On the List of Things Not To Say to Mimsy...

On my way home from work today I stopped at Lowe's, the local home improvement store, to buy a new fridge filter.

Quick aside for any non-American readers: Lots of fridges in the US have this feature where you hook them up to a water line, so you can get water from a tap-like thing on the front of the fridge door. It's nicely chilled, and there's a filter in the fridge that gets rid of all pollutants and minerals and stuff. If you live in a mountain region with hard water, like I do, it's a very nice feature to have since the water coming from the fridge is both very tasty, and healthier than tap water to drink. But the filter does need to be changed once in a while, so I stopped at Lowe's on my way home to buy a new one.

In front of me in the line to check out was a man who looked to be in his mid-forties, buying fishing gear with his kid. While their items were scanned, he looked over at me, at the filter I was holding, and asked,

"Did you research that to make sure you get the right model?" in just the wrong kind of condescending and 'it's so cute when women try to be independent'-kind of voice, and then he chuckled.

It had been a long day. A very long day, filled with Customer Stupid (TM) and condescension of all kinds.

I opened my very blue eyes really wide and said, in a small and over-whelmed voice, "I thought it was just like shoes, where you buy what looks good and if it doesn't fit you can just take it back? Isn't that how everything works?"

The condescending man was about to reply when I interrupted him, my normal self again, "Of course I researched it. Do you think I'd be in here spending the money if I wasn't sure this is what I need?" I threw in a death-glare along with the last question for good measure. The condescending man didn't answer, in fact he didn't look at me again and he left in a hurry, and the girl that was running the check-out suddenly had a very blank expression on her face.

I felt better.

 

Why does this happen to you? Are you blonde perchance?!roflmao Oh wait, phones are still colour blind right?:-D

Jeez, the walking Neanderthals never cease to amaze me. Oh Mims, did you tell him to stick his RAM... Nevermind.rolleyes

 

I get the "oh how cute" attitude a lot as well. You'd think in this brave year of 2009 that they'd get some kind of vague clue that a large number of us do something other than sit home barefoot and pregnant while cooking gourmet meals and doing our nails as we watch soap operas, but apparently not.

I once explained to a co-worker that even if I had a (wasn't sure I could use the word here...male appendage) I wouldn't be using it to tie into a 280 transfer box, so if he didn't mind stepping out of my way I could do my job without us both getting electrocuted.

 

It is amazing in this day and age with all the access to information, media etc etc that there are still people living in dark ages.. You should see the look on people's faces when my wife gets elbow deep in grease fixing her car on her own! I LOVE IT!

 

Hey what? I cook gourmet meals barefoot but I stop at pregnant, soaps and doing the nails stuff.:-D

One would think that society had progressed further than it has to date. :confusedrolleyes *sigh*

Oh, a question. 280 KV line? roflmao

 

Maybe he was a single parent wanting to know you better,liked what he saw, and was trying to break the ice.
Understand what you mean by condescending,though. Trying in the wrong way.

 

Its a wonder he go out alive.

 

Why is it, in this day and age, some men still feel that women are the poor, weak, ignorant section of the species? True, there a lot of things women don't know and understand and need a man to help. However, flip the coin over and the same thing applies to a man. Still, it may have been like Hrlow2 said, he was trying to get on your 'good side' but he made one mistake....he don't know our Mimsy:-D So Mimsy, if you need help installing that new filter, one of us men here will gladly pass along instructions on how to do it properlyroflmaoroflmao

 

Is there more on this list?!



What a pompous jerk this person was.

 

Yikes, next thing youd see is mimz perched out in your tree with a rifle/wasp spray. :eek



:guns

 

Wasps??? Okay, whatever you say:-D

 

Oh, Mimsy, I know the feeling... Are we supposed to be weak & dumb just because we are female? Oh, I have heard close to the same... There are guys out there who don't believe we should be hunting, either. Such nonsense should be outlawed....

Hey, Mimsy, I got a wasp nest out on a tree branch by the bird loft that I am going to :guns ! It is pretty big too... Amazing how fast they can build one !!!

YOU GO GIRL! YOU ARE WOMAN!

 

Mimsy she got her appliance
Apparently, blinded by science
Some guy in the queue
asked, "do you know what to do?"
Now his arse and her filter have an alliance.

