Menstrual cycle....heehee

EE2NP · Jun 16, 2003

Well, I go out of town for a few days and return to a smorgasbord of commentary. What a treat! I'm not sure where to begin....ya'll have given me a lot of material to work with.

First, I genuinely do enjoy the humorous posts on this thread; at least about 99% of them. And as has been suggested, the ones I didn't like or find all that funny, I simply hit the "Back" button.

But in the case of this particular joke, I didn't find it funny as I originally posted. Now, don't get me wrong. I've seen lots of jokes that were PMS related that I found to be very funny.

In fact, I thought Gwenith's joke about women with PMS and terrorists, and her other joke about 6 women with PMS to change a light bulb were both very funny.

On the other hand, Rebel Red's joke about "PMS is that time of the month when women behave the way men always behave", I didn't find funny for the same reason that I didn't find the original joke on this thread funny. It is about male-bashing and stereotyping men that I find objectionable. Incidentally, there may be some men who act that way, but not all. I know that I don't, and I'd prefer to try to distinguish myself from any who do. Two wrongs still don't make a right.

I fully expect that if some unsuspecting male poster on this board were to post a joke that was blatantly women bashing that some of you ladies would take him to task. As Ann42 has pointed out, "violence toward men is very PC" while "violence toward women is not PC". And, as Ariko has written, "It seems male bashing will never go out of style". (By the way, thanks to you both for your support.) One of the things that set me off was this very irony. It's okay to tell a joke if men are the butt of the joke and they get bashed around. But, heaven help us if it's the other way around...............nope, can't have none of that.

Since I'm thinking about it, I might as well reiterate what I wrote originally. I actually do realize that this is supposed to be a forum for nursing humor; I do get that point. Several of you have reminded me of that, but I can't help but believe that having told me that that some of you hoped that I'd just give in and stop pushing back. I guess the admonition to "lighten up" is also supposed to make it all right. After all, we don't want to be too "heavy" about things now do we?

If it's male bashing, it can be dismissed as simply being a joke that shouldn't be taken too seriously.

This brings me to another point. Let me ask you ladies a question. Suppose your husband (or some other man in your life) makes a remark that you find offensive. You take him to task, and he blows you off by saying, "hey lighten up", "it was just a joke", etc. How does that me you feel? Was your point less valid? I realize I just flung the door wide open and many of you will say that all your husbands always say that. The rest of you may say that it makes you want to go fetch your bat and sharpen your scissors. I can just hear it......

But, do you get my point? We shouldn't reward bad behavior.......PMS induced or otherwise. PMS isn't going to go away, but that doesn't mean it should be regarded as a hunting license, where the prize is some guy's head mounted as a trophy for the wall of your office. (Or maybe some other body part.......ouch!!!)

Incidentally, Funny Girl RN, I appreciate you pointing out my previously posted joke. While, I don't think it comes across as offensive, it's possible that some might object. In any event, I don't think it can be construed as either male or female bashing. Hopefully, it will be understood that I actually do have a sense of humor. Besides being (to me at least) a funny visual it also serves to underscore the difference between how men and women "say" things. In the context of my previous joke, a woman not suffering from PMS might hopefully point out to her husband that he should specifically ask to be X number of inches longer as opposed to "saying" it as he (wrongly) normally would............the downside risk being that he'd wind up on the floor. (After saying it correctly she might even beckon him to "come hither".)

On the other hand a woman who was suffering from PMS might not be inclined to correct her husband before blurting out his request the wrong way. Once on the floor she might "say" something like, "now look what you've gone and done.........shorty". Or something like that. Either way, the guy would probably "say" it wrong. The woman would almost always "say" it right. And depending on whether she was suffering from PMS, the guy might a happy camper, or flat on his butt on the floor. By the way, rumor has it that they have those mirrors on E-Bay.

