Cordelia ,'Potential'
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Although, I have to say I'm somewhat boggled by people who aren't into the Olympics at all, and I've come across several lately.
I'm not at all. I really don't care. I'm not into sports or anything and the added bonus of jingoism (in my perception) pretty much turns me off. I think watching sports is boring. It's a very YMMV thing, don't see why it's boggling.
How to survive in a bureaucracy
When I tell people I work at an insurance company, I feel I need to explain myself. Sure, I work in insurance, but I'm "in insurance" about as much as a Giants Stadium security guard is "in professional football." See, I'm a temp. An outsider. My industry? Survival.
I love this part:
I've adapted so well to my new environment that my boss wants to offer me a job, make me legit: an underwriter. "So, Anne," he said. "Do you like insurance?" After some stalling I said: "Look, I don't understand this stuff, but I love the cereal here. I love the chairs. I really, really like a few of the people, and I'd like to stay. How can we make that happen? Could I have a demotion? Order staplers and stuff? That I know how to do."
I like sports, but I'm not really into the Olympics. Mostly because it takes too much effort to follow closely.
I particularly don't understand she keeps telling me about it when she knows that I don't.
See, this is the kind of thing I don't understand. I'm a sports geek, but I definitely get that not everyone is. So when I'm with people I know don't give a rat's ass, I don't go on about it and I certainly don't question why other people aren't into it. To each their own and all that.
I guess it's the by-product of having grown up a figure skater/skating fan in Florida. I had very few people around me who cared about it, so I kept it quiet.
Oooh. it occurs to me that my Make an Effort to Watch It is sort of a lie. I watch it, especially summer, because there is not much else on. But I let my Tivo override it to record Mad Men, Project Runway and A Long Way Down.
A Questionable Content for librarians: [link]
I like sports, but I'm not really into the Olympics. Mostly because it takes too much effort to follow closely.
Ah, I don't put any effort into it. I just turn it on and see what happens. I have realized I like the things that are quick for this very reason -- a race, a routine, a dive, whatever. Looked good! Oh no! Whatever.
There are events I want to see that I make an effort for - but otherwise, the tv is on and if I want to I can watch it. Usually not for team sports though.
At 13 and I babysat four children ages 8,7,6, and 4. Their parents were bartenders and worked night shifts so I would help the kids with their homework, feed them dinner, and put them to bed.
On weekends their parents would drive me home when they got in. On weekdays I'd sleep over and their parents would take me to school the next day. Sometimes on weekends I'd be there all day for a day shift.
The bar was close by and in an emergency I could have gotten one of the parents there quickly but I never did call them.
It was probably too much responsibility for me. I was certainly capable of doing it, but it stressed me out. Once the 7 year old (maybe eight by then) dashed out into a busy street because she was mad about something. She was a runner -- if she got mad she'd take OFF. Usually I'd just let her calm down and she'd come back. This time though, she shot into the street. I told the 9 year old to hold the 7 and 5 year olds hands and DO NOT MOVE and took off after their sister. When I caught her I grabbed her arm pretty hard and jerked her to me. We BOTH started crying.
Her parents weren't mad (her Mom said she'd have smacked her), but after that the parents stopped working simultaneous night shifts. It was too much on the kids, it was too much on me, and money was finally not as tight as it had been for a while.
So when I'm with people I know don't give a rat's ass, I don't go on about it and I certainly don't question why other people aren't into it.
Well, to be fair, it's usually on the "what I watched on TV last night" chit-chat level. Which is fine; I'm sure she wasn't that interested in hearing about The Mole, either. But occasionally she wants to discuss some part of it seriously and I have to remind her that I'm the wrong person to do that with since it'll wind up with me going "So, one guy swam faster than another guy? That's amazing!"