Unimportant things I feel strongly about
Do not take these seriously. Or personally.
(I am in the middle of a long string of almost-no-free-time days, so this off-topic randomness is all I've got for today. ;))
Clocks should be normal in bathrooms
Almost everyone I know thinks this is weird, but I love, love, love having a wall clock in the bathroom.
That way when I hop out of the shower, I can just glance up and see how I'm doing for time. Or I can glance up while doing my hair or makeup.
Then I can judge whether my pace is fine or if I need to step it up a little.
Milk +vinegar does not equal buttermilk
I know you see this tip everywhere, and I have tried it multiple times, but my goodness, it has disappointed me every time. The viscosity and flavor are just not right.
Things that are acceptable substitutes:
- powdered buttermilk
- a 50/50 mixture of yogurt/milk
The yogurt/milk combo has been an absolute lifesaver for me because my household is really too small to justify keeping buttermilk around all the time.
But the yogurt and milk combo is no problem to keep on hand, and it works so great in things like pancakes.
Mugs should always have large handles
I need to be able to fit at least three, preferably four, fingers in that handle. Otherwise, I'm not using the mug. It will just collect dust.
Correct:
Incorrect:
Correct:
Incorrect:
If you have a dishwasher, paper plates are easy to go without
If you handwash dishes, I can see where paper plates might save time and energy.
But if you have a dishwasher, it's so so easy to load real plates. And they're quick to unload and put away as well.
Also, real plates are such an elevated experience in comparison to paper plates. The same goes for actual cutlery vs. the plastic type.
There is no instance in which I think American cheese is edible
Not on a hamburger. Not even in a grilled cheese sandwich.
I apologize to the rest of the world for this, America's contribution to the cheese world.
Americans did come up with other cheese varieties! But the square fake cheese is the one that bears our country's name?? I cannot.
Almost no vegetables should be canned
Tomatoes are a glaring exception, but other than that, I think canned vegetables are generally a tragic idea. Especially canned green beans.
And I maintain this stance even if they are home-canned. Still a hard no for me.
The color. The texture. No, no, no, no, NO.
This is how I will always and forever eat my beans: sauteed, bright green, and slightly crispy.
Tell me something unimportant you feel strongly about!
(It's ok if it contradicts my unimportant things. Ha.)
Ooh I love a mug with a little handle (or no handle!), which I know is quite an unpopular opinion. Helps keep my hands warm...
Oompf. I feel strongly about cotton handkerchiefs over paper tissues - how they are softer to the skin and do not smell of paper, and how they do not release minute particles of paper that make me sneeze even worse. How you do not need to use two at a time to prevent them from falling apart in your fingers. But - when I had my two month long cold earlier this year I had to use them all the same. Even with my 40+ stack of hankies I could not keep up with the laundry (which needs to be on hot, for hankies). Sometimes need beats preference.
Other unimportant things that highly matter:
- the weight of a pen and how thick a line it writes
- that T-shirts should be long enough not to gape at the waist, and cause a chill
- that shapes and text lines in Powerpoint should be aligned, or I will get distracted from the content
- that I like to write my paper diary in pencil, but take notes in a note book with a pen
@JNL, my kindred spirit! I, too, am a committed hanky gal. I've heard all the comments about washing, putting germs in my pocket etc, and I will still always choose cotton over tissue. Our grannies knew the truth...
@JNL, I too love cotton/linen handkerchiefs, for exactly the reason you mentioned about the dust particles of tissues! And also because I'm usually just dealing with minor allergies. I do use tissues when I'm sick, but I've also started refilling 2 old tissue boxes with cut-up pieces of our softest old cotton shirts - so, when I'm sick I just use them and then throw away. So much gentler on the nose.
I wish that ads/tv/music wasn't automatically blaring everywhere. It seems no one wants to allow you to sit in quiet anymore. And the gas station I usually use starts up as soon as you stand in front of it and is SO LOUD.
@JNL, me too! But I use old cotton t-shirts cut into squares for hankies. Cheap, sturdy, choose your size, soft.
@CarolineRSA, Yes! I inherited a few from my grandma. They are almost too pretty to use so I save those for fancy occasions. The plainer ones I inherited from my dad I use daily. My mom would keep a small bucket of soapy water to soak his hankies in and then wash them with safety bleach, (similar to Clorox2 or OxiClean). They always came out bright and clean.
I also use a set as napkins. Men's cotton hankies are usually just the right size. Most cloth napkins made to day are unnecessarily large and often polyester, ick!
@CarolineRSA,
Are you a Caroline from South Africa? If so, snap!
@JNL, the weight of the pen and the thickness of the line is also important to me. Text and shapes in PowerPoint should all be aligned, and not just on a single slide but the placement should be consistent between slides. I hate seeing a presentation where things "bounce" from slide to slide. I find it very distracting.
@Suz, That is a good idea. I much prefer cloth hankies but do generally switch to paper tissues if I actually have a cold/flu/COVID etc. I definitely have a couple of old cotton t-shirts that could be used for this. Thanks.
@Beverly, Yes to the PowerPoint stuff - and it's so easy to do, too. Well, as a secretary I have to say that. LOL
In my previous job there was nothing worse than the accountants just creating a presentation themselves and then giving it to me. Didn't matter how often we told them that didn't save us any time (quite the contrary), they continued to believe they were helping.
@JNL, my husband prefers hankies, which is fine. However, at the start of our marriage, nearly 37 years ago, I informed him in no uncertain terms that 1. I would not be ironing his hankies as his mother did for his father and my mother did for my father (I do iron nearly every day, but not hankies!) and 2. I would not "separate" crusty hankies when doing laundry. He is required to do that himself before placing them in the hamper. As he has been happily complying for 37 years, I have been happily washing and folding those hankies for 37 years. 🙂
@Suz, I started frequenting a smaller gas station in our town specifically because they DON’T have those ads!
Sometimes it’s not the cheapest gas, but an extra few cents a gallon are worth pumping in peace.
I think they don’t have them because it’s a relatively residential area, and there are noise ordinances.
I am afraid I have to disagree with you on the size of mug handles. I have arthritis in my hands and many a time got my finger stuck in a mug handle it is painful and embarrassing. For me all mugs should have to large.
Chris in the UK.
Ooh. I canned fresh corn off the cob last year for the first time, and it is still delicious!
I feel strongly that all the states should have the same traffic light system... No random out of order light changes in a different city.
I feel that all toilets should flush down instead of some filling up first. It always causes me to panic. Haha
I feel like I have strong feelings on lots of little things, but can't thing of any right now.
@Lisa,
Our spouses and kids could probably sum them up quite quickly! LOL
@Lisa,
I can 1-2 bushels of corn each year. I love it.
Alternatively, I hate frozen corn. Yuck
Yes to all of yours and the comments so far, although in fact, I have no opinion on buttermilk substitutes as yet. I do use canned veg sometimes but only for adding to soups that are going to go through the blender anyway (only have a tiny freezer).
Also, there are correct shapes and sizes of cutlery. And packets should always be opened at the top, not upside down, especially crisps.
