Before we were popular we just stared at the TV all day!This is the phrase I've taken to uttering around the house, mostly to no one, though Mr. Dub sometimes thinks I'm talking to him. Which is a nice change since usually I am talking to him, but he think I'm muttering to myself and promptly ignores me. To his credit, most of what I say is nonsense, but I favor spewing out random words over silence. Lumberjack. Pickled cabbage. Aardvark.
But back to how popular I am. (Remember this is my blog, and if I don't come across as a little pretentious then I've failed.) I'm really popular these days if being popular means you have more than one friend. 'Cause I totally have more than one friend ... like three or something!
In fact, these days we have a lot of new friends because young Mormon couples are flocking to Chicago from such far-flung locales as Germany and Bountiful, Utah. Which is cool because Germans speak such sharply annunciated English that it's a pleasure to hear them say anything, like lumberjack or pickled cabbage or aardvark. Also, it's just adorable to hear a 3-year-old say things like, "Frohe Ostern!" In the springtime, of course.
It's fun to hear people from Bountiful, Utah speak, as well. I can't get me enough "Appreciate 'cha," if you know what I mean. Though I wish someone would move here from Idaho because then I could start "fixin'" to have dinner plans with them and increase my popularity even more.
But I must be honest - popularity comes with a price. I can't just sit around in my peejers watching TV all night because there are things to do and people to see. And I can't whine as much about how terrible Illinois winters are because now I have friends who are whining with me and all that noise gives me a headache.
More importantly, popularity brings with it the painful realization that we could have been popular a few months ago, even if our friends wouldn't have been as international or easy to make. Because the world is chock full of people - possibly 100 billion, but who has time to count? - and all of them need friends. And the fastest way to make a friend is to be one first.
But sometimes I like to wait for people to befriend me. Not because I'm shy - no, I could only dream of such splendor. But because I'm lazy and the thought of making a phone call or picking a restaurant is so much harder than putting on my peejers. And, yes, I do call them that. And, no, I don't call Mr. Dub, "Mr. Dub" to his face, though sometimes behind his back while making rabbit ears. (Those are still cool, right?)
But being popular feels better than peejers. Especially when being popular means helping someone out or laughing about how much you have in common or just seeing someone smile because you're the first person to introduce yourself.
Also, being popular means you might win the big student council election, if you have a student council at your house like we do. (And let me tell you, Mr. Dub is going down this year!)
How do you make new friends?
What's your best friendship advice?
For those who don't care and like to choose their own adventure, you may also share your favorite colloquialism or spew random words.
Lumberjack.
Pickled cabbage.
Aardvark.
