Twitter thread on silly mistakes by professionals leaves social media in splits

Dr. Paul Bones, a professor at the Texas Woman’s University, tweeted Thursday, “Hi. My name is Paul. I have a PhD and tenure. Today I decided to test if a bottle of super glue was open by squirting it into my hand. Then I tried to clean my hand by wiping it on a box.”

His tweet went viral with over 31,000 likes in just a few hours and soon it prompted other academics and senior professors to talk about their mindless mistakes.

Hi. My name is Paul. I have a PhD and tenure. Today I decided to test if a bottle of super glue was open by squirting it into my hand.

Then I tried to clean my hand by wiping it on a box.

— Paul 💀, (exhausted type) (@RoboticoEl) July 20, 2022

Hi. I can manage multiple titratable medications, procedures, orders, lab results, etc. on a crashing critical care patient. I also have a hard time knowing what day of the week it is among many othw basic struggles. We all have our strengths and weaknesses 🤣❤️

— TwoDaysSlow (@NsgSkoolAddict) July 21, 2022

Graduate of both Harvard and MIT here. On more than one occasion have had to have hotel staff come to room to explain to me how to operate a shower. Have also asked on Facebook how to uncap a bottle of laundry detergent.

— Johanna Klein (@johklein1) July 21, 2022

I’m a professional chef with 2 degrees and 20+ years of experience, and last week I shocked myself when I licked brownie batter off of a hand mixer that was still plugged in.

— annie simmons (she/her) (@theanniesimmons) July 21, 2022

One time my tub wouldn’t drain after I showered. I poured a bottle of Drano Max in there but nothing. I called my bro to help. He came, went into the bath for a few minutes, came out
Me (excited): Is it fixed What did you do?
Him: You know that little toggle above the drain?

— Lysistrata M Taylor (@dollyllamaX10) July 21, 2022

Every. Damn. Time. pic.twitter.com/h4AI0MKnUI

— Love/Limerence (@BrooksButler0) July 21, 2022

minutes, we came to realize that the toaster wasn’t popping.

My brother, the Electrical Engineer, forgot to plug it in.

Incidentally, he now supervised 50 chip design engineers at Apple. Make of that what you will.

— Geri Monsen (@GeriMonsen1) July 21, 2022

I laid my flat palm on an open waffle iron to see if it was still on. It was. 🖐️🔥🙄

Granted, I did not have a PhD at the time. I was probably in college or high school.

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My mom had to call the doctor to get pain meds prescribed. Nothing has hurt like it before or since. 😭

— Aunt Eef 💙💛💙🐝2😎 (@aunteef) July 21, 2022

I don’t have a PHD however I’m usually pretty cluey. I once blew on my ice cream because it was too cold and also reached for my seatbelt when I sat at my desk.

I hope that makes you feel a little better.

— Megzy (@Mooglet1) July 21, 2022

(Source: my old boss, who’s a bigwig with an electrical engineering PhD. My first day with him was partially spent in the parking lot trying to un-wedge his prius from the concrete parking space marker that he ran over while showing me around the site.)

— Mary (@just_mary_tweet) July 21, 2022

Commenting on the Twitter thread, a professional chef wrote, “I’m a professional chef with 2 degrees and 20+ years of experience, and last week I shocked myself when I licked brownie batter off of a hand mixer that was still plugged in.”

A development banker said, “Graduate of both Harvard and MIT here. On more than one occasion have had to have hotel staff come to room to explain to me how to operate a shower. Have also asked on Facebook how to uncap a bottle of laundry detergent.”

“Hi. I can manage multiple titratable medications, procedures, orders, lab results, etc on a crashing critical care patient. I also have a hard time knowing what day of the week it is among many other basic struggles. We all have our strengths and weaknesses,” a medical professional admitted.