What little things drive you completely up the wall....?

[mmswm]

A new one...

I woke up and jumped in the pool at 6AM.  I was being kinda lazy and the swim suit I wore this morning has bottoms that look like little shorts, so I just threw a t-shirt over the top and went about my day (housecleaning and such).  At 2pm, I finally decided to get a shower and put real clothes on because I needed to go to the grocery store.  No sooner do I step out of the shower than my youngest son decides that he wants to go swimming.  Because of his bone issues, somebody has to be in the pool with him, and my father was working on his truck and had my oldest son helping him, so I was the only choice.  I really didn't want to get back into the pool, but he was so heartbroken (and the water exercise is good for him), that I put my swim suit back on.  What drives me nuts is couldn't he have decided sometime in the previous 8 hours, when I was wearing my swim suit, that he wanted to swim?  Ugh.

[TeamBhakta]

When you're in a discussion, and people insist on answering you as if you said something you didn't say (i.e., a strawman argument).

Example:  Two jobs are being compared.  One is exceptionally common (say, widget polishers) and the other is exceptionally uncommon (say, world-class whatsis jugglers).  The argument is made that the world-class whatsis jugglers (or WCWJs) are overpaid as compared to the widget polishers.  When it's pointed out that there are literally a thousand widget polishers for every WCWJ, they argue the position of "well, it's not like just anyone can be a widget polisher!  That's a trained job!"

Well, yes, that's true.  On the other hand, no one said that.  What was said is that some people are paid more because they do a job that has fewer people that can perform it.  That's simple supply and demand, yes?

Has discourse gotten so stripped down that we can't even agree to argue the actual point being made anymore?

I feel like this whenever someone says "100 years from now (topic at hand) won't matter, why discuss it ever" or "Who cares about (whatever topic at hand). There are people dying / starving / turning into giant blueberries in Willy Wonka's factory."

[Amava]

When you're in a discussion, and people insist on answering you as if you said something you didn't say (i.e., a strawman argument).

Example:  Two jobs are being compared.  One is exceptionally common (say, widget polishers) and the other is exceptionally uncommon (say, world-class whatsis jugglers).  The argument is made that the world-class whatsis jugglers (or WCWJs) are overpaid as compared to the widget polishers.  When it's pointed out that there are literally a thousand widget polishers for every WCWJ, they argue the position of "well, it's not like just anyone can be a widget polisher!  That's a trained job!"

Well, yes, that's true.  On the other hand, no one said that.  What was said is that some people are paid more because they do a job that has fewer people that can perform it.  That's simple supply and demand, yes?

Has discourse gotten so stripped down that we can't even agree to argue the actual point being made anymore?

I think this is because many people see a discussion as a contest that needs to be "won" rather than as an opportunity to learn from each other.
They are more interested in proving themselves right than in actually listening to the others and learning from them.
And that is sad.

[hobish]

When you're in a discussion, and people insist on answering you as if you said something you didn't say (i.e., a strawman argument).

Example:  Two jobs are being compared.  One is exceptionally common (say, widget polishers) and the other is exceptionally uncommon (say, world-class whatsis jugglers).  The argument is made that the world-class whatsis jugglers (or WCWJs) are overpaid as compared to the widget polishers.  When it's pointed out that there are literally a thousand widget polishers for every WCWJ, they argue the position of "well, it's not like just anyone can be a widget polisher!  That's a trained job!"

Well, yes, that's true.  On the other hand, no one said that.  What was said is that some people are paid more because they do a job that has fewer people that can perform it.  That's simple supply and demand, yes?

Has discourse gotten so stripped down that we can't even agree to argue the actual point being made anymore?

I feel like this whenever someone says "100 years from now (topic at hand) won't matter, why discuss it ever" or "Who cares about (whatever topic at hand). There are people dying / starving / turning into giant blueberries in Willy Wonka's factory."

You know now when Gish and our friend Che get into one of their hours long debates i am going to have to tell them people are turning into giant blueberries in Willy Wonka's factory and they should be more concerned with that.

[Piratelvr1121]

What's a gal got to do in order to get a copy of the family tree from relatives?  One of my dad's cousins researched the family tree years ago when I was still a teenager.  Having a great deal of interest in my family tree, I've asked a few times since then if I could have a look see.   At first it was my dad saying "Oh yeah, I'll talk to my cousin and get a copy..."

Recently I saw on fbook the name of a pub in County Cork that bears the same name as my paternal grandmother's maiden name.  And an uncle said that side of the family actually was from Cork and oh yes, I'll get you a copy of the family tree!

Nada. Zilch.   At this rate my wild imagination is giving me all these fun reasons why my family doesn't want me to see our genealogy.  Either that or the family is just cursed with a bad memory and I'm trying to figure out a tactful way of saying "Yo, uncle, what's a gal gatta do to get her little hands on her Irish heritage?"

Yeah sure I could try to find it out myself but all I've really got are bits and pieces and a few names, vague dates and every time I've tried asking around about more details I hear "Oh let me get a copy of the tree from cousin for you!" and it never happens.  It's hard to research an apparently common Irish surname when it's been misspelled and apparently there are several by that surname through the eastern seaboard and some of the midwest when you get some relatives saying "Oh well grandpa came over in 1900 at age 20" while others say "He was 16 when he came over but I don't remember what year it was...somewhere around 1900." And oh, his name's either John or Sean. 

