward vs inappropriate. I think you are inappropriate in an awkward kind of way. lol! You get it from your Mom :) Love you AND your Mom. Please tell her I said 'hello'.
Ha! That's hilarious, and also...awkward! lol Poor baby. I've not needed gas in Oregon (and I won't, as I filled up in Shasta City before crossing the border) so I can't tell you first hand, but I know I heard somebody talking about it. They said it's still true, but of course I'm going to do some sleuthing to verify it, why? Because I'm a DORK! Mom is definitely awkward. Definitely inappropriate. I totally didn't even put that together. It's genetic! :) Miss you. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI must share your sense of humor Mia because I found your remark too darn funny. I don't think it was at all inappropriate or awkward. Maybe I am inappropriate and awkward:) As for your train case, my best friend has one just like it and still carries her toiletries in it.
ReplyDeleteThat was really cute! You have to be you, don't worry about anyone else. My girlfriend carries her train case for our overnight quilt guild bus trips. We all grew up with them! Keep on laughing and joking. I love it. Blessings, Jan
ReplyDeleteFirst time reading your blog, found you through Daisy Cottage....love the story of the soda and pot....I think we are trying to hard to protect us from US. Gees, I'm 51 grew up in a time when you made your own decisions about what was good for you or not now seems everyone wants to say they know better. Ok for kids, we adults (?) have to do whats best for them until they are old enough to know the choices out there. Although with todays world I think they come out of the womb knowing more than we do :^) anyway, if someone feels awkward about a joke like yours maybe changes should be made because obviously soda and pot are the same crime! :^) And since I really hate being anonymous but have to be until I have a blog..or a computer or a camera (I'm really fighting entering this century)
ReplyDeletePatty from Erie, PA
Social awkwardness? Inappropriateness? Aw, who cares? Just keep 'em comin' Mia! That's one of my favorite things about you. Those trainings can be.....zzzzzzzzzzz....whoops, i think I dozed off there. Those trainings can be SO boring. They're lucky to have YOU with a little zip mixed in!
ReplyDeleteum...I love you that is all that matters...also maybe we have the same insecurities...
ReplyDeletealso. I'm jealous of you being in ashland, and that is only 6hours from here..or is it 8 anyway..no one tells me anything I could have driven down there.
Thank you everyone who commented! It's just perfect isn't it? The day I'm going on about being awkward and inappropriate, the day I'm writing about pot (of all things!!!), is the very day that Kim writes an adorable 'thank you' on her wildly popular blog for a wee little 'thank you' gift I sent her. So people come hopping through, and *this* is what they see? Good-ness! *blush* So, especially thank you to Patty and JKW, as you help me feel less ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteThe rest of you are used to me! haha And Brit, don't make me cry! I'll come to you, say the word. :)