If you keep making that face it's going to get stuck that way.

It seems that I've got myself a nice little case of carpal tunnel syndrome, or something similar. And when Eric suggested that I go out and get myself one of those wrist braces, it brought me face to face with one of the lifelong misconceptions that I can't seem to shake.

I used to assume that anyone wearing one was a big whiny baby who wanted attention or an excuse to get out of work. Now, I know this isn't true (except in my case - if I put one of those on my wrist I expect sympathy and a get out of work note from my doctor.)  I know now that CTS is excruciatingly painful. So painful in fact, that I would almost. I said almost. Think about wearing one of those hideously ugly wrist get-ups.

And that made me think of some of those other not (necessarily) true things that I think about the world. Like people who drive expensive cars are mean. And that strong religious convictions and a sense of humor are mutually exclusive. That people who seem too happy are faking it - and therefore, not to be trusted. And even that holding my breath and clenching my butt while driving will prevent my car from running out of gas on the freeway.

Before anyone gets pissed. I KNOW these things aren't real. The only thing that's going to stop my car from running out of gas is... something to do with a gas station and some kind of pump?

Just like I know there's nothing good to eat in the fridge. But that doesn't stop me from going and standing in front of it with the door open, staring. Willing Indian takeout leftovers to suddenly appear on the shelves.

When I was a kid, I used to think that people couldn't get married unless they looked kind of like each other. Like, blonds had to marry blonds, brunettes had to pair up with other brunettes.... That's probably because both my parents were Polish with reddish brown hair. And all of my friends parents were blond Norwegians - it was northern Minnesota - almost every one was.

But Eric and I could not look more unalike. I have reddish, blondish, brown hair and a round, round face. He's all angles with black hair and green eyes. We are, actually, a weird looking couple. When we stand next to each other brushing our teeth in the bathroom mirror, we always laugh and the incongruity.

Here I am defying my own precepts everyday. At least I'm not as bad as Eric's grandma.

Do you stubbornly believe things you know aren't true?