Blush and Bashful

How many of you thought of Steel Magnolias when you read today's post title?  HA.  "My col'as are going to be blush and bashful."  Lord I love that movie.  Crazy Weezer.  Huge tangent. Huge.  Today I am not actually going to be discussing the 1980's epic southern classic, but rather how I quite frequently blush because I am quite simply, bashful.  Now right now I'm sure you are tsk-tsk-tsking, and thinking to yourself, "Why, this woman seems to be as obnoxious as they come.  One minute she's talking about her chub rub, and then the next how she wants to make the "Snooki Poof" illegal."  Well, all of those things are true, but the fact of the matter is when people meet me for the first time, or even the first few times, they probably think I'm a mute and socially awkward.  The last time I spoke freely to a group, and I didn't particularly care if they were interested in hearing about my scented Crayola markers or not was when I was six.  I remained pretty outgoing and self-assured-aka obnoxious-until I was about eleven, and then puberty struck and I had to wear a stupid retainer.  Suddenly I was hyper-aware of everyone around me, and even more aware that I sounded like Mush Mouth every time I tried to speak with my retainer in.  Trust me.  It was horrible.  I'm sure a few folks exclaimed, "I never knew that girl had a speech impediment."  No.  I just never figured out the whole speaking with a piece of plastic in my mouth thing even though I wore it 24/7 for about two years.  (And ps... I hate the term 24/7.  I knew it had to be retired after I heard Dan Rather use it during the nightly news.)  Even though I'm an old broad now, some of that shyness is still there.  I'm not nearly as bad as I was when I was a pre-teen, but I'm still not the type to jump into a situation where I hardly know anyone and strike up a conversation.  So, if you ever see me out and about, and I am introduced to someone new, just know that I am not being rude, but rather I have suddenly become incompetent to form a cohesive sentence and my brain is scrambling to think of something, anything, to say.  The topics of weather, jobs, and if you agree that bicycle shorts are both atrocious and awesome at the same time, dry up pretty fast. I tend to be much more witty and sarcastic when it's in print, or if you are someone that I know very well.  If you are a "new person" don't expect the charm and sass to come out all at once. Give me a minute and I'll be harassing you about your skort in no time.  Just promise me that if you ever see a woman that is breaking out in hives and has the "red lobster" slowly creeping up her neck, making her way to her face, just know that it's only me.  Just do me a favor.  Come up to me and in your very best southern charm twang, exclaim to me, "Why Kristina.  I see that your col'as seem to be blush and bashful."  That should snap me out of it. :)
**Oh, brilliance!!!!  Yesterday I read a quote on my friends FB page (hey Tiffany!) and I promised her that I would post it on my blog.  It actually fits like a puzzle piece to today's bloggie, so yay!  Here it is:
"Should you find yourself the victim of other peoples bitterness, ignorance, smallness, or insecurities, just remember it could be worse-you could be them." 
And then I saw this video on another friends page, and I thought, perfect! Enjoy!

Meaning, be kind, be secure, be you, no matter what people think.  Sometimes I need to remind myself of this message.