# I saw my ex last night trying to pick up someone uglier than I. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258 "2003-08-10T21:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/1 "2003-08-10T21:40:42Z")
The ugly guy shot him down. Life is _good_. ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/2 "2003-08-10T22:12:39Z")
It’s gloatin’ time! ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/3 "2003-08-10T22:26:27Z")
Fortunately, that’s a _large_ pool, Otto. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/4 "2003-08-11T00:31:55Z")
[OT]I am awestruck by your ability to use pronouns correctly in the middle of gloat of this magnitude.[/OT] ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/5 "2003-08-11T00:40:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by twickster \* > \*\*[OT]I am awestruck by your ability to use pronouns correctly in the middle of gloat of this magnitude.[/OT] \*\* Continuing **twickster** ’s hijack, a grammar curiosity: Would it be more correct to construe this as: “…to pick up someone uglier than I [am].” as **Otto** constructed it, or “to pick up someone uglier than me.” in which “than” functions as a preposition or a relational conjunction and “me” is either the object of “than” as a preposition or a word made parallel to “someone” and thus in apposition to, and hence the same case as, the direct object of the infinitive “to pick up.” In any case, good grounds to gloat. Also, no doubt, neither as wise nor as compassionate as yourself, **Otto**. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/6 "2003-08-11T01:08:13Z")
_walks up to **Otto** , smacks him in the jaw_ STOP calling yourself ugly! You’re NOT ugly! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/7 "2003-08-11T01:38:49Z")
Yeah! Feels good, huh? Gotta love it. Of course, as few and far between as these perfect moments can be, you should cherish this and perhaps have an artists rendition drawn up for posterity. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/8 "2003-08-11T04:42:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*The ugly guy shot him down. > > Life is _good_. \*\* Because attractiveness is the most important thing. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/9 "2003-08-11T15:10:52Z")
No, actually, bitterness is the most important thing. Glad to see you’re stocked up. And **Guin** no worries, I don’t think I’m ugly. But the other guy was definitely uglier. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/10 "2003-08-11T15:19:17Z")
It’s correct to say “uglier than I”, because the “am” at the end is implied. Trust me, I’ve taught the SAT II Writing test too many times, and this is exactly the kind of stuff they test on. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/11 "2003-08-11T15:49:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mockingbird \* > \*\*Because attractiveness is the most important thing. > > :rolleyes: \*\* Mockingbird, lord knows I love you to pieces. Really I do. That’s not what Otto was saying _at all_. No one wants to see their ex wind up with someone better looking than her/him. Not even super-nice people like Mother Teresa or The Pope. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/12 "2003-08-11T16:11:29Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s not what Otto was saying at all. No one wants to see their ex wind up with someone better looking than her/him. Not even super-nice people like Mother Teresa or The Pope. Now there’s a scary thought. Since as I understand it Mother Teresa as a nun was married to God, and that’s a hard act to follow. “My ex created the world in seven days, How come it takes you a week to get the lawn mowed?” “What do you mean you forgot my birthday? My last guy never forgot anything since he was was omniscient” ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/13 "2003-08-11T16:36:46Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by wolfman \* Now there’s a scary thought. Since as I understand it Mother Teresa as a nun was married to God, and that’s a hard act to follow. [QUOTE] Yeah but God always had that deadbeat son of his in tow and thats a killer for any relationship. What’s his name again - you know the guy, dropped a promising career in Carpenting to go all hippy?! ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/14 "2003-08-11T16:38:25Z")
Possibly Carpentry :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/15 "2003-08-12T05:36:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*Mockingbird, lord knows I love you to pieces. Really I do. > > That’s not what Otto was saying _at all_. No one wants to see their ex wind up with someone better looking than her/him. Not even super-nice people like Mother Teresa or The Pope. \*\* Now now, **Mockingbird** has a point. Not only would it be great for my ex to be shot down by a guy that’s uglier than I, it would be even better if he was a total moron/asshole too. Yes, I am evil. But not as evil as this particular ex. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-ex-last-night-trying-to-pick-up-someone-uglier-than-i/194258/16 "2003-08-12T19:34:04Z")
I ran into my X a few years back at the mall in front of the movie theatre. Not only was the guy she was with uglier than me, but she gained about 50 pounds and started to sag all over. Vindication.