| The coping mantras |
| Monday, August 01, 2005 |
The female survival mechanism is a complex thing. We have a highly scientific approach to making it through a nasty or embarrassing experience/event, or winning an argument. Grin.
It goes way beyond the putting of hands over ears and saying loudly 'la la la' when you don't want to hear something (but this is also good as a fallback)
It's the mantra. And there are several incarnations:
1. The positive mantra -
Going to extraordinary lengths to survive the pap smear, one very private friend talked to a doctor friend about what it was like for a doctor to do one and was told 'oh it's just like looking in an ear for a doctor'. So she now survives the pap by repeating the mantra 'it's just like looking in an ear, it's just like looking in an ear'. (I don't know what mantra she would employ while getting a Brazilian.)
2. The negative mantra -
This is employed when trying not to laugh in an inappropriate situation. It involves saying "my grandma is dead" over and over again. (Although, obviously, if your grandma is already dead, this is not going to work.)
3. The self-talk mantra -
Used during an argument, this mantra involves saying 'I'm right, I'm right, I'm right' inwardly, but saying 'fine' outwardly. It is especially useful to end the argument with your male counterpart (counter partner?), but still feel that you're the winner ;)*
*This should definitely have a disclaimer. |
| posted by Cleo Twyford @ 11:01 AM |
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