Facially inarticulate

[puddlesofun]

"...despite your face" is a phrase that someone once said to me in a very serious discussion a fair while ago, and it caused me to break out into inappropriate giggling. But:

A photo was taken of me this morning to put on a display at work (so people can look on a wall and see who it is looking after their kids). When it was shown to me on the digital camera's screen, my visage looked far too stern. So we took another shot, and this time I affected a subtle smile. Not bearing my teeth or anything, just a friendly grin. I looked at the second photo to find... that it looked exactly the same as the first. Gosh darn.

I've never been the most facially expressive of people. Perhaps because when I was a kid I thought showing emotions would make me vulnerable or some crap like that (stupid child Chris! *paddles*), but that's not really my attitude now. I like to share. But I'd always assumed there was some discernible difference between those two expressions.

Human communication is half body language. You get subtle cues and feedback from the face of the person you're communicating with. I know I do. Have I been giving people nothing when their brains were looking for reassurance or feedback? Are my all my human relationships doomed to be crippled by this inexpressive mask I apparently wear?

Stupid 2.30AM questions.

On the bright side, I had quite a full day today. It started early, will end soon, and had a chocolate centre. Yes, I went to the Lindt shop in town with a number of wonderful people whose LJ names I am to lazy to type. It was yummy.

Bed now. I leave you with:

"All night rock and roll T.V.
another intense young thing
see him suffer
dig the stig martyr

So serious,
this epileptic chihouha."

-The Tendrils.

Comments

[illykai.livejournal.com]

Beards: Hiding facial expressions since the dawn of man.

[roseapparatus.livejournal.com]

COP OUT!

[snuffytherabbit.livejournal.com]

Ah, most amusing. :)
I assume, from what you have just said, that you are probably not one of those awful, terrible, horrible people who smile when they're getting angry.

Looking on the bright side...

[snuffytherabbit.livejournal.com]

At least you probably don't express yourself facially when you don't mean to.
I do.
For example, I was having dinner with dnahum and his parents, and his mother was talking about how 'cool' knitting is and how it's so fashionable (this was about a year ago - not that I think the timeframe EVER makes a difference when it comes to knitting - evil evil evil!). I thought I was pretty well expressionless, keeping my head down and eating my dinner. According to dnahum, the look on my face was priceless, and I failed to conceal my feelings of absolute horror one little bit. :)
Oh well, it's not like I was the one endorsing knitting as something exciting and cool...

How's your driver's license photo?

Re: Looking on the bright side...

[puddlesofun.livejournal.com]

Careful. You'd be surprised how many people who read this journal also knit (and are exciting and cool).

Um no, I guess I don't express much when I'm trying to hide it, but sometimes people interpret my default expression as "grumpy", which can lead to woe.

From memory, in my driver's license photo I look like a convict.

Re: Looking on the bright side...

[snuffytherabbit.livejournal.com]

Ah, but that's okay. Their not my bfriend's mother (not so exciting and cool - if she reads this I'm dead. But then, if she's reading this, then that's just downright creepy and wrong!). Different kind of knitting. I suspect, and desperately hope, that they are not also into quilting. *vomits until she dies* :D

Excellent. Next time, get a grey shirt and put some arrows on it with masking tape... :)
I learnt the hard way that smiling in a license photo is not a great idea.

Re: Looking on the bright side...

[snuffytherabbit.livejournal.com]

Aaaaaah! "They're", not "their". Dammit, I know my grammar, I'm not that stupid. Then again, apparently I am... God damn it! How can I laugh at the typos of others when I'm doing it myself? :.(

Stiff upper lip

[biodecay.livejournal.com]

Seems you have the opposite problem to me!

They say that motion triggers emotion, i.e. if you purposely start moving your face more to express emotions, you'll probably feel those emotions more intensely too.

I'm sure that would get interesting. =)

PS. Hi Chris!

Re: Stiff upper lip

[puddlesofun.livejournal.com]

Hey!

[puddlesofun.livejournal.com]

(as in: hello)

[diseaselouise.livejournal.com]

The only explanation: cameras lie! I always know what expression you're trying to communicate.

I have the sort-of-opposite problem of giggling uncontrollably whenever someone accuses me of something. For example when Mrsurlypants (http://www.livejournal.com/users/mrsurlypants/) says "Have you been secretly using my very expensive toothpaste?" or "Did you eat my *insert name of yummy thing that's gone missing* louie?" all I can do is smile, then giggle. And then run away very fast. I really think you are quite lucky to have a good poker face.

[soma-astrid.livejournal.com]

Hey this is Melodie here (one of the Lindt cafe people ;) and I just thought I'd add you... if you want to read my crap then add me back :P

[tull.livejournal.com]

Nah cummin basketball! Bad juju.

[puddlesofun.livejournal.com]

I had stabbing pains in my gut, which was juju i didn't want to bring to basketball. Also, lunch with my parents.

[boojumlol.livejournal.com]

Perhaps because when I was a kid I thought showing emotions would make me vulnerable or some crap like that...

Heh - I was exactly the same. I cultivated a poker face to wear all the time in highschool. I had to learn to be expressive after leaving school, but I'm still not the best at it.

[puddlesofun.livejournal.com]

We'll have to form a support group and get together to practice gurning.