Comments on: In which the Clam engages in a moment of self-loathing http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/ One of the Good Shepherd's flock. Just hanging around, blogging, and eating my grass. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:55:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kit http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6905 Kit Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:24:28 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6905 Definitely not a jerk, my friend. I routinely come in late and deliberately work through lunch (best time to get stuff done without interruption) and I always do the same thing with the phone - in fact, last Friday I missed a call from a dr. who I've been harassing by phone and mail to call and chat with me about a case I'm working on. I didn't see the caller id until after the voicemail got it, but I was annoyed that he called during lunch (probably his only break in the day, it occurred to me afterwards), expecting we'd answer when his office certainly doesn't. So I decided not to pick up and instead resolved to call him back after 1:00, using much the same rationale you did. At 1:30, I called and the receptionist said I'd just missed him, and he would not be back until the end of August because he was doing mission work in Africa for 30 days, then taking a 2-week vacation before the kids got back into school. Pond, I am thy scum. So the moral is, if you think you suck (which you don't), I'm here to tell ya I suck worse - I could've picked up! Definitely not a jerk, my friend. I routinely come in late and deliberately work through lunch (best time to get stuff done without interruption) and I always do the same thing with the phone - in fact, last Friday I missed a call from a dr. who I’ve been harassing by phone and mail to call and chat with me about a case I’m working on. I didn’t see the caller id until after the voicemail got it, but I was annoyed that he called during lunch (probably his only break in the day, it occurred to me afterwards), expecting we’d answer when his office certainly doesn’t. So I decided not to pick up and instead resolved to call him back after 1:00, using much the same rationale you did.

At 1:30, I called and the receptionist said I’d just missed him, and he would not be back until the end of August because he was doing mission work in Africa for 30 days, then taking a 2-week vacation before the kids got back into school.

Pond, I am thy scum.

So the moral is, if you think you suck (which you don’t), I’m here to tell ya I suck worse - I could’ve picked up!

]]> By: Kasia http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6870 Kasia Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:03:18 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6870 <i>I have worked with jerks, Kasia. You are not even an amateur jerk.</i> Nertz - I guess I will have to work harder. ;-) Thanks very much for the boosters, y'all. I'm gettin' all aw-shucksy... I have worked with jerks, Kasia. You are not even an amateur jerk.

Nertz - I guess I will have to work harder. ;-)
Thanks very much for the boosters, y’all. I’m gettin’ all aw-shucksy…

]]> By: jean http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6869 jean Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:52:04 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6869 You are not a jerk. A real jerk would have called him back, told him you ignored the phone because you on lunch, and ask him to dictate the news - including cause of death - so you could quickly type up the e-mail he wanted. I have worked with jerks, Kasia. You are not even an amateur jerk. :) You are not a jerk. A real jerk would have called him back, told him you ignored the phone because you on lunch, and ask him to dictate the news - including cause of death - so you could quickly type up the e-mail he wanted.

I have worked with jerks, Kasia. You are not even an amateur jerk. :)

]]> By: Puff the Magic Dragon http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6860 Puff the Magic Dragon Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:36:33 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6860 I mean I call him Greg. and darn the smileys - that should read "(including his boss )" I mean I call him Greg.

and darn the smileys - that should read
“(including his boss )”

]]> By: Puff the Magic Dragon http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6858 Puff the Magic Dragon Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:34:00 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6858 Okay, It was your lunch hour. And lunch hours mean one complete hour where, if you choose, no work is done, or in some cases even considered. I have a friend, I'll call me Greg, who takes his lunch very seriously. His rule is that he wants 1 complete hour for his lunch and in that hour he does NO work. If someone finds him on the premises (say the staff room) and even asks him a work related question, he used to begin his hour again. His lunch was beginning to "last" all afternoon, because "work" was constantly interrupting his lunch hour. Everyone (including his "boss") has learned to leave him alone when he says, "I'm on lunch until such and such time" Okay, It was your lunch hour. And lunch hours mean one complete hour where, if you choose, no work is done, or in some cases even considered.

I have a friend, I’ll call me Greg, who takes his lunch very seriously. His rule is that he wants 1 complete hour for his lunch and in that hour he does NO work. If someone finds him on the premises (say the staff room) and even asks him a work related question, he used to begin his hour again. His lunch was beginning to “last” all afternoon, because “work” was constantly interrupting his lunch hour. Everyone (including his “boss”) has learned to leave him alone when he says, “I’m on lunch until such and such time”

]]> By: Jill http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6827 Jill Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:33:08 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6827 As an almost "pro" at the self-loathing -- I understand completely. HUG! You poor thing. You are not a jerk. Also you should listen to the Canuck cuz he's wise! ;-) Not only do I agree with him on this but I have something to add. Try to think of it this way... Put yourself in his shoes, if it were you and you were the one who had to notify people with this news, would it not be easier to leave a message on a voicemail than to actually have to speak to someone? I know if it were me, I'd be a wreck and it would be SO much easier to remain calm and not fall apart while leaving a message rather than have to talk to somebody. It just seems like it's so much harder to keep it together while someone is being sympathetic - even though I appreciate their sympathy... Perhaps it would have been much harder on this student to have to tell you -- maybe this was GRACE. Does that make any sense or help at all? Sending another hug anyway for good measure. Try not to beat yourself up too badly! As an almost “pro” at the self-loathing — I understand completely. HUG! You poor thing. You are not a jerk. Also you should listen to the Canuck cuz he’s wise! ;-)
Not only do I agree with him on this but I have something to add.

Try to think of it this way…
Put yourself in his shoes, if it were you and you were the one who had to notify people with this news, would it not be easier to leave a message on a voicemail than to actually have to speak to someone?
I know if it were me, I’d be a wreck and it would be SO much easier to remain calm and not fall apart while leaving a message rather than have to talk to somebody. It just seems like it’s so much harder to keep it together while someone is being sympathetic - even though I appreciate their sympathy…
Perhaps it would have been much harder on this student to have to tell you — maybe this was GRACE.
Does that make any sense or help at all?

Sending another hug anyway for good measure. Try not to beat yourself up too badly!

]]> By: The Canuck http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6825 The Canuck Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:32:01 +0000 http://clamrampant.stblogs.com/2008/07/16/in-which-the-clam-engages-in-a-moment-of-self-loathing/#comment-6825 I realize that you're going to say, "But I was sitting right beside the phone and explicitly said I wasn't going to answer it", but I'm going to say this anyway - I don't see that there's much difference between you choosing not to answer the phone during your lunch hour (when you're having lunch in your office) and not answering the phone because you were out of the office having lunch. Plus, it's not as if you answered the phone, shouted "NO!" into the receiver and hung up ... ;) I realize that you’re going to say, “But I was sitting right beside the phone and explicitly said I wasn’t going to answer it”, but I’m going to say this anyway - I don’t see that there’s much difference between you choosing not to answer the phone during your lunch hour (when you’re having lunch in your office) and not answering the phone because you were out of the office having lunch.

Plus, it’s not as if you answered the phone, shouted “NO!” into the receiver and hung up … ;)

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