BS: People's Impressions

Subject: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 12:44 AM

I've been feeling kind of introspective lately and got to thinking: What is the most important, most visible, part of me? What do I expect that people associate with me when my name comes up?

Sure, I try to be kind, sometimes try to be generous, mostly try not to be mean-spirited. I expect people will say that even though I was not a great musician I loved music and probably agree that it is the single defining theme in my life. Oh- I just realized that just about everyone I know will remark upon my perpetual, compulsive interruptions when someone is speaking and add- fondly, I hope - that I say that if I don't interrupt I forget what I was going to say. Oh, and they'll say I love dogs. Most likely they will grant that my dogs are smart, friendly and well-behaved (I'm rather proud of that- if a dog is a small mirror of its master, that's not too shabby). They will probably say that I am punctual, that they rarely have to wait upon me.

Hmmmm. There doesn't appear to be a whole lot that can be said about me.

What do your friends say about you? Anybody want to leap off the diving board with me?

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 01:01 AM

Great question, Ebbie. Wherever one goes, one finds friends and the opposite, whose impressions will obviously differ. What makes life interesting, I suppose.

Why, even take Mudcat, where one forms relationships of so many different sorts with other posters. Just as an example, Owen Woodson wrote only yesterday

"The best thing to do with MtheGM is to ignore him. The man is incapable of saying anything beyond stringing together a load of unjustified and unjustifiable petty insults."

which compare, from a couple of years ago, with

"From: Murray MacLeod - 25 Dec 09 - 02:52 - MtheGM, your posts on here (and on other threads) are shining beacons of dispassionate reasoning and fact in the midst of a sea of (mostly) fuzzy waffle.
Long may you contiunue to post on Mudcat."

I cite these, here on this thread, not contentiously, but simply to illustrate the point as to the differing impressions one makes on different people.

Good luck in this quest, Ebbie.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 03:05 AM

You are unique! You are who you are and should not try to be anything other.. unless of course you choose to try to improve yourself ( but not by others judgements ). Getting feedback on here can be a shade problematic because it will depend on individuals attitudes to what they see you posting. Some will read into what you post negatively and some positively... but the most important thing in my opinion is that I have met many 'Mudcatters' and never taken a dislike to any of them... even though I might have been annoyed/disturbed/surprised at things they have said on here...... Mudcat is not the place to get feedback about yourself.. or at least not accurate feedback. Basically Ebbie... It doesn't much matter what anyone on here says about you... it's the people you meet and interact with in everyday life that know you... here... they might just think they do......

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 03:22 AM

Georgiansilver, I am emphatically NOT trying to get feedback on myself. I am talking specifically and strictly about my friends and acquaintances in my physical life, and that is what I was/am asking you. How do you think your friends and acquaintances in your physical reality see you?

MtheGM got it.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: akenaton
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 04:32 AM

Ebbie......A stiletto.....and a great big pile of kindling! :0)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 04:56 AM

What I dislike is when a person's opinion of me is one-dimensional. For instance, I could be described as 'That Old Cat Lady', or 'The Churchgoer', or 'The Lady With An African Husband'. Like everyone else, I'm quite complex and have lots of characteristics both good and bad. But very very few folk know me 'inside out'. As for impressions of someone from their posts on a forum, they must be rather limited! Have to say, I very much like MtheGM's contributions; they are educated and balanced IMO, and always well-expressed. I'm old enough to appreciate correct grammar and spelling (typical retired teacher!) I see gnu as great fun and extremely kindly, leeneia as generous and thoughtful, Nigel Parsons as knowledgeable, but there are one or two fierce people who can (and do) bite. I shan't name them!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 10:26 AM

Eliza. My comment about MtheGM was in response to his having used the word 'cunt' in conjunction with another Mudcatter. In my opinion that was more than enough justification for my response. It would be more than enough justification for his being removed from Mudcat in fact.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 10:32 AM

So long as they get the impression that I'm short fat old and grumpy with lots of Volvos and guitars and old amplifiers and some very talented kids - oh, and very left-wing - they will have covered the most important bases. Does this face look bovvered?

