Friday, November 6, 2009

The Importance of Being Honest


There are few things more important to me than honesty, so I am delighted to announce that my lovely friend and brilliant blogger Bad Mom has awarded my blog the Honest Scrap Award. Thanks, Stephanie! I've wanted this one for a really long time.

Here are the rules:
*Say thank you and give a link to the presenter of the award
*Share “10 Honest Things” about yourself
*Present the award to 10 other bloggers whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design or to those who have encouraged you
*Be sure to tell the 10 bloggers chosen that you are giving them the Honest Scrap award and provide the guidelines for them


My parents always stressed the value of being truthful, and I believe they were honest with my brother and me. I well remember how touched my father was when one of his business associates described him as "an honorable man." My mother impressed upon me how essential honesty was when she explained that she left her first husband because he was dishonest in business dealings. In my adult relationships as a friend, a wife, and a parent, I practice and value honesty. I am sometimes disappointed regarding the honesty of other people.

It's the critical ingredient in building trust. That said, I don't believe in spilling my guts and volunteering certain things, especially if those things involve others who might not want them known. So you won't be reading any titillating revelations here. No offense, internets, but some things are just not yo bidness.

Still, you know I love to make you laugh. So I will share some tasty bits of truthiness about me in hopes it will make you giggle.

Here, for your consideration, are 10 honest things about me.

1. I was not the most popular girl in school. But I wasn't a slut. And I wasn't a mean girl.
The verb tense of those statements should not be interpreted as a confession that my status has changed, although I DO think I'm more popular now. I'm certainly more confident about letting my light shine than I was three decades ago.

2. I love quotations. Reading quotes that people like FDR or PG Wodehouse have said or written gives me the sort of joy that I imagine some people derive from reading the Bible. No disrespect intended, but I do not derive the same pleasure from the Bible, except for a few passages delivered like this or this. And those two are so beautiful they bring tears to my eyes.

3. Several years ago, I'd begun to think of myself as middle aged until I read that Johnny Depp and I were born within a few days of each other. I instantly became young and sexy, at least in my mind.

4. I didn't get my ears pierced until I was over 30. My folks had always regarded it as a slightly suspicious, bohemian thing to do, and I was a good girl. Then my father died, my mother met a very nice man who wanted to give her some pierced earrings, and she got her ears pierced. So I figured it was safe for me to do it too. I still feel slightly wild every time I insert a post through my earlobe.

5. When I was a young girl, I wanted to be an airline pilot or a police officer. Before I got married, I thought I would be a lawyer, though I didn't actually envision working in that profession. I loved The Paper Chase, and thought it would be awesome to be in law school.

6. I really wish I could time travel. I sometimes nag Professor X to get to work on a TARDIS.

7. I adore the language of Jane Austen's characters. Consider Elizabeth Bennet's rejoinder to Lady Catherine when she is confronted about her relationship with Mr. Darcy:
"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."
8. I believe in ghosts. And an afterlife. I don't know exactly what it looks like, and I don't believe that there is only one path to Heaven. I think Jesus was awesome, but people invoke him shamelessly to advance their own agendas. I believe that we are all children of God, whether we know it or not. But I don't think God looks like the Gary Larson cartoon version, or even that God is exclusively one gender or the other. I am attracted to the Disney Hercules animated depictions of the Gods, but I don't believe that God's voice is like Rip Torn's. I think it's like Alan Rickman's. And I believe in Hades. And his voice is precisely like James Woods'.

9. I wish I could sing and dance, but I am very self conscious. I should have taken my Mom up on her repeated offers of lessons when I was young. Stupid me. I tell myself it's never too late. Maybe I'll be like Susan Sarandon in Elizabethtown. Only I would like to dance like this. With that partner.

10. I am a strong person with a very tender heart. And I am easily moved to tears by movies, literature, plays, music, art, architecture, the warmth of friends... I balled like a baby once at a classical vocal concert because the singer's voice was so pure and beautiful.


And now, for the chosen ten. Each of these blogs enrich my life in a different way.

15 comments:

shrink on the couch said...

Thank you, FF! Honesty rates very high on my priority list, too.

I could have written #2 and #7. What I love best about Austen and Wharton, for example, is how cooly and politely their characters zing each other.

Becky said...

Mwah, dahling! Thank you so much!

I love your ear piercing story. You are a fast girl. I am learning a lot from you.

Miss Healthypants said...

Thanks for the award! :)

I always enjoy your blog--and yes, honesty is very important! :)

Kathy Amen said...

I am very flattered to be on the list. Thanks!

Enjoyed your comments, too, especially #1, which fits me, too, and the pierced ears one since my sister and I were just talking about getting that done as mature adults. If I decide to do it it will be at (or after) *60*! Perhaps a new record?

Bill Lisleman said...

FF - thanks for having my blog on your list of honor. Honesty - well honestly I need to start thinking of 10 factoids about myself that I want to share.
Right up there with honesty is respect for others and you have shown that too.
I enjoyed your list of things and number 5 was the most surprising to me. Pilot, or police officer are very different but interesting choices.
I've been stacking off on the posting later so I need to get to it.
thanks again - all the best

mommapolitico said...

I'm with ya on 1,2,4 & 5, Girl! And if there is anything in short supply on the planet today, it's honesty. Great blog, and a well-deserved reward. Way to go!

TBM said...
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TBM said...

Okay, reposting because I had a typo I couldn't stand (maybe I should add I am a recovering perfectionist?)


Thank you, FF! I like this one :-)

I could copy your #2 (reading PGW's "The Prince and Betty" now), #3 (boo hoo but trying to overcome it), #6, #7, #9 and #10. Here are 4 more:

--I am shy
--I have always wanted to play the harp. One wonders what I am waiting for?! (See #3 above)
--I don't feel it as much as I used to, but once in a while, I still get homesick for Texas and my old life there.
--I wish I had more fashion sense, but I'm too lazy...

XO from Holland

Barry said...

Thank you Forest, this was unexpected and a great pleasure.

Like you, honesty is one of those traits I value very highly.

Unfortunately for me I've had to discontinue posting awards on my blog simply due to their shear numbers. I am humbled and treasure the awards and accept and keep them in a folder on my computer but no longer publicly accept or display them.

For me they remain a secret pleasure.

Hope you understand.

Bill Lisleman said...

The perfectionist's (Just a Plane Ride Away) comment convinced me that I should correct my above comment.

As you must know, spell checkers fail to check wrong words that are spelled correctly.
I meant to write "slacking off" not "stacking off" but the typo does sound more confusing.

Bee said...

You enrich my life, too.
And that's the truth, nothing but the truth . . .

Also, you always have such interesting YouTube videos!
I wish that I could have an extra day of the week just for looking into all of the interesting things you are always alerting us to.

Thanks, friend. xx

Mandy said...

Of course you'rwe more popular now - we all love you!!

I believe in ghosts too and I am petrified of the dark at the grand old age of 36.

Lucy said...

Thanks for this! Sorry it's taken me so long to get over.

I did like the story about your mum leaving her first husband because of his dishonesty; many people, especially women, I think have compromised and stayed with spouses whose dealings in the wider world were dubious, for the sake of comfort and security within their own lives. You're mum obviously found a more honourable man next time round.

I may not take up the meme like this, but you have got me thinking about the matter of honesty...

stephanie said...
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stephanie said...

It's no wonder we're such friends. We should sing & dance poorly and self-consciously together sometime...Then laughingly recite Austen.

<3 you!

[I made an unforgivable blunder in my first comment; sorry]