brezsny-on-the-blog

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19): Washington, D.C.'s most renowned vagrant never begs for money. Instead, he hangs around the streets all day and doles out praise and flatter to passers-by. He calls himself Compliment Man. "Those are beautiful shoes you're wearing," he may say as you walk by, or "The two of you look great together," if you're with a friend. In accordance with the astrological omens, Capricorn, your assignment is to be inspired by the Compliment Man in two ways. First, dramatically increase the blessings you bestow and the admiration you express; be a fount of felicitations. Second, expand your capacity for attracting and gracefully accepting compliments. Make yourself fully available, in every way you can imagine, to receive approval and applause. (P.S. I think you'll find that carrying out task #1 will make task #2 occur quite naturally.)


this makes total sense, actually.

lately i've gotten even better at approaching perfect strangers and complimenting them on everything from their tie to the dog they're walking. and after they get over their utter shock and discomfort that a perfect stranger --a perfect, smiling stranger-- is talking to them, they finally hear the words the stranger just said. and then they realize it was a compliment. most times, they say 'thanks,' and hurry away.

sometimes, though, they smile and i watch them walk away with...something more. and i really enjoy doing that. and i enjoy walking down the street and smiling and saying, "hi!" to the person i'm walking past. that's what i love about portland. in so.cal, i could never do that. people are assholes there, and walk around scowling and hating life. they're so much friendlier up here, comparitively. in places like the uber-teenie town i almost moved into in idaho, they're even friendlier. more sheltered, i suppose, lol. but still. it was great.

and it's gotten even more fun, and easier, and i'm more enthusiastic now that i know i'm not leaving my beloved city. i know that as long as i believe living in portland is imperative to keeping my Funk, then it will be imperative. as long as i believe i need it, then i need it. but for right now, i'm okay with that. i know it's all in my head, but i really am fine with that.

and even if i don't receive compliments in return, i'm okay with that, too. i know what i'm good at, and that's what's important. when i'm complimented, i know it's sincere. and at work, i'm actually complimented a lot, in many different forms. the girls in the tigard salon are always so happy when i come to help them out, and they're always asking if i'm going to transfer to their store, and the mgr is always asking to have me back. that's a HUGE compliment in itself. the girls at my home salon include me in their after-work activities. that's a compliment. my old writing board has been revived, and the creator keeps saying that i'm her muse. that's a huge and very valuable compliment! whenever my parents, or *m*, or *ds* and *ks* tell me they love me or call me "their Dee," that's a big compliment.

come to think of it, i'm fucking surrounded by compliments! how awesome is that???