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 10:34 AM

Owen, I didn't see that particular post of MtheGM's. I'm very surprised that he used that word, and it isn't (to me) acceptable. Even if one is very angry, views can be expressed in civil terms. Oh dear!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Owen Woodson
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 10:53 AM

Eliza. I hope I didn't give offence. The word is not normally acceptable to me, and I would not use it where it might give offence to others. In this case though I felt you should understand just what gave rise to that remark of mine about MtheGM.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 11:42 AM

Anyone who has followed the threads recently will know that Mr Woodson has been conducting a campaign of abusing me vituperatively, for no reason except political disagreement, for long before that lapse of mine for which I have taken care now to apologise. He only read this thread at my instance, to demonstrate to him that his view of me as one who can "do nothing but make petty and insulting remarks", which long preceded the ill-judged anatomical adaptation I made of another poster's nickname was not one universally held.

His attempt at self-justification is therefore dishonest and disingenuous.

He is a most contemptible fellow. He, along with his creeping colleague S. Shaw, has joined the very small roll-call of names whose posts I deliberately avoid reading, knowing that they will be productive of more irritation than enlightenment; so any further remarks either may in future address to me or make about me on any thread will be labour in vain, as I shall not even be aware of their existence.

My best regards to you as ever, Eliza; and thanks for your good opinion, which has always been fully reciprocated.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: gnu
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:03 PM

"How do you think your friends and acquaintances in your physical reality see you?"

Those who are nice people and who know me well would say, "kind, thoughtful, helpful, generous, intelligent, funny, fun to hang out with, pleasant to work with, hard working, fearless... just a real nice guy". Those who are not nice people, whether they know me well or little would say, "Don't fuck with him. He's got a temper."

Oh, yeah... I am kind to children and small animals as long as they don't yap or drool too much.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:20 PM

I've spent the day with a very very old friend who has known me for donkey's years. Her name's Pat. She's one of the very few people who really know me well, the good and the bad. Such friends are priceless. She's very old now, and I shall be truly bereft if/when I see her no more.
Thank YOU, Michael for your good wishes.
Ebbie, this is an excellent thread, it's made me think about how I come across and whether 'impressions' are accurate.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:30 PM

Gnu dear which the dogs or the brats :) and you know i would never use that word describing you he he though I might use bissim and scunner on rare ocassions.

As for me everyone knows I am a quiet innocent wee thing.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Janie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:36 PM

What is the most important, most visible, part of me? What do I expect that people associate with me when my name comes up?

I'm not sure the parts of me that are most visible in the 3D world are the most important, and also am not sure what you mean by "important," Ebbie.   I'm wondering if you are pondering "what impact or influence do I have, and have I had, on my community and within my circle of influence on this earth?"

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: gnu
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:44 PM

"...a quiet innocent wee thing." Indeed, Megan. Even tho I only know you in cyberspace, I am quite confident in sayin that, if I did know you in 3D, I'd keep an eye on you on accounta "quiet and innocent" can sneak up on ya a skelp ya good. >;-)

As for "dogs or brats?", both. The only thing worse is bratty dogs and old children. My neighbour outweighs his little bratty yappy little dog by at least 150 pounds but has a much smaller brain.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:55 PM

Megan, how lovely to see that word 'scunner'! I used it in Glasgow decades ago. "He's a wee scunner", meaning, I think, a waste of space!
I wonder if 'bissim' is the same as 'besom' meaning a harridan? I also remember hearing 'sweetie wife' for a rather effeminate man. Happy days in Partick!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: gnu
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 02:55 PM

Good point, Janie. Although the lines may certainly be overlapping.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Megan L
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 03:27 PM

Eliza I have very happy memories of Partick scunner can in deed mean what you said but when used to refer to a youngster like Gnu it can also mean he is being a pain in the bahookie :).Bissim did indeed mostly refer to young girls behaving badly but the more modern translation would be brat. You do realise you are getting me into so much bother with an enraged wildebeest * goes to find a table to hide under.

