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

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, janestclair said:

Count me in the group that uses proper spelling, grammar and punctuation in texts and IMs.  I can't talk to you that way if you use excessive text speak and/or emojis.  I don't have time to decipher your heiroglyphs. The use of "k" instead of ok makes my blood boil.  How much time do you save by eliminating one letter? Seriously.  

I almost never text, and have a flip-phone with alphanumeric keypad, so when I do it's kind of painful.  Yet I still use complete words.  In fact, it's hard to make a "1" because it's not just like a-b-c-2, but I have to find where to change the type of input or something and it's arduous.  So I write "one."  In a text.  Or "fifteen" because it's too hard to get to the "1" for "15."

The thing is, these days, almost nobody is using an alphanumeric keypad, so I don't see any reason to continue text-speak.

 

20 hours ago, Moose135 said:

On another forum I frequent, someone complained about spelling and grammar errors, and another poster replied along the lines of "I don't have time to worry about all that, people can understand what I'm writing".  I replied "If you can't take 30 seconds to make sure your post is in proper English, why should I spend any time trying to figure out what you are trying to say?"

I did the same thing, on a forum that includes technical advice.  I didn't even actually complain, but just suggested that people proofread their posts before they send them, pointing out that it's better for one person to take a little bit of time to make sure the message is clear in order to save a couple thousand from all having to take time to decipher it. 

Good lord, I was ridiculed and raked over the coals.  I just don't get it.  Why bother to communicate if you're not going to do it clearly?  One guy writes in a way I just can't even describe, except kind of like haiku only without any rules.  Drives me insane, and everybody just gushes about how wonderful he is.  While my complete sentences and (appropriate) paragraph breaks languish unacknowledged.

[riley702]

19 hours ago, Maharincess said:

I once had a guy put a bunch of boxes of Twinkies in my shopping cart and beg me to go home and eat them all.  I saw red, started going off on him and threw every box right at his bald head. 

Good for you! 

9 hours ago, lordonia said:

Also America as 'murica or some variation. I'm never quite sure what the writer's intent is, except that it's not complimentary.

It's deliberately uncomplimentary to the jingoistic, ugly-American crowd. "If you don't like (whatever), you can move to another country! This is America!" Which usually comes out 'Murica through all the frothing at the mouth. This crowd think "This is America!" is justification for whatever nonsense they're spouting.

4 hours ago, Popples said:

People who don't say thank you right after you do something for them. I'm talking about people who have about 5 or 6 complaints about the favor you did before thanking you even crosses their mind. People who ask you to get something for them, then they say you took too long to retrieve it or not long enough because their not completely ready for item they just asked for; that's too much (why would you get me 2 or more?) or not enough of said items (last time you gave me more); why doesn't it look the same like last time (i.e. new design of the package)? Then they start using said item, don't say anything for a bit, only for me to leave the room to get an afterthought of a "thank you" yelled at me once I've gone back to my business.

I'm not asking for a medal or anything, but the lack of two little words just eats away at me.

If it isn't a boss, I'd hurl it right at their head. And then say, "You're welcome!"

[Sandman87]

7 hours ago, Quof said:

Which brings me to another pet peeve - Febreze. What the hell is this?  I swear I see three commercials for the stuff every hour.   If your house smells, shouldn't you investigate and eliminate the source of the smell, rather than spraying a scented product at it?  It's the equivalent of dousing yourself with perfume, rather than showering, after you go to the gym on your lunch break. You're not fooling anyone.

Theater productions buy it by the truckload. They can't launder the costumes every night, so they use Fabreze.

 

2 hours ago, DeLurker said:

Fun Fact from my TBI:  I misread words quite often and the results are pretty funny.  This one turned into human traps and I imagined a very unpleasant person trapped in a gigantic rat trap.  The image pleased me.

This should make you happy then.

[NutMeg]

On 11/28/2016 at 1:53 AM, Quof said:

Which brings me to another pet peeve - Febreze. What the hell is this?  I swear I see three commercials for the stuff every hour.   If your house smells, shouldn't you investigate and eliminate the source of the smell, rather than spraying a scented product at it?  It's the equivalent of dousing yourself with perfume, rather than showering, after you go to the gym on your lunch break. You're not fooling anyone.

