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

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, BlueSkies said:

taking out insurance on them

The people I know who've done this aren't doing it because they are doting pet parents, it's because they've been out of pocket large amounts of money because of health issues for previous pets.  One of my friends once spent over $2000 for surgery on a kitten that swallowed a hair elastic!

[Bastet]

The only thing on that list I find excessive is pushing them around in strollers, but even that is not always the case of a ridiculous indulgence -- some dogs can't walk very far, so taking them for a stroller ride still lets them somewhat feel like they're going on their usual rounds.

Katee Sackhoff (actor) talked about some random guy yelling at her to go have a real baby and stop treating her dog like a baby because she was walking with one dog on a leash and one in a stroller.  First, Sackhoff had fertility problems and didn't know if she could even have a baby if/when the time came she wanted to (she wound up having two kids via surrogate).  Second, the dog in the stroller was there because of what I described; he could only walk about a block anymore at his age, and this way he could continue on with her and the other dog rather than having to be taken back home and miss out.  (And, of course, none of it was any of that guy's business to begin with.)

Sometimes it does seem very clearly pointing to an OMG, seriously? situation, but with so many people neglecting and abandoning their pets, the opposite doesn't rise to a peeve for me.

Edited July 11 by Bastet

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, Bastet said:

Sometimes it does seem very clearly pointing to an OMG, seriously? situation, but with so many people neglecting and abandoning their pets, it doesn't rise to a peeve for me.

At the grocery store yesterday I saw a woman putting a cat into a stroller (designed in a way that the cat could not get out) and I admit my first reaction was the impulse to roll my eyes.  Then I realized given the weather we have been experiencing that leaving a cat (or any pet) in a parked  car for any length of time would be a really bad idea.  Then I started wondering though why she had to bring the cat out in the first place and started coming up with scenarios  why she had the cat with her and then I figured it was none of my business and moved on.

[annzeepark914]

I do not understand why the heck people take animals out on their errands, only to have the poor things suffer inside hot-as-hell vehicles. But then, I also wonder about busy parents who somehow forget their babies/toddlers in the back seat, who end up roasting to death in their vehicles. There's something odd going on, IMO.

[Bastet]

14 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

But then, I also wonder about busy parents who somehow forget their babies/toddlers in the back seat, who end up roasting to death in their vehicles.

Many years ago, a reporter for The Washington Post won the Pulitzer for an eye-opening article on how that seemingly unthinkable lapse in memory happens.  Fatal Distraction is a fascinating, revelatory read.

29 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Then I started wondering though why she had to bring the cat out in the first place and started coming up with scenarios  why she had the cat with her and then I figured it was none of my business and moved on.

If I ever have errands to do after taking my cat(s) to the vet, I take them home and then go back out, but one time with Maddie and Baxter I stopped for gas on the way home as Costco was just a few blocks from the vet and they loved being in the car other than when going to the vet's clinic.  It was plenty cool enough, and they could see me so they were content -- and became quite the hit, with people coming to talk to them through the glass while they preened, why, yes, we are adorable, thank you.

[annzeepark914]

We spent $2500 on a rescue cat's dental issue. She needed dental surgery. This gorgeous cat has provided lots of laughs (she's just a good time kid) and we were glad to help her. 

[isalicat]

4 hours ago, PRgal said:

I can't really play around with supplements or traditional herbs.  Some are seizure triggers (like ginseng) or may lower the effectiveness of medications I'm on for my epilepsy.

Oh I agree that you should never take anything you know to be bad for you specifically or contra-indicated with current meds. And I wasn't saying people should just go out and rely on Chinese herbs for everything. My husband consulted a renowned herbal medicine doctor after much research (he had an extensive scientific education and continued to self-educate continually on his condition). Its hard to fit in reading medical journal articles and NIH studies but if you are motivated, there is lots of info on effective herbal substitutes for many pharmaceuticals. I'm taking one now with the full knowledge and blessing of my oncologist as a preference over manufactured hormone suppressants.

