Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[HelenB]

Off topic:
there's a great Star Trek book, by Barbara Hambly, set in the Here Comes the Brides universe.
http://www.amazon.com/Ishmael-Star-Trek-No-23/dp/0671743554

Just the thought of that kind of mashup makes my brain hurt.  Does Sarek meet Aaron in the course of the story?  (both  were played by Mark Lenard)

Nope - Spock is the one who time travels.................and has the silver locket that his great-great-you figure out how many greats are needed grandmother is wearing in the book.  And is instrumental in the wall-flower being noticed enough to end up married............turns out that the paradox might have been if he DIDN'T end up time traveling.................

Not the best book ever written - but fun!

One more bit of thread-jack:  If you're paying attention while reading you'll also see cameos by characters from/mentions of Dr Who, original Battlestar, Star Wars, Bonanza, Maverick, and I think some other western TV shows.

[HelenB]

And some non-threadjack:

We've had some snowy/icy weather here, after a mild winter. Last week, my husband was almost taken out by someone in a large vehicle who had been going too fast for the conditions.  When I mentioned this at work, someone was amazed that a vehicle like that could go out of control in icy conditions -- isn't that the kind of conditions they're made for?

The brain hurt part is that she is working on an engineering degree, and has taken the correct classes to know how force, mass, friction, etc should work. (Yes, I know, practical application of theory does not always happen.)

But it was scary how long it took us to convince her that 4-wheel drive doesn't help you drive 70mph on glare ice.

[Betelnut]

This is from the paper, but it still made my head hurt for a second.  In Ask Amy, the letter say nurmerous times, "My boyfriend," "he," but then Amy says, "Am I right in assuming he was a male stripper?"  (The writer was asking Amy how to ask her boyfriend to not mention to her teenage daughters the fact that he danced in an adult club while in college.)

I suppose it is possible that the person had a sex change, but come on Amy!  Plus, even if the guy had only "danced" and not "stripped" the letter writer was still concerned.

It was just odd.  Was Amy verifying the person's sex or the stripping?  If it was the stripping, why say "male stripper"?  That's like using the phrase, "male nurse"--just weird and not relevant.

[rashea]

This is from the paper, but it still made my head hurt for a second.  In Ask Amy, the letter say nurmerous times, "My boyfriend," "he," but then Amy says, "Am I right in assuming he was a male stripper?"  (The writer was asking Amy how to ask her boyfriend to not mention to her teenage daughters the fact that he danced in an adult club while in college.)

I suppose it is possible that the person had a sex change, but come on Amy!  Plus, even if the guy had only "danced" and not "stripped" the letter writer was still concerned.

It was just odd.  Was Amy verifying the person's sex or the stripping?  If it was the stripping, why say "male stripper"?  That's like using the phrase, "male nurse"--just weird and not relevant.

I think she was verifying the type of "adult club", or maybe his position in such a club. Had he been a bartender or bouncer, it might be easier for him to just say he was a "bouncer at a club". If he was a stripper, it would tweak answers a bit.

[Betelnut]

This is from the paper, but it still made my head hurt for a second.  In Ask Amy, the letter say nurmerous times, "My boyfriend," "he," but then Amy says, "Am I right in assuming he was a male stripper?"  (The writer was asking Amy how to ask her boyfriend to not mention to her teenage daughters the fact that he danced in an adult club while in college.)

I suppose it is possible that the person had a sex change, but come on Amy!  Plus, even if the guy had only "danced" and not "stripped" the letter writer was still concerned.

It was just odd.  Was Amy verifying the person's sex or the stripping?  If it was the stripping, why say "male stripper"?  That's like using the phrase, "male nurse"--just weird and not relevant.

I think she was verifying the type of "adult club", or maybe his position in such a club. Had he been a bartender or bouncer, it might be easier for him to just say he was a "bouncer at a club". If he was a stripper, it would tweak answers a bit.

The letter writer had said that he told her daughters he had been a dancer there during college.  So, he could have been a stripper.  But why did Amy add the "male" part--that is what made my brain hurt the most.

[DottyG]

But why did Amy add the "male" part--that is what made my brain hurt the most.

Because "male stripper" is how you usually hear that term.  Those two words are usually together when describing that profession.  She wasn't stressing the male part of the term.  Just using it as a term as its own.

[Betelnut]

But why did Amy add the "male" part--that is what made my brain hurt the most.

Because "male stripper" is how you usually hear that term.  Those two words are usually together when describing that profession.  She wasn't stressing the male part of the term.  Just using it as a term as its own.

But why would you need to say, "He was a male stripper"?  You would just say, "He was a stripper."

[KimberlyM]

Last night my husband and I were discussing what to do with our cars.  I bought a mini van over the summer, and now we have 3 cars we really don't need.  The jeep almost never gets driven anymore and we're paying a boat load on insurance. 

We were thinking about selling the jeep and the station wagon and getting something newer.  He suggested a double cab pickup.  Then things got brain hurty...

Me:  We can't afford the gas it would take to drive a big truck like that.

DH:  We could if we had more money.

Me:   

I couldn't do anything but laugh.

[DottyG]

But why would you need to say, "He was a male stripper"?  You would just say, "He was a stripper."

You can.  Although, "male stripper" is kind of a term unto itself as well.  It's not unusual to use both words.  It's pretty common to see/hear it that way.  In fact, I'd say that I hear it more that way than just "stripper."

