Don't rail about the Catholic church until after Labor Day

So you won't get blood on your white shoes?

So you won't get blood on your white shoes?

Well, it would be painful if my wife stabbed me in the heart with a really sharp #2 pencil.

I can be one of the snarky ones sometimes.

Ehn. I know there's plenty to snark about; but it does make me nuts when people do it in the workplace. My most dearly beloved former boss firmly believes that all organized religion is a blight on human civilization and needs to be actively discouraged; but he and I have also had calm, respectful discussions about it and he has snarked about it in front of me exactly once. Which I quietly called him on, and he's never done it since. Off campus, away from me and one other religious staffer, and far away from the patients or their families, sure, but at work, on the clock, he doesn't do it. He loathes religion, but he respects me and he respects the workplace as a neutral space.

It's not that hard. It's common courtesy. And I swear someday I'm gonna jump on a plane and shake everyone at Hil's uni until their eyes rattle, screaming, "Haven't you assholes ever heard of Thumper's mother?"

Thumper's mother? huh?

Perhaps EVERYONE at Hil's university - except her - has a rampaging case of Asperger's?

Thumper's mother? huh?

I'm in the "huh?" corner with Toddson.

Thumper's mother says, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Oh man. I think I'm Thumper's sister.

Thumper's mother? huh?

My mom used to endlessly quote her at us: "Thumper?" "Yes, mama?" "What did your father tell you this morning?" "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." I swear I probably heard that fifty thousand times before I turned 13.

Not that she was against snark, by any means, but she was and is big on Don't snark if you think the snarkee might be able to overhear you, and Don't make a group snark unless you know for a fact that everyone in earshot is definitely not a member of said group, and if you don't know for a fact then hold the snark.

But it was always, always Thumper's Mother. As in, eventually she just had to say the words, "Thumper's Mother," and we'd shut up in midsentence.

I also want to add that I'm mostly not bothered by any of the religious snark that goes on here -- there's all sorts of history and knowing and mutual love and respect (and occasional snogging) and whatnot, and anything that really bugs me I can always scroll on past or politely call someone on it.

That shit is totally inappropriate from anyone anywhere on the belief spectrum, at work (unless you were working in a diocese office or as PZ Myers' personal assistant, because, dude, look who you're working for).

Bitches, on the other hand? A veritable gleeful orgy of inappropriate. With knowing and love and respect (and snogging).

Bitches hug it out. Or something like that.