Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Zola said:

My girlfriend and I went to McDonalds yesterday. Now I'm not a big fan of fast-food joints, but she felt like a quarter pounder and fries, so to please her I went along with it.

So why is it the reality of what a burger looks like is VASTLY different to the ones you see in the TV adds!!?

My QP was limp, lame and generally had about as much life and appeal as a rotting cadaver!

My partner's Big Mac was equally naff, and bore nothing like the photos and TV ads.

Needless to say my "burger" went in the bin. and I can safely say "I wasn't loving it!"

I had my first McDonald's cheeseburger in high school (we almost never ate fast food when I was growing up, and the rare times we did it was Carl's Jr).  It was also my last.  I don't know which one I got - whatever my classmate recommended - but it was horrid.  Like you, I decided it was far better suited to the rubbish bin than my stomach.  When a teenager who just spent money on food decides she'd rather chuck it than eat it, it's bad.  The fries were good, so I just ate those rather than trying a different burger.

[SoMuchTV]

On 12/13/2019 at 10:25 AM, Zola said:

Gagging for a pee while stuck in traffic!

or

Gagging for a pee but stuck on a mobile phone conversation with a client who keeps on jibbing on and on!

or

Gagging for a pee while stuck in a fully loaded lift/elevator with the ladies' loo on the top floor, but everyone pressing every floor button below it!

or

Gagging for a pee in a concert hall/cinema/theatre and all the cubicles are occupied!

*Speaking of which, I think I need to go ......

I'm still puzzling over this one.  That's not an expression I've ever heard before, and I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a good idea to Google it.  But, the "loo" reference makes me think it must be a British thing...?

[GaT]

4 hours ago, Zola said:

So why is it the reality of what a burger looks like is VASTLY different to the ones you see in the TV adds!!?

[Brookside]

5 hours ago, Zola said:

So why is it the reality of what a burger looks like is VASTLY different to the ones you see in the TV adds!!?

And not just the ads but the pictures on the packaging (not just burgers).

Edited December 16, 2019 by Brookside

[Brookside]

I got something substandard from Amazon and tried to report it but was "told" I hadn't spent enough to leave a comment.

"Eligibility

To contribute to Customer features (for example, Customer Reviews, Customer Answers, Idea Lists) or to follow other contributors, you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months. Promotional discounts don't qualify towards the $50 minimum. You do not need to meet this requirement to read content posted by other contributors or post Customer Questions, or create or modify Profile pages, Shopping Lists, Wish Lists or Registries."

I can go to any local shop and return a product but I can't leave a comment on Amazon because I didn't spend enough money?

Edited December 16, 2019 by Brookside

[tiftgirl]

@theredhead77 rage is the perfect word!

I once saw a video of an airport that came to a virtual stand still when the coffins of a soldier and his dog were off loaded from the plane.  The soldier's had a flag draped over it.  The dog's did not.  I saw red.

I somehow tracked down a phone number of the base they were going to.  The man I talked to assured me that the dog was given as much respect as the human and had a full military funeral including a flag and however many gun salute.

My whole being really hopes this is true and he was not blowing smoke to calm down the crazy screaming woman.

If any of you know whether this is true or not, I'm not sure I want to know if it isn't.

As my 3 year old self would say - it's just not right!

[SoMuchTV]

2 hours ago, Brookside said:

I can go to any local shop and return a product but I can't leave a comment on Amazon because I didn't spend enough money?

Are you saying they won’t let you return it?  Or won’t let you leave a comment/review on the product?

if it’s the latter, I can sorta kinda see the reasoning. They don’t want people leaving reviews (positive or negative) en mass to skew the ratings. (But surely they should allow you to comment on something you actually bought!)

if it’s the former, I’d definitely be peeved!

Fortunately (or un- ) I haven’t recently been in the position of having spent less than $50 at Amazon in the last year. 
 

ETA:  sorry, I didn’t mean to come across like I’m questioning your pet peeve. Our peeves are our peeves, dagnabit!

Edited December 17, 2019 by SoMuchTV
Second thoughts

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 12/7/2019 at 12:38 PM, Bastet said:

@StatisticalOutlier, any cool things for the motorhome ideas?  That heated mattress pad I got them based on your review two or three years ago continues to be a huge hit.  And things for the RV are perfect as gifts for the two of them together.  It's just they pretty much have everything in there, too.

Oops.  I just saw this.  I don't hang out in pet peeves any more.

It thrills me that the heated mattress pad was a hit.  But I'm afraid that may be the end of my genius.

I'm pretty sure your parents don't live in the motorhome fulltime, so they probably aren't short on storage space.  But there are lots of collapsible cooking tools out there these days that appeal to RVers.  I have a collapsible colander that I use all the time.  And there's a collapsible salad spinner that I have my eye on.  And there are collapsible bowls, etc.  I already have regular bowls that I have room for, but if somebody gave me some collapsible ones, I'd definitely deploy them.

I'm also big on not having to move anything when it's time to drive, so I have everything possible "glued" down with Museum Gel, which is a removable putty, although I never remove it.  I have a couple of lamps held down to Corian countertops with it that have been that way for years and haven't budged.  (I'm not sure if it would mar wood or not.)  The Museum Gel could be a stocking stuffer, if they have stuff that they wouldn't have to move if it were glued down.

