Thursday, December 20, 2007

Feisty Bento #92: No touching

So I did about 8 of them last night.  The candy canes just are looped loosely over the top; this is the easiest way with the ribbons.  I ran out of ribbon, too.  *sob*  It's okay, I don't really care, I'd like to have gold ribbon instead actually.  Hmm I wonder how much ribbon I have left.  I also ran out of stuff- apparently I cannot count, the sad thing being I keep track of these things in Excel and it was a simple matter of ordering xx number of each item but I chose to order different numbers for each item.  I still cannot fathom why I would do such a thing.  My only guess is that I hadn't intended on giving to my groupmates at work (just a few select people that I'm friends with), but my groupmates started giving stuff out everyday since Tuesday (!) so I felt like a tool if I didn't reciprocate.  That was an extra 5 that I'd intended to just distribute amongst the females in B's family... but ah well.  (We have a rule/deal: I buy the presents for my family and stick his name on there, and vice versa.  So basically, my family loves him, and his family thinks I'm an asshole.  They get gift cards from him!  I put thought into my gifts.  Ahhh... what a shit deal, and I made it [because I used to go bonkers thinking of gifts for his family and he'd still give them gift cards with my name on it, so I felt like it was a waste of money plus no one seemed to appreciate my gift.  Fuck'em.] but oh well.) 

So the title of my blog today.  I was just asking someone yesterday how to get other people to stop touching me.  I believe I blogged about this months ago when she first did it, but the woman who sits next to me- a slightly older woman who is so well-meaning, I genuinely believe that- she once came over to me when my hair was loose and started stroking it, exclaiming how nice my hair was (it's only okay; I don't lie to myself about how nice it is, just what color) and how her son loves Asian hair.  SKEEVE.  She continued to stroke it and talk about her son.  GROSS.  She did this at least one other time while I kind of sat, frozen and uncomfortable.

She's a groupmate, so of course she got a goodie bag.  And after she opened it, she exclaimed "Oh you're so sweet!" and then said, "I just have to give you a hug!" and started to approach me, which was the perfect opening for me to blurt out...

"Oh please don't!" with this apologetic tone and look on my face.  She stopped, looking uncertain, so I felt the need to explain, "I appreciate the thought but I really don't like being touched," and she just said "Oh... okay," looking confused and retreated to her desk. 

This is perfect, but WHY do I still feel like an ASSHOLE for having said it?  For having said outright how I feel and getting what I want: to no longer be touched? 

Top tier: lots of hummus, sprinkled with parsley and sesame seeds for color; toasted pumpernickel cocktail bread
Bottom tier: yay! kickin' chicken, and marinated artichoke hearts on top of pickled radish (I thought the color contrast would be nice but it didn't show up anyway)

Happy bento, and have a great holiday!  I'm going out with friends for lunch tomorrow, so my next bento will be next Wednesday.  Have a wonderful and safe holiday, everyone!!!

2 comments:

  1. Men and gifts - don't get me started! Your solution is one I will adopt in the new year.
    ...About touching, Starr Jones is a no touchie type. To keep people at arms' length she is the first to put her hand out for a handshake. Double handed if she really means it. That way the other person stays out of her personal space, and no one runs into her extended sword. I mean arm!

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  2. Don't feel bad - you defended your space AND had kickin' chicken AND grooved on your inner Martha. Sounds a red letter day to me!

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