First time I ever saw the product (probably another brand) used for a good cause was in a Korean barbecue restaurant in Tokyo. Nice, cosy place, especially in winter. And they kindly sprayed our coats when we left so we wouldn't spend the whole evening smelling like barbecue. I thought it was a brilliant idea :)

Edited November 29, 2016 by NutMeg
damn typos/autocorrect

[DeLurker]

Today it is not warm and not cool - mid 70s with a cool front expected to roll in later today.  But it is humid as hell (because in my version of hell, it is also exceptionally humid).  So I just turned on the ac because I cannot take it any longer.  Knowing that in by nightfall, i might be considering turning on the heat.  Ugh!

[backformore]

12 hours ago, DeLurker said:

Today it is not warm and not cool - mid 70s with a cool front expected to roll in later today.  But it is humid as hell (because in my version of hell, it is also exceptionally humid).  So I just turned on the ac because I cannot take it any longer.  Knowing that in by nightfall, i might be considering turning on the heat.  Ugh!

Yuck -  that is my least favorite weather - when it's kind of warm and humid,  and then turns to cold and damp.  It messes with my sinuses and my joints.

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Yuck -  that is my least favorite weather - when it's kind of warm and humid,  and then turns to cold and damp.  It messes with my sinuses and my joints.

Don't ever come to FL in the winter.....this is exactly what happens Nov-February.  There has been at least a 15 degree temperature difference between day and night for the past 3 weeks. I suffer from chronic sinusitis and this season is horrible for me......and of course spring is even worse.

Edited November 29, 2016 by AgentRXS

[JTMacc99]

20 hours ago, DeLurker said:

because in my version of hell, it is also exceptionally humid

Good thing I'm going to heaven, because hazy, hot and humid is my least favorite, followed closely by the cool humid northeast days we get in March. It's the lovely combination of needing to wear warm clothes but then the second you have to move around a little bit, you're freaking sweating. Blech.

Interesting that the weather is a topic here today, as I was going to pop in and report that Pandora decided to have Axl Rose go on about the cold November Rain this morning while I was making breakfasts and packing lunches. And then I looked out the window and see 48 degrees and two days of rain in the forecast.  Well played Pandora.  Well played.

[Quof]

I hosted a professional networking event this morning. Invites went out a couple weeks ago, guests dutifully sent in RSVPs.  One woman replied with a "tentative". She arrived this morning, and was pleased we had materials for her, and a name tag, knowing she might show up.   "Yeah, I replied tentative, because I have kids, so you never know."

WTF?  So the fact you have children means you can never make a firm commitment to be somewhere?  How does that go over in your workplace?  

[JTMacc99]

54 minutes ago, Quof said:

So the fact you have children means you can never make a firm commitment to be somewhere?  How does that go over in your workplace?  

It doesn't. You are expected to attend, and you should act as though you will attend everything you are supposed to attend.

But there is an understanding that people have lives and that sometimes things happen. When it gets to the point where an employee starts acting like work is optional, actions are taken.  

[Quof]

Quote

But there is an understanding that people have lives and that sometimes things happen

Absolutely, as happened with one person who had responded "yes" but had a medical emergency.    But a blanket "I have children, therefore, something might come up" is ridiculous.  I expect most, if not all, of those in attendance have children.  

[Popples]

10 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

Don't ever come to FL in the winter.....this is exactly what happens Nov-February.  There has been at least a 15 degree temperature difference between day and night for the past 3 weeks. I suffer from chronic sinusitis and this season is horrible for me......and of course spring is even worse.

I live in the DC area, but my brother lives in Florida. I went down there for Thanksgiving 4 years ago and thought it would be nice and warm and I was shivering. Thankfully I had a few items of warm clothing for when I came back home, but I was completely thrown by that. Plus, the hotel was right across from the beach and we got the breeze coming off the water, which made it very chilly indeed.

[StatisticalOutlier]

Massive (not pet) peeve?  Recycling.  Or, rather, people.  As usual.

I don't have curbside recycling, but there's a dropoff place I sometimes go by (I don't make a special trip--no sense wasting gas to recycle, and it's not like I have tons of recycling anyway, but I like to do my part). 

There are about six huge containers, each about the size of three garbage dumpsters.  They were empty a week or so ago, but when I drove up the other night, they were full, with tons of crap all over the ground around them, despite, of course, the signs that tell you (1) they're not for garbage, and (2) don't leave anything on the ground.

