Be grumpy! What do you think should be phased out?

[busymama7]

57 minutes ago, EmilyGF said:

It's the eyes getting bad.

I prefer real books, but older adults in my life tell me that they can change the font on an ebook to one they can actually see. 

Yup.  I'm only 46 but I can't read real books at night. If there is a lot of light I can with glasses. But my kindle can get the font big enough for my comfortable reading.  I wish it wasn't so but it is.  

[theelfqueen]

1 hour ago, Amethyst said:

No. It does not. You mean your car is turned off, and some how it senses that you are leaving the keys behind when you go inside the house? 

Yes! If I leave my key fob in the turned off car it sets off an alarm. Both in our 2020 Hyaundai and our 2013 Toyota. Also it will not allow the doors to lock with the keys inside. 

I keep my keys in my purse and basically never get them out.  

Edited October 17, 2023 by theelfqueen

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

2 hours ago, ***** said:

That would be miserable, I can't imagine cancelling that far ahead of time.  This year besides Harvest Parties at churches,  a public school is putting on a Trunk or Treat event. People can sign up to have a table to pass out candy, trinkets...I suppose something like this could be in a school gym if too wet outside.  Churches did this when the kids were young and there were bean bag toss type games to win candy, etc. Is it too late to bring this idea to your area? 

There’s Halloween events every weekend.  Trunk or treats are usually on weekends, pumpkin farms and farmers markets have all kinds of events on weekends from hayrides to haunted houses. The historical society locally had a graveyard walk last weekend where they dress up in costume and lead you through the graveyard telling stories of the historically important people buried there.  It was cancelled due to heavy rain.
 

The trunk or treats are usually in church parking lots and most are Sunday night before Halloween this year. Those aren’t the activities I’m talking about. We usually just trick or treat.  This time of year is always rainy and a crap shoot, it’s just been somewhat worse this year and every weekend has been bad weather since mid September.

[Grace Hopper]

3 hours ago, BakersDozen said:

She did - email messages, FB messages, and copy/paste of FB posts from me and some other "seasoned" homeschool moms. Presents it in her booklet as her own advice.

Time to leave a book(let) review. 
 

eta and maybe an email with your royalty agreement attached, with her to sign and return

Edited October 17, 2023 by Grace Hopper

[Laura Corin]

7 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

It's the eyes getting bad.

I prefer real books, but older adults in my life tell me that they can change the font on an ebook to one they can actually see. 

For me it's wishing for less clutter. Husband likes his physical books though. I use the library or Kindle, occasionally a second hand book that I redonate.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Laura Corin

[Pawz4me]

8 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

It's the eyes getting bad.

 

And arthritis. A Kindle is much easier and less painful for me to hold than a real book.

 

44 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

For me it's wishing for less clutter.

That was my main reason for getting my first Kindle. Then arthritis came along. I'm very glad I live in the time of ebooks.

[ScoutTN]

Video games. Esp shooter ones. 

[Jaybee]

13 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

It's the eyes getting bad.

I prefer real books, but older adults in my life tell me that they can change the font on an ebook to one they can actually see. 

This is definitely true for me. I'm having trouble reading smaller fonts, and also many of my books have "aged" pages, and it makes it harder for me to distinguish the words. I still buy regular books, but for pleasure reading, I usually use my Kindle. In regular books, I mark them up, underline, etc., and I also flip back to check something said earlier on. I wish I could still do that with all my reading. (I know you can "underline" in the Kindle, but it doesn't have the same effect for me.) However, the Kindle does have the advantage that it is very easy to slip it into my purse to take anywhere.

[TechWife]

Let’s get rid of HOA’s! 

[Lady Florida.]

On 10/14/2023 at 4:31 PM, Jaybee said:

 

The design in many textbooks and magazines, as well as some other books, where they have text boxes all over the place. It is so distracting, and disturbs the flow of my reading. I can't see how it doesn't cause problems for students when they are trying to focus on reading--it's right there on the page, not to mention outside distractions.

I just had a flashback to our homeschool days and Usborne books.  Ds with his raging ADHD loved all those boxes everywhere while they drove me crazy. I only used them because the style worked well for him.

