Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Type 1 and Type 2 Embarrassment

I recently read a post on someones blog about type 1 and type 2 embarrassment. I should be embarrassed that I can't link to it because I have no idea where I read it. I have tried to find it on my regularly visited blogs but I can't find it. I tend to follow links and then wonder how in the world I got there.

Type 1 embarrassment is when you yourself do something embarrassing and you have those unmistakable feelings of red cheeked, hot necked embarrassment. Like I said, I don't really embarrass easily. I have done some pretty dumb stuff in my life and not really felt the sting of embarrassment. I showed the entire 1987 Senior Class at Mesa High my underwear and although I was embarrassed I didn't run off the stage in tears or anything like that. That is not to say that when I look back on things I don't get embarrassed - I do. But that is almost classified as type 2 embarrassment.

Type 2 embarrassment is when you get embarrassed for other people. Although I don't get embarrassed a lot myself - I do get embarrassed for other people. I have noticed that most of my type 2 embarrassment revolves around singing - bad singing. It could be singing that is too loud, out of tune or even when people make funny faces when they sing. When someone sings a solo in church I have a hard time looking at their face - I get embarrassed for them.

I bring all of this up because a notice came home from the elementary school that they were having a special flag ceremony on Friday morning in honor of Veteran's day. Included in the notice was an agenda of what would happen. The kindergarten is going to do a flag parade, the MHS ROTC will be there to help with the flag raising, and the after-school program is going to sing a patriotic song. Then I read that one of the teachers (Devon's 6th grade teacher from last year) is going to sing a solo of "America the Beautiful". I am already feeling embarrassed for her and she hasn't even started singing. I have never heard her sing, she may be great, but when I told Devon about it he said, "Oh, crap!". I don't condone that language but he is feeling it for her too!

I was planning on going to the ceremony. I have morning carpool and Nicole really wants me to go with her class. Now, I don't know if I can do it. My stomach is getting all full of butterflies and it is two days away! I know it will be disrespectful and possibly un-patriotic but I'm thinking I may have to whip out the cell phone for a quick game of Tetris to calm my nerves while she sings.

2 comments:

Beeswax said...

I was getting nervous thinking about you getting nervous for the teacher! So would you rather give the prayer in Sacrament meeting with your skirt tucked into your underpants(everyone will assume it is an accident), or sing the rest hymn alone? The bishop should give us choices like that. It would really make things interesting.

I would love to come tomorrow, but I have book club, and I am almost done with the book! What time is your movie? Maybe I can meet you afterward for dessert?

One Sassy Mama said...

Jo = you know that is why I can't watch the tryout episodes of American Idol. Those shows are very hilarious - but some of contestants are sooo bad and think they are sooo good that I am too embarrassed and uncomfortable to even watch.
When J was just a baby, I went to the County Fair down in good ole Delta. They have a musical program pretty much the entire day. At the time, they didn't hold tryouts - they just wanted to fill all the slots. So I see on the program this girl I had gone to school with. I thought - hmm I didn't know she sang. Well guess what - SHE DIDN'T - it was the longest 15 minutes of my life. She sang a bunch of primary songs with all the confidence in the world - and she was dead serious. I heard someone whisper - "They need to stop encouraging her to sing."