And what was on the ground?  Things like cushions from lawn furniture, which CLEARLY are not recyclable.  But the ground wasn't the only non-recyclables repository--they made it into the containers, too, in the little room that was left among the unflattened gigantic cardboard boxes.  I swear I saw the handrails from a treadmill poking out. 

Recycling has been on a short leash for me for while.  I always die a little inside when I see all the plastic bags in the recycling, even though there are ALWAYS signs saying "no plastic bags."  Not to mention all the other inappropriate stuff like laundry baskets when the only plastics recycled are plastic bottles.  And for a while I've thought that the psychic damage is not worth the good that comes from recycling my little stash of cans and bottles.  But I think I'm done.

There was a recycling dropoff outside Atlanta I used, and they had volunteers stationed all throughout the place "helping" people, which I think was mainly making sure they didn't throw car batteries in with the metal.  It's just pathetic that that's what it takes, but unmonitored recycling dropoff is a disaster and I'm just tired of being reminded that my fellow citizens are either stupid or assholes.  Or both.

Plus, because it has to be manned, it has limited hours, making it more inconvenient for those of us who CAN read a sign and DO follow it.

The thing is, I don't even have kids.  I'm not responsible for a single thing on this planet after I die, and yet I'm the one who's trying to do the right thing.  Why do I even bother, especially since in order to do so, I have to be reminded that the people I'm trying to save the world for don't give a shit themselves?

[3pwood]

3 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

... The thing is, I don't even have kids.  I'm not responsible for a single thing on this planet after I die, and yet I'm the one who's trying to do the right thing.  Why do I even bother, especially since in order to do so, I have to be reminded that the people I'm trying to save the world for don't give a shit themselves?

I do it for the sake of the other animals, who have to deal with the mess humans have made of the planet.

[Qoass]

I really hate when someone responds to me with "Relax." or "Calm down" because I am saying something they disagree with.  Granted, my resting face is pretty hostile but it's not like I'm yelling or waving my hands around. That said, if I were to respond, "I AM calm!" it just makes me sound like I am upset.

Can anyone suggest a better rejoinder?

[bosawks]

2 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I really hate when someone responds to me with "Relax." or "Calm down" because I am saying something they disagree with.  Granted, my resting face is pretty hostile but it's not like I'm yelling or waving my hands around. That said, if I were to respond, "I AM calm!" it just makes me sound like I am upset.

Can anyone suggest a better rejoinder?

"Fuck off!"

But that may be too subtle......

[backformore]

3 hours ago, Quof said:

I hosted a professional networking event this morning. Invites went out a couple weeks ago, guests dutifully sent in RSVPs.  One woman replied with a "tentative". She arrived this morning, and was pleased we had materials for her, and a name tag, knowing she might show up.   "Yeah, I replied tentative, because I have kids, so you never know."

WTF?  So the fact you have children means you can never make a firm commitment to be somewhere?  How does that go over in your workplace?  

Yeah, I have kids, and one of them might be sick, so I can't say yes to anything.

Yeah, well I have a car, so you never know - I might get a flat tire.

I have arthritis, so, you never know, that might be the day my knee locks up and I can't walk.

I have a husband with hypertension, you never know, he may have a stroke that day.

I have laziness, so, you never know, that might be a day that I decide to stay in my PJ's and watch TV all day.   (wait, I LIKE that one!) 

[DeLurker]

6 minutes ago, Qoass said:

Can anyone suggest a better rejoinder?

I haven't watched all the Marvel movies, but it seems there should be a Hulk line that fits.

[backformore]

6 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I really hate when someone responds to me with "Relax." or "Calm down" because I am saying something they disagree with.  Granted, my resting face is pretty hostile but it's not like I'm yelling or waving my hands around. That said, if I were to respond, "I AM calm!" it just makes me sound like I am upset.

Can anyone suggest a better rejoinder?

There isn't one.  telling someone to "Calm Down" is a condescending way of saying that their opinion doesn't count because it's based on hysterics instead of logic. 

I would ask  - "Is "calm down" your polite version of "shut up?"   Because that's how it comes across. "

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Or, rather, people.  As usual.

Agreed. It's not the system, the process or the idea that is broken.

Having said that, it is one of my job responsibilities to set things up so that people can't screw it up. Or when they do (of course), that it is relatively easy for me to fix it.  

Applying this to recycling, my garbage company has two giant bins for me to fill up, one for garbage and one for anything that is recyclable. It's pretty hard to shove an old tube TV and lawn furniture into my recycle bin, so that seems to be one way to prevent people from doing what you saw at the drop off area.

