Ever have awful Table mates?

[davekathy]

45 minutes ago, AL3XCruise said:

 

Personally I've never been a fan of peas.  I probably haven't had a pea in over a year.  When I tell people that they seem concerned...

Now that is stamina. You would be the talk of the table. 😜

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

 Neither John nor Yoko were able to visualize whirled peas.

No, such a shame especially if they are like Mushed peas.

[kochleffel]

Bumper sticker seen on Massachusetts route 1A:

 

NEVER MIND WORLD PEACE

VISUALIZE USING YOUR TURN SIGNAL

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, kochleffel said:

Bumper sticker seen on Massachusetts route 1A:

 

NEVER MIND WORLD PEACE

VISUALIZE USING YOUR TURN SIGNAL

 

How about VISUALIZE TURNING OFF YOUR TURN SIGNAL IF IT DOES NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATICALLY

 

DON

[wwcruisers]

LOL -- this thread has clearly taken a detour to Crazytown (hope that someone remembered to use their turn signal)!😵

[CPT Trips]

3 hours ago, kochleffel said:

Bumper sticker seen on Massachusetts route 1A:

 

NEVER MIND WORLD PEACE

VISUALIZE USING YOUR TURN SIGNAL

 

My guess is it was someone that learned to drive in another state.

[parrotfeathers]

Ever have awful Table mates?

 

Yes, my cruise bud (that I promptly dropped as a cruise bud).   We were on Voyager when Israel was head of the CL.  I swear after every meal she said "I don't ever want to eat with them again."   At lunch we sat with one young couple who wanted to say a short blessing.   She did and the minute we got up from the meal--same thing.   I think Israel changed our table 4 times.  The last change we were at a table with 3 young couples on their honeymoons.   Only 2 suppers left then and I told her I wasn't changing.  They were very sweet couples.

[slidergirl]

On 6/22/2019 at 7:07 AM, RocketMan275 said:

Yes, I've heard that claim as well but it's easily challenged by asking if Biblical wine was grape juice, then how did so many Biblical persons get drunk?

 

My take:  Yes Jesus turned water into wine for the masses to drink.  At the Last Supper, they drank wine.  But, there is a line somewhere in the Bible about "be not drunk with wine" (or something akin to that).  So, yes, go ahead and drink that wine.  But, don't get sloppy drunk on it...

[navybankerteacher]

21 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

 

My take:  Yes Jesus turned water into wine for the masses to drink.  At the Last Supper, they drank wine.  But, there is a line somewhere in the Bible about "be not drunk with wine" (or something akin to that).  So, yes, go ahead and drink that wine.  But, don't get sloppy drunk on it...

And perhaps the most directly relevant Biblical passage is Paul’s “... no longer drink only water but take a LITTLE wine for your stomach’s sake...” (emphasis added);  there being no conflict with strictures concerning gluttony.

[kochleffel]

23 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

 

If you make that choice, "they" win.  😉  Don't let "them" win 😉

 

I try to avoid us-vs.-them thinking, but in general you're right.

 

I am too polite to get up and leave when someone persists in a line of talk that I find objectionable, but not too polite to request a change for the next night. Changing the subject is hard for me: I have a mild autism-spectrum disorder that makes it nearly impossible for me to abandon a topic before it has been fully explored, and that causes me to miss social cues.

[VennDiagram]

46 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

I try to avoid us-vs.-them thinking, but in general you're right.

 

I understand 🙂  and generally, I agree with that.

I dislike confrontation, and generally I too am too polite to speak up when someone is being objectionable. 

However, one night a table mate started making disparaging remarks about gay people.... THAT got me to "us vs them"  very quickly since my closest friend is gay.  My husband sat silently, in astonishment, as I told the table mate EXACTLY how offensive I found his comments.  If I'd said nothing, I'd have felt I was giving him permission to continue with his bigoted, obnoxious comments (and I'd have felt I was betraying my friend, too). 

Edited June 23, 2019 by VennDiagram

[clo]

17 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

If I'd said nothing, I'd have felt I was giving him permission

I feel exactly the same as you.  Good for you.  After 30 years my husband has given up, I think 🙂

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, VennDiagram said:

 

I understand 🙂  and generally, I agree with that.

I dislike confrontation, and generally I too am too polite to speak up when someone is being objectionable. 

However, one night a table mate started making disparaging remarks about gay people.... THAT got me to "us vs them"  very quickly since my closest friend is gay.  My husband sat silently, in astonishment, as I told the table mate EXACTLY how offensive I found his comments.  If I'd said nothing, I'd have felt I was giving him permission to continue with his bigoted, obnoxious comments (and I'd have felt I was betraying my friend, too). 

Go Girl!  Well done.   