[magicdomino]

Would it be easier to get the cousin's contact info?

[Piratelvr1121]

I just might, once I get back from my trip.  Go direct to the source, if possible.

[turtleIScream]

We have been having beautiful, summer like weather here - temps in the 80's all week. Until today. It started in the 40's and might make it to 55. Maybe. We are also in the midst of a basement renovation. Today was the day the HVAC subcontractor came and was installing new ductwork, requiring the furnace to be off. Brrrr.

[Piratelvr1121]

My 18 month old is usually a great napper.  All it takes is to put him in his crib somewhere between 11 and noon, give him his binkie and tuck him in and I have peace and quiet for about 2 hours.   Same with bedtime only for 8 hours.  Last night he did NOT want to go to sleep until he got something to drink.  Today it's nonstop babbling and whining. 

I think he senses that something's about to happen in the next few days, is picking up on our excitement.  I'm also kicking myself because he was asleep when I brought him inside once we got home from our grocery trip.  I should have just plunked him in his crib then as he only barely woke up. But no, I had to be an idiot and plunk him in his chair for lunch.   

[TeamBhakta]

When the restaurant e-newsletters I receive advertise "come to our restraurant chain for a nice hot bowl of soup!" No thank you to steaming hot soup in Florida in April or May. 

[Cami]

What's a gal got to do in order to get a copy of the family tree from relatives?  One of my dad's cousins researched the family tree years ago when I was still a teenager.  Having a great deal of interest in my family tree, I've asked a few times since then if I could have a look see.   At first it was my dad saying "Oh yeah, I'll talk to my cousin and get a copy..."

Recently I saw on fbook the name of a pub in County Cork that bears the same name as my paternal grandmother's maiden name.  And an uncle said that side of the family actually was from Cork and oh yes, I'll get you a copy of the family tree!

Nada. Zilch.   At this rate my wild imagination is giving me all these fun reasons why my family doesn't want me to see our genealogy.  Either that or the family is just cursed with a bad memory and I'm trying to figure out a tactful way of saying "Yo, uncle, what's a gal gatta do to get her little hands on her Irish heritage?"

Yeah sure I could try to find it out myself but all I've really got are bits and pieces and a few names, vague dates and every time I've tried asking around about more details I hear "Oh let me get a copy of the tree from cousin for you!" and it never happens.  It's hard to research an apparently common Irish surname when it's been misspelled and apparently there are several by that surname through the eastern seaboard and some of the midwest when you get some relatives saying "Oh well grandpa came over in 1900 at age 20" while others say "He was 16 when he came over but I don't remember what year it was...somewhere around 1900." And oh, his name's either John or Sean.

On the reverse side, my dh is the family genealogist and what drives him up the wall is someone asking for a copy of the family tree, which prints out to 320 pages, and then balking when dh asks for money for printing/postage. He started to ask for repayment when he kept printing/mailing these huge documents out and then discovered later that every single person had looked at it, then thrown it out. It was amazing how once he started asking for $5 for printing/postage, all of a sudden, people didn't need that family tree any more.

[Piratelvr1121]

Well I'd be more than willing to pay for the information if the relative requests it, honestly.   If money for postage had reached my ears I would have no problem with that at all.   If it was more than I could afford at the moment I'd let them know I'd need time to save up but would be sending it along when I could.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Facebook.

Specifically, that so many games want you sign in through Facebook.  No, Sims Freeplay, just NO.

[Piratelvr1121]

TV shows where the character's dwellings and furnishings do not match up with their supposed incomes.   When I've caught the show "Friends" in reruns I've watched it and thought "How in the world are they affording these nice apartments on their salaries?"  Especially when you rarely saw them actually working, and most of the time they just sat around Monica and Rachel's apartment, or in Central Perk. 

Either that or rent in NYC isn't as expensive as I'm imagining it to be.

[StarDrifter]

TV shows where the character's dwellings and furnishings do not match up with their supposed incomes.   When I've caught the show "Friends" in reruns I've watched it and thought "How in the world are they affording these nice apartments on their salaries?"  Especially when you rarely saw them actually working, and most of the time they just sat around Monica and Rachel's apartment, or in Central Perk. 

Either that or rent in NYC isn't as expensive as I'm imagining it to be.

With Monica's apartment, that was actually lampshaded in the first season - the apartment was originally Monica's grandmothers, and rent controlled- Toots might be able to expand on that but my understanding is that rent controlled apartments have *really* low rents compared to 'regular' rental places.

That and it was a sixth-floor walk-up (no elevator in the building... remember Ross screaming about how they had to 'Pivot! PIVOT!' with that dang sofa?) also the boys' apartment across the hall was much smaller than Monica's. Besides that, Chandler's job is never actually named, other than the fact that he works in a 'cube farm' very little is known about his occupation, so he might actually make a decent salary. Though how Joey survived is anyone's guess... perhaps his Mama helped out a lot? Wasn't he the only boy in a family of girls, or the youngest? Either way, he was probably a bit spoiled...