Blogging will be minimal during the next two weeks, as I will be in Rochester for classes and without private internet access. And unless it's really important, I'm not going to tie up a public terminal for blogging purposes.

Wish me luck... These next few weeks are not going to be the bomb, cheetah.

I am not the same person I was 4 years ago. Today I am much more discreet, conscientious, and discerning. In days gone by, I often arrived at a gathering of friends to find that they were all too eager to place my foot in my mouth for something I had said the night before. Some mornings I just woke up with it already in there. I used to say things without considering the consequences, and throwing caution to the wind, sometimes I would say things even when I knew what the consequences might be.

Now, four years older and considered an adult in all legal senses, I have matured a lot. I now think more before I say things, and often refrain from saying anything at all. I have learned the value of listening before speaking and know that just because I hear something doesn't mean that it is true or that I have to repeat it. I know that the more I talk, the less people listen to the things I say, so I have learned skills like using words more sparingly, thinking about which words I use, and posing them so that they succinctly and powerfully communicate my message. I also try to throw in witty remarks and observations occasionally, so that people will be reminded of what an awesome person I am.

Apparently a person (henceforth referred to as "girl") I hang out with was GREATLY offended and upset by something I said the other night. While what I said was untrue and perhaps slightly imprudent, I meant it in jest, and thought that all parties involved would understand that. I told a friend who knew "girl" to tell her that he heard she was dating "boy." I thought I knew her well enough to say that she would find it funny and laugh it off, perhaps with some remark like, "Good one!" or "Hah, where'd you hear that?" Instead, "girl" showed up at "boy"'s house tonight, and instead of coming inside, caught "boy #2" outside and told him that she was really mad because it was none of my business to tell anyone that she was dating "boy" because it was false and ridiculous. She then left, instead of telling me that she was upset. "Boy #2" then came inside and proceeded to high-horse me about how I shouldn't talk about things that aren't any of my business.

Okay.

#1. As previously stated, I thought I knew "girl" well enough to think that she would take it as a joke and nothing else.
#2. I don't like it when people don't talk to the person with whom they actually have a problem.
#3. It was only "none of my business" because she flew off the handle about it. If she had taken it as a joke, as she should have, it would have been amusing to all involved.
I compare it to my mom accusing me of having an affair with "boy" because I hang out at his house. Sure it's ridiculous, but I don't freak out about it because I KNOW it's ridiculous, and I know that everyone knows it's ridiculous.

I just see it this way: If "girl" knew how to take a joke, everything would be okay. Just because she can't, "boy #2" thinks he can lecture me about what I should and shouldn't say. I told him that maybe he thought I should feel bad about saying it, but I don't, and I shouldn't have to. I guess there was some sort of history between "girl" and "boy" that I didn't know about, and if I had known, I wouldn't have said anything. But since I didn't know, I was not in the wrong, and thought I was just joking among friends.

Sometimes I say things and when the sh*t hits the fan I think, "D'oh, I should have kept my mouth shut." But most of the time, I know I can't let the person's hypersensitivity bother me and I just think,
"Get the f*ck over yourself and take a f*cking joke, ya dumb bitch."