[VennDiagram]

1 hour ago, clo said:

I feel exactly the same as you.  Good for you.  After 30 years my husband has given up, I think 🙂

 

That was one of the few times my husband has seen me drop my British-upbringing-inspired social "mask" ....

[MicCanberra]

All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

 

[clo]

3 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

 

That was one of the few times my husband has seen me drop my British-upbringing-inspired social "mask" ....

Well, I grew up in the US South but seemed to drop that sooner than most 🙂

[zitsky]

On 6/17/2019 at 2:24 AM, Ashland said:

When we eat in the dining room (MTD) we sit at a table for two...however at times when the tables have been uncomfortably close it sometimes doesn't stop someone sitting that close to assume themselves into our conversation.........really....rude !!!

 

Could this not be perceived as someone who is trying to be friendly?

 

(I've had generally very good experiences sharing a table.  Mostly a group of 6 or 8 on Viking.  But on Norwegian we always had a table for two.  I prefer the larger groups even though I'm not the most outgoing person.)

Edited June 25, 2019 by zitsky

[ducklite]

On 6/23/2019 at 4:32 PM, VennDiagram said:

 

I understand 🙂  and generally, I agree with that.

I dislike confrontation, and generally I too am too polite to speak up when someone is being objectionable. 

However, one night a table mate started making disparaging remarks about gay people.... THAT got me to "us vs them"  very quickly since my closest friend is gay.  My husband sat silently, in astonishment, as I told the table mate EXACTLY how offensive I found his comments.  If I'd said nothing, I'd have felt I was giving him permission to continue with his bigoted, obnoxious comments (and I'd have felt I was betraying my friend, too). 

I would have done the same thing.  That boils my blood more than just about anything.

[ducklite]

30 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Could this not be perceived as someone who is trying to be friendly?

 

(I've had generally very good experiences sharing a table.  Mostly a group of 6 or 8 on Viking.  But on Norwegian we always had a table for two.  I prefer the larger groups even though I'm not the most outgoing person.)

It's one thing to say hello.  It's another to continue to try to engage people in an adjacent table in conversation.  It's not "friendly," it's rude. 

 

If we're eating alone, it's usually because one of us is tired or maybe just not in a sociable mood.  We asked for a table alone so we could be alone, not to make small talk with the people around us.  

 

It's something we had to work with on our son when he was around four or five, and it took a couple of years for him to "get."  Obviously those people had parents who didn't understand boundaries and manners.

[zitsky]

On 6/22/2019 at 12:38 PM, K32682 said:

Evidently some cruisers have certain expectations of their fellow table mates.  I am at the table to dine and should I quietly text, speak to my wife in another language, ignore vapid discussions of mundane topics, be unresponsive to tiresome bores, etc. that is my privilege and one that will be exercised at my discretion.   In return providing you are not obnoxious, bothersome, insulting or flatulent we shall get along just fine. 

 

You seem to be saying 1) don't be bothered by me and 2) don't bother me.  So with such low expectations why share a table with others?

[zitsky]

11 minutes ago, ducklite said:

It's one thing to say hello.  It's another to continue to try to engage people in an adjacent table in conversation.  It's not "friendly," it's rude. 

 

If we're eating alone, it's usually because one of us is tired or maybe just not in a sociable mood.  We asked for a table alone so we could be alone, not to make small talk with the people around us.  

 

It's something we had to work with on our son when he was around four or five, and it took a couple of years for him to "get."  Obviously those people had parents who didn't understand boundaries and manners.

 

You and I have very different definitions of rudeness.  But I hope you enjoy your alone time.

[ducklite]

Just now, zitsky said:

 

You and I have very different definitions of rudeness.  But I hope you enjoy your alone time.

 

If you want to talk to people, ask to be seated with others.  When people are seated alone, it's usually for a reason.  And perhaps we do have different definitions of rudeness, but I"m erring on the side of caution with mine.

[K32682]

12 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

You seem to be saying 1) don't be bothered by me and 2) don't bother me.  So with such low expectations why share a table with others?

 

Sometimes sharing a table is unavoidable.  What I am saying is I won't bother you if you don't bother me.  Should you bother me however I will respond at my discretion.  Most things are allowed to slide but not all. In extreme cases public humiliation is appropriate such as my recent encounter at a shared table (not a cruise) with an anti-gay bigot who in the course of the conversation declared sexual preference is a "choice" and that gays can be reprogrammed.  He did not enjoy the subsequent discussion as much as I did. 

[zitsky]

Was this a group event where it wasn't possible to change tables?  I appreciate your response to it.  I would have said something then moved to another table.

[K32682]

20 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Was this a group event where it wasn't possible to change tables?  I appreciate your response to it.  I would have said something then moved to another table.

 

Yes, it was a luncheon speech event hosted by a business organization with set tables. Changing or moving was not an option.    

 

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by K32682