Dearest Gentlemen

*rant

My Dearest Gentlemen:

I am writing to inform you that in the past few days, you have managed, as a gender, to hack me off repeatedly.  Oh, I know, I do things that are ungainly, occasionally silly, and sometimes outright laughable or frustrating.  I'm entitled, right?  Last time I checked, I was still a human being...just like you.

This isn't about those things.  This is about the two tendencies you have that are going to get you smacked right straight in the face if you can't correct or restrain them when dealing with me in the future.

First, if I am trying to work on something, whether it is a computer or an essay revision, hell, I don't care if it's a fission bomb, do not come and just try to take the damn thing out of my hands without asking because you think you can do it better.  Sometimes I actually do know what I'm doing despite my lack of Y chromosome.  Now I know that may be shocking to you.  Yes, even though I am a "chick," and an English major chick at that, I can do some few paltry things with computers, especially in the educational technology setting.  I make no claims at being a "tech" or a great proficient, but there is some stuff I can do, and I don't just mean change out my desktop wallpaper.  (And, no, F., I might not have been able to set that pin the other day in Google maps, but I by God can now....)  If I'm working on a problem and you just assume you can do it better and try to take over, that's an insult.  When you come up, lean over, lay hands on, try to remove next time, you're going to draw back a maimed limb.

Second, I know I tend to get to my ideas differently than other people.  I always have.  The best way to describe it is that I don't think in straight lines always. This means that I see too many options sometimes.  Just because the way I think isn't the way you think does not mean I'm dumb.   I have a CV as long as my arm to prove that with certificates, degrees, and awards if you'd like to see them.  The upshot of all that is this:  if I ask you a damn question about something, answer it.  I can probably keep up.  If I don't understand, I will ask you questions until I can see at least the general outline in my head.  Don't look at me like, "Oh hell, this woman wants to know about X.  How can I ever make her tiny brain comprehend?"  Yeah, I know that what I asked you about may be complex.  But probably, I would not have asked the question if I didn't need to know or wasn't interested.  What is it that you think I should be talking to you about anyway?

I don't get this crap when I talk to other women, guys.  You may have noticed that we don't do this to you, either.  Well, or not.  You may be too busy assuming that we need your help or that we can't understand what you're talking about to notice.

*rant off