OK mods - I'll stop as I'm sure your pet peeve is that I did not take this to the Health and Wellness thread! 😸

[bluegirl147]

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

Many years ago, a reporter for The Washington Post won the Pulitzer for an eye-opening article on how that seemingly unthinkable lapse in memory happens.  Fatal Distraction is a fascinating, revelatory read.

When my son was little his daycare was on my way home from work. I mean I literally had to drive by it to get to my house.  One day I pulled into my driveway and realized I had not stopped to pick up my son. I felt horrible for forgetting about him.  I cannot imagine what it would feel like to forget your child in the car.

[PRgal]

Speaking of kids, my son has had a hard time at camp this week.  We wanted him to try a variety of different things, and this week was basketball camp.  He was hesitant to do it, and had a meltdown at drop-off on the first day.  He had to come home.  He's giving it a try for the rest of the week, but says he doesn't want to go because he isn't as good as the other kids.  My husband and I talked about it, and we now think he's just not ready for single sport camps - at least not basketball.  He's registered for a multi-sport camp later this summer and those tend to be more fun games focused.  Hopefully, he'll enjoy that one - he liked the multi-sport program at school last year.  

[supposebly]

19 hours ago, Bastet said:

Many years ago, a reporter for The Washington Post won the Pulitzer for an eye-opening article on how that seemingly unthinkable lapse in memory happens.  Fatal Distraction is a fascinating, revelatory read.

I'm in Canada and I just bought my first car in 30 years last year. It has that safety feature that the article talks about. It warns me when there is something on the back seat when I turn off the ignition. Is this mandatory now in the US? Or in Canada? Does anyone know?

Brutal article. I can't imagine what that is like. I'm not surprised it happens. Our brains don't always work the way we would like them to.

[Ohiopirate02]

17 hours ago, supposebly said:

I'm in Canada and I just bought my first car in 30 years last year. It has that safety feature that the article talks about. It warns me when there is something on the back seat when I turn off the ignition. Is this mandatory now in the US? Or in Canada? Does anyone know?

Brutal article. I can't imagine what that is like. I'm not surprised it happens. Our brains don't always work the way we would like them to.

My new car has that feature. I've only had the car for 2 weeks, and I have already forgotten that it does that. And to be honest, I really only noticed it because I'm a nerd who likes to view look at my trip details before leaving the car and the "check rear seat" warning flashes right before I get the data I actually care about. It's not intrusive enough to jog anyone's memory, IMHO.

[supposebly]

23 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It's not intrusive enough to jog anyone's memory, IMHO.

I guess it helps that I rarely have anything on the back seat so when it dings, it's noticeable. I did have to activate it, though. I think. I don't remember now.

Or maybe that was the one that reminds me that my roof is still open. That is more important in my case, at least in the summer.

[annzeepark914]

On 7/10/2024 at 10:42 PM, Bastet said:

Many years ago, a reporter for The Washington Post won the Pulitzer for an eye-opening article on how that seemingly unthinkable lapse in memory happens.  Fatal Distraction is a fascinating, revelatory read.

I think I remember this article and am trying to also remember if it mentioned a veterinarian who twice left her child in a car (& I think the second time, the poor child died in her car). I think she had a practice in northern VA.  I wonder how often children are left in cars for long periods of time in cooler temps. Or do these never get covered by the media?

[Katy M]

On 7/10/2024 at 10:08 PM, Dimity said:

At the grocery store yesterday I saw a woman putting a cat into a stroller (designed in a way that the cat could not get out) and I admit my first reaction was the impulse to roll my eyes.  Then I realized given the weather we have been experiencing that leaving a cat (or any pet) in a parked  car for any length of time would be a really bad idea.  Then I started wondering though why she had to bring the cat out in the first place and started coming up with scenarios  why she had the cat with her and then I figured it was none of my business and moved on.

When I moved from Ohio to Vermont I had my cat with me. I didn't have to stop at the grocery store, but did stop for gas a couple of times.  I also stopped at rest areas to let him out on a harness and leash. It was a long trip, LOL.  I did get a couple of weird side eyes which I assume were "why are you walking a cat?  You know that's not a dog, right?"

