# JohnClay, if I might have a word... (not about dieting, I promise) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403 "2016-04-16T21:14:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/21 "2016-04-17T20:49:43Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > More about high school and university: > [Is your love life more depressing than mine? - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=293841) Kudos on the quick response. Certainly someone who has their blog so well indexed for future reference can’t be all bad! (PS - I am being sarcastic and making fun of you. It’s not a real compliment. You should blog on a blog site and not contribute to this site. And coming from a poster of such dubious value as myself _that’s saying something._) ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/22 "2016-04-17T21:39:53Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > …You should blog on a blog site and not contribute to this site… I do have a blog… ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/23 "2016-04-17T21:47:38Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > …I will use small words. The “joke” about skydiving while you are depressed means that that the depressed person should kill themselves by jumping out of an airplane. It is not funny. It is very, very mean to put it in a thread to someone who is depressed. No the guy didn’t say that the person would actually die, just that they’d be worried they might. BTW in Australia when you sky-dive the first few jumps are tandem which means the other guy would make sure you’re safe! > [@](#): > > …Also, **JC** shut up (do not type or contribute) about ANYTHING relating to depression or mental health. Your experience is uniquely yours and your posts seem custom-designed to make the OP feel like shit… Even when I said this?! "Surely being in a relationship for 3 years shows that you aren’t “unlovable”. It seems likely that you’ll be in another relationship sooner or later ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/24 "2016-04-17T21:56:52Z")
Folks, this is really just depressing at this point. Why kick a stupid puppy? He thinks its love, because he doesn’t know any better, but it’s just cruelty. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/25 "2016-04-17T22:09:27Z")
Having not read the thread in question and based solely on this pitting I see very little to warrant the animosity toward **JohnClay**. There must be more I am missing as his advice is not far out of the mainstream spectrum of psychological thought regarding depression. And he seems to speak from personal experience dealing with depression, which ought to give him some measure of credibility over everyone here piling shit on him. I need to see the CRAZY-HOLY-F\*\*\*-WHAT-DID-HE-JUST-SAY to consider this pitting justified. Cite please. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/26 "2016-04-17T22:10:03Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > No you weren’t, not unless that was a particularly stupid graduating class. Did your community figure out how all the lead got into the water supply when you were young? I think I’m in at least the top 5% and I qualified for Mensa which is apparently for the top 2% of people. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/27 "2016-04-17T22:58:46Z")
Dude. I took the Mensa test and qualified. I used to set the kitchen on fire on a regular basis. A fire happened during a cooking class. I know how to safely handle feral cats, but once got bitten by a little barky dog I was trying to get out of the road during traffic. Doing well on written tests means nothing when it comes to real life applications. I do agree that you shouldn’t brag about having a partner in a thread where someone is talking about feeling unloved and unloveable. Try to come up with something positive. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_Mike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Lucky\_Mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_Mike)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/28 "2016-04-17T23:07:38Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I think I’m in at least the top 5% and I qualified for Mensa which is apparently for the top 2% of people. I am afraid to tell you that there is a rule. Anyone who, when online, claims they are qualified for MENSA is,I regret to tell you, completely normal. No shame dude, normal is ok man. Folks who are truly intelligent do not need to post about it online, nor appeal to authority. Those around them just accept they are the most intelligent person in the room. Sorry you never felt that way, or if you did it was not supported by those around you. I assure you, it is not because they were just mean people. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/29 "2016-04-17T23:15:00Z")
I found a simple solution to the JC problem - I just put his name on a certain list (which may not speak its name) and all his crap just disappeared. This is actually a kinda compliment to the asshole - he is the only one on this list _ **EVER!** _ Something of an accomplishment there, JC! But: do NOT keep it up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/30 "2016-04-17T23:55:07Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > No the guy didn’t say that the person would actually die, just that they’d be worried they might. BTW in Australia when you sky-dive the first few jumps are tandem which means the other guy would make sure you’re safe! I sincerely hope that this is all an act. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/31 "2016-04-18T00:39:06Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I sincerely hope that this is all an act. Is there any doubt, really? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/32 "2016-04-18T01:01:49Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > I think I’m in at least the top 5% and I qualified for Mensa which is apparently for the top 2% of people. :p:p:p ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/33 "2016-04-18T01:35:45Z")
