# Little things that you are irrationally picky about **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309 "2015-01-19T20:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/61 "2015-01-21T01:14:25Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > …Oh, and a pet grammar peeve as well; for some reason, local dialect sticks an utterly unnecessary ‘to’ at the end of questions like ‘where’s that?’. ‘Where’s he to?’ ‘Where’s that hammer to?’ … On a similar vein, every single episode of Cops I’ve ever watched, regardless in which US city it was taped, has every locational interrogative by the police ending with “at.” Where’s your ID at? Where do you live at? Where’s he at? Very jarring to these British/Canadian ears. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/62 "2015-01-21T03:08:54Z")
I hate the unnecessary addition of pre- to many words, such as drilled, packaged, planned, and just about any word ending in -ed. The -ed says it was done before, so the pre- is unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/63 "2015-01-21T05:24:59Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I hate the unnecessary addition of pre- to many words, such as drilled, packaged, planned, and just about any word ending in -ed. The -ed says it was done before, so the pre- is unnecessary. I think they just want the end user to have a warm and fuzzy feeling of “oh, somebody already did that for me, Great!” Although I wonder why “chopped garlic” doesn’t say “pre chopped garlic”. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/64 "2015-01-21T05:31:18Z")
Decimate means destroying or killing one out of 10. Now it means destroying/killing almost everything/everyone. Ticks me off. ARGH! I just looked it up and now the definition I know is “historical”. Pounds head against the desk. Penultimate is the second to last, not the last. Ultimate is the last thing. Runs out of the thread screaming because this has set off all of my pet peeves. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/65 "2015-01-21T05:31:19Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I hate the unnecessary addition of pre- to many words, such as drilled, packaged, planned, and just about any word ending in -ed. The -ed says it was done before, so the pre- is unnecessary. OK, George. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/66 "2015-01-21T06:55:30Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Decimate means destroying or killing one out of 10. Now it means destroying/killing almost everything/everyone. Ticks me off. ARGH! I just looked it up and now the definition I know is “historical”. Pounds head against the desk. Inflation. ---
**Author:** ![lonewolf221](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/fbc32d/32.png) [@lonewolf221](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lonewolf221)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/67 "2015-01-21T07:26:48Z")
Today I went nuts trying to untangle a bunch of music chords. I don’t know why, but tangled chords drive me insane. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/68 "2015-01-21T07:38:54Z")
People who think there are only two fonts in the universe, Helvetica and Times Roman. Guys: we are blessed to live in a time and place that have thousands of fonts literally at our fingertips. Why be stuck with only two? And don’t get me started on kerning. The only thing worse than no kerning is over kerning. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/69 "2015-01-21T08:42:59Z")
People who can’t understand the correct use of its and it’s. > [@panache45](#): > > And don’t get me started on kerning. I had to look up what that is. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/70 "2015-01-21T09:21:21Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > People who think there are only two fonts in the universe, Helvetica and Times Roman. Guys: we are blessed to live in a time and place that have thousands of fonts literally at our fingertips. Why be stuck with only two? > > And don’t get me started on kerning. The only thing worse than no kerning is over kerning. How about people who misuse the terms “font” and “typeface”? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/71 "2015-01-21T10:37:14Z")
The phrase, “It is what it is.” I have to bite my lip, when I hear people say this. Could you say anything less meaningful? Sounds like a valley girl to my ear. I always want to ask if they’re sure it isn’t what it isn’t? Is there anything that isn’t what it is? No, there isn’t. Everything is what it is. When I hear someone I thought was pretty damn smart say this, I consider that I may be mistaken. It is a meaningless phrase, that adds nothing. Except makes the speaker sound akin to a teenager saying, “Whatever!” I never let on, but I confess, I’m a little judgey, inside, whenever I hear this stupid phrase. I’m sure it’s just me though! ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/72 "2015-01-21T11:44:09Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > . I’m sure it’s just me though! Well, you are what you are. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/73 "2015-01-21T11:50:12Z")