[Cloud9Shopper]

People who use “what about-ism” to excuse their rudeness or lack of personal responsibility. I work with students in my day-to-day work, and someone contacted us last week upset that she “didn’t know” about something she had to do before an application deadline and said it was our fault for not sending her reminders and said we don’t make our website accessible enough and it shouldn’t be a privilege and it “increases barriers” for other people doing applications. Yet I have talked to numerous students of all backgrounds who have met their deadlines and don’t blame us when they get disorganized or fall short, or they contact us if they don’t understand how to do something. She couldn’t even do that and is pretending she cares about inclusivity and breaking down barriers to hide behind her lack of responsibility.

The other day, on Reddit, I posted in a retail sub about my pet peeve at work about people coming over to my line after it was announced multiple times when I’d be leaving and they have to take their purchases to self checkout past a certain time when the store is closing. Someone commented and said it sounds like I don’t care about deaf people or people who don’t speak English because they can’t understand the announcements. Or “but my elderly relative who has a brain injury can’t just learn the self checkout; that’s easy for you to say!” OK but I was referring to full grown, able-bodied adults who hear the announcements and then complain about having to use self checkout because they didn’t walk up to me until I was told to close up. Or people who see my register light off and me cleaning and are perfectly capable of speaking clear English and asking if I’m open when they can even see I’m probably not. Why does everything have to be accounted for as “I wasn’t included?” or “but what about this one very rare possibility that shows you don’t care about people?” (When that possibility has never come to pass.) I mean, it’s not that I don’t care about a hypothetical deaf person or someone elderly with memory issues. It’s just that’s not who I was referring to in this example. 

[Yeah No]

On 7/7/2024 at 11:37 PM, Gramto6 said:

I do too! It was a really big thing 30ish years ago, with ads on TV and all (in CA anyway).  They especially showed the seagulls at garbage dumps choked to death caught in the rings, really heartbreaking photos. I started cutting them then and still do to this day with any of those plastic ring bottle holders.

You'll be happy to know that I just bought 6 pack soda bottles with new cardboard holders that work pretty well, are eco and bird friendly, and aren't annoying and hard to get off like the plastic ones can be. Even before I knew about the bird issue I always cut the plastic ones off because I found it hard to remove most of them.

[Yeah No]

 

On 7/8/2024 at 4:08 PM, Dimity said:

My peeve of the day - people who keep talking to you even when you are moving out of earshot and you have told them you are moving out of earshot.  Then they get annoyed that you don't answer them.  Sigh.  Our house isn't a big one but unless you have supersonic hearing you may hear the voice but you won't be able to distinguish the words if you are in the basement and your husband is in the kitchen.  It wouldn't be so peevishy if this only happened once instead of at least once a day!

Oh my husband does this ALL THE TIME. The worst is when he's facing away from me and talking while walking in a store where it's noisy. Or he talks to me from the other room while I'm washing dishes and the stove fan is on. And despite telling him I can't hear him, he does it every time!

On 7/9/2024 at 3:22 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I saw one of those articles that suggested you set your thermostat to 82 when you are at work during the day and also at night. First of all, ain't no way my thermostat is ever set to anything over 80. Second of all, not everyone has nor wants a smart home where you can adjust the thermostat from your phone. I highly doubt I would save any money nor help save the environment if I did adjust my thermostat that way. I would get home and immediately turn it down to 65 so I can get my home in the 70s. 

I just saw a spot on my local TV news where the "expert" suggested keeping the thermostat set at 78 degrees when you're home during the day and 80 at night. Obviously these people are not post-menopausal women, many of whom (including me) would sweat to death and be MISERABLE at those temps. I keep my thermostat at either 72 or 71 depending on the weather and that's just about right for both me and my husband. Now mind you, I used to be a much "colder person" and felt more comfortable in the mid '70s, but that hasn't been the case for over a decade now and the change happened after menopause. And it's not a result of "hot flashes" either - I haven't suffered from those in years. I guess my internal "thermostat" is set at a hotter temperature than it used to be. I've read that the change in hormones has a part in this and that postmenopausal women can be more sensitive to temperature changes. For me humidity also plays a part in this. I think I'm far more sensitive to it than I used to be. So right now I am pretty miserable when I go outside....

[Yeah No]

On 7/10/2024 at 1:49 PM, fairffaxx said:

PEI has always looked good to me.

I just got back from Nova Scotia and it was BEAUTIFUL, with highs at just around 70 degrees the whole time I was there. I wish I could go back and spend the rest of the Summer there!  

A photo of downtown Halifax by the water. That's JK Rowling's yacht, BTW!

Edited July 14 by Yeah No

[Absolom]

One thing I learned caring for Mom was that as we age the comfortable temperature range gets smaller and smaller.  The last 7 or 8 years of her life Mom was only comfortable at 76 degrees.  She set the heat and the A/C to 76 at her house so one was running almost all the time.  For the sake of her bills and the poor heating and cooling system, I put a lock out on it so it could only be controlled by my phone.  I still kept the range very narrow for her comfort,  but we didn't have the nonsense of heat running until 9 AM and A/C kicking in at 9:15 any more.  When I had to put her in a facility and explained her issue, the employee laughed and said that's 48 of our 50 residents.  It's just what aging bodies do.  So don't be surprised with different temperature tolerances especially after about age 60 to 65.  

[Dimity]

13 minutes ago, Absolom said:

When I had to put her in a facility and explained her issue, the employee laughed and said that's 48 of our 50 residents.

My FIL used to wear a heavy coat in the summer, which we thought odd but ok.  Now my Dad is the same age my FIL was when that happened and he's got the heat on in his room in the summer and uses the seat warmers in his car.  It's such a balancing act when he comes over here as my husband and I like it cold.  Summer or winter this house is cold and my poor Dad would freeze if we were jerks about it!

My pet peeve today: people who use the laugh emoticon on FB for things that no one could possibly think was funny.  Today there is a public service announcement about preventing cervical cancer.  What kind of mind is at work that thinks LAUGHING at this is in any way appropriate? 😠

[PRgal]

My husband and I like things cool.  The house is mostly at 66-67 F in the summer months and just slightly warmer in the winter.  My parents don't get it.  I'd rather it be cooler than warmer.  If it's cooler, I can just put on a cardigan.  As for people taking their animals on their errands, a lot of them have service animals.  They aren't pets.  They're "working."  You don't have to be blind to have one.  Some have dogs help with their anxiety.

[annzeepark914]

We had, what I called, the "air-conditioning wars" every spring until we agreed on 74°. When my husband would try to sneak it up to 75°, I immediately felt tiny pins & needles sensations in my arms (maybe some post menopausal thing?). He now puts a sweater on 😸. Our AC units really do put out very cold air even at 74°. 

[Yeah No]

10 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

We had, what I called, the "air-conditioning wars" every spring until we agreed on 74°. When my husband would try to sneak it up to 75°, I immediately felt tiny pins & needles sensations in my arms (maybe some post menopausal thing?). He now puts a sweater on 😸. Our AC units really do put out very cold air even at 74°. 

Oh we used to engage in "thermostat wars" too until I started liking it cooler in the house. He actually feels chillier than he used to but now at least we meet in the middle and are happy at the same temperature.

I was always under the impression that 72 degrees was considered the "standard" room temperature for offices and public places and remember that being what the thermostats read in a few places in my life. I realize there's no real accepted standard on this but at least I don't feel like I'm strange for liking it at that temperature.

I just can't get over that "expert" on my TV news telling us that we should set our thermostats up to 80 degrees at night!  Honestly, I don't even think the AC would come on at all if I set it at that temperature thanks to my house's insulation. Why bother with air conditioning at all if you're going to keep it set that warm?

[Dimity]

9 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I just can't get over that "expert" on my TV news telling us that we should set our thermostats up to 80 degrees at night! 

