Open Thread Mondays: Who Me?


by on Nov 9th, 2009

Yesterday, my friend cursed me out and said I’m caustic. I was shocked. Not because it’s not true, but because he called me that, and he was serious.

My friend is an ass. We met freshman year of college. I always thought it was our shared loathing of things, behaviors, fads, sayings, hype, pop culture – whatever – that brought us together. We’d talk in a sort of circling negativity, and when the topic would at last lose momentum and collapse on itself, it – or we – exploded in a supernova of sarcastic wit that would put us in riotous laughter for days.

I know, as I’ve always known, my negativity – my causticness – had nothing to do with my outlook on life. I’m a happy guy, and I’m an optimist. But I’ve always been drawn to that grumpy humor. Nothing tickles me more than someone who’s dead set on a bleak world. My favorite Sesame Street character was Oscar the Grouch. I grew up with Married With Children – Ed O’Neil is a prophet of pessimism. In high school I quoted Professor Farnsworth’s lines from Futurama. To me, the unsettling darkness of a despondent mind is the stuff of comedic gold.

I don’t know what drove my friend to think similarly to me back then. I don’t know why he now criticizes for it, though he’s still doing the “Have you ever noticed…” routine and shitting on people’s achievements. And, after writing all of this, I’m not even sure what my point is.

I guess, if there’s anything to be learned, it’s that I have a damn good sense of humor. And my friend is a hypocritical douche.

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  • Ray Johnson

    Calling you caustic after cursing you out, is like throwing acid on an open wound. So, who’s the caustic one?

  • Ray Johnson

    Calling you caustic after cursing you out, is like throwing acid on an open wound. So, who’s the caustic one?

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Its not that you’re upset with being called caustic. You’re perturbed at the hypocrisy not to mention the “Oh, I’m not like you” attitude. Coming from a friend, it’s just not acceptable at all.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    Its not that you’re upset with being called caustic. You’re perturbed at the hypocrisy not to mention the “Oh, I’m not like you” attitude. Coming from a friend, it’s just not acceptable at all.

  • http://www.nedberke.com Ned Berke

    Hmm. Not sure I meant for the situation to be analyzed by others. I just wrote about it ’cause it’s the open thread – and this is where I take the opportunity to vent. Don’t forget that your comments don’t have to relate at all to what I’ve written. Feel free to swoon, praise, complain, moan, groan, teeter, tinker, bitch, blather, and blunder to your heart’s content about any ol’ thing.

  • http://www.NedBerke.com Ned Berke

    Hmm. Not sure I meant for the situation to be analyzed by others. I just wrote about it ’cause it’s the open thread – and this is where I take the opportunity to vent. Don’t forget that your comments don’t have to relate at all to what I’ve written. Feel free to swoon, praise, complain, moan, groan, teeter, tinker, bitch, blather, and blunder to your heart’s content about any ol’ thing.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    I somehow knew you say that. But we’re your friends so we’re offended when anyone says something offensive to you.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    I somehow knew you say that. But we’re your friends so we’re offended when anyone says something offensive to you.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    I do have one thing. Is there any way that you can set up the means in which comments can be edited after submission? I do suspect though that it would require something setting up site accounts or something, which could be very complicated to accomplish.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    I do have one thing. Is there any way that you can set up the means in which comments can be edited after submission? I do suspect though that it would require something setting up site accounts or something, which could be very complicated to accomplish.

  • Ray Johnson

    This invitation to change subjects sounds too good to be true.

  • Ray Johnson

    This invitation to change subjects sounds too good to be true.

  • http://www.nedberke.com Ned Berke

    Lisanne: We won’t be implementing the ability to edit your comments. Sorry, but it just opens up far too many logistical concerns. If you have a particularly egregious error you want corrected you can email me anytime and I’ll do it ASAP.

  • http://www.NedBerke.com Ned Berke

    Lisanne: We won’t be implementing the ability to edit your comments. Sorry, but it just opens up far too many logistical concerns. If you have a particularly egregious error you want corrected you can email me anytime and I’ll do it ASAP.

  • Anonymous

    You are OK in my book Ned.
    Editing would be like falsifying paper work.
    If someone regrets what they said or opinion has changed
    then they should man (or woman) up to it and post another comment.
    Things that would be damaging or terribly, terribly offensive should be edited.

  • clare

    You are OK in my book Ned.
    Editing would be like falsifying paper work.
    If someone regrets what they said or opinion has changed
    then they should man (or woman) up to it and post another comment.
    Things that would be damaging or terribly, terribly offensive should be edited.

  • Anonymous

    What I mean is once there is a comment there is no going back.

  • clare

    What I mean is once there is a comment there is no going back.

  • Anonymous

    You could pay me to watch new input 24/7. lol

  • clare

    You could pay me to watch new input 24/7. lol

  • Anonymous

    I probably missed the point. ICMU. (Icrackmyselfup)

  • clare

    I probably missed the point. ICMU. (Icrackmyselfup)

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Yeah Clare. I was mainly concerned about egregious spelling or omission of important words.

    You crack me up too. That’s a good thing.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    Yeah Clare. I was mainly concerned about egregious spelling or omission of important words.

    You crack me up too. That’s a good thing.

  • Anonymous

    Where’s Arthur B. ?

  • clare

    Where’s Arthur B. ?

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    I’m here, whats up?

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur B

    I’m here, whats up?

  • local broker

    what about me

  • local broker

    what about me

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur B

    Has anyone here ever been to a Fire and Ice Grill?

    Me and my friend Steve went to one in West Nyack last week and it was AMAZING. I’ve been raving about it ever since. If they opened one in Sheepshead or Coney Island it would be the most awesome thing evar.

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Has anyone here ever been to a Fire and Ice Grill?

    Me and my friend Steve went to one in West Nyack last week and it was AMAZING. I’ve been raving about it ever since. If they opened one in Sheepshead or Coney Island it would be the most awesome thing evar.

  • http://WhiteTrashBBQ.blogspot.com/ BrooklynQ

    Places like that were big in Manhattan about 10 years ago. They were called Mongolian BBQ.

    I’d love a place like that in the Bay – but only Sushi Restaurants open here. I think it’s the special zoning.

  • http://WhiteTrashBBQ.blogspot.com BrooklynQ

    Places like that were big in Manhattan about 10 years ago. They were called Mongolian BBQ.

    I’d love a place like that in the Bay – but only Sushi Restaurants open here. I think it’s the special zoning.

  • clare

    Hi Arthur, Hi Local.
    Been quiet. good to see ya.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Arthur, Hi Local.
    Been quiet. good to see ya.

  • http://www.nedberke.com Ned Berke

    I think this place might be getting too weird for me…

  • http://www.NedBerke.com Ned Berke

    I think this place might be getting too weird for me…

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001 Lisanne!

    Just go with the flow Ned.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisanne001/ Lisanne!

    Just go with the flow Ned.