Jennifer used this phrase, ‘charm card’ which I hadn’t previously heard, in a recent post. She was suggesting that John had managed to hide his true character from me. She suggested that he’d been playing the ‘charm card’ for the five months that I’ve been here, but that he couldn’t keep up the ‘charade’ much longer. It reminded me of a story …
About ten years ago I quit working retail but needed to find work. My friend suggested I go to ‘Kelly Temp’ because she knew I had good computer and keyboard skills. I worked briefly at two different federal government offices and I truly was very ‘prim & proper.’ I kept my conversation with other staff to a minimum as I wanted to be seen as a ‘good’ Kelly Temp – the industrious type.
I got a second call back to the one department and it was a several month contract. I continued to be ever so efficient and reliable, but didn’t talk too much (it’s the truth) … friendly but not gregarious. Even on coffee breaks with the staff! Then the government wanted to hire me directly. “Yeah” – better pay and a longer term.
Now I could begin to “let my hair down.” I allowed my ususal humour to pour forth. After a month or so, one of the staff members said, “You’ve really opened up!” … if she only knew how much energy it took to not be a goof and spout off with all kinds of nonsense!
Well, I think John really is charming and it’s not a charade. After my Kelly Temp experience I decided that from now on you’re going to get the real me. And I think the goofiness of this website reflects the real me. And I celebrate that I have so many friends to be goofy with! And we will live longer because of goofiness!
Well Jennifer, what do you think now? Kristin really does know the real me. I can just as goofy as the next person, but I am also reliable,faithful and charming. After all, how do you think Liz has put up with me for 47 plus years?
Kristin, you sure do know a charming person when you see one. Now I suppose this is really going to add fuel to the fire, but you can keep right on being yourself (goofy that is)and I think it will help you to keep your sanity when difficult situations face you in future years.
Amen! (And I do think Jennifer does need a bit of straightening out! These kids! You raise them right and they start to think that somehow their parents’ aren’t as ‘normal’ as normal should be.
Now, I’m thinking that it’s likely better to be not normal, but if I’m using abnormal thought processes to come out with an abnormal conclusion, does that make me normal?
To come to my own defense, I think that I turned out very well, thank you very much. It sounds like Rhett did too. That’s because we are very similar to our respective mothers, right?
(On second thought, anyone want to contribute to a fund to help us pay for therapy??)
As for you, John, all I have to say is that I sense that a little bit of mischief still lurks deep inside of you.
Jennifer: Me mischevious? Never!! I am just your average, normal, faithful fellow that you have known for quite a few years. If you need therapy, just ask us older folk and we will straighten you out free of charge.
Ohhhh John, Jennifer got you right … that mischief is showing through pretty clearly, and yet you are still correct. I frequently offer (& supply) Rhett with therapy. Even though he doesn’t accept my offer, the fact is that I follow through with providing it regardless. This explains what a normal & balanced person he is.
I appreciate you offering your help to both Jenn & Rhett. These young people ….they need all the guidance that our maturity can offer.
Jennifer – Rhett has lamented “Why can’t I be more like my Dad?” Really I see no problems with how he has turned out!
The “quiet” one is back!!! Having Jen put forth the term “charm card” should come as no surprise … after all, EVERYONE says she looks like her father and ACTS like her mother! THESE KIDS OF OURS ARE SO BLESSED TO BE SO MUCH LIKE US!!!!!!
However, I’ve been hospitalized this week ….. receiving intensive counselling and therapy ever since reading John’s take on his “charm”. Ohhhhh please! Simply more than we who really know you, John, can take! Kristin is obviously a slow learner and as a result, may need to stay in Ontario until she does figure you out! Note to Sask friends – IMPOSSIBLE to figure John out, so pack your bags and move to Ontario to join Kristin here!!!!
So at prayers today at work the devotion was about parenting and everyone (except me, since I have no kids) was talking about how sometimes parenting feels like the kids training and discipling you, not the other way around (which is what we think parenting is all about). And that sometimes parents feel that they can shape who their kids become, but in reality they can’t. The kids will end up who they are supposed to be.
Afterwards, I was telling Harin (one of my favorite co-workers) that my parents didn’t have to worry about who I’d become – I’m so much like them that the answer is obvious.
And I am in some ways like my dad… just ask my mom which way is north to prove that one.
I have never lamented any such thing. I have always maintained that I am an equal split (as much as one can be) of both you (mom) and dad.
And now the truth comes out….
There are probably soooo many other things about your mother, Rhett, that we should know …. but I, for one, am not sure I could handle hearing it all!!
After all, basically all we have seen/heard about Kristin is from her viewpoint. Thank goodness for the postings here which help to bring a touch of reality to what we see/hear!!!
Are there any other sources of information we should tap into????
Good day everyone. I am not sure who I would like to respond to today. Liz and I are just back from Owen Sound. Liz went in for blood work and I took Mitzi to the groomer. We had breakfast in O.S. and then had to wait for the groomer to finish Mitzi. It took longer than expected as the groomer’s son became ill at school and she had to go bring him home. Anyway, while waiting for lunch I logged on to this site and read all the latest comments. They made me laugh so I thought I would just say hi to everyone, have lunch, and head outside to clean the six inches of snow from our driveway. Have a wonderful day all you contributors to Kristin’s site.
That almost sounds like a cop-out to me, John!
Mary: That was not a cop-out. I just did not want you to think that I was anything but a charming individual. Can I help it if something other than my charming qualities makes you think that I am not charming. If so the devil made me do it, so I can’t lay claim to anything other than charming.
There’s nothing like logging in after being away all day and then see there are 16 comments. I know there wasn’t that many the last time! So I eagerly wait for my dial-up to make the “leap” to the comments page and then I, just like John, laugh my head off.
It always seems weird to be laughing out loud when I’m all by myself, but it sure feels good!
The laughter is good therapy