I am just a tad grumpy. I just got reminded why a certain ex- is an ex-
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205214)
Walnut Creek, California
July 4, 2017 11:17am CST
We hug each other when we meet at the supermarket. We had some great times together, including river rafting. She's even the reason I got back into horses a quarter century ago. But this morning I was reminded of why she became my ex-. To summarize, it was because she always wanted me to be wrong, and she missed the nuances that I enjoy.
An example of both: I admit I was a tad mean, but I always forced her to listen to classical music when we drove around in my truck. I studied music in college, and when a piece was over, KDFC used to give the year it was written. I'd always guess the year right before they said it. As an example, if it was the final movement of Beethoven's 9th, I might guess "1825," since Beethoven lived from 1770-1827 and his 9th Symphony had to be a later symphony. (Let me check now.)
OK, I just Googled it (Wikipedia), and the 9th Symphony was completed in 1824. If the announcer said "completed in 1824," she'd say, "You were wrong." She didn't understand that I wasn't trying to get the exact year, but that I was trying to get the era right. One year off is pretty darned good.
This morning, I got a response to a comment I put on one of her Facebook posts. It shows her (perfect, of course) son, who is 12 or so and plays baseball, with a shirt on that says "It's NOT O(backwards K). Pretty clever! Many of you won't know this, but a backwards K means "struck out looking" (didn't swing at all). If it were cricket, it would be like not even trying to protect the wickets. Coaches hate it when players strike out looking. I can hear my old coach saying "Put the ball in play! Things happen!"
She asked, in her Facebook post, "Can you tell what the shirt means?" I responded: "To me it means you have to put the ball in play!" So here's this morning's exchange:
The Horse: To me it means you have to put the ball in play.
Lisa: Struck out looking.
She didn't get it! She didn't get that I knew it meant "struck out looking," and that it wasn't OK to strike out looking. She missed the nuance of my comment.
Now, I used to be a people-pleaser. I used to be nice. I used to be diplomatic. But you know that I've become a Grumpy Horse in my middle age years, with a tendency toward various petty crimes, including exploitation of child labor. I did not back down. This is what I wrote:
The Horse: Exactly. Show your son what I wrote and ask him if he can tell by my comment that I used to play baseball!
Was my response too harsh? How will she respond, if at all? Inquiring minds want to know.
20 people like this
17 responses
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Jul 17
She's a married woman with two children. I will still hug her when I see her. As someone said, "It's all about the moments." We had some good moments together. I will not avoid her completely. We've known each other long enough, and are at a great enough distance now, that we could probably joke now about the things we used to argue about. I could be seen as an arrogant sh*t for being able to guess the year of a classical composition within 10 years 90% of the time, even if I don't know who wrote it (sometimes I confuse Handel and Telemann). But I wouldn't want to date her again.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (457340)
• Switzerland
4 Jul 17
She is your EX and it shows, you do not seem made to go along well together.
I also love classic music, but I had to check to know that The Symphony No.9 was composed between 1922-1924. I knew it had been performed the first time in Vienna, but I forgot the month and the year.3 people like this
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Jul 17
A better example (for me) would be Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I don't even know when Vivaldi was born, but I know he was a middle to late- Baroque composer. I also know that J.S. Bach lived from 1685 to 1750. So I'm going to guess that Spring of the Four Seasons was written in...1725. Will I be within 10 or 15 years?
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61936)
• United States
4 Jul 17
Now, I follow Grumpy Cat, but I've never seen a Grumpy Horse. 
Ex-spouses will be ex-spouses. I know that, and I've never been married. (Of course, there's a reason....)
Ex-spouses will be ex-spouses. I know that, and I've never been married. (Of course, there's a reason....)2 people like this
@FourWalls (61936)
• United States
4 Jul 17
@TheHorse -- I feel fairly confident that the toilet seat is what caused modern houses to have multiple bathrooms.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 Jul 17
@FourWalls Why can't women just learn to keep the toilet set up?
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
9 Jul 17
Uhm... you never say much (almost nothing at all) about your ex, pony. If I had to make a guess simply from the two small stories you've just told us, I would question why you stepped down into the shallow end of the gene pool when you picked a wife. (I mean no offence... but you could have done so much better!)
No, you were not too harsh. Even if she does show her son what you wrote, nothing he tells her will convince her that you already knew what the backwards k symbol meant. (She obviously thinks you are unintelligent and always has.)
I'm sorry. Normally, I would have been less direct and tried to word this comment for easier consumption for the other inhabitants of myLot. (Not you, necessarily, but several others.)
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
4 Jul 17
I'm not sure if this is more of a woman thing, being resentful and/or irritated at their partner's knowledge. Mrs WorDazza often tells me to shut up when I start answering quiz questions on TV game shows.
It's a different story at family events when we have quizzes. She always insists on being on my team.
And your response was reasonable in the circumstances in my opinion.
2 people like this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
5 Jul 17
@TheHorse Maybe if it's something they have no interest in they just can't be bothered. I, on the other hand, am quite happy to learn something new on any subject. You just never know, interesting or not, when that newly acquired knowledge might be useful.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jul 17
Sounds like right or wrong was more important than a nice picture shared of a young boy.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jul 17
@TheHorse ........Upside down or backwards?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Jul 17
@celticeagle Well, I suppose it depends how you rotate it. Backwards will do.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
4 Jul 17
So, you're a know it all who likes to show off your intelligence? 
I would slap you silly!
I would slap you silly!2 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
5 Jul 17
@TheHorse I fixed it just for you, yup I would slap the intelligence out of you!
2 people like this
@melindataylor22 (959)
• Waltham, Massachusetts
5 Jul 17
Things with exes can easily be complex.
1 person likes this
@melindataylor22 (959)
• Waltham, Massachusetts
5 Jul 17
@TheHorse That is true.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
5 Jul 17
@melindataylor22 If it's been 30 years, maybe its easier to deal with.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
4 Jul 17
You lost me with the classical music - Do you get a kick out of pissing her off? Living in the south there is no chance of running into my x and if I didn't I'd prefer it in a dark alley where no one would see!!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
4 Jul 17
@TheHorse And you come across here as so sweet and nice!
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205214)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Jul 17
@AbbyGreenhill I think I'm pretty nice overall. But I admit that I get frustrated with people who aren't curious about things.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
4 Jul 17
What? Why in the hell do you have your ex as a facebook friend? If you do not share children together you show just walk away, I seen SHE had a child but .... C`mon!
What is that old smart guys words? Oh yeah, if you keep doing things and failing, stop doing them over and over the same way because you will fail... well it goes something like that.
Unfriend her and move on.
Now since I am competitive and I know I am not always right, in the truck with your music I would have guessed some weird year about when something was made ( like 200 BC) , just to make it fun. Or make a bet and the loser had to do something. That is what I do when I run into a smarty pants
You were mean? I cannot see that or your good at hiding it one.
You were mean? I cannot see that or your good at hiding it one.2 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
5 Jul 17
@TheHorse WELL! If I were there you would not leave me out, I would guess too, just to see if I was as smart as you 
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Jul 17
I always got into trouble for swinging at the first pitch.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169582)
• United States
5 Jul 17
It sounds like you and this woman spent all your time aruging over minutiae. Right fighters never get anywhere.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73199)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Jul 17
Who knows? Sounds like she always wants to be right. Anyway don't let it get to you. Happy Fourth and enjoy your day.
1 person likes this
