Awful things people say

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After reading today's entry, what kinds of other things have you been told by family or friends or total strangers. Or what have you said?

-- Piper (piperdane@yahoo.com), June 25, 2000

Answers

Hoo, boy. Family's a good one, particularly Parental Units. My Dad: The weight thing, too. You kind of get used to it, though; I mean, you can't let that sort of thing get to you when it's about meds, like BCP, or my case, antidepressants. Sometimes it's just not under your control. Slimfast is kind of nice, but eventually, you do stop drinking the stuff, and back come the MacAttack lunches. Better to train yourself into eating rabbit food when you get the urge (those little pre-peeled carrots with some sort of lofat chipdip or salad dressing...I managed to quit smoking with them, they have powerful Kung Fu.) My mummy came up with one once, where she sat me down and explained that I "was no longer a good investment" academically, as I had been going to college only semi-successfully (B's, not A's) while enjoying pathological mood swings. Great vote of confidence, there, mom. It's too bad you bought into those freshman IPO's I offered without checking Morgan Stanley first. Turns out she needed my college fund for her boyfriend's new Explorer. Figures. Oh, there's a million of 'em. Hang in there, it's what you want that counts, and you're old enough to know better than them :).

-- Omar (omarkaz@yahoo.com), June 26, 2000.

Hoo Boy, tactless and hurtful remarks have been with us since language began, and many times reveal a person's true feelings. Sometimes passing on what other people think or the opinions of their parents before them.

I guess I am too old to have kept a list, but do recognize them when they come up.

My effort, occasionally successful, is to avoid a slip of the tongue saying something which might hurt someone. Regardless of how I feel, I have to remember most of my feelings are just my own opinions and should be kept to myself. Imho, the same rules which frown on gossip.

-- Denver doug (ionoi@webtv.net), June 26, 2000.


I think everyone, no matter how slim they are, has received a nasty comment regarding weight. It's a common bond between us all. But, my personal worst weight jab was when my boyfriend told me I was the heaviest person he'd ever been with!

I also was told last year by my barback, "You're pretty, but you don't have a hair identity." I'm still trying to figure that one out!

Ramblings of a JAP

-- Elan Kesilman (elan@elanworks.com), June 27, 2000.

It wasn't so much what someone said it was a gift I recieved. My mother found this shirt and she thought it was cute. She gave it to me not realizing how offensive it would be to me. I mean how could she know being that she has always weighed about 105 lbs. It said. "I'm not fat. I'm just fluffy." I showed it to my sister and she said, "If mom had given me that I would have cried." I tried to play it off like it was humorous but I felt horrible.

-- Rachel (rachel@seventhirteen.com), June 29, 2000.

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