My mom's whole side of the family makes this face. We have a kind of heavy brow that furrows down when we're thinking hard or just minding our own business. But I can't tell you how often people stop me and say something like, "Hey, smile!" or "What's got you so down?" Complete strangers do this all the time. I feel so bad because I don't like to think that the look on the face is so sour and negative and bringing people down, but I can't help it! I've done it since I was a baby. It doesn't mean I'm mad or sad, just that I'm thinking, hard, usually about something totally ridiculous like if it may be possible to squeeze in a nap after class or if the turtle has been getting enough green vegetables.
Although sometimes I truly am annoyed, like when it's -50 and I'm traipzing across campus to the engineering building to sit through another writing session about why you capitalize ZIP in ZIP code. That totally deserves the Lloyd scowl, and oh so much more.
Today in Hornbake I was watching my TV with the headset on and the guy in the cubicle next to me got up and slipped a note onto my desk that said SMILE with a smiley face under it sticking out its tongue. I burst out laughing, probably way too loud since I was wearing headphones and people are always obnoxiously loud when they talk with headphones on. But it did brighten the moment, which leads me to this: Telling people to smile almost always makes them smile. Smiling at people also almost always makes them smile. So to all you strangers who have reminded me to snap back to reality and quit worrying about the turtle long enough to smile at someone, I thank you. And to everyone else who has yet to meet me on campus making my weird face, please don't be offended or concerned when you see me. I will smile at you as soon as you bring me back from lala land.
On a final note, speaking of Lloyds, I want one of these and I want to name him Lloyd:
SMILE!
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