Tuesday, November 2, 2010

we once walked out on the beach and once I almost touched your hand

Small Talk Question of the Blog: What's some of the best advice ever given to you? Or just any advice that you remember specifically?

My friend Emma Cole used to say "You always have a choice." It was like her catchphrase. I really like it because it's empowering – no matter what mistakes you've made or what situation you're in,
you always have a choice in your decisions.

Even if it's been a long, horrible day at the DMV, you still have the choice to stay calm, read a book, and remind yourself that you only have to make these trips every few years. (Or in my case, several times a day to retrieve missing items every few years.)

**

My mother met a Swede today who said that he had been to a DMV in Florida. "Americans are angry people," he told her. I love the idea of basing a judgment on Americans based on a visit to one of our DMVs.

Though if you think about it, that's one of the places where people are showing their true colors. Kind of like not marrying someone before you've gone camping with him.

4 comments:

herewegoagain said...

Uncle Mike gave me some advice that I'm trying to stick to (lately)..."Give 'em the benefit of the doubt". Works for the DMV, too....

LlamaH said...

hahahaha

that's funny that he said that about American's... that's what I'd think too... (or I do think)

Emma said...

in your case, Siobhan, I don't think you need any lessons in giving people the benefit of the doubt. just today i was complaining to someone about how you always play devil's advocate.

thank you for featuring my advice. i wish i would follow it.

Sho said...

emma cole: "the devil's advocate" sounds so...evil. and does it count if most of the time I believe what i'm saying?


haha when you come up in my conversations it's usually over very different things:P