Exchanges with People that Make Your Brain Hurt

[Daffodil]

I've had customers seriously ask me why they couldn't open a contract in someone else's name - who isn't even present at the time 

[Ereine]

I can't quote with my phone but the ground mail to Australia thing is making my brain hurt but not in the way it was maybe intended. Is it because they used the term ground mail instead of surface mail or because you think it needs to travel by plane if it crosses water? I know that the US post office discontinued international surface mail a few years ago, it was a huge thing in the mail swapping communities I was involved in but I've sent many packages by surface mail to America even if there's an ocean between us. The mail just travels by boat. I didn't usually do it with packages to Australia if there was need for one, it takes about three months with surface mail. In Finnish I actually call it ground mail at the post office, to separate it from air mail and they always understand me.

[Merry Mrs Martin]

I can't quote with my phone but the ground mail to Australia thing is making my brain hurt but not in the way it was maybe intended. Is it because they used the term ground mail instead of surface mail or because you think it needs to travel by plane if it crosses water? I know that the US post office discontinued international surface mail a few years ago, it was a huge thing in the mail swapping communities I was involved in but I've sent many packages by surface mail to America even if there's an ocean between us. The mail just travels by boat. I didn't usually do it with packages to Australia if there was need for one, it takes about three months with surface mail. In Finnish I actually call it ground mail at the post office, to separate it from air mail and they always understand me.

From the US to England I've done the same thing, I don't expect a bridge to be built I just want the "ground" equivalent speed and price option. What I don't want is 2 day air or 5 day priority I might not know the name of the service (since the names seem to change randomly) IF I said  ground? they told me the name  its take 2-4 weeks and other name takes no more then 10 days and costs x more.

[mbbored]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

Recently I was with a friend as she was closing out an investment account shortly before moving out of state. There was a question about whether her current representative would be able to help her or not based on which state she would actually be living in at the time the transaction was completed. He at first insisted he was not licensed in the state she was moving to and would therefore have to turn her file over to someone else to handle. On the visit where I was with her, he then said he actually WAS licensed in that state. This guy was rude and flaky on lots of counts so when he said this she was a bit taken aback and asked for proof since he clearly didn't know where he was licensed and where he wasn't. He got all huffy and said, "There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

I have a friend who develops geographic software, who insisted one day at lunch that Hawaii was the 51st state. I had him look it up on his smart phone, but clearly Google was wrong. We were eating next to city hall, which was flying an American flag, so we sat there and counted stars, but city hall also was wrong, and was apparently flying a 50 year old flag. Eventually he said, "Let's just agree to disagree." Uh, yeah, no. You're wrong, I'm right.

[lady_disdain]

I had an ex who insisted moon phases were caused by the Earth's shadow, and that the Moon does not rotate on it's own axis.  He simply refused to believe the truth, even when I showed him.  Trying to deal with wilful ignorance makes my brain hurt, but I do enjoy this thread

Well, you were both right. Moon phases are caused by the Earth's shadow and the moon's position in relationship to the sun and the Earth, due to its orbit around the Earth. And, yes, the Moon does rotate around its own axis. Its rotational speed "matches" its translational speed, sothe same side of the moon always faces the Earth and why there is such a thing as the "hidden side of the moon".

I didn't think Earth's shadow came into it for phases, just eclipses. Here's a diagram of phases: http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml

And I've had the rotation discussion more than once, but the only time I've ended up banging my head on the desk was a gentleman who thought the moon was actually physically made of light material on one side and dark on the other, hence "dark side of the moon".

Doh! I was thinking of eclipses...

[oogyda]

At a family reunion where most of the "family" lives in Minnesota I was chatting with a distant cousin who I don't remember meeting before:

Me: So, where do you live?
DC: Minot (North Dakota).  Where do you live?
Me: Idaho.
DC: Is that in Minnesota or North Dakota? 

[Redsoil]

New patients who ring for an appointment, then try to hang up (their cats must be on fire) after I mention an available timeslot without giving me their name (or other pertinent details).  "Oh good, I'll see you then!" (Um, hang on a minute!)  Plus, there is certain information I need to give you so you're appropriately informed/prepared for your initial consult, so take a minute or two (literally - it's not that long) to listen. 

Really - where on earth does it work that you book a medical appointment and just turn up without giving your name?  The very thing we need to actually MAKE a booking!  Even more interesting - I ask their name (Saying something like "I can book you in at 3pm if that suits, so if I can just get your name and a few other details for the records"), get the details from them, then have them say "Oh, it's not for me - it's for my husband/child/resident green blob etc"  Changes the situation if it's not for you!  (The clue would be "I can book YOU in etc...")

[Giggity]

My sister and I both keep hens. We ran across a woman at a party who told us she thought it was "gross" to eat something that emerged from the hind end of a chicken. My sister said, oh you avoid eggs then? just making conversation and the woman replied that no, she eats eggs but only the kind that are made in a factory.  I said well all eggs come from hens even factory farmed eggs but no, she insisted her eggs were not factory "farmed" but factory "made" as in totally synthetic, because she would never eat anything that came of a chicken "like that." Good grief.

GAAAAAH.

