Comments for Nod and Smile http://jeanerz.com/blog1 ...because sometimes it's the only thing you can do. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:17:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on About by Anne http://jeanerz.com/blog1/about/#comment-160967 Anne Fri, 01 May 2009 01:26:44 +0000 #comment-160967 Are you the same Jean Crawford that called herself Genii? Who had a dog named Gaffer? A sister Alex? Are you the same Jean Crawford that called herself Genii? Who had a dog named Gaffer? A sister Alex?

]]> Comment on The 9 minute snooze by thisafternoon http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/05/16/the-9-minute-snooze/#comment-157641 thisafternoon Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:10:42 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=138#comment-157641 http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0903/glad_u_asked092403.asp By setting the snooze time to 9 minutes, modern digital alarm clocks only needs to watch the last digit of the time. So, if you hit snooze at 6:45, the alarm goes off again when the last digit hits 4 - at 7:54. They couldn't make the snooze period 10 minutes, or the alarm would go off right away - or the clock would take more circuitry. :) http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0903/glad_u_asked092403.asp

By setting the snooze time to 9 minutes, modern digital alarm clocks only needs to watch the last digit of the time. So, if you hit snooze at 6:45, the alarm goes off again when the last digit hits 4 - at 7:54. They couldn’t make the snooze period 10 minutes, or the alarm would go off right away - or the clock would take more circuitry.

:)

]]> Comment on The 9 minute snooze by thisafternoon http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/05/16/the-9-minute-snooze/#comment-157639 thisafternoon Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:31:26 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=138#comment-157639 They choose nine because most of the time 2 digits will change: 07:07 07:16 07:25 07:34 instead of: 07:07 07:17 07:27 07:37 It looks like nothing is happening, and you just continue sleeping. Something psychological :) The best explanation I can come up with! They choose nine because most of the time 2 digits will change:

07:07
07:16
07:25
07:34

instead of:
07:07
07:17
07:27
07:37

It looks like nothing is happening, and you just continue sleeping. Something psychological :)
The best explanation I can come up with!

]]> Comment on The 9 minute snooze by Sandefjord, Norway :p http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/05/16/the-9-minute-snooze/#comment-143445 Sandefjord, Norway :p Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:33:42 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=138#comment-143445 I got to say we are just alike Andi! I am not the 6th, or 7th reader. I also just googled about the snoozetime for Sony Ericsson. But I wonder why it is 9 minutes, such a silly time. And, if that shouldnt have been enough, I also use two (or more), alarms in the morning to get myself out of bed... I got to say we are just alike Andi!

I am not the 6th, or 7th reader. I also just googled about the snoozetime for Sony Ericsson. But I wonder why it is 9 minutes, such a silly time.

And, if that shouldnt have been enough, I also use two (or more), alarms in the morning to get myself out of bed…

]]> Comment on Apparently Delta reads my blog. by John Schmidt http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/07/03/apparently-delta-reads-my-blog/#comment-128431 John Schmidt Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:38:12 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=152#comment-128431 Delta may read your blog but they certainly continue to make decisions that anyone with a BA in business would question. Is it possible that they simply do not understand the basics of business and why people give them repeat business? I normally go to delta.com and book a flight. As a platinum flier, I value loyalty and the comforts that come with the elite status; however, Delta seems intent on diluting the benefits and the latest assault on value of elite status comes in the form of coach choice. I booked a flight today and canceled it because I refuse to deal with a company that keeps reducing the benefits that should come with loyalty. They fly RJs and cram everyone together. They remove or reduce the size of first class. They reserve first class seats for sale. Now, they reserve coach seats. Why would anyone want to attain status with them? Delta may read your blog but they certainly continue to make decisions that anyone with a BA in business would question. Is it possible that they simply do not understand the basics of business and why people give them repeat business?

I normally go to delta.com and book a flight. As a platinum flier, I value loyalty and the comforts that come with the elite status; however, Delta seems intent on diluting the benefits and the latest assault on value of elite status comes in the form of coach choice.

