Special Snowflake Stories

[Shalamar]

Gah.  I love my parents to death, but I've found that I cannot stretch with my arms over my head around them, because they WILL poke me in the armpits, and I HATE that.

Also, for some reason, my mum doesn't like it when I stand with my hands on my hips - she thinks that I take up too much room, or something.  She'll often deliberately walk into my pointed-out elbows (does that make sense?).

[Diane AKA Traska]

Gah.  I love my parents to death, but I've found that I cannot stretch with my arms over my head around them, because they WILL poke me in the armpits, and I HATE that.

Also, for some reason, my mum doesn't like it when I stand with my hands on my hips - she thinks that I take up too much room, or something.  She'll often deliberately walk into my pointed-out elbows (does that make sense?).

It makes no sense, but I understood you. 

[Shalamar]

Thanks, Traska. 

Ran into a special snowflake today at work.  Without getting too specific, we sell services to clients, and they have various options to pay for those services.  They can pay for the entire year outright, or two payments for the year (one every six months), or one payment every month.  SS opted for the "two payments" option.  Last summer, he was supposed to make his second payment, but he didn't.  He got a letter in the mail that basically said "Pay up or we'll cancel your subscription."  He didn't, and we cancelled him a month later.

Fast-forward to today.  He called us up, screaming, saying that our website had said he was paid in full, so why did we cancel him?  When we said "That's not possible", he said "Then re-create the webpage so that I can prove it!"

Right.  Re-create the webpage from months ago.   Not gonna happen.

[peach2play]

*sigh* I hosted some very special snowflakes on Tuesday.  My friend Mikeis moving on Saturday, and I wanted to throw him a going away dinner.  He's only been in town for a few weeks and doesn't know very many people but he is a very interesting person having lived in Alaska for a long time and has lots of awesome stories.  I invited my best friend (who I may be stepping back from that designation after this), my friend Spooph, and my roommate, Dan, over to meet Mike and have dinner. 

My ex-housesitter, Hana, wanted to come over after work to pick some more of her stuff up and drop off some stuff she had for Dan.  She was supposed to get to my house around 6, dinner was at 7.

My BFF showed up in a really weird, passive aggressive mood, and Hana showed up at 7:45PM.  When Hana showed up, I offered to let her stay for dinner, but I'm not sure I made it clear this was a going away party which was my mistake.  Hana said no, but did grab a beer and dessert that I offered and started to talk to Dan and BFF.  Mark was trying to tell me a story, but the little group of three were getting louder and louder talking about cars.  I looked over and said in a firm voice, "Guys, you're yelling."  Hana said, "I'll bet if we were talking about motorcycles you wouldn't care."  Mike was crestfallen because it was an awesome story and Dan and BFF had been listening until Hana showed up.  I now owe Mike an apology and Hana and BFF are on the "Maybe I Need to Cool the relationship Off" List. 

I talked to my BFF today and told him I was tired of my friends being really selfish.  He apologized, but I don't think he'll be over for dinner for a while.  Hana won't be invited over for a while either. GRR

[Mental Magpie]

*sigh* I hosted some very special snowflakes on Tuesday.  My friend Mikeis moving on Saturday, and I wanted to throw him a going away dinner.  He's only been in town for a few weeks and doesn't know very many people but he is a very interesting person having lived in Alaska for a long time and has lots of awesome stories.  I invited my best friend (who I may be stepping back from that designation after this), my friend Spooph, and my roommate, Dan, over to meet Mike and have dinner. 

My ex-housesitter, Hana, wanted to come over after work to pick some more of her stuff up and drop off some stuff she had for Dan.  She was supposed to get to my house around 6, dinner was at 7.