I'm sure I toss in the occasional non-recyclable item in the recycle bin. But as the entire bin just gets dumped into the same section of the garbage truck, I'm fairly certain that somehow it's all getting sorted out at the end into paper, cardboard, plastic, metal and glass.  And since I'm making the choice item by item during the week, it turns out I have FAR more recyclable garbage.  And I feel good about that.

[Qoass]

Damn, backformore, you've really nailed it!

[TattleTeeny]

I hate "cause" for "because"! Hate it! However, if you use "'cause"* for "because," I'm fine.

In fact, I'll go so far as to say I am fine accepting logical and consistent abbreviations for many things. 

Edited November 29, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[zxy556575]

I was at my sister's once and noticed her putting a frozen food plastic dish in the recycling container. I told her those weren't recyclable and she was surprised -- never heard that. The info is available but the company here doesn't really bother giving explicit instructions.

Like, their one-page instruction sheet says "cereal boxes" as if those are the only type of food boxes accepted. And what kind of office paper has "wax liners?" Does that mean envelopes with those cellophane windows? Only "old" corrugated cardboard? What's the date cutoff?

Someone here told me that pizza boxes or any paper with grease stains shouldn't be recycled. No mention of that, either. What about paper bags and those brown recycled paper napkins that fast food restaurants give you 20 of with each order?

Materials Accepted:

• Clear plastic bags only [Note: this refers to the bags that hold the recyclables, not dry cleaning bags or the like. I wouldn't blame a soul for not understanding that.]
• Aluminum food and beverage containers
• Glass food and beverage containers: brown, clear or green
• Ferrous (iron) cans
• PET plastic containers with the symbol #1: narrow neck containers only
• HDPE natural plastic containers with the symbol #2: narrow neck containers only (milk & water bottles)
• HDPE pigmented plastic containers with the symbol #2: narrow neck containers only (detergent, shampoo, bleach bottles, etc.; without caps)
• Plastics with symbols #3, #4, #5, #6, #7: narrow and screw top containers
• Newsprint, magazines, catalogs
• Old corrugated cardboard
• Cereal boxes
• Telephone books
• Printed paper
• Copier paper
• Mail
• All other office paper without wax liners

Edited November 30, 2016 by lordonia

[bilgistic]

The paper wrapping around a ream of...paper...(office/"copy" paper) is often very lightly "waxed" or otherwise lined with a coating to reduce static...I think.

[DeLurker]

I thought of you guys (and the grammar peeves) when I saw this: Grammatically Correct Gifts.

I've decided that I hate random people who mention a serious health issue that some breeds of dogs have when they find out you have a dog of that breed (or a mix).  Several people have mentioned that German Shepherds often have hip issues and they hope my mix does not.  Thank you for your good wishes, but if there is nothing that you see that suggests my dog might have a concern, don't mention it!

I feel like saying "Oh, your gender/age/girth, makes you a prime target for hypertension, stroke, diabetes, heart disease...hope you don't die from it".

[ari333]

I'm so sick of those pop up ads that show a child star from the 70's or some years long ago when they were 15. Then they say, "You won't BELIEVE what she looks like now!" Well goddamn it, she's 60....and... the horror, she looks 60. How dare she!  Who looks 15 when they're 60? NO ONE. And it is almost always women who are targeted.

[Wiendish Fitch]

1 hour ago, ari333 said:

I'm so sick of those pop up ads that show a child star from the 70's or some years long ago when they were 15. Then they say, "You won't BELIEVE what she looks like now!" Well goddamn it, she's 60....and... the horror, she looks 60. How dare she!  Who looks 15 when they're 60? NO ONE. And it is almost always women who are targeted.

Right?! Why is the onus on women to look the way they did a generation or more ago? I don't like this idea that women have to "look good for their age", and if they don't, then they've failed in some way. Remember when Barbara Eden showed she still fit into her "Jeannie" costume at 82? Okay, good for her, but I highly doubt that, say, Sean Connery can pull off a bathing suit or short-sleeved shirts the way he did in his James Bond days, yet nobody expects him to! 

