Things people do that baffle you 2

Can you tell us who you describe as ‘very elderly person’?
Is this yet another post bashing anyone over the age of 30?

I've never understood people who voluntarily join the armed services. Don't get me wrong - I'm very thankful that they do! I just do not see the appeal because it is so far away from me and my world.

Comment on posts saying they have no idea what someone is talking about, saying "who?" when people post about someone, etc

My husband not being able to find his car keys at least twice a day. There is a hook on the back of the front door but rather than put them there, he seems to prefer running around the house like a headless chicken and involve me in the search.

Social contact

is important for many elderly people that have no one so that wee chat with someone at the bus stop or checkout person may be the only people they'll speak to that day.
A bit more patience and understanding wouldn't go amiss

I find it baffling with all the knowledge we have at our fingertips these days that most people still believe that they are in effect victims of their "genes".

There's all this stuff about epigenetics being affected by simple lifestyle factors, such as dementia risk reduced by 40-60% by diet and exercise and a few other simple lifestyle factors within most people's control and means. We know about heart disease, even neurological diseases, being strongly influenced for the better with dietary changes and regular movement, etc. Even cancer risk can be mitigated by simple lifestyle changes. The Who is pretty conservative about this, but it is generally agreed there's a fair amount we can do:

Four in ten cancer cases could be prevented globally

But any MN thread about ageing is about the inevitabilty of dementia and years of decline and nursing homes, and people really have low to no interest in hearing otherwise. Weird.

Theirs and our sit next to each other for collection and there are always squinty, sticking out into the road cos the gunmen just stick them anywhere so I know they’ve been emptied.

Eek - your binmen are armed? What kind of area do you live in??

Did the bin actually get emptied? On several occasions, I've left one of mine out because it didn't get emptied. (And the council lied and said it wasn't put out, when I know damn well it was) On principal, I leave it out for the next collection (and because very occasionally they arrange an extra pick-up, and I want to make sure I don't miss it)

@sueelleker - yes, they do this every week. Theirs and our sit next to each other for collection and there are always squinty, sticking out into the road cos the gunmen just stick them anywhere so I know they’ve been emptied. This makes it even more baffling cos their bins end up in the road (it’s a back street) and folk have to drive round them. Sometimes their bins are scarily close to their cars and the wind blows them over but still they leave them there for days!

Re folding down corners in books. I’d much rather use a bookmark. I don’t have the gift of being able to close a book and then open it later at the exact page I left off, and bookmarks save me looking for that page. And I like bookmarks. They remind me of places I have been and things I like.

People who park on pavements and think that because they pull their wing mirrors in or leave the hazard lights on that makes it OK.

very elderly people who shop on Saturday morning

I am old now and mostly do online grocery shopping anyway, but I remember my elderly uncle always used to go shopping and into town on a Saturday because he loved the busy vibe. He lived alone and I think going where there were lots of people was important to him.

People believing religion baffles me.