I automatically switch off as soon as anyone starts talking about The Simpsons. I like the show. I think it's clever and funny.

But people talking to me about really funny things they have seen in The Simpsons? No thanks. I mean, what's the fucking point?

I just switch off, I tell you. Makes me want to leave the room.

Also people talking to me about their pets/kids/holidays/job/dreams, without seeming to first ask themselves if it is a worthwhile anecdote. If your cat pissed on your face to wake you up, I want to hear about that. But I don't want to hear about your cat having a really fat tummy and how she doesn't really like people but you have a bond with her and she sleeps a lot and snores.

A friend recently told me about his kid, who is something like three years old, hitting him on the head with a hammer for some attention. It was worth hearing, and my friend told the anecdote well. However, hearing what your child prefers to eat - unless it's something amusingly weird - is not interesting, at all.

toomanyhelicopters wrote:yelling freebird is inane!

this must be the most of the short post I've ever seen from you. amazing.

Ciao

The video card in my computer was recently upgraded, and the canadian discovered the box sitting near my desk. He stood behind me for some time, reading the box and saying things like: "32 megabytes... wow. PCI... it says it's a 'video accelerator'...."

Eventually I told him he could have the box, that I was going to throw it away. Now he's at his desk, researching this mysterious discovery.

Now I'm overhearing a truly mad woman who works near me saying loudly into the phone, "so, what's the salary range?"

This place is goofy.

My friend I've known for 20 years will start to tell me something about his job (he's a prgrammer) and then vear off into the details of the software programming because he's always been so fucking fascinated with how things are put together and thinks everyone else must be too, and has carried this into writing code. Well I don't know the first fucking thing about code nor do I care. I just turn on computer and look see if it work.

Some people like to work on cars, others just like to drive them, know what I'm saying?

When I tell him about work I say "I recorded/mixed some band and it was fun" not "I put an 1176 on the bass with an attack of 50ms and release of 77ms, with an 8:1 ratio. Then I put up my matched pair of small condensers in an X-Y over the drums. Man, those sure do bring out a lot of 5k!" In other words, only audio geeks give a fuck about that shit and I wouldn't bore anyone else with it. When he starts talking about asp, html, etc my eyes just gloss over.

people that are gay that talk about being gay. i don't talk about how i'm straight, you know?

waltermalling wrote:people that are gay that talk about being gay. i don't talk about how i'm straight, you know?

Is this a joke? I'm not sure if Walt's actually meaning this, or if he's cleverly making fun of people who say this and mean it.

Either way, people who say this and mean it - it doesn't make sense. First of all, you "talk about being straight" all the time. Every time you say my wife, my fiancee, my girlfriend, my ex-girlfriend - you're "talking about being straight". Every time you talk about going on a date, having a one night stand, flirting, you're "talking about being straight". I know one guy who never "talks about being straight", and one guy who almost never does. A vast majority of people do.

Or, maybe you say, "Well, Linus, I don't mean people talking about the incidentals of being straight, I mean people actually talking about the state of being straight." Well, what's there to talk about? Ever lose a job for being straight? Do people ever assume you're not straight, and then you have to awkwardly explain that you are? Ever find it hard to tell a family member you were straight? Ever have a hard time finding other people who were straight? Ever put in jail for being straight? Ever know anybody who was murdered for being - or even seeming - straight? Of course not. People don't talk about being straight, because there's nothing to talk about. It's never relevant. In the rare situation where it might be relevant to point out that you were straight, you would - swiftly - and no one would fault you for it.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:

waltermalling wrote:people that are gay that talk about being gay. i don't talk about how i'm straight, you know?

Is this a joke? I'm not sure if Walt's actually meaning this, or if he's cleverly making fun of people who say this and mean it.

Either way, people who say this and mean it - it doesn't make sense. First of all, you "talk about being straight" all the time. Every time you say my wife, my fiancee, my girlfriend, my ex-girlfriend - you're "talking about being straight". Every time you talk about going on a date, having a one night stand, flirting, you're "talking about being straight". I know one guy who never "talks about being straight", and one guy who almost never does. A vast majority of people do.

Or, maybe you say, "Well, Linus, I don't mean people talking about the incidentals of being straight, I mean people actually talking about the state of being straight." Well, what's there to talk about? Ever lose a job for being straight? Do people ever assume you're not straight, and then you have to awkwardly explain that you are? Ever find it hard to tell a family member you were straight? Ever have a hard time finding other people who were straight? Ever put in jail for being straight? Ever know anybody who was murdered for being - or even seeming - straight? Of course not. People don't talk about being straight, because there's nothing to talk about. It's never relevant. In the rare situation where it might be relevant to point out that you were straight, you would - swiftly - and no one would fault you for it.

Another grand stride for Linus. I like Linus. You beat me to the punch.

Also i might add that you would (being a male more likely than female) ALL TOO SWIFTLY point out that you were straight when necessary. Whereas, many gay people find life to be just easier if they're assumed heterosexual. It takes alot more balls to talk about being gay when you are, than it does for you to post that kind of crap MR. (if I can assume) Waltermalling.

rachael wrote:MR. (if I can assume) Waltermalling.

Thank you for the kind words!

I was assuming that this poster was one Mr. Walter Malling. Upon thinking about it, I've realized it's probably Madame Walterma L. Ling.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:

rachael wrote:MR. (if I can assume) Waltermalling.

Thank you for the kind words!

I was assuming that this poster was one Mr. Walter Malling. Upon thinking about it, I've realized it's probably Madame Walterma L. Ling.

Quite right Mr. Linus Van Pelt Pauling!

I don't mean to interrupt the I Am Not Homophobic celebration, but it's perfectly okay to be annoyed by gay people talking about being gay all the time.

In fact, it's okay to be annoyed by anything.