LIST: Things that the Brits think we're nuts for..

alright Dick...LOL....

[smiley=wreck.gif]   Gee!

..... I am not a big ice person .....

.... Just a little frosty!  

[smiley=wreck.gif]   Gee!

.... Just a little frosty!  

Errrrrr! Ummmm, you would not be calling me frosty if you saw my last hot flash....    [smiley=sweatdrop.gif]   and anyway... I am a warm, loveable person... just remember one thing "Dick"  lol!, I am only a couple states away from you... you would not wish me to come to NC and show y'all just how frosty I can be now wouldya?...    

hehehe! (kidding)  I refrain from high blood pressure points most all times... you would know it if I get really mad... I rather smell flowers and listen to Yanni .

I'd read an earlier thread elsewhere on this board and was thinking (fuming) on it this morning and decided to not pursue, what's the use? Then I came across these last two entries, looked at the title of the thread and decided this is a good place to put my vent.

My gripe has to do with British humor. They say we don't get it...the British think we're nuts for not getting it.

I confess my dander was raised earlier at the "hang the yank" joke that Mr_Val made in Introductions...another Brit who stepped into the forum to say that he liked hanging with yanks. And I guess what really got me was that here's this guy, coming in to start a chat and say "hello" and instead of a greeting back, he gets his words made fun of.

This one aspect of so-called British humor is what irked me. So many times I have (what I think is) something important to say and the "listener" interrupts me with a play-on-words joke that stops me in mid sentence, changes the entire tone of what I was trying to get across, and has me stumbling for words because I don't know whether to: 1) pretend I thought the joke was funny, 2) go off on the person for making me lose my train of thought, 3) continue on with what I was saying and not miss a beat, or 4) walk away because the person is obviously not listening to me, my words, but rather analysing for whatever play-on words can be culled.

Aside from pulling whatever joke he could from mfredericka's comments and making himself look like a _______ (fill in the blank to whatever your own opinion is, doesn't matter if it's good or bad), Mr_Val's insulted her for no reason, for what...? What's the purpose?

The fact I don't laugh at these interjections may make the Brits think I'm nuts because they think I don't get the joke. I understand that word-play is one of those comedic indicators of superior intelligence (over, say, slap stick), but there is a case when intellect wins hands down when the joke is chuckled to oneself instead of insulting or interrupting the other person. A great friend is a great listener.

I have talked with mfredericka at great length on a number of varying topics. Never, ever, has she shown herself to be anything but warm and caring.

Thought: "The difference between knowledge and wisdom as illustrated by a tomato: Knowledge is knowing the tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad."

...... Mr_Val's insulted her for no reason, ......

It was in response to the put down in her post immediately above mine, and it had a "grinny" attached - it wasn't an out-and-out insult!  

...... And I agree, Michelle is one of the most affable members here.  

Oooooohhhh!....    ok folks, lets take a few deep breaths please...  I must agree with Lisa that there are many times that british humor has its bad side, sometimes I think words are spoken without thought to the outcome or value...  and I was not the most caring and kind person towards Mr Val with his corrective needs with me...    hit me completely the wrong way...  

But, I believe Mr Val and I were trying to ease the upset part of it out with a bit of light banter to calm things... (Right Dick?  LOL)  You really picked the wrong name to be called that time...LOL!  "Open mouth, insert foot syndrome"

I strongly believe that when you have a problem with someone... instead of upsetting so many that visit and view, issues should be taken care of one on one...  which is what Mr Val and I did with PM's...  I am not going to say he is a saint by any means...  (neither am I)  but I am cool with his comments now (on this thread with me)  (so far! but beware Dick... I am watching you) lol!  

(I musta scared him knowing I am so close by, hehehehe! especially with my Big White Pickup Truck to battle his)    

Hello All ,  

I laughed my butt off reading these but I must say Kcg yours really hit me ..I played that game myself about the "shop- store thing" as well as the "sidewalk , pavement thing"  see where I'm from the Pavement is what you drive on and the sidewalk is where you walk but I guess in the UK I would be WONG hahaha ..I also read the other day in here about the word Fanny   and I'm soooo glad I asked Mark what it ment ..I laughed and told him he had better make a list of what to say as well as what NOT to say   it will make you crazy all the do's and don't ......& I will never get to where I can call the CART  a Trolly.. .................

& let me just say I LOVE THIS SITE and all the lovely people in it  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

     Wild ..

This is all too funny.

My English boyfriend made me laugh so hard one time when we ate pizza together for the first time together. We were in Florida and it took ALOT of courage for me to eat pizza. I'm from New York and I take my pizza seriously.