I also have a Cusipro foam soap dispenser that's held down with a suction cup and isn't ugly, so it looks nice in my kitchen.  It's something else I don't have to stow when we move.  However, those damn things are notorious for stoping popping back up after a while, and they used to swap them out for new at Sur La Table, but I assume if you order online you just buy a new one.  But that could be the gift that keeps on giving, in that you give them a new one every couple of years. 😀

The Zero G garden hoses are real popular because they're light and small, but if your parents have a fancy rig with a hose reel, weight and size don't matter. 

Do they boondock?  My favorite thing in the world is a Kill-A-Watt, which I've used to measure the electrical draw of every electrical appliance I have, so I know how much they're pulling from the batteries, or from shore power if we're on a 15-amp outlet. 

And an infrared thermometer gun is fun.  It can be used to see if you have a tire that's a lot hotter than the others (which spells trouble), but I also like to play with it, to see just how hot the windshield gets with the sun beating on it, or to check the temperature of the air coming out of the air conditioning vents.

Actually, they make tire pressure monitoring systems for RVs, which can have special requirements because of the distances involved, specially if they're pulling a car and want to monitor those, too.  I don't have one, but people swear by them.

If they have a residential refrigerator, freezer space isn't an issue, but I have the kind that operates on electric or propane, and I adore my Foodsaver.  I can get probably 50% more stuff in my freezer if it's been sucked down with it.

Oh, wait.  If they do have a residential refrigerator, some people have invented a thing to keep the doors closed when you're driving.  I can't vouch for it, except to say that I've seen lots of people recommend them.   https://www.recubed.solutions/

Do they have one of those maps of the US and Canada where you put a sticker on for the states you've visited?  I think we're the only people who travel in an RV who don't, but you never know. 

Also, if they watch TV over the air and have a crank-up antenna, you could channel your vacation bible school days and make them a reminder.  We have a hot dog from Wienerschnitzel that started life as a car antenna topper, but we put a twist-tie on its head and it hangs on the TV antenna crank.  If somebody cranks up the antenna, they move the hot dog to the steering wheel, where you can't miss it before you start driving.  There's no end to the things that could take the place of the hot dog.

Or, what's their system for parking the moho?  Some people use hand signals, which I think is a terrible way to do it.  Some people just use their phones to do it, but we still happily use walkie-talkies.  They stay in a charger right by the door.

You might also look at some fancy outdoor chairs.  I don't hang out outside, so I have only passing knowledge of what people do out there, but a while back, Lafuma recliners were all the rage, and they're expensive, so they would make a good gift for parents.  Feel free NOT to get them strings of LED lights for the patio--I'm sick of feeling like I'm parked next to an airport runway.

Okay, I've done a mental survey of the RV and that's what I've come up with.

[theredhead77]

1 hour ago, tiftgirl said:

If any of you know whether this is true or not, I'm not sure I want to know if it isn't.

I Googled for you and it seems like it is and military dogs, like police dogs have good lives. When they aren't forced to put their lives on the line.

I get it, working dogs don't know any different but it enrages me they aren't given the same level of protection. It's also a huge peeve of mine when people let their pets out to roam when there are known predators in the area, or make their animals sleep outside or in a garage. Or don't let them onto the couch or bed but refuse to provide them appropriate sleeping places or give them attention. Their entire world is the structure they live in. Make it welcoming, comforting and stimulating. They shouldn't have to beg for attention. Or who swat their animals. 

A friend of mine won't let her little dog on the couch. The poor thing was begging for human attention after Thanksgiving dinner (the doggies were outside in their fenced yard during cooking and eating). After dinner we were chilling on the couch and the poor little thing just wanted some attention. I was petting her on the floor and my friend chastised her for it. I felt so bad.

There's a reason I hire a pet sitter. I don't trust my friends to treat my kitties how I do. They can cat wherever they want (except on the counter when I cook). Attention is given on demand, lap time may not last forever but it's always an option and there are lots of toys for individual and interactive play.

[tiftgirl]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

I Googled for you 
.

Thank you for that  - that was so sweet of you!  And I'm glad to know it was true.

I suspect we have similar hearts when it come to animals.  I agree with everything you said.

My friend was tutoring someone to help them learn to read and they had a do they kept chained up, he was scrawny and starved for attention as well as food.  He told them he would take the dog in payment.  Now he is a thriving happy probably too well fed boy!

This was my cat's home and there was no where they could not be except the kitchen counter.  If one wanted to drink out of the sink faucet, I turned on the water for her.  If one wanted to sprawl across the dining room table that was perfectly fine.  And of course the bed, the couch me, anywhere else was fair game.

If pet hair or the cats inspecting you was your peeve, then you just didn't need to come to my house was how I felt.  Well, still do, there are just no living cats here now.

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

And there's a collapsible salad spinner that I have my eye on.

Ooh.  You're right, they just travel, not live, in it, so while their space-saving items (including a collapsible collander) help, there is room for plenty of full-size items.  But this I must check out, thanks.

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Do they boondock?