One more thought. Mama Val seems to think me a "little paranoid and it seems you have already started to dig to some trenches before any war has been declared......(y)ou are already taking a me versus them stance." Frankly, I think I'm a realist. Maybe my point about male-bashing and trying to legitimize bad behavior will be ignored. And, at the end of the day maybe I'll find find that I've just been busy digging a hole (trench) and throwing the dirt on my own head. It doesn't change the fact that I still stand by what I've been saying.

Hopefully, no one will take what I've said personally......it wasn't meant that way. I must say that jumping into the "deep end" of this estrogen pool has been a hoot. I really appreciate those concrete life jackets............hehe.

I'm off now to don my asbestos (twistproof/knotproof) skivvies, my trusty helicopter beanie hat, my secret decoder ring, and crawl under my force field.

Hi yo............silver, away.

Walt

:):chuckle

rnnurse2be · Jun 17, 2003

IT was only a JOKE... Some people's comments out there make a person nervous to come and just read them... Yikes

funnygirl_rn · Jun 17, 2003

Night owl...you are too much..heehee!

funnygirl_rn · Jun 17, 2003

Originally posted by EE2NP [b

I'm off now to don my asbestos (twistproof/knotproof) skivvies, my trusty helicopter beanie hat, my secret decoder ring, and crawl under my force field.

Hi yo............silver, away.

Walt
:):chuckle [/b]

Walt...now that was funny!! Thanks for that last paragraph!

:roll

lateblumer · Jun 17, 2003

it looks like walt finally found his sense of humor!

funnygirl_rn · Jun 17, 2003

Yep...yesiree.....! LOL!

nowplayingEDRN · Jun 17, 2003

Originally posted by UntamedSpirit
...making fun of an age old problem is a warped way, helps to ease the misery. It was not meant as a personal attack, EE2NP. It was just meant to shed a bit of levity on a miserable time of the month.....Your opinion is respected and noted but it still does not change the fact that I found it funny ina warped way. Please don't flame us for having a laugh....we find it great that you want to join the ranks of nursing and I think you will find that you will not have to watch your back as much as you think..... I am sure you will find that we will welcome you with open arms and heart and try to help you in your endeavors in nursing.

I would like to EMPHASIZE the above statement as the mother of a teenaged daughter (as well as a teenaged son)...... No one here in this thread is saying that violence toward one is PC and toward another is not PC......there is no such thing as PC violence, unless you are the president of a country and authorize the start of a war or military action and even then.....there will be pros and cons as to why it is or isn't PC. I personally happen to find any joke that involes enhancement of the female chest very stereo typical of the male psche...and a bit insulting but I also see the vignete for what it is...humor and can see the humor in it. I guess working critical care has enhanced my warped and twisted sense of humor.....and BTW, I abhore movies that are chock full of viloence, blood and guts (just ask my hubby)....how every,when you put on your asbestoes skivvies, your helicopter beanie and slipped on your secret decoder ring and headed for your force shield....... you forgot to take your Swiss Army Trowel to fill in the trench you have dug without cause. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Mr. Walt......i agree with Moma Val...you have started to fight a war that you have no proof will exists. The guys I went to nursing school with were tons of fun and great friends....unfortunately I have lost touch with them and wish I could look them back up.....we had great fun in our classes together. It is good to see however that you do have a touch of humor....stick around and we will help you develope it more :)

rebel_red · Jun 18, 2003

I do believe untamed tiger gets the last word.

Bravo.

Tres

nowplayingEDRN · Jun 18, 2003

*curtsies like a proper lady and blushes innocent like*

Thank you, Tres

RNmomx6 · Jun 18, 2003

Really Walt...

My guy friends that I worked at night with, gave me a cup that said.."Beware PMS victim".

It showed a woman with engorged breasts, a knife in one hand, and one hand pulling out her own hair. I laughed my buns off. They also put up the films of my mammogram in the trauma room that same night. All over every xray box. We celebrated!!

Lighten up- you are sensitive, but perhaps a might too sensitive. :)

funnygirl_rn · Jun 18, 2003

RNmomx6... the "Beware PMS Victim" mug is funny!!