Me wondering why...and smirking.

Me wondering why
Originally uploaded by Skip Hansen.

That is me smirking. You know, the Bill-Murray-patented trademark look. The sarcastic cousin of a full-fledged smile.

There are many different versions of the "smirk". There is the barely-noticeable smirk where you keep your eyes down, shake your head ever slow slightly, and simply raise the corner of your mouth a bit, revealing just the thought of a smile. I believe this is the most powerful of the smirks, simply because it evokes such emotion in someone you are conversing with, "Hey Mister, are you laughing at me? Wipe that smirk off your face!"

Then there is the full-eye-contact-full-smile-smirk (Bill Murray has a patent on this one). One must rock one's head back and forth a little while applying this one. A smirk such as this states (without words) to the other person, "What a dumb mother f***er! You are so stupid and you don't even know it." My photo hear is really just on the verge of that look. By the way, I am looking at myself in the camera lens there.

Of course you can combine several smirks in succession. Such as the "slight smile blink the eyes several times fast" before saying, "What?" smirk. This can be followed up immediately with the"eye roll upward, close the eyes, and shake your head" smirk. It works very well for many situtations, especially spousal interaction.

Then there is the full-blown "mouth slightly open, tongue between the teeth faint smile small head shake and full audible exhale" smirk that says, "What was I thinking?" This is a very powerful conversational tool. It is also very therapeutic during times of stress (the exhale taken from some form of yoga I believe).

Smirking...most of us do it, some better and more often than others. We sometimes smirk without even knowing we are smirking. Try the three llisted above. If you don't smile each time you try one, you may have other problems. They ought to have a smirking course in college. Not only do they teach you how to smirk, they study the history of the smirk.

Bill Clinton and George W. have good smirks, a large of array available to them. Jack Nicholson is an expert smirker...he has made millions of dollars by perfecting the smirk. I am classic smirker (divorced two times, married now to wonderful lady who is immune to smirking).

A couple rules about smirking...try not to smirk too much to your boss (or your spouse)...never smirk to a judge...and never smirk to your pets, they really don't give a shit one way or the other!

Today, I have to do something I am not looking forward to (the details are unimportant). Right now I have a smirk on my face about this upcoming event.

I will end this blog with the "slight smile raised eyebrows" smirk that says, "Should I delete this whole thing and post another photo of my greyhound?" Naw...post it!