Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[Shalamar]

You: I'm working at a dinner theatre.

Her: Doing what? Cleaning bathrooms?

You: Um, no, box office. Why would you think that?

Heh.  That is, essentially, how I replied, except for the "Why would you think that?" part.  I wish I'd said that, but I still had the whole "respect your elders" thing going on.  Despite the fact that we were both adults by that point, and she wasn't respecting me.

[snowflake]

Not to continue the Star Trek thing but it reminds me of one brain hurty moment.  I like a whole lot of different genres of fiction and don't have "my" genre.  So at one point a friend of mine and I had discussed a couple of Star Trek/Star Wars novels that we had both read.

Him: "Read anything good lately?"
Me: Well I'm reading this new series by Mercedes Lackey which isn't high literature but it's entertaining.
Him: Mercedes Lackey?  She's fantasy!  You couldn't pay me enough to read fantasy. I have to read Sci Fi like Star Trek because it's not crazy-made up stuff.  It's real life!

And then my brain just hurt. I don't think I came up with a suitable answer, I think I just stared at him in horror.

[Twik]

Not to continue the Star Trek thing but it reminds me of one brain hurty moment.  I like a whole lot of different genres of fiction and don't have "my" genre.  So at one point a friend of mine and I had discussed a couple of Star Trek/Star Wars novels that we had both read.

Him: "Read anything good lately?"
Me: Well I'm reading this new series by Mercedes Lackey which isn't high literature but it's entertaining.
Him: Mercedes Lackey?  She's fantasy!  You couldn't pay me enough to read fantasy. I have to read Sci Fi like Star Trek because it's not crazy-made up stuff.  It's real life!

And then my brain just hurt. I don't think I came up with a suitable answer, I think I just stared at him in horror.

Come on, you didn't whip out your cell phone and stage-whisper, "One to beam up. NOW!"?

[BarensMom]

Not to continue the Star Trek thing but it reminds me of one brain hurty moment.  I like a whole lot of different genres of fiction and don't have "my" genre.  So at one point a friend of mine and I had discussed a couple of Star Trek/Star Wars novels that we had both read.

Him: "Read anything good lately?"
Me: Well I'm reading this new series by Mercedes Lackey which isn't high literature but it's entertaining.
Him: Mercedes Lackey?  She's fantasy!  You couldn't pay me enough to read fantasy. I have to read Sci Fi like Star Trek because it's not crazy-made up stuff.  It's real life!

And then my brain just hurt. I don't think I came up with a suitable answer, I think I just stared at him in horror.

Come on, you didn't whip out your cell phone and stage-whisper, "One to beam up. NOW!"?

There's an app for that?

[Kiara]

Not to continue the Star Trek thing but it reminds me of one brain hurty moment.  I like a whole lot of different genres of fiction and don't have "my" genre.  So at one point a friend of mine and I had discussed a couple of Star Trek/Star Wars novels that we had both read.

Him: "Read anything good lately?"
Me: Well I'm reading this new series by Mercedes Lackey which isn't high literature but it's entertaining.
Him: Mercedes Lackey?  She's fantasy!  You couldn't pay me enough to read fantasy. I have to read Sci Fi like Star Trek because it's not crazy-made up stuff.  It's real life!

And then my brain just hurt. I don't think I came up with a suitable answer, I think I just stared at him in horror.

Come on, you didn't whip out your cell phone and stage-whisper, "One to beam up. NOW!"?

There's an app for that?

Coffee, meet monitor.

(And if there is, I WANT ONE.)

[Virg]

Twik wrote:

"Come on, you didn't whip out your cell phone and stage-whisper, "One to beam up. NOW!"?"

I'd go with, "Now vould be a good time!"

Wirg

[Shalamar]

I wish such a thing as a replicator actually existed in real life!

... wait, no, I don't.  Being able to get a cheeseburger any time I want would be a very bad idea.

[BabyMama]

Not to continue the Star Trek thing but it reminds me of one brain hurty moment.  I like a whole lot of different genres of fiction and don't have "my" genre.  So at one point a friend of mine and I had discussed a couple of Star Trek/Star Wars novels that we had both read.

Him: "Read anything good lately?"
Me: Well I'm reading this new series by Mercedes Lackey which isn't high literature but it's entertaining.
Him: Mercedes Lackey?  She's fantasy!  You couldn't pay me enough to read fantasy. I have to read Sci Fi like Star Trek because it's not crazy-made up stuff.  It's real life!

And then my brain just hurt. I don't think I came up with a suitable answer, I think I just stared at him in horror.

Wash: That sounds like something out of science fiction.
Zoe: You live on a space ship, dear.

[Diane AKA Traska]

I wish such a thing as a replicator actually existed in real life!

... wait, no, I don't.  Being able to get a cheeseburger any time I want would be a very bad idea.

But you could also get a free, unlimited supply of whatever healthy, tasty, and difficult as all get out dish you love, too.  Plus, if we start tinkering around with molecular structures enough (and being able to whip something out of free atoms means we'll have to), we'll likely be able to make it healthier while still remaining a cheeseburger.

[snowflake]

I wish such a thing as a replicator actually existed in real life!

... wait, no, I don't.  Being able to get a cheeseburger any time I want would be a very bad idea.

But you could also get a free, unlimited supply of whatever healthy, tasty, and difficult as all get out dish you love, too.  Plus, if we start tinkering around with molecular structures enough (and being able to whip something out of free atoms means we'll have to), we'll likely be able to make it healthier while still remaining a cheeseburger.

No, no.  In an episode of TNG, it is established that all of Deanna Troi's chocolate sundaes are in reality healthy.  But she still longs for a "real" one.  I think this means that it might be OK for me to install a replicator and request pizza every night, but that won't stop me from popping out the Ben & Jerry's every now and then. Well...maybe a little more than now and then, who am I kidding?