20 hours ago, Shoeless said:

I overheard a conversation between two librarians a few years back. They were discussing how adults like ebooks but the kids always ask for "a real book" when offered an ebook. 

 

16 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

It's the eyes getting bad.

I prefer real books, but older adults in my life tell me that they can change the font on an ebook to one they can actually see. 

Sorry to be grumpy towards Hive members but this is after all the Be Grumpy thread. 🙂 

I would like to get rid of the idea that ebooks aren't "real" books. Same with audio books. It's the author's words that matter not the medium used to convey them. There are times I prefer physical books (especially cooking, gardening, and crafting books), times I prefer ebooks, and times I prefer audio books. All are books and all are "real". 

[Heartstrings]

Kindle also has a dyslexia font that has been life changing in my house. 
 

You can also set up a kindle and get a remote page turner so your hands can stay nice and warm in a blanket while you read.   No more ice hands while reading!  So much easier to hold in bed too.  Wrestling a huge hardback into bed isn’t very comfy.  

 

I don’t get the idea that kindle books aren’t real books.  It’s the same content as a paperback or hardcover, but it’s somehow fake? 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Heartstrings

[Jaybee]

Another advantage of the Kindle, at least the Paperwhite, is that it eliminates the need for a flashlight and page turning under the covers.😂 Dh had to go to bed early because of an early thing the next morning. I, however, was deeply involved in my murder mystery and already cozy in bed. So I just put my book under the covers and read until midnight. Brought back childhood memories.

ETA: It did get a little hot under there, though.😜

Edited October 17, 2023 by Jaybee

[Pawz4me]

I only use the term "real" book because sometimes (though rarely, I think) it is necessary to differentiate between a hard copy and an e-book, and using the word "real" seems the easiest way to do that. I truly don't see the difference between an ebook and a hard copy. If anything I think we should differentiate between them and audio books. Not that there's anything wrong with audio books, but I'm guessing different parts of the brain are activated when one reads versus listens.

I do think there's a lot of able-ism involved. Some of it is just ignorance (and I mean that in the simplest, least snarky way--the "just doesn't realize" way). Someone earlier mentioned Crocs versus "real" shoes. That's kind of ableist, too. If you can see and hold a "real" book and can wear "real" shoes w/o pain then maybe counting your blessings instead of criticizing people who can't is the way to go. And I say that gently. I too was once young and healthy and didn't fully realize what a privilege that is.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Pawz4me

[wintermom]

I'm gumpy about the quality and presentation of most news sources (e.g., TV, radio, online). TV news tends to have way too much going on the sceen, online has ads everywhere, radio repeats the exact same little blurbs all day. That's not even getting into the bias, and lack of varifying "facts" before reporting (or gossiping, which might be the more accurate word). 

[Home'scool]

Coffee!!!! 

I know, I know, it's almost a sin to say it, but I hate coffee for the following reasons:

• When you serve coffee, you can't just serve it. You have to ask: caffeinated or decaffeinated? Milk or cream? Sugar or sugar substitute? IT'S A WHOLE FRICKIN PROCESS!!
• People who think it's ok to be grumpy until they get their "first cup"
• Constantly having to stop on road trips for coffee. 
• The panic that sets into coffee drinkers if they think they won't be able to have their coffee in the morning

To me, coffee drinkers are like smokers. They are constantly thinking WHEN will I be able to have some, WHERE will I be able to buy it, HOW will I manage on vacation, etc.

 

[EmilyGF]

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

I just had a flashback to our homeschool days and Usborne books.  Ds with his raging ADHD loved all those boxes everywhere while they drove me crazy. I only used them because the style worked well for him.

 

Sorry to be grumpy towards Hive members but this is after all the Be Grumpy thread. 🙂 

I would like to get rid of the idea that ebooks aren't "real" books. Same with audio books. It's the author's words that matter not the medium used to convey them. There are times I prefer physical books (especially cooking, gardening, and crafting books), times I prefer ebooks, and times I prefer audio books. All are books and all are "real". 

