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

[bilgistic]

That's exactly what happens at my grandmother's. She hosts Christmas Eve dinner and the womenfolk clean up while then men retreat to the living room to talk about guns (I'm not kidding). The TV is not allowed to be on, though. That's a rule that has been in effect since the dawn of time.

My grandmother is 91 and still insists on cooking the entire dinner. She still lives alone, has full control of all her faculties, mows her own lawn(!), has a pick-up truck for hauling mulch from the garden shop to her garden. She is a marvel.

My beloved grandfather passed in December 2000. I miss him so much at our family gatherings. My grandmother bought and moved into her current home several years ago after her home was burglarized WHEN SHE WAS HOME. She barracaded herself against a bedroom door so the thieves couldn't get in. She didn't stay another night in the home she and my grandfather had lived in for 50ish years and raised their daughters in (my mom and aunt).

The woman is a force with which to be reckoned.

[Bastet]

31 minutes ago, backformore said:

My pet peeve at holiday dinners has always been the tradition of women cooking the meal, then the men retire to the football game/video game room while the women clean up.

Yeah, hell no to that nonsense.  We're all involved in meal prep (my dad the least, because he's the worst cook), we all watch football, and we're all involved in clean-up (my mom the least, because did the bulk of the cooking).

[JTMacc99]

I typically cook everything, clean up most everything as I go along, get some help with the dishes. And back in the day when my in laws were ordinary weenies and not the world class douchebags that they became, and therefore I had some number of relatives in my house, I FAR preferred that everyone dispersed after dinner and left me alone to put away everything where it belongs. 

I guess I would reflect on a job well done feeding everyone. It was an honor and to be fair a lot of fun to cook the holiday meal. I never thought of it as work, so maybe that’s why I preferred that everyone got the hell out of my way when it was over. 

[auntlada]

I can understand that. I hate it when people help clear the table at my house because they never do it the way I like, but I don't want to tell them how to do it because they are being nice and trying to help. I just prefer to rinse the plates before stacking them, and apparently no one else in the world cares if the bottoms of the plates get all food-covered. (We don't have a dishwasher, so rinsing and stacking is preparatory to eventually washing them in the sink.)

[Random Noise]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

My grandmother is 91 and still insists on cooking the entire dinner. She still lives alone, has full control of all her faculties, mows her own lawn(!), has a pick-up truck for hauling mulch from the garden shop to her garden. She is a marvel.

The woman is a force with which to be reckoned.

My mother was like that to the age of 86 when she had a fall in the bathroom one morning. She hit her head on the washing machine and had double vision for several months after that. I moved into the house  so she could have a semi-independent life in her own home for her final years. She passed two years ago at the age of 91.

I was always amazed at how the world changed during her lifetime. She remembered their first home with electricity and an indoor bathroom, the first radio the family had, their first TV, the first family car which her brother bought.

[bilgistic]

My mother is only 68, and their first family home (aforementioned grandparents' home) in the NC foothills had an outhouse for the first few years of her life. The house is in what is now a small city.

[Random Noise]

42 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

My mother is only 68, and their first family home (aforementioned grandparents' home) in the NC foothills had an outhouse for the first few years of her life. The house is in what is now a small city.

My dad always hated the traffic especially around Seattle, so much to everyone's surprise we immigrated to north western British Columbia when I was 8 to start a lakeside resort. We had dirt roads and of course the classic outhouse. My mother insisted on having an indoor bathroom with a working toilet before winter because she wasn't going to trudge through the snow to use the "biffie" at night, which ended up being a good call because we had several nights of minus 40 degree temperatures that winter.

I have dual citizenship so I spend time anywhere from Oregon up to Alaska and places between, though as I got older I developed a strong dislike of being surrounded by concrete and prefer a quiet spot in the mountains. My cats love hunting in the woods.

[theredhead77]

Back when we had a small gathering of 6 (me, my parents, my cousin and his wife & daughter) my mom did the cooking (my cousins wife can't boil water) and while I tried to clean up my mom and cousin's wife (I suppose she is also a cousin) would shoo us out of the kitchen while they cleaned up.
 