Sweetie wife actually means gossip i guess using it for a man would question his testosterone levels. There used to be an icerink in the district of Crossmaloof (meaning cross my palm either refering to a handshake or giving money to conclude a sale) Of course Glasgow being Glasgow it also became a question of gender.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 05:10 PM

"I'm not sure the parts of me that are most visible in the 3D world are the most important, and also am not sure what you mean by "important," Ebbie.   I'm wondering if you are pondering "what impact or influence do I have, and have I had, on my community and within my circle of influence on this earth?" Janie

By 'important', Janie, I really meant 'foremost'. Not really thinking about my influence or impact in my circle- that would be a separate subject for me, because I am involved in instigating and maintaining some events that have been locally successful, which would somewhat skew the stand-alone being of me. :)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 05:56 PM

If I drive when in a rush - I expect "asshole".

If I say something out of sync with the conversation and leave -"weird"

If I use cynical humour to get a point across - "smart ass"

If I correct folks on a point, that I feel that need correcting -"know it all"

Now, I will consider some negative impressions/comments that may have been sent my way :)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 05:58 PM

""The creative mind plays with the objects it loves"". Carl Jung

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 06:04 PM

""Man's unique agony as a species consists in his perpetual conflict between the desire to stand out and the need to blend in.""
Sydney J. Harris

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: akenaton
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 06:05 PM

Well Ebbs, hold my hand and when you say jump......

In real life, I meet a large number of people over quite a large area, to do my work i often have to go into their houses an often sit and talk or have a cup of tea with them.
Most are old or elderly as this area contains many retired people, almost all have lost a partner.....usually the husband dies first...and above all else they are lonely.

They seem to look on me as someone they can trust and tell me all about their lives when they were young or during the war or what their sons or daughters are doing....usually somewhere far away.
I genuinly like and am interested in old folks and how they seem to have become a nuisance to society, when in fact they have a store of wisdom to impart, given the chance.

So I always try to say something nice about them , just a few words to show that I find them interesting and that they can still have a purpose whatever age they are.

I think that to be liked and trusted is one of the finest things in real life.

Real life's not a bit like Mudcat ...eh?

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: gnu
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 06:14 PM

Megan... "to a youngster like Gnu"

I deserve that. Some peeps in 3D might agree.

PS... I *am* trying to gain wisdom and retraint. It's just that are so many assholes around... oops... >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Janie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 06:40 PM

Thanks for the clarification Ebbie.

I am pretty clueless, usually happily so, about the impressions others may have about me.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 08:13 PM

What brought this on in my mind was a thread title that made me speculate on what other people might consider my most noteworthy trait. And went on from there.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: michaelr
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 08:28 PM

Well, it's a bit unrealistic to ask one's cyberspace acquaintances about how one comes across in real life (meatspace). I know myself to be a very talented, funny, good-looking and lovable person, but I'm well aware that only a few people who know me personally see all that. Here on the internet, it's hopeless. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: michaelr
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 08:32 PM

PS: It's been my MO for a long time not to give a crap about what anyone thinks of me (excepting my wife and a very few friends). That has worked well and kept me from worrying about how I'm perceived. Try it, Ebbie, it may work for you too.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 10:22 PM

MichaelR, at my age and level of experience I'm not going to agonize over what people in general think of me. You misunderstand me,sir.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: michaelr
Date: 12 Aug 12 - 11:17 PM

Not for the first time, I recall. My regrets.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: michaelr
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 12:03 AM

What do your friends say about you? was Ebbie's original question.

The response that comes to mind is "How would you know?" It may be different for women (but I doubt it), but what your guy friends say about you can only be divined second- or third-hand. That is because they won't say it to you. You may hear something that is alleged to be a quote from someone, but how can you be sure?

Fact is, political correctness has combined with people's innate insecurity and politeness to create a social climate in which it is difficult to express any criticism at all, no matter how well-founded. People have become so defensive that any hint of non-positive communication may be received with hysterical combativeness. ("How dare you??")

Which is why it's impossible to gauge how anyone really feels about anyone else. We all have our masks on - different ones for different people - and no-one is really honest with anyone else. And we only let them down for the one or two special people in our lives - and even then, perhaps not completely.

Ebbie, I may continue to misunderstand you, but this is the thought your OP inspired.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 08:15 AM

Humble apologies Ebbie for the misunderstanding!... my mind was on other things at the time so should not even have considered posting......

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 10:10 AM

Friends?

