Um, awkward moment

Not long ago, someone gave me some flair on Facebook that read: my life is filled with awkward moments. I laughed really hard at that and proudly displayed it on my overfilled flair board. Then, I realized it was true. My life is filled with awkward moments.

Recently, I wrote about the awkwardness of the first visit to the doctor, comparing it to an uncomfortable first date complete with tetanus shots. I failed to mention the awkwardness of the ongoing, never-ending question: where do you look when your dentist is peering in your mouth or that girl is washing your hair at the salon? Do you keep your eyes closed? Do you stare them in the eyes and try to freak them out? Do you gaze at something else? Awkward.

Then there’s the locker room conundrum. Women at the downtown Y don’t have much sense of modesty. Or at least as much as my over-exaggerated sense of modesty. It’s just awkward when people in various states on undress try to chat with you like they would over coffee in the locker room. Especially if their “various states of undress” involves only a towel or a gym bag. Awkward.

Yesterday, I tagged along with Mindy who was in search of a bathing suit. Every woman’s dream, right? So in a fit of self-confidence, I decided to try on this fairly conservative bikini. Just because I don’t believe I’ve ever worn one, since my policy is that no one sees my belly button. It just wasn’t good. It was awkward. (And I laughed really hard, refused to come out of the dressing room, and decided that it didn’t scar my self-esteem too much. My self-esteem had been boosted earlier in the day by a trucker who apparently thought staring at girls in cars in traffic then giving them a thumbs up is an acceptable way to get the girl. Umm, no.) Awkward.

I just can’t wait for all the awkward (and awesome) that’s sure to come my way today!