You have five hyperlink chances to smile throughout this post

It has long bothered me when a person smiles rarely, if ever.

I finally realized today that I see few smiles among my peers. Some people give me smiles consistently. But I don't see those people every day. Other people just don't crack a little grin! Ever!, it seems.

I'm not even kidding when I say it's getting me down. For me, others' smiles are fuel. I am at that point in the semester where I am emotionally and physically done. I want to get coffee, do the crossword, and shoot the breeze with peeps. But I hardly have time for any of that.

So when people keep their lips pursed, it downright makes me angry. My energy level is already low, and when I encounter frown after frown (not to mention some sorry senses of humor...) I don't have any more energy to do everything from the mundane (pick up consent forms for classes next semester--don't even get me started on that policy) to the extra-complicated (write an election story on candidates' views on Missouri highways).

So turn that frown upside down!! I'm just as stressed and annoyed and tired and emotionally spent as y'all. But I'm still trying to crack jokes and share smiles. To smile takes no extra time or energy. So just be polite. Humor me, and smile.

Please.

Ready? Go!

(If you're really having trouble, watch this.)