Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[suzieQ]

Everyone here knows the north east US has been severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy.  There is a hotel chain with more than 200 hotels in the storm area that have lost electricity, gas, running water, or some combination of the three.  I exercise with someone who works at the reservation center for that chain.  Tonight she told me that she spent much of today answering the phone, telling people “no, you can’t stay in <hotel> because they don’t have <utility that has failed>.    She thinks some of the calls were from people in the area whose homes are also suffering from failure of those same utilities.  But others were from parts of the US far from the damage. 

There was a really nasty ice storm a few years back where I used to live and I lost power for several days. However, all the businesses around the corner less than a mile away weren't affected and were open. Doesn't hurt to call and check as long as you're being polite.

Yes, we did that when our power was out for several days over the summer. DS's insulin has to be kept cold, or it's only good for a month. We have some extra insulin that I did not want to go bad but he wouldn't use within a month. I took it (in a cold bag) to our local Publix and the wonderful pharmacist there put it in their fridge, because they had power.

[Shalamar]

I have one!

 My department used to do a big potluck lunch for Christmas.   The plan was that you could either contribute $10, or you could donate a food item worth roughly that much.  I pretty much ran the whole thing.

My coworker Jim, who's always been an odd duck, told me "I'll contribute a casserole, but you'll have to cook it for me.".  I said "Um ... no.   I won't have time for that.".  "Then someone else can do it.". "NO.  They can't.   You can either cook it yourself or bring something else."

He then hurled a ten dollar bill at me, spitting "I can't cook it; it's too much work!"

Funny how it became too much work when HE was the one who'd have to do it.

[MerryCat]

Well, you know, it's pretty tiring having the whole universe spin around you. It doesn't leave you much time for petty tasks like making casseroles and such.

[Minmom3]

There's a certain disconnect between you cooking it, and him bringing it in....

[Elfmama]

It makes my brain hurt when people say that, while dieting, you shouldn't drink diet soda or Crystal Light-type drinks because of the artificial sweeteners possibly causing sugar cravings.
<snip>

I hadn't heard this version, but I have heard/read to avoid diet sodas for weight control purposes because the feeling of virtue from picking a diet soda can translate into letting yourself splurge on something else high-calorier...  Possibly brain-hurty but at least partially backed by a 2005 study discussed here:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

There was a commercial for one of the artificial sweeteners that showed just this.  The person virtuously putting two packets of the stuff in their morning coffee, then chowing down on a Big Mac-size hamburger for lunch.  Because, you know, they saved THIRTY-TWO WHOLE CALORIES by skipping the two teaspoons of sugar.

[sourwolf]

It makes my brain hurt when people say that, while dieting, you shouldn't drink diet soda or Crystal Light-type drinks because of the artificial sweeteners possibly causing sugar cravings.
<snip>

I hadn't heard this version, but I have heard/read to avoid diet sodas for weight control purposes because the feeling of virtue from picking a diet soda can translate into letting yourself splurge on something else high-calorier...  Possibly brain-hurty but at least partially backed by a 2005 study discussed here:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

There was a commercial for one of the artificial sweeteners that showed just this.  The person virtuously putting two packets of the stuff in their morning coffee, then chowing down on a Big Mac-size hamburger for lunch.  Because, you know, they saved THIRTY-TWO WHOLE CALORIES by skipping the two teaspoons of sugar.

Personally I like my coffee obscenely sweet so I stick with a couple of splenda instead of the multiple tablespoons of sugar it would take to get the same results.

I also now understand why the OP was wary of bringing up exactly which product she was referencing.

[jedikaiti]

I have one!

 My department used to do a big potluck lunch for Christmas.   The plan was that you could either contribute $10, or you could donate a food item worth roughly that much.  I pretty much ran the whole thing.

My coworker Jim, who's always been an odd duck, told me "I'll contribute a casserole, but you'll have to cook it for me.".  I said "Um ... no.   I won't have time for that.".  "Then someone else can do it.". "NO.  They can't.   You can either cook it yourself or bring something else."

He then hurled a ten dollar bill at me, spitting "I can't cook it; it's too much work!"

Funny how it became too much work when HE was the one who'd have to do it.

Should have said to him, "Sure, but I'll need $50 up front for ingredients and my time!"

[violinp]

I have one!

 My department used to do a big potluck lunch for Christmas.   The plan was that you could either contribute $10, or you could donate a food item worth roughly that much.  I pretty much ran the whole thing.

My coworker Jim, who's always been an odd duck, told me "I'll contribute a casserole, but you'll have to cook it for me.".  I said "Um ... no.   I won't have time for that.".  "Then someone else can do it.". "NO.  They can't.   You can either cook it yourself or bring something else."

He then hurled a ten dollar bill at me, spitting "I can't cook it; it's too much work!"

Funny how it became too much work when HE was the one who'd have to do it.

Should have said to him, "Sure, but I'll need $50 up front for ingredients and my time!"

I wouldn't have been nearly that generous. I'm ashamed to say I'd have to fight to keep myself from laughing in his face.

[Darcy]

It makes my brain hurt when people say that, while dieting, you shouldn't drink diet soda or Crystal Light-type drinks because of the artificial sweeteners possibly causing sugar cravings.
<snip>

I hadn't heard this version, but I have heard/read to avoid diet sodas for weight control purposes because the feeling of virtue from picking a diet soda can translate into letting yourself splurge on something else high-calorier...  Possibly brain-hurty but at least partially backed by a 2005 study discussed here:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

Sometimes it's a matter of taste as well. I finally stopped buying chocolate-flavored health bars because instead of eating one I would eat three, because they couldn't give me the flavor satisfaction I was looking for. I would eat three times the calories of a pack of M&Ms, and in the end it saved me a lot of trouble to just choose the M&Ms instead of a poor imitation chocolate.

