Friday 17 July 2009

Yes, it's Friday.

Morning all. I've got a stupid amount of work today, including the entire essay on Threshold Concepts that I've been reading for all week (yes, even staff write things at the last minute), so there won't be time for blogging. Here's Ashes Central: they'll post the Over-by-Over link there soon, I would think.

So what about today's Friday Conundrum. I'm feeling slightly delirious and spent yesterday discussing Art and Morality with Zoot and others (on another post), so how about something a little more relaxed? What's the rudest thing anyone's said to you? My choices are a tie. My headmaster's university reference for me told them that I was going to fail my A-levels, that I was a troublemaker and that I didn't deserve a place anyway. I know this only because the kind man at Derby University who interviewed me said that I didn't sound anything like my reference and sneakily let me read it. The other contender is the cousin at my sister's wedding who plainly said that I'm so repulsive that I'm doomed to a solitary life (the actual words were 'well, romance isn't for everyone, is it?' after she noticed that I was attending alone).

10 comments:

Lou said...

Your cousin sounds like a witch, there's someone out there who's perfect for you.

Someone quite unexpectedly directed a comment to me on their blog a couple of days ago to the effect that they'd ask their 6 year old daughter for a post idea that I might more easily relate to. Now I know that I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but that still took me aback. Uncalled for I thought.

The Plashing Vole said...

Lou, your example's very harsh in a particularly snarky way.

My cousin was trying to be kind! That's why it stuck in my mind.

Lou said...

Oops sorry for the name calling of cousin - quite uncalled for :-)

The Plashing Vole said...

No, it's fine - I didn't quite make clear the intention.

Newton Heath 18 said...

Someone I was dating once told me that I should never break up with him as no other man would ever put up with me. In his defence though he's right.

Kate said...

No he's not Emma! He was a prick! He also didn't like ANY of your friends and family from what I remember, so that just shows how reasonable HE was! The cricket is indeed superb today, I'm glued and finding it very difficult to focus on writing all of the emails I need to. Of course the huge hangover I have isn't helping either. The rudest thing anyone's ever said to me? That's easy, when my mum was behaving very strangely/having mental health problems to the extent that I hadn't done any PhD work for about six weeks my supervisor called me in to try to get me to do some work, when I was explaining the situation she interrupted:

"I'm not your Counsellor, what are you telling me for?"

And if that weren't bad enough, the irony is she specialises in researching emotions at work! Go figure! I have several other examples but I won't bore you with them all now (but I'll tell you in the pub tonight if you like!). I also had a bad reference from a lecturer when I applied to do the MBA, and the person interviewing me was also kind enough to let me know about it. I've also had a reputation for being a troublemaker in most places I've worked, and so has Emma, it's funny, we were discussing just that last night, the irony being we're all actually just trying to help improve things by tackling thorny issues, no surprises I quit my job to do a PhD in Organisational Behaviour then! So Voley, you're in good company!

The Plashing Vole said...

What a bunch of bastards exist out there. As George Eliot said, 'the world outside the books is not a happy one'. She was right.

Christine said...

Someone once said I should be a page three girl for 'Farmers Weekly' - offensive on many levels, I'd say.

Is this a competition? Can I win to compensate for years of udder related esteem issues?

The Plashing Vole said...

Udderly brilliant Christine. What a rude man. You win a milking smock.

intelliwench said...

Must have been a cousin of Emma's date who told me, "I know you're a lot older than I am, but would you like to go out sometime?" I think he expected I'd be flattered.