[ari333]

1 hour ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

Right?! Why is the onus on women to look the way they did a generation or more ago? I don't like this idea that women have to "look good for their age", and if they don't, then they've failed in some way. Remember when Barbara Eden showed she still fit into her "Jeannie" costume at 82? Okay, good for her, but I highly doubt that, say, Sean Connery can pull off a bathing suit or short-sleeved shirts the way he did in his James Bond days, yet nobody expects him to! 

THIS ^^^ I agree. Good for Eden. Good for that chick from Taxi - what's her name, Henner.  An that Lisa chick from Facts of Life and what's her name from the View -- Candace. They all look younger than their age, but everyone cannot be expected to pull that off. Some of it is genes. Some of it is money, healthy food, exercise and skin care and maybe some .. procedures. Not everyone has that kind of dough or genes.  (Have you seen the price for fresh vegetables lately? or god forbid organic) But people age and some just do it gracefully and look their age. THE HORROR. And also agreed that men don't seem to be held to the same standard. Sheesh

Moving on- I hate that perfume commercial with Julia Roberts waltzing through a party in a white gown.... smirking. It's the smirking that kills me.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

I highly doubt that, say, Sean Connery can pull off a bathing suit or short-sleeved shirts the way he did in his James Bond days, yet nobody expects him to! 

Among other things contributing to this double standard is that (generally speaking of course) women tend to be attracted to men around their age or older, sometimes significantly older. Whereas men are universally attracted to women in their mid-twenties whether we're 14 or 84. (At least we're consistent. You have to give us that.)

Having said that, a friend of mine just posted a picture on Facebook of the Fraternity composite photo from my freshmen year almost 30 years ago. You can see the pledge pin on my jacket. Heh.  There has been much back and forth about the pounds on and the hairs off, all in good humor. As men, we seem to be awfully comfortable with how time has changed us, and I guess this goes in line with the thought that society isn't judging us very much if we don't look as good as we did when we were young. (Well, not me, I look exactly the same with a better haircut and some gray where there was once brown. I happily pointed that out and got a solid round of "holy cow you do look the same's" and "fuck you's" which is what I was shooting for.)

[ari333]

40 minutes ago, JTMacc99 said:

Among other things contributing to this double standard is that (generally speaking of course) women tend to be attracted to men around their age or older, sometimes significantly older. Whereas men are universally attracted to women in their mid-twenties whether we're 14 or 84. (At least we're consistent. You have to give us that.)

Having said that, a friend of mine just posted a picture on Facebook of the Fraternity composite photo from my freshmen year almost 30 years ago. You can see the pledge pin on my jacket. Heh.  There has been much back and forth about the pounds on and the hairs off, all in good humor. As men, we seem to be awfully comfortable with how time has changed us, and I guess this goes in line with the thought that society isn't judging us very much if we don't look as good as we did when we were young. (Well, not me, I look exactly the same with a better haircut and some gray where there was once brown. I happily pointed that out and got a solid round of "holy cow you do look the same's" and "fuck you's" which is what I was shooting for.)

I disagree that men are universally attracted only to women in their 20's. Not all men....

[BrittaBot]

Quote

I've decided that I hate random people who mention a serious health issue that some breeds of dogs have when they find out you have a dog of that breed (or a mix).  Several people have mentioned that German Shepherds often have hip issues and they hope my mix does not.  Thank you for your good wishes, but if there is nothing that you see that suggests my dog might have a concern, don't mention it!

Ha, as a mommy to an English Bulldog, that is like 90% of people's response. "They have a lot of health problems, you know." No, I don't know and now that you told me, I will go return her after having her for 4 years and her being the love of my life. Thanks for your help!!!

*rage face* Every dog has some kind of problem and as their parents we accept them. Also, MY ENGLISH BULLDOG IS ACTUALLY VERY HEALTHY, THANKS VERY MUCH.

[JTMacc99]

7 minutes ago, ari333 said:

I disagree that men are universally attracted only to women in their 20's. Not all men....

Before I posted that comment, I did a quick bit of Googling on "why are women attracted to older men". That was one of the things I read that came from some study. I didn't dwell on it, so I can't tell you if it was a solid scientific study or something conducted by Vogue Magazine, but it was funny so I repeated it here.

And like I said, my statement was generally speaking of course. I think the point was that if you show a bunch of men of all ages photos of women of all ages, they universally tend to think the ones in their mid-twenties are the most attractive.  I don't think it was much more deep than that.