I had to look that up; thanks for the new word!  Dry camping is how I've heard it, and, yes, they do - my dad installed solar panels that feed into the batteries (and they have a generator, if need be), so they're fine without hookups.

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

And an infrared thermometer gun is fun.

I have one of those, as does my dad.  I agree - fun!

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Do they have one of those maps of the US and Canada where you put a sticker on for the states you've visited?  I think we're the only people who travel in an RV who don't, but you never know. 

Not just you.  But when I was a kid, I picked out a patch for every new state we went to, and my mom sewed them onto a windbreaker for me.  I can only vaguely picture how hideous that thing was, but my mom may still have it somewhere.

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Also, if they watch TV over the air and have a crank-up antenna, you could channel your vacation bible school days and make them a reminder.

Never having been to vacation bible school, or any kind of summer camp, I had to take a moment and picture what you were talking about as the paragraph went on.  There is an antenna, but I'm not sure how much they use it (maybe to watch the local channels of the city they're in); they have a satellite dish, and for that you just push a button and it raises itself, spins around to find the satellite, and locks into place -- no crank.

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Or, what's their system for parking the moho? 

Two-way radio headsets, so they're covered there.

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

You might also look at some fancy outdoor chairs.  I don't hang out outside, so I have only passing knowledge of what people do out there, but a while back, Lafuma recliners were all the rage, and they're expensive, so they would make a good gift for parents.  Feel free NOT to get them strings of LED lights for the patio--I'm sick of feeling like I'm parked next to an airport runway.

LOL - they share your peeve with the runway lights.  In the evening, they're by a campfire, not under the awning, and my dad likes the outdoors to be dark other than is necessary to see, so the only exterior light they have is the motorhome's "porch" light and then a lantern on the picnic table for when my dad needs to illuminate the grill. 

I'll look into those (and other) outdoor chairs; their regular chairs aren't very old, but two of the three recliners are getting a little long in the tooth.  They have good frames, so my mom has replaced the foam and upholstery a couple of times.  If there's something new with good bones, it would be nice to save her the work, though.

Thanks for the ideas!

[KittyMom4]

13 hours ago, tiftgirl said:

This was my cat's home and there was no where they could not be except the kitchen counter.  If one wanted to drink out of the sink faucet, I turned on the water for her.  If one wanted to sprawl across the dining room table that was perfectly fine.  And of course the bed, the couch me, anywhere else was fair game.

My cats are allowed anywhere they want to go in my home and anyone who gives me an "ick" look when I tell them my cat sits on the kitchen table when I eat gets the lecture of "My cats are cleaner than most humans, and much more polite."

[StatisticalOutlier]

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

Never having been to vacation bible school, or any kind of summer camp, I had to take a moment and picture what you were talking about as the paragraph went on.  There is an antenna, but I'm not sure how much they use it (maybe to watch the local channels of the city they're in); they have a satellite dish, and for that you just push a button and it raises itself, spins around to find the satellite, and locks into place -- no crank.

Really, it's just something to hang from the crank that can be moved to the steering wheel.  I was remembering that I used to go to vacation bible school with my Baptist next door neighbor and once made a letter holder that was a square base with a tall vertical dowel on it, and a clothespin at an angle on the top for holding an envelope.  Festooned up the dowel with plastic greenery and flowers.  Yikes!

So you could go store-bought, like our wiener dog, or make your own craft project.

We have the auto-pointing satellite dish, too.  Some people get local channels when they travel by calling Dish or DirecTV and changing their service address, but since we fulltime, we permanently have both the NYC and Los Angeles local channels on our satellite (which I love).  For locals, we have to raise that crank antenna, and usually don't remember that it's up and the wiener dog has saved the day more than once.

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

LOL - they share your peeve with the runway lights.  In the evening, they're by a campfire, not under the awning, and my dad likes the outdoors to be dark other than is necessary to see, so the only exterior light they have is the motorhome's "porch" light and then a lantern on the picnic table for when my dad needs to illuminate the grill. 

Heh.  Don't get me started on campfire smoke.

I was at Fort Davis State Park in West Texas once, right near McDonald Observatory--prime place to look at the night sky.  Except for the guy with all his lights on, who got pissy when I asked him to turn them off so people could look at the sky.

14 hours ago, Bastet said:

I'll look into those (and other) outdoor chairs; their regular chairs aren't very old, but two of the three recliners are getting a little long in the tooth.  They have good frames, so my mom has replaced the foam and upholstery a couple of times.  If there's something new with good bones, it would be nice to save her the work, though.

Here's what the Lafuma "zero gravity" chairs look like.  I sat in one one time and it was really nice.

https://www.lafuma-furniture.com/media/catalog/category/DESKTOP---relax.jpg

[peacheslatour]

On 12/16/2019 at 1:15 PM, Brookside said:

I got something substandard from Amazon and tried to report it but was "told" I hadn't spent enough to leave a comment.

"Eligibility

To contribute to Customer features (for example, Customer Reviews, Customer Answers, Idea Lists) or to follow other contributors, you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon.com using a valid credit or debit card in the past 12 months. Promotional discounts don't qualify towards the $50 minimum. You do not need to meet this requirement to read content posted by other contributors or post Customer Questions, or create or modify Profile pages, Shopping Lists, Wish Lists or Registries."

