Compliments

I guess I'm never going to get the whole idea of giving good compliments. Twice this past week I've failed miserably at giving them, and to the same person at that.

I was walking past a workmate's desk and noticed that she had a very old scientific calculator. I was impressed that it was so old and that she was still using it. I commented on the age of her calculator and she took it the wrong way, saying things like, "Whoever told you that saying that something is old is a compliment?" and "Why would I want to replace a calculator that is still working?" I really genuinely was trying to say a nice thing about the calculator but failed to do so, as only I can.

Later in the week, she was showing me pictures of a trip that she had taken to Europe last year. There was a picture that she was in. So I tried to compliment her by saying, "Wow, you look so much younger in that picture than you do now!" I figured if being old wasn't a compliment then surely saying that she was young looking must certainly be a good thing. But apparently I worded this one wrong as well. Oh well, live and learn.