Today's Discussion Post
May. 25th, 2020 10:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
therealsnape in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
covidcoffeecornerToday's post is inspired by my modly screw-up, of which I feel most ashamed.
Now we've all on occasions done things of which we feel really ashamed. I don't mean big things - this is not the place to be if you want to confess to the murder of whatever highly annoying person you kicked to Kingdom Come.
I'm talking about the small things that still have the power to make your toes curl years later. Often, you're the only one that feels it that way. A friend of mine knocked over a glass of red wine on my large and lovely table cloth. The stain came out at the dry cleaners, and it didn't matter, and someone else at that dinner also knocked over a glass, breaking it in the process, but she still feels very upset about it. I whish she wouldn't. Because everyone had such a lovely evening, and for her that evening is forever tainted by the memory of that accident.
Here's my tale of woe.
I once had a student (I teach French to adults, among other things) who had a very fascinating job. He was chef cook on a luxury yacht (like this, and when he was taking his lessons with me, the owner had an even bigger yacht built, quite close to where I lived.
He supervised the building and did the interior decorating. He invited my husband and me for a tour of the yacht. The most impressive thing ever. Totally amazing, and such a unique opportunity to see something we normally never would have seen.
In return, we cooked dinner for them, and my student was very pleased to be invited to dinner. He being a chef, no-one ever asks him to dinner, because everyone feels their cooking isn't up to his standards. But we did, and it pleased him no end.
Now for the big OMG blooper. In the Netherlands, it's totally unusual to bring a bottle of wine to drink on that very evening. In other countries this is quite normal, but here the host takes care of the drinks, and if one gives the host a bottle of wine, it's just an alternative to a bunch of flowers - i.e., something the host will put away for later enjoyment.
Our student didn't know this. He brought a bottle of champagne. And we didn't serve it then and there as pre-dinner drink.
Later we realised that was what he intended. We had a wonderful day, and my husband and I often spoke of it, but always with "I'm still so ashamed we didn't serve that bottle of champers."
And I'm still ashamed today. Miserly Dutch living up to their reputation.
So, let's all get it off our chest, and let's all be very supported of one another, and let's find some comfort in what we didn't do. Tell us freely, what was your toe-curling OMG moment?
Whatever you did, at least you didn't forget about a com you mod, nor did you keep the champagne all for yourself.
Now we've all on occasions done things of which we feel really ashamed. I don't mean big things - this is not the place to be if you want to confess to the murder of whatever highly annoying person you kicked to Kingdom Come.
I'm talking about the small things that still have the power to make your toes curl years later. Often, you're the only one that feels it that way. A friend of mine knocked over a glass of red wine on my large and lovely table cloth. The stain came out at the dry cleaners, and it didn't matter, and someone else at that dinner also knocked over a glass, breaking it in the process, but she still feels very upset about it. I whish she wouldn't. Because everyone had such a lovely evening, and for her that evening is forever tainted by the memory of that accident.
Here's my tale of woe.
I once had a student (I teach French to adults, among other things) who had a very fascinating job. He was chef cook on a luxury yacht (like this, and when he was taking his lessons with me, the owner had an even bigger yacht built, quite close to where I lived.
He supervised the building and did the interior decorating. He invited my husband and me for a tour of the yacht. The most impressive thing ever. Totally amazing, and such a unique opportunity to see something we normally never would have seen.
In return, we cooked dinner for them, and my student was very pleased to be invited to dinner. He being a chef, no-one ever asks him to dinner, because everyone feels their cooking isn't up to his standards. But we did, and it pleased him no end.
Now for the big OMG blooper. In the Netherlands, it's totally unusual to bring a bottle of wine to drink on that very evening. In other countries this is quite normal, but here the host takes care of the drinks, and if one gives the host a bottle of wine, it's just an alternative to a bunch of flowers - i.e., something the host will put away for later enjoyment.
Our student didn't know this. He brought a bottle of champagne. And we didn't serve it then and there as pre-dinner drink.
Later we realised that was what he intended. We had a wonderful day, and my husband and I often spoke of it, but always with "I'm still so ashamed we didn't serve that bottle of champers."
And I'm still ashamed today. Miserly Dutch living up to their reputation.
So, let's all get it off our chest, and let's all be very supported of one another, and let's find some comfort in what we didn't do. Tell us freely, what was your toe-curling OMG moment?
Whatever you did, at least you didn't forget about a com you mod, nor did you keep the champagne all for yourself.