Well, my verbal incontinence is at it again.

I messed up with my theater group, made up of 11 to 14 year olds. I insulted one person and made other flippant comments, one about religion. I can't believe I said what I said or that I hurt someone's feelings.

I'm 20 years older than these kids! It just hit me this morning! I get so excited and am having so much fun I feel 23 not 33. But excited combined with not thinking before I speak spells disaster for me and my mouth. :foot:

I apologized, but honestly, they could all decide I'm too obnoxious and quit!

(sigh) I know I'll try to be more conscientious from here on out. I've also forgotten what it's like to be an adolescent. I didn't know how to talk to a 12 year old even when I was 12 years old!

Girls I get, their feelings get hurt easily, I get that.

Confession is good for the soul, but any other advice on dealing with this age group and having fewer Bridget Jones moments would be helpful. ("letting whatever I say come out of my mouth without much regard to the consequences")

:foot: :foot: :foot: ...

I don't have any advice for you, but man, I can sympathize. I hate that I always say the wrong thing or inadventently offend people. People misunderstand me most of the time, something I can't blame them for because half the time I'm not even sure what I'm saying myself. I also have a problem where the words and thoughts are perfectly formed in my mind, but I can't spit them out in a sensible way. So I make some kind of joke or comment in lieu of my actual thought.... and usually that joke or comment is either inappropriate or makes no sense.

It's frustrating, to say the least, because I think I come off as scatterbrained, dumb and ignorant, and I am none of those things. And I've tried not talking or really taking my time before I speak, but that simply doesn't happen with me. It's a strange dichotomy that's gotten me in some trouble in my working life... I've been fired from several jobs, and each and every time the job started out great, everyone liked me... then poof! All of a sudden I'm the devil. And every boss that's fired me has said that I was being let go because of 'personality issues' or 'fit' and were quick to assure me that my actual work was above and beyond, etc.

It's just my big stupid mouth that gets me into trouble all the time. I wish I could just shut up, or at least say things that make sense and don't pi** other people off.

When dealing with that age group it's important to remember.
That even though you are feeling younger and excited.
All they see is an old person. LOL
Don't try to be on there level and cool that never works out.
You have a warm and friendly personality just be your cute self.
You will be fine next time you get together with them.
Because you have no desire to repeat what went wrong the last time.
And remember that's a great thing you are doing.
Not every adult is willing to put the time in and do that.
Big Hugs I hope you are feeling better about this. :)

Thank you. I am feeling better. I hated being that age. I like being an "old person".

Good glad to hear you feel better. :)
I agree I wouldn't want to go back to that age either.

ha ha ha...verbal foot in mouth disease....yep I suffer that too.

it is horrible isn't it? just the other day I was at JC Penny waiting in line--THAT IN ITSELF HAD ME AGITATED--by the time I got to the counter, the service rep had kheloids all over his body face hands--huge! well, to make a long story short, he was rude to me and that was enough for me to practically tell him that he deserved the disfirgurement he had--all this for a 25% discount. what kind of person am I??

Welcome to the forums, WildChild. I love your ID, by the way. It fits me, LOL !!

We, on another thread (compliments of Scuro) decided to call this syndrome- the Oh Crapola Disease.
Actually Garry was going to call it Oh S*it Disease, but we thought if you have kids, or if they have friends around, they're just going to be little Grim Squealers, and run and tell their parents on you...well you know..

Here's the link to that thread if anyone wants to read it.
It also deals with Touretting Out- or Blurting Before Thinking

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23164

Peace out,
Nova

Touretting out....thats funny Nova....I do that too....yes I have Complex Vocal Tc Disorder.

I just talk a lot sometimes. Ok, quite often. (Quit laughing, Ian! You too, Rach! STOP IT, Jordan! I MEAN IT, PEOPLE--DON'T MAKE ME CALL Y'ALL --YOU'LL NEVER GET OFF THE PHONE AND YOU KNOW IT!)

It can be bad, though--you know how some people just really don't like people who talk a lot...I've had a few bosses who really preferred people who just stayed quiet the whole dang day, and sort of "tolerated" me asking questions and joking around and what-not (especially when I've had a bit too much caffeine...) :rolleyes:

Today I caught myself doing the "talking way too much, waaaaaay too fast" thing in my boss's office at the end of the day, and she laughed, and made note of the Dr. Pepper in my left hand and the cup of coffee in my right, and told me I'd better run along and get home to my family and she'd see me tomorrow ;)

(It's the last 4 words that are a relief...dang, I hate when I talk too much--especially at work! :faint: )

The funniest thing I caught myself Tourreting Out, recently, to a friend (we both laughed outloud, 'cause he's as ADHD as I am, has a sense of humor as I do, and Tourettes out too) was when I was talking on the phone a hundred miles an hour to him, and the last part of my sentence was:

'...If you were to ever say that to me, I would say you were an as*'
And he said 'Wait..I didn't hear what that last part.What did you say?'
And I said 'As*'
And he said 'I heard that part !' and started laughing so hard, and so did I !!! LOL !!!

Nova (0: