keeping things on the up-n-up

A few years ago I began to realize that there were ways in which I could present myself so as to sway others into taking me seriously or not. What I wore was quite important. I realized how important it was when a church deacon commented to me one day, “You look like a little girl.” When I went to shop for clothes, I was torn between the women’s section and the junior girls’ section. I wanted something in between. After a number of incidents of being mistaken for someone 10 years younger, I figured out what to wear that could change that.

Secondly, I had to behave differently as well. I remember once going to a community meeting with a friend who was a bit younger than I. We were sitting at a table together, with an official looking man. I became incredibly self-conscious, when she couldn’t keep her fit of giggles under control. The man didn’t look impressed, nor did he look like he was about to take us seriously. I learned that under no circumstances was I to allow myself to make silly jokes or banter about with all the middle aged folks in a meeting, even though they were shamelessly silly. Silliness from me indicated immaturity even while silliness from them was okay.

So with the last 2 posts, I doom myself forever to blogosphere’s unintelligent, immature, silliness categories.