First when we walked in the apartment with the pizza box I took it to the coffee table, opened up the box and pulled out a slice and started to eat it. He looked at me very curiously (not eatting on a plate?!?!) He went to the cupboard, got a plate, fork and knife and sat down next to me. He proceeded to put the slice on the plate and started to eat it with a fork and knife. Any other time, I would have not said anything. Our eatting cultures are different, I repect that and LOVE seeing the difference. But hell, don't do this to pizza... I took the knife and fork out of his hand and said, "Eat it with your hands." He picked up the slice and left it open and started to eat it. In NY, you fold your slice and can instantly point out any tourist when you're in a pizza parlor by the way they eat their pizza. He folded the slice and ate it. We were laughing so hard together and I will always remember how fun that dinner was. To this day, he will now eat over the pizza box (sans plate), with the folded slice in his hands. I told him he was then an official New Yawka. hehehehe  

We sell pizza where I work-and I've got to say that's it's usually fussy boys and ALWAYS fussy men who ask for cutlery.  Women tend to vary, but I can usually tell by looking at them if they want a knife and fork.      Same thing with tea-I can ALWAYS tell if they are going to be horrified at the thought of instant tea just by the way they look.  

Yes, they think we're crazy for moving here. I am simply so tired of getting the standard, "You moved to the UK from the US, WHY??" that I've begun to preempt the situation with an effective "Oh, the weather in New Jersey is so horrible - the snow and mud is unbearable whereas the UK winters are mild and I just love the travel opportunities and your accent".

I am also one to speak to just about any stranger even on the tube, and yes I've gotten horrible stares indicating that II was looney.

I've worked with Brits and Aussies and South Africans and for some reason they all seem to think that Jerry Springer is simply the best show. Also, I can no longer count the times that I've been told, "oh, I love Las Vegas" when a brit discovers that I'm an American.

It's annoying to hear almost everyone mutter "Stockbroker Belt" when they've learned I've moved to Surrey. My hubby is not a stockbroker (although he is in financial IT).

Also, I'm astounded that people think that Surrey is all 'country' and 'expensive'. There are still dense living conditions and nasty areas in Surrey etc. etc.

I'm worried that if I invited people over for tea, that they'd think I was nuts.

The word 'Top-Up' sounds sexual.

My husband had been speaking to a recruiter when a meeting was arranged for "half-twelve". We had expected that the interview was arranged for 11:30 not 12:30.

I can't get dill mustard anywhere! Not that I can find any Kosher hot dogs to eat them with?

Has anyone noticed that B&Q looks like Home Depot?

The fact that drain pipes are visible on the outside of a building drives me batty as does splitting up a nice house into flats and seeing how the new occupants have transformed the house into incongruous halves with different windows etc.

'Double Glazing" perplexed me for ages.. I guess double-paned windows are a phenomenon here.

The fact that drain pipes are visible on the outside of a building drives me batty as does splitting up a nice house into flats and seeing how the new occupants have transformed the house into incongruous halves with different windows etc.

How about not having learned that electrical wires can go in the walls. We don't have wires all over our place, we have those stupid plastic things that go over them so you don't actually see the wires, you just see this big plastic pole go up the wall.

Sorry, this is not funny. I am LMAO at the same thing everyone else is. This is funny. But what is not funny, that I notice a pattern here that I was hoping was only my wife and not brits in general. My husband yelled at me for??? my wife looked at me like I was nuts. This brit thing that what we do in our culture is somehow lesser than human. That he somehow has a right to YELL at his wife for giving a child a sandwich on a paper towel. I love my wife and want to be with her but it seems like we are put in our place and what we think realy doesn't matter. If you dont' like it don't stay. What would they do if we all said hey if you don't like what I do then piss off. I will tell you, they would think we were rude and get there feelings hurt, but to do it to us is OK. At least it seems to be at my house. I have totely lost the old stand my ground attitude, if I don't give, then no one would. That's not funny.

Oh yea, never wear white trainers...  All americans wear white trainers...  and white socks...  Can spot an American miles away with the bright white feet...LOL!

LOL, this is one of my husband's favourites.  Every time we are one the Tube together, once he sees white tennis shoes, he'll nudge me and say, "There's another American."  However, it's not deterred me from wearing them!

I wonder what he'll say when I order white baby walking shoes from the US for our son?  Perish the thought of putting him in those horrible dark coloured things they have over here.

Ok- one more thing....

How about this phrase: "one day i might do".

Is it me or doesn't this sentence sound majorly
incorrect?  I hear sentences ending in the word "do"
all of the time, from South Africans and Australians as well.
I don't think Canadians say this.

Comments Please.

What annoys my British wife after living in Brooklyn with me is how we got these "ugly" fire hydrants that are an excuse to take up parking spaces rather than the covered access water points they have here in Britian.  Arrogent cops, over-emphasized flag-waving patriotism and the general lack of world geography gets on her nerves.  Plus she thinks we talk too slow and go over the top on normal everyday issues.  She thinks most Americans are like Ricki Lake/Jerry Springer material.  Man, I can shoot that producer and the executive that decided to export that crap outside of America.

I taught her how to eat a pizza correctly within an hour of getting off the plane.  No wife of mine is eating pizza like that in my part of Brooklyn and walking home ignored.  Plus I introduced her to sushi too.  She still makes fun of my white socks though  

I am often considered and called agressive - why?  Becuase I tell the truth - apparently I am supposed to ignore things that are not right and not speak about them.

Can relate to the person who said not to speak to strangers - I am from New York, but still do this - they think I am nuts.

I have a business idea for a decent salad bar - my thought was to call it Toss Your Own - did  that get some laughs - took me weeks to find out what tossing meant!