My BFF showed up in a really weird, passive aggressive mood, and Hana showed up at 7:45PM.  When Hana showed up, I offered to let her stay for dinner, but I'm not sure I made it clear this was a going away party which was my mistake.  Hana said no, but did grab a beer and dessert that I offered and started to talk to Dan and BFF.  Mark was trying to tell me a story, but the little group of three were getting louder and louder talking about cars.  I looked over and said in a firm voice, "Guys, you're yelling."  Hana said, "I'll bet if we were talking about motorcycles you wouldn't care."  Mike was crestfallen because it was an awesome story and Dan and BFF had been listening until Hana showed up.  I now owe Mike an apology and Hana and BFF are on the "Maybe I Need to Cool the relationship Off" List. 

I talked to my BFF today and told him I was tired of my friends being really selfish.  He apologized, but I don't think he'll be over for dinner for a while.  Hana won't be invited over for a while either. GRR

I'm not entirely sure I understand.  They started to get loud and you scolded them.  Hana didn't take well to it, but the entire conversation stopped there?  They didn't continue in quieter voices?

Also, why is this one instance cause for cooling a relationship?  I get loud, a lot, and would have to think that was fully driving away friends because they wouldn't sit down to talk with me about trying to be quieter.

FTR, I really do try to watch getting loud, but I know I don't always catch it.  I have no problem with people asking me to quiet down some on the rare occasions I don't catch myself.

[blue2000]

*sigh* I hosted some very special snowflakes on Tuesday.  My friend Mikeis moving on Saturday, and I wanted to throw him a going away dinner.  He's only been in town for a few weeks and doesn't know very many people but he is a very interesting person having lived in Alaska for a long time and has lots of awesome stories.  I invited my best friend (who I may be stepping back from that designation after this), my friend Spooph, and my roommate, Dan, over to meet Mike and have dinner. 

My ex-housesitter, Hana, wanted to come over after work to pick some more of her stuff up and drop off some stuff she had for Dan.  She was supposed to get to my house around 6, dinner was at 7.

My BFF showed up in a really weird, passive aggressive mood, and Hana showed up at 7:45PM.  When Hana showed up, I offered to let her stay for dinner, but I'm not sure I made it clear this was a going away party which was my mistake.  Hana said no, but did grab a beer and dessert that I offered and started to talk to Dan and BFF.  Mark was trying to tell me a story, but the little group of three were getting louder and louder talking about cars.  I looked over and said in a firm voice, "Guys, you're yelling."  Hana said, "I'll bet if we were talking about motorcycles you wouldn't care."  Mike was crestfallen because it was an awesome story and Dan and BFF had been listening until Hana showed up.  I now owe Mike an apology and Hana and BFF are on the "Maybe I Need to Cool the relationship Off" List. 

I talked to my BFF today and told him I was tired of my friends being really selfish.  He apologized, but I don't think he'll be over for dinner for a while.  Hana won't be invited over for a while either. GRR

I'm not entirely sure I understand.  They started to get loud and you scolded them.  Hana didn't take well to it, but the entire conversation stopped there?  They didn't continue in quieter voices?

Also, why is this one instance cause for cooling a relationship?  I get loud, a lot, and would have to think that was fully driving away friends because they wouldn't sit down to talk with me about trying to be quieter.

FTR, I really do try to watch getting loud, but I know I don't always catch it.  I have no problem with people asking me to quiet down some on the rare occasions I don't catch myself.

I think it wasn't just volume but also interrupting/hijacking the conversation, ignoring the guest of honour/host when they are trying to talk, and being snippy with the host when she told them to cool it.

I'd be reconsidering future invites as well.

[kherbert05]

The Texas/Dallas jokes reminded me of this.

There was going to be a G/T conference in Houston and our principal was willing to pay our fee to attend. All the G/T teachers on our campus joined the professonal organization and the district paid for the conference.

We did not get our creditials when other schools did. So a coworker called them. We were told they never received our money - but I had a copy of my check from online banking showing their deposit information. Others did also and the district had the actual check. We offered to fax them copies - no. Their solution was we go to the conference pay full fees and if they found our payment they would refund the prepaid (lower cost) amount.

I had them give me the number and called the G/T people - noting the Dallas Area code.

