You know what really grinds my gears.......
Posted by shelloid on Oct 04, 2009 · Member since Nov 2006 · 4427 posts
Ok so maybe I'm just a weirdo, but there's silly little things that really bug me for no apparent reason - what about the rest of you? Is there any little thing that really annoys you, but probably shouldn't that much?
Ok I'll start:
I hate it when peolpe jiggle their legs up and down when they're sitting down. Some people will do this continually and I HATE IT. There's no logic to my annoyance but it really bugs me.
It also bugs me when women put their make up on on public transport - just wake up earlier if you want to wear it - and don't give people dirty looks when they stare at you.
when people show off about stupid not-worth-showing-off about things. Really like who gives a poop.
THIS. Or they exagerrate the importance/difficulty of whatever they do, like it can only be done by a Special Little Group of Anointed People, of whom you are most definitely not one. It's bad enough on a cooking blog, but when you have to listen to it in person it's very hard not to make gag-me faces where they can see you.
My dad's sister and her family do this ALL. THE. TIME. They also feel the need to mention the brand name of everything...like it's not "my car," it's "my BMW".
A friend of mine used to talk about his BMW and Mercedes all. the. time. (They were both bought used and were older models.) I, in response, talked about "my Tercel".
I call my car "my Camry" all the time, but it's a Camry, and his name is Camry.
edit: PS. mirrya1 - You are now SFB. :)
What did I do to deserve this honor?
Costco sample people. they seem to make their shopping route according to the free lunch they are getting. they are very slow, and seem to have blinders on to prevent them from see anyone that is on a steady normal path to buy shit and get out. makes me want to stop and say, ohhhhh you were going for that chicken nugget... yeah, pretty grissly, might want to go for the chicken stock on the other side of the store, just to keep them out of my way.
Costco sample people.
OMG, yes. But what about the sample servers?! Don't you just want to smack the tootsie rolls out of these sorry-colored jolly ranchers?! Lately, when they follow me down an aisle - yes, they are getting more agreessive these ones - and catch up to me to show me some piece of under/over cooked animal part with cheese dripping off, I will bend their ear with the 15 bazillion reasons I would not possibly stick that in my mouth. They turn away mid-rant and take two slumping steps, but then are back to their chipper walk straight away. I do not want your cruelty filled gimmick food, LEAVE ME ALONE!
WGMG: Recipes that includes things such as "freshly ground black pepper" or "organic ___" - people who grind pepper and eat organic will do it by course, for the other people the recipe is pretentious.
well, i think that black pepper is a lot more pungent when freshly ground vs the pre-ground stuff. I AM PRETENTIOUS.
but i get what you're saying, esp about organic. Organic doesn't necessarily taste better, and even if it does to the author, that might just be their region, or its locally grown, or a small farm, etc. If the recipe requires something particularly delicious, I'd probably write "very ripe, juicy tomatoes" or just go lazy and say "1lb delicious tomatoes". You'd get the idea.
My sisters!!! Hello I carried my son for 9 months not you!!!!!! Why is it that they can't keep there views and opinions to themselves? Wouldn't it be nice for me to make decisions since he is my son!!! As if he's going to die because he needs "real meat". What the heck I'm not the one with a 105 pound 6 yr old. If I said he's not going to McDonalds he's not going. If your kids wats to od on chicken nuggets let her. My son is not going to go and thats that!!!!
it's your child not theirs, and you are doing the right thing... congrats to you on developing healthy tastes for your child that will stick for life... go against the grain, or you can follow the crowd and end up obese dying from diet related diseases :) glad to see you back as well <3
WGMG: Recipes that includes things such as "organic ___" - people who eat organic will do it by course, for the other people the recipe is pretentious.
ya i think that's a bit snobbish as well... an carrot is a carrot, while organic is better, i don't think you need to specify
well, i think that black pepper is a lot more pungent when freshly ground vs the pre-ground stuff. I AM PRETENTIOUS.
but i get what you're saying, esp about organic. Organic doesn't necessarily taste better, and even if it does to the author, that might just be their region, or its locally grown, or a small farm, etc. If the recipe requires something particularly delicious, I'd probably write "very ripe, juicy tomatoes" or just go lazy and say "1lb delicious tomatoes". You'd get the idea.
Fresh-ground pepper is the only kind you can get here, as in they only sell whole peppercorns. Which means grinding a teaspoon of pepper is a bummer and a bore unless you have a coffee grinder. (What? You use your grinder only for COFFEE? What's the matter with you? :-D)
My problem with "organic" produce is that at least here it often isn't. They slap the "Eco" or "Bio" label on it, and up the price x3, and then you may hear about that same company buying their veggies or whatever on the open market--not organic at all.
They've become so territorial at an administrative level that they've co-opted the syllables "Eco" and "Bio!" My fruit shop used to be called "Ecofrutas" (Ecofruits) but "Eco" was short for "Economical" (ie low-priced). They've been forced by the provincial govt to change the name of the store because apparently now "Eco" only means "Ecological"--ie organic. Bio, same thing, since in Spanish instead of saying "organico" they say "biologico".