And one that so far seems to only apply to me: Every grain of rice should be eaten or scraped off the plate before it is washed/placed in dishwasher/placed beside sink for washing later. Every. Single. One.
oops, posting a second time because for some reason I got my email incorrect the first time.
@jigbean, many years ago I read a very moving book about a family in India who was so hungry that every grain of rice (and the starchy rice water, too) was carefully cherished. I often think about it when taking measures to not waste rice, even the random little grains.
@PD, Loung Ung, also mentions counting the grains of rice in her memoir "First They Killed My Father". I hate wasting food and will finish every single grain (and will do the same for my husband's plate).
Also with mugs-- they are right-handed usually. I have some cute mugs which I cannot fully enjoy because when I use my left hand, I don't get to see the image.
I don't think people should be allowed to talk about time travel. It's just too much. Also, eternity should not be dwelled on for too long. We have a rule that neither of those are allowed to be discussed at the table during a meal. (I made it. Husband had no input.)
Also, only heavy cream for coffee.
@Jody S., I am with you on the time travel! We are sci-fi fans here, and too often a show or movie will fall into the "let's use time travel to solve XYZ" trap, and it causes a HUGE debate around here.
@Karen A., I'm so glad I'm not the only one! The "friendly discussions" around her got to be too much even when the kids were little; that's why I had to make the rule.
Teflon pans...no!
I became a buttermilk snob when I read this post years ago about using up the rest of a carton of buttermilk: https://everyday-reading.com/10-ways-to-use-buttermilk/
and now my snobbery also includes only buying full fat buttermilk, haha
Agree with the canned veggie! I mostly use frozen. there are a few that can is ok. baked beans, tomatoes, red cabbage, beets. (although the last two come in glass.)
I am sure there is more, all i can think of right now.
Ohhh, I agree on the mugs and canned veggies! At least three of my fingers must fit in the mug handle. And I don’t mind canned shelled beans, (like kidney beans or cannellini) but I cannot abide canned green beans or peas or most other veggies.
I also wish that there was a nationwide toll pass. My EZ pass doesn’t work in all the places we sometimes encounter toll roads. (Not a fan of toll roads but sometimes it’s a necessary evil!)
You may regret getting me started on this . . .
--Polyester should never be next to the skin, and rarely as a top layer. Man-made fabrics in clothing, sheets and bedding, furniture covering, etc. are just awful. My only exception to this is the fleece I wear all winter indoors like a jacket, but there must be a cotton shirt under it.
--Actually, I can expand that to plastic is terrible in general. In flooring, furniture, dishware, housewares, almost anything. I dislike the look of it, the feel of it, the way it collects and holds water . . . so not a fan.
--Nothing should be scented unless it is meant to be a perfume. I include in this soaps of all kinds, trash bags, feminine products, cleaning agents . . . It's just so ubiquitous and so unpleasant to be smelling chemical scents all the time.
--Children do not need snacks and/or garbage toys from dollar stores for every occasion.
--This glaring white headlights on newer cars are a menace and should be banned.
This is actually starting to work me up a little, so I'm going to stop there. 🙂
@kristin @ going country,
I agree with you on all those points.
@K D, Thirding Kristin@going country!!
@kristin @ going country,
Your first item -
@kristin @ going country,
I agree 100% on natural fiber sheets and blankets. I will not put microfibers on my bed. Living in a warmer climate, it is important for bedding to be comfortable and breathe. Microfiber makes me feel like I am being wrapped in plastic wrap.
@kristin @ going country, Agreed on scented stuff!
@kristin @ going country, Yes to all. Especially #1. And smells. Oh, my. We struggle with this one in my house because several of us simply cannot stomach those fragrances.
@kristin @ going country, Oooh I am in strong agreement.
@Bee,
Agreed! Every time I see a set of microfiber sheets advertised on the package as "breathable," I want to take a marker and write "Lies!" on the package. I am 100% cotton sheets, all the way.
@kristin @ going country, I agree with everything except the scented issue. I love scents, although I cannot tolerate any with vanilla- so no cupcake, cookie dough, vanilla Xmas cookie scented anything. My day starts with essential oils in my diffuser. I love Palmolive on my dishes because of the scent. My kids buy me lavendar scented everything. And I so love to burn green or brown scented candles- all day. Everyday. I love the smell of Gain on my clothes & I wear perfume everyday
@kristin @ going country, I don't understand the glaring bright white headlights are standard these days. They are brighter than any old brights setting used to be and it was DRILLED into me in drivers ed to dim my brights.
@kristin @ going country, I’m in violent agreement with you on every single point.
Dawn dish soap has added a fragrance that is repulsive to me. Couldn’t figure out why my hands smelled so awful all day and then traced it to Dawn. I immediately switched to something much less effective but would rather dump more soap in than EVER smell that again. Just the memory of the smell causes me to twitch.
@kristin @ going country, I agree with you completely on all of these. The especially troubling one is polyester clothing and bedding. I'm afraid that cotton is going to be unaffordable because it's hard to find.
@kristin @ going country, scented trash bags help deter trash pandas. They have a use.
@Book Club Elaine, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate polyester.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, yes!!!!!! Why did they change the scent? I went to three and all the old original scent and have sided in my laundry room. That new scent stuck to even our plates.
I can't think of any off the top of my head but I agree with you Kristen on all your points.
This is a great topic.
i am SO with you on the canned vegetables. i will skip the green beans if they look like they are from a can...blech! corn and tomatoes are my exception to the canned veggie rule.
@amanda, when my daughter was little, she would beg for the "good kind of corn". She meant canned.
These are fun! Great examples 🙂
I suppose I feel strongly about using fresh dish cloths and kitchen hand towels daily.
I'm definitely on team real plates / utensils + dishwasher, when possible. [I also loathe doing dishes, but not enough to be swayed on this. You know the book about 5 love languages? They forgot to include "doing dishes". That's a big one, lol]
I would mention that toilet paper should always roll over the top, but then remembered you were asking about little "unimportant" things...
I feel strongly that my yearly personal calendar needs to be matte paper so I can write and erase easily with pencil. Not a fan of digital calendars except for at work. For some reason, that's different?
Oh, I grew up in a household with powdered milk and reconstituted frozen orange juice. As an adult I strongly prefer the fresh version of both. Would rather drink water than the alternative. I'd forgo plenty of other luxuries to allow for this splurge (though I'm fairly simple and non-luxurious otherwise).
I feel strongly about wearing a belt with jeans. I'm not super fashionable, so I'm pretty sure this has more to do with feeling unsecured or drafty, lol. A top layer needs to be tucked in, too (like either just a tee tucked in, or a cami tucked in with a loose shirt over top).
Looking forward to reading all the little things that others feel strongly about!
On a more serious note, I realize that it's such a privilege to even think about these trivial things when the world is full of bigger problems. Much bigger. Sending love to those who are in the midst of hard times. <3
@PD,
And your first item too -
I read so many comments I recognize!
@PD, "You know the book about 5 love languages? They forgot to include “doing dishes”. That’s a big one, lol" I'm adding this as an inspirational message over my sink.
@PD, I always love reading what you write.
@PD, the trouble with tucked in tops is that many of us have a pouchy stomach that needs hiding.
