Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[PastryGoddess]

My mother just informed me that she wants my brother to unfriend our old youth pastor on Facebook because my brother has two tattoos and has mentioned getting a third in a Facebook status. They aren't vulgar tattoos, but she's convinced that "youths" who have them are automatically unsavory or something.  I told her it must be a Baby Boomer thing, as my generation is more relaxed about tattoos (especially ones that are easily concealed under his uniform). She just kept saying that it "looked bad" and "presented a bad image". She basically wants him to unfriend everyone from our church (and we're not even Jewish or Catholic) and is generally irritated about the very idea of ink on his person.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was thinking about suggesting that he and I get matching tattoos.

Am I missing the part where this relates to the pastor?  Or is that the brain-hurty part? 

I believe the part we are all missing is the brain hurty part

[LazyDaisy]

My mother just informed me that she wants my brother to unfriend our old youth pastor on Facebook because my brother has two tattoos and has mentioned getting a third in a Facebook status. They aren't vulgar tattoos, but she's convinced that "youths" who have them are automatically unsavory or something.  I told her it must be a Baby Boomer thing, as my generation is more relaxed about tattoos (especially ones that are easily concealed under his uniform). She just kept saying that it "looked bad" and "presented a bad image". She basically wants him to unfriend everyone from our church (and we're not even Jewish or Catholic) and is generally irritated about the very idea of ink on his person.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was thinking about suggesting that he and I get matching tattoos.

Am I missing the part where this relates to the pastor?  Or is that the brain-hurty part? 

I believe the part we are all missing is the brain hurty part

I'm guessing it's because mother is embarrassed and doesn't want the church pastor to see photos of brother on Facebook, lest he think less of her because the tattoo'd boy is her son.

[jpcher]

My mother just informed me that she wants my brother to unfriend our old youth pastor on Facebook because my brother has two tattoos and has mentioned getting a third in a Facebook status. They aren't vulgar tattoos, but she's convinced that "youths" who have them are automatically unsavory or something. I told her it must be a Baby Boomer thing, as my generation is more relaxed about tattoos (especially ones that are easily concealed under his uniform). She just kept saying that it "looked bad" and "presented a bad image". She basically wants him to unfriend everyone from our church (and we're not even Jewish or Catholic) and is generally irritated about the very idea of ink on his person.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was thinking about suggesting that he and I get matching tattoos.

Am I missing the part where this relates to the pastor?  Or is that the brain-hurty part? 

I believe the part we are all missing is the brain hurty part

I'm guessing it's because mother is embarrassed and doesn't want the church pastor to see photos of brother on Facebook, lest he think less of her because the tattoo'd boy is her son.

Bold in the OP, to me, is the brain-hurty part that I saw.

I agree with LazyDaisy. Yeah. It makes my brain hurt, too. So sad.

[Adelaide]

My mother just informed me that she wants my brother to unfriend our old youth pastor on Facebook because my brother has two tattoos and has mentioned getting a third in a Facebook status. They aren't vulgar tattoos, but she's convinced that "youths" who have them are automatically unsavory or something. I told her it must be a Baby Boomer thing, as my generation is more relaxed about tattoos (especially ones that are easily concealed under his uniform). She just kept saying that it "looked bad" and "presented a bad image". She basically wants him to unfriend everyone from our church (and we're not even Jewish or Catholic) and is generally irritated about the very idea of ink on his person.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was thinking about suggesting that he and I get matching tattoos.

Am I missing the part where this relates to the pastor?  Or is that the brain-hurty part? 

I believe the part we are all missing is the brain hurty part

I'm guessing it's because mother is embarrassed and doesn't want the church pastor to see photos of brother on Facebook, lest he think less of her because the tattoo'd boy is her son.

Bold in the OP, to me, is the brain-hurty part that I saw.

I agree with LazyDaisy. Yeah. It makes my brain hurt, too. So sad.

