Posted by Matt Walters on October 28, 2001 at 20:12:05:
In Reply to: Advice on Manners!!!!!!!!! posted by B.K. on October 27, 2001 at 21:42:03:
I just got back from vacation and one of the things I did was stop in and say hello to the now retired guy who taught me to weld. Moving the welding rod in and out with my left hand while I made little circles with the tourch in my right hand was a nightmare for a clutz like me. I was never going to get it. Let's face it, I sucked at it! Well Jake Floyd had the patience of a Saint. He'd look over my latest offering of an abortion for welding and see my frustration. Sure enough, he'd find one or two little puddles of welding that amongst the mess actually looked half good and maybe better than before. "Now that little section right...there, is about as good as it gets. Let me watch you for a minute. Okay, I don't see anything wrong about what you are doing. I think you are going to be fine at this. It just takes time." And with a pat on the back, he went off to another student for truth be told, they were all doing as poorly as me. Now another teacher and I were talking about Jake when he reminded me how some kids made fun of Jake because he didn't have the strongest use of the English language. Over the years, I'd forgotten that little fact about Jake. But to this very day I remember Jake Floyd for how he would look to find the one good thing in what I was trying to do. With his help, he taught me to weld and I passed my Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic cetification.
You can choose to hear only the bad, or you can search and honestly compliment on something good. If you still can't come up with something good to say, say something POLITE. Try, "Thanks. That was an interesting recital." Then move on and let someone else talk to him or her. Someone else's recital is not about you. It's your friend's turn, good or bad. One more thing. Professional critics have very few friends.
Matt