Have your hubby join the Marines

Derick has a BFF at LOC. LOC=Logistics Officer's Course, which, if you are just now catching up with us, is the MOS school that Derick is attending.
Anyway, his BFF is from Oregon. It's like we just flock to these Yankees for some reason. Or maybe they flock to us. Maybe they feel sorry for us because of our Civil War defeat. Maybe they think we have cute accents. Maybe they think we are good cooks because we put lard in everything. Whatever the reason, we have so many friends from the north that you might as well rename us Mr. and Mrs. Derek Jeter. Get it? Because he's a Yankee!?
Anyway, luckily Derick's friend at LOC is married! He just got married last month and his new bride went back to Oregon for a bit, so I didn't meet her until last week.
Meeting new people can be a little strange especially as an adult. When I was a kid--well, y'all know the story about jumping on the stranger's cart at Kroger, right? Yeah, it was really easy for me to make friends. But it's more difficult as an adult, I think, because our interests broaden. We aren't just "into" either video games or playing outside. There's an entire realm of likes and hobbies out there, and it can be awkward to make friends with someone who doesn't like anything you like. Not only do our interests change as we get older, but so do our values and beliefs and our lifestyle in general. The conglomeration of interests and personal beliefs can make for some odd interactions at first. I'm sure we have all been around people and felt extremely out of place, and it's hard to become good friends with someone when the first encounter is really weird.
So, last week when I planned to meet Derick's BFF's wife, I was a little nervous. I'm pretty good around most people, I must admit. I am an easy-going talker and if a lot of awkward silence starts creeping up, I just start blabbing and people, I think, feel more comfortable. There have been rare instances when even my jabber jaws weren't enough to ease the weird vibes.
Just like my talkative nature is my go-to for awkwardness, I also have a back-up plan for people who instantly decide they don't like me. That happens to everyone I'm sure, and it happens a lot to me. Sometimes, when I first meet someone or even after several encounters, I can just get the hunch that they have some sort of beef with me. Know what I mean? Sometimes it comes across as snobby, I'm-too-good-for-youness, and sometimes it's just a bad attitude. I know you've been there, we all have, and I'm about to share my secret on how to cure those sort of people from their hatefulness. If someone is overly snobby to me, gives me bad looks, talks to everyone around but not me, or just shows rudeness toward me, I go way back to the resources my Mom gave me for "How to Handle the Mean Girl at School." I just kill 'em with kindness.
Laugh all you want, but trust me, it works. If someone starts acting like they're too hot to handle, I just agree with them:
"Oh girl, you have such pretty hair. I wish I could do mine like that!"
or "I'll have to come to you for military wife advice because you know all about what's going on. I have no clue!"
or "I really love your fashion taste. I never know what to wear, and when I do find something, I look awful!"
Of course, as you can see, it takes a little "lowering myself" for killing with kindness to actually work. But sure enough, after I've used a couple of phrases like that, the mean girl instantly starts chatting me up and laughing with me like we're BFFs! I think maybe people like that just have an inner need to have their horn tooted, and until someone else does it for them, they have to toot it themselves by just carrying an aura of superiority.
Now don't think I use this strategy because I'm so super friend-needy that I just must have friends--even if it is the mean girl. No. I honestly do that because I know, deep deep down, that the mean girl really just wants a friend, too. She wants someone to talk to and laugh with, and she uses her rudeness as a guard because she, in fact, is afraid of coming across another mean girl, who--duh--wants the same thing she wants. Everyone just wants a friend, to connect. Some people are just too scared to simply be nice and friendly.
Ok. Now that you know my trick, I'm sure you're trying to recall your first encounter with me to see if I "used" it on you or not. The answer is probably yes. Not because I immediately thought you were a snotty brat. I just find it so easy to compliment people, and that just so happens to be a great way to start a conversation. Using my technique with the mean girls is way different than just being nice. Maybe I've been using that method for so long that I just do it to everyone. Basically, I use that method with everyone--mean girls and nice girls. So, to make things clear, just because I complimented you when we met doesn't mean I think you are a selfish, stuck-up snob. I'm just not a mean girl.

Anyway, when I met Derick's BFF's wife, I don't think I was super mega overly nice, and I didn't have to be. (So, maybe when it comes down to it, the difference in using the mean girl method and just being friendly is sincerity). She was very cool to be around, and I didn't feel like I was talking to a knot on a log. Actually within the first ten minutes of our meeting, our car was attacked by a wild turkey/goose, so our friendship started out as quite eventful! We have been hanging out quite a bit since last week, and it's really nice to connect so well with someone, especially since our husbands are good friends.
I am so thankful that I made a new friend, who laughs at the same weird things I laugh at. I've said it before: the Marine Corps is a really good place to make friends. I have met so many wonderful girls since January, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to make lasting friendships. If you need to make some really cool friends, have your hubby join the Marines!

In other news, my Arkansas niece, Krista, is coming for a visit on Friday! I'm so excited to see her and show her around. One problem, though: Irene. She's apparently supposed to make landfall sometime on Saturday, so that ruins our plans to lounge at the beach. I'm not afraid of Irene or her wrath. I just want to have a nice time with my niece. I also would prefer that our new furniture and car not get ruined, but if it must happen, it's all replaceable and it's just stuff....but it's nice stuff! Pray for the east coast and for my husband. Although I seem happy as a dead pig in the sunshine, I'm sure when it actually starts clouding up, I will be FREAKING OUT! And Derick will have to deal with it, as usual.