The little things that irk us so

The shop is rather full of customers. A catchy new song happily springs from the in-store stereo, and music lovers are leisurely flipping through the empty cases. The bargain bin, freshly repacked only a minute ago, is already a chaotic maelstrom of yesterday’s hits. I’m in a queue, clutching a CD, and inching closer to the pay point. I am nervous. A part of me is hoping that it will never reach the end of this queue. I already know the outcome. I try to think of of happier things, try to bully my mind away from mulling on the inevitable. My fingers leave damp prints on the crystal box, my gaze morbidly fleeting over its red clearance sale price of R99.99. Nine nine nine nine - symmetrical, palindromic, impossible.

It is my turn now. I receive a smile and a request for a club card. I offer neither. The poor girl seems totally oblivious off the dangerous, oxymoronic waters that we are about to enter. When did I become such a grouch? My purchase is now rung up. Pleasantly I am asked for ninety-nine, ninety-nine. I have no way of offering the requested amount. I tender a R 100 note. She has no way of offering change. I receive my CD, now neatly packed in a small bag, and a slip back. I check the slip, it says: Change R0.01. A cent that I will never own. Because such a coin doesn’t exist.

As always, I am overcome with the urge of insisting on my change. As always I don’t. As always I am miserable and disgusted about it for hours afterwards. It will be a while before I can enjoy this CD. It has been tainted.

Back home, the story of my anguish meets with a lot of eye-rolling from my unsympathetic loved ones. I am basically advised to “get a life” and that I am extremely fortunate if “that is the worst of" my problems. So, the standard set of answers, then. It’s all so hopeless! Can I possibly be the only person in the world who thinks this is horribly wrong! How can the price of any item be such that there is no way of paying for it, or offer change for it. Outrageous.

However, I flatter myself that my little neurosis is at least vaguely sensible when compared to that of my buddy, lets call him JC. He is just about the most level headed person you can meet, thoroughly enjoying the South African hallmarks of braaivleis, rugby, sunshine , M-net, brandy and deep sea fishing.

Now, I was not even aware, until JC pointed it out, that a roll of toilet paper may be inserted into its dispenser in one of two ways. But you can check this for yourself if you are skeptical ;): it can either be placed in a way that allows the roll to unwind away from the wall, or towards the wall. Most people either don’t know this, or don’t care, but JC flatly refuses to use toilet paper that has been loaded in such a fashion that it is running down next to the wall. He will neither simply flip the roll around, nor even touch that roll again, ever!

Welcome to the world of pet hates.

I think these quirks are by far the strangest and most interesting feature of our minds, and will probably be the last thing about human nature to be explained satisfactorily.

Mintaka.

It warms my heart to know that I am not alone ;D
I will turn the toilet paper around though - unless it’s a public toilet. They usually have the rolls sideways in those tamper proof dispensers. I don’t have any preference for clockwise or anti-clockwise… ::slight_smile:

BTW. Most supermarkets will round down to the nearest 5c, so if the total is R10.04 you only pay R10.00. Not sure if it will help alleviate your pain :wink:

BTW. Most supermarkets will round down to the nearest 5c, so if the total is R10.04 you only pay R10.00. Not sure if it will help alleviate your pain

Quite, but its not about the money, is it? A rounded figure, irrespective of whom it favours, somehow disrupts the balance and the aesthetics of the deal. The joy of contributing uncompromisingly to the perfect capitalist transaction, the very backbone of the western world, is lost. Don’t worry. Makes no sense to my rational centres either. :-\

Me too! If you stay in any half decent hotel they usually have the roll going away from the wall and fold the edges of the first underneath to form a point.

Don’t get me started on not putting the lid back on the toothpaste! :-X

Heh heh, everyone has something.

That reminds me that when I use selotape (sticky tape) or duct tape or something similar, I have to … have to fold the end back so that I can find it again. It doesn’t have to be a point but it must flap about. If I see someone else using tape and they finish using it but don’t fold it, I do it for them.

I cannot take it when I have to search and feel for the end of the tape next time. From there it’s down hill, I’m swearing, the tape tears in diagonals, leaving a long sliver of tape in my hand, the end I’m holding sticks to my other fingers …

Depending on the state of the tape at the beginning of the wrapping exercise, people will either get beautifully wrapped presents or stuff dumped into a gift bag.

James

im not to fussy about the toilet paper, but i do prefer away from the wall
selotape pisses me off no end if there is no flap.
I cant stand being screwed with the 1 or 2c thing either, my personal oppinion is that if you cant give me 1c in change rather adjust all the prices (inc VAT) to end on either a 5c or 0c boundary. It really isnt that hard to do.

my other pet peeve is subtitles, watching any TV show that has subtitles inevitably pisses me off, especially soapies. The complete wrongness that some shows pass off as an accurate translation really gets me. its even worse when they translate english into english subtitles …and still get it wrong

And we say the woo-woo lot is funny? I am so organised that when I need a screwdriver I have to go and buy one. Same for tape, so when you buy it, it usually have a flap and when I need it again it is long gone.

A quote I came across:
“Those who keep an organised desk will never know the joy of finding something you thought was irretrievably lost”

There is one pet hate though. Crap on the radio, or as they call it - Rap.

