[Mars]

I don't really give a **** in school, if you care about your social position, chances are it's pretty low. Instead you should concentrate on your individual freindships and such; the rest sort'a falls into place.

[IceFire]

As for them asking questions, you could just take the ultra geeky approach and snort and laugh how one's technological knowledge far exceeds what their puny miniscual brain could possibly understand. Or just give a friendly, brief, non-techy answer. Like "I believe you just click on 'My Computer -> CD-Drive -> and try and find a Setup.exe' mate." Then if they make a smart ass comment you stand immediately, slam your fist on the table and go "Well don't bloody well ask for answers you don't want moron." And briskly walk away and never speak to them again.

Today the school's internet went down (our program shares a building with a middle school) and I had several of the foreign teachers ask me "Can you fix the internet?" I always tell them that is the school's problem, not ours. It is not in my jurisdiction.

One of them (who lives in an apartment way off campus) asked me "If the internet isn't working here, can I use it at home?"

Dealing with people who have absolutly no ****ing clue how technology works is part of my new job description.

If you can believe it...thats what I do every day at my job.  And I put on a polite face and smile and cheerfully tell them how to fix it

[Polpolion]

It's a shame that the people who are deemed "popular" today, are usually idiots. I talk to people, it's just that whenever one of the "popular" crowd is around, my "cool points" decrease by 20 or so.

[Colonol Dekker]

State of my school at time of close
(i left in 98)

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfe1x1_04.pl?Mode=Z&Code=&School=2094274&Type=&back=&No=209

[Mathwiz6]

Same here (in French class) "Dans le classe de Francais, nous parlons en Francais. Tout le temps!"

"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"
"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"
"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"
"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"
"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"
"Psst... are you trying out for the football team?"

Yeah.... Ignoring people when they don't speak french doesn't seem to work...

And I try to do the tech fixing thing to, though one of my friends has skills at hacking the school comps. He changed his password.     

I also remember this funny scale... A is sports heroes, cheerleaders, etc. B is the followers of the above, C is the Wannabe popular people, D is the unrepentant geeks, and E is the people with a mild case of Downe's syndrome.

So... We call everyone who makes fun of us a class E, and they go like  . 

[IceFire]

It's a shame that the people who are deemed "popular" today, are usually idiots. I talk to people, it's just that whenever one of the "popular" crowd is around, my "cool points" decrease by 20 or so.

Its not just today...its always been like that. They are making it up because of them turn out pretty mediocre in the end.  If you do things right, work hard, do your best to fit in...in your own way...eventually your blood sweat and tears counts towards something. Hopefully a good education and maybe a well paying job down the road.

All those folks I remember in middle school...the same types your talking about...some of them I've seen recently and they are doing alright and others are not.  Some of them work full time in the local pizza place because thats all they can hold down.  Some are on their fourth kid by now living on welfare.  One guy...he surprised me...working as a roofer and getting paid a decent wage.  Pulled himself right up.

The folks such as yourself on the other hand...ended up university or college educated...solid jobs or jobs with decent future prospects...taking life in a more considered way.  Its not a walk in the park...but its the direction you choose thats important.

[Grug]

As for them asking questions, you could just take the ultra geeky approach and snort and laugh how one's technological knowledge far exceeds what their puny miniscual brain could possibly understand. Or just give a friendly, brief, non-techy answer. Like "I believe you just click on 'My Computer -> CD-Drive -> and try and find a Setup.exe' mate." Then if they make a smart ass comment you stand immediately, slam your fist on the table and go "Well don't bloody well ask for answers you don't want moron." And briskly walk away and never speak to them again.

Today the school's internet went down (our program shares a building with a middle school) and I had several of the foreign teachers ask me "Can you fix the internet?" I always tell them that is the school's problem, not ours. It is not in my jurisdiction.

One of them (who lives in an apartment way off campus) asked me "If the internet isn't working here, can I use it at home?"

Dealing with people who have absolutly no ****ing clue how technology works is part of my new job description.

If you can believe it...thats what I do every day at my job.  And I put on a polite face and smile and cheerfully tell them how to fix it

Indeed.
It would be the same deal if someone well versed in technology asked a lawyer a stupid question about a law. You can't be a specialist in everything, and neither can everyone else. Don't ask the farmer how to build a rocket ship, ask him how to build a barn.

[Descenterace]

The Dilbert Principle: 'Everyone is an idiot to someone else'