Levels

Women are more intuitive than men, and much, much more complicated. Men generally do not realize this. Men usually think whatever goes for them goes for the rest of the world. Women, of course, know better.

This is an obvious fact of life that everyone should know. You may quote Katherine on it.

All right. Now, as everyone reading this surely knows, I have a boyfriend, and his name is Connor. Everybody likes us together, including us, but we average one squabble per ten minutes. Not out-and-out fights, but bickering.

No comment necessary.

Anyway, we were talking on IM the other night, and here’s what we were saying.

twinkletoeskgs7 (11:28:29 PM): i've seen a fair amt of cranky connor, too
TwoCents08 (11:28:41 PM): that's like setting one
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:28:47 PM): haha
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:28:53 PM): what's setting 2?
TwoCents08 (11:29:40 PM): less cranky
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:29:49 PM): haha
TwoCents08 (11:29:52 PM): rather smartmouthed
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:30:01 PM): setting 3?
TwoCents08 (11:30:07 PM): pleasant
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:30:25 PM): and 4?
TwoCents08 (11:31:17 PM): smug
TwoCents08 (11:31:22 PM): i like setting 4
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:31:28 PM): i realize that
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:31:35 PM): setting 5?
TwoCents08 (11:32:43 PM): umm outwardly happy
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:32:55 PM): are those all of connor's settings?
TwoCents08 (11:33:09 PM): well no
TwoCents08 (11:33:35 PM): b/c we're omitting a few
TwoCents08 (11:33:48 PM): like setting 6-10
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:34:03 PM): ah
TwoCents08 (11:34:21 PM): setting 6 is like silly happy
TwoCents08 (11:34:43 PM): kinda like my schmoozing party joking attitude
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:34:54 PM): ahaha
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:34:57 PM): i see
TwoCents08 (11:36:00 PM): 7
TwoCents08 (11:36:19 PM): 7 is like mildly ticked off
TwoCents08 (11:36:41 PM): 8 is upset
TwoCents08 (11:36:56 PM): 9 is jubilant, valley-girl style mirth
TwoCents08 (11:37:06 PM): and 10 is when i get mad
TwoCents08 (11:37:14 PM): like shoot fire and such
twinkletoeskgs7 (11:37:19 PM): i see

So anyway, then we bickered over whether or not women have more levels than men. He sticks by the 10 rule. I told him I probably had a minimum of 25. He rolled his eyes at me. (You know, *rolling eyes*) So the next day at work, during a rare lull, I—I who always carry a notebook—tore out a notebook page and wrote down my levels. Here they are.

1. absolutely ecstastic
2. jubilant
3. triumphant
4. really happy
5. happy for you
6. moderately happy
7. pleased
8. smug
9. mildly happy
10. content/placid
11. neutral/reserving judgement
12. uncertain
13. confused
14. irritated with myself
15. frustrated
16. lazy
17. tired
18. exhausted
19. annoying
20. giggly
21. annoyed
22. more annoyed
23. truly irritated
24. mildly irate
25. infuriated--two modes: loud and quiet
26. sarcastic
27. sharp
28. clever
29. idiotic
30. defensive--several modes
31. bold--with sublevels flirtatious and confrontational
32. automatic mode
33. apologetic
34. hungry
35. wistful
36. nostalgic--several modes
37. mildly sad
38. deeply sad
39. devastated
40. heartbroken
41. hopeful
42. resigned
43. trying

And, of course, I have settings (loud, quiet, slightly uplifted, slightly downtrodden). Several levels can be combined at one time. They change with what happens moment-by-moment, what happens daily, what happens weekly, what happens monthly, etc. Intensity and level combinations vary according to the person I'm with and the class/location.

Psh to 10 levels.

twinkletoeskgs7: Take that, dear. ;p