@Anne, to clarify, my desire for a tucked-in top is totally personal, mostly so I don't feel drafty or undone at the midsection. Even if I wear a flowy top, I prefer a thin layer underneath that gets tucked in.
Yes, this is the issue with current cropped styles. They are DRAFTY.
@PD, I am with you on the toilet paper being an important issue. I will change it at someone's house - it should always come over the top.
@Sherri, I will change it too.
Clocks AND calendars with your appointments go in the bathroom. Actual buttermilk can be frozen in half- or one-cup amounts. Anything that can be washed is a win over something that will go in the landfill.
Also - no dry cleaning, ever. And turf lawns are an abomination - they are an ecological desert, require poisons and water and work to maintain. There are many surfaces kids can play on (a frequent excuse for maintaining them). And do not get me started on golf courses!
@Queen of Fifty Cents, I agree with you on the no dry cleaning, ever!
@Queen of Fifty Cents, oh you reminded me of one: sprinklers shouldn't exist if they are strictly for watering grass that has to be cut regularly.
@Marissa, except maybe on a sports field! Though I've seen lots of dirt baseball and soccer fields that seems to work fine.
A shot of espresso in a teeny cup with a minuscule handle is the only way to start the day. Doing it right now as I do every morning while reading this blog. That is the combination that is truly essential:)
Mugs with small handle are not mugs; they are tea cups. We have a couple of those, and we use them for drinking water for Clark. He won't drink out of a bowl, just a mug.
The only acceptable pen is a Pilot Precise V5 extrafine. Second to that are the Sakura Microns. Anything else, you might as well be scribbling with a crayon.
This isn't anything I could standardize, but I am very particular about fonts in printed books. So much so that sometimes when I'm pondering getting a book from the library, if I see that the font is displeasing, I just won't check it out. It's not worth my time to read a book with a weird font!
@Karen A., my cats would only drink out of real glasses! And you had to pretend you'd left the glass there by mistake so they could 'discover' it.
@Sophie in Denmark, LOL!
@Karen A., I have commented before on the Pilot V5, except I like Fine- blue
@Karen A., Have you tried a Pilot Juice Up? It's kinda scratchy and I kinda like it but the lines are so thin and even!
You are 100% correct on the mugs. Anything else is useless and should be banned.
I disagree about the buttermilk. Milk and vinegar works just fine (and it's very inexpensive.)
Canned corn is better than frozen corn IMO.
I have only known one person with a clock in their bathroom but it is genius and WHY IS THIS NOT A THING?
I would argue this next one is not inconsequential - toilet paper must be placed over. If you look up the original patent it is over, not under. I rest my case. The only way I will give someone a pass on this is if they have a toddler in the house because "under" makes it harder for them to pull off a whole role. This is a hill my husband and I will die on. Someone I know will - *gasp* - switch TP at other people's homes when it's put on "incorrectly".
Top sheets are the devil's handiwork. I'm kidding, but they're awful and we sleep with a fitted sheet on the bottom and then a comforter. Our guest bed has a top sheet and that's literally the only bed in the house with that extra layer.
@Elisabeth, We have to put the toilet roll under because our bathroom has no fan and so we have to aim a fan from our bedroom into it to keep it dry to reduce mold and mildew. If the roll is over the breeze from the fan somehow blows the paper into the toilet and we can lose quite a bit of it that way. Otherwise I agree with you.
@Elisabeth, I'm with you on the "TP over" issue.
And as regular readers know, my other pet peeve is sugar in cornbread. I'm true to my SE TN/NW GA roots: In my neck of the woods, it's "no @#$%!! sugar in the cornbread!"
@A. Marie, There should never be sugar in cornbread!
@A. Marie, my mother's cornbread was so bad -- think about a large white, gritty, flavorless, crusted paving stone served up with a grudging smear of margarine -- that Jiffy mix won my heart as a new cook. Strangely for a woman who put sugar in everything, Mom also held that there should be no sugar in cornbread.
@Elisabeth, When I was a kid we always had to put our toilet paper under--because otherwise our very sweet, but dim, cat would routinely bat at the roll and unravel it while chewing it enthusiastically. But if it was under, he'd usually leave it alone because there was no sport in it!
Team large handle here! My hands are small, but my klutziness is great.
gas caps need to be on the driver's side of the car. in this day and age, 9 time out of 10 it's the driver that is pumping the gas, and it's a waste of time to have to walk around the car to start pumping.
thank you for coming to my Ted Talk 😉
@Ginger, agree!
@Ginger, Totally agree! And what's really irritating is the gas stations where everyone has to pull in from the same direction (like at Sam's Club) and the hoses don't stretch to the other side.
@Ginger, agree! My husband's Subaru drives me nuts with that, I also feel like I'm gonna hit the pump when I'm pulling in!
To quote Jess from Gilmore Girls, what the hell are raisins doing in a salad?
@Sophie in Denmark,
That made me laugh out loud!
@LQG, One of the many reasons I love Jess! Haha!
@Sophie in Denmark, I forgot to say that having a clock in a bathroom is a great idea. My workaround is setting timers on my phone because otherwise I never get ready on time.
@Sophie in Denmark, lol yes!
I'm okay with some canned veggies. If it makes it easier for my husband, (who does most of the cooking), to serve more veggies then I can deal with it, but no canned peas...yuck!
As for mugs, my dear SIL has one she always lets me use at her house. It not only has a large, well shaped handle, but it also has a little thumb rest on top of the handle. It's so comfortable to use, like it was made just for me. I keep trying to find the exact one, but so far no luck. I am determined not to settle for anything else.
Restaurants should serve real maple syrup, even if I have to pay a little more. The fake stuff is just...just...WRONG!! I have resorted to carrying a flask of the real stuff when I know I am going to need it. Hubby even bought me one with my initials engraved.
Non-canned green beans sometimes squeak against my teeth, and it makes me want to die a little. Velcro also makes me want to die a little, as does the sound of straw wrappers unsheathing straws.
Real maple syrup over fake. I know it's bougie and expensive, but I also think real syrup goes a lot further!
One of my favorite baking websites often has recipes for 14 cupcakes instead of 12. I forgive them for the recipe quality, but I had to get a new muffin tin to make their recipes! I often just stretch the recipe to 18 cupcakes, it makes more sense to me.
Dogs belong on couches and beds. Controversial, I know!
The clock example confused me at first, I thought you were saying "normal clocks", and I was and sure what abnormal clocks would be LOL. But I'm willing to normalize clocks in the bathroom!
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, dogs and cats definitely belong on our furniture and in our beds. To each their own, but my husband is glad we don't have a family cow.
People should always put the grocery buggies into the cart return. Even when not at ALDI.
I also like big handled mugs!!
DOGS NEED WALKED unless you live on property.
Good luck with school…you can do it.
@Stephanie,
Yes, grocery carts left in parking lots can be dangerous.
Dogs are wonderful animals and most are extremely smart. I can't imagine life without a dog. Not only should they be walked, they should be taught to be good canine citizens.
@Stephanie, I agree about the carts and also I give a pass to ones near the handicapped or family parking spots.
This is a great post! Makes me feel less weird. 🙂
I feel strongly about mugs: I need big handles and a thin rim. Those fat rims are hard to sip from!
