Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My Pet Peeve- birthday "chapters" whats yours

167 replies

JadoreLeFromage · 04/08/2026 12:44

Am I being unreasonable (AIBU)?

I KNOW this is one of those things that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it really "irks" me.

When people say/write in cards/post on social media "Chapter 40" at their 40th birthdays (or whatever age).

The day you turn 40, you are now in chapter 41!

You are not entering chapter 40; you entered that at 39. 🙄

Why does this annoy me so much? 😅

Same when people write "draws" instead of "drawers." Like nails on a blackboard.

  1. AIBU?
  2. Share your pet peeves, please!!
OP posts:
Justanopinionnothingmore · 04/08/2026 19:20

Bananacrepewithnuts · 04/08/2026 15:30

I love doing that!

I also clap at the end of the film at the cinema.

Show quote history

Holy shit... this is sarcasm... right? 😬

FrostyPalms · 04/08/2026 19:15

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has never come across the chapters thing. I think it might be just in your circle, OP. Then again I'm not on Insta or Tik Tok.

I hate when people write loose instead of lose. They are two different words they are even pronounced differently! How can you mix them up?

Also, could of and would of instead of could have and would have. And, of course, the whole your/you're/yr and there/their/they're confusion. I have a family member with dyslexia, so I do know that for some people this is incredibly difficult. But that is no excuse for everyone else! We all went to school, didn't we?

Someone else mentioned the supposed compliment, "beautiful inside and out". I can't stand that. A picture of someone can be beautiful. They can objectively be a beautiful person. But that has nothing to do with the content of their character and is completely irrelevant.

minsmum · 04/08/2026 19:10

I have started noticing the use of the word on.
Examples - I did it on accident or not sure what I am doing on Christmas..
It makes me want to punch them

dancehysterical22 · 04/08/2026 19:01

EpicaOmega · 04/08/2026 15:15

I’ve never seen the chapter thing either, but maybe people are thinking of the first year of life as a preface?…

Some of the things in this thread, though, get wholehearted agreement from me!!

Ah! Never thought about it like that, actually.

dancehysterical22 · 04/08/2026 19:00

pinkspeakers · 04/08/2026 14:34

i've never heard anyone say that???!

Show quote history

Nor have I

dancehysterical22 · 04/08/2026 18:59

Shardonneigghhh · 04/08/2026 12:51

Mine is when the passengers give the pilot a round of applause on landing after a perfectly normal flight.

I don't get it.

I quite like that. I’d imagine driving a plane is very, very difficult.

Noshowlomo · 04/08/2026 18:56

For those that haven’t seen this… enjoy 🤮

My Pet Peeve- birthday "chapters" whats yours
Clarabell77 · 04/08/2026 18:53

MrsClatterbuck · 04/08/2026 15:19

I have only noticed this lately. It's when people refer to the ground as the floor. Why? If they drop something outside they say they have dropped something on the floor. No just no
You dropped it on the ground. Ok

I’ve only heard English people say this, in Scotland we would say ground if it’s outside, floor if it’s inside.

Additup · 04/08/2026 18:48

Shardonneigghhh · 04/08/2026 12:51

Mine is when the passengers give the pilot a round of applause on landing after a perfectly normal flight.

I don't get it.

I assume its gratitude that they haven't all plunged to their deaths.

DierdreDaphne · 04/08/2026 18:41

Noshowlomo · 04/08/2026 15:50

Making memories 😬😬😬😬

Also, I’ve seen two instagram accounts with this- “if they throw me to the wolves, I’ll return leading the pack” - in their bio.

Feck off with ya

Oh God 😂😂

DierdreDaphne · 04/08/2026 18:39

Miltonrocks · 04/08/2026 15:28

With a red lip

Show quote history

And a smoky eye.

Looks great on you, Cyclops.

TokyoSushi · 04/08/2026 18:34

My whole world 🫶🏻 Usually accompanied by a family photo all in matching top to toe Primark.

dogby · 04/08/2026 18:34

TodoRonnieRonRon · 04/08/2026 16:42

Never heard the ‘chapters’ thing but mine is ‘ could of’ instead of ‘ could have’. Also when did people start saying to someone serving them ‘ could I get’ instead of ‘ could I have’? Also chimdey, hospical, skelington etc. I’m going for a lie down now.

some of that is accent rather than incorrect though
like buzz for bus, keckle for kettle, look’t for look at

worcesterpear · 04/08/2026 18:27

Thought I'd also never heard of the chapters thing, but then remembered seeing it on youtube filmed by a Russian living in America, so maybe it is an American saying?
Similar to 'smashing' things, I also dislike 'hitting' usually used to describe a child being predicted high exam grades.

utahsainthood · 04/08/2026 18:24

I have so many peeves and haven’t RTFT but mine is people writing “he’s” for “his”, or the other way round.

It’s absolutely wild and I can’t understand where it’s come from.

Comtesse · 04/08/2026 18:24

TigerRag · 04/08/2026 15:31

My uncle says "that'll learn you"

Show quote history

Ahh that one is legit though!

RobertaFirmino · 04/08/2026 18:23

People who 'prep' lunch. No love, you've just made a plate of butties.

Ilovelurchers · 04/08/2026 18:23

"reaching out" for any form of contact is particularly annoying,
as the phrase to "reach out" used to have a specific, useful connotation - when you made contact with someone you perhaps hadn't been in contact with for a while in order to offer them, or maybe request, some form of emotional comfort or support. I saw it as metaphorical - you imagine someone holding their arms out to give or request a comforting hug.....

But now it's often used in professional contexts too - I have seen schools asking parents to "reach out' if they have any questions about an upcoming residential, for example. I don't want to (literally or figuratively) cuddle my daughter's teachers, even if they are kind enough to take her to France...

blueberries1234 · 04/08/2026 18:23

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 04/08/2026 15:24

Argh and "love language".

Just fuck off.

Made me smile!! 🤣

ChuckGarabedian · 04/08/2026 18:20

Someone may have mentioned this already but those who profess to be “low key obsessed”. Usually an influencer trying to flog a cheap bikini. Also, I watch a lot of travel docs on YouTube and appreciate the ones who don’t feel the need to use “super” as their sole adverb. Such and such is super cheap, or super cute, or super fast. It grates a bit when you hear it in every other sentence.

The cooking one, I blame Jamie Oliver for all the whacking and bunging of stuff into bowls and ovens!

Seefooddiet · 04/08/2026 18:20

Mine is 'the math is mathing' or whatever variation
My friend told me the other day that the algorithm was algorithming and it made me want to hurt her.
Also anything girly, one of the presenters on radio one is a matcha girly

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 04/08/2026 18:12

MrsClatterbuck · 04/08/2026 15:19

I have only noticed this lately. It's when people refer to the ground as the floor. Why? If they drop something outside they say they have dropped something on the floor. No just no
You dropped it on the ground. Ok

I do this with my dog.

I taught him "floor" when he was a puppy and jumping up. Floor means all four feet on the floor. If he jumps around outside, I have to say floor as he doesn't understand the difference between floor and ground.

YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan · 04/08/2026 18:10

I seethe when people write brought instead of bought.

Eg: I brought this in Boots

ThingsCouldBeEasier · 04/08/2026 18:10

I've never seen this.

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/08/2026 18:03

VodkaAndSoda · 04/08/2026 12:45

I have literally never seen this. Thankfully.

Neither have I.