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Post by shyvegan on Nov 23, 2003 23:27:16 GMT -5
I guess I have a little sense of humour.
I was in the store one day with my Mom, a cashier said smile it can't be that bad. Now I guess this is about the millionth time someone has told me to smile. I walked out of the store and said I've had it. I said to my Mom, lets go and cut out a piece of cardboard draw a happy, smiley face on it and bring it with us next time we go to the store. And when the next time someone says smile to me, lets whip out the smiley mask and hold it up in front of our face. I was joking, but Mom said I will do it, lets go make them. Then I had to talk her out of it, cause she would do something like that. Shes not shy. But anyway, I just wonder what would happen if we did that. ;D
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Post by smartie on Nov 24, 2003 4:40:38 GMT -5
I like the idea you are proposing SHYVEGAN, and I may just make one for myself. I could even go as far as marketing them to other shy types. You'll get a cut of the royalties, of course. One of the things I fail to understand... what is it exactly that earmarks us for the "Smile, it won't kill you!" statement? Being fairly observant, I often look around (careful not to make eye contact) and take note of the fact that the majority of people in any given situation are not wearing a demented smile. It's not natural to walk around night and day wearing a cheesy grin, so what makes any one suppose that I should? It would be an interesting social experiment if a group of us 'blank masks' were to force ourselves to grin inanely, from getting out of bed in the morning to returning there at night for a couple of days. See what reaction we illicit. I imagine you'd get half way through the first morning and then be called into the manager's office to face some stiff questioning... and I will wager that the first comment would be requesting that you "Get that stupid grin off your face!"
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Post by spitzig on Nov 26, 2003 2:22:45 GMT -5
I read on one of the posts that people with our 'problem' do tend to turn 'psychologist', and I'm definately guilty of that. Whenever I have sought professional help, i have always been told that I have a good insught into my problem, though it hasn't got me far (not yet anyway). The professionals have duly prescribed me anti depressants, in spite of the fact that I have argued that I am depressed BECAUSE I am shy, not because I otherwise have an inclination to be depressed. I think that long term shyness, and the lack of social contact that comes with it would make anyone depressed eventually!! I explained to the professionals that the medication may relieve my low feelings, but i will still be shy, and so i will just become depressed again when the pain of social exclusion has set back in! I still have;nt got through to any one though. has anyone here had similar experiences? Maybe you are not being forceful enough in telling them this? Just remember that you AND the therapist are there because YOU are paying them. It's a service, just like fast food--if mayo makes you sick, send it back. If the restaurant keeps fucking up your order, don't go there anymore. If they aren't giving you the treatment you need, tell them, or pay someone else.
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Post by smartie on Nov 26, 2003 5:54:41 GMT -5
Broadly speaking I agree with your comments Spitzig, but in the UK therapy, medication and other treatments are usually free on the National Health Service. This obviously put the British public in a fortunate position in many instances - we believe we have a right to free health care regardless of cost, duration or geographical availability. We get it too, if you don't mind the wait that is sometimes part of the process. Unfortunately this 'free' (we all pay for it through National Insurance contributions) health care does come with strings attached. The atttitude of the doctors, nurses, psychologists, administartors, and managers of this service is patronising in the extreme. Their philosophy is that the patient 'shouldn't look a gift horse...', and so to complain about poor or inadequate service is an outrage. You can be struck off a Dr's panel (and refused admission to any others), be refused access to your own medical records, be discharged as an outpatient without explanation, and generally be regarded as a troublemaker, rather than simply as an individual tryign to secure the best and most appropriate health care.