I booked a flight today and canceled it because I refuse to deal with a company that keeps reducing the benefits that should come with loyalty. They fly RJs and cram everyone together. They remove or reduce the size of first class. They reserve first class seats for sale. Now, they reserve coach seats. Why would anyone want to attain status with them?

]]> Comment on The 9 minute snooze by Andi Stancu http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/05/16/the-9-minute-snooze/#comment-123792 Andi Stancu Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:54:52 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=138#comment-123792 It's not the time between the snooze you choose, it's the times you snooze. If the interval was 18 minutes you'd probably oversleep double time. :) I'm not the 6th reader, i was just googling about this time interval, wondering why iPhone has 9 minutes while Nokia and others have 5 or 10. This is useful because sometimes I have to use two clocks to wake up, so they don't start ringing at the same time after each snooze since the interval is different. It’s not the time between the snooze you choose, it’s the times you snooze. If the interval was 18 minutes you’d probably oversleep double time. :)

I’m not the 6th reader, i was just googling about this time interval, wondering why iPhone has 9 minutes while Nokia and others have 5 or 10.

This is useful because sometimes I have to use two clocks to wake up, so they don’t start ringing at the same time after each snooze since the interval is different.

]]> Comment on My love-hate relationship with the French #1: Humor by Alexandre http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/07/10/my-love-hate-relationship-with-the-french-1-humor/#comment-79343 Alexandre Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:39:00 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=156#comment-79343 Oops! I meant "our love affair with wit." Came back after taking a look at the snark-stripper. And got to think about my own reactions to Anglosnark: I don't like it too much. It's as common as «baveux» humour in Quebec and paltoquet-like ridicule in France. But it does rub me the wrong way. So I guess I know how you felt. Oops!
I meant “our love affair with wit.”

Came back after taking a look at the snark-stripper. And got to think about my own reactions to Anglosnark: I don’t like it too much. It’s as common as «baveux» humour in Quebec and paltoquet-like ridicule in France. But it does rub me the wrong way. So I guess I know how you felt.

]]> Comment on My love-hate relationship with the French #1: Humor by Alexandre http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/07/10/my-love-hate-relationship-with-the-french-1-humor/#comment-79335 Alexandre Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:32:41 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=156#comment-79335 The construction itself helped you get part of the in-group treatment, in this case. As you might know, Parisians have a love-hate relationship with themselves. And other French-speakers have a hate-love-hate relationship with Parisians. So you're behaving like an insider. The wry humour you describe is common in different parts of Francophonie. In Quebec, we call it «baveux». And I personally love it, even though it's often directed at me (and people get big laughs because I still react to it). «Baveux» humour is very rarely used with outsiders, in Quebec. Even fellow French-speaking Canadians who have lived in Quebec for about ten years may be oblivious to some of the subtleties of «baveux» humour. Of course, other French-speaking groups have their own versions. But they "don't translate" across regional varieties. Seems to me, Parisians are probably the most likely people to use their own brand of wry humour with outsiders. But, as far as I can tell, they use it much more with people they know. So the fact that they use it with you shows a level of comfort. Now, as others have said, you could have avoided these situations by using the most direct question. But what's the fun in that? My "gripe with Grice" (bandname!) is that his maxims aren't in fact applied universally in the same way. Among French-speakers, we like to twist verbal utterances to make them violate Gricean maxims. Not because we think these violations are improper, but because it's part of the fun we have with language. I understand why you associate snarky and wry humour with meanness, cruelty, and other breaches of social relationships based on Goffman-style facework. But the intentionality could lead you somewhere else. Don't forget our love affair with with: the target is language itself. In other words: "don't take it personal." The construction itself helped you get part of the in-group treatment, in this case.
As you might know, Parisians have a love-hate relationship with themselves. And other French-speakers have a hate-love-hate relationship with Parisians. So you’re behaving like an insider.
The wry humour you describe is common in different parts of Francophonie. In Quebec, we call it «baveux». And I personally love it, even though it’s often directed at me (and people get big laughs because I still react to it).
«Baveux» humour is very rarely used with outsiders, in Quebec. Even fellow French-speaking Canadians who have lived in Quebec for about ten years may be oblivious to some of the subtleties of «baveux» humour. Of course, other French-speaking groups have their own versions. But they “don’t translate” across regional varieties.
Seems to me, Parisians are probably the most likely people to use their own brand of wry humour with outsiders. But, as far as I can tell, they use it much more with people they know. So the fact that they use it with you shows a level of comfort.

