Friday, May 13, 2011

Sized Up


Ran into an old "friend" today after having lunch at Holden's school. The reason for the quotes is because she really was a friend of mine many years ago but not so much anymore. She is perfectly nice, don't get me wrong. We just hang in different circles- her circle makes quite a bit more money than my circle. Her circle is president of the PTA and etc. of the PTA, my circle volunteers on field trips. Her circle lunches and shops, my circle goes to Wal-Mart and eats frozen diet dinners. But all of this is just life and it's absolutely fine with me. Although I wouldn't mind a glass of Riesling while munching on a salad with breadsticks once in a while, but I digress...

What I thought was funny about our running into each other was the falseness of the conversation and how the whole time she was looking at my clothes. I would've loved to have walked her down memory lane and reminded her of the time she fell off her bicycle when we went riding with our then boyfriends but she may have blocked that one out. (It was hilarious. - Sorry.) I think it's funny how women are with each other. Immediately sizing up the other woman while trying to find something that makes us feel better about who we are. Must be why I've always had way more guy friends than women friends. Guys usually tell it like it is and who cares if it happens to hurt your feelings, but women usually tell you everything is ok then tell the truth to someone else behind your back who then comes back and tells you what they said, which still hurts your feelings and leaves you feeling betrayed all at the same time. Lovely of us females. I have a rule, I will not say anything about anyone behind their back unless I'm willing to say it right to their face. It's a good rule and keeps me out of trouble. Another good rule is one that our mothers told us and should probably be reinstated as a rule for our own kids: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I mean really, why do we have to be so ridiculous as women? We're all in the same boat and should support each other. I'll bet we all go through the exact same things in our daily lives and have way more in common than we realize. Even the wealthier circles of women who yes, frankly I would like to slap and say do you REALLY need another Coach handbag to match your shoes? But hey, whatever blows their hair back. It's not for me to judge them, just like it wasn't her place to look me over in my sweatsuit outfit that MATCHED and I did have on make-up thank you very much. See what we do to ourselves, geez!