Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Two weeks?!?!

**Bitchy Princess Alert!!!**

I just found out that Mr. Self-Disclosure was also accepted to the two week summer institute that I was.

The good thing is that we are taking different courses.
The bad thing is that means two weeks sleeping in the same building.

It also means that we will be expected to be chummy and make our travel plans together.

It also means that I will be forced to make a semblance of inclusion of him into social events. This isn't a bad thing in terms of an occasional meal or the like-- despite the impression you may get, I do genuinely like the guy and think he is intelligent-- but only in small doses. However, I discovered that he tends to makes himself conspicuously older than the rest of grad students in a patronizing manner. Truth is, he is conspicuously older, by quite a margin-- but no one would care if he didn't make sure a big deal out of it.
For instance, after telling us all about his misspent youth and overexcessive drug use in his twenties, he got all preachy at N. and I in Memphis about how he didn't see the appeal in drinking anymore. Then, he came to the big conference party, bitched about the music and the need for some old time rock and roll, and then literally watched N. and I like a hawk from the sidelines the entire time with this condescending smirk on his face, with the occasional snide comment (e.g., N. accidentally bumped me while dancing, which spilled part of my drink, to which he proclaims loudly- "That's the first of many to come!").

Dude, you were all high on all sorts of shit when you were 25 and, from your words, weren't exactly making great strides towards your future. I'm 25, working on my PhD, and happened to get drunk at a conference. You are hardly in the place to patronize me, both due to your past and due to the fact that you are my colleague, not my father.

So can you understand why two weeks out of town with him may be stressful?

8 comments:

Ant said...

Once again I don't believe you. :o) I don't think you do like him even in small doses and rightly so, he sounds like a dick...

Flee from him. Do that thing with the hands over the ears and shouting again. Do not feel guilt.

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

Meow!!!

Scratch!!!

;-)

L said...

Ruh-roh!

You should make sure he somehow ends up at a completely different location!

Anonymous said...

Why do you have to be chummy with this guy and include him in your social plans?

He sounds like someone you should stay far away from. This is your two weeks, let him go find his own friends!

PG said...

Yeah...I agree. I wouldn't feel obliged to invite this guy out on social events.

I do like your response that starts with "dude". I think you should find a way to say some version of it to him.

The Little Student... said...

I can't really add anything new to the conversation, but I agree with everyone else. I would do my best to avoid this person...

Princess Pointful said...

Ant- Stop trying to make me look like a bad person! I really am trying to see the good! He does try to be kind to me...

Ultra- Pffttttt..... hiss! :)

Lmizzle- haha... "Sure, SD, I can book the flight for you.... Whoops, who knew there was an Austin in Mongolia!"

Susan- Thanks for stopping by! :)
We are both grad students in the same lab, and will likely be working together for several years to come. I guess I feel somewhat obligated to be all friendly and such primarily because such behaviour really is the norm in our lab, especially since the majority of the members have become real friends of mine. I also worry that without my help everyone else won't humour his self-disclosures-- why I'm responsible, I don't know!

PsychGrad- I think I am going to have to limit my invitations to him, otherwise the dude conversation will need to happen. I'm just really unsure of what he will expect while we're away!

LittleStudent- Thanks for the input, all the same. I might have to be more assertive, because otherwise you'll all be on my ass ;).

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

~licks paw, then undercarriage~

~yawns~