Researchers show that people retain more information from paper books than from ebooks. I find that is my experience, too. I first looked into this research when I realized how differently I talked about books I read on a tablet versus on paper.

If I couldn't see the paper books, it wouldn't matter; I'd retain a lot more by reading the ebook than by not reading the paper book. 

Emily

[busymama7]

24 minutes ago, EmilyGF said:

Researchers show that people retain more information from paper books than from ebooks. I find that is my experience, too. I first looked into this research when I realized how differently I talked about books I read on a tablet versus on paper.

If I couldn't see the paper books, it wouldn't matter; I'd retain a lot more by reading the ebook than by not reading the paper book. 

Emily

I only do light reading on a Kindle for a most part.  Like novels that it doesn't really matter if I remember it past reading it for the plot.  Anything that is more knowledge or research based is done on paper and then I have to limit it to day time and/or use glasses 

[Idalou]

21 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said:

There’s Halloween events every weekend.  Trunk or treats are usually on weekends, pumpkin farms and farmers markets have all kinds of events on weekends from hayrides to haunted houses. The historical society locally had a graveyard walk last weekend where they dress up in costume and lead you through the graveyard telling stories of the historically important people buried there.  It was cancelled due to heavy rain.
 

The trunk or treats are usually in church parking lots and most are Sunday night before Halloween this year. Those aren’t the activities I’m talking about. We usually just trick or treat.  This time of year is always rainy and a crap shoot, it’s just been somewhat worse this year and every weekend has been bad weather since mid September.

 Historical Society Ghostwalk at Woodlawn? It wasn't cancelled,  they have it every year rain or shine. We go nearly every year, it's great. We went Friday. You have to buy tickets early, it does sell out pretty quickly. I have an elderly relative that has volunteered with the John W Jones museum for years.

It did rain the second night but no one seemed to care! I don't know about the ones on Sunday.

If you want to listen to the stories the CCHS people will be reading the ghost stories at the museum for free next Wednesday at noon.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Idalou
Pitiful spelling

[Idalou]

My whine? So many TV programs and movies use shots of a character's phone texts as part of the story. I think a huge TV on the wall or over a fireplace is ugly  and I refuse to get up quickly to read a text on the screen. If it happens repeatedly I find it easier to just turn it off and find another show because my cranky old self is not peppy enough to scooch my chair closer nor do I need new glasses.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Idalou

[Melissa Louise]

1 hour ago, Home'scool said:

Coffee!!!! 

I know, I know, it's almost a sin to say it, but I hate coffee for the following reasons:

• When you serve coffee, you can't just serve it. You have to ask: caffeinated or decaffeinated? Milk or cream? Sugar or sugar substitute? IT'S A WHOLE FRICKIN PROCESS!!
• People who think it's ok to be grumpy until they get their "first cup"
• Constantly having to stop on road trips for coffee. 
• The panic that sets into coffee drinkers if they think they won't be able to have their coffee in the morning

To me, coffee drinkers are like smokers. They are constantly thinking WHEN will I be able to have some, WHERE will I be able to buy it, HOW will I manage on vacation, etc.

 

It's not just coffee, some of us are pre-occupied with our morning (before and after breakfast, mid morning, noon, mid afternoon, pre-dinner, post-dinner, before bed) cup of English Breakfast tea 🙂

I actually ruminate on how life would be if the tea supply disappeared, and it isn't good.

[ScoutTN]

4 hours ago, Home'scool said:

Coffee!!!! 

NOooooooo! 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

Coffee is lovely! 

Edited October 17, 2023 by ScoutTN

[Clarita]

4 hours ago, Home'scool said:

Coffee!!!! 

I know, I know, it's almost a sin to say it, but I hate coffee for the following reasons:

• When you serve coffee, you can't just serve it. You have to ask: caffeinated or decaffeinated? Milk or cream? Sugar or sugar substitute? IT'S A WHOLE FRICKIN PROCESS!!
• People who think it's ok to be grumpy until they get their "first cup"
• Constantly having to stop on road trips for coffee. 
• The panic that sets into coffee drinkers if they think they won't be able to have their coffee in the morning

To me, coffee drinkers are like smokers. They are constantly thinking WHEN will I be able to have some, WHERE will I be able to buy it, HOW will I manage on vacation, etc.

