Overheard...

So, today, I was up early to attend a breakfast seminar on acne and rosacea at the St. Regis Hotel. I had a lovely brioche and some strong coffee and even learned a bit about zits and stuff. For example: "Today's retinoids are not your grandmother's retinoids." And that the Hormonal Stimulation of puberty causes a thickening of the follicle wall and excess sebum (pronounced sea-bum) which eventually causes an eruption (dirrty!). And that after puberty there is a Great Acne Migration from the t-zone to the lower half of the face. Who knew?! Fascinating stuff with breakfast!! Thanks, L&C!

But more than this, on the way there, I overheard the most annoying conversation ever. (well, ever is maybe an overstatement... I am easily annoyed) Two women, clearly friends through work or perhaps a book club but not from say, childhood, were discussing mutual friends... here is a brief recreation of this conversation, with some actual quotes, too!

Woman 1: Any one single coming tonight?
Woman 2: Just HIM.
Woman 1: Is he cute?
Woman 2: Not cute but a great guy.
Woman 1: How old? Not that it matters but...
Woman 2: 26. But he has a receding hair line. Great face though.
Woman 1: Well, that's a good age. You know, of all your friends, there is one I don't like.
Woman 2: HER? She has a really small head?
Woman 1: No...
Woman 2: Or HER? She has a big face, really wide and Irish?
Woman 1: Really big face?
Woman 2: Yeah. Really Irish.
Woman 1: No, not HER.
Woman 2: Or maybe HER? She's got really curly hair. Almost too Jewish even for you.
Woman 1: Too Jewish?
Woman 2: Yeah, not religiously but culturally.
Woman 1: Bill tends to make a lot of rude Jewish comments, too. But he gets it from his boss.
And I remind him that his kids will be Jewish and he really needs to contain that
rudeness. It's insulting.

Which part is insulting in her head, I wonder?? This conversation went on from 30th Ave. to Lexington Ave. with early morning delays and everything... It occurs to me that part of the reason this conversation annoyed me so much (besides the overuse of the word "really") is their description of people. I avoid describing people when I speak of them. I like to refer to previous stories they have been in a la "you may remember HER from such stories as...." I don't think I have EVER spoke of the size of some one's head (other than my own which I think is a bit large)! And to so cavalierly put down your own friends in order to figure which of them is the least liked by another??? Odd. Oh, and rude.

I admit, that I consciously avoid describing people by their physical appearance because I hate to imagine how I am described. Physically. Like when Matt is telling some friend about me that hasn't met me yet. I would love to be a fly on the wall then. (Of course, he loves me so I imagine the words to be - hot, sexy, and stunning). Or in a blind date situation. "I will be wearing black and am really funny" just doesn't do the job. Or in the case of our poor, balding 26 year old... He is a great guy and all but.... It's the but that gets you every time.

And all that ickiness and rudeness (especially so early in the day) just made me want to point out the back fat muffin top that Woman 1 was sporting as she conducted her witch hunt among the friends of the plain chick with tea dribbled down her shirt. She's a great girl but a slob. With a overly medium sized head and a plain face.