# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![silvermist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@silvermist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silvermist)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/141 "2015-01-24T22:07:55Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I used to follow my peers and refer to something as “so fun”. My technical editor father beat it out of me - “It’s ‘so much fun’ and don’t you forget it, young lady.” > > **silvermist** – do all the labels have to be perfectly facing forward? Yes, how did you know? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/142 "2015-01-24T23:07:06Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > This changes from pickiness to justified frustration when they do stupid stuff like provide a field to type zip code, but unless you click on your zip code in the helpful auto complete list that appears, your manually typed number is deemed invalid. I can’t figure out why web forms ask for city, state, and ZIP code. Seems to me they should just ask for the ZIP, and from that do a lookup and fill in the city and state on their own. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/143 "2015-01-25T01:55:46Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I can’t figure out why web forms ask for city, state, and ZIP code. Seems to me they should just ask for the ZIP, and from that do a lookup and fill in the city and state on their own. As long as they display it right then and there. I wouldn’t want a simple typo of 9 instead of 0 to send my stuff to Carson, WA instead of Trenton, NJ. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/144 "2015-01-25T03:59:05Z")
Do they make “ZIP Code” required and check any 5-digit value against US ZIPs, regardless of actual address entered? SOE used to do that; apparently they finally fixed it, but now they have moved to not letting you pay if your IP doesn’t match the country listed. There’s also the ones that require “name” and “lastname” and which then don’t accept spaces in those fields. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/145 "2015-01-25T04:09:34Z")
> [@silvermist](#): > > Yes, how did you know? I don’t understand why that scene in \*\*Sleeping With The Enemy \*\*was supposed to be scary. It made me feel all was right with the world. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/146 "2015-01-25T14:12:28Z")
Regarding ‘it is what it is’, put me down in the ‘pointless and redundant’ camp. Of course it is what it is. It’s _always_ what it is. If someone can produce a cite of something that is not what it is I’ll happily reverse the call. mmm ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/147 "2015-01-26T02:46:32Z")
I just thought of something else I am picky about. I do not like people passing anything over my food or drink. I do not want anything possibly dropping off into/onto my comestibles. If I as you for a pillow, don’t pass it over my hospital table, there might be something yucky adhering to it that might dislodge and fall into my meal. No. Just NO. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/148 "2015-01-26T03:33:58Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Regarding ‘it is what it is’, put me down in the ‘pointless and redundant’ camp. > > Of course it is what it is. It’s _always_ what it is. > > If someone can produce a cite of something that is not what it is I’ll happily reverse the call. > mmm So what do you say when something sucks and you hash out why it sucks and then come to the conclusion that it’s not going to change and you just have to live with it and move on? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/149 "2015-01-26T03:51:11Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I just thought of something else I am picky about. I do not like people passing anything over my food or drink. Definitely does not qualify as irrational. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/150 "2015-01-26T04:19:56Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’m no great fan of it either. But … > > Y’alls’ proposal for the third person singular gender-nonspecific pronoun is what exactly? I don’t mind seeing “he or she” or even the singular he to represent male and female. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/151 "2015-01-26T08:19:47Z")
I cringe when people spell “separate” as “seperate”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/152 "2015-01-26T09:01:51Z")
Genocides of people who are not lily-white. I get my panties in a bunch about all mass slaughters of human beings, whereas most people I know are perfectly okay with genocide if the people are not white in skin color. Not much I can do about it other than first complain about the mass slaughter of human beings in places with decidedly non-European named locations, then point out that it would elicit outrage from all if it happened to, well, white people. I then get race-splained that those situations are different and I have no idea what genocide is. Needless to say, I am something of a pariah at social gatherings of only white people. I don’t know who first said it, but history is just one damned thing after another. Damned things are so very frequently genocidal. Anyway, my white acquaintances tell me that this is a little thing. A little thing that I am irrationally picky about. Did I mention the more I know about peoples, the more I admire dogs? ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/153 "2015-01-26T11:14:35Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > I don’t mind seeing “he or she” or even the singular he to represent male and female. I really hate “he or she” and “s/he”, and using he as default implies something that isn’t necessarily true (that the person is a man, when in fact the gender is unknown). “They” is the best word we’ve got. My only problem with it is that it’s prevented us from agreeing upon a new pronoun. There are quite a few out there, but they’re not wildly used. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/154 "2015-01-26T14:16:42Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > So what do you say when something sucks and you hash out why it sucks and then come to the conclusion that it’s not going to change and you just have to live with it and move on? I say ‘that sucks’. Based on your response, instead of saying ‘it is what it is’ you should be saying ‘It will always be what it is’. mmm ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/155 "2015-01-26T14:46:32Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I say ‘that sucks’. Why? A situation that is bad exhibits no evidence of suction. It does not draw any objects toward itself. Words must always be taken absolutely literally and can never acquire any sort of metaphorical meaning, yes? That’s the only basis I can see for objecting to “It is what it is.” Why, then, do you not object to any other sort of idiomatic expression? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/156 "2015-01-26T14:55:00Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I say ‘that sucks’. I cringe when I hear this expression spoken in decent company as a equal to “that stinks” or “that is unfortunate” My reason is irrational: this phrase is one of those rare expressions that were highly offensive or obscene in my childhood but has lost its raunchy feel in the intervening decades. I know that folks say “that sucks” in casual conversation these days without any raised eyebrows, but it would have definitely raised eyebrows in 1975 had it been spoken in similar circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/157 "2015-01-26T15:07:42Z")
“But it’s not like we can change it!” Or, “No choice but to move on!”, or, “Still have to accept it, regardless!”, “Better get right with it, anyway!” ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/158 "2015-01-26T17:25:07Z")
“Oh well, what the hell!” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/159 "2015-01-26T18:59:29Z")
Though I fall on the side of “it is what it is” sometimes being a useful phrase in certain situations, I hope we can all agree that this is going too far: > [@NFL player Richard Sherman](#): > > I think perception is reality. It is what it is. Their resume speaks for itself. You talk about getting close to the line, this and that. I don’t really have a comment about that. Their past is what their past is. Their present is what their present is. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309/160 "2015-01-26T20:05:31Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > I don’t know how to describe these ,so I’ll put them into sentences. > > 1. “Karen is driving me crazy. I just can’t with her.” > > 2. “People are driving a lot of large cars anymore” > > 3. “The lawn needs mowed” “The dishes need washed” I’ve never heard 2, but it would drive me crazy. 3 is an error that definitely irks me. 1 is, however, “legitimate” slang. I hate that phrase, but I would say it’s common enough, has a distinct meaning, and is not merely a corruption / error. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-things-that-you-are-irrationally-picky-about/710309.md?page=9)