Sarcastic big noting

I like to think at work, if I big note myself to others they can detect my sarcasm or self mockery. I don't think I am great. Sure, I recognise I am skilled at my core job - but then I've been in it a long time. I only talk that up when people are trying to drag me down (as noted in a previous post).

For some reason my colleague and favourite desk bud A, and moi, have acquired somewhat of a rep as IT fix it people when it comes to 'how do you do this?' with microsoft products.

The delightful J, who I'd accidentally called a skank a week or so back, came to me to ask my assist with adding a mailbox to her Outlook account.

I succeeded in doing so. As I did I yelled out 'I am so smart, s - m - r - t.'

You Simpson's buffs will recognise that line from Homer when he was accepted into College.

After I got back to my desk, I was worried J thought I was in fact big noting myself when all I was doing was Simpson's quotes.

So ... I sent her an email.

From: HM
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November
To: J
Subject: BTW

The "I'm am so Smart" is from the Simpson's. It's not actually my declaring my smarts.

I felt it was important to say in case you thought I was a deranged egotistical bully.

I am just ever so slightly vain is all.

(smooths hair, admires visage in reflection in monitor).

After all... I have a lot to be vain about. It's impressive I am able to dial it back as much as I do.

Her response?

From: J
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November
To: HM
Subject: RE: BTW

yeah yeah, I hear Simpson's quotes all day from the girls - but it is more entertaining to think you might actually feel this way! :)

I couldn't let it go...

From: HM
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November
To: J
Subject: RE: BTW

... I have three degrees ...

(buffs nails on shirt)

Now, the trouble is, this last email I sent exacerbates the original problem of my not being sure I was coming across as sarcastic or self mocking. I don't have three degrees - I have a Degree, a Grad Dip, and a Masters, but I suppose "three degrees" is close enough to be truer than not true. But I honestly think even though I had the buff nails line in she might think I genuinely was bragging about having quals. I'm not. It's kewl and all I have it, but I've never succumbed to the lure of sticking letters after my name in my auto-sig or, indeed, on a Business Card, which I have seen done. Unless you've got a PhD there's no real call to spruik your academic stats in that manner.

Have I done more harm than good? Maybe.

Oh for you long time blog fans, Buckwheat, my former baby with a one eyebrow nemesis, who moved sections many months ago, gave me a call to try and secure some assistance with a project. I went and told the lovely ladies (of which J is one) about it - they being aware of her previous equity unfriendly efforts. Since J was new to the area, and never experienced BW in action, we decided to background her.

C - 'Yeah her views were akin to something you'd see in the KKK.'

Me?

'I suspect she's packing extra genitals ... I don't mean actually on her, like she grew them ... I mean she took from someone else ... keeps them in a jar of alcohol ... I think it's Crème de menthe ... when she swirls the jar the genitals loom from the green fluid interior and appear up against the glass wall.'

All through this stream of consciousness outburst from my good self at the back of my mind, while my mouth was bleating this shit, all I could think is 'what the fuck am I saying?!' This inner monologue was driven in part by the increasingly confused expressions the lovely ladies had as I lurched down this weirdo mad scientist genital in jar keeping theory concerning BW.

And to think Michelle wants to work with me ...