[LadyClaire]

And some non-threadjack:

We've had some snowy/icy weather here, after a mild winter. Last week, my husband was almost taken out by someone in a large vehicle who had been going too fast for the conditions.  When I mentioned this at work, someone was amazed that a vehicle like that could go out of control in icy conditions -- isn't that the kind of conditions they're made for?

The brain hurt part is that she is working on an engineering degree, and has taken the correct classes to know how force, mass, friction, etc should work. (Yes, I know, practical application of theory does not always happen.)

But it was scary how long it took us to convince her that 4-wheel drive doesn't help you drive 70mph on glare ice.

It seems to be a scarily common misconception that 4-wheel drive allows you to drive just as fast as you normally would in snow and ice. This is why after every ice/snow storm here you will see a lot of SUVs, jeeps, and pick-up trucks overturned in ditches, crashed into trees, and spun out into the barrier walls on the expressway. I was once nearly creamed by someone in a jeep who sped up to a stop sign, tried to stop, and instead slid through the intersection that I was traveling through at the time. Thankfully I managed to squeak through with the jeep narrowly missing the back end of my car. He didn't manage to stop sliding until he was nearly to the other side of the intersection.

[Sirius]

Had to look that where that was as we lived in Albuquerque for several years I worked for the University of New Mexico & you would not (OK perhaps you would) believe the number of people who left off the "New". Of course there was also the time one of the professors was trying to register for a conference somewhere out East & got sent an application for a foreign attendee. Happened.all.the.time.

OTOH, New Mexico is quite beautiful & if you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it! I miss the sunsets.

My bro lives in Albuquerque, and the last time I was there Bro and SIL took me to the Very Long Array radio telescope array at Socorro.  They had to pry me out of there when it was time to leave.  Since the visitor's center isn't attended I got to be an impromptu tour guide and explain what was going on there to a group of British tourists.

Actually, it's the Very Large Array.  Yep, went to New Mexico Tech, home of the VLA.

And I know that it's the Very Large Array.  I don't know where "Very Long Array" came from. 

[kitty-cat]

And some non-threadjack:

We've had some snowy/icy weather here, after a mild winter. Last week, my husband was almost taken out by someone in a large vehicle who had been going too fast for the conditions.  When I mentioned this at work, someone was amazed that a vehicle like that could go out of control in icy conditions -- isn't that the kind of conditions they're made for?

The brain hurt part is that she is working on an engineering degree, and has taken the correct classes to know how force, mass, friction, etc should work. (Yes, I know, practical application of theory does not always happen.)

But it was scary how long it took us to convince her that 4-wheel drive doesn't help you drive 70mph on glare ice.

It seems to be a scarily common misconception that 4-wheel drive allows you to drive just as fast as you normally would in snow and ice. This is why after every ice/snow storm here you will see a lot of SUVs, jeeps, and pick-up trucks overturned in ditches, crashed into trees, and spun out into the barrier walls on the expressway. I was once nearly creamed by someone in a jeep who sped up to a stop sign, tried to stop, and instead slid through the intersection that I was traveling through at the time. Thankfully I managed to squeak through with the jeep narrowly missing the back end of my car. He didn't manage to stop sliding until he was nearly to the other side of the intersection.

I think it was November or early December when we had some horrible rain out here. I'm talking POURING cats, dogs, elephants... Yeah, that bad.

I was driving home from work and I was waiting to turn left at a light. Light turns green, I start turning and then all of a sudden this big pickup comes speeding down the other side of the road to turn right. He skidded a bit and I swear to god that he missed me by thismuch. Seriously- there was maybe an inch or two between our cars... I pass him on the road like 30 seconds later and he is laughing his head off while I'm white-knuckling the steering wheel and trying to not freak out.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Had to look that where that was as we lived in Albuquerque for several years I worked for the University of New Mexico & you would not (OK perhaps you would) believe the number of people who left off the "New". Of course there was also the time one of the professors was trying to register for a conference somewhere out East & got sent an application for a foreign attendee. Happened.all.the.time.

OTOH, New Mexico is quite beautiful & if you have a chance to go, I highly recommend it! I miss the sunsets.

My bro lives in Albuquerque, and the last time I was there Bro and SIL took me to the Very Long Array radio telescope array at Socorro.  They had to pry me out of there when it was time to leave.  Since the visitor's center isn't attended I got to be an impromptu tour guide and explain what was going on there to a group of British tourists.

Actually, it's the Very Large Array.  Yep, went to New Mexico Tech, home of the VLA.

And I know that it's the Very Large Array.  I don't know where "Very Long Array" came from.

::Tries to resist, fails::

That's what she said.

[kethria]

Actually, it's the Very Large Array.  Yep, went to New Mexico Tech, home of the VLA.

And I know that it's the Very Large Array.  I don't know where "Very Long Array" came from.

::Tries to resist, fails::

That's what she said.

Curses! You beat me to it!

[Iris]

Last night my husband and I were discussing what to do with our cars.  I bought a mini van over the summer, and now we have 3 cars we really don't need.  The jeep almost never gets driven anymore and we're paying a boat load on insurance. 

We were thinking about selling the jeep and the station wagon and getting something newer.  He suggested a double cab pickup.  Then things got brain hurty...

Me:  We can't afford the gas it would take to drive a big truck like that.

DH:  We could if we had more money.

Me:   

I couldn't do anything but laugh.

What? You COULD afford it if you had more money! Makes perfect sense