Tammy's Secret Code

Did you know that I'm actually a secret agent and I have a code I speak known only to me (and those closest to me)? If you didn't know that, I guess you are now aware that you learn something new every day. Awesome huh!

Okay, so the truth is that I don't really have a secret code. But sometimes, those who know me well can see when I'm laughing about something known to two of us but perhaps not known to someone else who may also be in the room. Does that sound confusing? I promise that it's really not. This is an example. So this weekend my roommate and I were having a discussion. We were talking about something that made us really upset and although we were both pretty steamed at first, later we had convinced ourselves to laugh about it. However, as I mentioned in my first entry, the world is my private joke, so I kept thinking about this, partially because I was still miffed about it and partially because the other roommate had made me laugh so hard about it.

Tonight my two roommates and I were sitting in the living room talking. The discussion was fine and mostly we talked about the one roommate's day at school. Things eventually led around to a book she had purchased online. Don't worry - she bought it from the used book section on Amazon and with shipping, it probably cost her less than $5, so it was not like it would break the bank. However, the other roommate has been somewhat disapproving of this roommate and seems to think for whatever reason that she's going to run out of money and expect us to pick up the slack (aka rent) for her, which is absurd, but whatever. Anyway, I started giggling because I was thinking about this very thing, and of course, the roommate who knew what I was laughing about asked why I was laughing. I told her, and she was amused too. She didn't really even have to ask because she already knew what was on my mind, knowing me as well as she does. She said it was like she was temporarily in my brain (frankly I don't want anyone in my brain because it's a confusing enough place just for me, much less anyone else!) but I would modify the statement to say she was speaking in "Tammy's Secret Code." (Insert smarmy secret agent music here.)

I have to be honest that I know this is catty, but sometimes I can't help it! Laughter is one of the best ways I can deal with things that are bothering me almost beyond belief, and trust me, in this case, I needed some pretty serious laughter so I wouldn't be mad. This isn't the first time that my "secret code" has manifested itself either.

When I was in college, one of my roommates was kind of interesting. She used to whine about the same things all the time (usually they involved boys and the fact that she was the "dateless wonder" - her words not mine) and of course after you've heard a story so many times, you either A) get really annoyed about it or B) find the potential for mocking. This is what one of my other roommates and I did. Every time this roommate would start into her "I'm the dateless wonder" or telling the same dating stories over again, all we had to do is exchange a look, and both of us knew exactly what we were thinking. I usually had to turn away so I wouldn't laugh, or try to hide the fact that I was laughing. Another of our roommates used to get mad because she always said she had to cover for us when we did that so she wanted me to stop with the silent communication already.

Anymore, this "secret code" is mostly manifested with looks between myself and someone else when we know that we're thinking the same thing, usually if someone is being ridiculous or telling the same story for the 10th time. (Yes, I know I do that too and I'm sure my roommates roll their eyes at me when I do it too, so oh well.) Maybe I should modify my statement--it's not really a secret code but more like good silent communication. It's more effective with someone whom I know very well than with than a casual acquaintance. Oh my goodness! Where do I even come up with these topics?! Hopefully tomorrow I will have something more interesting to write!