# What stupid thing do you do every time? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 19, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582 "2016-02-19T21:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/1 "2016-02-19T21:29:05Z")
Me? Periodically I email myself things from my work account to my personal account (which my phone receives as well). About 3 seconds later my phone makes a noise and I instinctively pick it up to see what it is… It’s yourself, stupid! I just sent it there! What thing do you do, and after you have done it you feel stupid? And yet you keep forgetting and do it again. P.S. I am trying to keep this thread a little light-hearted, so try to keep down the references to beating your wife or hard drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/2 "2016-02-19T21:42:10Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Me? > > Periodically I email myself things from my work account to my personal account (which my phone receives as well). About 3 seconds later my phone makes a noise and I instinctively pick it up to see what it is… It’s yourself, stupid! I just sent it there! I’m glad I’m not the only one. My phone is set to refresh email every 15 minutes, so there can be a little delay before my phone buzzes. But, still, sheesh. I look at it and do a mental :smack: every time. Another one is when I’m paying bills online, and I _know_ I’m going to get a confirmation email as soon as I hit submit. Yet, there I am, thinking, “Oh goody, an email!” as soon as the phone gets it. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/3 "2016-02-19T21:42:58Z")
I do that with my phone, too. Another phone thing … the ring tone on my phone used to be the same as a character’s phone in a TV show, and I would check my phone every time it rang on the TV, even when it rang multiple times per show. There was even an episode where the gag was that the character’s girlfriend kept calling to nag about something, and so there were about 15 phone calls in a row … I checked my phone every time. When cooking, if I am checking on a dish in the oven, I will use pot holders to get the hot dish out and remove the lid. Then, I stir or add seasonings or whatever the task was with the food … and pick up the lid again WITHOUT the pot holder, like somehow it miraculously cooled down to room temp in the 20 seconds that passed. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/4 "2016-02-19T21:53:12Z")
After learning to type on a manual typewriter back in the dark ages, I still expect the shift key to unlock the caps lock. This is after using a computer at work for many years. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/5 "2016-02-19T21:55:31Z")
Standing in front of my house and trying to open the door with my car key fob. Nope. Hasn’t worked yet. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/6 "2016-02-19T22:01:06Z")
When I’m reading a long thread in progress, I sometimes get impatient, and scroll to the end, expecting to find an answer or a conclusion. Then I have to remind myself that threads don’t work like that. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/7 "2016-02-19T22:08:19Z")
I’ve lived in this house for almost 10 years and at least once a week I flip the right switch instead of the left switch to turn on the kitchen light. The porch light does illuminate where the switches are but… I have did this even when the living room light is on and the switches are plainly visible. I also messed up and hung the windchime on the chain that is for the light vs the fan (ceiling fan light) but I make that work by reminding myself that I did it that way because we never change the light settings while we may turn the fan on/off/faster/slower and I didn’t want to hear all the jangling. I came up with that after the fact :o ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/8 "2016-02-19T22:11:27Z")
Get married ---
**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:** [February 19, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/9 "2016-02-19T22:24:40Z")
Procrastinate about taking a shower . . . like now. The stupid thing is that I enjoy showers. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/10 "2016-02-19T22:35:53Z")
There is a sink at work that is broken. The sensor doesn’t work and water doesn’t come out. Yes, it’s the one I try to use every time. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/11 "2016-02-19T22:49:57Z")
I put washed clothes in the dryer, turn it on and then forget about them. When I go to get them out they are all wrinkly from sitting in the dryer so I turn the dryer on to fluff them up and get some of the wrinkles out. Then I forget about them again. I have done this more times than I can count, sometimes fluffing them 3 times probably 4 on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/12 "2016-02-19T23:08:59Z")
When I’m either tired or distracted, I often try to use my touch tone desk phone at work as a calculator, or attempt to make phone calls on my calculator. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/13 "2016-02-19T23:09:33Z")
I’ve been thinking of learning cross-stitch so I can make up a little homey frame to hang on my kitchen wall with “FILTER FIRST, THEN COFFEE” on it. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/14 "2016-02-19T23:34:15Z")
Swipe my credit card through the lab card access reader. Then I stand there and keep swiping it back and forth, wondering why the door isn’t opening. Or swipe my school/lab ID through the credit card slot at the checkout counter. I don’t do it every time, but even occasionally is more than often enough… ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/15 "2016-02-19T23:39:50Z")
I don’t use a DVR anymore since I cut cable. But when I did, I would often forget that I can FF through the commercials. I’ve stubbed my toe on the same corner bed post at least a few thousand times. Sometimes when I drink, I like to head into the kitchen and see what I can cook up. When I do, I often wake up the next morning with the roof of my mouth burned to a crisp. Because apparently, when I cook while buzzed, I can’t be bothered to cool off the boiling stew on the stove that I’m taste testing. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/16 "2016-02-19T23:46:53Z")
When alone, I forget to unlock ALL the car doors when I unlock the driver’s. I end-up having to walk-around and re-open the driver’s door to hit the “unlock” button. Errrrrr. Oh, meant to quote this: > [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I put washed clothes in the dryer, turn it on and then forget about them. When I go to get them out they are all wrinkly from sitting in the dryer so I turn the dryer on to fluff them up and get some of the wrinkles out. Then I forget about them again. I have done this more times than I can count, sometimes fluffing them 3 times probably 4 on occasion. All. the. time. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/17 "2016-02-19T23:58:58Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > Swipe my credit card through the lab card access reader. Then I stand there and keep swiping it back and forth, wondering why the door isn’t opening. Or swipe my school/lab ID through the credit card slot at the checkout counter. I don’t do it every time, but even occasionally is more than often enough… This. I use my bright blue debit card and my bright blue transit card multiple times every day. About 50% of the time, I use the correct card first. I also do the email thing. A big part of my job is sending out emails, so I am constantly sending test emails to myself to make sure they are working. And every single time, I check to see what new email I have received. Use my work key to try to open my front door, and my front door key to try to open my work file cabinet. They are on entirely separate key rings, stored in separate pockets of my purse. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/18 "2016-02-20T00:12:59Z")
My work badge really doesn’t open my apartment building’s door. If it ever does, I don’t know if I’ll realize something weird just happened. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/19 "2016-02-20T00:31:34Z")
Lived in this house 24 years, and I still turn on the disposal when I mean to turn on the light. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582/20 "2016-02-20T00:40:33Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > Lived in this house 24 years, and I still turn on the disposal when I mean to turn on the light. I put one of those high-tech/military/sci-fi looking switch protectors over mine, so you have to flip the cover up before you can turn on the disposal. It was the only cure. I constantly, every time, always…settle back in a comfy place, open a book…and realize I didn’t switch to my reading glasses. So I gotta get up again and… Phoomph. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stupid-thing-do-you-do-every-time/746582.md?page=2)