Sunday, December 14, 2008

Window Shopping

Last night, Jack was going to his first girl-boy party.

So, while Jack struggled to figure out the opposite sex, Jim and I decided to take a walk down Main Street in Old Ellicott City which is the town right near our home. All the stores were closed but it was fun peeking in the windows...










I was particularly fond of these two handmade ladies...


When we finally picked up Jack, he was all wound up. It turns out we weren't the only ones window shopping. It turns out that he sat with groups of girls throughout the night -- but he didn't say anything. He was listening though... Here's some of what he said...

"Mom, I'm really proud of myself. I've really gotten better...this time, I could actually sit with a group of girls and be around them!"

"It was really easy. They all just start talking...I didn't have to do anything."

"Girls talk way different than boys. I was sitting out by the firepit, which was good, because all these girls came and sat around and started talking. That was a lot of work Mom. They talk way different than boys...I mean, a boy says something at lunch and everybody listens or...we interrupt...BUT there's usually only one guy talking at at time. Girls are all talking at once and there was like 5 different conversations going on..." Jack hangs his head, shaking it back and forth in disbelief.

Me: "Jack, did you actually talk to any girls?"

"Yeah, one girl asked me my name, how old I was, what grade I was in, where I go to school..."

"Well, did you ask her anything about herself?"


"God Mom, I was afraid I was going to say something and mess it up and she would think I'm stupid."

"Well, Jack, let me tell you a secret about girls. We love a guy even more when we can tell he's nervous but tries to talk to us. Girls happen to be more empathetic than boys and they're likely to sense your uneasiness and try to make you more comfortable. Give it a try. The problem with not saying anything at all...it makes them think you're not interested in them at all so then they get self-conscious and then you're both standing there being self-conscious..."

"Oh yeah, Mom, and then nobody says anything...which is death. It says that in the Dangerous Book for Boys...But I really think I did better this time. Yup, I'm getting better..."

"Good night, Jack."

"Ok, yeah, good night...but Mom I'm warnin' ya...I'm gonna probably be talking about this for days!"

I hope he figures it out or, at least, some girl figures him out...that might be easier.

As for me, Santa has put me in the Remedial Program for Procrastinating Elves. I'm happy to say that it's working but I can't show you what I'm making this week because they're surprises for Christmas day...

Stay tuned for the week after Christmas when I promise to show a Parade of Presents -- one each day. Until then, maybe I can squeeze in a sneak peak or two.

On another note, I completely lost my email inbox history on Friday...if you emailed me anytime Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, I'm likely not to have received what you sent so please resend if it's important!

Back to the workshop...

13 comments:

Camilla La Mer-Soul Art Dolls said...

"Crystal Underground" is my favorite! What a great window. I love the Virgin of Guadalupe and hanging crystals...Add it to my list of places to visit! Thanks for sharing your heartfelt conversation with your son. What a special moment out of time. A girl will be very lucky to get to know him one day...

Debra Dixon said...

Those town windows look so lovely & Christmassy. They make the plastic reindeer melting out in my neighbor's yard look even worse than possible.

Barbara C said...

Thanks for the lovely tour. It looks like a beautiful neighborhood.

What a sweetheart Jack is. The mysteries of the heart take a long time to untangle.

Judy S. said...

Remedial Program for Procrastinating Elves, I love it, Susan, and am right there with you! It's wonderful that Jack will share his thoughts and experiences with you....may it always be so!

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing the shop windows with me. They are inpsiring for Christmas decorating ideas!

Paula Hewitt said...

I was just thinking about you and jack and how he was getting along in the girl department - we gave Jimmy the dangerous book as a end of school gift - although he claims the page about girls is not interesting

allie aller said...

Looks like a really nice hometown. The window of "Retropolitan" was funny with all those "collie muzzle" bras, as we used to call them, in the window....

My Chad is 18 and he went on his very first date last week...it went o.k., but she texted him the next day to say she learned from it that she's still not over her old boyfriend! He told me not to worry, he wasn't too "emotionally invested". *whew*
This might be worse on the mom than on the son....

Wanda said...

The town looks like a million bucks...your photography makes it look like two million! Great pictures. Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to share with all of us! Coming from a family of all girls, I never knew that little boys even think about things like "talking to girls". I do remember my Dad insisting on meeting every boy that came over for any of us. That was intense...and the comments that were made....I still laugh! OK...the 70s were different but I'm sure the pressure and nervousness and stress are not!

Heather J. @ TLC Book Tours said...

I was just in Ellicott City last weekend (for dinner at Cacoa Lane) and it DOES look lovely.

And kiddo and I just had a "girls" talk this past weekend. He's turning 7 soon, and THREE girls have crushes on him, and he wanted to know if he's allowed to have a girlfriend yet (NO!) since he wanted all three girls to be his girlfriends. UGH. So, yeah, the chatter was interesting at our house this weekend. ~LOL~

Bellezza said...

Those store windows are just gorgeous! Of course, it could be your excellent photography, too. By the way, I went to Flickr to see your Japanese embroidery and it just amazes me. So, so beautiful. You are quite talented in your many gifts.

coral-seas said...

Sounds like a very nice young man in the making here. I hope that a less than empathetic young lady (there are some) doesn't trample all over those emerging feelings. Good job, Mom, keep it up.

CA

FredaB said...

Hi Susan

I really enjoyed your beautiful Christmas windows but better then that was your story re Jack and the girls. I sent your site to my daughter and suggested she read it.Thought she would get a kick out of it. She has 3 boys ages 6, 10 and 13. The 13 year old received the book from her last Christmas. As far as I know he hasn't gone to a mixer yet.
As someone mentioned, it is great he feels he can talk to you like he does. Wonderful.

Have a great Christmas.

Hugs

FredaB

Robin said...

I always enjoy your conversations with Jack... They'll make a fabulous book someday.

Your window shopping pictures made me shiver and quiver with pleasure! Our family had a tradition of window shopping, which I always loved. And your Ellicott City is so much like our Friday Harbor... They go all out for Christmas lights and displays in such a charming way! Thanks!

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