Monday, February 25, 2008

Sticking the landing

It turns out you're not supposed to congratulate women on getting married. Did you know this?

I have received, and happily - oh so happily - a number of congratulations.

Practically everyone I've told has congratulated me. Personally, I've always congratulated anyone who has ever gotten engaged, woman or man.

On Friday evening I was at Nick's office, and saw, for the first time since we got engaged, one of his colleagues. I like him. He's very kind. He's also very socially correct, very proper.

We really don't know each other. He has no idea what a Philistine I am.

And so, when he saw us, he kissed me on the cheek and said, "Best wishes! I congratulated Nick but I haven't seen you!"

I said I'd just heard that it was proper to congratulate men, while you're supposed to give women best wishes. And I was just wondering why.

So he said, "Well, you're essentially congratulating the man on having gotten the woman to marry him."

"OK."

"But you wish a woman well because you don't want to suggest that she's been working to get married. You don't want the implication to be, 'Congratulations! You finally got a husband!'"

Now, anyone who knows me knows that it hasn't been my life goal to get married. And truthfully, I'd almost given up on it, I'd gotten so jaded. But I do feel like I've worked for this. I want all the congratulations anyone is offering.

And I said, "Oh, but that's how I feel! Yay! I am so lucky! I got a good one!"

I put my arms up in the air, like a gymnast at the end of a routine. I mean, like a gymnast wearing high heeled boots and a bright pink winter coat and pink flowery hat and carrying a big orange bag. So maybe like a brightly clad, winterized, graceless gymnast. But still.

As I did this I said, "I do! I feel like I finally stuck the landing!"

He giggled. Because what else can you do when faced with this kind of behavior?

13 comments:

  1. Oh, I love you. That pic is exactly how I feel. :)

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  2. I can totally see you doing that! The orange bag makes the look!

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  3. you know... you stop reading blogs for a while and then folks just up and get engaged...

    congratulations!!! i wish you both well and much, much happiness! may you be the nadia comaneci of marriedness :)

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  4. That's hilarious -- but in your shoes I'd totally feel the same way!

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  5. I giggled while reading then burst into laughter at the pic in Jordaan's comment.

    A gymnast from a tropical country might wear a pink and orange, flowery leotard. Might!

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  6. I like the theory of congratulating the man on getting the woman to marry him. I think I'll remember that! I guess sometimes over the top PC is useful!

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  7. that's craziness! since when did "congratulations!" start to mean "thank god you finally landed a guy!"?

    lol :-)

    if that's the case, couldn't "best wishes!" mean "good luck with that one!"?

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  8. I totally do the gymnast who stuck her landing arms in the air thing too when I'm excited or proud or just plain happy over something!

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  9. I have an Australian perspective on this, but your colourful (note the 'u' in colour...) description makes me think Soleil Moon Frye just got engaged.

    Whatevever happened to Punky Brewster...

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  10. Oh, I love that kind of thing. I'll be sure to follow etiquette from now on.

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  11. I have heard about this and I kinda like it. But I love anything old-fashioned and proper. I would probably love to lunch with this guy and enjoy every carefully-chosen, grammatically-correct word of our conversation.

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  12. DCup - I treat that orange bag as a neutral. The orange and pink are pretty alarming together. And even more so with my turquose gloves. Heh.

    Jess - Ooh! Thank you! I love that! I do want to be the Nadia Comaneci of marriedness!

    Beach Bum - I'm glad to hear that!

    HKW - I know - isn't that picture hilarious? As for the leotard - it would probably look fruit-salady and scary, quite frankly. :)

    Canaan - I like it, too!

    MrsMac - I dunno. And ha! As amazing as he is, I'd be happy to be wished good luck with this one. :)

    Sarah - I got this move from my friend Jen and I just love it.

    GaryQ - Colourful! With a U! Heh!

    Rich - It's the kind of thing I'll probably forget immediately.

    Amisare - I like this guy very much. I'm sure he'd be fun to have lunch with.

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