Another Big "Why"..

So, I've noticed this odd (odd to me anyway) phenomenon since I moved to Baltimore, and I don't get it. I've never heard it anywhere else, though I've no doubt it's not strictly a Baltimore thing...but what is it with making little kids call adults Miss or Mr. (first name)?

No, no, I understand that it's supposed to be a respect thing. No need to explain that to me.

So...example. (And Deirdre, this isn't a bust on you or anything, it's just a recent example, it's happened with other people. I know you were going along with your daughter's wishes here.)

on Saturday at the grove, Deirdre brought her granddaughte to the ritual. At one point, everyone in the room was introduced to Rhiannon as Miss or Mr. (first name) i requested not to be called "Miss Renee". I really hate it. So Deirdre suggested "Miss Rhodes"..okay, the only person who's ever called me Miss Rhodes more than once was my eighth grade science teacher who addressed everyone in such a manner, and quite frankly was one of the most terrifying people I've ever met. when I said that I didn't want to be called "miss" anything, Deirdre said that Rhiannon wasn't allowed to call any adults by their first name, so her only other option would be "hey you".

I said fine, "hey you" is far preferable to "miss" anything.

Then a big discussion of what people were told to call adults when they were kids resulted.

I don't get it. Were we weird in Pennsylvania? I and just about every other kid I knew growing up was taught that the proper name to call an adult was the name they asked to be called. If they wanted to be called Betty or Dan, well by gob, you called 'em Betty or Dan. If they wanted to be called Mr. Smith, you called 'em Mr Smith. My grandparents had a neighbor that wanted to be called Tweedle, so Tweedle it was. (If you didn't know what you should call said adult, then you called them "Mr" or "Mrs" or "Miss" (last name) until requested otherwise.)

When Samantha started learning how to talk, chelle initially insisted that she call me "Aunt Renee"...I didn't really want to be called "aunt" (though it doesn't grate on my nerves in quite the same manner as "miss") but I finally got it through to her that I would prefer that she teach Samantha how to say "Renee" properly and just call me that. (Chelle kept referring to me as "Aunt Nay" which really DID irritate me) My brother on the other hand prefers to be called "Uncle Mike"...so I'm Renee, he's Uncle Mike, and my other brother doesn't really give a flying rat's posterior what Samantha calls him. It's usually "Tony" though.

So...if you want to teach kids respect, call me crazy, but isn't it more respectful to teach kids to call people as they want to be called instead of insisting that their kid call them something they don't like?

I just don't get it.

(no subject)

One of my overnight coworkers is out of the office til October 12th. That means I have lots of opportunity for overtime because his absence leaves us with insufficient coverage...and he works the days that I'm off.

The question is, how much overtime do I want to do....I could have 16 hours just working overnight tonight and the first four hours of his shift tomorrow night, and if I worked all night tomorrow night, there's 8 hours onto my next paycheck.

It would severely chop my next two weekends, but I could think of a thing or twelve that would make the overtime worth it...

(no subject)

I now have an appointment at the tattoo museum to get my tree finished, next Friday at noon. it will probably take close to 2 hours to finish...doing an hour the last time was rough, this oughta be...an adventure.

Yes, I know, I'm the one paying them by the hour to inflict pain on me. It will be worth it when finished.

The good thing is that I won't be able to get any more tattoos on my spine after this :-P

(no subject)

So this silk granny square scarf is going to be pretty spectacular. I've got like 60 little squares made already...I'm going to crochet them together, but I don't think what exists so far is going to be enough to make it as long as I want it (never fear, I have more yarn...)