You know, the first time I picked up an egg that was so warm it had to have just come from the chicken, I was all "eeeew chicken butt heat!" But then I realized that that means FRESH, and now that I actually know some chickens, I will probably never buy grocery-store eggs again.

[Layla Miller]

See, this is why I don't eat the egg shells.  Much simpler than worrying about chicken butt. 

Anyone else keeping thinking of that silly "Guess what?" / "Chicken butt!" bit by now?

[RingTailedLemur]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

Recently I was with a friend as she was closing out an investment account shortly before moving out of state. There was a question about whether her current representative would be able to help her or not based on which state she would actually be living in at the time the transaction was completed. He at first insisted he was not licensed in the state she was moving to and would therefore have to turn her file over to someone else to handle. On the visit where I was with her, he then said he actually WAS licensed in that state. This guy was rude and flaky on lots of counts so when he said this she was a bit taken aback and asked for proof since he clearly didn't know where he was licensed and where he wasn't. He got all huffy and said, "There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

I have a friend who develops geographic software, who insisted one day at lunch that Hawaii was the 51st state. I had him look it up on his smart phone, but clearly Google was wrong. We were eating next to city hall, which was flying an American flag, so we sat there and counted stars, but city hall also was wrong, and was apparently flying a 50 year old flag. Eventually he said, "Let's just agree to disagree." Uh, yeah, no. You're wrong, I'm right.

That would go in the "things that drive you completely up the wall" thread for me!

[SpottedPony]

There's an ad from a San Francisco paper that's been making the rounds.  It goes something like this, 'Hunters, there is no need to go out and kill animals for their meat, just go to the grocery story and buy it there where no animals were harmed." 

Good grief, the person who bought that ad had NO idea where meat, wild or domestic comes from.

Spotted Pony

[Allyson]

This exchange with a customer made my brain hurt...

Customer: What does *food item* come with?
Me: It comes with mushrooms an a tomato-herb dressing
Customer: Oh, no mushrooms, just the tomato-herb dressing
Me: Sure!
*brings customer food*
Customer: Uh, I don't do tomatos, I want the oil dressing...nevermind, take it back and just give me marinara

Me ....

[Merry Mrs Martin]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

Recently I was with a friend as she was closing out an investment account shortly before moving out of state. There was a question about whether her current representative would be able to help her or not based on which state she would actually be living in at the time the transaction was completed. He at first insisted he was not licensed in the state she was moving to and would therefore have to turn her file over to someone else to handle. On the visit where I was with her, he then said he actually WAS licensed in that state. This guy was rude and flaky on lots of counts so when he said this she was a bit taken aback and asked for proof since he clearly didn't know where he was licensed and where he wasn't. He got all huffy and said, "There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

I have a friend who develops geographic software, who insisted one day at lunch that Hawaii was the 51st state. I had him look it up on his smart phone, but clearly Google was wrong. We were eating next to city hall, which was flying an American flag, so we sat there and counted stars, but city hall also was wrong, and was apparently flying a 50 year old flag. Eventually he said, "Let's just agree to disagree." Uh, yeah, no. You're wrong, I'm right.

That would go in the "things that drive you completely up the wall" thread for me!

OR...." this isn't really an impostant issue , it's not important whose right let's just drop it" which I'm willing to do but I do notice if the only time things should be dropped is if I'm right.

[2littlemonkeys]

I had a conversation with a doctor similar to a PPs conversation with the police officer.

I had developed a UTI and took some OTC medicine specifically designed to alleviate the pain and discomfort until you can get to the doctor.  These pills color the urine an orange color, though I can't remember why.  At any rate, when I finally got in to see the doctor, I let the nurse know that I had taken the OTC meds. 

A little while later, the doctor came in and proceeded to give me a lecture about taking those meds because they make you think you feel better but the infection is still there and then you don't come into the doctor and get it treated properly.

It was so surreal.  I wanted to say, "But...I'm here...waiting for the proper treatment..." but I think I was too  to say anything.

[wolfie]

I used to work with a woman from Alaska. She was constantly amazed at how many people didn't know that Alaska is a state.

Recently I was with a friend as she was closing out an investment account shortly before moving out of state. There was a question about whether her current representative would be able to help her or not based on which state she would actually be living in at the time the transaction was completed. He at first insisted he was not licensed in the state she was moving to and would therefore have to turn her file over to someone else to handle. On the visit where I was with her, he then said he actually WAS licensed in that state. This guy was rude and flaky on lots of counts so when he said this she was a bit taken aback and asked for proof since he clearly didn't know where he was licensed and where he wasn't. He got all huffy and said, "There are fifty-some-odd states! I can't remember all of them!"

We looked at each other and I mumbled something about how I was under the impression there were exactly fifty states.

We still joke about that!

I have a friend who develops geographic software, who insisted one day at lunch that Hawaii was the 51st state. I had him look it up on his smart phone, but clearly Google was wrong. We were eating next to city hall, which was flying an American flag, so we sat there and counted stars, but city hall also was wrong, and was apparently flying a 50 year old flag. Eventually he said, "Let's just agree to disagree." Uh, yeah, no. You're wrong, I'm right.

Shoulda asked him to name all 51 states. See what he adds in.