Question Lady
November 8, 2005
[Keep in mind that this post could be about Question Guy OR Question Lady - whoever you happen to have in your context. Remember folks, it's all about context]
Everyone knows the person I’m talking about. It’s the one person in the class that asks the questions. All the time. Perhaps even every class. Yah, it’s that person.
Those of us who are Middlers here at Princeton (and others as well) know who I’m talking about. And we kindly call her Question Lady. One thing about Question Lady in particular is that it doesn’t matter at all where she is, if it’s a large lecture class, or a smaller course - she’ll ask a question. Of course, they are most annoying during large lectures like Introduction to the OT or Systematic Theology; however, they are equally annoying in other classes.
Now it’s not that we’re against asking questions. There are totally times and places for questions to be asked. And perhaps she learns by asking questions, etc. But. Still.
Come on Question Lady.
(10min later)
She tried to get another question in. She even called out the professor’s name. But this professor is smarter than that. They know Question Lady. They know her ways…
Seriously. Question Lady.
Stop.
Tags: Question Lady, Questions, School
Posted in Random
Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
November 8th, 2005 at 10:28 am
At least you didn’t have the “constantly looks off your notes to see if he missed anything” man.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:11 am
too funny.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:18 am
Oh, Question Lady. I’ve been an opponent her from the very get go.
However, this year, she is one of my classes and she is growing on me.
I cannot excuse her deep desire to ask questions, but this year, I’ve seen her as…human. Wow. Big step.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:22 am
so….i have to say…if that really is a picture of your “question lady” that is hurtful. maybe you could make a joke on your blog about something that annoys you, great. but to put a picture for everyone to see? i hope that’s not her.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:46 am
Come on kids, play nice in the PTS sandbox. There really is a real world out here waiting for you — and it doesn’t have any place for sophomoric, inane gossip.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:50 am
Yeah, I’m actually going to have to agree with the anonymous chotch and Rodger (not-the-shrubber) Sellers. There’s a time and a place for kidding not meant for the public forum…rather sophomoric indeed.
November 8th, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Yes, we had Question Lady at Duke Divinity. There was a Question Lady at Candler School of Divinity at Emory that is legendary — she would rest her forearm on top of her head so that she didn’t get “tennis elbow” from raising her hand so much in class.
November 8th, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Goodness folks. This is NOT a picture of question lady - and I’m not quite sure how to take it that you would assume that it would be.
I don’t know Kellen — is it any different to make a public post about joking about someone, than it is to sit around the bar or the cafeteria and say the same things?
I still find it funny how serious people take some of these posts sometimes. Good lord.
November 8th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
(raises hand)
Oooh, ooh, ooh, me sir, please sir!
I guess filing this under Random/Funny wasn’t much of a tip off, Adam?
;)
November 8th, 2005 at 2:19 pm
I was going to try to say something positive and in support of Question Lady. Something along the lines of, well, she’s paying for that class just the same as you are and she wants to get as much out of it, and if there is something she doesn’t understand and needs clarification then she has every right to raise her hand and ask that question.
However, I have experienced Question Lady at my seminary, as well, and know how annoying it can be sometimes. And, while annoying, it does not retract from anything that I typed in the first paragraph. It is a good lesson in learning to handle people who choose to do things differently than we would choose.
As far as the difference between posting on a public forum such as this and sitting around the at the bar or cafeteria? Well, how do you know that Question Lady doesn’t read this blog? Don’t you think that she would know that she was the butt of this joke? There’s a difference between venting in a group of friends and posting something about someone in a negative light as a joke in a place where that person has the opportunity to read it.
November 8th, 2005 at 3:00 pm
Yes, I’ve joked about “Question Lady” with you around the lunch table. I maintain that such conversation is qualitatively and functionally different from joking, as it were, on a billboard such as a blog.