I had to check what that was in Celcius and that's a big no for us as well.  If our temp in the house was ever 26 my husband and I would melt.  Especially at night!  Is this  a comfortable temperature for the average person?

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

What kind of mind is at work that thinks LAUGHING at this is in any way appropriate? 😠

I can't even find a good reaction in the list for that one.  

[bluegirl147]

7 hours ago, Katy M said:

When I moved from Ohio to Vermont I had my cat with me. I didn't have to stop at the grocery store, but did stop for gas a couple of times.  I also stopped at rest areas to let him out on a harness and leash. It was a long trip, LOL.  I did get a couple of weird side eyes which I assume were "why are you walking a cat?  You know that's not a dog, right?"

I got a kitten 6 years ago.  And for the first year he only went outside on a leash.  I live in the country and I was afraid he would run off and I wouldn't be able to find him.  After a year I figured he was familiar enough with his surroundings.  I am always amazed at how many people who live in town let their cats outside to run around.  I see them sometimes run across a street and am so afraid they will get hit by a car. 

[Bastet]

40 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Is this  a comfortable temperature for the average person?

I'm probably not the average person, as that would be perfectly fine for me during the day (so long as I had ceiling fans going and was not doing physical labor)*, but not at night.  I never have the heat on overnight, since the cat and I are in bed under covers, so no need to warm the house or even the bedroom, but I can't sleep if I'm hot, and these days I not only need to turn on the bedroom AC to not feel hot overnight, I need to turn it down to 76.

I've always followed the 68 for heat/78 for AC recommendation, and it's always worked for me - until, as I said, perimenopause meant needing it cooler to sleep. 

*Which is the case today.  It has been so hot lately, I've had all four AC units running most of the day (I have a mini-split system rather than central air, so I can turn on a single unit or a combination of units; all four will combine to cool the whole house), and today it's just "normal" hot outside, so it's 80 in most of the house (81 in the hottest room, 78 in the coolest).  I don't have any of the AC units on, but in rooms with a ceiling fan it's pleasant; it doesn't feel hot walking through a room that doesn't, I just don't want to hang out there.

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, Dimity said:

I had to check what that was in Celcius and that's a big no for us as well.  If our temp in the house was ever 26 my husband and I would melt.  Especially at night!  Is this  a comfortable temperature for the average person?

Just like a lot of Canadians, the thermostat and oven (especially the oven) are set in F while weather is in C.  LOL

[Dimity]

Just now, PRgal said:

Just like a lot of Canadians, the thermostat and oven (especially the oven) are set in F while weather is in C.  LOL

I use celcius and metric for most stuff now but the two things that I can't go metric on are weight and height.  I just can't do it.

[PRgal]

5 minutes ago, Dimity said:

I use celcius and metric for most stuff now but the two things that I can't go metric on are weight and height.  I just can't do it.

Even for baking?  I can't do that.  And definitely not for height/weight.

[Dimity]

1 minute ago, PRgal said:

Even for baking?  I can't do that.

I can do it if I have to but my stove is F and almost all my recipe books default to F as well.  

[Absolom]

It's 76 here in the sitting room and I'm starting to feel a wee bit warm.  I'll probably turn the ceiling fan on low for a couple of hours until it's cooler outside.  At 80 indoors I become non-functional without fans.

[Quof]

There is a distinct smell of feces in one side of my yard.  I have no dog, and haven't seen any dog waste anywhere in the yard.  There is definitely no sewer backup. After much sleuthing, I think it may be my neighbours' garbage can. Which is full of diapers. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

6 hours ago, PRgal said:

As for people taking their animals on their errands, a lot of them have service animals.  They aren't pets.  They're "working."  You don't have to be blind to have one.  Some have dogs help with their anxiety.

In the U.S., and as far as I can tell in Canada, as well, a service dog is defined as a dog trained to perform a task for a person with a disability.  A dog that helps someone with their anxiety would not qualify, and is probably at best an emotional support animal, which has none of the rights of service dogs to go wherever their owner goes. 

