|
People really don't understand, do they?
|
| Dulcy |
Posted on September 03 2008 07:34 PM
|
Member
Location: American Southeast
Posts: 202
Joined: 2008-08-27
|
And I don't mean that in a bad or mean way. It's just funny to me how other people consider the most incomprehensible concepts to be simple. And they probably are simple. Just not to me, they aren't.
I mean, my own husband does it, and he, for the most part, "gets" it.
Instead of struggling with concepts, I just ask. For instance, just now, I'm setting up a complicated six panel brocure with gutters, margins, and bleeds. Program does most of that for me, no problem. however, I needed to work out some fractions just now. Normally, I'd do a bunch of foolishness with shapes and lines to figure it out (my own algebra, I guess...Dulcybra, if you will. ). I decided screw that. So I call over the partition "Hey, Karen, what's (fill in math problem here, I've already forgotten the numbers)? She is my buddy at work, and knows me. She understands as much as anyone can. So she rattles it off and then tries to tell me the very, very simple formula she used to get to that. Bless her heart.
God help me, I tried. I've already forgotten it. Oh, well, at least she doesn't think I'm an idiot. Thank God for friends. :-DDD
I'm not even going to attempt to disguise my cluelessness anymore. People need to know this is real.
It was amazingly liberating to wave my ineptitude in math over the partition wall like a banner. Everyone heard me ask that "simple" question. Everyone heard my confusion while trying to understand Karen's math formula. I didn't care. This must be what coming out of the closet feels like.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver |
| |
|
|
| evie dee |
Posted on September 03 2008 07:45 PM
|
Member
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Posts: 570
Joined: 2007-12-01
|
Tell me about it. I had to tell my therapist about my struggles with it, and he didn't even know what it was. |
| |
|
|
| Lostinspatial |
Posted on September 03 2008 09:30 PM
|
Member
Location: That would require me to know where I was
Posts: 429
Joined: 2008-06-08
|
I often get asked how to spell words at pretty much every job I've had. The way I see, we've all got our strengths, nothing wrong with asking for help when we need it. |
| |
|
|
| Dulcy |
Posted on September 04 2008 12:25 AM
|
Member
Location: American Southeast
Posts: 202
Joined: 2008-08-27
|
Me, too, I am always getting asked how to spell stuff, is this grammaticaly correct (just because I don't always use proper grammar does not mean I don't KNOW proper grammar. I do.), and just plain "is this well written?"
In fact, I helped so many people with their homework when I was waiting tables that my nickname at that job was "Doc."
A few people have asked for math help (before they knew me). My answer is "Is that a trick question?" 
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver |
| |
|
|
| tammyk1 |
Posted on September 04 2008 03:19 AM
|
Member
Location: ohio
Posts: 128
Joined: 2008-09-03
|
Simply...no they dont...
My fiance would ride my a$$ for failing the same math class at college; "I am self defeating myself, I am not trying, I have given up, why dont you get it, why dont you get the tutors, youre using excuses", and many more statements like that.
Not to mention the countless HS and college professors that would tell me "if you cant pass this class, give up trying to graduate now" in varying degrees of statements.
People can be cruel
/rant |
| |
|
|
| justfoundout |
Posted on September 04 2008 03:51 AM
|
Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6101
Joined: 2008-05-25
|
9/3/08
Dear Tammyk1,
Welcome. You sneaked into the forum when I wasn't looking, but you sound like an "old pro".
I signed up for an accounting class (required for my degree plan). After class, I explained to my teacher that sometimes I may not seem to be 'trying hard enough' but that actually, I believe that I have a learning disability in math called "dyscalculia". I went on the say that I'd transferred to the (present) college due to the lower math requirement, even though I was only missing 3 credits in College Algebra to graduate at my first college.
The teacher seemed at this point to have her first real "thought" (some connection in her brain in response to having me in front of her with my mouth moving), and suddenly she said brightly, "Well, then why don't you do THAT!? Just finish THAT and get your degree THERE!?" She said this cheerfully, as if "Problem solved!"