I can go to any local shop and return a product but I can't leave a comment on Amazon because I didn't spend enough money?

That's weird. I've been known to buy things for a couple dollars and they bug me incessantly for reviews.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

That's weird. I've been known to buy things for a couple dollars and they bug me incessantly for reviews.

It looks like the rule is that you had to have spent at least $50 in the last twelve months. So your minor purchase could be good to go for comments as long as your previous 12 months add up. 
 

Best guess for the reason for that rule is it will do a decent job of keeping spammers out of the comments if they get through the other defenses. 

[Bastet]

6 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

For locals, we have to raise that crank antenna, and usually don't remember that it's up and the wiener dog has saved the day more than once.

When I was a kid, they had a checklist for arriving and departing; it was my job to make sure everything was done.  So I'm assuming they still have one, and thus don't need the visual reminder, but I'll weave that into conversation, because I could do something funny and cat-themed and have it be from the cats if they do need one - it's such a goofy little idea, I like it.  (But for next year; I'm done this year!)

6 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Here's what the Lafuma "zero gravity" chairs look like.  I sat in one one time and it was really nice.

Ah, okay - that's the style (I don't know if it's that brand) of the third recliner, and it is indeed great, so replacing the other two with those is a good idea.  I'll do it for their anniversary in March.  Thank you!

Switching gears, the Amazon policy is stupid; if you bought the item, you should be able to review it.  Amazon has plenty of money; if it needs to hire people to delete spam from the reviews section, hire 'em.

[StatisticalOutlier]

16 hours ago, Bastet said:

Switching gears, the Amazon policy is stupid; if you bought the item, you should be able to review it.  Amazon has plenty of money; if it needs to hire people to delete spam from the reviews section, hire 'em.

Shit, I'd do it for free.  Actually I do do it for free, by letting websites know when something is off or could be improved, and they never even respond, never mind actually taking my advice.

Amazon has become useless.  I'm looking for some gooey stuff to clean my contacts and found it on Amazon, and started looking at the questions and the reviews, and people kept talking about rewetting drops that you drop in your eye, while the product I'm looking at is used by rubbing it on the lenses in your hand.  Totally different.

I was wondering how people could be so stupid as to not know what product they're reviewing, especially verified buyers.  Well, it turns out that both the gooey cleaner and the rewetting drops are on that same page, as different styles.  Like a red coat vs. a blue coat, but in this case they're completely different products.

I would say that it's an easy fix, but unraveling that kudzu of incorrectly answered questions ("these are NOT REWETTING DROPS!" when they actually might be, depending on which picture you've clicked on) and commingled reviews for completely different products is probably impossible at this point.

[bilgistic]

For the first time in the nearly six years of living at my current apartment, I've had three packages stolen. This all happened in the last month. I had a shipment of cat food show up on my doorstep opened and one of the cans was opened. My neighbor came into my store and told me that she found the package on the back stairs* and returned it to my doorstep.

*Which means that the thieves are coming into our apartment building and taking packages.

I never got my vitamin D from Amazon. I also never got my zit cream from Paula's Choice. I came home one night to a large package on my doorstep. It was addressed to a tenant in another building and was opened. It contained pans, I think. I searched the tracking number, and the results were that it was delivered at 10am. I leave for work at about 1:45pm, and the package wasn't at my door then, so I assume someone stole it from the addressee and dumped it at my door. I left it at the leasing office the next day.

My sister sent me a package, too. I didn't know about it until she told me. She said it arrived on Friday. I hope it's at the leasing office. I haven't been able to get there yet.

Obviously, I don't understand the special kind of shittiness of a thief that steals Christmas gifts (presumably), but I can't imagine them wanting to keep vitamin D and benzoyl peroxide. Why didn't those get dumped?

I reordered my vitamin D and had it sent to an Amazon locker. The frustrating thing is that I had in my Amazon shipping instructions to leave my packages at the leasing office since that first theft. I'm going to have to leave a note on my door, I guess.

Edited December 18, 2019 by bilgistic

[Katy M]

34 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

For the first time in the nearly six years of living at my current apartment, I've had three packages stolen. This all happened in the last month. I had a shipment of cat food show up on my doorstep opened and one of the cans was opened. My neighbor came into my store and told me that she found the package on the back stairs* and returned it to my doorstep.

*Which means that the thieves are coming into our apartment building and taking packages.

I never got my vitamin D from Amazon. I also never got my zit cream from Paula's Choice. I came home one night to a large package on my doorstep. It was addressed to a tenant in another building and was opened. It contained pans, I think. I searched the tracking number, and the results were that it was delivered at 10am. I leave for work at about 1:45pm, and the package wasn't at my door then, so I assume someone stole it from the addressee and dumped it at my door. I left it at the leasing office the next day.

My sister sent me a package, too. I didn't know about it until she told me. She said it arrived on Friday. I hope it's at the leasing office. I haven't been able to get there yet.

Obviously, I don't understand the special kind of shittiness of a thief that steals Christmas gifts (presumably), but I can't imagine them wanting to keep vitamin D and benzoyl peroxide. Why didn't those get dumped?