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 11:22 AM

Just a bad idea for a thread, Rap.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 02:13 PM

Ebbie, it is a fascinating topic - not what Ebbie's friends think of her but what people think of each other and how off the mark they often are.
Most of us are like Michaelr, not giving a damn what other people think but that implies criticism.
The fascination comes from people seeing strength where there is weakness, independence where there is painful shyness, capabilities where there is general chaos.
The grass is always greener?????

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 03:20 PM

Sins, you are right. Reminds me of a man I dated a few times. I mentioned casually once that he was careful of his money. He pointed out that in a group he always paid his fair share; I agreed and said that it came across that he was careful to do so, that money to him was not something he spent recklessly. I meant it as a compliment, really; he thought at first that I was criticising him unfairly.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: KT
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 04:22 PM

Thread topic reminds me of a song written by a friend (friend of yours, too, Ebbie), entitled, "Through Your Eyes." It says, in essence, that "I'm surprised .....when I see me through your eyes."

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: akenaton
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 05:41 PM

Rabbie said it better.

"Oh some power, the gift tae gie us.
Tae see oorsells as ithirs see us,
Twad fae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 05:49 PM

Great thread, Ebbie. First one I read when I finally dragged myself from the flu bed.:-)

One thing people WON'T say about me...she kept a clean and neat house!LOL (Think shabby-chic complete with dust and cobwebs.)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 09:43 PM

Ah, yes, KT, the lovely Jinie. I still miss Tiny. :(

Sins, this sentence at 02:13 PM: "The fascination comes from people seeing strength where there is weakness, independence where there is painful shyness, capabilities where there is general chaos" reminds me that the reverse may also be true, that there is strength where others may perceive weakness, independence of thought rather than shyness and capability where there appears to be chaos. Isn't that lovely?!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Janie
Date: 13 Aug 12 - 11:15 PM

Yes!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 02:16 PM

Yes

This is quickly becoming a wise woman thread. Funny how we understood immediately what you were about.

SINS

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 05:27 PM

13 Aug 12 - 12:03 AM
"Which is why it's impossible to gauge how anyone really feels about anyone else. We all have our masks on - different ones for different people - and no-one is really honest with anyone else. And we only let them down for the one or two special people in our lives - and even then, perhaps not completely." michaelr

That reminds me of a thought-provoking line I once read (paraphrased): If everyone you know describes you the same way, you have not been honest- honest people have many facets.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Janie
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 09:35 PM

I am reminded of my paternal grandfather. Pawpaw was the "perfect" granddad. I loved, and continue to love my memories of him so much. He was warm, kind, loving, emotionally generous, and did a marvelous job of sharing his wonder, knowledge and love of nature and horticulture with us as kids in a way that fascinated and captivated us. We spent a lot of time with our grandparents as kids in summer, and made reasonably frequent hour long Sunday drives to visit them with our parents throughout the year. When my grandfather died, my aunt found among his effects a letter I had written to Nannie and him in my late 20's, expressing how much I appreciated them and how their influence had shaped me, and especially thanking them for the gift of my father, crediting them with shaping and influencing him to be the fine father he was.

I assumed he had been the same kind of Dad my Dad was, and I had never heard my Dad say a word against him. It was not until I was in my late 30's that my Dad (and first, my Mom, who also loved her in-laws dearly) began to occasionally talk about how hard a man Pawpaw was with his kids. Not a mean man, but a hard man. Very, very religiously strict and dogmatic, controlling, harsh and physically abusive in punishment of the boys when they "transgressed" (though not physically abusive with his only daughter and youngest child by 6 years.)   Nannie did her best to protect the kids from his harshness, but also shared his very, very fundamental religious beliefs.

I only began to hear of this from Mom and from Dad, a little at a time, as my grandparents became increasingly frail and in need of instrumental help. My Dad would occasionally express disappointment in himself after talking down to Pawpaw, or occasionally reacting angrily to him, aware that he had significantly unresolved anger toward Pawpaw and concerned and ashamed the anger might lead to him being less than fully responsible in carrying out his obligations to care for his dad.   After my grandparents died within 4 months of each other at ages 97 and 93, it troubled my father greatly that he was unable to reconcile and forgive his dad, that while he loved and cherished Nannie, he still was unable to resolve his anger toward his dad. He felt guilty about that.

