Foot in Mouth Moments

[teamind]

Sometimes, I feel like I am the King of Foot in Mouth moments, especially around professors or people I want to impress. I think I (sub)consciously overcompensate for my inhibitions by saying inappropriately uninhibited things that aren't event totally true.... if that makes any sense.

Tonight, at a small departmental get together:

Professor / Also Dept Chair: Well it takes so long to read every word of those articles!
Me: Every word! Ha! I barely read the abstract and then skip all the numbers and charts and graphs and then just pretend I've read it when I'm in your class! I've hated all the readings! ha ha ha!
Professor: 

Me: 

 

 

I suffer from things like this all. the. time. I'm usually able to shrug and laugh it off, but sometimes I can't believe the things I hear myself say.

 

Anyone have similar experiences? What have been some of the best/worst/funniest? How have you recovered, if at all?
 

Edited October 12, 2013 by teamind

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Were you drinking? Sounds like you came off as kinda obnoxious. I'm drinking buddies with a recently-retired professor of mine and I'm "honest" with him about a lot of things about his classes, but I feel like I have a little more common sense. First of all, you have to make sure the professors you're engaging with aren't uptight. 

[booknut]

That's brutal, teamind. I've been there too.

When you feel on the spot like that and needing to blurt, practice breathing, silence and slowing down any racing thoughts when you're talking with someone who makes you a little nervous. Do this despite what your anxious brain is telling you.

 

I have to think a bit more about the question...I've blanked out the most humiliating occasions...

Edited October 18, 2013 by booknut

[child of 2]

oh yes..

 

my boss is a really cool guy, and we like to joke around a lot. One time, we were driving around the plant in a golf cart, and it was low on batteries. We were going slower than walking pace because of it, and I made a joke that pretty much said he was fat. He was unresponsive. Off the top of my head, that was the major "oh shit" moment in recent memory.

[Lisa44201]

I was at a conference with my former boss (now my colleague). We were finalizing our presentation. He edited something using a keyboard shortcut I have never seen. I made some snide remark about him knowing more about computers than I did; he reminded me that he wrote part of the manual for PowerPoint.

 

Oh, right, forgot that bit.

[Guest |||]

oh yes..

 

my boss is a really cool guy, and we like to joke around a lot. One time, we were driving around the plant in a golf cart, and it was low on batteries. We were going slower than walking pace because of it, and I made a joke that pretty much said he was fat. He was unresponsive. Off the top of my head, that was the major "oh shit" moment in recent memory.

 

I actually tried to flick my screen

[David482]

Its a good discussion guys. Professional eat in a very decent way and we should also eat slowly and in a decent way. Eat well and slowly even when you are so hungry. When you will eat food properly then its would works properly.