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

[Bastet]

Speaking of volume peeves:  The volume increase button on my bedroom TV remote doesn't work (but volume decrease does), so it drives me batty when I'm watching one thing, then switch to something else only to find it's playing at a quieter volume than I can make out, so I have to get out from under the cat and get up to turn up the volume on the TV.    (And then I'm annoyed when I switch away from that and wind up with the next thing blaring at me, but at least that I can immediately quiet with the remote.)

[nokat]

4 hours ago, Bastet said:

Speaking of volume peeves:  The volume increase button on my bedroom TV remote doesn't work (but volume decrease does), so it drives me batty when I'm watching one thing, then switch to something else only to find it's playing at a quieter volume than I can make out, so I have to get out from under the cat and get up to turn up the volume on the TV.    (And then I'm annoyed when I switch away from that and wind up with the next thing blaring at me, but at least that I can immediately quiet with the remote.)

I'm pretty sure if I go into settings on my tv there is a way to keep volume at a certain average. It annoys me when my ears get blasted if I go from streaming to cable.

[ABay]

My rain barrel is almost empty. We've had a rainy spring and summer overall and I've collected the water in 4 buckets in addition to the barrel, and I haven't had to use the hose to water the garden at all. But today I had to tip the barrel to get water out and there's no chance of rain until the weekend, and then it's only 50/50. It's not that I want a hurricane or anything, but a nice little nor'easter would be great.

[Cloud9Shopper]

I have a Sharp brand smart TV and sometimes the volume will randomly go up to full blast and I have to restart the TV to fix the issue. 

[PRgal]

Speaking of TVs, my cable box is wonky and often needs to be reset.  I guess it's time for a new one.

[Bookish Jen]

On 9/3/2023 at 4:02 AM, SuprSuprElevated said:

I feel your pain. Southeast of Chicago, and same weather. Looks lik no break until later this week. 

It's horrible. I spent a big chunk of yesterday at the mall. I hung out at Barnes & Noble and treated myself to an Auntie Anne's pretzel. It's still hot today and it will be a bit muggy tomorrow. But after that the weather is going to be splendid.

[nokat]

30 minutes ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I have a Sharp brand smart TV and sometimes the volume will randomly go up to full blast and I have to restart the TV to fix the issue. 

I've heard of that problem with smart TVs. So far mine behaves.

How many remotes control it? I have the cable, roku, and tv remotes that can change voluime.

Edited September 5, 2023 by nokat

[peacheslatour]

46 minutes ago, nokat said:

I've heard of that problem with smart TVs. So far mine behaves.

How many remotes control it? I have the cable, roku, and tv remotes that can change voluime.

Our son made us a litlte box that allows us to watch You tube, Hulu and other streaming shows on our dumb TV. We control it with a bespoke keyboard.

[nokat]

20 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Our son made us a litlte box that allows us to watch You tube, Hulu and other streaming shows on our dumb TV. We control it with a bespoke keyboard.

You called it bespoke.  

[Laura Holt]

wrong thread!

Edited September 5, 2023 by Laura Holt

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, nokat said:

You called it bespoke.  

Well, it was remodeled  for just one thing? What would you call it? Just a keyboard. I guess. Sorry.

[nokat]

16 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Well, it was remodeled  for just one thing? What would you call it? Just a keyboard. I guess. Sorry.

No reason to say sorry. I should though.  Bespoke to me means a garment but I hadn't thought of any especially made thing.

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, nokat said:

No reason to say sorry. I should though.  Bespoke to me means a garment but I hadn't thought of any especially made thing.

I can totally see that and it's probably where it came from. To me it just means made for a particular customer or user.

Edited September 5, 2023 by peacheslatour

[nokat]

Just now, peacheslatour said:

I can totally see that and it's probably where it came from. To me it just means 

made for a particular customer or user.

Yes, that is what it means, and I had narrowed it down to clothing.

[SoMuchTV]

20 hours ago, Bastet said:

Speaking of volume peeves:  The volume increase button on my bedroom TV remote doesn't work (but volume decrease does), so it drives me batty when I'm watching one thing, then switch to something else only to find it's playing at a quieter volume than I can make out, so I have to get out from under the cat and get up to turn up the volume on the TV.    (And then I'm annoyed when I switch away from that and wind up with the next thing blaring at me, but at least that I can immediately quiet with the remote.)