I keep a clock in my bathroom and thinking about putting one in my closet for those days I keep changing clothes until I get it right.
Clocks in the bathroom and car are 5 minutes fast, so I get there on time. Hubs disagrees, but he is retired so he doesn't get a vote on this.
Butter should be real. Its yummy, I don't use much, and the fake stuff is gross.
Decaffeinated coffee is pointless and tastes horrible.
Clothes should all be facing in the same direction in stores and in my closet. I can find stuff easier then. Ok that's weird but I like it. I used to be really messy and I'm happier now that my closet is neat.
@MommaJo,
Setting a clock ahead does not help me in the least. Because I know it is fast, I'll just build that 5 minutes in to my schedule. If someone I love adds the 5 minutes clandestinely, then it is does help temporarily.
@Bee, I have always been very obedient to clocks, I also plan to be at any appointment or meeting at least 15-20 mins early, so when I'm late, I'm not late. Can't help it, and it makes my morning smoother. Peaceful planning is my jam.
Paper plates have their place, but I am happy to have a 16 place setting (thanks, grandma!) of Corelle dishes I have been using for over 20 years, and have not broken a single plate or bowl. Seems silly to use paper when using what I already have is free!
I agree with everything on your list. I even have a desk clock on my bathroom vanity.
I prefer real flowers and plants to artificial. As a gardener, I love real thing as well as the birds, bees and bunnies that they attract. Fake flowers and plants are expensive and the manufacturing of these are detrimental to the environment.
I have a neighbor with a black thumb who planted silk flowers in her front yard. It is awful!!! Every time that I drive by I squirm. I understand that not everyone feels this way. I do make an exception for Christmas greenery and the occasional outdoor wreath. Other than that - there is nothing like the real thing!
I agree with so much of this! Canned or frozen carrots are the WORST thing ever. For me, I also cannot abide anything fruity or mint flavored in coffee. Fruit scented candles or incense is abominable, as well. Also, I must have a garbage disposal and dishwasher. I am absolutely not going to compost or handwash. Not up for debate. Most times, I feel like the "unimportant things" are actually deal breakers for me!
Corn should also be canned. I mean, have you ever even tried frozen corn? It's limp, watery, and tasteless.
"Data" is a plural noun. "Data" are, dammit; "datum" is. For 6 years I worked for a company that produced data software and it grated Every. Single. Time. I had to write "data is".
Oxford comma every time. You'll have to pry that one from my cold, dead, clutching hands.
If you have a washing machine, why use paper napkins or paper towels?
Coffee smells nasty and tastes worse.
@WilliamB, classic example of the need for the Oxford comma: "I dedicate this book to my parents, the pope and Mother Teresa."
@WilliamB, amen about the Oxford comma!
If I was president, every percentage of milk would have the same color packaging across all stores and brands!!
@Anne, I meant “each” percentage…
I feel deeply seen on the cammed veg (green beans should snap, not slither), the cheese (if it’s individually wrapped in plastic, it’s not cheese—it’s a chemistry experiment), and buttermilk (vinegar + milk = a sad puddle, not pancakes).
People who don’t replace the toilet roll the right way (over, never under).
Crumbs in the butter. Butter in the jam. Anything with margarine. Monsters, the lot of them.
Scented trash bags. Why? Who am I trying to impress—my garbage man?
Decorative hand towels that you’re not allowed to use. You want me to drip dry in a guest bathroom?
The betrayal of biting into a cookie and discovering it’s raisins, not choc chips
Thanks for the excellent vent session. Strong opinions on unimportant things are my love language.
- I also hate disposable plates. Plastic silverware is even worse. It just doesn’t feel right in my hand of mouth.
- The lack of functionality of many women’s clothes. I don’t need something appropriate for doing cartwheels 24-7, but sitting, walking, bending, not freezing off or accidentally exposing random body parts, etc. should be a basic requirement for clothing. Add to this fake pockets, lack of pockets, overly thin t-shirt materials, lack of consistent sizing, etc. etc.
- With my architectural background… so many building related things make me want to scream and/or cry. Six years of college requiring constant analyzing and critique of everything, and now my brain can’t not notice these things.
- I know this is petty, but the common misspelling of lose/loose makes me crazy.
- So many commercials. A particular American burger place, which shall remain nameless, with their out of tune singing, is one of my biggest triggers. I might start twitching if I think about it too long.
@JenRR,, lose/loose makes me crazy too. And the lack of pockets in women's clothing!
@JenRR,, I totally agree on the women’s clothing thing! Tip I learned years ago that saved a winter coat I was ready to toss: many women’s clothing items actually do have pockets, they’re just sewn shut. Who knows why, but a little investigating and few careful stitch snips have saved many articles of clothing here!
Agree with most of this, but give me my slow cooked southern green beans any day!
Towels, sheets, dish cloths, (cloth) napkins... all things like that - should be rotated. Put the clean, dry one(s) on the bottom, use from the top.
I am not left-handed, but I have and had a lot of lefties in my family. There should be more left-hander accommodations with desks, armrests and such.
Beds should be made every day.
Real, physical books are the best versions of books.
@JD,
Real books are definitely my preference and printed magazines also. Reading on a device is just not the same.
@JD,
Forgot to say that I have a clock in each bathroom, have for years, for the same reason Kristen does. I find them extremely helpful, and I've had guests mention that, after visiting my house, they have decided to put a clock in their bathroom.
@JD, I put myself through nursing school working in the produce dept of a local grocery. I rotate everything- almost to the point of annoying myself!!!
@JD, amen to making beds, reading real books, and rotating clean linens is ingenious. Guess I’d better start doing that. Wait, I only have one set of sheets for each season. Pull off, wash, replace, all in the same day. One gets ripped—order a replacement. No extras. (This was my first big step toward minimalism, which gets undermined in many other areas of life.)
@Bee, And yet here I sit!
I'm a fan of canned green beans, especially home-canned.
I have a hard time finding small containers of buttermilk and don't want to purchase a half gallon at a time. So I keep the powdered buttermilk on hand, but I'm going to remember the half yogurt/half milk solution.
I thought of some more:
Not everything needs to be an app! I should not have to scan a QR code to read a menu!
Nothing against e-readers but I will always prefer a physical book.
TV shows and films should always be released on DVD so people can keep it if it gets removed from streaming (and also if they want to cancel the streaming service).
There should always be an actual person to help at train stations.
Places should always have an option for cash payment.
To quote Jess again, ice cream is always better in a cone!
I prefer large handles and large mugs! And I have very specific coffee mugs that are mine, and mine alone. Don't be using my mugs.
Blue medium ink pens are a must. No black ink for me. And don't get me started on thin or super thin points. Also whiteout is a must for updating mistakes in my checkbook when I use a blue pen (I don't use pencils).
And I prefer my toilet paper and paper towels to tear from the bottom. Easier to stop the roll from rolling too far if you tear from under the roll (test it some time) as opposed to over. And yes, I do change the TP at my sister's house to bust her chops. LOL
Canned vegetables are a HUGE no no. I didn't grow up with them; we only had fresh or frozen. One time my mother in law was at my house and was making dinner for us while we worked. She couldn't find any canned vegetables and opened a can of pumpkin puree and said that was our vegetable that night. She served it with canned salmon loaf (I don't eat seafood). Needless to say, my daughter and I were hungry that night! And it is a family favorite story.