> [@VanillaGorilla](#): > > Well, you are what you are. [You Are What You Is](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Are_What_You_Is). and You is what you am because A cow don’t make ham… ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/74 "2015-01-21T12:16:07Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I hate the unnecessary addition of pre- to many words, such as drilled, packaged, planned, and just about any word ending in -ed. The -ed says it was done before, so the pre- is unnecessary. I tried to make payments on my pre-owned car with pre-spent money, but they sent around a prehistoric-looking individual to drive it away. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/75 "2015-01-21T13:52:21Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The phrase, “It is what it is.” I have to bite my lip, when I hear people say this. Could you say anything less meaningful? Sounds like a valley girl to my ear. I always want to ask if they’re sure it isn’t what it isn’t? > > Is there anything that isn’t what it is? No, there isn’t. Everything is what it is. When I hear someone I thought was pretty damn smart say this, I consider that I may be mistaken. > > It is a meaningless phrase, that adds nothing. Except makes the speaker sound akin to a teenager saying, “Whatever!” > > I never let on, but I confess, I’m a little judgey, inside, whenever I hear this stupid phrase. I’m sure it’s just me though! As someone who’s been known to use that phrase, it always puzzles me when people say it’s meaningless. It has a definite meaning. It means “We have to deal with the situation as it is, not as we wish it were.” Quite a useful thing to be able to say. You’ll get my “It is what it is” when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/76 "2015-01-21T14:16:15Z")
> [@lonewolf221](#): > > Today I went nuts trying to untangle a bunch of music chords. I don’t know why, but tangled chords drive me insane. Did you somehow get a Gmaj7, a C#m and a Dsus4 all tangled up with each other, or did you mean cords, better known as cables? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/77 "2015-01-21T14:16:36Z")
You’re welcome to it!😃 ‘Dealing with the situation as it is, not as we wish’, is a fully formed and well expressed thought. Which I can totally appreciate. “It is what it is”, is for people unable to recognize or express a fully formed thought, it seems to me. The table? Is what it is! The door? Is what it is! The carpet? Is what it is! Everything, everywhere, always, is what it is! Sorry, still a silly, meaningless, totally redundant, unnecessary, non illuminating phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/78 "2015-01-21T14:23:17Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > You’re welcome to it!😃 > > ‘Dealing with the situation as it is, not as we wish’, is a fully formed and well expressed thought. Which I can totally appreciate. > > “It is what it is”, is for people unable to recognize or express a fully formed thought, it seems to me. > > The table? Is what it is! The door? Is what it is! The carpet? Is what it is! Everything, everywhere, always, is what it is! > > Sorry, still a silly, meaningless, totally redundant, unnecessary, non illuminating phrase. The expression is typically used in the context of a bad situation. It is also typically used as a response to another person whining about the situation without actually offering any solutions. The expression is, in fact, a fully formed and well expressed thought when taken in context. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/79 "2015-01-21T14:41:24Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > You’re welcome to it!😃 > > ‘Dealing with the situation as it is, not as we wish’, is a fully formed and well expressed thought. Which I can totally appreciate. > > “It is what it is”, is for people unable to recognize or express a fully formed thought, it seems to me. > > The table? Is what it is! The door? Is what it is! The carpet? Is what it is! Everything, everywhere, always, is what it is! > > Sorry, still a silly, meaningless, totally redundant, unnecessary, non illuminating phrase. Nobody points to a table and says “It is what it is.” I defy you to find a case of that ever happening, anywhere. As **Scumpup** beat me to saying, the expression is used in the context of people complaining about a bad situation, and wishing that it just wasn’t so. If people were just pointing at random objects and exclaiming that they are what they are, you might have a point. But that doesn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/80 "2015-01-21T14:49:15Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > As someone who’s been known to use that phrase, it always puzzles me when people say it’s meaningless. It has a definite meaning. It means “We have to deal with the situation as it is, not as we wish it were.” Quite a useful thing to be able to say. > > You’ll get my “It is what it is” when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! 🙂 I agree. It’s a succinct way of saying there are things we can’t change, now what are we going to do in the meantime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309.md?page=5)