# Things that please you well beyond their actual importance **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 23, 2026, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096 "2026-10-23T14:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/1 "2026-10-23T14:48:54Z")
I’ve done a similar thread to this some years ago, but rather than resurrect a zombie, let’s have some more happy thoughts. I have 3 cats, and twice a day they get wet food. 2 of the cats are young littermates who are very interested in food. They’re not food aggressive, but when you go to put a plate down, they’re both going to be right there meowing as you bend over then instantly sticking their faces in it. The third is a bit older and more shy. If we put down a single plate or put bowls down next to each other, he’d prefer to walk away than be jammed in with the other two to eat. We’ve learned to feed the two little ones first, plates go down and they’re in it immediately. The third gets his food next, and a few feet away from the others. What pleases me is that when I turn around, he’s always at his spot politely waiting for his plate. There’s absolutely no reason for me to feel good because he’s where I expect him to be, but there we are. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/2 "2026-10-23T16:49:01Z")
I feed the deer and wild turkeys that show up in my yard. The deer have gotten that they wait for me when they see me having my morning coffee. The turkey stop by to pick leftover nuts I place out for the squirrels to keep them out of the bird feeder. Cost very little since I buy more than I need at Costco in the oversized bags. But it is well worth the pleasure to watch. I have a couple of bucks that would eat out my hand if I let them. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/3 "2026-10-23T18:15:43Z")
When I’ve finished the first half of the warm bagel with cream cheese and then see the second half waiting for me. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/4 "2026-10-23T19:20:10Z")
conversations with my brother. Spending time with my nieces and nephews. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/5 "2026-10-23T23:11:26Z")
There is a new Subaru commercial where this giant Golden Retriever puppy is playing with a full size car; the dog is precious. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/6 "2026-10-23T23:15:06Z")
I assumed that commercial featured a normal puppy with the world’s smallest Subaru. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/7 "2026-10-23T23:38:11Z")
_Living_ wild animals, of any kind, even if it is the 4000th pronghorn I’ve seen that day. Extra points if it isn’t something I see walking around that often (like the skunk my dog and I had an encounter with a short time back!) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/8 "2026-10-23T23:43:18Z")
I wonder if puppa dog’s name is Clifford? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/9 "2026-10-23T23:45:53Z")
Looking at the empty sink after I’ve loaded up the dish machine. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/10 "2026-10-23T23:57:54Z")
When I see a bear walk by my front door camera. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/11 "2026-10-24T00:08:11Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I have 3 cats, and twice a day they get wet food. 2 of the cats are young littermates who are very interested in food. They’re not food aggressive, but when you go to put a plate down, they’re both going to be right there meowing as you bend over then instantly sticking their faces in it. As for cats, our more recent rescue (just show up in our backyard) is an orange girl. When she wants something she stands up on her hind legs to get a head pat. Two of our older cats snore, and somehow that noise is so relaxing. We feed the birds- originally just to give the cats something to watch, but it is find watching them line up for their turn at the feeder. We also put down peanuts for the ravens, and it is great watching them sidle up to their treat. Watching Survivor with my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/12 "2026-10-24T00:10:38Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > When I see a bear walk by my front door camera. As opposed to walking up to the door and knocking? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/13 "2026-10-24T02:11:47Z")
That would please me even more! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/14 "2026-10-24T02:56:02Z")
Petting any cat. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/15 "2026-10-24T03:04:52Z")
A couple days ago I grabbed my chainsaw. Haven’t used it in MONTHS!! Started on the third pull, ran all day! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/16 "2026-10-24T06:15:10Z")
A full rock pool. Real rock counter tops in public bathrooms or eateries. Especially if it’s a kind of rock I don’t see often. My local roving Goth club now has a residency in a gin bar that has [graphic granite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_texture) tops. Makes me happy every time I go to the bar. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/17 "2026-10-24T10:20:56Z")
My two dogs eat twice a day. Their bowls are right next to each other. Lani knows hers is on the left, Jax knows his is on the right. When I fill their bowls and put them down, they wait for me to say ‘Break’ or ‘OK’ before they will start eating. It’s cute. Such good dogs. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/18 "2026-10-24T11:02:22Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > We feed the birds- originally just to give the cats something to watch, but it is find watching them line up for their turn at the feeder. We also put down peanuts for the ravens, and it is great watching them sidle up to their treat. It always makes me happy to watch the birds in our garden from my living room window, especially when it’s a rare guest like a woodpecker. We don’t feed them, yet there are always birds, many different species. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/19 "2026-10-24T12:08:36Z")
Successfully throwing something accurately - and most commonly a ball of paper into the trash. It seems to be a very male thing. I was with a mixed bunch of adults recently and every man there admitted that doing this made them ridiculously pleased with themselves, out of all proportion to its objective importance, and every woman thought we were silly for being so. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2026, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096/20 "2026-10-24T14:17:06Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > made them ridiculously pleased with themselves, out of all proportion to its objective importance, and every woman thought we were silly for being so. Play darts with my wife. She dances when she gets a bullseye. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-please-you-well-beyond-their-actual-importance/1034096.md?page=2)