The brain-hurty part is that she thinks people in the church will frown upon or think less of my brother for talking about the tattoos....I guess. That's what I've been able to piece together from her explanations. She just offhandedly mentioned to me that it's too bad that he's getting inked up and she is going to ask him to unfriend the youth pastor/people from church. And I could see where, if we were Jewish, it might be an issue as I believe there's a bit in the Torah about no tattoos. But we're not. I think it's just a personal thing for her. But she talks about him having tattoos with the sad, regretful tone people use when a friend's family member died. 

[Lynn2000]

My boss is full of these things... The other day I sent her an email with the latest draft of my report attached. She saw the email, got up, walked over to my desk, handed me a USB key, and said, "Can you just save it to this key for me?" 

She does that all the time. Yes, she sees the email with the attachments. No, there's nothing about the email system that prevents large attachments from working. She would rather have me save it on her key for her, than download it to her key from the email I just sent her. I just don't get it.

[Snooks]

I've had two recently, neither of which were exchanges because they didn't require responses.  One was an overheard conversation while out shopping as one lady said to her friend "It's dreadful in schools now, they learn about every other religion's Christmas but they don't touch on Christianity".  The second was a text message which said "Your Christmas card is on the way, now to look for your birthday card", which makes no sense because my birthday was in the middle of the year and if it's in the house and you're sending out a bulk of post why not just send everything together (or just apologise for missing my birthday)?  There is a bit more background to the relationship which makes me think this is some sort of passive aggressive dig but it still makes my brain hurt.

[blue2000]

I've had two recently, neither of which were exchanges because they didn't require responses.  One was an overheard conversation while out shopping as one lady said to her friend "It's dreadful in schools now, they learn about every other religion's Christmas but they don't touch on Christianity".  The second was a text message which said "Your Christmas card is on the way, now to look for your birthday card", which makes no sense because my birthday was in the middle of the year and if it's in the house and you're sending out a bulk of post why not just send everything together (or just apologise for missing my birthday)?  There is a bit more background to the relationship which makes me think this is some sort of passive aggressive dig but it still makes my brain hurt.

Bro? Is that you?

Dad just sent me a holiday card with a note that went something like "Sorry you can't be bothered to write. Have a Merry Christmas anyway."

Ok, then. I will.

[Piratelvr1121]

My mother just informed me that she wants my brother to unfriend our old youth pastor on Facebook because my brother has two tattoos and has mentioned getting a third in a Facebook status. They aren't vulgar tattoos, but she's convinced that "youths" who have them are automatically unsavory or something.  I told her it must be a Baby Boomer thing, as my generation is more relaxed about tattoos (especially ones that are easily concealed under his uniform). She just kept saying that it "looked bad" and "presented a bad image". She basically wants him to unfriend everyone from our church (and we're not even Jewish or Catholic) and is generally irritated about the very idea of ink on his person.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was thinking about suggesting that he and I get matching tattoos.

Am I missing the part where this relates to the pastor?  Or is that the brain-hurty part? 

I believe the part we are all missing is the brain hurty part

I'm guessing it's because mother is embarrassed and doesn't want the church pastor to see photos of brother on Facebook, lest he think less of her because the tattoo'd boy is her son.

I can see it, if the mom is convinced it's unsavory she's going to be worried what other people think of her because her child got inked.  My mother was very unhappy when I got inked as she's one who believes only bikers and rednecks/white trash get inked.  It's a nice little tattoo of a green sparrow with two shamrocks in its mouth, both bearing the initials of my first 2 sons, easily covered by long pants and skirts, but while she didn't come out and say it, her distaste was obvious in her expression.

[TurtleDove]

My BF is a pastor and he has a Chi Rho tattoo, and his oldest son has a half sleeve. His congregation has several members with visible tattoos, and I would imagine more with hidden ones. This is the conservative Lutheran Church Missouri Synod!

