Smile

During my first year in Orlando, I worked two jobs — both at Disney, although only one was for Disney. Seven days a week, I was in guest-facing positions, with the perky perma-grin firmly in place. Smiling and saying "hi" to just about everyone became such second-nature, that I once actually caught myself making eye contact and smiling at people in the mall. Took me a while to realize what a freak that made me look like.

Well, I've been in office jobs for the last four years now, so that habit has long since faded. Actually, I should say "had" faded. After four days of volunteering at the Out & Equal Summit this weekend — wearing a Disney shirt and acting as a greeter for a number of sessions, I again caught myself doing the eye-contact-and-smile routine while walking to my car, and even briefly while grocery shopping. Sick and wrong.