Paranoia often begins with Mickey Mouse

When I was in late elementary school I had this violin teacher. She was very type A and very emotional. One day I came to violin lesson and she went on and on about how nice I looked in my sweatshirt and how it was so great that I was branching out.


I was confused.


Then I realized that I always had worn the same shirt to my violin lessons. My Mickey Mouse red sweatshirt from Disney World, in fact. I didn't wear it every day. I apparently just wore it every THURSDAY. Never had noticed until she praised me for changing my clothes.


I think she must have gone to one of those seminars where they teach you to watch for the kind of behaviors you want and then praise them, thus making the other person want to change their ways to get more praise. Positive reinforcement, anyone?


Yeah, I've read those parenting (or dog training) books too.


So now I am wary when someone comments on my clothes, or hair, or newly washed floor.

Because it seems it often means that they didn't like the way it was before.


But some call me jaded. And paranoid.

(BTW: there is a facebook questionnaire going around. I don't have time to complete the whole thing, but one of the questions is, "What is the heaviest thing you have lifted recently?" Mine of course was that table in the basement, which I am never moving again. But the second heaviest thing was this morning when I threw the last bags of water softener salt into the reservoir. So I wanted to take this opportunity to tell my dear husband that we need more salt. Maybe Friday?)