Groundhog Day takes place every year on February 2nd. Thousands wait to see if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow; to determine if winter will end sooner rather than later.
The day has also become synonymous with Bill Murray’s character, Phil Connors, in the movie of the same name. Bill Murray’s character had “the chance” to relive the same day over and over again. Which makes me think: Do you ever wish you could have a “military life ” Groundhog Day?
I have wished for a redo on many occasions. Usually it’s me wishing I was better at communicating or having a quicker wit to avoid the embarrassing situations that unfold.
We all have these moments, right? My “favorite” embarrassing moment happened at a base wide military spouse employment event. I was the previous year’s Mistress of Ceremonies (MC) for this event. This time I was manning an exhibit table.
Five senior leader’s spouses who had attended the previous year’s event came to my table and I started to give my spiel. Suddenly one of the women stopped me and asked why I looked familiar. I responded, “I was the Mistress of…” and before I could get out the word “Ceremonies,” four out of the five women gasped. That gasp was quickly followed by, “Wait, whose mistress are you?”
Eventually the situation was sorted out (thanks to the only “non-gasper” in the group), and they were no longer under the impression that I had a sordid affair with someone they may have known. In my version of a Groundhog Day, I would have said, “I emceed” the event or had a more quick-witted response.
Another time I was invited to a cocktail party. The initial invitation asked those attending to dress up as your favorite character. Because I have a massive girl crush on Wonder Woman, she is who I dressed as. I bet you can guess where this is going…
I even travelled on several forms of public transportation in my high-boots and cape; getting side-eyed glances along the way. When I got to the cocktail party not a single person, other than myself, was dressed in character. I bet that no one in that room has forgotten, or will forget, the crazy girl at the nice cocktail party.
In my “would-have” Groundhog Day do-over’s I would have confirmed that my friends were also dressing up, and I don’t mean black-tie dressing up…
Yeah, I learned from my mistakes but, more importantly, I can laugh at my mistakes. And I’m guessing the people who were witness to my gaffes probably also get a chuckle out of my less than perfect moments. Groundhog Day do-over? I kind of wish I could do those moments again, but I guess I wouldn’t have such laugh-worthy memories of those less than perfect moments.