In past years it's just been me and my parents. I'd make a jello dish at home and mix up the green bean cassrole at my parents house when I got there. I suspect this year I'll be tasked with making the jello dish Wed night, mixing up the green bean cassrole a few hours before dinner time and told to stay out of the kitchen the rest of the day. I do the dishes except for the turkey cutting board. I could never clean it to mom's expectations so I gave up. My dad has some health issues and helps as he can but it's easier if he doesn't.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, auntlada said:

We don't have a dishwasher, so rinsing and stacking is preparatory to eventually washing them in the sink.

Oh, and since I’m the one who ends up putting away the dishes from the dishwasher, I’d prefer it gets loaded in a way that makes unloading it easy. Another reason for everyone to stay out of my kitchen on a holiday. Less stress. 

[ratgirlagogo]

4 hours ago, Random Noise said:

5 hours ago, bilgistic said:

My mother is only 68, and their first family home (aforementioned grandparents' home) in the NC foothills had an outhouse for the first few years of her life. The house is in what is now a small city.

My dad always hated the traffic especially around Seattle, so much to everyone's surprise we immigrated to north western British Columbia when I was 8 to start a lakeside resort. We had dirt roads and of course the classic outhouse.

 Yes, outhouses are not so way-back-when as some people think.  Quoting myself from the Chit-Chat thread:

Quote

  And what my dad grew up with, since he grew up on a farm way back in the day.  They had a hand pump over the kitchen sink that brought water in from the well - just cold water obviously which you heated on the stove if needed for cooking or bathing.    But no indoor toilets or showers.  This was in North Dakota BTW - so shitting in the winter? Chilly!   My dad was always a great appreciator of modern plumbing - he made certain that he and Mom bought their house in the town they did because it had an actual sewer system, i.e. no septic tanks in the yard.

Edited November 20, 2017 by ratgirlagogo

[GHScorpiosRule]

19 hours ago, Random Noise said:

My mother was like that to the age of 86 when she had a fall in the bathroom one morning. She hit her head on the washing machine and had double vision for several months after that. I moved into the house  so she could have a semi-independent life in her own home for her final years. She passed two years ago at the age of 91.

I was always amazed at how the world changed during her lifetime. She remembered their first home with electricity and an indoor bathroom, the first radio the family had, their first TV, the first family car which her brother bought.

 

19 hours ago, bilgistic said:

My mother is only 68, and their first family home (aforementioned grandparents' home) in the NC foothills had an outhouse for the first few years of her life. The house is in what is now a small city.

I can do one better. When I visited my dad's family in India back in 1980, no indoor plumbing. Yep, outhouse. Hole in the ground. It was quite the culture shock, because back in Bombay/Mumbai, my maternal grandparents' flat had the modern toilet. Though the septic tank was above with a chain to pull on, a la The Godfather where Michael had the gun he used to kill Sollozzo. Quite the learning and adjusting trip.

[Random Noise]

There are groups of natives that never accustomed to the "reserve" system and pushed deeper into their traditional territory to establish their own villages outside of the influence of government. Some of these villages are so remote that you can only get in or out by bush plane. Some are situated so that in winter they'll plow a road across the frozen lakes and use that as a seasonal transportation route to bring in supplies and construction materials.

The villages themselves are far from primitive, with generators and solar power, a satellite phone service, satellite TV, and many modern conveniences. But the people there live off the land in the traditional style. It's their Key-Oh (the place I make my living).

I was fortunate enough to fly into several of these villages over a period of many years when someone needed to be transported to a hospital for care, and often was presented with bannock (a type of bread) and smoked salmon or moose jerky to whet the appetite.

There are trails that lead to the nearest towns and populated areas, many of which have been widened in more recent years to accomodate vehicles. Usually, the better part of a day's walking distance, you'll find a way-cabin. This is for the most part a place to seek refuge for the night and is typically a small log cabin with a wood stove, a box of matches, an axe, and of course the outhouse. Sometimes you'll also find fishing line and hooks so you can sustain yourself if necessity dictates you need to stay longer than one night. On occasion you may find the old style hand pump for pumping water but more generally just a metal pail that you can get water from the lake and heat on the stove.