I mean caffeine in general. I cringe at how people are so open about their absolute addiction to the stuff and is so flippant about it. 

Also (I don't know what to call this) mommy wine culture. While I think people are just trying to be funny, the flippant talk of mom's (or child care-givers) needing alcohol constantly.

[Grace Hopper]

20 minutes ago, Clarita said:

I mean caffeine in general. I cringe at how people are so open about their absolute addiction to the stuff and is so flippant about it. 

Also (I don't know what to call this) mommy wine culture. While I think people are just trying to be funny, the flippant talk of mom's (or child care-givers) needing alcohol constantly.

Oh I will echo you on the mommy wine culture. And the women-n-wine culture in general. I’m not against wine. I’m against the painting women as winos (yeah even when it’s a self portrait).

As far as the coffee goes, I like it but have to giggle when I’m at a coffee shop asking for a plain black drip/brewed coffee and everyone around me is getting frappe style cold drinks that don’t have a drop of coffee in them. 

[TravelingChris]

4 hours ago, busymama7 said:

I only do light reading on a Kindle for a most part.  Like novels that it doesn't really matter if I remember it past reading it for the plot.  Anything that is more knowledge or research based is done on paper and then I have to limit it to day time and/or use glasses 

I have had a few non fiction books on Kindle that I remember quite well. One was a popular sociological book and the other was a criminological book  -based on a certain crime but also going into the history of the community and where the people came from. Much, much, more interesting than a normal true crime book. 

 

[Shoeless]

I know that ebooks are "real". The entire point was that children, when given a choice, choose physical, ink-on-paper books rather than a screen, which was me riffing on the comment about electronic textbooks.  And it's a lot quicker to type "real" book than "physical, ink-on-paper" book.

 

[kathyl]

6 hours ago, Home'scool said:

Coffee!!!! 

I know, I know, it's almost a sin to say it, but I hate coffee for the following reasons:

• When you serve coffee, you can't just serve it. You have to ask: caffeinated or decaffeinated? Milk or cream? Sugar or sugar substitute? IT'S A WHOLE FRICKIN PROCESS!!
• People who think it's ok to be grumpy until they get their "first cup"
• Constantly having to stop on road trips for coffee. 
• The panic that sets into coffee drinkers if they think they won't be able to have their coffee in the morning

To me, coffee drinkers are like smokers. They are constantly thinking WHEN will I be able to have some, WHERE will I be able to buy it, HOW will I manage on vacation, etc.

 

Yeah, I never cared about the coffee when I was growing up.  My parents didn't drink it, so we didn't have it in the house.  But all the rest of my relatives drank it (Community Coffee).  A cup in the morning and another mid-afternoon and that was it.  And these were the old fashioned tea cups - not monster size cups.

Then, when dh and I got married, he drank coffee like no one I've ever seen.  He fixes a pot in the morning and basically drinks the whole thing before lunch.  Then, more after lunch.  And the worst part is it makes him mean.  I've never seen anything like it.  Dc even tell me they work with plenty of coffee drinkers and NONE of them act like dh does when he drinks coffee (or any caffeine drink).  

Oh, and to add your list above, the mess it makes in the car.  He insists on filling the cup to the brim and it always spills in his car.  The carpet in his car is ruined from all the coffee stains.  Along with the upholstery, etc.  I refuse to let him do that to my car.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Painting gorgeous old good condition furniture hideous colors.  Just why?  I can see the old not in good condition pieces painted but not the in fantastic condition pieces. My heart weeps for that gorgeous Hoosier cabinet that I went to see and discovered they had rehabbed it into all the primary colors of a box of crayons.  
 

 

[mommyoffive]

On 10/16/2023 at 9:33 PM, theelfqueen said:

Yes! If I leave my key fob in the turned off car it sets off an alarm. Both in our 2020 Hyaundai and our 2013 Toyota. Also it will not allow the doors to lock with the keys inside. 

