The perils of having a goddamned adult-sized clue.

[digitaldiscipline]

People expect me to know fucking everything.

"Hey," a coworker says, "do you know anywhere that buys old car batteries?"
"Why would anyone want to buy a used car battery?" I think this is a reasonable question.
"To make money....?"
I can tell he's less certain of his query. I move in. "How would anybody make money from buying an old car battery?"
"Ummm... I have one I want to sell, and, you know, need to find someone who would buy it."
"Try CraigsList."

Seriously, the amount of clueless WTF I find myself dog-paddling through on a fairly regular basis is mildly astonishing.  I can only assume that I project an aura of such authority, of Knowing Shit What Men Ought, that people just look to me for answers. This is, generally, fine -- I have no problems being right, or at least intuitively good at being pretty close to it, or having a strong hunch as to where the answer might be (this same phenomenon exists outside the office; the fact that I'm not wandering around department stores and airports in a wall-eyed, shell-shocked daze gets me asked for directions a lot, even when it's fairly obvious I don't work there.  draxzaster can probably back me up when I say that a Utilikilt is not standard-issue attire for TPA or airline employees.

Yeah, I resent the Clueless Imposition. But I sure as fuck have come to expect it.

Comments

[anmorata.livejournal.com]

this same phenomenon exists outside the office; the fact that I'm not wandering around department stores and airports in a wall-eyed, shell-shocked daze gets me asked for directions a lot, even when it's fairly obvious I don't work there.

I can definitely sympathize with this - it happens to me more often than I care to admit, and usually when I'm wearing nothing that comes close to resembling a store uniform.

[trid.livejournal.com]

Seconded

[zymergist.livejournal.com]

Thirded, big time.

[normalcyispasse.livejournal.com]

I think there's a miscommunication somewhere. Generally you have to PAY to dispose of old batteries.

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

This was going to be my comment.

Hrm, I wonder if the lead in old batteries is easily cleanable to bullet casting standards.

[trid.livejournal.com]

Entirely possible

[zymergist.livejournal.com]

I would have to say no, knowing what I do about batteries. First, it is an alloy of a number of things. secondly the alloy has been disolved into a sulfuric acid based electrolite when power is pulled from the battery, then redeposited when the baqttery is charged. this adds sulphur among other things to the alloy.

but, YMMV

[etcet.livejournal.com]

that was the first thing that came to mind for me, too.

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

Was this particular example a case where said coworker specifically came to you to ask this question, or just a case of randomly asking someone nearby while he was thinking about it? I do the latter all the time (but I don't ask non-employees stuff in stores, though I often get asked employee questions too).

[etcet.livejournal.com]

no, this was a "hey rafe, do you know..."

[trid.livejournal.com]

Perhaps if one were to drain the acid and discombobulate the innards, there might be scrap value for the lead. Still, it would require some form of clue as to not pour the acid down the toilet or somesuch... not to mention discombobulate the battery without melting off half his digits in the process.

[invertedcross.livejournal.com]

You know, I get this quite a lot. If I am in any bookstore or clothing store, someone manages to attempt to ask me where something is, nevermind the goggles I am wearing or the large boots. It's gotta be the glasses (or, perhaps, the awareness level you spoke of).

[stompymink.livejournal.com]

Lemmings looking for leaders.




It moves like an alpha male...

[y2kdragon.livejournal.com]

Me: Hey, do you know what $former_employee set as the $password on this server?

Cow-irker: Well, what have you tried?

I didn't ask him to join in a guessing game, I asked if he KNEW what it was. I know all the possibilities that are standard for our lab. I don't need someone else giving me idea I've already tried. But he didn't seem to get that. This made for a very angry me, and a very unpleasant day at the office.

...

[maelstromsl.livejournal.com]

I need to start answering more questions like this:
"Dude... you know what google is, right?"
or "I can train you for $x/hour, here, have a release form!"