Poker Face

Fine, I won't bore the majority of you with talk of college football this Monday except to say, how awesome are those BCS Rankings! Florida is ranked #2 this week. Now, don't get me wrong, I expect my team to flounder along the way and drop down in the rankings, but for now, I'll bask in the joy.

So onto the topic of today's blog post. Recently, one of our volunteers told me that I should never consider a career in the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc. because my every thought shows on my face. My response was, at least you know where you stand with me. I readily admit to having an expressive face. Dawne, Delia, and Kay continuously comment on my facial expressions during our morning meetings, yet these are situations where I am not required to hide my feelings.

Sorry to tell everyone, I was taught at an early age how to bluff my way through a poker game and the skill has come in handy over the years. For those who know some of the situations I've dealt with, how do you think I managed to get through my days? It is how I am capable of interacting with a patron who upsets me because I can easily slip into neutral mode, where none of my emotions or thoughts show. Personally, I prefer being up front with my feelings rather than hiding them. For those who have seen me when I'm furious, you know I like to vent my anger and move on. Honestly, it's a preferable method for me because it's cathartic. Now imagine all of my heightened emotions bottled up behind a stony shell. Trust me, the ice bitch is scarier.

The day after the conversation with our volunteer, our morning meeting was a minefield for me. Several comments were made about the current job posting in which I could feel several gazes shift my way, but I did not react. (No, I'm not willing to publicly discuss the job posting.) This was followed by someone questioning why cookie man does not deliver cookies anymore. Someone sitting directly across from me answered that his interest was not returned. Once again, I kept a straight face, even when for a brief moment someone queried his interest.

Though I am an honest person and prefer for people to know how I feel, there is a time and place for having an expressive face but I am more than willing to pull out the poker face as needed. It also comes in handy while bluffing your foes through a round of "You Must Be an Idiot!" and "Things in a Box."