[Yvaine]

My BF is a pastor and he has a Chi Rho tattoo, and his oldest son has a half sleeve. His congregation has several members with visible tattoos, and I would imagine more with hidden ones. This is the conservative Lutheran Church Missouri Synod!

That was my first guess--that the pastor was inked and the mom thought he was a bad influence! 

[2littlemonkeys]

I almost created my own brain hurty moment just now but luckily, I was able to stop the train from going off the tracks.   

One of my coworkers is out sick but has some documents she needs to finish and send to the client.  She called and asked me to send her laptop via messenger service.  No sweat.  Only I got back to my desk and started composing an email to her, letting her know her laptop was on its way and she could expect it within the hour.

She would have received said email upon opening her package from the messenger and logging on.  Duh.

[Shoo]

My BF is a pastor and he has a Chi Rho tattoo, and his oldest son has a half sleeve. His congregation has several members with visible tattoos, and I would imagine more with hidden ones. This is the conservative Lutheran Church Missouri Synod!

That was my first guess--that the pastor was inked and the mom thought he was a bad influence! 

I assumed the mom was embarassed by her son's tattoos and doesn't want the pastor of the church to see pictures of them, so she asked her son to defriend the pastor.

[Louie_LI]

I almost created my own brain hurty moment just now but luckily, I was able to stop the train from going off the tracks.   

One of my coworkers is out sick but has some documents she needs to finish and send to the client.  She called and asked me to send her laptop via messenger service.  No sweat.  Only I got back to my desk and started composing an email to her, letting her know her laptop was on its way and she could expect it within the hour.

She would have received said email upon opening her package from the messenger and logging on.  Duh.

This reminds me of our IT department, which sent out an e-mail to tell us the e-mail server was down.

[Iris]

I've had two recently, neither of which were exchanges because they didn't require responses.  One was an overheard conversation while out shopping as one lady said to her friend "It's dreadful in schools now, they learn about every other religion's Christmas but they don't touch on Christianity".  The second was a text message which said "Your Christmas card is on the way, now to look for your birthday card", which makes no sense because my birthday was in the middle of the year and if it's in the house and you're sending out a bulk of post why not just send everything together (or just apologise for missing my birthday)?  There is a bit more background to the relationship which makes me think this is some sort of passive aggressive dig but it still makes my brain hurt.

Bro? Is that you?

Dad just sent me a holiday card with a note that went something like "Sorry you can't be bothered to write. Have a Merry Christmas anyway."

Ok, then. I will.

Ouch. Merry Christmas to you too, Dad 

[snowflake]

I almost created my own brain hurty moment just now but luckily, I was able to stop the train from going off the tracks.   

One of my coworkers is out sick but has some documents she needs to finish and send to the client.  She called and asked me to send her laptop via messenger service.  No sweat.  Only I got back to my desk and started composing an email to her, letting her know her laptop was on its way and she could expect it within the hour.

She would have received said email upon opening her package from the messenger and logging on.  Duh.

This reminds me of our IT department, which sent out an e-mail to tell us the e-mail server was down.

I worked at a place that had a very temperamental server connection.  This was because they had this clunky security software that talked to the server in an awkward way.  (Won't be more specific than that because it will take too long to explain.) This was in reaction to two hacking incidents over five years.  The best solution would have been for us to use some mainstream, well-supported software but they opted for some bargain-basement deal instead.

Sometimes this software would get caught in a feedback loop and they would have to get a hold of the company to fix it.  Said software was set up so only techs from the company could fix it because the company was again too cheap to pay for our network admin to get trained. 

The network admin would always send out emails saying, "We have a feedback loop, but you can bypass it by following steps X, Y and Z..."  And of course we couldn't get the email!  The network admin would barricade himself in the office to hide from the hordes bothering him for a print out of the work-around.

Our director kept saying, "Well you shouldn't have to have dead time because Bob always has a work-around!"

*headslap*