And I have friends that will not eat fresh vegetables and prefer canned. And LOVE canned green beans. BLAH!
@Maureen, I absolutely always have MY mug and no one else uses it. I even have an extra of it that I hid, because it came as a set of two, they were perfect, and then not even a month later when I tried to buy them for my sister (who of course admired it), they were discontinued. There is nothing exactly like it that I could find online. So I have a spare hidden for when my beloved mug eventually breaks. This is a serious matter. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, brilliant! I’m tempted now to guy buy and then hide a spare of my fav mug!
I had a sister in law, who chose to not have children. Fine, but of course she knew exactly how to raise them. One of my pet peeves is advice on parenting from non-parents.
One day she pontificated on not understanding why parents didn't all teach their children how to hang toilet paper. I did explain, in rather stern tones, that I had more important things to get across to them about life in their 18 years with me. So TP is still a sore point with me.
My husband and I enjoy a can of green beans once or twice a year! They aren’t the greatest but remind us both of our childhood - that metallic taste takes us back! Canned beans and tomatoes are heavily used in our house, otherwise no canned veggies!
A clock in the bathroom is genius. Large handles only on mugs around here. Yogurt for buttermilk, also.
My important frivolities:
Good pens, never ballpoint
Nothing scented (unless intended perfume, thanks, Kristin). Scents start up my seasonal allergies, ugh, especially artificial scents.
No canned veggies except tomatoes (for cooking, otherwise, fresh). My mom never used canned foods, especially veggies.
Good coffee. For us, single-origin Sumatra is miles above other types, but you have to find your preference, then stick with it. With unflavored cream or half and half.
Greeting card with matte finish so that your written words do t smear.
Being able to use/read cursive. Our 5-year-old granddaughter is learning cursive in kindergarten and has no problem forming the letters.
This is such a fun post!
Large coffee mugs should only be filled halfway so that the coffee doesn’t get cold (it took my husband years to figure out that I wasn’t being stingy with the coffee when I poured him a cup).
Top sheets should be put on the bed with the pattern side down.
Relatedly, top sheets are a necessity when you live in a place with hot summers or happen to be someone who runs warm.
Documents must only be signed in blue ink.
A Pilot G-2 07 size in blue is the best pen.
@Elizabeth, yes to the top sheets! My mother explained to us when she was teaching us to make our beds that when you fold down the top sheet and blanket, it will show what the design is on the outside. But she never showed us how to fold fitted sheets. *Sigh*
@Elizabeth,
There are other people taught to put the print side down on top sheets! Hooray!
And yes, I also find top sheets to be a necessity. I'd die of heatstroke sleeping under a heavy bedcover all summer.
@JD, yeppers, same here, IF I ever bought sheets with a pattern. A top sheet is the only acceptable solution to hot summer nights (unless the A/C is cranked).
@Elizabeth, now all is computerized, but when I was trained to be a Medical Assistant, all writing had to be in black ink. I have not touched a blue pen since.
I have issues with green beans. I like canned in 3 bean salad and that casserole everyone makes at Thanksgivng. I can not eat frozen at all ever. I love fresh in a stir fry. For some reason I have the same issues with corn. The canned, fresh, frozen deends strongly on the recipe.
Calendars: I have 2 paper calendars for work and a small business I run. I have a wall calendar for family and yes still have the google calendar for oil changes, rummage sales, and when to cancel MAX. They are for different purposes.
Yogurt: Greek belongs in recipes and regular is what I eat. I have tried to make it on my own and it was a miserable failure.
Hankies must be coming back because I started using them 5 years ago. I get them at sales all of the time and they a game changer. I use 1 for a day or less and throw into the laundry. No trash.
My frivolities:
- milk and vinegar are not an acceptable substitute for buttermilk
- drinking glasses should never be made of plastic
- pet water bowls should never be made of plastic
- toilet paper roll should go over, not under
- cabinet doors should always be closed
- birthday goodie bags at children's birthday parties should be outlawed
- house front door should be covered enough that if it is raining, you would not get wet waiting to get inside
@Beverly, boy, I am with you on stupid goodie bags. I have been given goodie bags at showers and even parties. What a waste. We can't go anywhere without being given gifts?
So it is super easy to make buttermilk.
Take a little bit of buttermilk and put it in the size glass that you think you might use. Leave it out on the counter for the day and then put it in the refrigerator with some type of cover.
When that is almost gone, make another cup.
Basically, it’s like making yogurt, but no work just room temperature for eight hours or more
@KAREN, I think you left something out of your instructions, unless the “little bit of buttermilk” in the glass multiplies on its own. Please help me understand this.
I love that this topic resonated with so many!
I'm a fan of the canned green bean - I think it's a carryover from my childhood. I can't do canned or frozen (store-bought) corn anymore - we buy sweet corn from roadside stands in the summer and freeze it for the year. So good!
The misuse of "affect" vs. "effect" - gets me every time.
Definitely no raisins in cookies or salads - yuck!
1. Discussion of bodily fluids and emissions (especially and including farts) is BANNED at the dinner table. I set that rule 20 years ago specifically forbidding the word "mucus" at dinner. Despite now being a healthcare worker and eating through very graphic discussions/images at work, the mucus-ban remains in place.
2. No one should ever play amplified music in a public space unless you are part of a festival and have a permit. Headphones exist for a reason.
3. You should hang art in your home at whatever height you please.
4. Putting away the laundry is a separate chore from sorting/washing/drying/folding.
5. Coupled people should not have to share a blanket. We do not share a single long pillow, or a single large nightshirt, so why a single blanket?
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), hard same on all, especially the music in public. That's one of my pet peeves!
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), besides the amplified music in public, how about phone calls on speaker! Put the phone to your ear; not everyone wants to listen to your phone calls!
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), I have that rule about body emissions when staff call in sick from work. NO DETAILS PLEASE
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), Yes, yes, yes on No. 2. I have serious sound sensitivity and to some restaurants I will not return.
I have a few: pj pants should never be worn outside of your home. I’ll accept them on your front porch, but grocery store- nope
Here’s a hot take- I need 3 small ice cubes in my glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Not 1. Not 5. 3
Conversely, my kids laugh that my am tea needs to be boiling. I will microwave my mug (wide handle with a sassy witch on it. Some may say a mirror ) for 60 secs immediately after the pot has steeped
I absolutely loathe the sound/feel of plastic utensils on a paper or styrofoam plate. I am a joy at picnics
Thank you notes need written & mailed after every gift. Not a text. I want a thank you note. I am frequently disappointed
I always sit up front when I’m not driving. I can be carsick in a rocking chair. This one is non-negotiable
Chili does not belong on a hot dog. It goes in a bowl with shredded cheese & sour cream
Amen.
Hamburger on pizza is an abomination.
I love this. In fact, last semester, the students in my Spanish conversation class had to give a presentation on this topic. We called it "no me convencerás" ("you can't convince me"). The responses were HILARIOUS.
I have so many of these, and I agree with almost all of yours (except American cheese...only in certain contexts).
