"Brilliant in an odd way"

Sometimes bosses have a backhanded way of paying you a compliment. When I left my last job to go back to school I emailed my boss to appreciate him for everything he taught me and how I was very lucky to work in a company like his where its employees are respected. Check out his response.

thanks for writing and appreciating me.

I'm excited for you. I think you're brilliant in an odd way and making this shift will help you get clearer, stronger and more in touch with your strengths.

warmly,

Umm...is that a backhanded way of telling me I'm stupid? I emailed my friends and called my dad immediately. My friends went crazy over this. Some laughed and said no he doesn't think you're stupid, but maybe that wasn't the best way to phrase it. Come on, if he thought I was genuinely brilliant couldn't he have just said that? This boss was known for saying things that left you thinking, did he really just say that to me? or am I supposed to laugh or just feel uncomfortable? Anyway, I couldn't even respond to that email I was so burned.

Since I've had 10 months to think about it I've found a way to see only the positive in it. He called me brilliant and he's an odd person...end of story. Too easy? Honestly, I think women have the tendency to read too much into things and especially emails. You may be able to detect the tone in an email, but you cannot be 100% certain. Read what's on the surface and don't dissect it to the core. Seriously, you will save yourself months...10 months to be exact...of mental abuse.

What are some backhanded comments that you have received from a supervisor or even a friend or family member? Are you still trying to get over it? Share your wisdom!