Genuine or NOT? Can you spot the FAKE PEOPLE?

I have an unfortunate skill, and I call it unfortunate because insofar it has only served to cause me to not like people.  <fake smile>  So sorry! <inflection of voice> 

I would never claim to have the knowledge or skill sets that others have (Hi, I am still an at-home mom of four!) but, this, this I can do.  (Along with the crazy close estimation of grocery prices. PRICE! IS! RIGHT!) 

I can tell when you are full of shit.  Something so simple as a smile can give it away.

Genuine.

I'm geniune when I'm squinty, toothy and especially if that vein pops in my forehead.

This is me, FULL OF SHIT, fake. But, I am not good at fake, so that's as far as it gets, before it turns into...the grin.

This is not the same as the "grin," which involves a lot more dimple and happy.  The shit eating grin is my current Facebook Avatar.  That's not fake.  This, is fake.

A test -

• You got 18 out of 20 correct

• Look at the labels below each image to see which smiles are genuine and which are fake.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles

Most people are surprisingly bad at spotting fake smiles. One possible explanation for this is that it may be easier for people to get along if they don't always know what others are really feeling.

Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine smiles, they are actually slightly different, because they are brought about by different muscles, which are controlled by different parts of the brain.

Fake smiles can be performed at will, because the brain signals that create them come from the conscious part of the brain and prompt the zygomaticus major muscles in the cheeks to contract. These are the muscles that pull the corners of the mouth outwards.

Genuine smiles, on the other hand, are generated by the unconscious brain, so are automatic. When people feel pleasure, signals pass through the part of the brain that processes emotion. As well as making the mouth muscles move, the muscles that raise the cheeks – the orbicularis oculi and the pars orbitalis – also contract, making the eyes crease up, and the eyebrows dip slightly.

Lines around the eyes do sometimes appear in intense fake smiles, and the cheeks may bunch up, making it look as if the eyes are contracting and the smile is genuine. But there are a few key signs that distinguish these smiles from real ones. For example, when a smile is genuine, the eye cover fold - the fleshy part of the eye between the eyebrow and the eyelid - moves downwards and the end of the eyebrows dip slightly.

Scientists distinguish between genuine and fake smiles by using a coding system called the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), which was devised by Professor Paul Ekman of the University of California and Dr Wallace V. Friesen of the University of Kentucky."

I see a couple of you back there in the anti-social club nodding your heads.  I have an inkling that I have a few friends who are plagued with the natural anti-bullshit meter installed in their heads.  Interestingly, the ones I got wrong, were the middle aged white men who most resembled my spouse.  (I know his fake face, as his genuine smile is one thousand times larger, brighter and less-likely to appear.)

This, will make you feel, better?  I suppose it's why some of us weren't popular in high school or simply couldn't be bothered.  :x

Scientific American Mind -

Spotting a Fake Smile
"Social psychologist Michael Bernstein and his colleagues at Miami University found that people who felt rejected were better at discriminating between fake and real smiles. Researchers believe that a true grin indicates real emotions, such as cooperation, because some of the muscles we use—the ones around the eyes—are not under our conscious control.

Our ancestors needed to be accepted in a group to survive, Bernstein says, so an outsider would not want to waste energy by acting on a fake reaction—or to miss a real opportunity to be included."

That's okay with me.  I'll miss out on opportunities if they aren't genuine, which means, I MISS OUT ON A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.  I am not looking for popularity. 

You know, what I can't tell? 

I can't tell if these websites are for REAL.  A website that boasts a plan that will TEACH YOU HOW TO BE FAKE!?  For real?  Or, not?  (It's real, the shopping cart works. O-O)

• how to alter the backbone of your personality, which governs how you think and behave, to automatically act in a socially superior manner
• how to use manipulative psychology to alter the thinking of other people and make them like, respect and admire you
• how to use simple behavioral alterations that will automatically make people interested in you
• how to prevent damaging behavior like “self talk” which inhibits socially productive responses leaving you behind
• how to psychologically train your mind so you naturally become an extrovert
• how to evoke positive responses from people, no matter what you’re saying to them
• how to remove feelings of doubt, fear and uncertainty in social situations
• how to find and forge friendships with the most important, relevant people in society
• how to detach yourself from caring about the opinions of specific individual people and focus on gaining the admiration of the greater majority
• how to use people to your advantage, as opposed to having them use you
• how to get inside people’s heads and make them think you’re being honest with them, whether you are or not
• how to become popular and successful just like me and reap all that society and life has to offer

Want a copy?

marie claire + fit blogs

The women's magazine marie claire published an article:  

The Hunger Diaries: How Health Writers Could Be Putting You at Risk 

• Six popular bloggers advocate healthier living, but are they putting readers — and themselves — in danger?

This article has blown up on Twitter, as the healthy blogging community has lashed out, saying that the article has taken the bloggers out of context and twisted their words around.  

"Then there's the effect on readers. "The sheer number of food images and intense exercise descriptions can be particularly triggering to eating-disorder-prone followers," says Dr. Robyn Silverman, a developmental psychologist in Mount Freedom, New Jersey, whose book, Good Girls Don't Get Fat (published in October), addresses influences on female body image. Silverman worries readers could log on and "push their bodies to the extreme to match the workouts or eating habits of their idols, when it may be inappropriate."

Now, I have to admit, I am not a faithful reader of any of the six blogs they mention in the article, however, I do follow some of the bloggers on Twitter, and will read bits and pieces of what they post.

I find it difficult to read most typical health and fitness blogs, especially those high in "what I ate today" and "I ran ten miles today" posts because I cannot relate.  Simple as that.