The way-cabins still see periodic use, more commonly now by canoeing and snowmobile enthusiasts that embark on wilderness expeditions.

The only requirement upon leaving is that you either take any remaining food with you or burn it in the stove before leaving. Grizzly bears are well known to smash down a cabin door if they catch the scent of food inside.

[Random Noise]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

 

I can do one better. When I visited my dad's family in India back in 1980, no indoor plumbing. Yep, outhouse. Hole in the ground. It was quite the culture shock, because back in Bombay/Mumbai, my maternal grandparents' flat had the modern toilet. Though the septic tank was above with a chain to pull on, a la The Godfather where Michael had the gun he used to kill Sollozzo. Quite the learning and adjusting trip.

I've seen some of these places on Al Jazeera. In all honesty, I think everyone should experience this at least once in their lives to really appreciate what they have.

[Hanahope]

On 11/15/2017 at 6:51 PM, peacheslatour said:

Mine is 31 and can still drone on about Call of Duty, WoW and too many others to name. Ha, I thought he would grow out of it, when he got into a serious relationship he would lose interest and when his career really took off I thought he would be too busy.  I was wrong.

  Oh, I know many men (and some women) in their 40s and 50s that are still very much into WoW.  I'm too busy for it now, but I played MMORGs for a good 12-13 years.

[Quof]

I'm at Starbucks. The woman in front of me at the drive thru is taking forever, so I roll down my window to hear what's going on.   She is ordering a long list of drinks, each one with 3 or 4 specifications.  The kicker?  She asked if they had lactose free milk. The server replied they were out, she could offer soy, almond or coconut milk. The customer thought about it for a minute, then asked "Can I have a cappuccino, with almond milk on the side?"  "Huh?" the server asked.  "On the side."  It took several moments of back and forth before the customer understood that milk "on the side" is kind of the antithesis of a cappuccino.  

FFS, it's 8:00 am. Just give me my coffee.

[bilgistic]

I would've lost my mind. She needed to go inside the store with that nonsense.

Starbucks' mobile ordering is the greatest thing to happen to coffee in the past...whole bunch of years. There are very few drive-thrus around here, but I usually do a mobile order so my drink is ready when I get to the store. I just run in and pick it up on the counter. It's always made correctly, and I don't have to stand in line behind someone with three small screaming kids who are each getting some kind of fancy milkshake that their parents didn't make them decide on before they got to the counter. Of course, then they each have to tell the barista their order.

[theredhead77]

1 hour ago, Quof said:

I'm at Starbucks. The woman in front of me at the drive thru is taking forever, so I roll down my window to hear what's going on.   She is ordering a long list of drinks, each one with 3 or 4 specifications.  The kicker?  She asked if they had lactose free milk. The server replied they were out, she could offer soy, almond or coconut milk. The customer thought about it for a minute, then asked "Can I have a cappuccino, with almond milk on the side?"  "Huh?" the server asked.  "On the side."  It took several moments of back and forth before the customer understood that milk "on the side" is kind of the antithesis of a cappuccino.  

FFS, it's 8:00 am. Just give me my coffee.

That woman needs to make friends with the Starbucks app or go inside. I rarely go through the drive-through, I think the last time I did I was at In n Out and posted here about it. It's usuallly faster to go inside.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 11/19/2017 at 11:23 AM, Bastet said:

Yeah, hell no to that nonsense.  We're all involved in meal prep (my dad the least, because he's the worst cook), we all watch football, and we're all involved in clean-up (my mom the least, because did the bulk of the cooking).

I would be happy to do all the clean-up by myself if it meant I didn't have to watch football.  I never loved it, but I tolerated it, until all this brain stuff and now I just can't.

 

21 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

Oh, and since I’m the one who ends up putting away the dishes from the dishwasher, I’d prefer it gets loaded in a way that makes unloading it easy. Another reason for everyone to stay out of my kitchen on a holiday. Less stress. 

