Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Help Me Jesus

I know I hoped this blog would be intellectual. What's the chance of that, though? In fact, we humans are quite mundane and boring. Yet, at times we are able to both act or think in higher ways. Praise the Lord!
I am working on my garage sale and my legs have begun to turn to rubber from the traversing the stairs. I have loads of books, which I've put in stacks. Fortunately, at times I sit down and go through something. At first I was frustrated that I would choose such a thing, but I am really glad now that my legs are sort of quake-ing (quaking didn't look right).
I have parenting books, travel books, school books, children's books (elementary and junior high type), communication/sociology/psychology books, christian books (most of the ones I have I am keeping though), and just dozens of assorted weirdness books. Like the prom supply book L got her hands on somewhere--very interesting though. And I bought a picture book of Marilyn Monroe at half price books when I was studying her--there is also an old 70s photo study of twins. Pretty cool, but not worth keeping. I also bought some 70s style body language books--well, maybe early 80s. They are a hoot to look at.
I really REALLY have enjoyed studying body language and facial expressions. People have no idea how much they convey, particularly when they are trying to conceal. My children cannot STAND that I am very good at that. They get away with stuff I never think to ask about though. But when I AM asking them, I ask them out of the blue when I can see them from head to toe and it is EXTREMELY difficult for the amateur to stay composed when they are trying to deceive. I am just pleased they are not very good at it. It's rough because then I have to deal with what I've just figured out. But many times they are relaxed and do not even know I was checking for anything and they go on to tell me the truth. When they try to cover, though, it is so easy to detect. For one thing, the person is startled. When there is nothing to cover up, they won't be. If you can only see someone's face, you will miss the hand or foot action, or slight body jerks, because most people can can fake their face, even children increase their skills after age five and by 11 or 12 can fool someone (those aren't the exact right statistical ages, so no one quote me on that---and I don't feel like looking it up because I cannot remember my source!---but I have children who aren't very good at deception and sadly, they do try at times).

One thing about created lies, too, is they are more linear with the gaps filled in, whereas the truth is usually told by backtracking and being unsure exactly because the individual was not attending to details at the time you ask for a run down of events or something. But all my children try to look me straight in the eye. In fact, S has me messed up sort of because she tries to open up her eyes so I can look into them because she's trying to show she's authentic when in fact, that is a lying technique--trying to be open in the eyes. So I try to get her to stop that because she has done it when I knew that I knew she was telling the truth on some thing that didn't matter anyway, but she's throwing me off. But she is the WORST liar in the world, I think. She doesn't ever plan ahead when she's going to do something she shouldn't (and that's a good thing!) and she doesn't ever have cover stories, or they are so outlandish and stupid that no one would believe them and her face drops because she is worried she is on the spot and in trouble and she dreads what is coming. I always find that so helpful when I am giving her the 3rd degree
(see, Dad? I often think of you whenever I use a cliche because you told me about that lady that always used cliches---and ever since you told me that I often ponder the circumstance of cliche use and sometimes the cliche itself---Like "3rd Degree"--was that from police interrogation?)

Oh Pooh! I need to get more stuff from the upstairs and it is so hard. And I cannot put it out in the garage yet because I don't have stuff out there to put it on. And I am not having the sale for three weeks so I do not want all that dust on them. AND what if someone decided to steal something. I often have my garage open. Oh well, back to work.

No comments: