Innocuous things that make you irrationally embarrassed

i get embarrassed whenever straight guys discuss girls in front of me as if i am privy to the conversation

Same here, and I'm straight.

i am almost always embarrassed when we have functions at work with guest speakers. i think I'm just embarrassed for people who have to talk to a room full of strangers, even if they are good at it I feel embarrassed by the ~situation~

i get embarrassed when i hear my own teacher voice or if i have to raise my voice, but other than that, speaking in front of a group is no big thang
don't cry for me argentina

I hate hearing my own voice recorded and played back!

not me! i like it. i used to hate it, but then i decided that i sound alright. it's part of my "get over yourself" mission.

you and your darned rational thought and self-actualization

xxpost LL I wouldn't be embarrassed for you anyway bcz teaching somehow doesn't fall under my embarrassment umbrella

except me being embarrassed about trying to teach many years ago, lol

I get embarrassed when someone mishears a question from someone else, even when it's innocuous. The classic example being where/when:
Person 1: "Where's your birthday party?"
Person 2: "Oh, Friday night at 8."
<brief pause where Person 1 knows they were misheard, doesn't want to make Person 2 awkward>
Person 1: "Um, cool. And (over-enunciating) where are you having the party?"

Blech. Don't think that classes as empathy, as Person 2 never seems to notice, or care even if they do.

Walking into a single-occupancy public restroom that someone just stank up and knowing that the person after you will assume you were the culprit.

Being stricken with a sudden bout of food poisoning or somesuch the first time you're over at a new friend's place, where the bathroom is right next to the room where everyone else is and knowing that they all know What You're Doing In There.

Also: pretty much everything single-occupancy-bathroom- and/or poo-related. Wholly irrational but deeply embarrassing.

ppl clapping between movements at classical music concerts

i like that

u can just ~feel~ the consternation from the sort of uptight 60 yr olds who comprise 80% of classical concert audiences

Irrational fear of buying toilet paper, especially in high quantities. It's never Happened, but I keep fearing the store clerk that will wrinkle his brow, look at me with a broad grin, and ask "So, Poopin tonight, eh?".

ppl clapping between movements at classical music concerts

― clouds, Wednesday, December 19, 2012 11:09 AM (7 minutes ago)

OTM. Also, applause for soloists in the middle of jazz shows, before the song is over.

concert etiquette in general is embarrassing to me

why are u standing and clapping

yeah

it was kind of embarasing comparing the dutiful applause for berg's violin concerto to the riotous hollering for ravel's relatively minor 'la valse'

it's funny if you listen to a long enough applause you start to think how weird the sound is. the sound of slapping flesh.

haha I've done that! Jesse and I went to see an admittedly amazing performance of Elektra at the Lyric Opera and Jesus H. people clapped for one million years and it only look like two minutes for me to start thinking "Why do we clap? It's such a weird thing. We're just slapping our hands together, making this noise, what a weird thing to do. We're all just monkeys, really, slapping our hands together because we like something. This is actually kind of stupid."*

*No, I was not high.

i do it all the time!

I guess I feel embarrassed for people who clap at the wrong time during symphonies or operas, but that's just because I know there are judgmental people thinking bad things about them just because they haven't penetrated the esoteric world of performing arts etiquette. I'm pretty populist when it comes to that stuff, probably because I flipping love opera and I think more people would like it if it didn't have such a rep for being a snooty thing for old snoots.

At rock concerts (among other types of live musical performances) it is also typical for audiences to scream or sometimes whistle in appreciation of a performance. People also sometimes begin to move their bodies rhythmically with the music, which is sometimes known as dancing. Customs are weird! I think you notice it more at a classical performance because that's all the audience is allowed to do!

I like at the opera when people yell "BRAVA!" after the aria because it feels kind of old school, plus a good aria is transcendent and sometimes you just gotta yell about it.

Totally.

i was at a grand opening of a restored civil war-era fort recently. some re-enactors were there to lend some historic levity to the sitch. there was one guy there who, as far as i could tell, was not among the re-enactors. he just seemed to enjoy going to such events in period clothes. looked like an extra from deadwood. with one of those dumb tall hats. i'm walking around taking pictures of the event and at the conclusion this guy ends up beside me. when the person on the mic said "that's it, thanks for coming," this guy yells "THREE CHEERS FOR THESE UNITED STATES. HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH!" waving his dumb tall hat around. it was embarrassing.

