“Yeah I called her up. She gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her, or something. I don’t know, I wasn’t really paying attention.” ~ Jeff Daniels as ‘Harry’ in “Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
You know, every once in a while the bite of reality clamps on to my butt and hangs on the for the long haul. Just when I thought that I knew someone well enough, they go and they prove me totally wrong!
What is it about people and their apparent inability to listen? Are there people really that bad to the point where they just won’t listen to anyone?
This ‘chick’ as I shall call her at the moment came to me asking my opinion about a specific online forum that she had an interest in, that was in common with what I enjoy. I gave my opinion and told her both about the pros and the cons of joining such a forum. Realizing that I would not honestly be able to tell her not to join or whether to join because I am not her father. Nor am I in any position with regards to her on telling her what to do.
So the cons were that there were specific members of this forum that I warned her very specifically to stay away from because they’ve had a history of causing some bad blood amongst their members, particularly newer ones who join. Trolls or creepers, whichever term you prefer.
She joins the forum anyway. I brushed it off. Not even a full 24 hour period went by when I had heard from a third party that she had joined the forum, does she come crying to my side… totally freaked out about those members in which I had previously warned her about staying away from.
You insenstive cow! You did not listen to me!! And now you got your feelings hurt and you feel that you are being stalked because you made the choice to connects with these idiots on a personal level by handing out your personal contact information.
This is MY fault? HOW?????
I’m not the world’s best professional on giving out advice. I mean, I’m not getting paid for it. Neither am I getting paid for offering my opinion, because you already know what they say about people and their having an opinion.
Yet I would think that with some of my closest colleagues, they would trust and have faith in what I am saying and telling them what is true. Apparently she had to find out for herself… which is fine. Sometimes, I am that way too. But she had been warned. Now she can’t get rid of them. And this is “all because of me”.
Maybe next time she’ll pay attention. But it won’t be to me as I have removed myself from her situation in any and all regards.
If you’re not going to listen to me, well that is your choice. But keep in mind that whatever happens, whether good or bad, is also your consequence and not mine. If you choose to ignore my words/thoughts/feelings, then so be it. But do NOT dare return and place the blame on me for something that went wrong. And perhaps you’ll think twice about asking or seeking my advice to begin with. You asked, I gave. Then you ignored, and got burned.
Your choice, your consequence. I am not the guilty party here.
Dambreaker 