I’ve had to replace a few wonky remotes over the years, and I was always peeved at the cost. So I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered I could get a new remote for my latest tv (my first smart tv) for $7 or $8. So now we have a remote at either end of the couch. 

I’ve also done the thing where you take the remote apart and attempt to clean it out. It hasn’t always helped but I don’t think it’s ever actually made things worse. But if it’s only one button that isn’t working, maybe not worth taking the chance?  

[Bastet]

4 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

I’ve also done the thing where you take the remote apart and attempt to clean it out. It hasn’t always helped but I don’t think it’s ever actually made things worse. But if it’s only one button that isn’t working, maybe not worth taking the chance?

Oh, that was the first thing I did.  It's not anything in the mechanics of the button, so it has to be the circuitry, but I couldn't find the source of any continuity problem so just put it back together and lived with it since it's only one action that doesn't perform.

[SoMuchTV]

22 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Oh, that was the first thing I did.  It's not anything in the mechanics of the button, so it has to be the circuitry, but I couldn't find the source of any continuity problem so just put it back together and lived with it since it's only one action that doesn't perform.

Oh, or another possibility might be a very inexpensive (like, thrift store) universal remote. You might not be able to duplicate all the functions on your original but I’d expect volume control would work. I mean, I’m only thinking of your cat’s comfort. 

[Bastet]

5 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

I mean, I’m only thinking of your cat’s comfort. 

That is what this house revolves around! 

I have an odd aversion to universal remotes, so thankfully it's only an occasional problem that something is coming in so softly I have to get up and adjust the volume.  The last time it happened was something on Paramount+.  I tried a different show on there to experiment whether it was the streaming service, period, or just that particular show, and the second one was at normal volume.  So it's not something that happens often.  I'm just easily peeved.

[nokat]

2 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I'm just easily peeved.

You are in the correct forum then. My peeve is not having the skip forward on my remote. Fast forward thankfully, but I used to be able to skip through the commercials.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

That is what this house revolves around! 

I have an odd aversion to universal remotes, so thankfully it's only an occasional problem that something is coming in so softly I have to get up and adjust the volume.  The last time it happened was something on Paramount+.  I tried a different show on there to experiment whether it was the streaming service, period, or just that particular show, and the second one was at normal volume.  So it's not something that happens often.  I'm just easily peeved.

Ooh I share your aversion!  I don’t mind having multiple remotes although I know many would think me crazy!  It’s more intuitive. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Todays peeve is that we came home and had no internet in our apartment. I called spectrum and a had a longer wait than usual because of their ESPN Disney contract problem. Everyone is apparently calling about that. Anyway they said I should try exchanging the modem at the store, which happens to be a block away and was still open for another half hour. Miracles of miracles that worked!  And the signal is much better than it had been recently. It had been growing weak. 

[Bastet]

1 minute ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Ooh I share your aversion!  I don’t mind having multiple remotes although I know many would think me crazy!  It’s more intuitive. 

I like what my parents have, which is a Logitech programmable remote -- you create a setting called, say, "Watch TV" and program it to, when you select that setting, turn on the AVR and set it to Satellite, turn on the TV and set to the right HDMI input for the satellite receiver, turn on the satellite receiver, and put the speakers on surround mode.  So when you want to watch TV, you just push Activities and select "Watch TV".  Same with "Watch Netflix", "Watch Blu-Ray", "Listen to CDs", etc. 

But I am supremely lazy and never got around to getting one and setting it up; it's a decent bit of work up front, but then you only need one remote and it actually does everything each of the dedicated remotes can do, unlike a "universal" remote which can only do certain functions.  When I get an entirely new entertainment system in my living room, I will make myself do it then (assuming they still make them).

