# dumb thing I do. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 15, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351 "2003-08-15T08:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/1 "2003-08-15T08:06:54Z")
We use an electronic card to get into work. It works by holding the card near a thing. When I get home from work the first thing I do is hold my card next to the key hole. I wish we could say things like this here without having to make a thread of it. I often have little anecdotes that I want to share. but making a thread is a big deal. so they go unsaid. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/2 "2003-08-15T08:07:58Z")
(And we hit 4000) I should mention - It’s a habit. I know full well that the card won’t open my front door. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/3 "2003-08-15T09:54:50Z")
i have one of those things to get into work too. Have never tried to use it to get into my house though 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/4 "2003-08-15T10:40:27Z")
The main door at work has a key pad lock. I frequently find myself standing in front of it with my house keys in my hand, wondering what the hell I’m playing at. ---
**Author:** ![dctaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@dctaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dctaz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/5 "2003-08-15T10:49:34Z")
I have one key card for work, and another for my apartment building. I foten hold the wrong one up to the thingy. then wonder why the damn thing is not giving me the opening beep.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/6 "2003-08-15T10:49:44Z")
I try using my remote key (for the car) to get in the door to the house. Unless by some odd chance I happen to be thinking when I get to the door. ---
**Author:** ![dctaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@dctaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dctaz)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/7 "2003-08-15T10:51:33Z")
and review is my friend 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/8 "2003-08-15T11:08:56Z")
I frequently tried to gain access to my office using my bus card if that is of any comford Lobsang? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/9 "2003-08-15T12:02:03Z")
I occaisionally try to put my car key into my door lock, even though they look nothing alike. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/10 "2003-08-15T13:14:29Z")
Aren’t we at an age where keys are no longer needed? I wish I had some damned keypad thingy or something. Would you techno-geeks get busy on it?! I know theres commercial stuff available but I want one for my house. We were promised flying cars by now. Give us something, sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![stick\_monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@stick\_monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stick_monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/11 "2003-08-15T14:55:42Z")
I did the same thing the other day when I got home. Took almost a full 20 seconds before I realized I was standing there looking like an idiot waiting for the entry beep to come. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/12 "2003-08-15T15:07:07Z")
Self checkout machine at the grocery store: “Thank you for shopping at Ingles!” Bruce\_Daddy: “You’re welcome.” ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/13 "2003-08-15T16:12:23Z")
I try to use my remote for the car all the time on my house door and on other people’s cars. I just automatically reach inside my purse and pull my keys out, no matter where I’m going. ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/14 "2003-08-15T17:51:34Z")
At work I use a touch-screen cash register. The other day I went to shut down my computer and found myself poking the ‘OK’ button on the monitor about four times before I went “woah, you’ve been working too much.” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/15 "2003-08-15T19:36:59Z")
I pull my keys out about a block before I get there (walking). Sometimes I do the same for other people’s houses. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/16 "2003-08-15T20:03:59Z")
Kind of similar – Mum worked for years in a hospital communications room, and she was one of the Voices you hear in hospital paging doctors, and she did ambulance shouts and all that – after one harrowing day at work, she started off a mealtime prayer by paging God. This is the same woman who put macaroni in cake mix, so I suppose it’s understandable. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/17 "2003-08-15T20:06:47Z")
Kind of similar – Mum worked for years in a hospital communications room, and she was one of the Voices you hear in hospital paging doctors, and she did ambulance shouts and all that – after one harrowing day at work, she started off a mealtime prayer by paging a doctor. This is the same woman who put macaroni in cake mix, so I suppose it’s understandable. ---
**Author:** ![sperfur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sperfur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sperfur)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/18 "2003-08-15T20:31:27Z")
When using the TTY-to-voice relay (system where operator tells hearing person what deaf person types, then types what hearing person says so deaf and hearing can talk on the phone): To deaf person I’m talking with: I’ll talk you to later. Goodbye. To operator: And thank you, operator. Everytime. I always thank the operator without thinking. She _must_ type it, 'cuz I said it and that’s the rules. :o Some days, I’ll be on the phone all day, then when I get home I’ll answer the phone “This is **sperfur** , may I help you?” Really throws people off when they’re calling you at home. Or I’ll call someone and forget that _I_ called _them_. I’ll make small talk for a little while, waiting for them to get around to telling me what they want, then I’ll ask them, “So, what can I do for ya?” “You called me…” “I did? What did I want?” I guess most of the dumb things I do are on the phone… ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/19 "2003-08-15T20:42:59Z")
When the boys are watching DVDs or videos, the TV screen goes blue before you load the film. I was walking by the parlor and saw the blue screen and flipped because I thought I had another Windows problem to deal with. This doesn’t happen so much since we switched to W2K Pro at work 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![superstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@superstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superstar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351/20 "2003-08-15T23:15:25Z")
I am also a phone idiot! I answer my home phone with my work blurb, and visa-versa. And because I have a phone next to my calculator I often go to ring someone pushing the numbers on the calculator and normally get the whole way through the number before I realise. I also do this to the phone when I want to use the calculator. I once called someone I know doing this… very wierd! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-thing-i-do/195351.md?page=2)