Edited November 30, 2016 by JTMacc99

[backformore]

11 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

Having said that, a friend of mine just posted a picture on Facebook of the Fraternity composite photo from my freshmen year almost 30 years ago. You can see the pledge pin on my jacket. Heh.  There has been much back and forth about the pounds on and the hairs off, all in good humor. As men, we seem to be awfully comfortable with how time has changed us, and I guess this goes in line with the thought that society isn't judging us very much if we don't look as good as we did when we were young. (Well, not me, I look exactly the same with a better haircut and some gray where there was once brown. I happily pointed that out and got a solid round of "holy cow you do look the same's" and "fuck you's" which is what I was shooting for.)

Along the same line,  I notice that men, (of a certain age, at least) if they gain a few inches in their waistline, have the attitude "I guess I better buy some new pants, looks like I grew!"   While women (with some exceptions) are more likely to say "SHIT!  these pants are too tight!  I'm a terrible person with no will power And I'm not going anywhere ever again until I can fit into these pants!"

[Jaded]

On 11/29/2016 at 0:55 PM, Qoass said:

I really hate when someone responds to me with "Relax." or "Calm down" because I am saying something they disagree with.  Granted, my resting face is pretty hostile but it's not like I'm yelling or waving my hands around. That said, if I were to respond, "I AM calm!" it just makes me sound like I am upset.

Someone did that "Relax"/"Calm Down" thing to me in a PM here when I expressed my feelings about being scared when it came to the election results. She made me feel like I was being some crazy paranoid person who was worried and scared about nothing. I didn't and still haven't replied to her. She hasn't tried contacting me anymore either. I thought she was a friend who understood the real reasoning behind my fears but after saying the stuff in that PM to me that she did it's made me really question things. I know if I did reply that I'd get more of the same treatment back.

[DeLurker]

7 hours ago, backformore said:

While women (with some exceptions) are more likely to say "SHIT!  these pants are too tight!  I'm a terrible person with no will power And I'm not going anywhere ever again until I can fit into these pants!"

Add to that this irrational standard set by whatever size you wore at 18 or junior year in college or...whenever.

[riley702]

7 hours ago, Jaded said:

Someone did that "Relax"/"Calm Down" thing to me in a PM here when I expressed my feelings about being scared when it came to the election results. She made me feel like I was being some crazy paranoid person who was worried and scared about nothing. I didn't and still haven't replied to her. She hasn't tried contacting me anymore either. I thought she was a friend who understood the real reasoning behind my fears but after saying the stuff in that PM to me that she did it's made me really question things. I know if I did reply that I'd get more of the same treatment back.

Well, I guess that told you everything you needed to know about her...

[magicdog]

Is it ok to repeat on a previous pet peeve?

 

My townhome complex must have some new renters (the complex is about 60/40 between renters and owners)  because there's more dog poop recently in the immediate vicinity.  It's a rule to pick up after your pets and being a responsible pet owner, I clean up after her.  But all along the walking path of the complex all I see are poop piles!!!  I'm physically ill seeing this over and over again!  Big piles, little piles, and tracked messes from some poor schmo who stepped in it!  Why is it so damn hard to clean up after your dog???   

The worst areas are the ones with the waste containers.  The area always smells bad no matter what the weather and half the time the owners leave the poop there figuring, "Eh, close enough".   I have brought this up to the HOA but they said without photo proof of the offender, there's not much they can do about it. 

[EighteenTwelve]

Here's one from Tuesday night: We had a chorus rehearsal from 6:15 - 10:00, and at 9:55 the conductor was displeased because we weren't singing with enough energy.  I hope I may someday be forgiven for wanting to smack him upside the head.

[backformore]

3 hours ago, magicdog said:

Is it ok to repeat on a previous pet peeve?

 

My townhome complex must have some new renters (the complex is about 60/40 between renters and owners)  because there's more dog poop recently in the immediate vicinity.  It's a rule to pick up after your pets and being a responsible pet owner, I clean up after her.  But all along the walking path of the complex all I see are poop piles!!!  I'm physically ill seeing this over and over again!  Big piles, little piles, and tracked messes from some poor schmo who stepped in it!  Why is it so damn hard to clean up after your dog???   

The worst areas are the ones with the waste containers.  The area always smells bad no matter what the weather and half the time the owners leave the poop there figuring, "Eh, close enough".   I have brought this up to the HOA but they said without photo proof of the offender, there's not much they can do about it. 

I had a similar experience.  When my kids were in grade school, they walked to school, along with a group of others on the block.  I noticed that all the kids started walking in the street instead of the sidewalk.  they said there was dog poop by one house.  OK, no biggie, avoid the piles, stay on the sidewalk.   The kids said, no, you have to SEE it.  I drove over there, got out of my car, and there were at least 50 piles of shit on the sidewalk. Nobody could walk by and avoid stepping in it.   And much, much more on the grass lawn and parkway.  It was spring, the snow had melted, and apparently this family would just let the dogs out (corner house, no fenced in yard) and crap all over the snow.  when the snow melted, there was just shit all over the place.   

(to be fair, when we had a dog, we didn't clean up every day - we did a weekly clean up, but of our fenced in BACK YARD.)

I called the village and complained, they didn't take it too seriously until I said, all the kids on  two blocks HAD to walk by this corner to get to school, and they were walking in the street, or being driven, just to avoid walking by this house.   I told them I estimated 50-100 piles of shit on the corner. 

Within 24 hours,  the police and health department visited, and the next day the dad was out there with a shovel, cleaning up.  

And I never told anybody that I was the one who called.

[ari333]

On ‎11‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 6:17 PM, stewedsquash said:

I appreciate the reinforcement of my dislike of all things Julia. You know what I stop and watch, rewind and watch again and again when I come across it? Charlize Theron in Dior J'Adore ads. Woman has it, has that something that makes men's hearts stop, jaws drop, bluh blah buh waa? and not know what hit them when she walks by. It also helps that Dior J'Adore is my absolute favorite fragrance. Well that along with Loves Baby Soft and Jean Nate Body Splash. Oh, the 80's have it over Bath and Body Works in the scent department. 

I mean seriously, Jean Nate comes in half gallon bottles! You have to be dedicated to purchase it. It is just that good. It was hard to find for a while but now I can get it at Walgreen's and Dollar General.

I don't hate Julia at all, far from it. Im a fan. I just hate that commercial. maybe bc I just don't get it.... and the smirking.

[magicdog]

New pet peeve:  disingenuous recipients of charity or assistance.

My newsroom is covering a story about a local dentist who offers free dental work in exchange for the recipient to pay the kindness forward.  On live TV, the reporter asked the woman in the chair how she planned to pay it forward.  Her response?  

"I'm gonna tell everyone else about this free dentist stuff!!"

I also got a contact in Baltimore who told us about his mother's church collects winter coats for the underprivileged every year.  He used to donate annually until he noticed used coats turning up in the trash every spring!  It seems the recipients have come to expect brand new free coats at that time of the year and don't see the need to keep the coat they received so they casually toss them.  

My favorite incident was back after Hurricane Katrina and several refugees were bussed into our city.  The local church sent representatives to greet them and hand them bottles of water and snacks after their long trip.  One of them shoved the bottle of water away and demanded a Coke!! 

I do believe in offering help when needed but there are days when I wonder how often it's squandered by people like this.

[rcc]

7 hours ago, magicdog said:

New pet peeve:  disingenuous recipients of charity or assistance.

My newsroom is covering a story about a local dentist who offers free dental work in exchange for the recipient to pay the kindness forward.  On live TV, the reporter asked the woman in the chair how she planned to pay it forward.  Her response?  

"I'm gonna tell everyone else about this free dentist stuff!!"

I also got a contact in Baltimore who told us about his mother's church collects winter coats for the underprivileged every year.  He used to donate annually until he noticed used coats turning up in the trash every spring!  It seems the recipients have come to expect brand new free coats at that time of the year and don't see the need to keep the coat they received so they casually toss them.  

My favorite incident was back after Hurricane Katrina and several refugees were bussed into our city.  The local church sent representatives to greet them and hand them bottles of water and snacks after their long trip.  One of them shoved the bottle of water away and demanded a Coke!! 

I do believe in offering help when needed but there are days when I wonder how often it's squandered by people like this.

I hate that too. To me people like that feel they are entitled to everything. Learned behavior perhaps.

[Petunia13]

That's still sweet they do it and shouldn't be discouraged or get their spirits down. There's a saying from the Bible "never tire of doing what is right." 

There's some really big givers on this site who are doing awesome things to help others I learned of one when I heard their interview on a podcast. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/29/2016 at 6:09 PM, lordonia said:

Someone here told me that pizza boxes or any paper with grease stains shouldn't be recycled. No mention of that, either.

Materials Accepted:

• Old corrugated cardboard

I wondered why they specified old corrugated cardboard.  Maybe that's where they're addressing pizza boxes.  Pizza boxes probably aren't old.  So they shouldn't be recycled.  Pretty obvious, don't you think?

Seriously, recycling rules ARE confusing.  And I ran afoul once, when about 15 years ago I tried to recycle quart plastic bottles that had contained motor oil.  Trash collectors threw them back in my yard!  Okay, point made.

I guess I shouldn't expect anybody to do it right.  Even when rules are clear, people don't follow them (like putting lawn furniture cushions next to a recycling dumpster, or just throwing in bags of cans).  No way people are going to actually read the rules, and big no way are they going to try to interpret them in an effort to do it right.

So yeah, it goes back to the problem being people. 

[DeLurker]

Someone in the Off Topic/Everything Else neighborhood mentioned boob lights and I see that I have them!  They are actually some of the upgrades that the people who renovated did and not cheap-o fixtures, so I have expensive boobs overhead lighting and I can't unsee it or unthink it.

[TattleTeeny]

Oh, I have been good and peeved today!

I signed up for a trial order of Green Chef through a friend who already has an account. I got three meals delivered on Thursday, December 1. Until tonight, I was still pondering whether to proceed--on one hand, the food was good and each dinner was enough for next-day work lunches; on the other, it was a little more prep than I am interested in doing at night and there were too many ingredients I wasn't going to use but felt bad throwing away (onions, leeks, that kind of thing).

Tonight, I looked at my credit card statement and saw a charge for next week's delivery. When I contacted customer service about this sneaky shit, the rep told me that they will not refund the $80, as I was supposed to have canceled the service by noon, seven days prior to the next order (and while I see this information on the website, it is not in the e-mail confirmation) .

OK, first of all, at noon seven days prior to Order 2, I was at work and had not yet even seen the box containing Order 1! And second, today is Saturday; I have only had a chance to make two of the three dinners from Order 1! What the fuck kind of fly-by-night operation encourages trial customers to cancel before they even get to try the service?!

Fuck you, Green Chef; you're going to give me that refund. 

Edited December 3, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

What the fuck kind of fly-by-night operation encourages trial customers to cancel before they even get to try the service?!

One that steals money, apparently. That's sheisty as hell. I'd never heard of Green Chef, but I won't ever use them now.

Those shitty kids in my complex ran through my building this evening and hit my door hard with what sounded like a baseball bat or hammer. RAGE! I think I'm going to contact the apartment complex ownership. They are local, and guess what? Because I work in commercial real estate, I know the very person at the company that owns the complex. I have his email address at work. Clearly, I won't go about it that way, but I could. Fuck the management here. I have rights as a renter and leaseholder, and they aren't being upheld because "kids are a protected class". Fuck that.

Edited December 4, 2016 by bilgistic

[TattleTeeny]

Quote

One that steals money, apparently. That's sheisty as hell. I'd never heard of Green Chef, but I won't ever use them now.

I assume it's their shady way of trying to keep people from signing up for the trial just for free food...that they are offering in the first place! If they were honest, they'd allow only the free order to prospective customers (like, not asking for a CC for your trial order), and then send a follow-up e-mail asking if you would you like to continue. 

Or at least, you know, give people the time to actually try the dinners! Did they think I would make all three in one night? Not that it matter, as I was supposed to have known to cancel before the shipment even showed up.

Edited December 4, 2016 by TattleTeeny

[Blergh]

Here's a pet peeve:  Clerks who waste time telling their life stories and on political rants whilst their colleagues actually serve the public. I had the experience of having to get an important errand done with a line literally going out the door. One clerk spent the entire time I was there telling a single customer their life story interspersed with rants whilst the OTHER clerk managed to get the entire line taken care of on their own whilst the first one gabbed with just the one customer.

Look, your life story and politics are YOUR business not mine. ALL I want when I go to your establishment is to get my transactions done as efficiently and accurately as possible. Cheers and pity to the coworker who had to do ALL the work whilst the One Person Blah Blah Brigade held court.  And even if I had AGREED with the political POV (or thought the bio interesting) , I still would have considered them a needless waste of time and completely inconsiderate to everyone else in the establishment.

[zxy556575]

2 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

Fuck you, Green Chef; you're going to give me that refund. 

We should all order the free trial and cancel right afterwards.