"You're being rude" - Etiquette hypocrisy & misunderstandings

[snowfire]

Yeah, I'm not a farrier but I've cleaned a LOT of hooves in my time.  It makes a world of difference how well trained and cooperative the horse is.  I've had horses lean on me, bite me in the butt (thankfully wearing heavy parka at the time), refuse to lift their feet, pee on me, try to take a dump on me.  Easy job? I DON'T THINK SO! 

Our farrier says he really hates doing the mini horses.  They are so tiny you really can't lift their feet very far so it's harder on his back.  I told him he needs a grooming table like they use for dogs.

[Minmom3]

I quite liked his Xanth stuff as a teen in the 90's but the puns got a tiresome after awhile.

That, and the endless glee about what color someone's panties were.

I found a complete set of Xanth as an adult, and started reading it, but it was all the juvenile references to panties that did me in, rather than the puns.

Well, to be fair, it IS aimed at the youth market, not the adult market. 

[MommyPenguin]

I quite liked his Xanth stuff as a teen in the 90's but the puns got a tiresome after awhile.

That, and the endless glee about what color someone's panties were.

I found a complete set of Xanth as an adult, and started reading it, but it was all the juvenile references to panties that did me in, rather than the puns.

Well, to be fair, it IS aimed at the youth market, not the adult market.

Even as a child/teen, I *adored* the first Xanth books, through maybe around Man from Mundania or so.  But it just seemed like there was less story and more... puns.  I couldn't get through the ones much farther than that.  I'll still go back and read "The Source of Magic" or "Isle of View," but not those later books.  I do remember being disgusted at the cover art from the book with the girl who married Jonathan, the Zombie King.  Brianna, something like that?  The book made such a big deal about her being black, and her people crossing over into Xanth to escape slavery, etc.   And yet the cover art for the book had a dark-haired white girl?  I know the author has no control over that, but I was *very* annoyed at the publishers.

[Jocelyn]

I quite liked his Xanth stuff as a teen in the 90's but the puns got a tiresome after awhile.

That, and the endless glee about what color someone's panties were.

I found a complete set of Xanth as an adult, and started reading it, but it was all the juvenile references to panties that did me in, rather than the puns.

Well, to be fair, it IS aimed at the youth market, not the adult market.

I read a lot of YA fiction, and a lot of it is well-written. I think what bothered me about Xanth was how it was targeted so strongly at males. I don't know many females who think underpants are hilarious. It was a weird dichotomy...writing in a heroic female character, and then having her main function be to flash her panties at the male protagonist.

[redcat]

I know I found them both juvenile and misogynistic.

[Tini]

Years ago when I moved to Britain, I left all my Xanth books with my BFF because I didn't have that much space in my moving van. I've borrowed them back from her now, and I cannot stand them. I have no clue what I used to see in them. She doesn't want them back, either, so I think I'll put them on the charity table in my local supermarket.

I think living in Britain cured me of my liking for puns, if nothing else.

[MommyPenguin]

I had the same issue with my Mercedes Lackey books (Valdemar), in that I thought they were so wonderful when I was young, and then when I went to reread them as an adult, I couldn't believe how annoying and political they were, and I ended up getting rid of all of them.

[Minmom3]

It's funny, I've had the same problems with some books I bought in my late teens and early 20's.  I loved them then, and find them uninteresting now.  I really enjoyed the first few Xanth books, but as the puns kept beating me over the head, I got quite tired of them.  He gets a LOT of them from fans who submit them, and they're too labored for my taste.  I still like the Valdemar books, though.  There are others, that currently escape my brain, that I've culled to make space for newer, more currently enjoyed books.  Amanda Quick.  I LOVED her early stuff in that name, now I'm 'meh' on them.  Some newer ones are still to my taste.  I still enjoy her Jayne Ann Krentz stuff, but I can't read too many in a row, as they're too similar.  She writes under another name, (Crystal?) that is mighty hokey.  I enjoy them from the library, but will never pay for them!

[CrochetFanatic]

This morning, when I was in line to pay for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, another customer tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.  I went, "Huh?" and turned to look, and the guy standing behind me gave a really exaggerated grin and pointed to the corners of his mouth.  My expression probably looked something like this:  .  He clarified, still grinning, "Smile!"  I said, "No," and turned to face forward again.  He called me rude.  I think he was rude twice; first in touching me when it wasn't necessary, then in telling me to smile when I was minding my own business and trying to wake up the rest of the way. 

[Venus193]

This morning, when I was in line to pay for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, another customer tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.  I went, "Huh?" and turned to look, and the guy standing behind me gave a really exaggerated grin and pointed to the corners of his mouth.  My expression probably looked something like this:  .  He clarified, still grinning, "Smile!"  I said, "No," and turned to face forward again.  He called me rude.  I think he was rude twice; first in touching me when it wasn't necessary, then in telling me to smile when I was minding my own business and trying to wake up the rest of the way. 

My reaction -- in the unlikelihood that this ever happens to me again -- will be "Your rudeness, Sir, is the epitome of presumption."  or perhaps the reverse.

Edited for a spelling error.

[Piratelvr1121]

Evil Pirate would be tempted to stick her tongue out at them. 

I got so tired in college of one girl that lived in my suite constantly asking me what's wrong when I wasn't smiling. My nickname was "Giggles" because I was normally cheerful and laughed easily so apparently she thought that if I wasn't laughing or smiling there must be something terribly wrong. 

[Morticia]

This morning, when I was in line to pay for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, another customer tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.  I went, "Huh?" and turned to look, and the guy standing behind me gave a really exaggerated grin and pointed to the corners of his mouth.  My expression probably looked something like this:  .  He clarified, still grinning, "Smile!"  I said, "No," and turned to face forward again.  He called me rude.  I think he was rude twice; first in touching me when it wasn't necessary, then in telling me to smile when I was minding my own business and trying to wake up the rest of the way.

Wow. He sounds like what he really wants is a stir stick up the nose. Why else would he harass people trying to get their morning coffee?

[Layla Miller]

This morning, when I was in line to pay for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, another customer tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.  I went, "Huh?" and turned to look, and the guy standing behind me gave a really exaggerated grin and pointed to the corners of his mouth.  My expression probably looked something like this:  .  He clarified, still grinning, "Smile!"  I said, "No," and turned to face forward again.  He called me rude.  I think he was rude twice; first in touching me when it wasn't necessary, then in telling me to smile when I was minding my own business and trying to wake up the rest of the way.

Would a bland "Yes, it is," be rude?  Because that's what I'd have been tempted to reply with before turning back around.

[Shalamar]

UGH.  Evil Shalamar would be tempted to make up something like "I just lost my job, so no, I don't feel like smiling."

[bloo]

This morning, when I was in line to pay for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, another customer tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.  I went, "Huh?" and turned to look, and the guy standing behind me gave a really exaggerated grin and pointed to the corners of his mouth.  My expression probably looked something like this:  .  He clarified, still grinning, "Smile!"  I said, "No," and turned to face forward again.  He called me rude.  I think he was rude twice; first in touching me when it wasn't necessary, then in telling me to smile when I was minding my own business and trying to wake up the rest of the way.

This experience absolutely infuriates me. You handled him perfectly.

Personally, I'd have smiled to appease him and turned around and ignored him (as I've done in a slightly similar situation) because I suppose that would be easier for me.

But I may try it your way next time.