Things That Annoy Me, But Shouldn't

Don't know about writing, but most of the womens' tears I've encountered in real life were an attempt to manipulate me in some way (too cynical?).

 

Maybe you're hanging out with the wrong women.

 

Ha! No doubt about that, but you'd think I would have run into a couple of honest ones along the way.

 

Maybe the honest ones see you and run for the hills?

 

I'd guess they do, but a cheery goodbye would not be amiss.

 

Maybe you're just not seeing that single finger waving?

 

Damn. Here we are on the eve of the beginning of the football season, and I've realized that Netflix, et. al. have ruined me for regular television. I just can't sit through the commercials anymore.

 

and here I am with a basic Hulu subscription
At least there seem to be fewer ads, but they’re so repetitive. They showed me the same AIDS drug ad three times in a single sitcom episode.

 

Yeah, I realized quickly that Hulu is just regular TV, but with fewer ads (though often more annoying). I'll watch ads or I'll pay you a monthly fee, but not both.

 

My favourite tactic to suppress the influence of ads is to turn off the sound and look at something else for the duration of the ad. But these days ads just piss me off and I usually will just stop using the medium if the ads are too intrusive or unskippable.

I used to remember growing up ads were OK (roughly 5 minutes 3 times an hour in non government sponsored channel like bbc), but nowadays on TV they are 10 minutes every 15 minutes and every channel seems to sync their ads so you cannot avoid one by skipping to the other. It drives me nuts. I just don't watch tv anymore.

Edit: but this reminds me of the black mirror episode where you cannot stop cycling or watch ads because it just waits for you to open your eyes again. Ugh.

 

It’s like I’ve written that! Sums me up to a tee. The beauty of Sky is a service called ‘Catch up’ in which most programmes are available to download to your box, and when they’re downloaded (as opposed to recorded or watched live) the ads are conveniently edited out.

 

Hulu has ads? That definitely makes one decision for me.

 

• Strangers who use terms of endearment when addressing me. Honey, Darlin', Sweetie, and the like should be reserved for their Honey, Sweetie, Darlin' and the like.
• Being called Young Man anywhere, anytime. That is what my Mother said when I was in Dutch and about to face retribution for my actions or lack thereof.
• Being asked or required to provide personal information when there is no benefit to me. Seriously, will my name, address, email address, phone number or any other information guarantee a better haircut or just give you a new avenue for advertising? Shoes that fit? Better whatever it is your selling?

Oh, yeah, people like me who can find something wrong with just about everything.

 

I would exempt middle-aged waitresses in diners from the 'no Honey' rule.

Back in the day, Radio Shack all but required a complete personal dossier before they would sell you a battery.

 

Bless your heart, honey, don't you worry your sweet head about that. I bet you've got fine qualities you're just keeping under a bushel basket out of modesty.

 

Sanctimonious airline executives who go on television and sob about 'souls lost' when one of their planes goes down. A second before impact, they were nothing but 'seats filled' to you people.

 

I remember those days. I used to frequent the store that used to be in Virginia Beach, VA when I was stationed at Little Creek. First couple times I gave fictitious information, but got tired of it and started asking if they'd give the product for free if I gave 'em my name.

Clerk: Of course not. That's silly.
Me: Maybe, but you have no need of any of that information to sell me this battery. so, ring it up, I'll pay for it and we'll both be happy.
Clerk: I can't do that.
Me: You choose not to do it. <toss item towards the back of the store and walk out>

I was stationed there almost three years and really did frequent that store. Half the time they lost the sale, half the time the clerk saw the folly of losing the sale, but they always asked.

Stores there always wanted my phone number on personal checks. Once I asked what they did with it and the clerk had no idea. So they always got a number - Police department's, local restaurant, even that store's number if I thought to get it before checking out.

 

50/50 sounds about right. Half of the RS employees saw the stupidity for what it was. Like retail today, the employee turnover at those stores was enormous.

Spent some great weekends in Virginia Beach when I was at Lejeune.

 

depends on the subscription

 

TTAMBS: Overuse of the word "authentic." I am as sick of the word "authentic" as I once was of the word "powerful," particularly when used to describe art and literature.

 

I think that Miranda Otto's portrayal was what Peter Jackson et al wanted, perhaps to get teen-age girls invested in the character. I agree that it was a mistake. I always thought that Eowyn should have been played by Uma Thurman or perhaps a younger version of Brigitte Nielsen... a woman who left no doubt that she could hold her own in a fight.

 

online searches that help you find keywords by analyzing terms you input, only to come up with simple subdivisions you could think yourself up.

 

Manufacturers of electrical goods who assemble their products with screws that no one has the driver for. I decided to try and clean out my toaster, after a friend’s suggestion of lying it on its side to make cheese on toast went very wrong, and what screws have they used to secure the bottom plate? Screws with fucking triangle heads, that’s what!!

I mean god forbid we should fix the thing ourselves, rather than buy another one of your shitty overpriced toasters!!

 

Given the number of people out there these days who could electrocute themselves with a Hacky-Sack, I think that's probably a sensible corporate defense against lawsuits.

 

Thin the herd, I say.