Awkward Contest!

I've decided to be like all the cool blogs and offer a contest.  Well, "contest" probably isn't the right word, but it sounds cool.  In a contest, someone is competing against someone else or something else.  So, I guess I could say that my readers are competing against time or against themselves or something...but really, it's not too much of a contest.  I'm just calling it that because it makes me feel cool.

Yeah, it's really more of a challenge.  Challenge doesn't sound nearly as cool as a contest.  Let's keep calling it a contest.

It's not March yet, but I'm going to declare a challenge contest for the month of March.  See, in February, Adventures in Social Awkwardness has had more reads than ever before.  I'd like to thank my readers for all their...well...reading...but I figured I'd make it into a challenge contest!

My other, more serious, but not completely serious blog, Poor Reflections, has also had a really good month, reader-wise.  So here's the thing.  If either Poor Reflections or Adventures in Social Awkwardness reaches 700 reads for the month of March (challenge contest begins March 1 and ends March 31), I'll personally compose and perform (and post a video of it, obviously) of a song in which I express gratitude to all of my readers.

Okay, that sounds kind of lame.  Hmm.

I'm going to level with you.  I'm pretty much broke and don't have anything cool to give away.  I do have a quirky talent for coming up with strange clever lyrics, and I pretend to play the guitar well enough to confuse people who don't know anything about how to play the guitar....

...so my gift is my song and this one's for you...

...if you win the contest. 

I mean challenge. 

I mean contest.

SHUT UP I'M AWESOME!

SSA Ep # 18: Forgetful Gratitude

I'm pretty good at some things. I can sing. I can write. I dominate at word games. I can make kids laugh. I can sometimes make grown ups laugh, too. But I'm not good at everything. I mean, one person can't have ALL the awesome talents. I'm bad at sports. I can't dance (unless the hokey pokey counts). I can only draw well enough to impress a four year old. I am only fairly sure I'd be a pathetic rodeo clown, but to be fair, I've never really tried. ...and I'm pretty sure I never will...

One thing I'm horribly, horrifically, terribly, and very very BAD at is taking compliments. I've gotten slightly better at it, but at the end of the day I still find myself guiltily replaying the conversations I had throughout the day in my mind:

Friend/Coworker/Parent/Or Other Nice Person: I love that shirt you're wearing!
Me: I got it at Target. $9.00. On Clearance.

or

F/C/P/ONP: You've lost more weight, haven't you? You look great!
Me: Actually, I think I've gained weight since last week.

or

F/C/P/ONP: I heard you singing those high notes in choir today. You have a pretty voice.
Me: I have a slight cold, so I'm surprised I didn't croak this morning.

or

F/C/P/ONP: The blog you wrote last night made me laugh.
Me: Which one? Oh, that one? Yeah. That was a totally awkward situation, huh?

I have conversations simliar to those above on a fairly regular basis. I'm not sure if my replies to these compliments come from some sort of self-esteem issue or just because I feel the need to say something witty. The one theme I notice in all situations is that I often forget something very important. I forget to say "Thank you."

It's not because I'm not thankful (though I suspect I'm not as grateful as I should be). I mean, I get a lot of compliments from people. It's not because I'm particularly awesome--it's because I have awesome friends who choose to see good things in other people. I love my friends. I love the parents I have come to know over the years. I love my coworkers. I'm exceedingly grateful for them and for the constant encouragement they are to me.

But I forget to say thank you. If someone compliments me on something I'm wearing, why do I feel the need to mention to them where I got it? Do I think they're going to run out and buy one just like it? Do I just want to brag that I scored an amazing purchase? If someone compliments me on a talent I have, do I try to appear more humble by downplaying it? If someone compliments me just because they care and want to say something nice, do I try to come up with some response other than "thank you" because I feel the need to fill the conversation with meaningless and not-as-witty-as-I-think-it-is chatter?

I think the answer to all of those is YES.

So, it is apparent that I have a problem.

But what do they say? Admitting you have a problem is the first step? The first step to what? I don't know.

I hope it's not a dance step. I so can't dance.

(In case I've forgotten to thank you for a compliment or anything else, let me say it right now: THANK YOU!)