I reordered my vitamin D and had it sent to an Amazon locker. The frustrating thing is that I had in my Amazon shipping instructions to leave my packages at the leasing office since that first theft. I'm going to have to leave a note on my door, I guess.

You know, I have to say that it's nice that they're returning what they don't want.  Yes, yes, it goes without saying that it's not nice to steal in the first place.  However, most thieves wouldn't take the extra chance of getting caught to return unwanted items.

I had a friend who had a package stolen from her porch and she thought it was hilarious because they were Bible story coloring books she had ordered for Sunday School.  

[bilgistic]

Good news, everyone! When I checked at the leasing office on my way out to work this afternoon, three of my packages were there, including the one my sister sent me! Nothing was stolen after all (except for the cat food that was dropped on the back stairs)! I'm so excited! I don't know what my sister sent me; it's in my trunk waiting for me to open tonight. It's a Christmas miracle! I also got my zit cream and vitamin D. Hooray!

In bad news, I applied at Target yesterday and literally one day later got a thanks-but-no-thanks email. WHY HAVE JOBS LISTED ONLINE IF YOU "HAVE NO OPENINGS"? It's so bad out here, y'all. The number of applications I've put in over the past year is easily over 100+ at this point.

I applied for a merchandising job in which one goes into retail stores and sets up displays and such. They are interested but want me to have open availability for a 20-hour-per-week job plus one overnight shift a month. It's also 25 miles away and pays poverty wages, of course (I didn't know that when I applied.) Uh, no.

Edited December 20, 2019 by bilgistic

[Annber03]

15 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

In bad news, I applied at Target yesterday and literally one day later got a thanks-but-no-thanks email. WHY HAVE JOBS LISTED ONLINE IF YOU "HAVE NO OPENINGS"? It's so bad out here, y'all. The number of applications I've put in over the past year is easily over 100+ at this point.

Ugh, god, this. I'm in the same boat and share your frustration. You have my complete sympathy. Good luck on the continued job hunt. 

[Scatterbrained]

I ordered a very expensive “Santa gift” from Amazon due to arrive tomorrow.  I had it sent to the apartment office.  Just now the apartment office sends out an email letting us know they will be closed tomorrow!  Ugh!

and I can’t find any way to have it re-routed to my actual apartment or to have the driver call or text me so I can meet him/her.

speaking of stealing pet items: I’m pretty sure someone stole a box of cat litter we ordered from Amazon and then “returned” it when they realized what it was.  It arrived a day or two after the others and the outside box was all ripped up and taped together crazily, usually there is an inside box holding three bags of litter, but the inside box was missing.  Just the bags loose inside.  LOL!

[Scatterbrained]

A Christmas Miracle has happened!  DH took the kids out and texted me that he saw the UPS truck in our complex.  I chased the truck down and got my package.  Tomorrow is going to be THE BEST Christmas EVER for the kids.  (They say that every year!)

[Blergh]

This season of constant cooking reminds me that about twenty years ago, I used to have my fun calling the crockpot a 'crackpot' for laughs and giggles! Too bad the latter term has devolved from being a slang term for a kook to something worse. 

[annzeepark914]

Here's my pet peeve of the season: photos of cats & dogs dressed up in costumes/outfits/antlers/SantaHats/whatevers.  They look so unhappy. It can't be fun to be laughed at either. These wonderful pets deserve their dignity and comfort.

[Katy M]

My pet peeve is people asking you "why not" if you turn down an invitation.  I guess I could understand if they asked you to 50 things and you said no every single time.   But, if you say yes 90% of the time and say no once in a while, just accept the no.  Especially if your answer is never deemed good enough.  "I have to work."  "Just work later. I would."  "I don't have any money."  "Why not?"  "I spent it."  "On what?"  "Food and gas."  Eye roll.  "I don't want to."  "You're no fun."  

[RealHousewife]

25 minutes ago, Katy M said:

My pet peeve is people asking you "why not" if you turn down an invitation.  I guess I could understand if they asked you to 50 things and you said no every single time.   But, if you say yes 90% of the time and say no once in a while, just accept the no.  Especially if your answer is never deemed good enough.  "I have to work."  "Just work later. I would."  "I don't have any money."  "Why not?"  "I spent it."  "On what?"  "Food and gas."  Eye roll.  "I don't want to."  "You're no fun."  

Absolutely! This is the first friend pet peeve I’ll rant about. I have a friend who does this when I can’t make it to something. If I say I’m busy, she must know exactly why. If I say errands, she wants to know what errands. If I say I have to clean, she says my place didn’t look like it needed cleaning. If I say I have plans with another friend, she wants to know what friend and where we’re going. You’d think I either turn down her invites all the time and/or lie to her, but I don’t do either. It’s not nice to grill your friends and be intrusive! Sometimes I think maybe I should just lie since the truth isn’t good enough. 

Another pet peeve of mine that’s somewhat related to the first one...

Typically, when I do turn down this particular friend, it’s because she doesn’t give me enough notice. I don’t mind spur of the moment invites now and then, but I feel like I’m just her backup for when she’s not with her man and has nothing exciting to do. Even for her graduation, she only gave me a few days notice, and I already made plans I couldn’t cancel. She doesn’t have many friends, so you’d think she’d make sure I’d be there for those important moments. 

