"Sir", indeed
Jan. 11th, 2007 12:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urocyonThis is a first: I was taking delivery of a large bag of cat food a little while ago, and got a "Thank you, sir".
Unlike the "No, mummy, that's a woman!" incident in Tesco a couple of years ago, this delivery guy was not making his assessment from behind. I'm about 5'8"* with linebacker shoulders, no hips, and usually a hedgehog haircut of convenience nowadays; assuming the woman was paying no attention whatsoever to her surroundings, that mistake was almost understandable. Today, however, I am schlumping around in a pink shirt with little red daisies--comfy, but pink enough to be almost embarrassing. If the screaming clothing cue weren't enough, there's always the E-Cup Factor.
Very peculiar. Especially since I actually had more blatant gender cues going than usual. The giggling fits are wearing off now, at least.
Another amusing thing is that I was just discussing with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
vatine yesterday or the day before, the disconcerting nature of how much more important (and rigid) gender stereotyping seems to be in the U.K. :) (This is probably another area in which my culture does mesh well with the dominant one, though. I noticed the same thing when I started school in Radford.)
On an unrelated note, we have a new inducement to wash the dishes: a 10L acrylic tank set up on the windowsill above the sink, complete with Arc-Pod lighting. Yay for compact fluorescents! I was originally thinking of something bigger, but that was the largest I could easily find to fit the sill width. I was going to insert a photo, but seem to have done something strange with the camera. That windowsill shouldn't be too bad a location; there's enough light to aggravate algae, but not direct sun to mess with the water temperature. And it looks good there. :) I planted it with odds and ends from the goldfish tank, and did a super-quick cycling job (a.k.a. added some gravel and mulm from the established tank to give it bacteria and organic material in one go). Impatient as I can be, it was time to add fish.
I picked up a lovely female betta at Wetpets here in Romford. I've been in the shop a few times before, and it seems to have good stock and knowledgeable staff. Unfortunately, she jumped out the first night; I found her on the windowsill behind the tank yesterday morning. Bettas are OK out of water for a little while, but will not recover if they're crispy. :( I feel bad about it, since I knew they have a tendency to jump but couldn't see that a gap toward the back of the cover was large enough to admit a fish. Poor fishy.
So, that tank will get to sit longer to make sure the bacterial filter is established and plants are well-rooted. (Along with gaining a tight Plexiglas lid!) The bubbling from the filter keeps making me check that the tap is not dripping, but with any luck I'll get used to the sound soon. Last night I saw that a shop in Basildon is offering some lovely bettas (photos down the page a bit), so I may well head off there Saturday whilevatine is off gaming. On a map, Basildon looks as if it shouldn't take too long to get to, but it seems to be another case of public transit's ass-and-elbow approach. (Oh dear, one option is worse than I thought, going via Chelmsford and Southend.) Fish transport should be fine if I take along the little cooler with some newspaper for padding around the bag.
OTOH, the two little new Otos (O. vittatus) I picked up at the same time, for the other tank, are fat and sassy and munching on algae like mad things. I'm getting very fond of them, enough to have added more. Now, when we get that bigger coldwater tank up... *g*
* About average for women where I'm from, but a bit over average for British men. It still surprises me that I am apparently big enough in general--and with a different enough stride--that I regularly startle other women here, walking behind them. Couldn't help but notice that again yesterday, heading home just after dark.
Unlike the "No, mummy, that's a woman!" incident in Tesco a couple of years ago, this delivery guy was not making his assessment from behind. I'm about 5'8"* with linebacker shoulders, no hips, and usually a hedgehog haircut of convenience nowadays; assuming the woman was paying no attention whatsoever to her surroundings, that mistake was almost understandable. Today, however, I am schlumping around in a pink shirt with little red daisies--comfy, but pink enough to be almost embarrassing. If the screaming clothing cue weren't enough, there's always the E-Cup Factor.
Very peculiar. Especially since I actually had more blatant gender cues going than usual. The giggling fits are wearing off now, at least.
Another amusing thing is that I was just discussing with
vatine yesterday or the day before, the disconcerting nature of how much more important (and rigid) gender stereotyping seems to be in the U.K. :) (This is probably another area in which my culture does mesh well with the dominant one, though. I noticed the same thing when I started school in Radford.)On an unrelated note, we have a new inducement to wash the dishes: a 10L acrylic tank set up on the windowsill above the sink, complete with Arc-Pod lighting. Yay for compact fluorescents! I was originally thinking of something bigger, but that was the largest I could easily find to fit the sill width. I was going to insert a photo, but seem to have done something strange with the camera. That windowsill shouldn't be too bad a location; there's enough light to aggravate algae, but not direct sun to mess with the water temperature. And it looks good there. :) I planted it with odds and ends from the goldfish tank, and did a super-quick cycling job (a.k.a. added some gravel and mulm from the established tank to give it bacteria and organic material in one go). Impatient as I can be, it was time to add fish.
I picked up a lovely female betta at Wetpets here in Romford. I've been in the shop a few times before, and it seems to have good stock and knowledgeable staff. Unfortunately, she jumped out the first night; I found her on the windowsill behind the tank yesterday morning. Bettas are OK out of water for a little while, but will not recover if they're crispy. :( I feel bad about it, since I knew they have a tendency to jump but couldn't see that a gap toward the back of the cover was large enough to admit a fish. Poor fishy.
So, that tank will get to sit longer to make sure the bacterial filter is established and plants are well-rooted. (Along with gaining a tight Plexiglas lid!) The bubbling from the filter keeps making me check that the tap is not dripping, but with any luck I'll get used to the sound soon. Last night I saw that a shop in Basildon is offering some lovely bettas (photos down the page a bit), so I may well head off there Saturday while
vatine is off gaming. On a map, Basildon looks as if it shouldn't take too long to get to, but it seems to be another case of public transit's ass-and-elbow approach. (Oh dear, one option is worse than I thought, going via Chelmsford and Southend.) Fish transport should be fine if I take along the little cooler with some newspaper for padding around the bag.OTOH, the two little new Otos (O. vittatus) I picked up at the same time, for the other tank, are fat and sassy and munching on algae like mad things. I'm getting very fond of them, enough to have added more. Now, when we get that bigger coldwater tank up... *g*
* About average for women where I'm from, but a bit over average for British men. It still surprises me that I am apparently big enough in general--and with a different enough stride--that I regularly startle other women here, walking behind them. Couldn't help but notice that again yesterday, heading home just after dark.
