A Midsummer Night's Rant

Okay, so it really is a midsummer afternoon's rant.  But still, it is time to vent.  I am a smart person.  I am a university graduate.  I understand things a "typical" person doesn't.  Can anyone out there tell what the difference between this:

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And this:

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is?  Well I can.  I know exactly how that differs.  I know the difference between a ".jpg" a ".psd" a ".gif" and a ".pdf"  I work in a "male" environment.  Surveyors and Engineers tend to lean toward the masculine profession.  I am the only women in my office and I hold my own pretty good.  So that is why I just don't get it.  I don't understand why people treat (mostly men) treat me like I don't know a hill of beans.  They look at me and treat me like I am a:

I never really noticed the discrimination until I went to buy a car.  The salesman looked at me and said, "What can I help you with little lady."  I looked at him and walked off.  Making me feel like this:

I have been rebuked by complete strangers for "being too young to have kids."  for "being too young to buy my own birth control."  for "being too sweet to understand all the in's and out's of the complicated business."  I have been called:  "Sweetheart, Darling, Little one, Gal, Princess, and little lady."  Well, why the rant right now you ask?  Just because I am a woman, it doesn't mean that I don't know as much as a man. A "man" (if you can call him that, I prefer man-pig) called up the Ludlow's to request survey work.  They want to know how much it is going to cost and when the work will be finished.  So this is how the conversation goes: "Ludlow Engineering."  I politely converse.  "Yah, I need some surveyin' done.  I got a piece a land and I need stakes and a subdivision.  Let me talk to the engineer."  the pig grunts.  "Oh, I am sorry, but he is unavailable right now.  What you can do is send us a copy of your legal description and plat map and we can give you accurate estimate for the work you requested."  I serenely reply.  "I need to talk to the "guys" who are going to be doing it because I want to be there when they do it."  pig grunts again.  "Right now, we are two weeks out and I would be happy to have them call you the day they will be performing the work, but you don't need to be present.  The stakes and pins will show you exactly where your property is." I retort.  "Sweetheart, I understand that I don't need to be present, I need to talk to the MAN in charge." Pig yells.  "Hold please."  I counter.  I put the man on hold and yell for Travis. 

"TRAVIS!! There is a jerk, man-pig on the phone that wants to talk to the MAN in charge.  Let him know he was very rude to me."  Travis yells "Can-do."   So Travis gets on the line and says, "Sir, we will need a plat map and legal description of the property that you would like surveyed.  Right now we are two weeks out and I can have the gentleman who will be doing the field work call you the day he leaves to let you know that he is coming to do your job, but I assure you that you don't need to be present since there will be stakes and pins to show you exactly where your property is.  Is that something you would like to do."  "Yah, that is what I was trying to tell the girl."  pig oinks to Travis.  "OK, we will look for your information and get you on the schedule, oh, and don't ever talk to my secretary like that again.  Have a good day."  He hangs up the phone as the guy is oinking and grunting.  Travis said almost the exact same thing that I did, but because I was a "girl" I had no credibility.  I mean come on, I probably had more education and insight than his whole family of man-pigs.  I bet I could beat them at one of their favorite pastimes:

OK, I am starting to calm down now.  Oh my gosh, as I sit here and type, the novel "Animal Farm"  has an entirely new meaning for me now.  It is no longer a novel about Soviet Totalitarianism, but just a big fat pig laying in his filth wanting a survey done on his property.   I don't think I will ever look at Old Major the same way.  Yup, I'm starting to feel better.  OK, rant - over.