And the final friend pet peeve (for now lol) is flakiness. If you make plans with someone, try to keep them. I get that things happen now and then, but I have a few friends who are routinely flaky. 

Edited December 27, 2019 by RealHousewife

[Katy M]

53 minutes ago, RealHousewife said:

If I say I have to clean, she says my place didn’t look like it needed cleaning.

That remind me that once someone called and asked if I wanted to go out to lunch, or something that we would do within a half hour.  I said I couldn't because I was doing laundry.  She said "Like that's more important."  Well, yeah, since I already had a load in the washer and I don't own my own washer and dryer but use the ones in the basement.  I'm not going to leave my clothes down there while I go out. LOL.

[RealHousewife]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

That remind me that once someone called and asked if I wanted to go out to lunch, or something that we would do within a half hour.  I said I couldn't because I was doing laundry.  She said "Like that's more important."  Well, yeah, since I already had a load in the washer and I don't own my own washer and dryer but use the ones in the basement.  I'm not going to leave my clothes down there while I go out. LOL.

Lol your friend and my friend need to talk. 

[Browncoat]

I can't quite decide if this is a peeve or not.  A couple of times in the last month or so, when I've bought movie tickets, the ticket seller has assumed I'm eligible for the senior discount. I'm not quite old enough for it (I have grey hair and have done since I was about 30), so it is a little annoying.  On the other hand, discount!  I haven't called them on it, either, because discount!

[Sun-Bun]

On 12/16/2019 at 1:48 PM, Bastet said:

I had my first McDonald's cheeseburger in high school (we almost never ate fast food when I was growing up, and the rare times we did it was Carl's Jr).  It was also my last.  I don't know which one I got - whatever my classmate recommended - but it was horrid.  Like you, I decided it was far better suited to the rubbish bin than my stomach.  When a teenager who just spent money on food decides she'd rather chuck it than eat it, it's bad.  The fries were good, so I just ate those rather than trying a different burger.

Ditto, @Bastet and @Zola; I’ve never understood the huge fascination people seem to have with fast food, namely McDonald’s slop. I didn’t grow up eating it because my mom was a cheap health nut, although my grandmother would occasionally sneak me a meal from KFC or Captain D’s. 
 

I tried my first real taste of McDonald’s with a friend in middle school, and was duly unimpressed. Those McNuggets didn’t taste remotely like chicken, the Big Mac was soggy, the fries were just salty and whatever...but I’m equally as dismayed by In N Out, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, etc...hard to believe McDonald’s is still such a popular fast food stop despite its grossness. But I guess if you’re not really used to that junk, you don’t really crave it. Glad to see that more fast casual eateries with healthier selections like Panera are at least rising to prominence nowadays. 

Speaking of which, what’s up with restaurant websites that don’t post their actual hours of operation? And god forbid you call their phone numbers if they’re posted, usually so I can call to ASK their hours...half the time they don’t even bother answering that number, so why even bother posting it?? I shouldn’t have to dig through Facebook or Instagram for this info either; that’s what your website/google is for!!

[StatisticalOutlier]

7 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Here's my pet peeve of the season: photos of cats & dogs dressed up in costumes/outfits/antlers/SantaHats/whatevers.  They look so unhappy. It can't be fun to be laughed at either. These wonderful pets deserve their dignity and comfort.

Dignity?  They lick their own butts and eat their own shit.  I'm not sure wearing a costume would rank high in the lack of dignity department.

 

56 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

I can't quite decide if this is a peeve or not.  A couple of times in the last month or so, when I've bought movie tickets, the ticket seller has assumed I'm eligible for the senior discount. I'm not quite old enough for it (I have grey hair and have done since I was about 30), so it is a little annoying.  On the other hand, discount!  I haven't called them on it, either, because discount!

Don't let it bother you.  Chances are the ticket seller is a kid who couldn't tell a 30-year-old from a 60-year-old.  It could be a gray wig on a baby and they'd probably give the discount. 

Although I was told by an employee at a grocery store that they were ordered NEVER to give the senior discount unless asked, because people get angry and insulted.  I can see annoyed, and I would think "waaah" when it would happen to me prematurely, but actually angry, and expressing that anger?  Sheeesh.

 

On 12/17/2019 at 6:51 PM, Bastet said:

When I was a kid, they had a checklist for arriving and departing; it was my job to make sure everything was done.  So I'm assuming they still have one, and thus don't need the visual reminder, but I'll weave that into conversation, because I could do something funny and cat-themed and have it be from the cats if they do need one - it's such a goofy little idea, I like it.  (But for next year; I'm done this year!)

I saw a motorhome on the interstate a couple of days ago with its TV antenna up, and thought, "Don't you know to hang something from the steering wheel to remind you??" 

I hope your parents have a crank because your or the cats' addition will be something goofy and not in the way.  And if they do use the antenna, it's a foolproof reminder.  Whimsical and functional--hard to beat that.