My threat basically went like this.
We have proof you deposited our checks. You will accept our faxing copies of said checks showing your deposit information, and will overnight our creditals. Other wise I will be turning this over to my personal lawyer. (Lawyer's name (well known in some circles)). He is my father's frat brother from U of H's (Frat) - they were founding members of U of H charter. Their frat brothers include (Local news director). I'm sure Local news director would love to his crew to show up at the convention with copies of our checks showing you deposited them - and ask why a bunch of Highland Park women are ripping off a Houston Title I school were 97% of the students are on the free or reduced lunch program.

The reply was no need to fax the copies of the check your credentials will be at your school by Noon tomorrow.

I hang up the phone and tell my co-workers that we will have our credentials by noon. (The conference was in 2 days so this was plenty of time). They are staring at me slack jawed. One of them says "You really did grow up in Memorial, remind me never to tick you off"

(BG - There is an on going rivalry between Houston and Dallas.  If it had gone public that they had taken our money and ripped us off it might have been nothing - it might have been a major blow up depending on the news of the day.  Highland Park is wealthy area of Dallas. Memorial is a mix of old and new more new than old. Yes I grew up there but in a 1970's ranch house that was built before the neighborhood really took off - the coworker who made the comment knows exactly were I grew up - she is from Spring Branch - the "other side of the Tracks")

[Jocelyn]

Please tell me if I was SS.  Last night, I went to a church event called "Soup for the Soul."  This event consists of people bringing in various soups to share and then having a mini-lecture and activity that relates to our faith in every day life. I did not want to go, but got dragged there by my parents.  The reason I didn't want to go is because I have a severe food allergy.  Even the tiniest amount of cross contamination can send me into anaphylaxis.  My mother made a soup that I didn't like.  She told me about the event at the last minute.  If I'd had more warning, I'd have made something myself to make sure there was something there I could eat.  Since I didn't like what she made, and since I'm paranoid and don't trust that other people's kitchens are safe for me, I elected to just socialize and eat some boxed crackers that were on one of the tables. I tried to be discrete as possible about the fact that I wasn't really eating. I got accused of being snobbish for not eating.  Was I being a snob?

t is not rude to decline to participate in a pot luck due to food allergies. It is rude to comment on someone else's food choices (except to inquire if they would like some). It is exceptionally rude to criticize someone else's food choices, or to assume that there is some sinister reason behind their stated reason for declining the food.

[Katana_Geldar]

Had one this morning when I got into work. I'm a library assistant at a small college library and my boss works next to me at the big desk. We were taking about something in normal, or below normal voices, and this student comes up to me and asks me to lower my voice as she can't hear the student next to her (who is actually rather soft spoken).

Now I was talking in abnormal, or lower than normal voice, as its study week and we get a lot of stents in here. But, as its study week we have LOTS of them coming in here and making noise, making a lot more noise than we were my boss and I were just astounded that she'd even think of requesting something, she said "Yes, ok to the girl' (as we can't tell the students off as they bring in $$$$) and we started talking again, both of us astonished.

But it gets better! 20 minutes later we had a whole crowd of students in there being rather loud, not very but louder than I was. She didn't say anything to them, of course, and we just watched to see if they were going to stay and be loud before we said anything. (they weren't, they dispersed)

An hour after she talked to me, her group at the table were being loud, as in we could hear them for, where we sat half way across the room. And this was in a social 'talking and laughing' kind of way that DOES disturb other students. I have to confess there was a bit of small bit of satisfaction I felt when I went over to her group and politely asked them to lower their voices, as we can hear you all the way at the desk.

[BatCity]

I hope this one doesn't come out wrong, because the whole thing is pretty complicated and I'm leaving out some details.

I manage a training group for a software company in a large metro area.  We do some classroom training and can go to a customer site at their request.

A couple of months ago we had a request from a customer to have a class at their site for the last week in February (next week, as we go to press). It was confirmed via email, but we still had to have them turn in some documents before we could get it on the calendar...nothing they hadn't done before.  They knew that plans couldn't be finalized until we had said documents.

