Diary of a Network Geek

The trials and tribulations of a Certified Novell Engineer who's been stranded in Houston, Texas.

12/12/2005

‘Tis The Season…

Filed under: Advice from your Uncle Jim,Deep Thoughts,Hoffman's Home for Wayward Boys,Life, the Universe, and Everything,Personal Archive,The Network Geek at Home — Posted by the Network Geek during the Hour of the Rooster which is in the early evening or 6:33 pm for you boring, normal people.
The moon is Waxing Gibbous

For making an ass of myself, apparently.
You know, I don’t mind doing this when I do it on purpose, but, when I do it accidentally, well, that’s irritating. You might not see this via the blog, but I’m actually a ver polite person. I think courtesy and manners are the social “glue” that keeps communities together and functioning. So, when I’m unintentionally rude or insulting or hurtful, it bothers me. On those occasions that I purposely slight someone, something else is at work and I rarely feel any shame a precious little guilt at having done so.

However in the past several days, I’ve been an Internet boor. Quite unintentionally, of course, but, still… The incident that got my attention and “woke me up”, so to speak, was a response to a post on another blog. Someone commented about said post and I penned a comment expressing a difference of opinion. Apparently, I worded my position in such a way that the previous commentor took offence or felt attacked, because he responded with, well, a bit of aggression. I read his responding comment and thought Yeah, whatver, pal. Look if you have to act that way to make yourself feel like your schwantz is longer than mine, knock yourself out. I hope it satisfies your reptillian hind-brain you unevolved primative. And, since he’d used the word “Tough” in his reply, I also thought Tough? Look, you panty-waist, I’ve had moral dilemmas tougher than you.
It was then that a little voice, not unlike the Whos singing in Whoville, said to me Hey, slick, this is that opportunity for change your smarmy butt is always waxing poetic about. Remember that, bright boy? NOW is the time! NOW is your chance! And, so, instead of getting uglier, I responded with an apologetic comment. I hope he read it and all is well.

I also ran my great, big mouth about some things about which I knew precious little this past week and weekend and found out later how deeply I’d stepped in it. Again, unintentionally, but still, to me, that’s worse than being very deliberate about it. The fact that I was a big buttinski, even though I was trying to make someone feel better, was just plain rude and I’m sorry about it. (Okay, there’s actually more than one person who falls under this particular umbrella apology thanks to my rectocranial inversion issue this weekend, so, please, everybody who feels even slightly miffed, just assume I’m talking about you, okay?)

And, finally, I’ve been a little passive-aggressive with Doc, my new roommate. Sorry, about that, Doc. We’ll talk.
I won’t go into details on the blog, but, suffice it to say that my ex-wife taught me some tricks that I’d just as soon unlearn. I mean, I hope to be married again, one day, or at least live in sin with someone other than Doc, so it’d be best to weed out these annoying little personal habits now, before I meet that Special Someone. Passive-aggressive behavior is never pretty, so I’d really like to nip this bad habit in the bud before it blossoms into really annoying habits. In other words, ladies, I’d like to change the most annoying things about myself before some poor, well-meaning girl feels compelled to try and “fix me”. Sounds like a plan, neh? Any suggestions that y’all have observed, in me or others, are welcome. (Think my ex-wife will comment?) Hmm, maybe a new poll….

So, some Advice from your Uncle Jim, think twice before saying whatever’s on your mind, then keep your yap shut anyway. Mostly, people already know and don’t need to hear it. Mostly.

Oh, an a quick clarification… I’ve had some folks ask about my “sordid past” and no, it did NOT involve drugs, or even alchohol, though, I might remind you that I don’t drink like a girl. And, I have never taken illegal drugs. I’m freaky enough without them!


Advice from your Uncle Jim:
"Man is the only kind of varmint that sets his own trap, baits it, and steps in it."
   --John Steinbeck

6 Comments

  1. Uncle J,
    I didn’t get a chance to respond to the email b/c quite frankly the weekend hurt and you know what I’m talking about. THe measure of the man he is fell short. Anyway, i think it’s something in the air because this biting bug is going around

    Comment by sass — 12/12/2005 @ 8:34 pm

  2. Ugh I just commented and it wouldn’t post. Sorry for not getting back to you. It was a roungh weekend

    Comment by sass — 12/12/2005 @ 8:40 pm

  3. Yeah, I do know what you mean. All too well. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, several years running. No worries.
    Might I suggest Uncle Jim’s Scotch Cure? Four aspirin and a double Scotch chaser. Oh, sure, you might get sick, but, after that double Scotch, who cares? 😉

    Comment by the Network Geek — 12/12/2005 @ 9:40 pm

  4. Scotch. That’s what I was missing.

    Comment by sass — 12/12/2005 @ 10:51 pm

  5. You were in a bit of a snarl on Sunday, but hey, you’re a friend and you didn’t attack me, so WTF.

    Well, my sordid past did involve illegal drugs (and illegally used legal ones)! I’m never going into politics, so I don’t care who knows. If this is supposed to be a family show, I can be the flaky uncle. I play one in real life, just ask my Baptist sister about my posing her two kids for a picture, in lotus position. I’m a reformed hippy. Reformed by the wheels of the capitalist society which will grind you down if you don’t learn to adapt. (The folks in the commune call that a sell-out.) I don’t care…I’ve got kids and I don’t want to live on a farm. I’ve read most everything Tim Leary ever wrote and think he was a freakin’ genius. Seriously. Read his autobiography Flashbacks if you don’t believe me. Any hippy that would go on a lecture tour debating G. Gordon Liddy is top-shelf in my book.

    I think Mr. Liddy is one of NG’s heros, so he has a good role model for a sharp tongue. Go get ’em NG.

    Comment by PM — 12/12/2005 @ 11:17 pm

  6. Good Scotch works best, but any Scotch will do.

    And, yeah, I always wanted to be Uncle Duke from Doonesbury. He’s my hero. A cross between G. Gordon and Hunter S. and a capitalist through and through.

    Comment by the Network Geek — 12/13/2005 @ 5:49 am

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