sundries

[rm]

Patty and I had a lovely outside dinner last night, but then stayed up too late because work caught up with me. Boo.

Today my face hurts in a massive, horrible sinus way.

I posted my Dragon*Con schedule last night!

We're expecting a lovely fucking hurricane over the weekend that should make Dragon*Con related travel slightly annoying.

Dragon*Con people, there's a fake Irish pub near the hotels that has video trivia and tends to be Not Fucking Annoying on Thursday night. But I can only recall its location by sight in my head. This does not help me tell other people where it is or what it is called. Anyone?

Rather unexpectedly, won writerinadrawer Round 4. If you weren't following along, do go back and read the stories. Many, many people turned in at least one that was some of their best work, and I'm pretty sure we all embarrassed ourselves at least once (I feel like I can count at least four on that score (the embarrassment score) for me). In the end (and arguably through the whole thing, since exercises like this are weird), it certainly didn't come down to quality, but what happened to be to the tastes of whoever was voting in a given week. Also, while I could often tell who wrote what, I pegged something for cruentum that I still can't believe was misswinterhill a few rounds back, so that sort of wacky surprise was fun, but since everything is revealed now, a bit too late for you. Anyway, everyone, and most especially our host, thefannishwaldo, deserves a round of applause for Getting Through This Thing. I found this _much_ harder work than therealljidol.

30 mosques in 30 days.

Ad campaign to counteract anti-Muslim sentiment.

Extreme Dog Grooming.

Plato's pop-culture problem and ours.

The politics of "ma'am" I about fell over laughing at "Because it amuses me."

The Advocate has a point. As more conservative Republicans call for same-sex marriage, what does Obama achieve by opposing it? The people that wouldn't vote for him over this issue, already wouldn't vote for him. Right?

Interesting-and-a-half that pressure for marriage equality in Australia is now coming from a Tasmanian independent.

Are you fucking kidding me? Emergency message about crashing into the sea played to passengers by mistake. Mercury retrograde, we are done!

Comments

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

That actually bugged me. It feels like an erasure to address a powerful woman as sir. One becomes no longer a woman but an honorary man.

But then I've also spent much of my life in the south, where "ma'am" is much less associated with age than it is in the north.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I actually don't find "ma'am" offensive or about age, but I find it weird. I mean, I almost never hear it in a neutral context (as opposed to the dripping, nasty sarcasm I sometimes hear when its used I'm wearing men's clothes), and I'd rather be called "ma'am" than when a server comes to the table and is all "what can I get for you girls?" I AM 37. I AM NOT A GIRL.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

I don't view it as an age thing either but one of respect. I was called "miss" only in my teens and as soon as I was an adult, ma'am. I didn't view it as rude or something snide about my age. I get more insulted when someone calls me "girl" because I'm obviously not. Also, this is different from what English speakers deal with, but I've had men I don't know use "tu" with me instead of "vous", and that gets my hackles up.

[sykii.livejournal.com]

It's funny; I don't mind "ma'am," or even "ladies." "Girls" bothers me less viscerally than it does conceptually.

But being called "miss" has always made me feel like someone was snapping their fingers at me. Don't know why.

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you not hearing it in a neutral context is part of the north/south divide. It seems to be much more commonly used down here in almost any customer service occasion (that doesn't involve a middle-aged waitress or cashier addressing you as 'honey' or 'sweetie').

But even worse than girls is gals. I hate being called a 'gal'.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

I AM 37. I AM NOT A GIRL.

Wordity McWord.

Though, I admit, that starting to get "ma'am"ed in my mid-30s was kind of eye-opening. It really brought home that I had crossed the Rubicon into grup territory. That and realizing that I had graduated high school before most of akycha's college students had been born. Augh.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I was disappointed to see the powerful women on BSG treated as men instead of being addressed as powerful women. I found the linked article strange ... I view "ma'am" as politeness and am not sure what a stranger would call me or I them, in its place.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I have been screamed at for being rude for calling men "sir" here and told I was being condescending. Using either "sir" or "ma'am" here is very problematic and causes a lot of drama about status and class as a rule. I don't necessarily get it, but I know it is true.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

I haven't had that happen to me in the city, personally, but I totally believe you. I've seen double takes when I use honorifics to be polite. I don't know what else to do, say "hey, you"?

[rm.livejournal.com]

It is weird! And I'm just old enough that I'm really uncomfortable being less formal (also, when I first meet someone in a business situation, I know we skip right to first names now usually, but that's inorganic for me, and I bungle it a lot, especially in academia, where the formality remains appreciated, but where I try to avoid it now because of my dot.com training).

I only feel safe saying sir or ma'am if I'm in a totally subordinate situation (i.e., approaching a stranger on the street for directions). If there's any potential for the other person to think I have power over them, I avoid "sir" and "ma'am" like the plague, as that's where I've had problems.

[sykii.livejournal.com]

I had to get someone's attention the other day, and "hey, Mister!" popped out of my mouth. I have NO idea where it came from. Made me feel like a cabbie from the '20s or something.

[heavenscalyx.livejournal.com]

"Welcome, Citizen! Hey, Citizen! Yes, you, Citizen! How may I help you, Citizen?"

Granted, that comes out better when you're wearing a cape and a mask...

[sanat.livejournal.com]

"Like". ;)