Friday, August 26, 2011

I Like Rules

I just don't think they apply to me. I am a "spirit of the law" type person.

Exhibit 1: Sammie came home from school on the first day and told me the teacher told her that her shorts were too short and she couldn't wear them anymore. Nonsense. She is 6 people! Apparently in the school's uniform policy, it outlines how long the shorts must be. I don't have time to read that, nor do I care. I will keep sending her in these until I get a personal note or call telling me to stop.



Exhibit 2. When I was at BYU, I got a letter from the Honor Code Office asking me to come meet with them because I had worn a skirt that was too short. (Like Mother, Like Daughter.) I thought I was being punked by some guys in my ward. Nope. Turns out I had worn a skirt that was about an inch above my knee to dinner one evening at the Cannon Center and a worker turned me in. I didn't like being told what to wear and I continued to wear whatever I pleased. I just was more careful about not wearing it to dinner.



Exhibit 3. I was driving through my town (where every road is under construction) and I came upon a construction worker who was directing cars to turn around and go back the other way. I needed to get through to my street because going around would add at least five minutes to my trip home. I ignored said construction worker dude and soldiered on.

He chased down my car, pounded on my window and yelled at me. I rolled down the window and he said "What are you doing lady...you are going the wrong way and YOU ARE EATING A SANDWICH! You've got kids in the car..think of their safety!" I was laughing so hard from his sandwich comment (I was eating a six inch sub) I just rolled up the window and kept going. Oh, and Ryan was riding shotgun. I think that really impressed him.



Exhibit 4. I don't put my baby in a waterproof swim pants at the pool even though it is required. I think a swim diaper is good enough.



Exhibit 5. I bring outside food in almost everywhere including movie theaters, Lagoon, Disneyland, etc.



Exhibit 6. I haul all four of my kids into the aerobics room at the gym to get my spot and set up. This is off limits and I don't care. Gotta get my spot.

Exhibit 7. I don't leave my underwear on when I try on bathing suits in the dressing room. Ashley is especially appalled by this.

Exhibit 8. I break every rule of fashion...I wear silver and gold together, I never match my shoes to my bag and I wear white pants after Labor Day.

Exhibit 9. I park where I shouldn't.

I could go on all day. What rules to you break?

27 comments:

Greg said...

They actually make waterproof swim pants?

I wouldn't have the first clue where to even buy those!

melissa walker said...

I love your rule-breaking because I am such a rule-follower!

Elizabeth said...

You are a true rebel.
I would never have the balls to disobey the traffic controller ... but I think I am with you on the rest (except the swimwear and undies thing!).
I ignore most school dirrectives (they do ring you when its important) and the older I get the more fashion/beauty rules I break. I got my toes shellaced in New Zealand... the colour midnight blue!!!.
PS Sorry I wrote balls on your blog.

Stephanie Eldredge said...

As for Sammie's shorts, my only advice would be to check with Sammie how she feels about it. It may not be worth the negative attention she may get for wearing them. Sometimes it's better to stay off the radar, especially this early in the school year. :)

alexandra said...

I love love love the driving sandwich ryan shotgun story. your kids are going to love reading this blog when they get older. i didn't even realize that anyone would obey the plastic pants over swimmies rule. where do you even get those things these days? i got in trouble at the cannon center once and it was really irritating. i fought back when, years later, i had to work the door at a byu dance and i just let all the ladies in. if you have to get a tape measure out to determine modesty, you have turned into a pharasee. i spelled that wrong.

brigham is a total rule follower and i am a spirit of the law kind of person. the ex that first comes to mind is that at the indoor pool when the kdis are freezing i dunk them in the hot tub for a second. everyone freaks out immediately as if they will die instantly or contaminate the water on contact, i havent figured out which.

this post made me laugh out loud several times.

alexandra said...

oh but rethink that bathing suit thing!

Jill said...

This post has given me high blood pressure! I'm going to have to go calm myself down...I am a rule follower (except for outside food at the movies) and generally get bugged by you rebellious types. I'm going to have to reconfigure my judgments based on the fact that I like you...but still, I think you should buy her longer shorts. If everyone broke the rules at school it would be mayhem.

Denise said...

I got busted today for letting my child bring a TINY toy to play with in the water. I let it slide because I didn't get caught with a giant bag of chips that I had my 8 year old hide under his towel. I also do not believe in swim pants, the swim diaper was invented to be a SWIM diaper. So, I wasn't feeling that rebellious today, but I guess the pool just brings out my wild side!

I do have to say that I have been known to take my underwear off while trying on bathing suits, but as I get older it is really icky to think about who else might have done the same thing, blah!