People with emotional support animals will claim it's a service dog, but they're lying, and jurisdictions in the U.S. are beginning to criminalize impersonating a service dog because of the rampant abuse. 

[PRgal]

9 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

In the U.S., and as far as I can tell in Canada, as well, a service dog is defined as a dog trained to perform a task for a person with a disability.  A dog that helps someone with their anxiety would not qualify, and is probably at best an emotional support animal, which has none of the rights of service dogs to go wherever their owner goes. 

People with emotional support animals will claim it's a service dog, but they're lying, and jurisdictions in the U.S. are beginning to criminalize impersonating a service dog because of the rampant abuse. 

Though you definitely can (in Ontario, anyway) get a service dog for epilepsy.  And for the most part, the general public can’t tell whether a person has epilepsy or not.

https://epilepsyontario.org/living-with-epilepsy/service-dogs/

 

[EtheltoTillie]

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I just got back from Nova Scotia and it was BEAUTIFUL, with highs at just around 70 degrees the whole time I was there. I wish I could go back and spend the rest of the Summer there!  

A photo of downtown Halifax by the water. That's JK Rowling's yacht, BTW!

The photo is not showing up. 

[Yeah No]

5 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

The photo is not showing up. 

That's weird, it uploaded OK and I see it on my end. I'll try again.🤷‍♀️

Halifax by the water. That's JK Rowling's yacht, BTW.

[EtheltoTillie]

I would find it annoying to switch to metric, as I’d have to learn new mental pictures for speed, distance, height, weight, temperature, food quantities, etc., the things that inform every moment of the day. I suppose you’d have to do mental conversions until you got used to it. Like learning a new language. Or learning to drive on the left if you’ve never lived in the UK. It’s easy enough to just use metric without conversions, but the mind forms habits. 

[supposebly]

It takes some time and although Canada is metric on paper you find lots of areas where it isn't, partly because of tradition and partly because many products we have are primarily for the American market. People's height and weight, for example. Tools, sizes in construction, the temp on my thermostat and stove is in Fahrenheit. It's a bit like being bilingual. I don't know exactly what 23 degrees Fahrenheit is but it's close enough to Celsius as to not make a difference. Or I only know that I bake my bread at 430F and don't know in Celsius since it's an American recipe.

But like being bilingual, it's beneficial for brain health to have to switch between systems/languages.

Granted my English is better than my 'imperial'😉.

[Yeah No]

23 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I would find it annoying to switch to metric, as I’d have to learn new mental pictures for speed, distance, height, weight, temperature, food quantities, etc., the things that inform every moment of the day. I suppose you’d have to do mental conversions until you got used to it. Like learning a new language. Or learning to drive on the left if you’ve never lived in the UK. It’s easy enough to just use metric without conversions, but the mind forms habits. 

Decades ago, way back when we were supposedly going to try switching over to the metric system I found it too annoying so my later theory that if I were younger when the switch happened it would be easier to handle was disproved by my much younger self, LOL. I've driven in Ireland and the U.K. and I think I'd have an easier time adjusting to that for some reason!

13 minutes ago, supposebly said:

It takes some time and although Canada is metric on paper you find lots of areas where it isn't, partly because of tradition and partly because many products we have are primarily for the American market. People's height and weight, for example. Tools, sizes in construction, the temp on my thermostat and stove is in Fahrenheit. It's a bit like being bilingual. I don't know exactly what 23 degrees Fahrenheit is but it's close enough to Celsius as to not make a difference. Or I only know that I bake my bread at 430F and don't know in Celsius since it's an American recipe.

But like being bilingual, it's beneficial for brain health to have to switch between systems/languages.

Granted my English is better than my 'imperial'😉.

Perhaps it's beneficial, but perhaps it also depends on how much "math aversion" you suffer from. I was supposedly very good in math but actually had an aversion to a lot of it. It's not my favorite thing to do and I would rather not have to make such mental conversions on a regular basis. BTW, it took me years to separate my ability in math from my desire to do it. This is similar to math anxiety. People with math anxiety are not necessarily bad at math, it just causes them anxiety to engage in it! And I did suffer from some of that as well.