I call my car "my Camry" all the time, but it's a Camry, and his name is Camry.
That's different. The car thing was probably a bad example, because a lot of people (including DH and I) do that to specify the car they're talking about. My aunt's family just do it to show off, and they do it with EVERYTHING. Like, "I can't find my Oakley sunglasses," or "Let me grab my Prada purse." It's so superficial and irritating.
WGMG: Recipes that includes things such as "freshly ground black pepper" or "organic ___" - people who grind pepper and eat organic will do it by course, for the other people the recipe is pretentious.
I hate it when that happens...organic produce is so expensive / impossible to get in NZ, so I just have to bypass those recipes that state 'organic ____'. I mean, imagine the horror of making the same recipe with non-organic stuff *gasp*
People who cheat and get in line in front of you!!! I think they're called 'crowders'?
This happened to me the other day, during my lunch half-hour, wherein I had no lunch with me so I had to go buy something from the mall attached to my supermarket. So I was waiting in the not-very-queuey queue to buy my food, and I saw an elderly couple move in from the side. I knew what they were gonna do as soon as I saw them, and silently muttered "Don't you f'n dare!" But after a few other people were served, yeah, they did it. I glared as hard as I could... but I wish I could have brought myself to say, as I walked away past them, "NOBODY LIKES A QUEUE-JUMPER." I just... don't speak my mind that way, as much as I want to.
well, i think that black pepper is a lot more pungent when freshly ground vs the pre-ground stuff. I AM PRETENTIOUS.
but i get what you're saying, esp about organic. Organic doesn't necessarily taste better, and even if it does to the author, that might just be their region, or its locally grown, or a small farm, etc. If the recipe requires something particularly delicious, I'd probably write "very ripe, juicy tomatoes" or just go lazy and say "1lb delicious tomatoes". You'd get the idea.
ME TOO. I strongly recommend the freshly ground version, in recipes or in conversation. Some people might not know how good it is if I don't suggest it. Okay, maybe not, but I can't help but recommend it. :P
Organics, well, there I pick and choose what's worth the extra cost - and with pepper, it's not like the conventional stuff is lacking in flavour, for goodness sake! I loves me some pepper. Must be my first-equal favourite spice. :)>>>
People who cheat and get in line in front of you!!! I think they're called 'crowders'?
This happened to me the other day, during my lunch half-hour, wherein I had no lunch with me so I had to go buy something from the mall attached to my supermarket. So I was waiting in the not-very-queuey queue to buy my food, and I saw an elderly couple move in from the side. I knew what they were gonna do as soon as I saw them, and silently muttered "Don't you f'n dare!" But after a few other people were served, yeah, they did it. I glared as hard as I could... but I wish I could have brought myself to say, as I walked away past them, "NOBODY LIKES A QUEUE-JUMPER." I just... don't speak my mind that way, as much as I want to.
This happened this morning with DH and me in the supermarket. This woman stepped right in front of DH in the queue, almost elbowing him out of the way! He pulled up and gave her "the stare" but she wasn't looking, seein' as how she's alone in the universe, and the centre of it!!
The great thing was, an employee saw it happen, opened a new till and let my husband get first in line before he made the announcement. She had to wait behind 3 other people, so taking cuts didn't help her a bit.
ETA: Re: pepper, actually some brands of ground pepper have some kind of flavour enhancers added, so they taste stronger than the kind you grind yourself. I have this on good authority from a man who deals in spices etc. Cinnamon, paprika, etc, same thing. That's why ground cinnamon has a much stronger taste than stick cinnamon. It's not old, it doesn't have the enhancers that the powdered stuff does.
yg, they have thingies of black peppercorns here with the grinder on top, so doing small amounts of ground pepper is easy. but i see what you mean if you don't have one of those.
WGMG: Recipes that includes things such as "freshly ground black pepper" or "organic ___" - people who grind pepper and eat organic will do it by course, for the other people the recipe is pretentious.
I have also seen recipes calling for some elaborate named ingredient with a (common ingredient name) beside it. like they are trying to be pretentious and all fancy pants about hearing a native term for "black pepper" once on a pbs special when they were 5.
yes Chaff! they don't hunt us down in mine necessarily AND they have been doing alot of hummus samples lately.. kinda cool, but i don't go their for the free lunch, i am not the homeless 18 year old omnivore i used to be! i have just been irritable about the slow people in front of me in general. i have found the source of that at costco, must.take.them.down. (although i know people would probably walk slower wondering where the sample people are if i did)
ETA: Re: pepper, actually some brands of ground pepper have some kind of flavour enhancers added, so they taste stronger than the kind you grind yourself. I have this on good authority from a man who deals in spices etc. Cinnamon, paprika, etc, same thing. That's why ground cinnamon has a much stronger taste than stick cinnamon. It's not old, it doesn't have the enhancers that the powdered stuff does.
:o ... Is nothing sacred?!?! SPICES with added flavour/enhancers? Spices ARE flavour!!
This... this really grinds my pepper gears.
why are some spices so much more expensive than others, like in terms of brand? i've always wondered that... is it because the flavoring is weaker or "watered" down or something?
Pages