Downloading my brain

How one can mask criticism as a compliment:

“Talking to you takes more brain power than working”


“Alain de Botton is so funny! Because he thinks so much, he said that he ‘download’ his brain by writing down his thoughts. He called that ‘intellectual housekeeping’!” I laughed out loud and said “So funny right?”

He didn’t look very amused. Laughing at my own joke is a common occurence (?!)

“We’ve got some of his books what”

“Yeah, I but I have trouble reading it…I like to read for leisure…he makes my head explode”

“Ah!” his face lit up and he had both his hands in the air as though he just had an epiphany and said “That’s exactly what you do to me!”

“Wow. You just compared me my favourite contemporary philosopher. Is that a compliment?”

He gave what is equivalent to a head bobble: you don’t know whether its a yes or no. He then said:

“Maybe you should do the same thing (re: downloading my brain) so you won’t be jabbering non-stop to me”


The conversation was meant to be private. But you know…I was told to download my brain.