If a mom of four, who was formerly 300+ lbs, with dietary restrictions, health concerns, and with a neurological condition started blogging about her fitness regimen, I might take notice.  But, for now, typical "healthy" blogs make me tired.

I live in a different world at the moment.

Don't you hate it when...

 
 You have juicy gossip or things you WANT to dish about?!  But, you can't, 'cause it will come out soon enough, and it does not have to come from you.  So. That's that.

But, the harder part is, not blogging stuff that you really. want. to. blog. because it's PERFECTLY on topic, but it just isn't your place.  I know, when have I ever.  But, it's true, there's a lot I just don't discuss.

To be anonymous, man.

(Sits on her fingers, for now.)   

Things Not To Say To a Fat Guy.

Uh.  Okay.  I can't imagine some of these things ever coming out of my mouth.  Really?  Would you?   I'm a generally verbal-diarrhea-ish person, but somethings you just DO NOT say. ( I guess I've learned that -- I mean Mr. MM was told that he was too fat to get ahead in his career, to his face!)

http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/09/11/10-things-not-to-say-to-a-fat-guy/

10. "Maybe you should hit the gym."
Even if you're harboring the best intentions, you're gonna sound like a gym teacher barking orders during the shuttle run. Instead, go to the gym yourself, and welcome his company.

9. "I like a little meat on the bones."
We appreciate your tolerance, but that's like us saying, "We like the way you fart when you laugh too hard."

8. "Are your parents overweight?"
Is that a nice way of saying "obesity is a genetic predisposition?" While true, it's not the best conversation starter.

7. "Let's skip dinner tonight."
Not eating can be just as counterproductive as eating too much (except starving ourselves isn't as delicious). In order to burn fat, your body needs to fuel its metabolism, and not eating shuts that down. Rather than skipping dinner, offer up a meal of chicken breast, whole grains, salmon, steak, apples, peanut butter, turkey or unidentifiable drugstore-packet energy pills, all of which speed up the body's metabolism.

6. "Looks don't matter to me."
Then why draw attention to the fact that we're not Abercrombie catalog fodder, instead of not mentioning it?

5. "I never liked six-packs and pelvic dips anyway."
See above. Again, we get what you're trying to do -- show us that you like us for reasons other than cosmetic. But even mentioning what we don't have could plant an unwanted seed of insecurity.

4. "You must be really funny, huh?"
Yeah, you'd think that, thanks to the likes of Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Chris Farley. And, by that same logic, since you're a girl, you must be emotionally unstable and know nothing about football, huh?

3. "Muscle weighs more than fat!"
Wrong! Five pounds of muscle weighs exactly the same as five pounds of fat. Fat happens to be bulky, though, while muscle is tight and appears lean. This contrast creates the illusion that there is more fat per pound than muscle. Try this instead: "Muscle is heavier by volume than fat."

2. "Does this make me look fat?"
That's a loaded question even when asked to the sexiest of six packs. Asking it to a dude who's a bit beefy is only going to make him more even self-conscious.

1. "Don't eat that!"
Got a dietary suggestion? That's awesome. But, make it just that -- a suggestion, rather than an order you'd bark at your dog if he was slobbering on your flip-flops.

Matt Christensen

I coveteth your crocs.

It's probably a good thing that Beth doesn't have credit cards.  Because I want these.

And, I would love them in black, and silver, or just black.  It's now officially summah, and I could use a pair of summah shoes.  Would I be more of a geek if I own a pair of actual crocs?  Awesome. 

I can't label my NaBloPoMo posts, because I Blog2Much.

You knew that already.  I blog way too much - and when have I NOT posted at least one post per day?  I mean, that's the goal of the NaBloPoMo, a post a day.  So, let's just say, I have this month of posting each day wrapped.  I have 1,640 posts here.  I realize that 1,599 are probably mostly junk - but - there has got to be a few winners in there someplace.

So, anyways:  Today!  Another survey!

Via Stacey, from Soapbox Superstar:

What three things do you want for Christmas this year?

Let me first say - this isn't easy - and I have that whole, "But, then, I could really use - and, what if?!" in my head.  And, then, I feel really bad asking Santa for expensive gifts.  Oh, who cares!  Here's what I want from the big jolly ol' elf, if he ain't buyin' me a pair of boobies, I'd like the following:

                                       

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens

Breville 800ESXL Commercial 15-Bar Triple-Priming Die-Cast Espresso Machine

Vita-Mix 1300 TurboBlend 4500

Would it be wrong?

...to tell you I'm leaving my husband?  For Robin Thicke?

Well, I thought Mr.Thicke was a lot younger, and I couldn't admit that I thought he was a cutie-pie, buuuut, I Wiki'ed him (that sounds naughty) and he's thirteen days OLDER than my husband.  It's all good.  :::giggling:::

Just as I suspected!

The husbands' new glasses?  Instant "Listen To Me I'm More Important To You Now" Look.  Immediately changes his appearance and first impression to you.  Being entirely and completely superficial - I told him to get his hair-buzzed real close and to just GO with the impending bald.  Then, maybe a little goatee again.  Give the man a couple grand for some designer knock-off suits, and we're good to go.  What does this mean?  Nothing yet.  Although, due to circumstances unrelated to him - another location needed a manager as of Friday afternoon - so he's again running two branches - and has done so for a week - working full days in two locations.  A test, perhaps?  The timing, of course, is coincidental, but the company has yet to announce who is filling the still-open position that he applied for.  He's thinking it will be/or already has been decided upon - and announced at the end of the quarter, when things are wrapped up.