The wienerdog hanging from ours always makes me smile, and when he's on the steering wheel, I'm thankful that he's there to protect me.  (Although he does have a dark side--reminding me when I'm not in Der Wienerschnitzel country--like Whataburger ads when I watch something on Fox Sports Southwest, or Tim Hortons signs on hockey rinks, although I'm kind of over Tim Hortons but can't help remembering when they were a delicacy.)

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, Sun-Bun said:

And god forbid you call their phone numbers if they’re posted, usually so I can call to ASK their hours...half the time they don’t even bother answering that number, so why even bother posting it??

I used to work at a food place.  If you called during peak lunch or dinner hours, the phone most likely didn't get answered. So, to answer your question, the phone number is there so you can call during lulls.

[RealHousewife]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I can't quite decide if this is a peeve or not.  A couple of times in the last month or so, when I've bought movie tickets, the ticket seller has assumed I'm eligible for the senior discount. I'm not quite old enough for it (I have grey hair and have done since I was about 30), so it is a little annoying.  On the other hand, discount!  I haven't called them on it, either, because discount!

LOL

I agree with @StatisticalOutlier. It never ceases to amaze me how awful some people are at guessing ages. Teens/kids think 35-year-olds are ancient, and then sometimes older folks have bad eyes and just can't see clearly. I was out recently, and a work friend of mine guessed this woman who imo clearly looks around 50 (and is) as early 30's. I think because this woman was petite, she read as young to my coworker. Someone could have a really young looking face, but some people will just notice the gray hair and peg someone as older. This happened to another coworker of mine. She is in her 50's and has smooth, wrinkle-free skin and has gotten a lot of compliments about how young she looks. But someone thought she was her sister's mother just because her sister colors her hair black and is a lot physically smaller.

[Zola]

Posters (not necessarily on this site) who resort to personal abuse when they know they're losing an argument in a thread.

Doesn't seem to matter what topic we're talking about you'll always find a thread that started off quite well, but then descends into a fascicle slanging match between 2 or 3 posters who want to take the moral high ground by using personal abuse to win the argument, thus killing a perfectly decent thread.

 

 

 

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, Zola said:

Posters (not necessarily on this site) who resort to personal abuse when they know they're losing an argument in a thread.

Doesn't seem to matter what topic we're talking about you'll always find a thread that started off quite well, but then descends into a fascicle slanging match between 2 or 3 posters who want to take the moral high ground by using personal abuse to win the argument, thus killing a perfectly decent thread.

 

 

 

1000 times yes. As far as I'm concerned if you have to resort to name-calling you've lost the argument.

[Zola]

2 minutes ago, Katy M said:

1000 times yes. As far as I'm concerned if you have to resort to name-calling you've lost the argument.

 

Jeez you're a real a-hole 🙂

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Zola

[Katy M]

6 minutes ago, Zola said:

 

Jeez you're a real a-hole 🙂

 

Yay!  I win!!!!😄

[Moose135]

On 12/27/2019 at 10:02 AM, annzeepark914 said:

Here's my pet peeve of the season: photos of cats & dogs dressed up in costumes/outfits/antlers/SantaHats/whatevers.  They look so unhappy. It can't be fun to be laughed at either. These wonderful pets deserve their dignity and comfort.

I think Jake looked quite dignified in his holiday finest, and he seemed to enjoy dressing up!

[Blergh]

4 hours ago, Zola said:

Posters (not necessarily on this site) who resort to personal abuse when they know they're losing an argument in a thread.

Doesn't seem to matter what topic we're talking about you'll always find a thread that started off quite well, but then descends into a fascicle slanging match between 2 or 3 posters who want to take the moral high ground by using personal abuse to win the argument, thus killing a perfectly decent thread.

 

 

 

Along those lines, I very much dislike folks who refuse to accept that others have rights to   POVs different from theirs- especially those who get bent out of shape over two-bit differences (e.g. 'You like chocolate instead of strawberry?!You're a horrible such-and-such and I   no longer consider you worth   tolerating as a fellow human!') 

[theredhead77]

[theatremouse]

If you want to put your feet up on the coffee table in your living room, fine, but please don't come to my house for the very first time ever, first time sitting down ever, and immediately plant your feet there. Maybe ask first? Or read the room and see if the people who actually live here do that? Not all houses are feet-on-tables houses.

[Mindthinkr]

25 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

If you want to put your feet up on the coffee table in your living room, fine, but please don't come to my house for the very first time ever, first time sitting down ever, and immediately plant your feet there. Maybe ask first? Or read the room and see if the people who actually live here do that? Not all houses are feet-on-tables houses.

I keep coasters available and visible. I strongly dislike water marks on my furniture. So besides not putting your feet up on the coffee table please use a coaster under your drink. 

[Bastet]

I'm pretty much of the do what makes you comfortable while you're a guest in my home persuasion - e.g. I don't wear shoes in the house, because I like things neat but am lazy, so like to go as long as possible between floor cleanings, but I'm not going to ask someone to remove theirs - but some things are just rude.  I don't understand not at least asking: "Do I need a coaster?" (my bar is specifically polyurethaned not to need one, but my coffee, end, and dining tables, yep, you do). 

 

[Zola]

I bought an artificial Christmas tree that comes in three parts along with a stand. The 6ft tree (when built) came in a 5ft 6in rectangular cardboard box. All very easy and straightforward to take out and put together.