* I would rather die than print something out, and will avoid it at all costs.
* Mismatched silverware is not welcome in my home. I have purchased partial sets on eBay to prevent this.
* The only acceptable kitchen trash bag is an unscented Glad ForceFlex bag.
And so so so many more.
1. People who have seen my parkas and lectured me on not using fur. This from people who have never endured 70, 80, 90, or 110 below wind chill, so have no idea how superior fur is to cloth. This from people who do not live a subsistence lifestyle, where trapping gives you food as well as pelts to sell and bring in some money. This from people who did not source their parkas from traditional Alaska Native artist seamstresses. Just shut up.
2. Music all over the damn place---elevators, grocery stores, the dentist's office, even the pump at the gas station for heaven's sake.
3. Signs that are grammatically incorrect, usually because of an errant apostrophe. I have a special thick black sharpie I carry at all times and use when I can, first notifying the husband I am about to do so in order to give him time to walk ahead of me as if we are strangers.
4. Writers who do not know that it's is ALWAYS a contraction meaning it is. It is not the possessive or the plural form of it.
5. Shoe laces made of some sort of slinky fiber that causes the tie to come undone, so I he to double knot my Allbirds.
I will stop at 5, but I could go on. (I do agree about canned vegetables, especially asparagus.)
@Lindsey, I also have to add cilantro being put in everything. It tastes like soap to me and I hate that I cannot order restaurant guac because of cilantro abuse.
Oh I love this post because I have SO MANY of these, lol
- as a Canadian, the only correct syrup for pancakes is maple syrup. Anything else is just wrong.
- if the dishwasher is more than half full at night, it goes on because I'm not washing them by hand in the morning
- curtains must be opened at wake up and closed at dark. period.
- concur with earlier poster that gas caps should always be on the driver's side! enough with the shenanigans of the opposite side
- dustpans should be made where the handle clicks or attaches to the broom.
- food should be stored in the smallest container that fits the food, nothing bigger!
I know there's more but these are all that come to mind right now ha!
1. The sink should be clean and empty before going to bed.
2. 100% cotton sheets, preferably percale. None of that limp stuff. (Looking at you, Laura Ashley, with your weak sheets.)
3. Got litterboxes? Scoop daily or twice daily if the cat shows a need for a second cleaning. It's cruel to make them use a nasty potty.
4. Use your danged turn signal while driving. I ain't psychic and my reflexes are nearly 70 years old.
@Ruby, I love the bumper sticker that says, "Using your turn signal is not giving aid to the enemy."
@Lindsey, I think I need one of those!
@Ruby, someone actually told me they don’t use their turn signal because they don’t want people knowing where they are going.
._.
A big Correlle bowl and a silicone “lid” to make popcorn in the microwave. I also eat salad and food from bowl.
A small blender to make smoothies or purée soup. I had a ninja blast and it worked great even in the car but it was stored with some stuff in the microwave and moving in it accidentally got nuked and died. I have a 14 dollar mainstay blender from Walmart I haven’t tried yet.
All clad non stick pan
A 2-3 quart pot with lid
A microwave, fridge, hot plate or stove top
A mug for hot drinks
A cup/glass for cold drinks
ICE
A needle and thread
A pair of scissors
A paring knife
I find these things make my life very comfortable. I’m flexible though. I like fresh over canned but take what I can get. I’m so flexible about stuff you could probably tie me into a bow.
Zebra stainless steel fine point pen. If I hand one to someone to borrow at work it is with the understanding that it will not leave my sight.
British tea. Do. Not. Give. Me. Lipton.
I became smitten with Schwan's Frozen Extra Sweet Corn. I will use frozen peas. Because of GERD, I occasionally eat fresh tomatoes. Canned ones send me over the roof and I used to love good chili year round. I don't mind canned green beans. Not fond of frozen ones.
Glass drinking glasses as opposed to plastic, however I use my Contigo for hot tea, and a tall metal bottle for ice distilled water as it stays colder longer. I even prefer to make iced tea in a glass container.
Love these Kristen! I too agree that almost no vegetable with the exception of tomatoes and beans should be canned. I love the ease of canned beans for chili and soups if I don't have time to cook dried beans first.
The front porch light should always be left on overnight.
Socks should match! The new craze of kids wearing unmatched socks makes me itch - I just don't like it.
Coffee mugs - if they don't fit and feel good in my hand, if they are not comfortable I will not touch them.
Baked goods should contain pure ingredients. I have baked with a myriad of other things but I find that eating a small amount of real butter, sugar and flour tastes better than the fake stuff and sits better in my body as well.
If you are out in public and you bump into someone, you should say excuse me. This should not be a Southern thing but just good manners.
Many of my unimportant opinions are culture shocks from moving to the States as an adult, but luckily some have mellowed out. I won't go into the big ones that haven't mellowed out, lol.
Food presentation is important, even on a normal weeknight or eating alone.
So, big nods from me on the no-paper plate policy unless it's a picnic!
Socks are important! Preferably warm wool socks or socks that cover your ankles in the winter.
No eating by the work desk (but chocolate is allowed!). I have never successfully been able to eat and type at the same time. Also, my brain and body need to stop away from the computer for lunch.
Walking is important whenever possible. Sidewalks with dead ends are insane. Why make sidewalks that abruptly end in a no-man zone or vegetation, with no cross-walk to continue to walk on.
Also, you can walk in the suburbs wearing normal clothes. Everyone I see is wearing exercise clothes or having a dog on a leash.
Flavor in everything? I can drink sparkling water without flavoring, black unsweetened coffee, unsweetened yogurt, serve my kids plain milk, use lip balm without fruit flavor etc.
We could do with a quieter world. Why is the world so noisy here? People can be noisy, movies are noisy, all the fun entertainment places like arcades and bowling alleys are noisy, Saturday mornings with leaf blowers are noisy.
@Kristina M., as for sidewalks…most modern building codes require you to put in a sidewalk on your land when you build your house/business. Many years ago cities provided sidewalks not so much anymore. And undeveloped land=no sidewalk. Pedestrians really aren't a priority to most municipalities.
@Tiana, because of this rule, we have several short sidewalks that don't go anywhere in my community. My favorite one is about 200 yards long and dead-ends in a salt Creek. There are no other sidewalks leading east, west, north, or south from this particular one. These are generally a waste of resources.
@Tiana, interesting, thanks for explaining this!
There should always be a clock in the bathroom. We just finished renovating our basement bathroom. I showered there this morning and looked at th blank walls thinking I need to find a clock, stat.
Kids do NOT needs treats bags full of plastic crap from everywhere they go.
Mug handles should face the inside of the the cabinet so they don't get accidentally bumped and broken.
We eat canned tomatoes, olives and sauerkraut only.
@Anna-Catherine, agree totally on the mug handles. The handles of a pots on the stove should also face the side or back not outward. If it is facing the front of a stove or hanging over the edge, the pot can become a safety hazard. Someone could bump into it and spill hot liquid or food on themselves, a pet or a child.
I detest drinking out of plastic cups and eating off of plastic dishes. I developed this preference as a small child and find glass and ceramic far superior. I even find myself mildly dehydrated when I'm somewhere with only plastic cups.
