h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Sometimes, an older go-between may help.

>>Or - you could take up karate.

When I took up martial arts, I expected it would make me more assertive, what with all that aggression and whatnot. Funny thing though, it actually made me a lot calmer, even though I was pre-tty laid back to start with. However, I started to notice that people just did what I asked them to a lot more readily than before. Somehow, it had changed the way I dealt with people without me knowing it.

So yes, take up martial arts.

These days it's becoming the done thing to out people like this on YouTube or other social media that gets more traffic than h2g2. I'm still making up my mind about whether this is a Good Thing or not (in the case of something like Yelp, definitely not), but it's an option.

I guess two weeks is a bit long now to go back and confront the woman in the shop, but if something like that happens again I'd return with a friend who could surreptitiously record the interaction in case something similar happens, and then show the world. You could contact the shop too, after it goes up, to let them know about it, especially if it's a chain or a corporation. I have no love for either of those entities, but they're often more likely to discipline an employee who treats people so appallingly than a sole trader might be, because their employees are just numbers, and they probably don't have the personal connection that a small business might have with someone who works for them.

Gosho (57, looks 45, so I'm told )

>>Gosho (57, looks 45, so I'm told )<<

Sounds just my type !

I forgot to mention before - I love the idea of the "Family Glare".

I only have the sheepish grin to offer.

I have a tone of voice I like to think of as painfully polite
reserved specifically for rude people and telephone sales...

>> When I took up martial arts ... Funny thing though, it actually made me a lot calmer, even though I was pretty laid back to start with. However, I started to notice that people just did what I asked them to a lot more readily than before. ... <<

It's probably the headband, plus the nunchakus draped over your shoulder, that gives it away.

There's a story about a scruffy-looking couple that went to see the President of Harvard University with intentions of making a donation to the college's endowment. They were treated with disdain because of their appearance, so they decided to start a college of their own. They called it Stanford.

Tavaron, I have an alternative theory to suggest: older people are jealous of younger ones. Clear, fresh skin, good reflexes, lack of aches and pains, good digestion, attractiveness that makes it easy to pick up attractive mates, a metabolism that makes it possible to eat like a horse and still remain slender.

The abusive woman in the shop is probably mean to customers old and young. You don't have to buy anything from that shop ever again.

I think the suggestion of being silent is a very good one!

Not so sure about martial arts, I've always been terrible at sports and prefer walking with my dog. But yes, I can see you may be right about getting calmer through it and getting more self confidence.

Paul, don't worry, I'll never buy anything there anymore.

No wonder a beard won't work ...

Mol

You could try TaiChi - I went for about a year, but only left because the instructor was a chatterbox. I mean, Chinese culture is very interesting, but I'd like to get into a more meditative state, please... Great excercise though, no running at all, but still a nice calm workout!
Oh, the family glare Just a slight wrinkle of the brow, and staring straight at the person, and being very very quiet. My dad and his two brothers are short, (used to be) very dark haired, and could easily been taken for Italian mobsters. Wouldn't want to meet them in a dark alley. Unfortunately, they also have a tendency for crazy jokes, which kind of ruins the illusion
Power to you, Girl!

My bf once suggested meditation.
I don't have a family glare, but like my mother I can get really angry if I want to. Unfortunately, depending on the situation, I sometimes also get so emotionally involved that I start to 'cry' from anger.

Are salespeople really that bad where you are, Tavaron? If so, the people who run those shops have a death wish. It gets easier and easier for people to buy stuff online and avoid the snotty salespeople. If the shopkeepers had any inkling of the peril they were in, they would rein in their least friendly staff in a hurry!

Oh, not all are that bad, some are really nice. But I agree, I'd rather buy online than in that shop. For some reason some of these people who run shops are still not aware that customers may even pay a slightly higher price if they get good service.

> I've always been terrible at sports

From what I've heard, that needn't be a barrier to taking up martial arts, as long as you have a good instructor. It's not necessarily a competitive sport (though, of course, it can be), and many people of all levels of fitness can get enjoyment out of them.

Not that I've ever tried it myself. I probably should. I spend a lot of time living in my head, and anything that gets me into my body is probably good for me. At the moment, I have hillwalking, which I don't do nearly often enough, and nothing else.

TRiG.