Big Brother

This is the second school year my office has been at the Tucker building here in Marion. That's roughly 400 days. Two days ago I noticed for the first time that right outside the classroom door that leads into my office, there is a camera mounted near the ceiling. This camera feeds information back to monitors that are placed in the main office and monitored by either secretaries or a security guard. I had been aware of cameras that monitored the parking lot, but until two days ago, I was not aware of the hallway cameras. In addition to housing three preschool programs for Marion Community Schools, the Tucker building is also the site for alternative education for middle school students, so I understand the need for the cameras. I just didn't realize they were there.

I'm a little paranoid now about my past activities in the hallway. In the past, what if I looked both ways down the hall, looked behind me, and then while thinking noone was looking, adjusted a piece of clothing, or scratched my nose, or did something that would be embarrasing for another to witness? This got me thinking - what if there were hidden cameras everywhere, catching our every move when we think noone is watching? The point of this post isn't to talk about how even when noone sees what we are doing, God always sees, or anything even along those lines. It's more about the silly or embarrasing things we do each day that we would never EVER do if anyone else was around. Let me give you an example. At lunch yesterday I picked up Anna from preschool, took her home and fixed us both lunch. I wonder if she is getting sick of peanut butter and jelly, string cheese, and chips like I am since that is what we eat together every today. Anyway, the bag of chips was getting very low, so the majority of the chips on my plate were crumbs. I love these kind of chips - they're the cheddar and sour cream ones (don't know the brand, doesn't matter.) I finished the rest of my lunch except for some remaining crumbs on my plate. Not to let even one drop of food go to waste, I leaned down over my plate, and using my tongue as a utensil, cleaned my plate up so you could see all of the flowers that were under the food (my mom always used to use that phrase as a motivator, not sure why, because there were only a couple of flowers in the center of our plates growing up.) Would I have even dared to clean up the crumbs in that matter if any other person (other than my 4 year old who wasn't paying attention) would have been there? Of course not.

I gave a speech in speech class my freshman year of college about a procedure I do sometimes in the bathroom. I won't elaborate any further, but this is another thing that I would NEVER do in front of anyone else.

Anytime "Careless Whispers" by George Michael (or is it WHAM!) comes on, I have to sing along at the top of my lungs. "I'M NEVER GONNA DANCE AGAIN. GUILTY FEET HAVE GOT NO RHYTHM. THOUGH IT'S EASY TO PRETEND, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A FOOL."

I've stalked A LOT of blogs that I would be embarrased if the author knew how often I checked the site. Get a life, Deb.

Cleaning out my belly button with a q-tip is something noone should have to witness.

Singing along with my children's kid cd's...when they aren't in the car anymore. "Old McDonald had a farm, eieio." It's even worse when I start trying to harmonize with them.

In reality, no matter how dignified any one of us looks in public, we all do crazy humiliating things that let us just be us with ourselves. What's even better is if you have a family you can do them in front of (oops, ended on a preposition, sorry Mom.) I'm glad I do.