Tim Peterson's Blog

As always, I went to IV last night. I ran the sound from the back (as mentioned before), while Stephen ran the projector from up front where those controls are. I had figured out how to patch into the auditorium’s wireless microphone system, so we were able to use that for the announcements and everyone else that was talking down front. However, the signal was coming through rather loudly into my mixer, so I had to keep things turned down pretty far. To give myself more room to adjust the volume, I decided to ask Stephen to turn down the wireless mic from his side so I could have more room to adjust. After the music, the Guyana team went down to talk about what they had done over spring break. While Christina was speaking, I got Stephen’s attention, pointed at Christina, and motioned downward. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the message, but Christina noticed and asked what I wanted. I waved her off and she continued talking. Then Stephen started Gaim so he could talk to me directly and find out what I wanted (though I didn’t immediately realize this). However, due to how he had the dual screen functionality set up on his laptop, Gaim decided to open its buddy list on the screen feeding the projector. Thus, everyone saw it pop up before he quickly pulled it off the screen. This provoked some laughter, which befuddled Christina, who couldn’t see the screen, but she continued. I already had Gaim open on my laptop (with which I was recording the audio), so I proceeded to send him a message. I realized just as I pressed enter that there was a distinct possibility that the chat window would also open on the projector screen… which it did. Thus, everyone was treated to a chat window reading: “Tim Peterson: Good job. ” This provoked even more laughter, and some of those who read the name on the message (before Stephen corralled it again) turned around to look at me and congratulate me on my brilliance. I just grinned and gave a thumbs-up. I didn’t make that happen intentionally, of course, but it worked out perfectly.

This quarter I have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time in which to do it, so I’ve been wondering exactly how to manage it all. However, I got a nice and unexpected reprieve from that this afternoon.

When my last class got out at 5, I was in the engineering building preparing to head out to the car when I noticed that the doors were open to the new wing they’ve been building for the last many months. It looked fairly finished, there wasn’t much in the way of construction in sight, and someone was walking through on their way out, so I decided it was safe to have a look. Only a few rooms are inhabited at this point, the others still being in the process of having their furniture and the like installed. There are lots of glass-walled labs, as well as lots of glass to the outside. It looks like a nice place, and I had fun exploring all the hallways, including the slightly twisty one that finds its way back into the third floor of the old building. I ran into no one until I reached the third floor, where there’s a big room with a big glass overlook. There were three people in there, so I didn’t go in. I shall have to return sometime soon to complete my exploration.

I’m not sure exactly why I found it fun; perhaps it’s the combination of the novelty of having a new building on campus, the sneakiness of wandering around in an empty building, my interest in behind-the-scenes type things (seeing as not everything was finished yet), and simple adventurousness. I emerged happily onto a new sidewalk, where I was greeted by unexpectedly warm weather and a shining sun. Everything was still wet from the thunderstorm earlier in the day, which I had only heard from inside a classroom and wished I could enjoy it. I strolled happily out to the car (once I located it), and headed out. I opened all the windows to enjoy the air, and noticed, among other things, the sound of cars driving on wet pavement. Ahhhhh.

About half-way home, what did I spy in the middle of the road but — what else? — a rubber snake! I had seen it on the way in this morning, at first thinking it was a real snake but then realizing that it was coiled too neatly and was too non-squished to be real. So I turned around and came back to grab it. I then resumed my course, laughing at the fact that God had provided this fine day with not only building exploration and nice weather, but also, as if those weren’t enough, a randomly-placed rubber snake! Excellent, wouldn’t you say?

Thursday night Jackie and I went to the free showing by CAB of Back to the Future at RIT. There were very few people there, so we had plenty of choice in seating, but I followed Jackie to a seat without looking much at where other people might be nearby. We sat down, and then heard the person behind me say, “This guy’s too tall; I’m moving over.” I thought that was rather amusing, and turned around with a grin to see if she had been successful in moving over. When she saw that I had noticed what she said, she said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, that was rude.” I really didn’t mind, and I just found it funny, but Jackie thought it was pretty rude.

Maybe it was just my tired state, but when I got home around 12:30 I still thought that was amusing. However, I wondered why it was I reacted so differently from Jackie. The next day (at about the same late hour, in fact) I discovered part of the answer. First, I find a lot of things funny. I’m always seeing the humor in the little things people do or the situations that occur. Secondly, and more to the point, I didn’t consider the comment rude because I tend to tease people with possibly-rude comments myself, intended to amuse rather than to offend. Therefore, I’m used to such things, so the effect of such comments toward me is usually amusement rather than taking of offense.

I’m curious: How would you have reacted? A laugh? A retort? (Perhaps an incapacitating glare, like someone I know?) What is the typical response to rude comments by strangers? And just how unusual am I, anyway?