'dumb tall hat' is making me lol

as old school yells go, it's not a fave

irl lol?

OTM. Also, applause for soloists in the middle of jazz shows, before the song is over.

― WilliamC, Wednesday, December 19, 2012 12:18 PM (33 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ARRRG this drives me fucking nuts. I always wonder if the next soloist is thinking, "Yeah, I'll just phone it in until the applause for the previous solo dies down and you can actually hear me, thanks."

http://www.allyourjazz.com/2009/12/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/

(1) Clapping after EACH solo is fine; however keep the clapping to a minimum. Now, that isn’t to say that musicians want to hear golf claps; rather keep the length of the clap brief. This is mostly because the music is still going, and the end of a solo could be an important transition to the next part of the song. This is in contrast with the classical or operatic clap which involves profuse bowing on the part of the performer and many curtain calls.

(2) In general, when there are multiple soloists playing right after the other, there is a progression where the lead or featured musician will be going last. This means there is generally a progression in the volume of the clapping, starting with moderate and ending in a loud. Keep in mind, though, that you should still refrain from any sustained clapping beyond 4 to 5 seconds.

(3) Yelling is generally not the best way to respond after a solo, although the occasional “yeah” or “woo-hoo” can be heard. Let us just point out that this is generally done by those you know the artists personally or who are at least a regular to jazz concerts. When going to your first couple of gigs, you might not want to be the first person to do this. In short, refrain from verbal outbursts or anything that might involve a spotlight being place on you.

(4) The avid jazz listener and frequent guest at jazz gigs will often let you a short comment or even a small clap IN THE MIDDLE of the solo. The reason for this is that they usually hear something in the solo that is very notable and common in jazz – “the quote.” Musicians like to quote themselves and each other, and what this means is that they might throw in a short reference to “pop goes the weasel” or other famous lick mid-solo. Not only is it creative and entertains the crowd with their musicality and musical ability, but it can even quote a musician who has used that line before (maybe even in the same song). For beginners, don’t worry about this. Let the regulars handle this, and don’t feel offended if it happens.

One last bit about applause. The noobie might perceive the “post-solo” clapping to be short and disrespectful, but it is well received. It is enough to hear response and know that the audience is with them, and at the same time, they know the rest of the song can keep going without thunderous applause or other interruption.

otoh I agree with you guys

well i'm never going to a jazz show now

jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/jazz-etiquette-what-to-do-how-to-react-at-a-jazz-concert/

I didn't think there was a way to suck the fun and excitement out of jazz, but there it is: For beginners, don’t worry about this. Let the regulars handle this, and don’t feel offended if it happens.

That site should probably just be called suckingthefunandexcitementoutofjazz.com

do not make eye contact with other jazz goers or musicians, or draw any kind of attention to your presence at all, or the concert will come to a screeching halt and you will be fired up on by snipers.

Is this the Irrationally Angry or Irrationally Embarrassed thread? I'm now confused.

please refrain from enthusiasm of any kind. you are a beginner, you couldn't possibly appreciate jazz until you have been to at least nine hundred concerts. beat it, loser.

xp We were embarrased then we got angry the more we thought about it.

Etiquette shmetiquette. Seriously, long lists of rules about how one should and should not approach/appreciate art really get my dander up. Sorry to use such rough language.

no schmoffense taken

Old Lunch OTM. I want to punch whoever wrote that "jazz" "etiquette" piece. Any guidance beyond "listen" is suspect.

i'm embarrassed on the behalf of the person who wrote it
how boring and uncomfortable it must be to be that person

was taught in middle school that one applauds a jazz solo and one does not applaud between movements of an orchestral work

jazz is kind of embarrassing overall

Irrational fear of buying toilet paper, especially in high quantities. It's never Happened, but I keep fearing the store clerk that will wrinkle his brow, look at me with a broad grin, and ask "So, Poopin tonight, eh?".

― NINO CARTER, Wednesday, December 19, 2012 5:18 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

Avoid this situation by requesting toilet paper anytime a flatmate/friend asks if you want anything from the shop. It really pisses people off

I used to be the designated toilet paper buyer for the shared house I lived in, and I had absolutely no fear about rocking up to the supermarket checkout with two jumbo 9 roll packs.

Then I'd have to hide like four rolls in my room, so that we didn't suddenly run out.

I'm super-awkward about making appointments and scheduling maintenance in my home. Toilet paper buying, not really.