Off work today keeping an eye on daughter who's escaped school for a day and awaiting delivery of a bed. So only a bit of work related stuff to do in the morning before setting to with a giant mechano set.

In the meantime, I can reflect on a (not very work related) conversation from Friday.

In the morning we'd met with another team and a lady I didn't know complimented me at the end as she left saying "I like your sense of humor." Which was kind. Although I really can't work out what on earth I said or did to provoke that.

Later on, in the afternoon, right at the end of our Friday team meeting when we'd finished with 'business' and it was becoming more social, this comment was brought up.

I expressed my usual complaint that women *say* they like a sense of humor in a male and rate it highly (see personal ads and GSOH) but in my experience this just wasn't true and that looks or fitness still outweigh that as a consideration.

OK, let's rule out boarding school which was 'all boys' in my case (aside from the two daughters of teachers who were of course goddesses that moved well above any circles I might inhabit). [1] But subsequent college, university, travelling the world, and living in close confinement with 350 (mostly young) people from around the world definitely led me to believe that it didn't matter how good my sense of humor might or might not be. Without looks or fitness I'd only ever be 'friends' with the opposite sex. Particularly if they were suspicious that I did think more of them than they wanted: they would almost invariably mention or introduce me to boyfriend casually at just that moment.

Funnily enough, back in our rapidly degenerating team meeting, and after some initial protest, not one of the ladies present could or would refute it.





[1] Curiously I happened to bump into one of these 'goddesses' several years later when I was at university. It was at an event which in itself demonstrated that we had more than a little in common. She was as stunning as I rememebered - if not more so for being an adult. It was great meeting her again, mutually recognizing each other (just!), and realizing that I could relate quite normally with vastly transformed confidence despite my prior experience!