I keep my keys in my purse and basically never get them out.  

Mine are on attached to my purse.  I have no clue what they do if they are left inside my car as I have never done it.  Love key fobs.  Putting a key in the ignition is just to much work! 🙂

[Junie]

15 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Mine are on attached to my purse.  I have no clue what they do if they are left inside my car as I have never done it.  Love key fobs.  Putting a key in the ignition is just to much work! 🙂

Mine is a lifesaver.  I have arthritis in my wrists and there have been times that I couldn't turn a key in the ignition.

If I leave my fob in my car, my car will not lock.

[Melissa Louise]

11 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

NOooooooo! 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

Coffee is lovely! 

A new coffee shop just opened up right where I get off the bus to work - I have a loyalty card already 🙂

 

[Wheres Toto]

I read a lot of ebooks but it's because I have the Kindle app on my phone, my home laptop, my work laptop, and my kindle fire tablet.  So wherever I am, if I have a few moments to read I can open the book I'm currently reading.  I don't usually read multiple books at once so having access to it in multiple places is wonderful.  

I also don't understand the whole mommy wine thing.  It's really over the top.

No coffee but tea.

[ScoutTN]

Enjoying my coffee! ☕️😎

[Forget-Me-Not]

10 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Love key fobs.  Putting a key in the ignition is just to much work! 🙂

Agree, haha! DH and I traded cars this week (insert long boring story about driving one as little as possible on the spare). Mine is keyless and his is not.  I’m ready to trade back. Having to dig the keys out to lock/unlock and actually put the key in the ignition is annoying.

I’m grumpy about gory Halloween decorations. I’m talking severed body parts, zombies, etc. I’ve got a kid who is sensitive to stuff like that. Heck I’m sensitive to that. Our car wash turns themselves into a haunted house for the entire month of October with super nasty decorations, and if you go at dusk or later, they have people in costume  that bang on your windows and jump out at you (also hate jump scares. I startle badly, even when I know they’re coming). I don’t use my car wash subscription the whole month because I despise it so badly. 

[busymama7]

6 minutes ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

 

I’m grumpy about gory Halloween decorations. I’m talking severed body parts, zombies, etc. I’ve got a kid who is sensitive to stuff like that. Heck I’m sensitive to that. Our car wash turns themselves into a haunted house for the entire month of October with super nasty decorations, and if you go at dusk or later, they have people in costume  that bang on your windows and jump out at you (also hate jump scares. I startle badly, even when I know they’re coming). I don’t use my car wash subscription the whole month because I despise it so badly. 

Oh me too! I hate it hate it hate it. I don't mind Halloween itself but I don't know why it has to be gory.   It's gross and I feel disrespectful of death and dying. But I find im about the only one. 

[Spryte]

Count me in on the gory Halloween decorations. I love Halloween, it’s a favorite holiday for me, but I’m all about the Happy Halloween or mild Scooby Doo style decorations. Cute and not terribly scary, even better if they don’t make sound. If I wanted gore and grossness, I’d pay to see a haunted house (which is not happening!). What I don’t want is to see disturbing zombie babies and gore on the way to the grocery store for a month.

[itsheresomewhere]

Going to add- the ridiculous job application process some places have.  I just did one that had me fill out one online directly in the ad, then I had to do a paper one in person, and then they sent a link to fill out another one on their personal server.  This process is overdone is some places and I can see why they are having trouble getting people. 

[mommyoffive]

Now I want to leave both our key fobs in each car and see what it does.  I never even thought about that.

[Corraleno]

Having to fill out the long online questionnaire when you make a medical appointment, then when you get there the receptionist hands you a clipboard with the exact same questions, and then when you finally get into a room the medical assistant sits down at the computer and asks all the same questions again. And then the doctor comes in and asks why you're there.

I'm at the point now where I just hand the clipboard back saying "I already answered all those questions online," and then I tell the medical assistant the same thing.

