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

[Ancaster]

On 12/1/2024 at 9:06 AM, fairffaxx said:

Sez who?  I pretty much only use my cell phone to text people who prefer that method of communication & I don't do a lot of that, so I hardly ever know where the darn thing is.  My list, on the other hand, lives in my back pocket & is always with me.

That's you.  A lot (the majority?) of people these days always carry their cell phone and know where it is.  I hand write a list and take it with me, but also take a photo, because that slip of paper meanders around various resting spots during the course of a shopping trip - back pocket, shirt pocket, wallet, reusable bag, phone case, hand (!).  And that's if it ever made it out of the house.

Edited Yest. at 03:30 PM by Ancaster

[Ancaster]

People who only go to New Zealand because of Hobbiton.

I appreciate that this has been great for the economy, but I have spent decades dreaming of going to NZ because, well, it's New Zealand.  Now that I can finally afford to go I'm afraid my dream has been spoiled.

PS:  Any Kiwis out there?  Do you hate Hobbiton and the whole hoopla surrounding it, or do you love it?

Edited Yest. at 05:41 PM by Ancaster

[PRgal]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

People who only go to New Zealand because of Hobbiton.

I appreciate that this has been great for the economy, but I have spent decades dreaming of going to NZ because, well, it's New Zealand.  Now that I can finally afford to go I'm afraid my dream has been spoiled.

PS:  Any Kiwis out there?  Do you hate Hobbiton and the whole hoopla surrounding it, or do you love it?

Sounds like all those young ladies (mostly young ladies) and their moms who came from all over for the Taylor Swift concert last month.  But I guess Hobbiton is way worse/crazier!!!  

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

People who only go to New Zealand because of Hobbiton.

I appreciate that this has been great for the economy, but I have spent decades dreaming of going to NZ because, well, it's New Zealand.  Now that I can finally afford to go I'm afraid my dream has been spoiled.

PS:  Any Kiwis out there?  Do you hate Hobbiton and the whole hoopla surrounding it, or do you love it?

Hobbiton was a nice addition to the trip I'm currently on in NZ.  It was but a small part of my larger trip, although I was thrilled when I discovered it was an easy addition.  From what I can tell, people here are glad for all the tourism dollars -- several have actually thanked me for spending money on souvenirs/Christmas presents.  And it's pretty easy to avoid Hobbiton if you don't want to go.  Your dream shouldn't be spoiled by that.

ETA: It was interesting to me to know how many people visit Hobbiton who have absolutely no idea what they're seeing or why -- they've never read the books or seen the movies, but there they are.  One person on my tour asked me what Middle Earth was.  Our guide said someone on another tour asked him what a Hobbit was.  I completely understand why a fan would go (some people dress up as elves!), but why go if you don't even have a passing knowledge of it?

Edited 23 hours ago by Browncoat

[fastiller]

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

People who only go to New Zealand because of Hobbiton.

I appreciate that this has been great for the economy, but I have spent decades dreaming of going to NZ because, well, it's New Zealand.  Now that I can finally afford to go I'm afraid my dream has been spoiled.

PS:  Any Kiwis out there?  Do you hate Hobbiton and the whole hoopla surrounding it, or do you love it?

 

7 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Hobbiton was a nice addition to the trip I'm currently on in NZ.  It was but a small part of my larger trip, although I was thrilled when I discovered it was an easy addition.  From what I can tell, people here are glad for all the tourism dollars -- several have actually thanked me for spending money on souvenirs/Christmas presents.  And it's pretty easy to avoid Hobbiton if you don't want to go.  Your dream shouldn't be spoiled by that.

ETA: It was interesting to me to know how many people visit Hobbiton who have absolutely no idea what they're seeing or why -- they've never read the books or seen the movies, but there they are.  One person on my tour asked me what Middle Earth was.  Our guide said someone on another tour asked him what a Hobbit was.  I completely understand why a fan would go (some people dress up as elves!), but why go if you don't even have a passing knowledge of it?

It sounds like the various Game of Thrones filming locations in the North of Ireland.  Plenty of non-GoT fans on these tours who are like 'what's King's Landing and why should I care about it?'

 

[Dimity]

Damn postal strike.  Saw the perfect gift for my husband on Ebay and while I can order it now god knows when it will arrive.  I guess we can start a new tradition and start exchanging Easter gifts!

[oliviabenson]

58 minutes ago, Dimity said:

Damn postal strike.  Saw the perfect gift for my husband on Ebay and while I can order it now god knows when it will arrive.  I guess we can start a new tradition and start exchanging Easter gifts!

Exchange pics of gifts you are exchanging.

[Cloud9Shopper]

Strangers who try to be overly invasive with me or lecture me. As if I never get that from my family as it is.

I just got back from an overnight trip run by a local tour company. I was traveling solo. That does not bother me in and of itself, but pretty much every activity was with the entire group (i.e. meals with a menu where you had to make your choice when reserving the trip, similar to how you choose a meal when RSVPing for a wedding, plus we had two group tour) so I felt like an odd one out at times but not super uncomfortable. Until at lunch today when a lady who I met yesterday and will likely never see again admonished me “put your phone away; this is not a meal where we have our phones out.” OK Carol, well you are not my mother, and if I take a minute or two to look at my phone during a quiet part of the meal, who is really going to be offended? We’re not even getting off the bus in the same location, so maybe chill a little. I looked at my phone last night during dinner and the people with me didn’t seem offended. And if they were, then…again I will likely never see them after today. 

The rest of the trip was nice and I liked the food and activities fine. But, I think this whole “spend 95% of the time with the group” itinerary is not for me personally. I booked a solo cruise for next year and need the freedom a more independent vacation offers me, where I can pick where I want to eat and what activities I want to do and not necessarily have to do what someone else plans and decides for me. On a cruise if you don’t like one excursion or are not crazy about formal night in the dining room, for example, you have alternatives. That’s more my speed I think. 

The exception to this rule might be a day trip because at least then you’re only with the group for a few hours rather than having to eat multiple meals and then go with them all on a tour too. 

Edited 18 hours ago by Cloud9Shopper

[PRgal]

2 hours ago, Dimity said:

Damn postal strike.  Saw the perfect gift for my husband on Ebay and while I can order it now god knows when it will arrive.  I guess we can start a new tradition and start exchanging Easter gifts!

I have two orders sitting in a warehouse somewhere.  Purchased them before stores started changing their delivery methods.  

[TattleTeeny]

On 12/2/2024 at 11:02 AM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I do not trust any employee with an order that includes produce and meat. I have seen my local stores have products on the shelf that should not be sold too many times to trust anyone but me to select the correct one. From frozen bagged salad mixes to bruised apples to greyish looking beef that are all technically okay to sell, all of this could end up in your pick-up order. I know the employee does not care about getting me the best just the first one they lay their hands on before moving on to their next task.

If that happens, you just get a refund. Of course, then you have to go get it yourself, which totally defeats the purpose of not doing such a torturous chore. I don’t eat meat, so I’m not too worried about that, at least. And like any other business on the planet, some employees are good, others aren’t; I couldn’t summarily assume that none of them care. But yes, sometimes people are dumb.

[Ancaster]

I don't think cell phones calls/texts are ever appropriate at the table, whether at home or in a restaurant.  Excuse yourself and go to a quiet corner.

Why is it so hard to expect manners and not be dismissed as an old fart?

[Cloud9Shopper]

7 hours ago, Ancaster said:

I don't think cell phones calls/texts are ever appropriate at the table, whether at home or in a restaurant.  Excuse yourself and go to a quiet corner.

Why is it so hard to expect manners and not be dismissed as an old fart?

Because I paid for the trip just as much as these people did and can do as I please? It’s not the place of someone I’ve never met until two days ago and I’m not related to tell me how to act at the table. Especially since both of them took out their phones when they finished eating, so why was it OK for them to do it and not for me? 

I’ve had my phone away on plenty of other occasions, but a random traveler/stranger doesn’t get to tell me how to act. Now, if a tour guide says to turn your phone on silent or not take flash photos, I’ll comply. Or back home, I leave my phone in my purse during Thanksgiving dinner or make sure it’s silent during Mass. But when I’m traveling solo and know nobody, I will text at the meal table if I want to. If someone who I’m 98% likely to never see again thinks I’m rude, then so be it. 

