gazebo

Apparently I am a gazebo in the summer rain. I'm working with this life coach, Cheryl. She is encouraging me to develop my purpose statement. A purpose statement is the thing you remind yourself of when the gremlins and goblins and ghosts of christmas past pull down the curtain of hopelessness over your eyes. It's the thing you're passionate about. It's the reason you're here. It should contain a metaphor and an impact statement.

What are you passionate about? What do you really live for? Really? Beyond the rice crispie treats and dick powell movies? beyond the guilt and hope? what's that thing?

So I am a gazebo in the summer rain. That's all i know so far.

dog-talkers

Dog-talkers fall into two camps. One kind of dog-talker starts each sentence with "he's like" or "Riley's like" or, if you're me, "Django's like," followed by the presumed sentiment of the dog, in the presumed voice of the dog. "Moe's like, 'I don't think so!'" or "Django's like, 'I know you have treats, hand 'em over!'"
The other kind of dog talker eschews the intro and lauches right into the sentiment. "Are you kidding? This is some good mud!" "I smell your butt, you don't smell my butt!"
Dog-talking is okay among most other dog owners, but not all. Most dog owners go right along with you and voice their own dog-thoughts. When you get to know another dog owners, or maybe you just hit it off right away, you may take the liberty of voicing each other's dog-thoughts. But what you don't want to do is start dog-talking around a dog owner who doesn't hold with this weird little practice. Because some very awkward silences can ensue.

that whole damning with faint praise thing

You can't go by what anyone says. I mean, we're all constantly repositioning ourselves in the context of whatever situation we're in. So someone saying "She's a hard worker" could mean "I want to be perceived as higher on the talent food chain to her--but generous" or "I want you to know that I don't consider her talented but I also want you to think I'm classy" or maybe even "She works hard."