Actually, skydiving might be an effective (short term) treatment for depression. I’ve talked to psychologists who recommend “sensory overload” as a way of dealing with symptoms of depression. A really hot bath, or a really cold shower. Running or jogging. Masturbation. Singing along with a recording. Things that “take you out of yourself” for a while, and things that (so to speak) “reset the nervous system.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/34 "2016-04-18T02:48:45Z")
John, I want to applaud your starting a blog! And I appreciate your linking to it here. This way I can read your thoughts without them taking discussions here off-track. I, of course, will mentally take credit for your decision, and pretend you were just taking my advice: From [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19258762#post19258762](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19258762#post19258762) Quote: Originally Posted by digs John, maybe instead of just having a web site to post diet updates, you could add “Articles That Interest Me”… Or a Facebook page. They’re easy to start and post to. And much more appropriate than using The Pit for random daily thoughts like: Quote: Originally Posted by JohnClay Today I went with a Mormon friend up the “mountain” again. Last time it took 30 minutes to get to the top and I had to stop a lot. This time my friend had to stop a lot and it took an hour to get to the top. At the end he said his legs were shaking and he had to wait a while until he was able to drive his car. He commented that there were a lot of cute girls. (I agreed) He’s been a Mormon for 5-6 years but he had a Guns n Roses t-shirt with a skull on it: [http://planetarybargains.biz/PBPictu...nt-Closeup.jpg](http://planetarybargains.biz/PBPictu...nt-Closeup.jpg) Recently he started wearing special Mormon undergarments. They were like a white t-shirt and long shorts. They went to his knees and showed beneath his clothes. Then we went to a antique toy show that had a lot of 1980’s Masters of the Universe figures. What was this thread about again? I think I stopped getting obsessed about staying on topic. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/35 "2016-04-18T03:22:01Z")
> [@digs](#): > > _ **Originally Posted by JohnClay** _ > Today I went with a Mormon friend up the “mountain” again. Last time it took 30 minutes to get to the top and I had to stop a lot. This time my friend had to stop a lot and it took an hour to get to the top. At the end he said his legs were shaking and he had to wait a while until he was able to drive his car. He commented that there were a lot of cute girls. (I agreed) > He’s been a Mormon for 5-6 years but he had a Guns n Roses t-shirt with a skull on it … Recently he started wearing special Mormon undergarments. They were like a white t-shirt and long shorts … etc. This observational gem has “Mensa qualifier” written all over it. A complete rendition would certainly be worthy of the National Book Award for Non-Fiction if not the Nobel Prize in Literature. > [@JohnClay](#): > > I think I’m in at least the top 5% and I qualified for Mensa which is apparently for the top 2% of people. I have a cautionary tale for you regarding those who respond to criticism with claims about their exceptional brilliance or the claim that, all evidence notwithstanding, they are actually scholars of a high order. We’ve had a few posters like that here in the past few years and all the ones I can think of are now banned. Reminds me of an intern that was once foisted off on me by an evil colleague, and I, unsuspecting naif, accepted the offer. Turned out that the intern couldn’t solve any problem to save his life. He would be stymied by the very simplest things in what was supposed to be his field of knowledge, and his favorite three words were “I don’t know.” I would make suggestions for investigating the problem, but those favorite three words kept coming back. It was when he was confronted with the fact that it was becoming problematic to his performance that he was neither productive nor did he seem capable of correcting the situation by trying to learn something that it became interesting, and the moral of my tale emerges. He informed me that I was mistaken, and he was actually brilliant, and hauled out a performance review from a previous internship that he seemed to keep around for just this purpose, which declared him – in a virtual panoply of weasel words – to be a fine fellow indeed. My colleague later had an attack of conscience and was quite apologetic about this bit of dirty work. I need hardly elaborate on the fate that befell my erstwhile intern, and a Mensa qualifier such as yourself should be quite able to draw the requisite parallels. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/36 "2016-04-18T07:33:57Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Dude. I took the Mensa test and qualified…Doing well on written tests means nothing when it comes to real life applications. I agree. BTW the reason I mentioned Mensa was that I was trying to show evidence that I was the smartest guy in my year level in high school. BTW I remember a former friend of mine saying as boy “I wish I was as smart as you”. Then I got in contact with him on Facebook and when he found out that I was living with my parents receiving the Disability Support Pension for a mental illness he stopped contact. He is very successful himself. On second thoughts my intelligence helps with my real-life job as a programmer. Though I only became a programmer in my 30’s. Before that I did things like cleaning the dining room at McDonald’s (during high school) and helping clean/set-up at a cafe. (I also was a tutor when I first was at university). > [@](#): > > …I do agree that you shouldn’t brag about having a partner in a thread where someone is talking about feeling unloved and unloveable. My point was that despite my situation seeming bleaker than his (BTW in my blog I also mentioned how I came extremely close to suicide) I ended up finding my life partner. I said “I know you don’t [currently have a lover] **but** I’m sure you will soon” > [@](#): > > Try to come up with something positive. Well I did say “Surely being in a relationship for 3 years shows that you aren’t “unlovable”. It seems likely that you’ll be in another relationship sooner or later” ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/37 "2016-04-18T07:57:14Z")
> [@Lucky\_Mike](#): > > I am afraid to tell you that there is a rule. Anyone who, when online, claims they are qualified for MENSA is,I regret to tell you, completely normal. See that everyone!? I’m “completely normal”! 😃 > [@](#): > > …Folks who are truly intelligent do not need to post about it online, nor appeal to authority. Those around them just accept they are the most intelligent person in the room. When I was in high school I didn’t claim to be particularly intelligent. I just mentioned it here because that was a significant part of my identity while at school (BTW I was also extremely skinny and bad at sport). At my reunion this year people mentioned that I was really smart at least twice. I got the highest grades (except for English where I got A-) I got the highest “OP” (a 2) and was the “Dux”. I was good at dealing with things that were clearly defined and quite simple in structure. BTW sometimes I get “second thoughts” later on so I can alter my thoughts from time to time. On the other hand I only really recognised the existence of banter and started to master it in my late 20’s. (That’s an example of something I didn’t come across in a book until very late in life) Another story - in one of my first physics classes my teacher was talking about the distance a tyre would travel based on its radius or something. I was saying in front of the class that wear and tear on the tyre could be taken into account since it would affect the radius. I also argued with university lecturers during their classes. After I arguing with one about how Google searches worked (using symbols as modifiers) and RGB vs CYMK he gave me a job though I eventually stopped it since I didn’t like it much. Another time I was saying that in Java when you divide by zero you get infinity or something. > though it wasn’t a programming class - it was a maths class. (though the students were programmers) One time when I was in primary school I was saying to a guy that Transformers wouldn’t be able to change size like they did in the cartoon (i.e. where huge robots turn into cassette players or handguns) and he said “you think you’re so smart don’t you?” ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/38 "2016-04-18T08:07:12Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > …notwithstanding… When I did a communication subject at university they said that our essays should use as simple language as possible. I’m sure another word could have been used instead of “notwithstanding”. Though it makes your post seem more intelligent. I’m not even sure what that word means exactly. It seems it means “in spite of”. (perhaps you could have said “in spite of the evidence” or “despite the evidence”) > [@](#): > > …I need hardly elaborate on the fate that befell my erstwhile intern, and a Mensa qualifier such as yourself should be quite able to draw the requisite parallels. “erstwhile”? Though I guess it gives your post more character. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/39 "2016-04-18T08:17:47Z")
BTW I don’t necessarily do what intelligent people do because a while ago I decided I want to do what I feel like doing. I might change my mind about that though. Also another thing that makes me different from typical intelligent people is that mainly I’ve only been attracted to girls with below average academic performance. This is very true of my wife though she is very financially responsible. ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403/40 "2016-04-18T10:27:08Z")
> [@Azeotrope](#): > > …BLAH BLAH ME. ME ME BLAH. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH ME ME ME! > > Oh, and depression is not the same as feeling sorry for yourself. Learn it. Memorize it. I’d tell it to tattoo it on your arm so you don’t forget it, but you’re so fucking literal-minded that you’d probably do it… I said “it helped me despite me having good reasons in the past to feel sorry for myself.” I mean that feeling sorry for myself can help fuel depression and not feeling sorry for myself helped me avoid depression. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnclay-if-i-might-have-a-word-not-about-dieting-i-promise/752403.md?page=3)