I really do not like microfiber sheets or towels or anything. The feel of them gives me the ick.
Most food is fine past the expiration date. Just use your common sense. Does it look/ smell/ taste fine? Then eat it.
Vegetables cooked until they are mushy are not acceptable.
Scented products. My lovely husband walked down the aisle smelling every one until he found one he thought I could tolerate.
Seams at toes of socks should be outlawed!
Grilled cheese should always be made with real butter and sourdough bread. Well and REAL cheese of course.
And yes to your green beans! crunchy is best! 🙂
These are so funny, especially your view on American cheese. Cracking me up! I'm going to have to take a hard stance opposing your view on canned green beans. Canned green beans are the only ones I will ever eat.
@christie, my mother In law too! She makes a face when I serve fresh or frozen green beans lol
Please world, cease saying "reach out" when you really mean contact, call, message, speak with, communicate, etc! Just because AT&T came up with the cutesy saying oh so long ago doesn't mean we still need to use it. Just. STOP.
@Beth, yes! And when did people start “graduating high school” instead of graduating from high school? When did “issue” stop meaning “subject” or “magazine” and start meaning “problem”?
This post really made me laugh. I do actually really enjoy green beans from a can, as the exception to my general disdain over canned vegetables. I hate frozen corn as well, and will only eat it on the cob, or freshly cut off the cob. In fact, my parents left a bag of frozen corn in our freezer, and I'm thinking of giving it away on Buy Nothing. Because... *gag*.
I feel pretty strongly about: going to bed early, reading before bed, no electronics in the bedroom, and a glass of wine while cooking on weekends.
Oh, and I bought a milk foamer (Breville, and a total indulgence) & it has completely elevated my morning coffee to the point that I find it disappointing to drink almost anywhere else. I also got one for my sister, and am getting my BFF one for her 50th birthday. I tell everyone about them, and at this point, am basically a milk foamer influencer. 😉
I also have wall clocks in all my bathrooms, and battery-operated clocks in just about every room. The bathroom clocks keep me on schedule because in the mornings, I often have trouble telling how I'm doing as to time. I may think I'm plugging along ok, when I'm actually way behind schedule; I can't always tell. And after living in Florida, where the electricity went off fairly regularly, I learned to make sure there was a non-plug-on clock everywhere I needed a clock.
Put reading material in doctor's office waiting rooms and quit showing TV "shows" that are actually just advertisements for expensive name brand drugs. Also, don't leave the patients waiting for an hour or more. (I'm not talking about emergencies, but we all know that you don't have an emergency Every. Single. Day.)
Doctors and dentists need to get everything done in one office visit instead of wanting to schedule three or four additional visits. Apparently, they don't realize people can't take off work that many times, or that we're made of money and want to shell out more cash for all these additional co-pays.
I think there should be a law that all mailboxes need to be near a person's front door, not at the curb. I also think everyone should have a locking mailbox: you never know if someone is going to swipe a check that's in the mail, or steal your bill(s) so that your payment is late.
People who put up signs saying to be careful, drive 5 mph (on a 30 or 35 mph roadway) because their kids are at play. That really irks me! Usually that "Kids At Play" sign means they're unsupervised, undisciplined, and they're running into the street, often darting from behind parked cars, like a "bunch of wild Indians," as my granny would say. Kids need to play in the back yard, never in the traffic.
I wish recycling would be mandatory and easier.
In our city, we have a lot of people living below the poverty line. Yet, there are bunches of out-of-town organizations (they may or may not be charities, and they're from 100 miles away) that put up charity drop boxes where they want you to donate clothes, shoes and household goods; none of this stuff goes to our local charities that help our townspeople but instead it gets trucked out of town. Meanwhile, Salvation Army, the local mission, the food banks and other places helping the poor don't have enough goods to work with. There needs to be a law that says donation boxes have to benefit the local organizations, or those charities located within the same county.
And they should outlaw books, newspapers and other printed material, esp. labels on medicine bottles, from being printed in little bitty print. I can't read 9 pt type anymore and 10 pt is a bit of a strain. I think the type size of large print books ought to be the norm.
If you have someone living with you and they don't pay their rent, you should be able to call the cops and have them kicked out immediately. It should be considered a very serious criminal, not a civil, matter. (None of this wait X number of days/weeks/months, and then if they pay a partial amount, you have to accept their money and set the clock back and start over, yadda yadda yadda. That's a real stupid law.) That may sound harsh, but too many people (myself included) are being/have been taken advantage of by these professional squatters pretending to be long lost friends needing help. (I'm looking at you, Pig Tricia!)
I have the cutest tiny little clock in my bathroom for just the same reason. The only problem is that its batteries are hard to find. But it makes a sweet little "tick tock" and matches the decor.
I'm with you on the canned veggies as well, especially green beans. Reminds me of the awful green beans they served with cafeteria lunches in elementary school. I thought I hated green beans until I tasted my first "real" green beans as an adult.
I have this thing about all the metal fixtures in a bathroom should match. If it's brass, then the faucets, the door knobs, the cabinet knobs, even the flush handle should match! I am by no means a great decorator myself, but that bugs me when they don't match!
Very little is handwritten these days, but when I have to write by hand or sign my name I am very particular about the pen. I like Uniball Vision Elite BLUE Rollerball Micro Point 0.5 mm pens. NOTHING else will do. These pens fit perfectly in my hand, they have just the right weight, they glide smoothly, it's easy to write neatly with them. When it's necessary to press hard for duplicates and triplicates I can, but very little pressure is needed otherwise. If someone asks to borrow my pen, I hand it to them without the lid to discourage "accidentally" walking off with my pen.
Here's something funny as you are going in to a healthcare field. I worked in healthcare for 20+ years and it was always drilled into our heads that we MUST use black ink. This came from the days when copy machines were bad and sometimes did not pick up blue ink. But nowadays, copy machines and scanners have no issues with blue ink. What's more, it's easy to tell when the blue ink is a copy rather than the original when scanned or copied, but it's not so easy to tell if black ink has been scanned or copied. For that reason, LEGAL documents must be signed in BLUE INK--because then you can be fairly certain which is the original. But healthcare settings still insist that staff only use black ink. This is quickly becoming moot as everything is on computer now. But I remember in health care we used to hoard our black pens, hide them, "steal" others, and have to go on hunts to find black pens for charting. Those were the days (NOT!).
Roadside memorials. I don't want reminders that something tragic could happen at any moment. Honor the deceased in a cemetery where it is appropriate.
Wow, I am with you 100% on all examples. Apparently this is a popular topic, since I didn’t arrive until mid-afternoon and there are 128 comments!
Cloth napkins over paper; in extreme situations, plain paper towels do the trick.
Pencil only in address books. (Why do people move so much? change their phone numbers so often? get new email addresses?)
There is NO REASON AT ALL for televisions to be on gas pumps. What is the illogic behind this foolish annoyance??
All gas caps need to be on the drivers side. My latest car is on the passenger side, and I STILL pull up on the wrong side half the time.
A bathroom clock is essential if you want to be on time.
Kristen - what a great topic to put out there.