I'm not sure whether remembering that detail 18 years after the show went off the air is awesome or pathetic.  I just made my own brain hurt.

[Diane AKA Traska]

I wish such a thing as a replicator actually existed in real life!

... wait, no, I don't.  Being able to get a cheeseburger any time I want would be a very bad idea.

But you could also get a free, unlimited supply of whatever healthy, tasty, and difficult as all get out dish you love, too.  Plus, if we start tinkering around with molecular structures enough (and being able to whip something out of free atoms means we'll have to), we'll likely be able to make it healthier while still remaining a cheeseburger.

No, no.  In an episode of TNG, it is established that all of Deanna Troi's chocolate sundaes are in reality healthy.  But she still longs for a "real" one.  I think this means that it might be OK for me to install a replicator and request pizza every night, but that won't stop me from popping out the Ben & Jerry's every now and then. Well...maybe a little more than now and then, who am I kidding?

I'm not sure whether remembering that detail 18 years after the show went off the air is awesome or pathetic.  I just made my own brain hurt.

I liken this to foodies who think that if it's not made with whole grain wheat pasta and organic finely aged cheddar, it isn't *really* macaroni and cheese.  It's food snobbery of the 24th century.  Convince people that you can discern a difference so they'll be in awe of your culinary knowledge.

[Mental Magpie]

Lol, I guess my brain is hurting as to why you were "all    "

It's clear you don't like this woman, but that sounds like a sympathetic "don't give up", even if she phrased it oddly.

It was the tone of her voice, it's not easy to describe but that made all the difference. It was almost like she was implying that I wouldn't be worthy of actually getting a job I would like. I haven't spoken in ages with her but it struck me as odd and a bit mean, not what I was expecting.

Honestly, that sounds a lot like you reading something into what she said, way beyond what she actually did say.

I don't think so.  A tone of voice and inflection can really change what someone says.  I've heard it before, especially when I told people I was going to be a corrections officer.

[CakeBeret]

We "do" events at my workplace. I answer the phone and the following brain hurty conversation ensues:

Him: I have a question about XYZ Event.
Me: Go ahead!
Him: What does that mean?
Me: Go ahead and ask your question.
Him: Tell me about XYZ Event.
Me: The dates are--
Him: I KNOW the dates.
Me: The location is--
Him: I know the location!
Me: The price is--
Him: I KNOW the price.
Me: The lodging is at --
Him: I know the hotel and the prices! Just tell me about the event!
Me: The theme is abc and the entertainment will be--
Him: I don't care what the entertainment or theme is! Tell me about the XYZ Event!
Me: How can I help you? What is your specific question?
Him: I want to KNOW about this event.
Me: Again, I'm not sure what you want to know. Can you be more specific?
Him: I just want the BASIC information!
Me: Please tell me what basic information you want other than dates, location, price, theme, hotel and entertainment.
Him: Stop jerking me around and tell me about this event!
Me: I'm sorry if you feel I'm jerking you around but I honestly need a specific question to give you an answer.
Him: I'll call back and hope to get someone who knows what they're doing.

He called back and got my boss, who had a nearly identical conversation with him. We still do not know what information he was seeking. We just hope he does not attend!

Oh, gads, that made my brain spin!

[VorFemme]

Ex-BIL used to use facial expressions and tone of voice to let the military officers (The VorFamily) who were related to his wife (Lil Sis) know that he considered all military (USA or South American country that he left to go to college to avoid being "drafted" - dual citizenship, born there of USA parents working in that country) to be "not very nice and probably not really human" - because the Junta that ruled the country he grew up in had done some nasty things over the course of his first 18 years of life and he had never been around military in the USA (no relatives in the military when they came back to visit extended family) and considered them to be the same kind of "bullies with uniforms & guns" (nicest way to put it). 

Looking back - he was a bully without a uniform - and might have had more issues with the fact that his fiancee's (later wife's) sister was taller than he was.  He was "tall" for South American country - but I was 5' 8" back then - a good two inches taller.  I'm not 100% sure that it was my height as well as my uniform - but looking back at some of his actions, he didn't like women with a mind of their own or women who disagreed with him.  I just remember not liking him very much because he was an arrogant changeling son of honorable parents.  As his parents were married, I can't call him a son of unwed parents.....but the bad faeries must have dropped him in that cradle....

[snowflake]

I wish such a thing as a replicator actually existed in real life!

... wait, no, I don't.  Being able to get a cheeseburger any time I want would be a very bad idea.

But you could also get a free, unlimited supply of whatever healthy, tasty, and difficult as all get out dish you love, too.  Plus, if we start tinkering around with molecular structures enough (and being able to whip something out of free atoms means we'll have to), we'll likely be able to make it healthier while still remaining a cheeseburger.

No, no.  In an episode of TNG, it is established that all of Deanna Troi's chocolate sundaes are in reality healthy.  But she still longs for a "real" one.  I think this means that it might be OK for me to install a replicator and request pizza every night, but that won't stop me from popping out the Ben & Jerry's every now and then. Well...maybe a little more than now and then, who am I kidding?

I'm not sure whether remembering that detail 18 years after the show went off the air is awesome or pathetic.  I just made my own brain hurt.

I liken this to foodies who think that if it's not made with whole grain wheat pasta and organic finely aged cheddar, it isn't *really* macaroni and cheese.  It's food snobbery of the 24th century.  Convince people that you can discern a difference so they'll be in awe of your culinary knowledge.

I always thought of it more along the lines of getting ice milk instead of ice cream.  It doesn't take a connoisseur to tell the difference and the former just doesn't cut it some days.