Stupid

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Tis better to be thought stupid than to open your mouth and prove it.”
-Andy Wetzel

I think my best friend from high school, Andy, was quoting somebody else when he laid that one on me, but I'll give him the credit anyways.

So I graduated college in May, right? I went to the best school in the nation for the industry I serve, right? I'm all smart now, right?

To top it off, I have worked extra hours at the office on a very high-profile project in order to gain extra attention and am trying my hardest to earn promotions quickly so that I don't have to do it later whenever I'm married, have kids, etc. (Should that ever occur...)

So when I was approached by the company trainer to put on a corporate-wide presentation on how zoning works, (Zoning is a topic in the HVAC field) I immediately saw an opportunity to gain exposure within the company and potentially climb another rung of the corporate ladder.

That presentation, broadcast over the internet to several other countries, mind you, was Monday. I felt like I did well. I felt I was articulate, threw in subtle but effective humor to keep my audience from falling asleep, and I think spoke intelligently about my topic...

...until I got back to the office.

What I didn't realize I did until my co-workers told me about it was refer to a DX Coil as a "Direct Exchange" Coil. Now, I know you don't care what that is, but what you should know is that I called it the wrong thing. DX stands for "Direct Expansion," not "Direct Exchange."

Big deal, right? Well, to put it in layman's terms, the mistake I made was equivalent to calling an apple a vegetable. It was a very elementary error that I had the pleasure of making in front of 200 people.

Oh yes... indeed I am very, VERY smart, and I just proved it to the entire world. :(

If I understand its definition correctly, I think I have been Godsmacked. It's what happens when you think you're all that, and then God's like, "uh, you definitely need to get knocked off your pedestal," and then He proceeds to do so.

In any case, I'm living, breathing, embarrassed proof that talking like you're smart, educated, up-and-coming, a big-deal, and more or less all-that is a one-way ticket back to reality.

Always watch what comes out of your mouth, and think very carefully about what you say. Don't just assume that you automatically know what you're talking about because you think you're smart. What you utter may prove otherwise.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!