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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My Pet Peeve- birthday "chapters" whats yours

163 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:
TigerRag · 04/08/2026 15:31

holachicatita · 04/08/2026 15:20

People wishing their dead grannies 'Happy birthday in heaven' on Facebook 🙄

People who don't know the difference between borrow and lend, or teach or learn. My MIL is always talking about how she 'learned' my kids to talk, walk etc

My uncle says "that'll learn you"

Bananacrepewithnuts · 04/08/2026 15:30

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 love doing that!

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

Miltonrocks · 04/08/2026 15:28

AmyDudley · 04/08/2026 15:21

Oh and referring to plural items of clothing in the singular. 'She is wearing a linen trouser with a beige sandal' - so half dressed then.

With a red lip

YouBelongHere · 04/08/2026 15:28

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.

To be fair I never start the round of applause but I'm always so relieved to be back on solid ground that I do join in 😂

SweetnsourNZ · 04/08/2026 15:28

AmyDudley · 04/08/2026 15:21

Oh and referring to plural items of clothing in the singular. 'She is wearing a linen trouser with a beige sandal' - so half dressed then.

Not heard that, but I used to say a pair of bras until a friend pointed out it was just a bra. Funny how knickers are a pair though. I suppose that still bothers me even if I am in the wrong.

Watermelongum · 04/08/2026 15:27

RodneysGotaNewHairdo · 04/08/2026 15:18

People who don't know the difference between "unsociable" and "antisocial".

Yes, that one drives me mad.

Also "reached out".

Oh and "we rocked up".

Also please note "my husband and I" not "myself and my husband".

Thank you.

Shinyhappyapple · 04/08/2026 15:26

You’re not being unreasonable but this is yet another thing that occupies other people that I’ve never heard of.

YouBelongHere · 04/08/2026 15:25

Very specific but I just finished a popular book series and I'm getting annoyed by people ignoring the books actual canon in favour of their interpretation of how it happened. Nothing wrong with interpreting a book differently of course but when you have to bend over backwards and ignore what's actually written in front of your eyes to defend your point, maybe you're not 'thinking critically'.

"Well why didn't he just-" IT WAS WRITTEN WHY IN THE BOOK!?

Sunnibee · 04/08/2026 15:25

I just saw this for the first time the other day and found it exceptionally annoying .

YANBU

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 04/08/2026 15:24

Argh and "love language".

Just fuck off.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 04/08/2026 15:23

People "reaching out" to others. What happened to old-fashioned "contacting"?

Dreamcatcherat50 · 04/08/2026 15:23

Kimbran · 04/08/2026 14:09

Now ubiquitous: we no longer get nor take, we only GRAB.

eurrgh

Yes!

No I would not like to 'grab food', thank you.

SweetnsourNZ · 04/08/2026 15:22

VodkaAndSoda · 04/08/2026 12:45

I have literally never seen this. Thankfully.

Same.

AmyDudley · 04/08/2026 15:21

Oh and referring to plural items of clothing in the singular. 'She is wearing a linen trouser with a beige sandal' - so half dressed then.

holachicatita · 04/08/2026 15:20

People wishing their dead grannies 'Happy birthday in heaven' on Facebook 🙄

People who don't know the difference between borrow and lend, or teach or learn. My MIL is always talking about how she 'learned' my kids to talk, walk etc

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

AmyDudley · 04/08/2026 15:18

I've never heard of birthday chapters (thank God). I can't abide the trend for saying 'it's my birthday 'week'. or even birthday 'month' ' usually in the context of 'no one else is allowed to do anything because it's my birthday week and I will be conning people into spending money on me celebrating on many days.'
There is no birthday week, the clue is in the name birth 'day' , get over yourself and stop being an attention seeking greedy fucker.

I also want to make rude noises at people who use the expression 'I was today years old when......' pure wank, stop it at once.

RodneysGotaNewHairdo · 04/08/2026 15:18

People who don't know the difference between "unsociable" and "antisocial".

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!!

CruCru · 04/08/2026 15:05

Tablo · 04/08/2026 14:54

This is very much a social media thing but I hate ‘it’s giving’

It’s giving Autumn
It’s giving hot girl summer

🤢

Oh God - I keep seeing adverts for things online with “hot girl summer” all over them. Ugh.

WearingBeautifulShoes · 04/08/2026 15:01

I have never seen or heard the "chapters" thing, thank God! Agree it's probably used by people who are often on a "journey" of "making memories" with "this one".

Two phrases which I see very frequently at the moment and which really annoy me even though they're quite innocuous are - "It's on you/ this is on him" and "trust your gut/ what does your gut say?" I don't know why but both phrases me cringe.

VictoriaEra · 04/08/2026 14:59

Kimbran · 04/08/2026 14:09

Now ubiquitous: we no longer get nor take, we only GRAB.

eurrgh

Yep. I came here to say exactly that.

Cuppachuchu · 04/08/2026 14:55

Never heard the chapters thing (happily).
But this thread has made me laugh, so 🤣

Tablo · 04/08/2026 14:54

This is very much a social media thing but I hate ‘it’s giving’

It’s giving Autumn
It’s giving hot girl summer

🤢

TanquerayTickles · 04/08/2026 14:51

pinkspeakers · 04/08/2026 14:34

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

Show quote history

I heard 2 separate people say it on Saturday alone. I could weep 😂

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