Just Being Nice

People give me compliments all the time. All the time. It never ends. I love it.

Let's just let that hang in the air for a minute.

Why does saying something like that go over like a fart in an elevator? Why can't I brag about that? Well, I mean besides the fact that it's not true. I mean people do give me compliments once in a while, and I can say thanks, but I always assume they're kidding, or they're just being nice, or they want to get in my pants. I feel this way even though on the outside I can say to someone else: Go ahead! Own that compliment! You are awesome. It's a weird thing that somehow got twisted and squeezed into manners: this idea that it's not polite to feel proud of yourself, or accept praise like you deserve it.

One time when Mo was about 6, a friend of her's called on the phone. I said "She's not here right now honey, do you want me to leave her a message?" and she said "No, I just wanted to ask if she could come over because I look really good today and I wanted her to see me".

See what I'm saying? How great does that sound? Of course you should invite your friends over when you're feeling fine. Who hasn't felt that way?

Anyway, I was thinking of all this when I started my morning procrastination and I saw Susan Schorn's post on McSweeney's. Go read it! And while you're at it, you can pre-order her book here. She's a great writer and she can probably kick your ass.