In my case, my monitor is my TV. Right now I’m sitting on my couch, typing on my wireless keyboard. My computer is across the room, hooked up to a 46’’ LCD television set. It’s a relatively small room, but still much too big for a standard keyboard or mouse cord to reach across it. In a normal computer / keyboard / desk situation I entirely agree with you. While I’d still prefer a wireless mouse in that case, a wireless keyboard would be worse than worthless.
What bothers me the most about people asking this is the wasted potential for a good conversation. Nobody who has ever asked me what I was reading has ever liked the answer. It always goes something like this: Them: Whatcha reading? Me: Hmm? Oh, it’s called the “Malleus Maleficarum”. It’s a late-15th century manual for detecting, interrogating, and trying witches, written by people working for the Inquisition. Them: :eek: … Uh … ok.
Well I do have a couple of small but nagging complaints to bring to the table, and I’d like to thank you for giving me this space to express them.
Goddamn hollow plastic wheels. There are on seemingly all, hideously coloured, childrens rolling carts, wagons and bikes. Also garbage cans and some wheel barrows. WTF? Do you designers not have freaking ears, or what? I’m sure my neighbours enjoy listening to that sound as I drag my garbage to the curb at eleven at night, when I get in. And I’m sure jr and Mom are really enjoying that lovely soundtrack to their outing as they drag that horrific wagon behind them. Stop making them please, I beg of you!
Your turn indicators are of use to pedestrians as well as other cars, you moron - use them. You can see me there, standing on the curb with my dog, waiting for a break in traffic to cross the quasi busy street, unassisted by traffic lights. You know you’re turning, not going straight. If I knew that, I could safely cross in front of you, as traffic is otherwise clear. But no, you just barrel down the road, see me there waiting, and then put your indicator light on, like two seconds before turning. WTF? Now I’ve missed a clear chance and have to wait for another opening, because you’re too damned lazy to use the signal. This makes you an inconsiderate idiot.
What small god have I offended that twice in consecutive weeks buying dish soap, of all fucking things in the world, has gone awry?
The first time, a cashier missed it until after I’d already paid for my stuff. Today, a bottle that hadn’t been opened or unusually treated in the cart was leaking when the cashier picked it up. I didn’t want to go through another transaction or hold up the line for something that wasn’t absolutely necessary, so both times I left sans dish soap. Clearly, I need to have my Dawn straw-purchased.
Some years back, I purchased a fabric book cover for paperbacks that has carrying handles and a ribbon bookmark attached. It’s quite astonishing: When people can’t see the cover of the book, they don’t ask me that obnoxious question. Seriously, I carry a book everywhere with me, and not one single time has a stranger asked me, “What are you reading?” when my book is covered.
I highly recommend it. Heck, even a cheapie $1 book cover for school books works, which I use for trade paperbacks or hardbacks. I’m not sure why, but I can promise astonishing results!
They may be assuming you’re reading something shameful. I mean, if you have to COVER it, it must be bad, right? Like truly bad romance novel. Or a Gor book. Or Dianetics. Or… okay I can’t think of anything worse than that.
