Oh no he didn't!

I am afraid to stick up for myself.  I seem to be incapable of defending myself against people trying to overcharge me or someone saying something nasty to me.  I think a lot of women are the same way.  When a man sticks up for himself it's seen as aggressive, whereas for a woman it can be seen as bitchy.

Case in point: When I was Miss Wyoming competing at the Miss USA pageant, I remember one of the contestants (I won't say which one, but think West Coast) saying to me, "Dark eyebrows and blonde hair, huh?  I wouldn't have thought of putting those together!"

Ouch.

I didn't say anything, I just laughed nervously.

I've told you before about a news viewer who saw me without make-up on and said, "Wow, you look so different!  Don't worry honey, I'm not a natural beauty either."

I didn't say anything, I just laughed nervously.

Anyway, for the past few years I've made it a new year's resolution to stick up for myself...and it's slowly getting better.

This weekend, Mike and I needed to take a shuttle from our hotel to the airport to fly back from Atlanta.  The hotel told me the fare was $70 no matter how you shake it.  When we got in the car, the driver said he wouldn't accept a credit card, so when we got to the airport, Mike went inside and got money from an ATM.  When he came out and asked the driver how much it was, the driver said $80.  What?  Mike said "Whatever" and handed him the money.

I quickly ripped it out of the driver's hand and said, "No, it's $70!"

He said no, it was $80.

I told him we were only paying $70, and asked if he had change.  Of course he said he didn't.  So I said, "Well, the hotel said it was $70 and we're not paying $1 more.  I will go get change."

I started taking my bag and the driver grabbed it and said, "Oh no, it's staying here!"

I yelled, "Fine!"  I went inside and asked about five people if they could break a $20.  I finally got a coffee shop to break it for me.  I went outside, handed it to the driver, and get this....I didn't thank him!  Ha!  Pre-Jeannie would still have thanked him despite his obvious attempt at ripping us off.

It doesn't stop there.   The other day a man cut in front of me at a breakfast restaurant and I said, "You totally just cut in front of me."  He apologized.

Watch out Chicago...you've changed me for the better.  This nice Wyoming girl is tired of getting walked on...unless it's in cute Manolo Blahnik's, of course.