I want a tryout as support staff in your kitchen.  I try to do things exactly like the person I'm helping.  Not long ago, I was at a friend's house and she started folding some laundry while we were talking, so I stared folding it, too.  But I'd wait until she did a particular type of item, and then duplicate the way she did it.  She even noticed that I had some napkins in front of me, but I handed her one to fold before doing them myself, so I could see how she wanted it.  It's one of those rare no-lose propositions--maybe she'll notice it and appreciate it, or maybe she doesn't care, but she's not going to be worse off if I do it like she does, and if she's totally WRONG about how to fold that t-shirt, at least I'm not going to be the one to suffer.

[Bastet]

My parents and I fold towels differently, and one time when I was folding a load of towels at my parents' house while she was recuperating from knee surgery, I forgot and folded them my way.  I went to put them in the linen closet and promptly realized my error.  My mom said she didn't say anything, because she was just happy to have them done and didn't care, but I would have started twitching had I put the towels folded my way in with the ones already in there, folded their way, so I re-did the ones I'd folded.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Bastet

[bilgistic]

If y'all see me on the news later today, it's because I've gone apeshit on my neighbor. He and his friends have been yelling at each other for the past two hours. It's either this or the pot stench. Why can't he be an adult??

Edited November 21, 2017 by bilgistic

[backformore]

7 hours ago, Quof said:

I'm at Starbucks. The woman in front of me at the drive thru is taking forever, so I roll down my window to hear what's going on.   She is ordering a long list of drinks, each one with 3 or 4 specifications.  The kicker?  She asked if they had lactose free milk. The server replied they were out, she could offer soy, almond or coconut milk. The customer thought about it for a minute, then asked "Can I have a cappuccino, with almond milk on the side?"  "Huh?" the server asked.  "On the side."  It took several moments of back and forth before the customer understood that milk "on the side" is kind of the antithesis of a cappuccino.  

FFS, it's 8:00 am. Just give me my coffee.

GRRRRRR......   I love my starbucks, but only as a treat, not an everyday thing.  But the drive through should be for simple orders, not someone ordering for her whole office.  

 

6 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I would be happy to do all the clean-up by myself if it meant I didn't have to watch football.  I never loved it, but I tolerated it, until all this brain stuff and now I just can't.

I agree.  I had read about the incidence of brain injury in football long ago, and I didn't let my kids play.  I told them they could play any other sport.  One son still gives me a hard time about it.  I HATE watching football. I cringe when players crash into each other, I get nervous when they tackle.  I won't watch. 

About thanksgiving dishes - I prefer to have people help me put the dishes in the sink.  I'll rinse them and load the dishwasher later, when all the guests go home.  I'd rather visit with guests than stand in the kitchen doing dishes while everyone else chats. 

Christmas party for my husband's family - a week before Christmas, Everyone brings a dessert and an appetizer.  Everything is on the dining room table, some hot stuff served out of crockpots in the kitchen.  NO main course - just dips, cheeses, hot appetizers, canapés, etc.   And lots of desserts.  Beer, wine, pop, cider.  I put out all my best glasses and serving dishes.  but we use festive holiday paper plates for eating. 

[Random Noise]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

If y'all see me on the news later today, it's because I've gone apeshit on my neighbor. He and his friends have been yelling at each other for the past two hours. It's either this or the pot stench. Why can't he be an adult??

I have a chainsaw I'm not using. Just plead temporary insanity.

[Mindthinkr]

6 hours ago, bilgistic said:

If y'all see me on the news later today, it's because I've gone apeshit on my neighbor. He and his friends have been yelling at each other for the past two hours. It's either this or the pot stench. Why can't he be an adult??

Let me know if I need to bail you out. I'm not cooking Thanksgiving dinner so...