I’m not claiming to be “holier than thou.” I’m just saying that we ought to be careful with which things we occupy ourselves in front of a larger audience. This isn’t an integrity question; it’s a question of wisdom and shrewd practice. And that question is raised, Adam, due to the fact that your blog is popular, that many people read it. It doesn’t matter how much you think this might be an unfair question or unfairly asked of you. It’s a real question, and I would advise you as my friend to tread carefully. That’s all.
Love you brother,
- kp -
November 8th, 2005 at 3:44 pm
I’m in Scotland and read this blog. What are the chances that “Question Lady” reads it too, being that you seem to have a certain popularity on the PTS campus? And if there were any doubt in her head about whether or not you were writing about her, you cleared it up with the, “I’m sitting 2 rows behind her right now, in Hebrew Exegesis.” I’m with KP on this one–realize your audience and try not to be so classless in the future.
November 8th, 2005 at 3:57 pm
then again, sometimes (as in the class that you and i are both enjoying at this exact moment) question “lady” is actually “argumentative man” :)
November 8th, 2005 at 7:09 pm
you did that in class? when do stuart go wireless? i should go back in there sometime.
November 8th, 2005 at 8:33 pm
Man . . . and I thought that was an actual picture of her! It was far funnier than the clipart of question boy you have posted now.
November 8th, 2005 at 11:21 pm
Someone told me about this blog post. I wasn’t going to commment, but this is really hurtful. I knew I was on the outside of this clicky seminary community - I’m a commuter - but just because I ask questions doesn’t give you the right to make fun of me. I’m really disappointed in you Adam. I wish you had just come up to me and mentioned something in person.
November 9th, 2005 at 2:54 am
Wow, firstly Adam I’m sorry that everyone out there lost their sense of humor and got all worked up about your post. I guess that the downside to having a ton of readers is that some of them are either not funny or are babies about it.
Secondly, while we’ve got our share of “question ladies” here, they’re not the ones who frustrate me. For me it’s “I’ve read a lot, and would like to give myself props in the form of a statement masked as a pseudo question - guy.”
We have one dude in particular who always raises his hand just to give himself props for having read some book (trouble is, he doesn’t even have that impressive of a list). Anyway, I could handle it if he was asking a question, but he just wastes our time to brag and take us off topic.
Or…
“I know we’re studying _______, but could we have the homosexuality debate and waste everyone’s time lady.” She’s fun too.
November 9th, 2005 at 11:24 am
forgive us our question ladies, as we forgive those who question lady against us
November 9th, 2005 at 11:40 am
I think I was question guy when I was at school, because I remember hearing people groan when I would begin to ask something. But, then, more than a few of those clowns petered out of the ministry and ended up teaching or selling insurance.
November 9th, 2005 at 2:10 pm
So, out of curiosity, Steve, since when is teaching not ministry? Especially considering that Jesus was regarded as a “rabbi” and called “teacher” repeatedly. Could you clarify?
November 9th, 2005 at 9:25 pm
I wish lovaglio read this blog cause he is totally question guy and I tell him that all the time.
November 10th, 2005 at 12:35 pm
We have them here at Fuller, too. The worst I experienced was at UC Davis, though. Our professor had to initiate a 3-questions-per-lecture rule because of Question Guy (that was the creative name we gave him). It was annoying, but my art in the margins of my notes skills did improve greatly that quarter.
It is good to point out that these people are paying the same amount of money for our classes and many times their questions are enlightening. On the other hand, I’ve paid to hear the professor, not the student. Anyway, if one has so many questions, why not utilize e-mail or office hours and build up a personal relationship with the professor? Who knows — your questions could get answered and you might walk away with a solid letter of recommendation.
November 10th, 2005 at 3:16 pm
@Andrew. Of course teaching is a viable ministry. In this case I was referring to a couple of “seminary darlings” who seemed destined for greatness in our denomination but, instead, bottomed out over the course of time and have pretty much abandoned any connection they had to Christianity. Today, the information they disseminate to students might be useful, but it doesn’t really qualify as Christian ministry.