[mommyoffive]

39 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

Having to fill out the long online questionnaire when you make a medical appointment, then when you get there the receptionist hands you a clipboard with the exact same questions, and then when you finally get into a room the medical assistant sits down at the computer and asks all the same questions again. And then the doctor comes in and asks why you're there.

I'm at the point now where I just hand the clipboard back saying "I already answered all those questions online," and then I tell the medical assistant the same thing.

Yes!!!

[Clarita]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

Having to fill out the long online questionnaire when you make a medical appointment, then when you get there the receptionist hands you a clipboard with the exact same questions, and then when you finally get into a room the medical assistant sits down at the computer and asks all the same questions again. And then the doctor comes in and asks why you're there.

I wish my children's pediatrician would take me as a patient. It is such a breathe of fresh air that he actually reads the questionnaire that I fill out online prior to the appointment.

Along the same lines I hate the survey about my experience they call me about every time. Seriously, I have two children who go to this pediatrician and have been for years clearly I'm happy about the experience. 

[wisdomandtreasures]

Star Wars. I said what I said. 😉

[wisdomandtreasures]

On 10/17/2023 at 10:48 AM, TechWife said:

Let’s get rid of HOA’s! 

My parents have to get permission to paint their door a different color! Every house in the subdivision has an old-fashioned street lamp in the front yard and they "must" be turned on every night at a certain time or will be fined by the HOA. I want to tell them they live in a glorified apartment but I also value my life. 😛

[Jaybee]

23 hours ago, Clarita said:

Along the same lines I hate the survey about my experience they call me about every time. Seriously, I have two children who go to this pediatrician and have been for years clearly I'm happy about the experience. 

Yeah, the surveys for everything bug me. I even got a request for a review on the bananas I bought in-person at Walmart the other day. Seriously?? I'm not sure why I recently started getting those emails, but I unsubscribed.

[SHP]

Adding in easy access to things known to be unhealthy.

[Pawz4me]

47 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

Yeah, the surveys for everything bug me. I even got a request for a review on the bananas I bought in-person at Walmart the other day. Seriously?? I'm not sure why I recently started getting those emails, but I unsubscribed.

I've been getting them, too. It's weird.

[Terabith]

I absolutely hate scary/ gory Halloween decorations, but honestly, when my kids were little, I despised anything with a Santa decoration or God forbid someone playing Santa.  My kids were absolutely TERRIFIED of all Halloween decorations and the blood curdling shrieks if they even thought there might be a Santa (and at 1-2 years old, their index of suspicion was high whenever they saw Christmas decorations) anywhere in the building, even if they couldn't see him.  We had to leave an Air Force Christmas party held in a plane hangar because my kid was pretty sure there was a Santa there and the blood curdling shrieks wouldn't stop.  We pretty much didn't leave the house from October 1-January 1.  

[historically accurate]

The imperial system of measurement. Can't we just transfer to the metric system and be done?

[wintermom]

19 minutes ago, historically accurate said:

The imperial system of measurement. Can't we just transfer to the metric system and be done?

Hey, we're living the dream of both imperial and metric in Canada! The weather must be in metric, along with gas and speed limits. Body weight and height must be in imperial, expect at the dr's office when they measure you in metric, and they you have no clue what your height and weight are. 🤪

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, wintermom said:

Hey, we're living the dream of both imperial and metric in Canada! The weather must be in metric, along with gas and speed limits. Body weight and height must be in imperial, expect at the dr's office when they measure you in metric, and they you have no clue what your height and weight are. 🤪

The UK has chosen a different seemingly arbitrary mix. Weather is metric as is food packaging, but street signs including speed limits are imperial.  But you buy petrol in litres. Body weight is in super-imperial - stones and pounds.

[TechWife]

21 hours ago, wisdomandtreasures said:

My parents have to get permission to paint their door a different color! Every house in the subdivision has an old-fashioned street lamp in the front yard and they "must" be turned on every night at a certain time or will be fined by the HOA. I want to tell them they live in a glorified apartment but I also value my life. 😛

Most of the rules don’t bother me. It’s more the control freaks that report their neighbors for every.little.thing. They often turn out to be the worst rule breakers themselves!