[PRgal]

15 hours ago, Quof said:

I'm at Starbucks. The woman in front of me at the drive thru is taking forever, so I roll down my window to hear what's going on.   She is ordering a long list of drinks, each one with 3 or 4 specifications.  The kicker?  She asked if they had lactose free milk. The server replied they were out, she could offer soy, almond or coconut milk. The customer thought about it for a minute, then asked "Can I have a cappuccino, with almond milk on the side?"  "Huh?" the server asked.  "On the side."  It took several moments of back and forth before the customer understood that milk "on the side" is kind of the antithesis of a cappuccino.  

FFS, it's 8:00 am. Just give me my coffee.

No wonder they always misspell people's names!

[bubbls]

Ha! We stopped with the kid birthday and Christmas gifts years ago because they were never acknowledged and we were never thanked (growing up we were required to thank everyone). I'd like to say nothing was ever said, but they were furious with us and a lot was said! Things settled down eventually. In spite of the uproar, it was one of the best things we ever did as I enjoy Christmas now. 

 

I think this rudeness is pretty common. I spend time on a very active knitting site. It's a common topic of complaint and discussion. Very few people are deemed knitworthy for these reasons.

[bilgistic]

I'm not being hyperbolic when I say the neighbor's fight went on for three hours. I figured out they are a gay male couple (only one guy lives there, though) and their relationship doesn't seem healthy because they have a three-hour screaming fight in the middle of the night.

I stomped on the floor at one point and it did nothing to curb the yelling. I have to get up at a decent hour tomorrow to go to my sister's, so I will be Having a Discussion with them if this goes on again. I have no problem telling someone to knock off the loudness in person, but I don't get involved with drugs.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Christmas party for my husband's family - a week before Christmas, Everyone brings a dessert and an appetizer.  Everything is on the dining room table, some hot stuff served out of crockpots in the kitchen.  NO main course - just dips, cheeses, hot appetizers, canapés, etc.   And lots of desserts.  Beer, wine, pop, cider.  I put out all my best glasses and serving dishes.  but we use festive holiday paper plates for eating. 

That's very similar to what I'm doing for TG this year. After my mom went to become one with the universe last Feb. this will be my first time hosting and what with my shot gun kitchen and no dining room it's the best way to go.

[Mindthinkr]

11 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

 

I stomped on the floor at one point and it did nothing to curb the yelling. I have to get up at a decent hour tomorrow to go to my sister's, so I will be Having a Discussion with them if this goes on again. I have no problem telling someone to knock off the loudness in person, but I don't get involved with drugs.

Please just be careful. You can't always predict when someone is going to go postal. 

[walnutqueen]

On 11/20/2017 at 11:28 AM, Random Noise said:

I've seen some of these places on Al Jazeera. In all honesty, I think everyone should experience this at least once in their lives to really appreciate what they have.

Or, as they grow older, they should experience the joy of pooping easily while actually squatting.  It' is somewhat of an epiphany, to say the least.  ;-)

 

10 hours ago, Random Noise said:

I have a chainsaw I'm not using. Just plead temporary insanity.

I need a chainsaw (or sturdy electric pruning saw) - ONLY for landscaping purposes.  If you lend me yours, no Dateline tell-all will ensue, I promise!!!  :-D

 

Also, we ALL live amongst people who annoy us, one way or another.  BFD.  Go live in the wilds away from everyone and the fuckin' chipmunks will get on your last nerve, I'm sure.  ;-)

[bilgistic]

I see little "chippies" here around my building. They are SO CUTE!

[walnutqueen]

14 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

I see little "chippies" here around my building. They are SO CUTE!

 I WISH I could see those adorable little chippies anywhere.  Here in SoCal, I was lucky enough to feed generations of ground squirrels (and every damned bird within miles of my former workplace!!!).  But I still miss the cute little chipmunks of my youth.

Perhaps my chipmunk analogy was ill advised - I just meant to say familiarity breeds contempt. 

And ... smoke more weed.  It's a good thing I wish I could afford (or grow).

[peacheslatour]

27 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

I see little "chippies" here around my building. They are SO CUTE!

I thought I saw one last summer, turned out to be a little baby bunny.

