Althouse: "I'm not going to be the idiot that I'm telling you not to be."

November 7, 2019

"I'm not going to be the idiot that I'm telling you not to be."

Overheard at Meadhouse.

28 comments:

rehajm said...: That Zeus is one pithy pooch...; 11/7/19, 6:27 AM
peacelovewoodstock said...: The inverse golden rule?; 11/7/19, 6:42 AM
traditionalguy said...: That would make a good T-shirt line. Do you have the copyright.; 11/7/19, 6:49 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: “I'm the idiot my mother warned you about.”; 11/7/19, 6:55 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: I suspect that Stan Mack would've enjoyed overhearing that.

I am Laslo.; 11/7/19, 7:05 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: I can also hear prime-mullet-era Michael Bolton singing that line.

The emotion is overwhelming just thinking about it: his fists clenched in front of his chest, a look of grimaced sincerity on his face, the wind-machines blowing the long white curtains in the background...

I don't know; maybe the curtains are a pale pink.

I am Laslo.; 11/7/19, 7:08 AM
jaydub said...: I've often wondered how it is possible to overhear a conversation in a two person household unless one member thereof is talking to him/herself out loud and the other is eaves dropping. Were that the case, which member would be identified as the idiot?

Asking for Chuck.; 11/7/19, 7:09 AM
Wince said...: A pollster called?; 11/7/19, 7:11 AM
henry said...: that line is usually delivered too late.; 11/7/19, 7:25 AM
R C Belaire said...: Whomever said that sounds a bit testy. Perhaps a time-out would help...; 11/7/19, 7:35 AM
Darrell said...: Who you calling an idiot?; 11/7/19, 7:38 AM
tim maguire said...: traditionalguy said...
That would make a good T-shirt line. Do you have the copyright.

Probably Blogger does.; 11/7/19, 7:46 AM
Birkel said...: Where is Robert Cook when you need him?; 11/7/19, 7:59 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Neither of us did the thing deemed idiotic.; 11/7/19, 8:24 AM
Wince said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/7/19, 8:27 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: "R C Belaire said...
Whomever said that sounds a bit testy. Perhaps a time-out would help..”

Here is a good rule about “who/whom” that you can use until you don’t need it anymore. Substitute “he" or "him” and use “who” for “he” and “whom” for “him,” whichever sounds right.

“Him said that sounds” sounds like those cartoon Indians on Bullwinkle. “What him say?” The ultimate rule is that you shouldn’t write things that grate on your own ear, regardless of the rules. This would save a lot of errors.

English Major out.; 11/7/19, 8:29 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: The phrase seems like an inversion of “Hold my beer."; 11/7/19, 8:33 AM
Howard said...: Why is pithy attractive in language and inferior in fruit?; 11/7/19, 9:01 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The lake isn't frozen yet. Stay off.; 11/7/19, 9:54 AM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: a plumber with a rhetorical flair?; 11/7/19, 10:09 AM
Biff said...: jaydub said..."I've often wondered how it is possible to overhear a conversation in a two person household unless one member thereof is talking to him/herself out loud and the other is eaves dropping."

Hey, Siri...; 11/7/19, 10:39 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Don't be THAT idiot.; 11/7/19, 10:47 AM
Yancey Ward said...: We are the idiots we have been waiting for.; 11/7/19, 11:10 AM
Bill Peschel said...: We may not be the idiots we want, but we're the idiots we need.

What's this thread about again?; 11/7/19, 12:44 PM
Kevin said...: Not overheard at The View.; 11/7/19, 2:15 PM
Mr. Fabulous said...: (World Famous Lurker says....)

jaydub said..."I've often wondered how it is possible to overhear a conversation in a two person household unless one member thereof is talking to him/herself out loud and the other is eaves dropping."

The obvious answer seems to be that AA or LM was on the phone, speaking with someone else.; 11/7/19, 3:12 PM
tcrosse said...: If you must be an idiot, at least be a useful one. -Lenin; 11/7/19, 3:35 PM
Rusty said...: Ann Althouse said...
"Neither of us did the thing deemed idiotic."
Yeah. That's the excuse I use too.; 11/8/19, 6:17 AM