Also, I suspect that if the U.S. had pushed ahead with any kind of metric conversion it would have ended up much like it has in Canada with some things staying the way they were and others changing. BTW in the U.S. we seem to have kept the changeover in soft drink bottle sizes which are pretty much always in liters. We haven't seen soda in gallons for several decades. But gasoline is still sold by the gallon. Go figure.

[supposebly]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

it would have ended up much like it has in Canada with some things staying the way they were and others changing.

I think the main reason that it's so spotty is because so many things are manufactured in the US and then simply imported. I noticed especially in construction such as measurements for screws, holes. Even if the US would switch now, every handyman would need to know both for decades to come. 

[JustHereForFood]

Some people are so entitled about sharing their opinions on stuff that is none of their business. A week ago, I bought an amazing denim dress. As I was trying it on at the store, I stepped out of the fitting room to the aisle to see myself better in the big mirror there. Some older woman was walking past me and stared at me. I thought that she just wants to move to the other side, so I stepped aside to let her pass. She continued to stare at me, so I looked back at her, like Do you need something? She said "If I may say so, I don't like that dress on you." WTF? Who asked her? I was so surprised that I only managed an automatic response of "Well, I like it." Not even with the emphasis on "I", like "Bitch, only my opinion actually matters here", just a general "I like it" as if I needed to explain myself or something. She continued with something like "It doesn't have a sparkle." I kept silent and just went back to the fitting room. I hate it when I can't think of a comeback at the moment I need it. But seriously, would you expect a complete stranger to say something like that to you? 

BTW, that dress is gorgeous, I don't remember the last time I liked an item of clothing so much immediately. Plus, it was down from 59,99 EUR, which would be too much for me, to 35,99. Great purchase. I was petty enough that I hoped she would show up at the cash register as I was paying for it, so that she would see I did not care for her opinion, but she was still in the fitting rooms.

[isalicat]

2 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

But seriously, would you expect a complete stranger to say something like that to you? 

I do comment sometimes to random strangers, but always (and I mean always!) with a positive statement or a compliment, as I often hear about people who live alone or whatever and never hear a kind word throughout the day. I can't imagine saying something like that stranger did to you; its very much in the trope of "if you can't say anything nice....".

Pet peeve of the day: Its summer, but as with every summer here at the beach, it is now colder during the day than it often is in the winter as the inland heat has sucked all the beach fog on shore. I know I should not complain as it does this every year and if it were as hot as it is 10 miles inland I would *really* be moaning, but a little sunshine to do my gardening would be tremendously welcome.

[JustHereForFood]

2 hours ago, isalicat said:

I do comment sometimes to random strangers, but always (and I mean always!) with a positive statement or a compliment, as I often hear about people who live alone or whatever and never hear a kind word throughout the day. I can't imagine saying something like that stranger did to you; its very much in the trope of "if you can't say anything nice....".

Same. I don't like talking to strangers in general, but sometimes I have the urge to say something, but I only say it if it's positive. Recently, I told some woman in our office building that I like her dress. Maybe that is rude too, but at least it was something positive and she looked pleased even if slightly taken aback. And last week, when it finally rained for about two hours in the middle of this heat, I was told by another woman in our building that she really likes my umbrella (rainbow colored) and it made me happy. But it wouldn't cross my mind to tell someone to their face if I don't like somebody's appearance, even if I am judging it in my head sometimes. Everybody has a different style.

[chitowngirl]

She probably wanted the dress for herself and was hoping you were going to put it back on the rack 😉 

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

Some people are so entitled about sharing their opinions on stuff that is none of their business. A week ago, I bought an amazing denim dress. As I was trying it on at the store, I stepped out of the fitting room to the aisle to see myself better in the big mirror there. Some older woman was walking past me and stared at me. I thought that she just wants to move to the other side, so I stepped aside to let her pass. She continued to stare at me, so I looked back at her, like Do you need something? She said "If I may say so, I don't like that dress on you." WTF? Who asked her? I was so surprised that I only managed an automatic response of "Well, I like it." Not even with the emphasis on "I", like "Bitch, only my opinion actually matters here", just a general "I like it" as if I needed to explain myself or something. She continued with something like "It doesn't have a sparkle." I kept silent and just went back to the fitting room. I hate it when I can't think of a comeback at the moment I need it. But seriously, would you expect a complete stranger to say something like that to you? 