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Cloud9Shopper

[Ohiopirate02]

10 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

If that happens, you just get a refund. Of course, then you have to go get it yourself, which totally defeats the purpose of not doing such a torturous chore. I don’t eat meat, so I’m not too worried about that, at least. And like any other business on the planet, some employees are good, others aren’t; I couldn’t summarily assume that none of them care. But yes, sometimes people are dumb.

Honestly, it's not that people are dumb. My experience working retail has taught me that the company expects too much from its employees and will not give them the time necessary to pull my order correctly. The whole system is set up for them to pick up the first item they see before scanning and moving on to the next while timing the employee down to the second to make sure they are pulling the order in the time the corporate managers who have never worked retail in their lives think a person can accomplish the task. Said time is calculated at the home office in their mock store that has zero customers in it and never has random pallets of merchandise in the aisles or vendors. 

The people are dumb is Instacart. 

[partofme]

11 hours ago, Ancaster said:

I don't think cell phones calls/texts are ever appropriate at the table, whether at home or in a restaurant.  Excuse yourself and go to a quiet corner.

Why is it so hard to expect manners and not be dismissed as an old fart?

I do agree that there are a lot of times where having a phone out at the table would be rude, but in the particular circumstance that @Cloud9Shopper  described, I don’t think these people were expecting her to have a conversation with them so I don’t really see a problem with her having her phone out unless she was specifically told in advance  by the organizers not to do this.

[Mrsmaul2021]

On 12/2/2024 at 11:02 AM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I do not trust any employee with an order that includes produce and meat. I have seen my local stores have products on the shelf that should not be sold too many times to trust anyone but me to select the correct one. From frozen bagged salad mixes to bruised apples to greyish looking beef that are all technically okay to sell, all of this could end up in your pick-up order. I know the employee does not care about getting me the best just the first one they lay their hands on before moving on to their next task.

 

 

OMG this is too true!  When I order through Instacart I am almost always cheated when it comes to meat and produce(mainly meat). I simply go to the store when I need either.  Frankly I go to the store period because Instacart price gouges. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Mrsmaul2021

[Caoimhe]

3 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I’ve had my phone away on plenty of other occasions, but a random traveler/stranger doesn’t get to tell me how to act. Now, if a tour guide says to turn your phone on silent or not take flash photos, I’ll comply. Or back home, I leave my phone in my purse during Thanksgiving dinner or make sure it’s silent during Mass. But when I’m traveling solo and know nobody, I will text at the meal table if I want to. If someone who I’m 98% likely to never see again thinks I’m rude, then so be it. 

My phone is my Emotional Support Device and if I’m in a group of strangers I *WILL* take it out whenever I like (unless there’s a good reason, not a strange Karen at the table trying to police my behaviour). I’d have been kicking myself for hours afterward thinking of all the comebacks that horrid woman deserved that I couldn’t think of on the spot. Like you I don’t use my phone during meals with family or friends, at events, or when directed not to for a specific reason.

Many years ago we went on a trip like that and everyone was shocked to find we were all supposed to eat dinner together! One person (a woman on her own) got up and walked out, found a local restaurant to have a peaceful dinner at, and by the next night it was sorted and  she got her own table. I admired her for that!

[TattleTeeny]

I have had only the best luck with Instacart! I love it! And sometimes, with my regular grocery ordering, I get the store employee who is vegan -- she is the best too! She knows not to sub my fake burgers with actual ones (yup, it happened...ironically, in the same order in which they gave me NO paper towels instead of just picking a different type than the out-of-stock one I originally chose).

[Cloud9Shopper]

1 hour ago, partofme said:

I do agree that there are a lot of times where having a phone out at the table would be rude, but in the particular circumstance that @Cloud9Shopper  described, I don’t think these people were expecting her to have a conversation with them so I don’t really see a problem with her having her phone out unless she was specifically told in advance  by the organizers not to do this.

We were at a restaurant with a banquet room when this happened, as the tour company reserved the room for lunch. It was the last organized part of the trip before we were to board the bus for home and nobody was going to be giving a speech or presentation to the group that required full attention and silencing phones. This wasn’t like we were all going to Jane’s house for lunch and Jane requested that we not bring our phones to the table. The lady who admonished me was another traveler who I’d never met until the trip, not the owner of the restaurant or someone who was opening her home to 50 strangers and wanted us to follow her rules. 