[walnutqueen]

By the way, "chippies" have a whole other meaning for some oldsters.  ;-)

[Mindthinkr]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

I see little "chippies" here around my building. They are SO CUTE!

I was in your area last weekend and saw one for the first time in a decade. I froze and really enjoyed the moment. 

[bilgistic]

45 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

By the way, "chippies" have a whole other meaning for some oldsters.  ;-)

I had to look it up. My sister had a teacher in elementary school who was nicknamed Chippy. I doubt it was for that reason, because she used it with pride. I'll tell my sister, "I saw a chippy (not your teacher)." I just like calling them chippies.

[Mindthinkr]

I've always associated that word with a fish and chip shop owner. Never heard it used as slang for a chipmunk (though I get it) or a prostitue (which I don't get). Hey Walnut Queen, I'm not so young that I should have gotten that one lol! 

[Random Noise]

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I see little "chippies" here around my building. They are SO CUTE!

Somewhere around here I have a picture of Herman who used to sit on my knee while I gave him peanuts. Now that I have my cats though they don't come as close as they used to.

My sister lives a short distance from the border and has raccoons which may as well be pets. They come in through the pet door and eat with her cats then sunbathe by the bird bath outside. Sometimes they get in the cupboards to see if there is anything else good to eat.

[Random Noise]

2 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

 And ... smoke more weed.  It's a good thing I wish I could afford (or grow).

I have a relative who was tribal chief for one of the local native bands for awhile, now he spends his time meeting government and corporate executives for launching new companies either partially or completely owned by the bands.

They're currently still in the planning and organization stage, but they're launching what they expect to be the largest medical marijuana growing operation in Canada and perhaps all of north America.

So, if you're considering a career change ... maybe quality control testing?

[JTMacc99]

3 hours ago, walnutqueen said:

By the way, "chippies" have a whole other meaning for some oldsters.  ;-)

This is what first came to mind when I read the statement about cute chippies hanging around the building. I was certain that wasn’t what @bilgistic meant, so it took me a second to clear that thought out of my head. Heh. 

[walnutqueen]

22 minutes ago, Random Noise said:

I have a relative who was tribal chief for one of the local native bands for awhile, now he spends his time meeting government and corporate executives for launching new companies either partially or completely owned by the bands.

They're currently still in the planning and organization stage, but they're launching what they expect to be the largest medical marijuana growing operation in Canada and perhaps all of north America.

So, if you're considering a career change ... maybe quality control testing?

Funny you should mention that, since I had a relative who was one of the founders of the whole "B.C. Bud" growhouse movement way back in the early 80s.  I can testify that the top shelf medical grade dispensary stuff SoCal is over-charging for cannot hold a candle to that!

[Random Noise]

The Inuit in the arctic have a word "ookpik" which means "hoot owl." I can't begin to tell you how long it took me to catch on when the younger ones would ask ookpik? ookpik?

I found out much later that the common usage was "want a hoot?"

[Zola]

Admin fees with insurance polices.

House insurance, car insurance, business indemnity insurance, health insurance et al. None of them are particularly cheap, and none of them really fulfil their marketing promises of giving you the best returns when you need to claim.

But what really bugs me is their "admin/handling fees" when you want to make any changes to your policy i.e. change of address, for example;  or a new security add-on for you home or car etc. (This is quite prevalent with most insurance companies in the UK; not sure about the rest of the world)

These fees can range between £15-£30, just for someone at the company to change a few details on a database via a computer! Same when you want to cancel a policy, another fee, and another £25!

So what you thought was a relatively cheap and competitive policy could soon turn out to be an expensive option in the long term. 

Perhaps in future if a company wants information about me I will charge them first!

[TattleTeeny]

YOU GUYS! I just wanted to pop in and say hi! I have not posted very much this week and miss you all!

[Qoass]

waves @TattleTeeny.

My driveway is about ten yards away from an intersection with a four way traffic light. It's bad enough that people block me from entering it because they really, really, really have to be just six feet closer to that red light they're waiting on but if I had a dollar for every person who made a great show of adopting a blank look and then ostentatiously turning to look at the driveway with a shocked look as if they've never noticed it before, I would have enough money to move someplace else.