To everyone who commented - I laughed so much reading your opinions. These were some of the funniest, wittiest comments ever, and I needed the laughs you gave me.
No spreadsheets on PowerPoint presentations. And try to keep the slide to (wait for it) no more than 7 words.
I have soooo opinions but just wanted to say that this is such a fun post!
I'm late to the party - and I could fill a book with my idiosyncracies - so I'll just add that stickers must be removed from all produce. Preferably before coming into the house, but even I know that's impractical.
Regarding intersections with multiple stoplights per side-all the greens MUST be the same shade of green-i do not know why it bothers me but I always notice and it sets my teeth on edge. 🙁
We have wall clocks in both bathrooms. And one in the kitchen as if the oven and microwave are in use, no clock.
You have never had American cheese purchased from a dairy. It actually tastes like something. It melts normally. Back in the day, mom would buy it in a 3 lb "log" (which tasted like the cheese from the dairy). She sliced it herself. Cheese was inexpensive during one time - I can't remember why. She bought Velveeta for the first and last time. The only way I like Velveeta is when used in a dip w/Rotel chilies and hamburger meat (maybe something else). A co-worker would make it for Xmas potluck so I ate it once a year. It is not healthy by any means.
My unimportant things:
1 - "WE are pregnant". No WE are not unless both of you have a due date to personally give birth. WE might be having a baby but WE are rarely pregnant.
2 - Pre-engaged. Like a little bit pregnant, there is no such thing. You are or you aren't.
The newer bright bluish headlights on vehicles should be banned.
Wooden disposable cutlery and paper straws are terrible.
I cannot stand all the scented laundry products.
Kitschy yard ornaments and fake flowers have absolutely no place anywhere in regular outdoor landscaping. (I make exceptions for tasteful holiday decor for a limited time period.)
My husband was raised with Velveeta cheese, I was NOT! When I get the groceries, I buy real cheese, when he does, he brings home American. We've been married almost 50 years and at this stage of life he is simply not going to change. BTW, I don't eat the American when he bring it home, I pick up cheese for me the next time I go past the store.
I completely agree about clocks in bathrooms!! I always have one hanging in mine.
I also am with you on the mugs---how the handle feels is the primary reason I will choose one mug over another. In fact, my favorite mug is so old that the saying on it is nearly completely gone, but I still keep using it because the 'feel' is right.
I do disagree about American cheese; I think what you are disliking is the cellophane wrapped, 'pasteurized processed American cheese food', which is gross. Real American cheese is basically unaged mild cheddar.
I have a lot of strong opinions about unimportant things that I don't know where to start.
Also first of all, so-called American cheese is Canadian. Second of all, it's real cheese that's just been blended together using sodium citrate (a chemical you can make in your own kitchen.) People who say American cheese isn't real cheese are the people who say hot dogs and meatloaf aren't real meat. They are wrong. You can not like it and quality does vary between brands (Land O Lakes is very different from say store brand singles, which aren't even true American cheese) but it's not all that bad.
I mean, it's not something disgusting and inedible like goat cheese or kale. It's just cheese made into a more melty state.
I would take goat cheese over American cheese if that tells you anything. 😉
You need American cheese in grill-cheese and cheese-burger, come on! lol. My daughter and hubby are right there with you, hate the stuff.
Absolutely NOT. Real cheese in both of those cases, please. Heh.
I don't drink coffee so I don't care about mugs! But American cheese is my favorite! I prefer Land O Lakes white American, thinly sliced at the deli. THAT is "real" cheese. I agree with you, though, that there is almost NEVER an occasion that calls for "cheese" in plastic sleeves. Blech!
Happened to think of a few areas where I am, shall we say, a "snob"!
1. I am most definitely a pen snob. I prefer Sharpie fine, not retractable or the old fashioned Bic Crystal smooth, with the "stick" of the cap lined up with the word "Bic" on the pen, ALWAYS, or I cannot rest.
2. I am a post-it snob. I will only use white ones. I find the brightly colored notes distracting, and I think they are difficult to read. I wish the white ones were more readily available and offered in different sizes. I have found some index card size, lined, post it notes that I LOVE!
3. I love all things paper, notebooks, cards, and have drawers full of them. However, I am LOATHE to use any of them. Makes no sense I know. I am mostly a minimalist in life, but paper goods, I can rarely resist.
4. I will never read a book more than once. It seems like a waste of time when there are so many other great books that I haven't even read once.
5. I will only use Heinz ketchup, but most things I will happily use "store brand". And I know, I know, the store brand is "probably" Heinz, but my brain and palate feel better with Heinz on the bottle!
6. I will ONLY use Tide powdered detergent and Downy original fabric softener. Nothing cleans better or smells better.
Agree 100% on a clock in the bathroom (have one in each of ours), buttermilk, and American cheese. For those of us who thought cheese meant American cheese when we were growing up, it's so nice to learn about all the real cheeses out there! Love this post!
I wish the loud background music on TV programs could be turned down somehow. It's annoying . . .
*unheated syrup for pancakes or waffles
*not enough ice in a soft drink
*unclean cutlery or plates in a restaurant or at home
*bananas with spots
*pureed soup
*people who don’t pick up what they drop
*people who don’t clean up what they spill
*clerks who say “have a good one” or “have a nice day” instead of “thank you”
*people who say “you told me already”
*plastic cups, plates, glasses, bowls…
*mis-use of I; “the gift was for him and I” never, never never!
*Mis-use of “more” and “most”. Usually it’s just supposed to be -er or -est.
*Electronic keyboards instead of pianos
*canned music at church
I feel strongly that people should always put the lid down on a toilet. There is that old joke about whether men should have to put the seat down or not - well, if everyone puts the lid down every time then the seat will always be put down. Then nothing can accidentally get knocked into the toilet, and it just looks so much nicer.
I am late and haven't read through all of the comments, but have y'all seen the mugs that instead of a handle, it's a space to wrap your hand around the mug and keep it warm? I have wanted to try one, but it's rarely cold enough here to really justify it.
Is there any info on the bottom of the last mug? My grandmother had a full set of that pattern but it was all bought a few at a time at yard sales and went missing after she passed
There is some kind of marking but I can't read it at all. And I tried using Google photos search to find the brand, but I can't find any mugs that are exactly the same. I do believe it's some kind of restaurant mug, like a diner mug.
I got it from the abandoned house my brother bought, so I have no idea where it originally was from!
Late to this party, but I have found one way (and only one way) to eat a slice of American cheese. Put one slice in your bowl of ramen and stir until melted. Adds a thick creaminess to the ramen. I've been known to go to the deli at my supermarket and request three slices of American cheese.
I was so busy last week I didn't read any of the entries.
Completely agree about a bathroom clock. I keep a small clock on my counter. Also agree about American "cheese", and I'll add Velveeta to that. Yuck.
I think canned corn (niblets, not creamed) is okay.
For me:
- tomatoes have no business on burgers or sandwiches unless it is a cheese and tomato or a BLT sandwich
- toilet paper must go over not under
- screws in outlet and switch plates must all be in one uniform direction _ or | but not both and definitely not /
- there is no substitute for actual diary cream for coffee. If cream is not available I guess I'm going without coffee (never a good start to the day)