I think there is some argument for there being more private health insurance in this country, similar to the system in the states. As you say, the paying 'customer' forks out for his/her therapy on the proviso that there will be feedback if the treatment is contrary to what the patient sees as beneficial. In this country, you are made to feel that you can't turn your nose up at a 'free meal', regardless of the competence of the chef.# yours bren AKA smartie
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Post by MissAnxiety on Dec 2, 2003 12:02:47 GMT -5
shyvegan, I actually have a "Smile on a Stick" ;D. It's a carboard smile glued to a over-sized popsicle stick. Someone bought it for me as a gag gift at work. Now that I'm thinking, I'm wondering if that was for humiliation, thinking I don't smile a lot. hhhmmm... Actually I think it was just something "cute" they got me, not offensive. Anyway, they actually trade marketed this "Smile on a Stick"!! It was made by The Bauer Group, Inc. from Wilton, WI. Okay, I know none of you care, but I thought I would bring it up...in case someone wanted one...LOL
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Post by smartie on Dec 2, 2003 12:35:12 GMT -5
"Smile on a Stick" MissAnxiety - put me one in the mail to arrive before christmas... theres $100 for it, if it gets people off my case
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Post by MissAnxiety on Dec 2, 2003 12:39:15 GMT -5
LOL
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Post by smartie on Dec 2, 2003 13:05:12 GMT -5
Send me a large speech balloon as well, with the "LOL" on it. I'll hold it up when I think I ought to be laughing in public!
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Post by MissAnxiety on Dec 2, 2003 14:29:26 GMT -5
There you go! That's another idea...a "LOL" speech balloon! ;D
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Post by smartie on Dec 2, 2003 14:59:21 GMT -5
MissAnxiety, I think we are on to something big here. We could end up very very rich if we develop this carefully. i was just thinking, if we make the speech balloon from a white painted mild steel, we could then sell it packaged with those magnetic foam letters that people often have stuck to refridgerator doors - you know the different coloured ones that people sometimes give kids so they can learn how to spell. Simply carrying a pocket full of these with the balloon then puts a whole world of communicative possibilities at our disposal. We'd be free to say what we want at last, and no one would ever have to ask us to repeat ourselves!
You apply for the patent, I'll draw up the blueprints - after I've ordered my ferrari! Edison was wrong when he said that invention was '1% inspiration, 99% perspiration' this is going to be a doddle!
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Post by MissAnxiety on Dec 2, 2003 15:16:41 GMT -5
LOL...then shyvegan can join us with her I am smiling t-shirt as well ;D. Hey, we could have a "Shy" store...heehee. Then we could try to "better" our communication with the world . I wouldn't know where to begin, though, due to my shyness, lol. ;D Yeah I know those magnets you are talking about. There you go! Those would work.
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Post by smartie on Dec 2, 2003 16:10:17 GMT -5
mmmmmmmmmmmm............ yes, you have a point; and Im starting to feel negative about it now. I guess I'd end up staying as shy as I am, and my messages would say things like 'don't talk to me', and I'd be in the same spot as I am now.
I did order an 'I am smiling' shirt, but I made the mistake of ordering from a web based t-shirt printer from Thailand. It arrived yesterday, when I put it on and looked in the mirror i realised to my dismay that buying on the cheap is not always the best policy - it reads 'I am slimming' phuphhhhhhh, it never rains.......
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Post by MissAnxiety on Dec 2, 2003 16:31:29 GMT -5
Are you serious ? lol @ "I am slimming" (not the fact that you didn't get your "smiling" t-shirt ). well it was "fun" thinking about it. It put a smile on my face, how 'bout you?
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Post by shyvegan on Dec 2, 2003 16:37:06 GMT -5
Ok I am ready for business! We're going be rich. Ha ha he he. ;D So who is going to do all the talking and answering the phone orders? I can make the shirts. I love to do crafts anyway. I was thinking of having a web site store, then the computer would take the orders. But the problem is I don't really know how to do all of that with computers. And then there's all the advertising that has to be done in newspapers and stuff. "Smile on a Stick" we could make a different one from the one you said they already have. Of course, I didn't know anyone had made that yet.
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Post by shyvegan on Dec 2, 2003 16:39:07 GMT -5
Ok I am ready for business! We're going be rich. Ha ha he he. ;D So who is going to do all the talking and answering the phone orders? I can make the shirts. I love to do crafts anyway. I was thinking of having a web site store, then the computer would take the orders. But the problem is I don't really know how to do all of that with computers. And then there's all the advertising that has to be done in newspapers and stuff. "Smile on a Stick" we could make a different one from the one you said they already have. Of course, I didn't know anyone had made that yet.
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