Boxes are not for people

I've been thinking a lot (usually when I can't sleep) about why people will put other people into "boxes" to make them feel better.  That took me down the reality-is-perception rabbit hole and I've concluded that people will tend toward simplifying other people in order to make them more easy to deal with.  Case in point - my friend J is a small, adorable, ball of friggin' sunshine.  She can also curse when she wants to, tell a bawdy joke with the best of us, and hold some of the most intelligent conversations on an extremely wide range of topics.  The only time I've seen her almost raging is when she's had to deal with someone who had her in a certain box in their head, then she's done something to break the box, and they can't handle it so they fall back on 'You've changed.'  I actually had a really fun convo with one person about that where I pointed out that she had not changed, but his perception of her had changed and that's what he was struggling with.  He could handle her as long as she stayed in his boxed perception of her - when she broke the box, he was left drifting.  I've told her multiple times to keep being who she is and not let other people's hangups get her down.  I've seen what happens when someone tries to be someone they are not in order to not rock the boat - rocking the boat is more fun and causes WAY less stress... at least for the boat-rocker.  Hehe.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for compartmentalizing my life.  It generally takes a LONG time for me to bring my friends together in any kind of social setting and if I ever do start dating, it's going to be at least 6 mo or so before he meets ANYONE I know and love because by that point I should know if he's a decent guy and I don't want to waste anyone's time (except my own, if the mood strikes).  I think there is difference between compartmentalizing (in my case that means mostly hanging out with people one-on-one, until I know who will vibe with whom), and attempting to make someone fit into the preconceived (or first-conceived) box in which you'd like to put them.  If there's one thing I've found in my life it's that people are way more complex than we often give them credit for.  The more you get to know someone, the more comfortable they are around you, the more they know if they can truly be themselves around you.  So to those who know me - LOVE YOU!!!  Thanks for taking a chance on me, or adopting me, or letting me latch on to you and being ok with me adopting you.  :)

The kids are back.  I had my first full day with students on Monday.  I can see where there will be at least 2 classes that are going to be hard to manage, but I'm sure we'll get there.  My favorite class is going to remain my favorite class - they asked what my Dr. Seuss quote meant and when I said it was from Dr. Seuss my favorite little smarty pants light up and went "DR SEUSS!"  Then they read the one poster that I have in cursive and I showed them how to write that way and it kind of blew their minds.  It was SUCH a fun class and the only one that I accidentally let out a little late.  Otherwise I was able to do my overacting bit for a couple classes and I'm sure that I'll be using my "Amanda Teacher is die" in the near future.  Really guys, it's the kids that make this job fun.  I had one trying to say 'shirt' and all I could hear was 'shoot' so I wrote the 2 words on the board and underlined the differences.  The whole class was laughing about it, and I turned it into a lesson on the importance of vowel sounds and 'r' sounds.  My Tuesday-Thursday classes will be interesting.  Only 5 kids came to one class on Tuesday, but the other one was full.  Both are super quiet classes, so that's going to be... interesting. 

OH before I forget - when we were in Seoul the other day we saw this guy:

That's right - he was taking his GUINEA PIG for a ride on little cart.  He took it out and put it in a bag for a bit, then apparently decided he was not taking the bus that day, but the guinzu back on the cart and carried on across the street.  It was the funniest/cutest thing I have EVER seen!!

Anyway, yesterday was Cinco De Mayo, and because we don't have any decent Mexican food places around here, S and I went to Baby Guinness for Mexi-fries, quesadillas, and drinks.  They did have margaritas, but the tequila sunrises looked particularly yummy.