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I like what my parents have, which is a Logitech programmable remote -- you create a setting called, say, "Watch TV" and program it to, when you select that setting, turn on the AVR and set it to Satellite, turn on the TV and set to the right HDMI input for the satellite receiver, turn on the satellite receiver, and put the speakers on surround mode.  So when you want to watch TV, you just push Activities and select "Watch TV".  Same with "Watch Netflix", "Watch Blu-Ray", "Listen to CDs", etc. 

But I am supremely lazy and never got around to getting one and setting it up; it's a decent bit of work up front, but then you only need one remote and it actually does everything each of the dedicated remotes can do, unlike a "universal" remote which can only do certain functions.  When I get an entirely new entertainment system in my living room, I will make myself do it then (assuming they still make them).

Oh I was actually using the term universal remote to mean the type of programmable remote you refer to. I don’t want to bother with all that programming either. 

[PRgal]

I think it’s @oliviabenson who posted about wearing layers over on a Chit-Chat and my layer pet peeve is related to my son’s uniform.  His new school is a little more casual and doesn’t have sweaters, especially cardigans.  Instead, they have sweatshirts.  He’s not even 5 and has trouble with pull-overs so he can’t really layer like older kids who knows how to fully themselves without help.  So sure, he can take a sweatshirt to school, but he’s going to need help to with that sweatshirt.  They definitely didn’t think when they redid the uniforms a few years ago. 

[BlueSkies]

Sometimes I dont like stereotyping of people by Generation.  Example: Gen Z is very lazy.  When in reality I know older people as well that have trouble "just dealing" so to speak.  

 

 

[TattleTeeny]

Ugh, and these same people often think that anyone younger than they are is a Millennial.

[Annber03]

Just now, TattleTeeny said:

Ugh, and these same people often think that anyone younger than they are is a Millennial.

Yeah, I love the lumping of Millennials in alongside high school/college kids that some people do. I'm a Millennial. I'll be 39 in a month. You'd think by now people would've figured out the difference. 

[BlueSkies]

Having just a dirty mind can be annoying sometime.

 

I was going to write some people can't suck it up in my post above but someone could taken well...  🙂

 

Also, at work.  I usually try to use the word arrive instead of coming when possible 😉

 

 

[TattleTeeny]

22 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, I love the lumping of Millennials in alongside high school/college kids that some people do. I'm a Millennial. I'll be 39 in a month. You'd think by now people would've figured out the difference. 

Because, in typical and storied fashion, Gen X is forgotten altogether, hahahaaa!

[PRgal]

53 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

Because, in typical and storied fashion, Gen X is forgotten altogether, hahahaaa!

Especially if you're right on the cusp of Gen X and Millennial (or as I like to call myself, an Xennial...I'm 44!!!  That's MIDDLE AGED, gosh darn it!  I have friends my age with kids heading off to university this fall!).  No one knows we exist.

[JTMacc99]

On 9/5/2023 at 8:39 PM, EtheltoTillie said:

Anyway they said I should try exchanging the modem at the store, which happens to be a block away and was still open for another half hour. Miracles of miracles that worked!  And the signal is much better than it had been recently. It had been growing weak. 

This is good advice in general. The equipment that comes with cable and/or internet service can break or simply get old. There's no reason to just put up with it like we might with something we might have to PAY to replace.

Meaning, if your TV is getting a little wonky, you might put up with it for a while because you'll need to go down to Best Buy with your credit card to replace it.  But if your modem or internet WiFi signal (assuming it's part of your service) or cable box is doing weird stuff, have the service provider check it out and/or replace it. They have new equipment just waiting for you.

Also, especially in the case of a modem with integrated WiFi that you get from the internet provider, if that sucker is three years or more old just pack it up and bring it to their store to ask for a new one. If they ask what's wrong with it, just tell them you think it's broken.  WiFi technology improves very rapidly. It might still work just fine after three years, but I'll guarantee you that there is a newer model available.

[EtheltoTillie]

@JTMacc99  This is good advice.  I always recoil from having to call Spectrum, because I have to go through the annoying phone tree.  It's at least 10 minutes of that and then more waiting time.  Then they make me reboot the device again, even though I've already tried that.  Since I live so close to their service center, next time I will just hop over there before bothering with calling! 

[JTMacc99]

8 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I always recoil from having to call Spectrum, because I have to go through the annoying phone tree. 

