Re. What to call us?

[Geoff Hart <geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

     I don't recall whether I posted this already, or just in a private
     e-mail, so here goes:

     I've started to call myself a "professional idiot". This stops just
     about anyone in their tracks, gets a good blink from them, and gets a
     look of polite inquiry. I can then go on to explain, without having to
     fight any preconceived notions. Here's the summary, since you're
     wondering!

     Professional = I get paid for this work, and I've developed
     professional-level skills.

     Idiot = I can, with a little work, manage to misunderstand any piece
     of writing. Then, I can step back, ask myself why I misunderstood, and
     then recast the words until the problem goes away. When I'm done, most
     of the nonprofessional idiots (pejorative not intended... I'm just
     extending the metaphor) won't have any problems with the writing.

     Mind you, I haven't quite gotten up the courage to put this on my
     business card, since I'm not always present to explain it. Since I'm
     one of those stuffy, serious, professionals, and attract stuffy,
     serious, professional jobs, the title might also be seen as
     inappropriate and frivolous. Now, to get back to an earlier thread,
     what would you call a "professional idiot" in French, Spanish, and
     German? <grin>

     --Geoff Hart     #8^{)}
     geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

     Disclaimer: These comments are my own and don't represent the opinions
     of the Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada.