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

[BooksRule]

Quote

If it weren't for the fact we got my mother-in-law a smartphone, then you'd be one of two people on the planet without one. Sorry to have inadvertently left you by yourself in this condition. LOL.

I don't have a smart phone either, so there's at least three of us!  I have decided to get one sometime soon, but I just haven't had the time to go to the phone place and talk to anyone about it.

[Moose135]

54 minutes ago, ennui said:

Moose, that's an interesting statue of Einstein. Where is that?

It's on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

Or 20 minutes to get anywhere in LA.

Ha; I cannot read that without automatically thinking, "Everywhere in L.A. takes twenty minutes." (Clueless)

[DeLurker]

14 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I have the same reaction watching many aviation-themed movies or television shows.  Don't get me started on the schlock that was "Air Force One"...

Way way back I used to watch AirWolf with the sound off just to count how many people died each week.

[auntlada]

12 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

I mostly don't understand how people get so worked up about facts in a comedy. It's farce. I set my expectation levels to "the facts just exist to put the characters in a situation that creates comedy". 

I do the same thing with science fiction shows. In my head is this "If I'm going to believe that a guy's head can turn into a flaming skull, I'm willing to overlook all sorts of other short cuts the show makes to move the story along."

But that's just ME and how I consume entertainment. My annoyances with shows usually come from unrealistic character interactions, idiotic dialogue and/or boring story telling. Plot holes don't upset me. 

My husband muttered all the way through "Kate and Leopold," which I made him go see with me, because "that's not how time travel works."

[JTMacc99]

Hahahaha! 

Yeah, dammit. If you're going to do a time travel story, get it right. 

[BookWoman56]

12 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

I do appreciate Sophia Petrillo's constant name-dropping of Wolfie's  (an actual restaurant) during GG, though. My grandmother lived in Miami Beach during the shows original run, and my sister and I were about 7yrs and 5yrs old. Whenever my grandmother asked where we wanted to eat after a day at the beach, we would say "Wolfies" because we actually believed we would see Sophia or one of the other Girls there LOL. 

Sadly, Wolfies closed in 2008, but they had some damn good food while it lasted. So when I watch re-runs now and she mentions it, I just smile and remember the old Miami Beach of my childhood.

That brings back some good memories. There was also one in Ft. Lauderdale, IIRC, but when I moved to Miami Beach, the Wolfie's there was a frequent destination.  Probably my favorite memory of Wolfie's is of taking Saul Bellow and his last wife there for dinner after he had given a talk at the book fair in Miami. He had requested deli food and so that's where we went. I have to admit, it was a bit of a rush walking in there with him, and having various diners gawk because they recognized him.

That memory, though, brings up a pet peeve about some readers. If you go to a bookstore signing or book fair event where a specific author is signing or giving a presentation, it makes no damn sense to attend if you have never read and never intend to read anything the author has written.  It's also rude to stand there making comments that you could have written the same book, sold as many copies, etc., if you'd "been given" the idea first. Sure, there are some books that are commissioned, such as biographies and so forth, on occasion. Generally, though, the author comes up with the idea for the book. There is no super secret store that has all the ideas for books, but won't let you in to get a great idea for books because you don't know the secret handshake.  So please refrain from asking the author, "Where do you get your ideas?"

[MrSmith]

12 hours ago, auntlada said:

My husband muttered all the way through "Kate and Leopold," which I made him go see with me, because "that's not how time travel works."

This is one of the things impairing my enjoyment of the tv show Timeless. They travel through time, things get changed, yet nothing of any importance changes in the present when they return from the past. It also made me turn off the show Time After Time after watching only two episodes (counting the two hour premiere as one episode). Yet, I can still enjoy the remake of The Time Machine (starring Guy Pearce) after all these years.

[ennui]

18 hours ago, auntlada said:

My husband muttered all the way through "Kate and Leopold," which I made him go see with me, because "that's not how time travel works."

A scientist once said that a good film depiction of time travel was the bit in the jail at the end of "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." I was like, really? But I can see it.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 6/30/2017 at 11:32 AM, ZaldamoWilder said:

In the summer of 1991, I was standing between Nelson Mandela and Joe Frazier at the same fund raising event.   Not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed at not having a shred of evidence of it. 

Proud.  Definitely proud.

[ZaldamoWilder]

On 7/1/2017 at 8:28 AM, Katy M said:

Yes, I personally take canon and realism more seriously in a drama than I do a sitcom.  Like people who complain that Joey is too stupid in Friends.  He's supposed to be stupid, that's his character.

You guys?  It's a moo point.  (™ J. Tribbiani/@walnutqueen)

[Blergh]

Here's an alert for all techno-goons out there: I DO NOT OWN nor do I have any interest in getting a Smartphone! To each one's own re Smartphone ownership but I'm getting fed up with how it's getting harder and harder to do ordinary activities without having one of those gizmos. Come on, folks, we not only survived but sometimes even thrived millions of years without 'em so why can't more folks accept that there are those of us who have no use for 'em? Sakes!

[Katy M]

1 minute ago, Blergh said:

Here's an alert for all techno-goons out there: I DO NOT OWN nor do I have any interest in getting a Smartphone! To each one's own re Smartphone ownership but I'm getting fed up with how it's getting harder and harder to do ordinary activities without having one of those gizmos. Come on, folks, we not only survived but sometimes even thrived millions of years without 'em so why can't more folks accept that there are those of us who have no use for 'em? Sakes!

Non-Smart phone users UNITE!!!!!

[ennui]

I hate the sound of chain saws. In a perfect world, trees would be able to fight back.

[TattleTeeny]

My neighbors appear to smoke a lot of weed. I have nothing against that in theory but I really hate that my condo always smells like my neighbors' weed.

I've never seen them smoking so I could be wrong about this, or where it's coming from. I draw my conclusion from the fact that it's strongest in my kitchen (though it floats into our LR and BR), which is back to back with theirs--the units are basically mirror images of each other. I feel like it's coming through the AC vent because when I climbed up onto the counter and put my face up to it (as one does), it was the strongest of all. I have no real idea if this is possible; are the AC vents in condos linked somehow? I don't know. But I am tired of buying Advil and various candles and essential oils, and having weird dreams if I should happen to fall asleep on my couch.

[Katy M]

12 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

My neighbors appear to smoke a lot of weed. I have nothing against that in theory but I really hate that my condo always smells like my neighbors' weed.

I've never seen them smoking so I could be wrong about this, or where it's coming from. I draw my conclusion from the fact that it's strongest in my kitchen (though it floats into our LR and BR), which is back to back with theirs--the units are basically mirror images of each other. I feel like it's coming through the AC vent because when I climbed up onto the counter and put my face up to it (as one does), it was the strongest of all. I have no real idea if this is possible; are the AC vents in condos linked somehow? I don't know. But I am tired of buying Advil and various candles and essential oils, and having weird dreams if I should happen to fall asleep on my couch.

I'd have to move. The smell of pot make me so nauseous.  Which I find weird since I know that a lot of chemo patients use it for the opposite effect.

[TattleTeeny]

Haha! I can deal with the smell in moderation but I immediately barf if I smoke it.

We all have balconies too! Get on your balcony, otherwise seemingly nice pothead (I think) neighbors!

Edited July 3, 2017 by TattleTeeny

[annzeepark914]

On 6/30/2017 at 7:41 PM, Katy M said:

Just as an aside, am I officially the last person on earth, or at least the US, who does NOT have a Smartphone.  I'm feeling wrong somehow.

I'm surprised so see several of you here don't have Smartphones.  So, Mr. P914 ain't the only rebel.  I have probably the cheapest, smallest Smartphone sold (got it in Sears).  It's a Motorola.  I hate using the phone for calls, but love being online with it, checking emails, Facebook stuff, reading the Washington Post, and playing Solitaire when I'm bored and there's nothing to do (if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep is a great time for Solitaire). And I adore taking photos and posting immediately on Facebook or emailing them.  Heck, it keeps me out of trouble ;>)

[Qoass]

I don't have a Smart Phone either because I refuse to spend more than $25 a month for service.

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

My neighbors appear to smoke a lot of weed. I have nothing against that in theory but I really hate that my condo always smells like my neighbors' weed.

I've never seen them smoking so I could be wrong about this, or where it's coming from. I draw my conclusion from the fact that it's strongest in my kitchen (though it floats into our LR and BR), which is back to back with theirs--the units are basically mirror images of each other. I feel like it's coming through the AC vent because when I climbed up onto the counter and put my face up to it (as one does), it was the strongest of all. I have no real idea if this is possible; are the AC vents in condos linked somehow? I don't know. But I am tired of buying Advil and various candles and essential oils, and having weird dreams if I should happen to fall asleep on my couch.

Yes! I do not care what anyone does as long as it doesn't encroach upon my senses. I don't want to hear fake porny-style sex (seriously--stop acting, woman), hear shooter games at ear-splitting levels, have kids run through my building like a herd of elephants and ring my goddamned doorbell, nor smell weed that has the odor of 1,000 skunks. Has pot not gotten more advanced than that by now? Isn't everyone vaping it now? Clearly, I know all about marijuana.

While I'm at it, let's dim the lights just a bit at night on the tennis court. And tell young Kournikova that the grunting is a little over the top.

[TattleTeeny]

Haha, get it all out at once, bilgistic! But yes, encroaching on the senses is bad news! If I'm at a party or a concert, whatever, I don't care. If my BF takes a puff at home upstairs in front of an open window, fine (he's like me with Ben & Jerry's--a hit or or two and he's done with it for a week or two). And despite what some research reveals about smoking (cigarettes), my sense of smell has not diminished, man. I kind of wish it would in a case like this. I don't begrudge anyone their chosen method of relaxation but I don't want my house to smell like it. In fact, it still did when I got home from work today and they were smoking last night.

Edited July 3, 2017 by TattleTeeny

[bilgistic]

Here's a first-world problem. I ordered cat food from Amazon. It was supposed to be delivered today. The tracking info says it was "delayed" at 4:14, but will still be delivered by 8:00. It's 8:49. By now, the delivery should've been pushed to tomorrow.

Disclaimer: I worked the Christmas season four years ago as a UPS delivery helper. You work until you are done delivering, but that's during the six weeks before Christmas. Sometimes the driver will get help from another driver who has finished their route.

TL;DR: Where's the cat food?

ETA: I misread the carrier. It's USPS, not UPS. I'll never see that cat food. My mail carrier can't manage to not put my neighbor's mail in my mailbox.

My life is very exciting.

Edited July 4, 2017 by bilgistic

[AgentRXS]

Lol Kind of like my situation. When I moved here, I was apartment 8. I live in a quadplex and the numbers went from 5-8. (1-4 used to be across the street, but was sold and redeveloped into a single story home prior to my moving here.) So when my new landlord took over, she wanted to change the unit numbers here to 1-4. She removed the number 8 from my door and replaced it with a 4. However, she never went through the legal channels to change the unit #s so while I'm legally 8, my sign says 4. No shipping company will accept 4 as a valid address. And my mailbox still says 8. So imagine the fun I have with delivery people. 

Edited July 4, 2017 by AgentRXS

[bilgistic]

Now it says it'll be delivered "July 3-July 5”. Goddammit. I hope the food I have will last until Wednesday. OF COURSE this happens the day before a holiday.

[TattleTeeny]

Contact Amazon, biglistic; in my experience, the CS dep't will always just send you another, and if your first order should arrive after that, they tell you to just keep it. The peeve in that though is that finding the "contact us" on Amazon is a needle in a haystack!

[bilgistic]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

Contact Amazon, biglistic; in my experience, the CS dep't will always just send you another, and if your first order should arrive after that, they tell you to just keep it. The peeve in that though is that finding the "contact us" on Amazon is a needle in a haystack!

I'll do that. I pay for Prime delivery and I'm not getting Prime delivery on this. I generally let it slide, but I shouldn't.

ETA: I chatted online with "Lucas", who set up a new order for delivery tomorrow. It says Wednesday delivery, though, so we'll see. I'll still be going out tomorrow in hopes that Bilgisticat's food is available at stores that are open.

Can y'all tell I've been home for three days with no timetable?? 

Edited July 4, 2017 by bilgistic

[TattleTeeny]

They're so good about it. A couple of weeks ago, my new David Sedaris book was "lost," and they sent me another at no charge. The first showed up later so I contacted them again and they basically said, "Eh, it's yours." 

Hooray--I'm "at" yet another pot party! And so soon after last night's too. 

[ennui]

10 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

My neighbors appear to smoke a lot of weed. I have nothing against that in theory but I really hate that my condo always smells like my neighbors' weed.

I would hate that, too. Weed stinks.

I was driving home from the post office the other night, windows open because it was a nice evening ... and as I was driving along, I smelled marijuana. How much do you have to smoke for people to smell it driving by? 

My pet peeve for today is my neighbor's pets. Two dogs, barking All. Day. Non. Stop. And their cat just came crashing through my back yard, knocking stuff over. Are cats normally that clumsy? I think not.

Edited July 4, 2017 by ennui

[TattleTeeny]

Hahahaa, oh my god! Those were some serious smokers, man. Unless someone accidentally set fire to a yard full of cannabis plants?

Ugh, if I could be 100% certain, I'd go pound on the door. But what if I'm wrong? 

Is it bad for my pets to smell this?

Edited July 4, 2017 by TattleTeeny

[bilgistic]

Just now, ennui said:

I would hate that, too. Weed stinks.

I was driving home from the post office the other night, windows open because it was a nice evening ... and as I was driving along, I smelled marijuana. How much do you have to smoke for people to smell it driving by? 

That happened to me one day recently. I was pretty sure they were smoking as I drove past, but I could smell it before I got to them. They had the windows down, which is not very smart. Pot's not legal in NC and probably won't ever be.

The vehicle was an old conversion van. The jokes write themselves.

[ennui]

For me, it was a residential neighborhood and I was the only car. It had to be one of the houses.

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Could you get some sticky letters and put:

4 X 2 = 8  

on the door? 

That's a good idea!

LOL We made it to 200 pages worth of bitching, y'all. What a milestone!

[bilgistic]

1 minute ago, TattleTeeny said:

Hahahaa, oh my god! Those were some serious smokers, man. Unless someone accidentally set fire to a yard full of cannabis plants?

Ugh, if I could be 100% certain, I'd go pound on the door. But what if I'm wrong? 

Is it bad for my pets to smell this?

It was so bad in my place one day that I had to call the police. As soon as you opened the door to the building, you were hit in the face with skunk ass. It was choking. If it's not legal where you live, the cops want you to call them rather than confront your neighbors. If it is legal, I'd go knock and ask them to take it outside.

I've been reading about cannabinoids for pets and have started Bilgisticat on CBD oil (it doesn't make him "high"), but I don't know about the effects of vapor/smoke/scent on them. My understanding is that cats have a similar psychoactive response to cannabinoids that humans do. Cats and dogs have incredible senses of smell, though, so if it's bad to you, it's horrific to them.

[TattleTeeny]

Ohhhhhhhhh boy. In that case, someone down the hall might be getting a punch in the face. Maybe best to let the good-natured BF make this overture. I like the idea of him saying, "Take it outside!" complete with thumb motion, haha! To be fair, my cats seem no different when the big smell comes than they do at any other time (and I think my one cat gets high on raw carrots, but that's off topic).

I honestly don't want to ruin anyone's fun, I swear, and I get that my hatred of invasive smells is kind of on me. But man, my head aches. And here's a peeve, now that I think about it...

How dare the universe deny me the positive benefits of weed! What a nice, easy way to chill for some. I, however, barf and get nasty headaches (one of which is brewing now, as a matter of fact). I'm also allergic to lavender, one of nature's other "easy fixes" for a great many things. I am a living peeve!

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Is it bad for my pets to smell this?

Only if your cat is having a reaction to it.  Cats that are experiencing a medical reaction to marijuana are usually lethargic, display uncoordinated movements, and vomiting. So as long as they seem normal, maybe the smell isn't affecting them.

[TattleTeeny]

Oh good. They're no more lethargic than usual at this hour. 

One of my cats is black and white. Maybe I should just pretend he's a skunk and that the smell belongs him? 

[bilgistic]

2 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

One of my cats is black and white. Maybe I should just pretend he's a skunk and that the smell belongs him? 

I'm reminded of Pepe Le Pew's "girlfriend".

[TattleTeeny]

Hahahahahhahaaa, oh my goodness, I was going to make that reference but I couldn't think of that cartoon's name! "Pierre" and "Salvadore," which I stared to type, just didn't seem right!

[AgentRXS]

Nevermind, nothing to see here.

Edited July 4, 2017 by AgentRXS

[backformore]

On ‎6‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 0:57 PM, Sun-Bun said:

MAJOR pet-peeve here, and I'm practically boiling over just thinking about it again: people who dare make unsubstantiated claims about co-workers to their HR department *really* irk me. Anyone who dares mess with others' professional livelihood over petty bullshit truly has an evil streak!

Case in point, one of my husband's female co-workers went on a three day auditing assignment on the field with him. My husband is an expert of 15+ years in his field and has a stellar, exemplary work ethic and the awards to show for it. His bosses and co-workers love him and he's never had an issue with anyone. 

Anyways, this female co-worker of his had the NERVE to go to HR and make a random claim that she thought he was drinking on the job. 

This brought up a memory from my previous job!   I had a meeting with a client in my office.  The receptionist insisted that when he came to the window to check in, he "reeked" of alcohol.   My manager told me I should not have met with him, as there's no way I, as a female, should be alone in my office with a "drunk" male  client. 