BTW, that dress is gorgeous, I don't remember the last time I liked an item of clothing so much immediately. Plus, it was down from 59,99 EUR, which would be too much for me, to 35,99. Great purchase. I was petty enough that I hoped she would show up at the cash register as I was paying for it, so that she would see I did not care for her opinion, but she was still in the fitting rooms.

Wow, that was some brass plated set right there.....

I guess she's that "crazy old woman without a filter" that we keep hearing about. I've honestly never had someone say something like that to me. I have asked people for their opinions but the worst I've ever heard back was "It's very nice but I think you can do better". And thank goodness, I don't know how I would have reacted if I were you. Shock, maybe.

5 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

She probably wanted the dress for herself and was hoping you were going to put it back on the rack 😉 

Or maybe she was jealous that she could never look that good in that dress!

[bluegirl147]

13 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

. Recently, I told some woman in our office building that I like her dress.

It always makes my day when a stranger compliments my clothes or purse or shoes or whatever.  Although a few months back while walking in a library of all places a young man said you look nice and I said thank you and then a woman with him followed me and said he thinks you are a MILF. I was taken aback and said I definitely am not.  I think it was meant to be complimentary but I didn't take it that way. I wasn't exactly insulted either.  It was just such a strange thing to be told. 

[Dimity]

48 minutes ago, bluegirl147 said:

Although a few months back while walking in a library of all places a young man said you look nice and I said thank you and then a woman with him followed me and said he thinks you are a MILF.

Aside from being strange and a huge none of her business anyway this kind of comment always ticks me off.  Are we never allowed to compliment someone of the opposite sex without it being assumed that we have an ulterior motive?

[Caoimhe]

On 7/14/2024 at 9:15 AM, supposebly said:

It takes some time and although Canada is metric on paper you find lots of areas where it isn't, partly because of tradition and partly because many products we have are primarily for the American market. People's height and weight, for example. Tools, sizes in construction, the temp on my thermostat and stove is in Fahrenheit. It's a bit like being bilingual. I don't know exactly what 23 degrees Fahrenheit is but it's close enough to Celsius as to not make a difference. Or I only know that I bake my bread at 430F and don't know in Celsius since it's an American recipe.

But like being bilingual, it's beneficial for brain health to have to switch between systems/languages.

Granted my English is better than my 'imperial'😉.

I prefer cooking with grams / milliliters and measuring ingredients on my food scale rather than using measuring cups. I can convert oven temperatures easily enough too but that’s the limit of my metric. Weight (ugh) I still think in stone / pounds or just pounds, height in feet and inches.  Everything to do with sewing and quilting is all inches, feet, and yards but my embroidery machine does metric so I have to swap back and forth between them to see if what I want to embroider will fit.  I think we figure out what we need to as it becomes useful!

Edited July 15 by Caoimhe

[Ohiopirate02]

26 minutes ago, Caoimhe said:

I prefer cooking with grams / milliliters and measuring ingredients on my food scale rather than using measuring cups. I can convert oven temperatures easily enough too but that’s the limit of my metric. Weight (ugh) I still think in stone / pounds or just pounds, height in feet and inches.  Everything to do with sewing and quilting is all inches, feet, and yards but my embroidery machine does metric so I have to swap back and forth between them to see if what I want to embroider will fit.  I think we figure out what we need to as it becomes useful!

I also prefer to cook, bake, and make cocktails using milliliters. I was a pharmacy technician for over a decade where the metric system reigns supreme because it has to. Milliliters and grams are finite, teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups are not. It's lodged in my brain for anything liquid. I'm not a huge fan of using grams for solids mostly because I am too lazy to invest in a scale and actually use it.