Dad was always aware the man who parented him was not the same man who grandparented my sisters and me, and held that knowledge close for many, many years, lest it taint our perceptions of Pawpaw. I really appreciate that. My aunt talked more freely with her children about the travails of growing up with Pawpaw, and my cousins, while they loved Pawpaw, did not have the same untainted relationship with him, seen only through their experience. Dad and I talked a lot during his last year of life, when he knew he would not live more than a year. The one thing that really troubled him, other than leaving my mother, was his inability to forgive his father.

I will say that my relationship with Nannie, based on what her children have shared, mirrored her relationship with her children. At the time I wrote that letter, I naively and fortunately assumed (thank you, Daddy) my relationship and knowledge of Pawpaw also mirrored his relationship with his kids. By the time that letter was returned to me, I understood that was not the case, and at the time, felt uncomfortable and somewhat chagrined. I wondered about the reactions my dad and aunt had experienced when they read that letter before returning it to me.

I don't know to what extent my dad was the dad he was in response to or in reaction against his experience of his father. All that is clear is that his experiences of the father who raised him was very different from my experiences of the grandfather who nurtured me.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 11:11 PM

Janie, it is sad but I think the generational difference was/is very common. I know that it was true of my dad and his father and I also know that it was true of my father's children and their relationship with their dad.

I remember one of my brothers shocked and lamenting, after he had yelled at his kids, that he had become Dad, that he had thought he would never do that.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Janie
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 12:15 AM

I'm sure, Ebbie. I was apparently ineffectively commenting on the differences in the impressions my dad and I had of the same man as an illustration to validate the comments you and Sins had made.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 12:48 AM

Uh. Sorry. I lost track of the thread content.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Musket
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 07:07 AM

I make large impressions. Especially in sand or wet concrete.

Pork pies, they are the root of all evil and an abomination to God....

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 11:19 AM

Hats? I quite like them.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: akenaton
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 12:14 PM

They say Ebbie's got "mair hats than the queen." (auld Scots saying)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 05:10 PM

And we know how you feel about the queen. *g*

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 15 Aug 12 - 05:43 PM

My hope is that no-one would believe I would refrain from telling the truth as I see it for fear of causing offence. But that I would also never seek to cause pain or offense for the sheer hell of it.

I think my biggest fear would be to cow tow to accepted opinion on any given subject. For that way means weakness and danger, both personally and collectively.

How do others see me? I chose The Cheshire Cat for last years Punknic, I think it suits my public persona (the private one is less jovial and more saturnian)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Ebbie
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 06:01 PM

Like this? lol

But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: kendall
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 07:03 AM

Your opinion of me is none of my business.

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Musket
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 12:45 PM

My best impressions are the mating call of the giant deep sea clam and Jesus on a rubber cross.

Whether they make a good impression depends on the person watching and how much beer they have had. (Used to also do a pigeon coming home from the fish and chip shop but buggered my back doing it, so don't these days.)

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 01:42 PM

LOL Musket, I'm trying to picture you doing those impressions! Very Monty Pythonesque!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:34 PM

By beauty I'm not a great star
There are others more handsome by far
But my face, I don't mind it
For I am behind it
It's the people in front get the jar!

Subject: RE: BS: People's Impressions
From: Claire M
Date: 18 Aug 12 - 02:25 PM

Rapparee,

my face, I don't mind it
For I am behind it


I read that once. There was a cartoon in the book which showed a woman singing the 1st 2 lines & lots of people running away from her.

Ebbie,

Somebody did seek to know me inside out once; it was someone who worked with me at college, & it was part of their job. It was very complicated. I found it all a bit odd & was glad when they no longer worked with me.
If I've got something in common with somebody, we'll usually get on, regardless of age. I was always told unless you give someone reason to dislike you, they won't.

I also meet a lot of people older than me because people usually end up in wheelchairs when they're older, you don't see a lot of young people who need them about. If I'm snappy it's because I'm cross that I / friends have to wait for things, esp. if it's a silly reason.

I don't know where said young people are, but that's a different kettle of fish (in cheese sauce, please!)
Anyway, most of the people I meet have been & are really interesting, which makes it worse. If the place we meet in doesn't suit my needs – as most sadly don't – we never cross paths again. We tend to like the same music so I end up making compilation cds for them.