It’s time for the Thursday Thumb-Twiddler, where I’m not only some guy mindlessly answering pointless questions asked by some faceless geek out on the Internet, but I get to play the faceless geek, too!
(I.e., this is my own, new Q&A list. Tell your friends. Tell your family. But don’t tell John Ashcroft!)
1. Have you ever bought, worn someplace, then returned a new outfit, knowing ahead of time that’s what you were planning to do?
No. There are, evidently, people who do, however. I’ve never quite understood this. But, then, I’ve never been such a clothes horse that I absolutely must have that outfit!
2. When you do something stupid, how much does it bother you to have other folks laugh at you?
In some ways it bothers me a lot less than it used to. That’s largely because when my friends laugh at me, there’s usually quite a bit of laughing with me, too, and it makes it easier for me to laugh in such cases as well.
If it’s something I’m really frustrated over, though, that can evaporate pretty quickly. Ditto if it’s folks who are not my friends. Then I start getting defensive and pissy and overreactive and all that good stuff. I actually get angry, which is better than the way I used to get in such circumstances, which was humiliated.
3. When were you last in a fight? What was it about, and did you win?
In terms of a physical fight, the last one I can remember was in junior high school, when a particularly obnoxious individual didn’t care for the fact that my repartee was sharper than hers. (Yes, hers.) She lit into me by the lockers, and … well, I’d like to say that I bested her, or that I was restrained by my gallantry, but the fact is she was outweighed me, outmuscled me, and outviscioused me. Fortunately, we were broken up before any permanent damage ensued, and I got to spend the rest of lunch time sitting outside the principal’s office.
In terms of an intense inter-personal conflict, I suppose it also depends on what you call a “fight.” Something where I waded in, trying to win (as opposed to being dragged in and tried to get out with minimum injury to all)? I honestly don’t recall. I’m not that kind of guy, and from what I’ve seen, nobody ever “wins” in such circumstances.
Have I mentioned recently how averse I am to conflict?
(It’s arguably unfair that I get to answer personal questions that I ask myself. If you don’t like it, go start up your own weekly Q&A. Maybe I’ll answer that, too.)