However, I am due to fly out to South Africa on New Year's Day, so I have decided to take my tree down early and pack it away for another year. But my big irritation is how difficult it is to repack the three-part tree back in its box!

I must have tried 5 or 6 times to get the damn tree to go all the way in, but even now it still doesn't fully fit.

I had a similar frustrating experience with a mains electric drill. It came in a plastic carry case along with some drill bits and whatnot. The mains cable was also precisely wrapped to fit the molding of the inner case. So again, very easy to take out and put together, but the real PITA is folding the cable in such a way that it will fit back into its allocated space thus enabling me to close the lid firmly. But again I have tried and tried and tried, and I still can't close the fecking case!

What is it with manufacturers/designers of these things that makes it almost impossible to put said items back in their respective boxes with room to spare! It seems these guys just don't live in the real world, but instead everything has to be compact, precise and efficient, much to the annoyance of the frustrated customer.

 

[BooksRule]

4 hours ago, Zola said:

But my big irritation is how difficult it is to repack the three-part tree back in its box!

I must have tried 5 or 6 times to get the damn tree to go all the way in, but even now it still doesn't fully fit.

I don't think it ever fits nicely back in the box once you take it out the first time.  I always have to cram the pieces down to get the top to close at all (and it still bows a little when I tape it down).  I cringe when I do it, but it always seems no worse for wear when I unpack it the next year.  The tree does seem to grow while on display, though, doesn't it? 

[KittyMom4]

On 12/27/2019 at 10:26 AM, Katy M said:

My pet peeve is people asking you "why not" if you turn down an invitation.  I guess I could understand if they asked you to 50 things and you said no every single time.   But, if you say yes 90% of the time and say no once in a while, just accept the no.  Especially if your answer is never deemed good enough.  "I have to work."  "Just work later. I would."  "I don't have any money."  "Why not?"  "I spent it."  "On what?"  "Food and gas."  Eye roll.  "I don't want to."  "You're no fun."  

Omg, my former neighbor used to do this to me, I loved her, she is a fantastic person but she could never understand why I'd prefer to sit home (across the street) rather than join her party. The problem was that these were all HER friends, I didn't know most of them, and they'd all been friends for years so they would sit and reminisce, or discuss their most recent outing to NYC or Long Island or the Mall of America that I hadn't been invited to*. NYE was the worst, mainly because I am not a big NYE celebrator, and would prefer to be home in my jammies watching Aliens. I finally just started being "sick" or having other plans (not really) that night. I would stop over for some of her summer gatherings and then disappear when I got bored. 

*I was not hurt to not be invited, but it's boring to listen to strangers describing escapades that I am not interested in.

6 hours ago, Zola said:

However, I am due to fly out to South Africa on New Year's Day, so I have decided to take my tree down early and pack it away for another year. But my big irritation is how difficult it is to repack the three-part tree back in its box!

I must have tried 5 or 6 times to get the damn tree to go all the way in, but even now it still doesn't fully fit.

This just happened to me, even after carefully squishing the branches the box would still not close flat. I'm going to purchase a plastic tub for mine this weekend. Honestly, I would pay more to have a reusable box that fits after the tree has been opened and fluffed....

Today's pet peeve, hiding in case menstruation issues are TMI for some...

Spoiler

My period started yesterday, after not having it for over 90 days (I'm 52 and hopefully entering menopause), and probably because of that I am having a very heavy period, having changed my pad 3 times before 10:00am this morning. Anyway, I was taught to wrap my used pads before putting them in the garbage at home and in the metal disposable bin in public bathrooms. In my work bathrooms they even provide a small plastic bag that ties for you to discreetly, and SANITARILY dispose of them. Today I go to change my pad for the 4th time  and someone has jammed a used pad into the bin, FACE UP completely exposed. WTF??? It takes 5 seconds to wrap some tissue around it or to fold it and put it in one of the bags! I don't want to see my own bloody pad, why would I want to see yours??? People are so disgusting.

 

[theredhead77]

2 minutes ago, BexKeps said:

People are so disgusting.

They really are. Our work bathrooms aren't too bad but the kitchen areas are vile. How hard is it to clean up your spills? I shudder when I think about how disgusting some peoples homes may be.

[KittyMom4]

@theredhead77, me too. Years ago I had to work with another employee in their cubicle area. It was filthy, crumbs all over the keyboard, coffee rings on the desktop, used tissues tossed on the desk and the phone had greasy fingerprints and make-up smeared all over the handset, I couldn't wait to get out of there and wash my hands. Yick. I can't fathom what her home must have looked like. 

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

They really are. Our work bathrooms aren't too bad but the kitchen areas are vile. How hard is it to clean up your spills? I shudder when I think about how disgusting some peoples homes may be.

when i first went to work at my last job, i kept noticing the smell of garbage coming from the kitchen. i remarked to the office manager that perhaps it was time to take out the trash. she walked into the kitchen and sniffed the garbage bin and said hmmm, i don't smell it. the subject was closed. the next day i opened the refrigerator. that's where the smell was coming from. oh god it was nauseating. 🤢🤮