Slowly, with a determined pace, I said, "I believe that I have a learning disability in math called "dyscalculia". I've transferred to the (present) college due to the lower math requirement. I did this even though I was only missing 3 credits... " Along the way, I saw her (maddeningly) cheerful face loose its "cheer" as what I was saying must have brought back the echo of when I'd said the exact same thing 60 seconds earlier.
I dropped her class the next morning and enrolled in something else, before it was too late.
Please keep coming back, Tammyk1. (Is that like R2D2 from Houston?) - justfoundout
Edited by justfoundout on September 04 2008 03:56 AM |
| |
|
|
| Kathy |
Posted on September 05 2008 05:43 AM
|
Member
Location: Bribie Island Queensland Australia
Posts: 406
Joined: 2005-04-03
|
Hi Dulcy,
It is liberating, it took a long time to feel comfortable with Dyscalculia and actually saying the words "sorry can't do math! - or "sorry but I am a bit of a dud with math" then I think what have I got to apologise for? - at least I admit now that I can't do it - better than sufferring the torments of hell from a boss who doesn't know your problem in a job your struggling to do. Then again if you were like me it takes a lot to admit you cannot do something! I get very angry with myself! but I would never use my disability to disable myself from giving anything a go. Just the other day tutoring a student in a Year 8 Science class the teacher asked me "Did I explain that OK - did it make sence to you? What could I say? - it was maths- pure maths - finding the percentage of a measurement. I said to her "You did a good job and I know you did because the kids got it!" - why? because the kids understood her and that is the ultimate aim in teaching- (and she doesn't know about my dyscalculia).  but she will!................
Cheers for now
Kathy
Albert Einstein said: "Many of the things you can count, don't count. Many of the things you can't count, really count!." |
| |
|
|
| reverend blamo |
Posted on September 05 2008 10:30 AM
|
Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
|
I used to be ashamed and hide this from people, even ones very close to me. Now that I have become comfortable with myself, I feel like I am hiding something or lying if I DON'T tell people.
Of course, I find myself having to explain it all.
(...and I have recently had someone tell me "if you live under this label, you become exactly that...blah,blah,blah" )
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
| |
|
|
| justfoundout |
Posted on September 05 2008 11:52 AM
|
Member
Location: Texas USA
Posts: 6101
Joined: 2008-05-25
|
9/5/08
Dear Blamo,
It's a pity that the person wasn't learning all he/she could from you. We could tell that person, "If you always give advice without listening, you'll never learn anything." There sure are a lot of those people out there,... and, of course, we never tell them what their problem is. We are too courteous, tolerant, and 'socially correct' to treat them in the offensive, arrogant way that they treat us. I love this forum. - justfoundout |
| |
|
|
| Lostinspatial |
Posted on September 05 2008 12:44 PM
|
Member
Location: That would require me to know where I was
Posts: 429
Joined: 2008-06-08
|
The label/defining comments are frustrating. You can always stick a lable on the person's forehead which reads, "just doesn't get it". Or maybe hit them with a dictionary and say, "here's your definitions!" But that might hurt them, so I'd stick to the labels.
Some people just don't get it. Heck, even the testers don't get it sometimes and that's their bleepity bleepin field! |
| |
|
|
| reverend blamo |
Posted on September 05 2008 05:25 PM
|
Member
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 620
Joined: 2007-10-25
|
I like what both of you have to say...but I am not liking "normal" people today. (read my "depression sets in" rant if you'd like to know why) So I may be tempted to attach labels to people's heads with a stapler.
Tolerance? Curteous? Not so much today.
"I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello |
| |
|
|
| Lostinspatial |
Posted on September 05 2008 05:43 PM
|
Member
Location: That would require me to know where I was
Posts: 429
Joined: 2008-06-08
|
Opt for tape instead of staplers, I think it prevents the assault charge. Sorry to hear things are going badly. Which area/thread is your post in?
Edited by Lostinspatial on September 05 2008 05:47 PM |
| |
|
