Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The Transitive Property

Pop quiz: does anyone remember the transitive property? It's the one that goes like this:

If A = B, and B = C, then A = C

This weekend the transitive property kinda did me in. My friend was here with her family. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my friend. But she has trouble knowing what size she is (something many women struggle with). At 5'8" and maybe 120 pounds, she feels big. So here are my thoughts:

If my friend thinks she's a cow. And I'm bigger than my friend. That makes me a ..... ???

I know it's not clear thinking. But it's hard to get out of!

And today I'm going to lunch at the computer company I used to work for. I've been home with my kids for 11 years now, but my job was a big deal to me for a long time. And sometimes I still miss working there. The reason I'm going is that years ago I started a Christmas lunch where I made soup for the entire company (there were about 40 of us at that time) and we watched a Christmas movie. Well, that tradition is still going strong nearly 20 years later, and one of my friends at the company thought to invite me this year. I'm excited to see old friends, but nervous at the same time, because I don't want to feel like I want to work there again.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I think I have the opposite problem...I tend to think I am thinner than I really am. (Have no fear, I have a SIL who is happy to clue me in to the truth!) I took pictures last week and was surprised at how I looked and I still have not gotten over it. In my mind, I looked better, thinner, more fit. Not having a full-length mirror in the house right now has helped convince me that my bottom half is just fine...

That is really cool about the old job and going back for the lunch thing. I was thinking about work and when I want to go back just this morning. A perfect, perfect job opportunity came up but fortunately the location is bad! But still, I miss that world sometimes......

Oops, I think I just hijacked your blog....

Jen said...

I think the transitive property with your friend goes more like this:

My friend thinks she is heavy. I am heavier than my friend. My friend thinks I am ginormous.

Sorry. But I can't stand it when skinny people talk about how heavy they feel because then I wonder - gee - what must they think of ME?!

Oh well. Have fun at your Christmas lunch!

Irene said...

I think a lot of people, mostly women, have a warped sense of self when it comes to body image. She might be saying she is "big" because you are so fit and healthy. She probably is blessed with great genetics and doesn't need to work out much. Someone in her life (at some point) probably told her she was "big," and it stuck. Unless she hangs out with super models, she is not big. A lot of times, insecurities get the best of us. :)