I've had many brainhurt-y exchanges with people who've wanted to criticize my food choices when I was more overweight, and they could never comprehend that one pack of M&Ms or one can of Coke was not going to sabotage my weight loss (when in fact my occasional treat kept me from mindlessly munching), or that my weight was really not their business in the first place.

[Ceallach]

Another from my mother.  She told me to be sure I talk to my (unborn) baby so that it recognises my voice.  The brain hurty part was the example she gave me about my nephew.  According to my mother, when nephew was born he responded to his Dad's voice by turning his head when he talked, but not to his mummy's voice.  According to my mother this is because my BIL said "Goodbye baby!" everyday to my sister's belly before he left for work. 

So basically she's saying that the one, tiny sentence per day made him more recognisable to the baby than the voice of the person he literally lived inside of 24/7 for several months?   I just can't comprehend how that would make sense to anybody.  I guess you could argue proximity, e.g. the mother's voice is further away whereas the Dad was leaning in closer... but nope, I still can't see any way that makes sense.  What about when sis raised her voice?  Or was lying down so that he belly was nearer to her face?   It just makes no sense.  Either way, I'm fairly certain my baby will know my voice as well as any other - I'm quite the talker.  Even when I'm home alone I'm talking to my kitties constantly!  I'm sure he'll hear something.

[girlysprite]

Another from my mother.  She told me to be sure I talk to my (unborn) baby so that it recognises my voice.  The brain hurty part was the example she gave me about my nephew.  According to my mother, when nephew was born he responded to his Dad's voice by turning his head when he talked, but not to his mummy's voice.  According to my mother this is because my BIL said "Goodbye baby!" everyday to my sister's belly before he left for work. 

So basically she's saying that the one, tiny sentence per day made him more recognisable to the baby than the voice of the person he literally lived inside of 24/7 for several months?   I just can't comprehend how that would make sense to anybody.  I guess you could argue proximity, e.g. the mother's voice is further away whereas the Dad was leaning in closer... but nope, I still can't see any way that makes sense.  What about when sis raised her voice?  Or was lying down so that he belly was nearer to her face?   It just makes no sense.  Either way, I'm fairly certain my baby will know my voice as well as any other - I'm quite the talker.  Even when I'm home alone I'm talking to my kitties constantly!  I'm sure he'll hear something.

Yeah, it indeed makes no sense. Also, the distance is not the issue - the sound of your voice also travels through your body, so your voice should even be heard better than any other voice.

[Kimblee]

... I do try to balance my diet soda intake with lots of water too, but that's mostly because I'm not sure the soda is hydrating me with all the caffine its got.

This actually hurts my brain sometimes--all drinks are very high-percentage liquid. There's no possible way that caffeine can remove all the water that was in the coffee or soda.

And the water in your food counts, too.

So I've never gotten that when people say that "coffee doesn't count toward your water intake."

(and a study at the U. of Nebraska w/ regular coffee drinkers said that people retain about 90% of the water in their coffee:  http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.full )

Yeah, I know fluid is hydration, no matter the source. But I get dehydrated so easily(I once was keeping track of all liquids by mouth on dr's orders and discovered I was drinking over four gallons of fluid a day. I was still dehydrated.) But get told something enough times and even if it seems stupid you get a bit cautious just in case its true.

[Luci45]

... I do try to balance my diet soda intake with lots of water too, but that's mostly because I'm not sure the soda is hydrating me with all the caffine its got.

This actually hurts my brain sometimes--all drinks are very high-percentage liquid. There's no possible way that caffeine can remove all the water that was in the coffee or soda.

And the water in your food counts, too.

So I've never gotten that when people say that "coffee doesn't count toward your water intake."

(and a study at the U. of Nebraska w/ regular coffee drinkers said that people retain about 90% of the water in their coffee:  http://www.jacn.org/content/19/5/591.full )

Yeah, I know fluid is hydration, no matter the source. But I get dehydrated so easily(I once was keeping track of all liquids by mouth on dr's orders and discovered I was drinking over four gallons of fluid a day. I was still dehydrated.) But get told something enough times and even if it seems stupid you get a bit cautious just in case its true.

We need salt, too. I went overboard avoiding salt when I was first diagnosed with hypertension, got dehydrated, then finally just went back to my lifelong habits and let the doctor adjust my diuretics. (I don't use much salt except for canned soup and a restaurant meal once a week. Never touched a tabletop salt shaker.)

[Shalamar]

Heh, what killed me about Jim's demand (that I cook the casserole for him) is that it was so unnecessary.  Everyone who decided to contribute food rather than ten bucks either cooked something they were well-known for (one guy always brought a home-made blueberry cheesecake that people literally fought over), or they brought something simple like crackers and cheese.  Jim was the only person who decided to bring something complicated that he evidently had no idea how to prepare.

I have several more Jim stories, actually ...

[Diane AKA Traska]

Heh, what killed me about Jim's demand (that I cook the casserole for him) is that it was so unnecessary.  Everyone who decided to contribute food rather than ten bucks either cooked something they were well-known for (one guy always brought a home-made blueberry cheesecake that people literally fought over), or they brought something simple like crackers and cheese.  Jim was the only person who decided to bring something complicated that he evidently had no idea how to prepare.

I have several more Jim stories, actually ...

::Pulls up a chair::