It bothers me as well. I'm a Spectrum customer, and while it's improved since they were Time Warner, it's still way too long of a waiting period to get through to an agent.  (They do have a chat that works pretty well for simple stuff online, but some problems need to talk to an actual person.)

I find it extra annoying when I compare it to the company I work with and know that our customers typically have wait times measured in seconds, not minutes. (Well, once they navigate the annoying phone tree.)

[Laura Holt]

15 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, I love the lumping of Millennials in alongside high school/college kids that some people do. I'm a Millennial. I'll be 39 in a month. You'd think by now people would've figured out the difference. 

The divisions are so arbitrary especially the more recent generations!  But even baby boomers take up a far bigger group than ever made sense.  How much in common does someone born in 1946 have with someone born in 1964?    

[nokat]

Just now, Laura Holt said:

The divisions are so arbitrary especially the more recent generations!  But even baby boomers take up a far bigger group than ever made sense.  How much in common does someone born in 1946 have with someone born in 1964?    

True this. 

[partofme]

1 hour ago, JTMacc99 said:

But if your modem or internet WiFi signal (assuming it's part of your service) or cable box is doing weird stuff, have the service provider check it out and/or replace it.

When my remote got really slow, all I had to do was go to the Spectrum store and get  a new one, they didn't even ask me for my name or any info, just switched out the remote.

[peacheslatour]

15 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

Because, in typical and storied fashion, Gen X is forgotten altogether, hahahaaa!

Whatever.

[EtheltoTillie]

19 minutes ago, partofme said:

When my remote got really slow, all I had to do was go to the Spectrum store and get  a new one, they didn't even ask me for my name or any info, just switched out the remote.

Yes, I do this too.  They keep them stacked near the door.  It's handy. 

[Mondrianyone]

A few weeks ago, several functions on my Dish remote stopped working. I tried everything I could think of, then made the dreaded call to tech support. I told them I needed a new remote, but that wasn't good enough. I was on the phone with the rep for an hour, demonstrating they ways in which it didn't work right. Then we went through the steps to reprogram the remote. That seemed to fix things--till the next morning when it wasn't working again. I called back and told them once more that I needed a new remote. They agreed to send me one. Apparently I had proved myself by going through the Ordeal by Tech Support. I'm looking forward to when the receiver needs to be replaced and I have to sit in the Dunking Chair of No Reception. If I drown, I get a new receiver. If I float, I'm a witch.

[Mindthinkr]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

They have new equipment just waiting for you.

Unfortunately where I live they only provide “refurbished” equipment and sometimes it’s easier to cope with the devil you know. 

[Wiendish Fitch]

On 8/28/2023 at 8:17 AM, Bookworm 1979 said:

Sorry to piggyback off of your post.  I'm don't have kids, but one time I was shamed by a group of them for saying I was tired.  Apparently if you don't have kids you're supposed to have a great sleep every night and not get stressed about anything.  I was called some pretty nasty names by people who call themselves the most "selfless, generous people in the world".

Try not to feel bad for getting shamed by the moms, they'll shame everyone.

Why do we even shame people to begin with? You don't know this person, you don't know their life, and even if they are living on Easy Street, what business is it of yours, anyway?

For those who insist that all moms are the "most selfless, generous people in the world", I suggest you look up Susan Smith, Gertrude Baniszewski, Louise Turpin, and Debra McCurdy (just to name a few) and tell if you still hold fast to that belief. 

17 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, I love the lumping of Millennials in alongside high school/college kids that some people do. I'm a Millennial. I'll be 39 in a month. You'd think by now people would've figured out the difference. 

One last time, for those in the back: the oldest Millennials are now over 40, and the youngest Millennials can now rent cars. When you talk about them like they're pesky young kids, you sound objectively stupid and worthy of ridicule. If you must bitch about the younger generation, know which generation you're fucking talking about!

And another thing: I'll take the "entitlement" of the current generation having week long birthday celebrations to the disgusting, barbarous entitlement of the older generations wanting us to revert to life in the 1950s and legalization of child labor.

[TattleTeeny]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

Whatever.