The wife has shown me not to assume what women can and can't do. I was a minor misogynist in my youth. Then I met her and a few black eyes and broken noses later, I am a changed man :-D

 

roflmaoroflmao That was a good one, Joey!!!

 

Seriously, what's the full list!? *PANIC*

 

Most important, where are the wasps on the list!:confused

 

my wife went to the car dealer for a free oil change. Of course they asked if she wanted the engine filter changed for extra $$ (it's air filter, i know, so does she)
she says no, that she can do it herself, and save money on it. They kinda push her on the subject, and finally tell her to check with her husband (me) about it. She wasn't very happy about it. in the end, after writing a letter to the manager, we have 3 more oil change coupons, but I'm not sure we will be buying another car there.

 

Oh yes, very. As my profile picture clearly shows.

In that case you just gave me all the more reason to emasculate the guy. I have two clearly visible rings on the third finger of the hand that was holding the filter... and absolutely no patience or mercy whatsoever for a man who flirts with married women.

WASPS!?!?!?http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-violent053.gif

Oh, believe me, I was tempted! roflmao Beautiful poem Joey... *hands over double-shot screwdriver for the poem*

In the obituary section. :ban

 

What not to say! does my bum (BUT) look big in this

 

Okay Mimsy, now I understand about the wasps!! I just read your thread in the 'Home' forum! Damn girl, you have the worst luck, first you had to deal with 'P' on your tech support job, then an 'overly friendly' salesman who obviously didn't think you knew what you were doing and now Mother Nature has a vendetta against you:-D Did you ever consider becoming a nun? At least you'd be safe in a conventroflmaoroflmao

 

Me too your my hero.
The older I get the less intimidated I am, wish it had kicked in when I was young.

When we first moved here to Armpit I went to Lowes to buy a whole fridge. I had eye contact a few times with the salesman but he never came over to my side of the aisle, which I figured was his place if he wanted that commission. Well I was wrong instead he went to the closest man. I left, Dan went back a few days later and the same guy was at his side in a flash. Despite my objection Dan bought one from him think he even bought a warranty, I had walked off.

Dan had just had knee replacement and moved us with no help with in a few weeks so I couldn't nag as much as I wanted.

Myself, I go to Home Depot :wave

 

Never. I'd have to give up far too many fun things.

 

Yeah, that's it.

 

Don't recall if it was Mimsy, or one of the other ladies here, but a while back I posted in a thread and made a comment.It was innocent, but was taken in the wrong context.:-o
Got my ears pinned back pretty good, even though,in my eyes, it was undeserved.:cry
Now, I try to consider how someone else might take it.Sometimes I suceed,othertimes I don't.BUT I do make the effort.rolleyes
(Especially here where the ladies could be the ones trying to get my machine lined out.):-D
Let this be a lesson to all the guys here.:wave

 

The question is how long we can keep this thread alive.

Since I have no clue about the wasp post in the other thread, I will not mention it in this post.

:-D

 

Looks like you already have.

 

If it was a thread about make-up, and whether a woman needs it to look good or not, then it was me. :-o

Looking back, I made the same mistake I usually do: I don't give the man in question the benefit of doubt. Whether it's because I'm cynical or because I used to be a bartender in the on-campus bar next to the fraternity house I don't know, but no one other than my husband ever gets the benefit of doubt. All other men just get body parts chopped off... I've maimed a lot of innocent by-standers. In my defense, I remember them all.

Um... sorry...? :-o

 

Not needed.
That was indeed the thread.
Just happy to be on an even keel now.

 

You DO have to be careful what you say and how you say it ----------- we have some awfully smart, quick-minded ladies in here, and they will not often let you slide. It's all good, though, they keep you thinking.

 

That was YOU! What a small world . . . :-D

Just kidding. I just don't understand what prompts some people to say the things they do . . .

 

Tibbs, I have to say, I have great respect for anyone capable of doing electrical work. I do however have to admit that I think you're crazy for having the power ON while doing it.

Good for you Mimsy.

 

to Triaxx2
The smoking hair is how to tell if you have juice on the lines.rolleyes:-D

 

How ELSE do you know it works without power?

:-D

 

Easy, I do it right the first time.

 

That's why you always have a co-worker standing by with a two-by-four! roflmao

No, seriously...about 98% of the time the main is off, but sometimes it's simply not an option. :-D