Oh, teenagers

The girls and I were killing time in between ballet and swim class and decided to do some window shopping downtown. I was letting them get a few feet ahead of me so they could pretend to be on their own. At some point, a teenager sauntered in between us with his hands in pockets, head down, hoodie up. He was definitely too cool for us and the girls swerved in and out around his legs as he passed by us.

Just as he was passing Josephine, she took off running toward the edge of the sidewalk, close to the road. Our teenager didn't miss a beat. He took one side step and pivoted around at the same time. He reached one arm out to stop my tiny one just as she took a 90 degree turn back toward us. 

He never changed his cool expression and just turned around and kept walking.

As we passed, I said thank you and he just raised his hand and nodded his head.

I love when people remind me to never judge a book by it's cover

Notes from a toddler

Zoë and I were playing this afternoon and I thought I was doing a good job of taking sneak-peeks at my phone.

She was inventing stories of her "baby's" day at school and asking my opinion on her doll's backpack choice and what she should have for lunch.

I thought I was playing along nicely and then she stopped mid-sentence as she was explaining the doll's outfit.

"Mom."

"Yeah?" I answered, admittedly with my eyes on my phone.

"Mom!"

"Yeah?!" I said again.

She reached over and put her hand between me and my phone.

"Mom, look up."

My heart melted a teeny bit and I quickly put my phone behind my back.  She stared at me for a second and then said, "I like it better when you look up."

Ugh. Totally valid.

Kindness

I was running, head down, cursing today's workout when I realized a girl in my class had stopped running ahead of me.

When I looked up, my fellow Crossfitter was carrying groceries behind a very short, lovely elderly woman. I watched as the woman opened the gate and lead her into the yard and then her house.

As I turned to make my loop back toward the gym, the young woman was coming out of the house kindly waving good bye to the elderly woman. I could sense her get back into step behind me and as we ran back to the gym, I wondered if she could sense the smile on my face.

Look Up

Today, during my lunch break from jury duty, I was sitting in a coffee shop with my head buried in my phone - a position I'm never very proud of.  Mostly because it's not a welcoming invitation for someone to come talk to you.

But today I realized there are generations who know nothing different and perhaps having your head down doesn't necessarily mean "leave me alone."

As I sat there shuffling through work emails (aka: checking Instagram and playing Words With Friends) I could feel someone in my space.

"Do you play chess?"

I looked up and met eyes with a little girl about 10 years old standing in front of me with a wide smile on her face and a portable chess board under her arm.

I slumped my shoulders and said, "Actually, no I don't."

"I can teach you!"

"You know what, I'd love to learn. But I actually have jury duty today and I have to be back in 15 minutes.  Do you know what jury duty is?"

"Sort of. People hate it, right?

I smiled and explained that was mostly true and then tried to explain it was important as a citizen, and wasn't SO bad. She nodded and seemed slightly interested.

"Well, I can teach you a little bit right...," she paused and looked out the window toward an outside table where a 20-something year-old girl - with awesome bright green hair - was reading a book.

"Hey! That's the girl who plays with me sometimes." She leaned over me and knocked on the window repeatedly until the girl looked up.  The green-haired girl smiled, closed her book and gestured for the girl to come sit at her table.

"Well, I'm going to go play with my friend. Maybe I can teach you some other time."

I said thank you and wished her luck on her next game.

Yes, ma'm.

Indianapolis was a great city...sort of unexpectedly so.

We gardened, we got dirty, we ate delicious cajun food.  But during our volunteer activity as I was trying to make small talk with some of our do-gooders, the guy I was chatting with answered yes (or no) ma'm to everything I said.

The very first time, I had a moment where I thought, "What the heck?  We're practically the same age, don't call me ma'm."

But then it was so cute.  So southern.  So....refreshing.

Sucker. For. Manners.

Typo

Earlier today, I put a new event in my phone calendar and didn't pay much attention. I'm meant to pick up my brother at the Grammy's Foundation on Friday.

When I double checked my calendar tonight to prepare for the next couple days, I noticed I had "Granny's" scheduled for Friday.

As I read the word Granny...I froze for a second and had to re-rack my brain.  I actually believed for a moment that my granny (who passed away years ago) was in my schedule.  In a few seconds; I saw her house, her hair and a delicious Little Debbie waiting at her bedside.

So appropriate.  She'd be proud of my Friday, of my month, of my brother's year.  But she'd also remind both of us to mind our manners and to not forget where we came from.

I love strangers you see so often they feel like friends.

There is a father/son duo that takes their morning walk everyday through Palisades Park as I sweat my way through boot camp.  I've never eavesdropped on this 40-something dad and his adorable 3ish-year old. I usually just see them pass and think, "Wow, people in Santa Monica are beautiful. What the heck is in the water?"

Today, I thought I heard someone speaking much too loudly on their cell phone and interrupting our yoga-esque cool down.  Half-annoyed, I turned to see who the perpetrator was and realized it was my favorite little duo; no cell phone in sight.  He was praising his little boy for picking up a piece of trash in the park.

"That's like when daddy goes surfing and sees trash in the ocean.  I pick it up and put it in my wetsuit to help keep the ocean clean.  And you're doing it here to keep the park pretty.  I'm so proud of you." 

There's always a moment

We had a massive event this weekend and at some point I was handing out 3D glasses to the masses.  It's amazing what people will do for free things and how manners and dignity seem to disappear.

I was being mobbed by people and noticed a little girl (no more than two years old) in the middle of the madness sort of confused as to what was happening.  I ignored parents with outreached arms repeating they needed 10 and 12 pairs of glasses and leaned down to hand the little girl a pair.  She had no idea what they were, but accepted my gift.

I continued to pass glasses out by the handful and was astounded by how rude people were.