I think the shorts are cute, but you might just want to put them away because # 1 -I am a big believer in teacher butt-kissing. They are like the third parent for my child and I don't want them being mean to my guy. # 2 - If you let her keep wearing the shorts, you might have a little girl rebelling against you when she is looking a lot older than her age and headed out with some loser guy. That is NOT when one wants to see their child rebelling, imo.

Jack's Mama said...

I get pissed at the "lifeguard" primo spots at my pool. And they are always empty!! They are for what, 16 yr olds/someone born in the 90s? They are supposed to be athletic to save my life or more importantly my babies because he can't swim yet. They can walk across the parking lot. After a long time of honestly avoiding them and trucking my 3 bags-oversized purse, diaper bag & pool bag, plus my wild 2 year old across the whole parking lot. I confidently pulled in to the parking lot this week determined i would finally park in a "lifeguard" spot, and for the first time ever ALL 3 spots were taken! I couldn't even break the rules if i tried. Next time I am determined to park in a "lifeguard" spot.

Uniforms look great! It will be winter before we know it, she can follow dress code then.

Greg said...

I'm a big believer in flashing my headlights at approaching drivers to warn them if a cop (particularly a motorcycle cop) is hiding in the bushes or around the bend up ahead to write a ticket to some poor unsuspecting driver.

It's common courtesy, and I would appreciate it if someone did it for me and saved me from a ticket some day.

I always felt like doing that was breaking the rules, but now I learn that it may not be (at least in some states):

http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/article/207550/250/FHP-sued-for-giving-out-illegal-tickets

Regardless of whether it is or not, I will continue watching out for my fellow (unsuspecting) motorists on the highways...

Jen and her men said...

That's it. I will never be going swimsuit shopping with you.

Was Ryan really riding shotgun?

Jen and her men said...

and thanks Greg. As a speeder, I am grateful for people like you :)

brooke said...

Jen, shamefully, he was. I was not far from home if that is any excuse.

Lauri said...

Again...you have totally cracked me up Miss Rule-Breaker! Good thing you are do darn cute and can get away with your naughty behavior!! (insert smile face). You inspire me...I must try to follow your example....really I must!! I'm serious..it sounds like fun!

Linda said...

Wonder where you get this non-rule-follower streak??? I'm afraid you learned it from the best,or worst...rule breaker.
THANK YOU Greg!! I do the same light blinking thing, but not enough people do!! We need to get the word out!!

Hansens said...

I have genuine loathing and contempt for “rule keepers”, I’d rather be friends with a banshee. Fact: well behaved women rarely make history. Just imagine if Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith had been rule followers, we wouldn’t have the Gospel or the Restoration. Keep being AMAZING Brook!

Linda said...

So funny that that guy was so upset about your sandwich. He's probably telling stories about you right now. I believe it's okay to break rules but I feel very strongly that no one should ever cut in line. I despise cutters. But it's okay to break rules that don't hurt anyone. Also in the dressing room I was more appalled about the way you didn't hang as you went than I was about going commando in the swimmer. This is Ashley.

Lanea Sampson said...

Brooke-you are toooo funny! As a teacher of 2nd graders, her shorts look just fine to me. You should see some of the get-ups they wear in my neck of the woods!

GNB said...

Ashley--

Isn't parking in a reserved parking space kind of the same thing as cutting in line? I'm just asking...

Cameron said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cameron said...

Sorry, I just discovered that it was Ashley who posted under Linda's name. Ashley, there is nothing wrong with going commando every once in a while...not that I'd know of course...

sarahw said...

Man, that was pretty lame of another BYU student to turn you in. I can't handle people like that. Cute pic of the kids on their first day.

Em said...

Based on her comment, I think Ashley is a long-lost twin.

But you! Hilarious! You got some good chutzpah, I'll tell you that. I read Chuche your post b/c he is a notorious rule-breaker and even he was wide-eyed and impressed.

One day I hope to have your nerve...

The DeVito's said...

You are gutsy! I hate rules, but I usually just complain about them and I would NEVER disobey a traffic guy or not wear underwear to try on swimsuits - YUCK! Think of all the other people that have done that!

Christie said...

I totally never wear underwear when trying on a swimsuit. I mean, have you seen our underwear? It's like trying on a swimsuit over your clothes. Not happening.

Everything else though about sends me into a panic attack. I am SOOOO a rule follower. I need to be more like you.

The Mostess said...

I pick and choose which rules to follow, based on their convenience.

I always wear cute and small undies to try on swimsuits. That way I can see what it will really look like, and not run the risk of catching VD.

I would NEVER have the guts to defy the construction guy. But I would totally ignore the teacher. And I cannot believe you git turned in at BYU. Actually, I can, and that's why I chose a Catholic school. You can do whatever you want, throw out a few hail Mary's, and you're good!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this post - it cracked me up. I love that you do a lot of the same things I do. Rules just don't apply to me sometimes. =o)