Now, as others have said, you could have avoided these situations by using the most direct question. But what’s the fun in that? My “gripe with Grice” (bandname!) is that his maxims aren’t in fact applied universally in the same way. Among French-speakers, we like to twist verbal utterances to make them violate Gricean maxims. Not because we think these violations are improper, but because it’s part of the fun we have with language.

I understand why you associate snarky and wry humour with meanness, cruelty, and other breaches of social relationships based on Goffman-style facework. But the intentionality could lead you somewhere else. Don’t forget our love affair with with: the target is language itself.
In other words: “don’t take it personal.”

]]> Comment on My love-hate relationship with the French #1: Humor by Christiana D http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/07/10/my-love-hate-relationship-with-the-french-1-humor/#comment-76621 Christiana D Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:36:21 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=156#comment-76621 Well, as afrench girl who moved to the states at 13 years old i will definitely have to agree with Li, It is the way you phrased the question that caused the waiter to have such a response. See ,we encourage foreigners to speak french so that we may correct them but sometimes you will run into a person who will not correct you but just be sarcastic. I am always at odds with myself in the states, its a war between the cultural norms of my family and those that i have learned to adapt to in the us, they are so different from each other that i am consently wondering who I have offended at the end of the day. Well, as afrench girl who moved to the states at 13 years old i will definitely have to agree with Li, It is the way you phrased the question that caused the waiter to have such a response. See ,we encourage foreigners to speak french so that we may correct them but sometimes you will run into a person who will not correct you but just be sarcastic. I am always at odds with myself in the states, its a war between the cultural norms of my family and those that i have learned to adapt to in the us, they are so different from each other that i am consently wondering who I have offended at the end of the day.

]]> Comment on My love-hate relationship with the French #1: Humor by Li http://jeanerz.com/blog1/2008/07/10/my-love-hate-relationship-with-the-french-1-humor/#comment-67451 Li Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:56:33 +0000 http://jeanerz.com/blog1/?p=156#comment-67451 Yeah it definitely has to do with the fact you asked "DO you have a toilet" and "What is this" instead of "WHERE are the toilets" and "What KIND of cheese is this." I have definitely gotten the same reaction as you and it seems they were picking on me for asking the obvious. Or they just enjoy being assholes. I mean come on, they know exactly what you're trying to ask. Like I was in Germany right. I was in Cologne, at the train station to go to Bonne. To make sure I was on the right platform I asked a station worker whether this was the line to Bonne. He looks at me without blinking and says Yes, you are at the bahn (train station). I was like YOU $*%&$*&(*. Have fun in Paris anyway. I'm jealous. We need to finally get together when you get back! Yeah it definitely has to do with the fact you asked “DO you have a toilet” and “What is this” instead of “WHERE are the toilets” and “What KIND of cheese is this.” I have definitely gotten the same reaction as you and it seems they were picking on me for asking the obvious. Or they just enjoy being assholes. I mean come on, they know exactly what you’re trying to ask. Like I was in Germany right. I was in Cologne, at the train station to go to Bonne. To make sure I was on the right platform I asked a station worker whether this was the line to Bonne. He looks at me without blinking and says Yes, you are at the bahn (train station). I was like YOU $*%&$*&(*.

Have fun in Paris anyway. I’m jealous. We need to finally get together when you get back!

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