I get the majority of my cosmetics and body creams, etc from a small local Body Shop store. I'm on good terms with the three main women who work there. Not that I buy a lot but I usually pop in there once every two weeks or so to get a replacement for something or another. Anyway, I was in there today to buy some eye make-up remover and they said they were really glad I'd come in. They had three packages to give out to their customers and they had decided I was one of those three. Aw, shucks! They were clearly very excited and happy for me!!! It was pretty darn cool actually, about $165 of cosmetics, lotions, etc. The thought of being one of their fave customers is also quite flattering. It's not like I buy that much from them but I guess I do chat with them when I do go in and they know me by name, so that's gotta count for something.
This is also highlighted something behavioural I have never found very easy. Women often (not always, of course) get very excited about these kind of things - but when I was in guy mode, I used to find it so, so, so hard to be excited if someone broke out a surprise like that for me. Not that it happened much but when it did I was usually very subdued, and courteous but restrained (which probably made them wonder why they bothered). But post transition I can at least allow myself to get more excited and emotive about things like that. Even so, today I'm telling myself - "be excited, be grateful, thank them, be really flattered, smile, use lots of rising intonation!!!". I think (hope) I managed to show sufficient gratitude.
