Today was interesting to say the least. I had six people talk to me. Now, this may seem weird for me to count, but for me, its truly remarkable. You see, I've practically perfected being a wallflower since grade school. It's easy to escape schoolyard bullies if they forget you exist. I'm the one the teacher couldn't ever remember the name of... the classmate nobody remembers... The student who could be marked absent while sitting right in front of the teacher... That's me. So imagine my surprise when people today spoke to me - acknowledged my existence.
The first lady wished me a Merry Christmas. I thought she was talking to someone behind me, but I looked up and smiled at her as we passed, only realizing a moment after we passed that she'd been talking to me. The second was a woman who said hello to me as she walked past while I was waiting for my husband to get out of the restroom. Third was a woman in the game isle who talked to me about a kid's version of Monopoly when she overheard my husband and I considering games for the kids. Fourth was a lady who (not very politely) told me to get out of her way because I was standing near the checkout she wanted to use - so I stuffed myself in the corner until we were done checking out and I could walk away. Fifth was a gentleman in the entry area who wished me a Merry Christmas, but again, I thought he was on the phone so I didn't respond until I was out the door and it occurred to me he'd been talking to me. And sixth was a young woman who stopped me in the theater after we had finished watching Jumanji 2 to ask me if I could take a family photo with her grandma as she'd be heading into surgery for breast cancer tomorrow and this was her last outing. I obliged happily. Best wishes for a successful surgery and a full recovery to her grandma.
So - what is it about me today that seems more approachable than normal? Is it just the holiday season vibe making more people be out and about and kinder to one another? I doubt it was my clothing choice because I was wearing the same thing I wore the last time we went out shopping... My Gryffindor colored striped long sleeve shirt, my grey plaid hooded button-up over-shirt, and my black jeans. The first five I had my hair down and the last I had my hair pulled up. Is it my appearance? My husband thinks it's the confidence I'm displaying since losing some weight. He says I'm looking around and paying attention more and looking at the floor a lot less. I guess maybe he's right, but I don't see how that would change someone talking to me or not.
Today was also pretty awesome because I found some really cool stuff. Tony asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Well, I have a short list... one particular costume dress, some stuff for cosplay outfits I'd like, a couple little things here and there. Nothing horribly expensive. But then, while we were at Target, I saw it... Huge standing plushies, of all kinds... but what caught my eye was the grey wolf right beside the deer with antlers. Both were bigger than Moose (and he's not a small dog). My brain immediately referenced Prongs and Moony (James Potter and Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series - two of the original Marauders). Much to my absolute delight, Tony bought them both for me. I now have half of the Marauders. We tried four stores to find a big black dog to go with them (Sirius Black as Padfoot), but alas, no luck. Moose will have to be the stand-in for now.
Got home, and the tie and the DVD I ordered had come in the mail. (happy dance) Tomorrow I'm watching The Brave Little Toaster when the kids get home.
Last shop tonight after the movie before heading home, I picked up chocolate chips and pretzel rods and I'm going to make some nice chocolate-dipped pretzels for the kids, and if all goes well, maybe I'll pick up some more next week and make some for my extended family that I will be seeing on Christmas evening.
Now I get to work on wrapping the few gifts we have by the end of the week before kids are home on Christmas break and I won't have the opportunity to sneak off.