I’ll open this post by saying that the best lesson in life I’ve ever learnt is that there are some things that, no matter how much you’d like them to, just can’t be undone. Dr Phil quite frequently uses the phrase: “it is what it is” and during some tough times, I’ve even adapted that as my personal war cry. It’s actually the same when it comes to embarrassing moments, because no matter how red your face, or how lowly your head is hung, the Earth never, ever actually opens up to swallow you whole. Sometimes, that is indeed a bugger.
I’m mostly a fairly straight shooting person and tend not to embarrass overly easily BUT that said, I have surely found myself in the midst of many, many crimson faced predicaments that I would overturn in a heartbeat given the option.
Kirsty- who challenges us to confess all matter of things weekly in her link up - this time wants to hear of our embarrassing moments. Hmmmm.
Yes, aha I of course have some doozies. There are plenty more that will forever remain repressed, but in letting you have a chuckle entirely at my expense, here are just two (publishable) embarrassing moments I have fumbled my way through and survived ….
The Schmirnoff Black Award – my embarrassment of being the Inaugural Recipient
The staff Christmas party at my work place is traditionally held on the eve of our last working day of the year. Each year, the staff party accommodates approximately 70 or so staff and/or partners and dear understanding friends, let me just say that these boys and girls don’t mind partying hard. Things can get a bit messy, but shamefully enough, in 2005 despite being far toooooo old for such shenanigans I did take messy to a whole new, embarrassing and unprofessional level.
Schmirnoff Black (yes, that would be the super strong one) x many (think double digits here) = BAD, BAD, VERY BAD. Shame.
Let me just say that the evening did not end well. I was unable to attend the last day of work (I may have even spent multiple days in bed, whistle, look at ceiling) and the inaugural Schmirnoff Black award was accepted and collected by someone on my behalf and at my expense. The shame of it has lived on as workplace folklore for many years since. The good news however is that December 2012, saw me return to the staff Christmas party scene SENSIBLY, with a very early departure and without incident, all too happy to have the gong awarded to someone else the following day.
Playing with my undies at the local Woolworths store
Are there ever times when you wake up in a little bit of panic, remembering that you are (1) to be heading out that day, (2) required to take a plate and (3) lacking a key ingredient? Yep me too, indeed know it so well.
On one particular Saturday morning a mad, quick dash to the supermarket was called for and, in a flurry of haste, I pulled on the crumpled pair of cut off jeans I had been wearing the previous night.
Pushing the trolley, la-di-da-di-da, and the sensation of something sliding down my legs stopped me in my tracks.
Look down. Hmmm no spider, no creepy-crawly …. odd. Hmmmmm odd indeed.
But then …… one more step and out they slid. My dirty undies that had been tucked up in my pants from when they were worn the night before. Slip, slidin’, down my leg, smack onto the floor in the middle of the Woolies produce section.
Had no-one been around, I would have just kicked them under a stand to do a quick ditch and run. But, no, not my luck. The landing undies had indeed been spotted and all I could do was grab a plastic produce bag, pick them up and put them in the trolley to continue shopping. Was I embarrassed to be a teacher at the local high school with a heap of kids from school working at Woolies that day? Um, yes, just a little.
The lessons I’ve since learnt ….(the hard way)
There’s no point in beating yourself up about an embarrassing moment in time, but there is great point in learning from it. From these two red-faced occasions (plus from the abovementioned many that will forever remain unshared) I’m a wiser person …..
- do not drink too much at staff parties AND, for the love of a good bucket, never touch Schmirnoff Black as it is the devil’s own poison
- shake all pairs of trousers out BEFORE putting them on
- laughing loudly and heartily at yourself is always the best option in any given embarrassing moment
- in the words of the good Dr Phil himself: “it is what it is”
- in the words of someone else quite wise: “and this too shall pass”
If you blog, then please, please head over to Kirsty’s My Home Truths to spill your guts there. ‘Fess up your embarrassing moments now too, it’s your turn!
photo credit: aarizona via photopin cc
photo credit: ourcellar.com.au
photo credit: cesarastudillo via photopin cc