I am not stupid.  this guy was not drunk, not in the slightest (I'm pretty good at discerning this).  But the receptionist said SHE smelled alcohol, and that was enough.  Really?  She spoke with him for a minute, I had an hour-long meeting. 

I figured out the problem.  We were  one floor below the main entrance.  Clients take the elevator.  Outside the elevator is a pump of hand sanitizer.  So the next day I pumped a LOT of hand sanitizer onto both hands before I went into the office, and demonstrated to both receptionist and manager that someone who used the hand sanitizer will "reek"  of alcohol for a minute or two before the alcohol evaporates.  

Idiots.

[backformore]

On ‎7‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 11:06 AM, MrSmith said:

I'm not a fan of how much access these apps want, either. I suspect the permissions are so broadly grouped that they cannot ask with the specificity everyone would prefer. I wouldn't be surprised if that was intentional on Google's part.

Yes.   I thought I had turned off my phone's ability to access my location, but I will randomly get a notice pop up on my phone asking if I want to submit a photo of a place I'm visiting!

Yeah, a photo of the chain grocery store, because nobody knows what it looks like?   Or did they want a SELFIE of me selecting bananas? 

[auntlada]

13 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

Only if your cat is having a reaction to it.  Cats that are experiencing a medical reaction to marijuana are usually lethargic, display uncoordinated movements, and vomiting. So as long as they seem normal, maybe the smell isn't affecting them.

Maybe @ennui's neighbor's cat has been smoking marijuana.

[harrie]

15 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I'll do that. I pay for Prime delivery and I'm not getting Prime delivery on this. I generally let it slide, but I shouldn't.

ETA: I chatted online with "Lucas", who set up a new order for delivery tomorrow. It says Wednesday delivery, though, so we'll see. I'll still be going out tomorrow in hopes that Bilgisticat's food is available at stores that are open.

Can y'all tell I've been home for three days with no timetable?? 

 

14 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

They're so good about it. A couple of weeks ago, my new David Sedaris book was "lost," and they sent me another at no charge. The first showed up later so I contacted them again and they basically said, "Eh, it's yours." 
 

 

This makes me wish that a certain mega-retailer (or their delivery people) would screw up an order of mine so I could see the other side of them.  I do order from a certain retail behemoth, but the company I work for sells through them, and they put their suppliers through the wringer. They have very specific shipping and packaging instructions, and there's zero flexibility -- the 800-pound gorilla  will always be right, and we just have to accept the chargebacks when they occur. They've also sent back goods as damaged that I know went out of our place in perfect shape - for example, not with coffee spilled all over them. Somebody at the mega-retailer's distribution center ruins our merchandise, and we get the return and chargeback.  Better stop before this turns into a diatribe rather than a peeve -- but  I am glad that the retail behemoth treats its customers well.  

Edited July 4, 2017 by harrie

[bilgistic]

To continue the exciting saga of Bilgisticat's cat food, as you all might've guessed, it's not scheduled for delivery until tomorrow. Thankfully, I found a store open that has food he'll eat.

[ParadoxLost]

I return with my semi annual holiday peeve.

Stop sending people who don't usually grocery shop to the store.  And holidays are not an excuse to turn shopping into a family excursion.  Let them "help" with something that only interferes with your day for the good of the community. 

[Quof]

ParadoxLost, I blame the advent of the cellphone.  Before cellphones, a spouse (usually the man) would be dispatched to the store, he would come home with all the wrong brands, and would never be sent again.  Now that same man goes to the store, and stands helpless in the middle of the aisle before phoning home "Which salad dressing do we buy?  What kind was that?  I don't see that one.  What about this one? Is this a good one?   What size should I get?  I don't know how big it is. It's big.  Now, what about cereal?  Do we need cereal?  Hang on, I have to get to the cereal aisle...." 

[ParadoxLost]

The people in my neighborhood, none of whom are on my street, have set off so many fireworks that you can actually see and smell the smoke as if its the fog from The Mist.

[bilgistic]

I've managed to be half-asleep through the booms. I live eight miles from downtown, but I heard the show that was going on there. I kept waiting and feeling for Bilgisticat to come hunker next to me, but he hung out at the corner of the bed. He's a brave boy.

My neighbors will be blowing up stuff well into the night...and through the rest of the week.

[theredhead77]

Fireworks are illegal where I live. There are people on the community Facebook page posting video of themselves lighting fireworks and asking whose going to rat out their neighbors.  I would  in an instant but I don't know where they live.

[Moose135]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I've managed to be half-asleep through the booms. I live eight miles from downtown, but I heard the show that was going on there.

But look at what you missed...