Two peeves and a pleasure.

I came into work this morning to find a "Congratulations, Doctor!" sign on my door and a "Ph.D." appended to the nameplate beside the door. Also, the "while you were gone" note from our research assistant managed to work in the phrase "Dr. Wald" three different times. Yay, Lydia and Javi.

Now for the peeves:

(1) You should not ask someone with a new Ph.D. whether they're going to do a postdoc or take a "real job." As people working 60+ hours per week at their postdocs can surely attest, a postdoc is a "real job" in every sense of the word.

(2) It is unlikely that someone who has just spent eight years of her life earning a Ph.D. will be amused by the idea that Ph.D. stands for "[shit] Piled Higher & Deeper." Which part did you mean, the congratulations or the insult?

Okay, maybe I'm oversensitive, but sheesh.

Grr.

rivka:
> > Did you intend to insult me with the "Piled Higher
> > and Deeper" part, or did you not realize that it
> > refers to *shit* being piled higher and deeper?

Someone else, not the original poster:
> Of course; it's a geometric progression (or worse):
>
> BSc -- Bullshit certificate
> MSc -- More shit certificate
> PhD -- Piled higher and deeper.
>
> Felicitations and salutations -- nobody will ever know
> what agonies you went through for that worthless piece
> of paper but you. Treasure those happy memories for they
> will sustain you in the trials to come.
>
> I'm not good at this sort of thing, as you may have surmised.

rivka:
If you were aiming at taking me down a peg, undercutting
my pleasant sense of accomplishment, or devaluing eight
years' worth of hard work, you're on the right track. If
that's not what you meant to be doing, well, maybe next
time you should stick to "felicitations" and leave it at
that.

I know I'm supposed to take this as all in good fun, but
I've spent eight years of my life working very hard,
earning very little, forgoing many pleasures, and postponing
other significant life goals. I don't know what prompts you
to tell me that my degree is worthless and my work is a
shitpile, but forgive me if I don't really have a sense
of humor about it.

---

Okay, I feel as though I've completely lost my shit here - or at least, my sense of perspective. But these comments just feel hostile to me. I'm sure he thinks he's just teasing and I know I'm supposed to be a good sport about it. And maybe if I weren't still so tired from the whole ordeal I would be a good sport about it. Or if it was someone I knew so well that their supportiveness could be taken for granted, and we had a pre-existing teasing relationship. In the absence of those factors, I feel as though I'm being told not to get above myself.