Hil, your coworker makes me feel good about my level of cluelessness. Wow.

It's warm here, and for the first time in several months, I'm home when we can have the windows open.

The new restaurant on the other side of the block is a Mexican-themed grill, and the smells drifting in are wonderful.

I mentioned my father's job, in the course of a conversation we were having that had nothing whatsoever to do with Judaism. He asked me what my mother did. I told him that she writes reports for a private investigator. He said something like, "Wow, she must get to read all sorts of drama there," and I said something like, "Yeah, lots. And her having all that drama to read about keeps her out of my drama somewhat," fairly offhand, and he responded, "Oh, jeez, don't tell me you've got a stereotypical Jewish mother!?"

One of my students was just saying she went and ate pizza because Passover was over and she could.

And her having all that drama to read about keeps her out of my drama somewhat," fairly offhand, and he responded, "Oh, jeez, don't tell me you've got a stereotypical Jewish mother!?"

Yes, because non-jewish mothers... oh never mind, the man may be beyond help.

It sounds like Hil's coworker isn't just clueless, but seems obsessed with Judaism in a weird way. His questions seems more and more like harassment, right?

It sounds like Hil's coworker isn't just clueless, but seems obsessed with Judaism in a weird way. His questions seems more and more like harassment, right?

They really, really do. To the point where non-confrontational me would report him to someone superior, whether it's whatever serves for human resources at a university or the department chair.

This guy is just crying out for a spork in the face.

I totally get why everyone uses American Gothic, but of course the painting isn't of a man and wife, it's a man and his daughter.

As for the saga of Hil's clueless coworker, I get the feeling Hil's office mate is just deeply socially awkward and unable to come up with something to talk about with her besides her Judaism, probably because she intimidates him for some reason.

Don't get me wrong, he'd bug the shit out of me after a while if he was my office mate, but I suspect the best answer is to just be way too busy to talk whenever you're both in there.

I get the feeling Hil's office mate is just deeply socially awkward and unable to come up with something to talk about with her besides her Judaism, probably because she intimidates him for some reason.

I get that sense too. That's why I think you need to be especially blunt with him. He's not going to get it otherwise (and he may not even then).

Or just learn to tune it out. That's not something I'm very good at though.