A few minutes later, I realized there was something pulling on my pant leg.  I turned around and the little girl was standing at my feet, no taller than my knee.  She looked right at me and just said, "Thank you."

I'm not sure I would have made it through my day without that little girl.

Drinks on me!

We had an event for LAGG tonight and one of our volunteers offered to take us out for drinks.  He was very generous and bought us dinner and rounds and rounds of drinks.  He was so proud of our work and what we're doing.  And to be totally honest, it felt good for someone to spoil us.

But what kept sort of blowing me away was how naturally he got up from his chair every time I did.  I ran to the bathroom.  Up.  I ran to grab an extra napkin.  Up.  In mid-sentence no less.

Old school (unforced) manners are so great.

Where everybody knows your name

There are some things to strive for in life.  Like having your local bartender know your name.  Don't call me an alcoholic; it's a fun status to claim.  And it gets you free drinks sometimes.

Tonight, our favorite bartender at The Daily Pint was confronted by a lame-o young man who seemed to think our favorite lady "was the worst, rudest bartender he had ever met."

I call bull shit.

And don't send your wife in to stand up for you either.  That makes you even more lame, mister.

We got to sit at the bar and commiserate with her about how rude people are.  And when I say commiserate, that includes yummy, free shots of tequila.

[If you've been to The Pint and know who I'm talking about...vote for her as best bartender in LA....um, cause she is]

Face down, hands up.

Smart Phones are separating us as strangers. Bus stops and bars are filled with people face down, hands up...reading something super important on their hand-held devices. It's becoming less and less likely for small talk and random conversations with a new face.

However, lately, I've seen quite a few people put down their phones and engage with a stranger.

Four times this week, I've been at a stop light and seen someone ask a fellow car for directions. I'm not sure why, but that makes me feel like I live in a small town. Mostly because somewhere in life everyone must have been taught that it's bad manners to deny the eye-contact, motion-to-roll-down-your-window smile from a stranger.

I like that.

The cool kids are doing it.

Handwritten,
unexpected,
thank you notes.

Best thing ever.

Especially when they're taped to your door.

Yay, technology!

Best surprise ever.

I was arguing with AT&T on the phone and staring at my bill online when I my Gchat started ringing and someone wanted to chat.

I assumed it was one of a handful of standard chatters and was going to give it a second while I finalized my argument with AT&T. Then I realized Gchat was singing a different song and it wanted me to VIDEO chat. I clicked over and OH MY GOODNESS, it was my friends in Ghana who are adopting a child right now.

When they left for Africa, I kind of assumed I wouldn't get to talk to them (via email or anything) until they returned. And THERE THEY WERE, on my computer screen; their cute faces and their new little boy!!

I forget how rad technology really is.

The F-L-A

Yea, yea...I talk about it all the time...but, oh, Florida.

We have a love/hate relationship just like me and LA. But I suppose that's what makes us a great couple.

The love part for Florida is the people. They're just so great. Whether they smother me with charm or they amaze me with quality people watching...I heart all of them.

And today it was Pam at Best Buy. She helped my brother and I through a hefty purchase and then gave us both high fives for a job well done.

Overly-Friendly-Kilt-Wearing-Guy

I saw you walking out of Starbucks and wasn't looking forward to running into you. But you were surprisingly really nice and your sort of over-the-top - "You're most certainly welcome, my lady" - actually made me smile.

Unexpected.

I was on the bike path in Santa Monica today and stopped for a sip of water and a rest. A cute boy in a yellow bathing suit caught my eye as he stopped in the middle of the path and started making a slow down motion with his hands at bikers coming through.

He just stopped in the path and kept doing it. Sadly enough, I was so focused on his broad chest and perfectly placed tattoos, that I didn't see the whole picture. I couldn't understand why he would arbitrarily slow people down.

Then I noticed the two ladies next to him. It was a woman about 60 years old helping another woman about 80 years old cross to the beach. She was moving slow, but she was making it.

His action was so subtle and seemed so natural. After he was sure the women had cleared the path, he went on his way and they didn't even make eye contact.

Cute, local, tall, surprisingly considerate....too bad I didn't say hello.

A gesture.

Went to run an errand today and thought I'd actually run there to get a twofer: exercise and errand in one. I literally ran right up to the door of REI and a guy standing inside pushed the automatic door button for me just as I reached to grab the handle.

When the doors opened he said, "Thought you might be out of strength...so just a little help."

Please, you first...

Walking home today, I was approaching a crosswalk that has an immediate response when you hit the button. Basically, as soon as you hit it, lights start flashing and you're permitted to walk.

There was an older gentleman standing at the crosswalk reaching for the button and I noticed he hesitated. As soon as he realized I would be crossing too, he THEN leaned forward and pressed the button.

We sort of walked together across the street headed towards a coffee shop. He slowed his step just slightly and let me enter first (holding the door for me) and I got to order my coffee first. We never really made eye contact and his actions felt like second nature as opposed to overly showy.

Man, it's the small things. Totally made my morning.

Elbows off the table

Met an old friend out tonight who was in town for a business training. He brought one of his colleagues along for the ride.

I don't pretend to be a Southern Belle or to have taken fancy etiquette classes, but when I meet someone with manners, I'm always so impressed. And more importantly, someone who has them ingrained...sort of second nature. It feels subtle and honest.

Mr. Colleague Man was the perfect example. And not because he wanted my phone number or was overly trying to impress. His actions were examples of how you treat PEOPLE in general.

I've been trying not to generalize and blame the city of Los Angeles for its shortcomings. And I realize meeting 25 year-old hipsters at Hollywood bars and late-night eating joints doesn't make my test group very fair...but in my experience, LA leaves a little to be desired in the courtesy department.

So tonight was refreshing.