[Kelly]

18 hours ago, bubbls said:

Ha! We stopped with the kid birthday and Christmas gifts years ago because they were never acknowledged and we were never thanked (growing up we were required to thank everyone). I'd like to say nothing was ever said, but they were furious with us and a lot was said! Things settled down eventually. In spite of the uproar, it was one of the best things we ever did as I enjoy Christmas now. 

Oh wow...did they "get" that they were being rude? ?

Did you go back to exchanging, and now you get thanked?

[Katy M]

12 minutes ago, Qoass said:

My driveway is about ten yards away from an intersection with a four way traffic light. It's bad enough that people block me from entering it because they really, really, really have to be just six feet closer to that red light they're waiting on but if I had a dollar for every person who made a great show of adopting a blank look and then ostentatiously turning to look at the driveway with a shocked look as if they've never noticed it before, I would have enough money to move someplace else.

I live right next to a four-way stop, too.  You have it spot on.  What really annoys me is when I want to turn left into my drive way.  I turn onto my street.  I have my left blinker on.  And car still blocks me.  Really?  You're going to have to stop anyway.  Letting me into my driveway is literally not going to cost you any time at all. Well, OK, it's a blinking light, so car goes and car blocking me moves up, and you guessed it, car behind him moves into the spot to block my driveway.  Even, though the fact that I've been sitting there really should have been a clue of some sort.  And, of course, traffic is backing up behind me and the intersection has now become blocked, so I have no choice, but to drive around the block and try again.

[Qoass]

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Except I don't drive around the block again. If oncoming traffic is going to dick with me, I'm taking the whole line down with me.

[Katy M]

51 minutes ago, Qoass said:

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Except I don't drive around the block again. If oncoming traffic is going to dick with me, I'm taking the whole line down with me.

That really wouldn't get me anywhere, though.  Because the people behind me were stupid enough to block the intersection, that means the car blocking me can't go anywhere.  Sure, I could sit there for 10 minutes enraging the entire world, and possibly provoking a road rage incident, but I'm just not that stubborn.

OTOH, my mom was telling me about this time she was in the parking lot at the grocery store.  All the lanes are one way. She was going down the lane the right way and was encountered by a car entering the lane, going the wrong way.  My mom told me she backed up all the way down the lane.  Nope. Not doing that.  I would have sat there a half hour if I had to to make that stupid car back up a foot into the main lane again and go down the next lane before I backed up all the way down a lane when I was in the right. But, that has a lot to do with the fact that I'm not a huge fan of driving backwards.

[WritinMan]

On 11/18/2017 at 6:38 PM, PRgal said:

I hate to break this to you, but my husband is seven years older than your son and STILL has a video game obsession.  Okay, he doesn't drone on about games - at least not in front of me (though he may be members of Facebook groups and pages or go on forums), but I'm not sure if boys/men will EVER grow out of these things.  He has a successful career to boot.  We don't have children, but I CERTAINLY hope he stops once we do.  Not counting on it though.

As a form of entertainment video games are just as valid as watching movies/watching TV shows/reading/listening to music etc. Whether you like it or not.

Which brings me to one of my pet peeves: looking down on an activity or hobby because you don't get it or think it's a waste of time.

[Random Noise]

14 minutes ago, WritinMan said:

As a form of entertainment video games are just as valid as watching movies/watching TV shows/reading/listening to music etc. Whether you like it or not.

Which brings me to one of my pet peeves: looking down on an activity or hobby because you don't get it or think it's a waste of time.

Sure, video gaming is just as valid as any other hobby or recreational activity.

On the other hand, I believe the general gist of the postings here relate to it becoming more of an obsession than a recreational activity. I played Zork during my college years but I only talked about it with other people that played it. I certainly didn't talk about it at the dinner table or go racing back to the computer after finishing my plate so I could chart my way through the passages, nor did I inundate people who didn't play it with continual talk about it.