I recently saw something somewhere that referred to Gen X's "sexy whatever attitude"!

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

I recently saw something somewhere that referred to Gen X's "sexy whatever attitude"!

My Gen-Z daughter sent a text to the family group chat asking "What is all this ruckus outside this morning?" Which:

1. It was the town tearing up the asphalt on our street at like 7:30 AM to prepare it for repaving, and
2. I'm very proud of her for asking the question that way.

Her Gen-X parent promptly responded to that text with, "Can you describe the ruckus?"

Because, yeah, we've been a whatever kind of people since we were her age.

[TattleTeeny]

Ahahhahahhahhahaa! YES, we do tend to be super-fast to come up with relvant movie quotes. My BF and I have a regular list of go-tos that suit various occasions. 

[PRgal]

4 hours ago, Laura Holt said:

The divisions are so arbitrary especially the more recent generations!  But even baby boomers take up a far bigger group than ever made sense.  How much in common does someone born in 1946 have with someone born in 1964?    

The later-boomers are called "Generation Jones," kind of like how people my age are Xennials.  We were barely in elementary school when "true Gen X" were teens!

[peacheslatour]

2 minutes ago, PRgal said:

The later-boomers are called "Generation Jones," kind of like how people my age are Xennials.  We were barely in elementary school when "true Gen X" were teens!

That's what I am. I relate more to GenXers than Boomers.

[Laura Holt]

The staff at my Dad's doctors office are my peeve today.  The pharmacy has been sending them faxes over the course of the last few months trying to get them to have the Dr renew my Dad's prescriptions.  The pharmacist has gone above and beyond the call of duty and has been extending the renewals but you can only do that for so long.  Anyway have spent most of my day trying to talk to an actual person at the office who is willing to step up and DO something rather than just tell me "hang up, call back and press 5 for prescription renewals" 🙄 .  I think finally I've succeeded but I'm almost afraid now to call the pharmacy just to find out they still haven't gotten anything from the doctor.  I am beyond fed up.

[partofme]

15 minutes ago, Laura Holt said:

The staff at my Dad's doctors office are my peeve today.  The pharmacy has been sending them faxes over the course of the last few months trying to get them to have the Dr renew my Dad's prescriptions.  The pharmacist has gone above and beyond the call of duty and has been extending the renewals but you can only do that for so long.  Anyway have spent most of my day trying to talk to an actual person at the office who is willing to step up and DO something rather than just tell me "hang up, call back and press 5 for prescription renewals" 🙄 .  I think finally I've succeeded but I'm almost afraid now to call the pharmacy just to find out they still haven't gotten anything from the doctor.  I am beyond fed up.

That's extremely frustrating and I can relate.  I've been having issues with a doctor's office as well.  Basically my insurance denied coverage for a drug I need for migraines and in 2 months my doctor's office has done nothing to fight it.  Last month they had a pharmacy mail me a 30 day supply and I notified them over a week before I ran out(which was 2 weeks ago) and they've done nothing, I feel bad because I yelled at a girl I spoke to today, but when I asked if they were going to send me more, she said they never mail anyone drugs and I'm like yes you did just last month!  Now I'm without my daily migraine med for 5 days even though I reached out two weeks ago.

[Laura Holt]

Just now, partofme said:

I feel bad because I yelled at a girl I spoke to today,

I didn't yell but I know I spoke very sharply to the second to last person I dealt with.  She was the one who, despite me already explaining the issue was that the pharmacy had faxed these requests multiple times, kept saying I needed to hang up, call back and press the prescription renewal option in the automated answering service thingie.  UGH.  I hate being "mean" to people who are probably just trying to get through their day but this was so maddening!

[TattleTeeny]

I am going crazy! I must have accidentally deleted an app from my phone's home screen and I have no idea which one -- I only know it's gone because the other apps have moved. It's not an "if you can't remember what it is, it's probably not important" situation; if I have it at all, then I use it (and I have a weird need to have no more than one screen's worth of apps). But what was it? Come on!

I don't know if I am more annoyed that I can't remember or that now all my other ones are now not where they belong.

Edited September 7, 2023 by TattleTeeny