I Am Not an Idiot

I'm fairly sure about that too. I may not know a lot about all things, but I'm fairly intelligent and fully capable of making up my own mind-and knowing what I want in the first place. I can walk into a store and buy things, knowing that I am getting what I wanted and for a decent price.

Too bad the salesman at Harvey Norman the other day didn't seem to get this.

I needed a new laptop. My old one wasn't charging and there was one terrifying moment last week when I couldn't get the computer to register there was a power-cord connected. Not to mention it's as slow as a wet rag and about as useful as one a lot of the time. So I asked around, looked at prices in stores and decided I wanted one of two brands, with a very specific feature.

Then I went to Harvey Norman. I walked in and found a computer, of one of the brands I wanted (although the brand I least preferred of the two) but without the feature I wanted. A salesman walked up and offered his help. I instantly unloaded exactly what I wanted, brand and feature. Guy looked a little stunned but led me to one brand (still, the least preferred) while asking what I wanted the computer for.

Upon hearing I wanted it for Uni, he offered me a Mac.

For the last two minutes or so of our interaction I've been throwing PC brands at you. Why would you offer a Mac, when I've clearly stated I want one of two PC brands?

My opinion of this dude fell then, but I continued asking for the second brand. He showed me a laptop, in my price range that I liked. I asked what kind of a deal could be made on it, he asked what I needed. I asked if it came with Microsoft Office, then when it didn't I asked for that. He barely seemed to consider that before offering this "replacement policy" where for the next three years, the laptop could be replaced if it breaks. Great thing, but $330 for the laptop and well, I couldn't afford it.

He wouldn't drop it.

By this point I'm feeling horrible. The guy doesn't seem to be listening to me, he's made me feel confused and like an idiot who doesn't know anything. Looking back on it, I'm fairly sure a lot of it has to do with my sex combined with my age...

I walked out. Took my Mum and went to another store where we got a better laptop for less and I wasn't made to feel stupid.

I wonder how this would have gone if my brother and/or Dad had been with me?

Lazy

I don't know if the title of this post relates to myself or my father. I'm a lazy bitch, I'm well aware of it. I'm reluctant to do much without a load of motivation and I'm a procrastinator to boot.

But at least I make my own lunch.

Seriously, Dad never makes his own food. He doesn't make his own coffee, he never gets his own drinks. He always has his dinner brought out to him and I've never seen him wash a dish. My brother, mother and I do all those things for him.

Take today- I made soup for lunch and boiled the kettle. After I had sat down and started eating, I was asked to make a coffee for him (which Mum took advantage of and had me make her one too). Never mind the fact there was no water left and I had to reboil the kettle or the fact I was STILL eating. Well, this might be within his rights to request I guess...but not the next thing. An hour or so later he asked what was in the house for lunch. I suggested there was ham for sandwiches- that became a statement of my volunteering to make him sandwiches.

And if I didn't make them, Mum would have and I would be in trouble for being a lazy bitch and not following a simple request.

But it's not. It's something that happens everyday, without fail. Dad is of the opinion my brother and I exist to serve him otherwise why have kids and well, my brother hides in his room to avoid this. But if I hide in my room, I'm being anti-social and I'll be ranted at.

So for now, I guess I'll put up with this kind of shit and just rant about it to my friends.

I wonder if I'll ever feel like I exist to do more than serve people.

Ladies and Double Standards (aka Fancy Ranting)

"Don't do that, it's not ladylike."

Seriously, this has been something I've been wondering for ages. What, exactly, is a lady?

Now I could prattle on about a lady being traditionally a woman of higher class, born into society. Women of the middle and upper classes in the 18th and 19th centuries are a very good image for a lady and they were expected to stay at home and raise their children- seen but not heard. But while I'm sure this influences the concept now, I'm not really interested in that. I'm curious as to what being a 'lady' is in a modern setting.

According to my parents, a lady seems to be a girl who does what her parents tell her; who always sits in a proper position; never makes rude noises or farts and always uses decent language. I cannot tell you how many times I've been told to not sit like that, it's not ladylike or to not swear because it's not ladylike. Not that I do swear a lot, but my brother, at the same age can drop a swear or two and it's written off as him being young. In fact, for a old time there I was critical of others swearing as they failed to live up to this standard I had been taught. There's a time and place you don't swear, I'll admit that, but neither should the well deserved fuck after a dropped phone be told off by a parent who wasn't meant to overhear that.

But anyway. That is not the point. The point is, a lady seems to me to be someone who isn't confrontational. Who doesn't do things outside the norm. Who doesn't make waves or do anything that might upset anyone. Who keeps her contrary opinions to herself

Someone who is seen and not heard?

Now, I wonder if you raise your daughter to be this lady, when is she going to speak up? When is she going to make her voice heard and protest things that she does not find correct? Or assert herself in a job interview like employers seem to want?

I don't think she is.

Maybe I'm taking this too far. Maybe being a lady is just not swearing and sitting in a correct position. But, why must I change my ways to be this lady? When the concept has already proved to have double standards in how it treats the matter of swearing...

Then I think I shall continue to answer "Don't do that, it's not ladylike." with "I'm no lady."