Except right after this, the contact for the client completely disappeared. We could not reach her, no matter what. This went on for over a month until finally, two weeks before the class, I was getting pressure to schedule a class for another client and had to make a decision one way or the other. I left a few more messages for the client telling her that we could only hold the dates for her for X more days, then called her once more to tell her that we'd have to reschedule.

I finally heard back from her two days ago (and after 10 PM, at that). She didn't apologize, she just said that we WOULD still do the onsite on the days we had agreed on.

Fortunately, I have a backbone and told her it wouldn't be possible at this late date, and that I was sorry I wasn't able to reach her before.

Of course, once she was finally convinced that the training wasn't going to happen next week, she agreed to move it to a later date.

[Dindrane]

I found evidence of a terribly special snowflake earlier today. Someone decided it would be a good idea to trim her fingernails in a bathroom stall. I would not ordinarily care about such an activity, except that this person left the clippings all over the floor. It was definitely a full hand's worth of trimmings, so I'm guessing it was not an emergency situation (such as breaking or chipping a nail and clipping it so it doesn't snag or break worse).

Seriously, use the trash can that is right outside the door, or clip your nails over the toilet or something. Or, best of all, perform such personal grooming habits at home!

A runner up to this is the person (or people) who brushes her teeth at the bathroom sink and manages to get water on just about every horizontal surface in the process. And, of course, does not wipe it up. The counters are made of recycled glass (which means they are sort of mottled) and are mostly white, which means that water on the counter is nearly impossible to see from most angles. I can't count the number of times I've gone up to the counter to wash my hands and come away with a giant water spot on my shirt.

[magician5]

I elected to just socialize and eat some boxed crackers that were on one of the tables. I tried to be discrete as possible about the fact that I wasn't really eating. I got accused of being snobbish for not eating.  Was I being a snob?

If others were accusing you, they were impolite. If your mother was accusing you, she's trying to kill you.

I hope your response to any strangers was "I have severe food allergies, you'll have to excuse me." Then never go to that event again.

[mmswm]

I elected to just socialize and eat some boxed crackers that were on one of the tables. I tried to be discrete as possible about the fact that I wasn't really eating. I got accused of being snobbish for not eating.  Was I being a snob?

If others were accusing you, they were impolite. If your mother was accusing you, she's trying to kill you.

I hope your response to any strangers was "I have severe food allergies, you'll have to excuse me." Then never go to that event again.

The accusation came from somebody not my mother, but was backed up by my mother.  Yup, my own mother told me I should have just trusted that the other soups weren't made near any tomato products, and god would have protected me.  *sigh*  I figured it would have been rude to make a big deal about it mad grill the soup makers as to how they manage their kitchens, so I just declined.  I was planning on going again next week, as it's a weekly thing, but bringing my own soup so I can eat, which is what I would have done if I'd had enough warning this week.

[Midnight Kitty]

mmswm - I suspect that, had you eaten and had an allergic reaction, your mother would accuse you of being dramatic.    She doesn't sound very supportive of you.

[mmswm]

Midnight Kitty, she's actually trying really hard to be better this time around.  She's my mother and I love her, and there's no doubt that she loves me, but she's difficult.  Both my parents are difficult. They have major issues stemming from childhood that have never been truly dealt with.  With my mother, she can't.  It's too much.  When she tries, she breaks down.  She's not a bad person, but a person with a lot of baggage and an unhealthy way of dealing with personal relationships. Her formative years were torture, and that's not exaggeration.  What I know makes me want to vomit, and I know that I don't even know the worst of it. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt in every situation.

I guess from years of my own unhealthy upbringing, I have my insecurities.  When this was brought up, I doubted myself.  I'm growing stronger, and I really appreciate having a sounding board so I can differentiate between my weird self doubts and things that I do that really aren't okay.

ETA: I wanted to clarify that I was referring to my behavior and actions around other people.  Obviously, I don't have the greatest examples, and I really want to learn how to be a more polite person, but I'm constantly second guessing myself as to what the "right" thing to do in any social situation is.  I'm really glad I found this site.