[fastiller]

On 12/2/2024 at 11:02 AM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I do not trust any employee with an order that includes produce and meat. I have seen my local stores have products on the shelf that should not be sold too many times to trust anyone but me to select the correct one. From frozen bagged salad mixes to bruised apples to greyish looking beef that are all technically okay to sell, all of this could end up in your pick-up order. I know the employee does not care about getting me the best just the first one they lay their hands on before moving on to their next task.

=&=

2 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Honestly, it's not that people are dumb. My experience working retail has taught me that the company expects too much from its employees and will not give them the time necessary to pull my order correctly. The whole system is set up for them to pick up the first item they see before scanning and moving on to the next while timing the employee down to the second to make sure they are pulling the order in the time the corporate managers who have never worked retail in their lives think a person can accomplish the task. Said time is calculated at the home office in their mock store that has zero customers in it and never has random pallets of merchandise in the aisles or vendors. 

The people are dumb is Instacart. 

 

Emphasis mine. A while back Amazon (which I do buy from, yes, but even so) had on their trucks something along the lines of: "Pick Two: Low Prices / Quick Delivery".  Like, saying they offer both.  Which they do.  I've wanted to add under it "Working Conditions Conducive to Employee Health & Well Being" but don't have a sharpie/spray paint with me all the time.

 

1 hour ago, Caoimhe said:

My phone is my Emotional Support Device and if I’m in a group of strangers I *WILL* take it out whenever I like (unless there’s a good reason, not a strange Karen at the table trying to police my behaviour). I’d have been kicking myself for hours afterward thinking of all the comebacks that horrid woman deserved that I couldn’t think of on the spot. Like you I don’t use my phone during meals with family or friends, at events, or when directed not to for a specific reason.

Many years ago we went on a trip like that and everyone was shocked to find we were all supposed to eat dinner together! One person (a woman on her own) got up and walked out, found a local restaurant to have a peaceful dinner at, and by the next night it was sorted and  she got her own table. I admired her for that!

Emphasis mine (again).  My best friend -a woman I cannot recall meeting, like I've known her literally* my entire life- is named Karen. One of our joint pet peeves is how her name has been assigned this crappy connotation.  (Not calling you out specifically @Caoimhe, just in general.)

*correct usage here; we grew up with one house between her house and mine.  

[Mrsmaul2021]

1 hour ago, partofme said:

I do agree that there are a lot of times where having a phone out at the table would be rude, but in the particular circumstance that @Cloud9Shopper  described, I don’t think these people were expecting her to have a conversation with them so I don’t really see a problem with her having her phone out unless she was specifically told in advance  by the organizers not to do this.

 

 

Exactly, My thing is, people may not like it but if you see a person doing it, who cares? If they are not bothering anybody, disrupting anything, what is the big deal, why say anything to that person at all??  For all we know, IT COULD have been an emergency. 

[Dimity]

On 12/3/2024 at 12:40 PM, Ancaster said:

People who only go to New Zealand because of Hobbiton.

I appreciate that this has been great for the economy, but I have spent decades dreaming of going to NZ because, well, it's New Zealand.  Now that I can finally afford to go I'm afraid my dream has been spoiled.

I'm not understanding you here.  How has your trip been spoiled?  To be honest I have no idea what Hobbiton is but why does its existence impact you?

17 minutes ago, Mrsmaul2021 said:

Exactly, My thing is, people may not like it but if you see a person doing it, who cares? If they are not bothering anybody, disrupting anything, what is the big deal, why say anything to that person at all??  For all we know, IT COULD have been an emergency. 

To me it's like reading a book at the table.  I'd never do this if I was dining out with friends or family but if I'm alone?  Hells yes.  Best part of going solo IMO, getting to read uninterrupted while eating a meal someone else cooked!

[fastiller]

14 minutes ago, Dimity said:

To me it's like reading a book at the table.  I'd never do this if I was dining out with friends or family but if I'm alone?  Hells yes.  Best part of going solo IMO, getting to read uninterrupted while eating a meal someone else cooked!

One of my favourite things to do is go out for dinner on my own with a good book.  Preferably if I can sit & eat at the bar & it's lit well enough.  There's a hipster-ish Vietnamese place near me where I'll do this once or twice a month (during the summer it's pretty much every Friday night after my swim) where they know me enough to gauge how much interaction I'm wanting with the bar staff. Their cocktails are lovely and their phở is as well.