Mine? People who drive with fog lights on when there’s no reason for it. Fog lights are to be used in fog, or heavy rain. Anytime else is aganst the law dammit. And it’s bloody irritating. Every time I see it I’m tempted to sit on the guy’s ass and flash my brights. I usually resist though.

Queues.

Any queues.

Most especially queues where there are two-hundred-and-thirty-seven service counters and two-and-one-third clerks in attendance.

I get queue-fatigue.

Followed shortly by queue-rage.

'Queuethon64

Not so much as thing, but a saying that makes my blood boil - “Everything happens for a reason!”. Things happen, period. Applying a reason to it after the fact and saying that that was the reason it happened just drives me nuts!

Someone who calls him/herself an atheist but wont walk under a ladder, who touches wood when he sees an ambulance or some such stupidity…or use the word ‘believe’ when he means “know”.

Someone who calls him/herself an atheist but wont walk under a ladder, who touches wood when he sees an ambulance or some such stupidity....or use the word 'believe' when he means "know".
ATHEIST WANNABEES?? :o Who would've thought ?!

I just LOVE this site. I belong here! You’re my brothers and sisters! Have you ever tendered a debit card, entered you PIN and been asked to sign the slip as well? I mean, after you entered your PIN???
Armando.

If little things irk you there are possibly only two ways to deal with it. One way is to carry the baggage (accept and suffer) and the other way is to discard the baggage. Maybe a third way: kill the messenger ;D
Buddhist Psychology teaches you that you have a choice, either to entertain or to reject (all done mentally) any thought which resulted from a perception , or memory recall,and so to by-pass the resultant emotional feeling which it may trigger. Through mind control (voluntary evolution/creation) you can theoretically experience “heaven on earth”. But as incomplete self-created beings the majority of us go with the flow and we are inclined to entertain certain thoughts and amplify the resultant emotions.

Many years ago I saw the original Three Monkeys (in Japan): “See no evil; Hear no evil; and Speak no Evil” - well according to me they are applying the above principle, but only in a manual way.

But what about our manner of behaviour which might irritate other people? Here again I rely on Buddhist Psychology which teaches you to live mindfully. Through introspection and fine observation (consciousness) you will become aware what it is that you do, and the way you behave,which may upset other fellow human beings.

As you can deduce, I am not only a skeptic but I am inclined to look for answers and solutions.
I apologize for having preached to the converted! I am not religious!

Barryl

But what about our manner of behaviour which might irritate other people? Here again I rely on Buddhist Psychology which teaches you to live mindfully.

Hi Barryl, welcome to the forum. I agree with you, it basically boils down to respect, common sense and consideration for other people around you. Unfortunately, not many people think the same way.

Anyway, here’s a list of what irks me

  1. Queues, I will not stand in them and avoid them at all costs. Voting day was a trial.
  2. People who stand on top of me in a queue and who usually have a raging cold and who will insist on coughing and spluttering all over me.
  3. People on cellphones who find it necessary to share their conversation with everyone else around them.
  4. Toilet paper that has the first 6 layers glued down, making it impossible to lift the first layer without tearing up half the toilet roll in the process.
  5. Call centres, 'nuff said.
Not so much as thing, but a saying that makes my blood boil - "Everything happens for a reason!". Things happen, period. Applying a reason to it after the fact and saying that that was the reason it happened just drives me nuts!
Yeah one of the most freakin negative things to hear from a religious person :-\ and what about "if all goes well" said in a preacher like voice ugh killing me!!! What the heck, seems like they expect something to go wrong >:(
1. Queues, I will not stand in them and avoid them at all costs. Voting day was a trial. 2. People who stand on top of me in a queue and who usually have a raging cold and who will insist on coughing and spluttering all over me.

1.I also hate the Queuing thing,thats why the internet works so well, if only we could have used it voting :slight_smile:

  1. …coughing, spluttering or chewing all over me >:(
Through mind control (voluntary evolution/creation) you can theoretically experience "heaven on earth".
Barryl, kind of like “mind over matter”?

When getting on an international flight, how many times is it really necessary to search both me and all my luggage?

Surely once would suffice?

I guess it’s not THAT bad but when you’ve flown a couple of times in a short period, it reaaalllly gets to you.

Make a wee or do a wee? I have always said that you do a wee; your kidneys make a wee. :stuck_out_tongue:

Bubblegum. I’ve slapped strangers upside the head and made them spit it out before conversing with them. I knowingly inflicted psychological damage on my children when they were little by imprinting horrible images in their minds about chocking, getting worms and other (now) unimaginable horrors should they eat bubblegum. Neither can abide the stuff now, which suits me just fine.

There is nothing more disgusting than someone speaking whilst chewing that horrible piece of rubber with spit flying all over the place.

Second, tongue piercings, I’m generally a “whatever floats your boat” kind of person, but damn, those things impede your speech, and I’m far too impatient to attempt to listen to someone who willingly subjected themselves to a lisp.

Maybe I’m just an egoist but what pisses me off most is when I have to repeat myself in a conversation or when people float of into an imaginary world while you are speaking to them and then they say: “Sorry what’s that you were saying?” >:(