Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 10 11

Original poster

Does anyone feel just a bit awkward about doing some every day things?

268 replies

Pyri · 04/02/2022 16:31

I am a successful, confident woman in every day life. So why do I feel like such a prize idiot doing normal things like:

taking stuff back to the tiny post office counter that’s in the corner shop, I feel weirdly guilty about doing ASOS returns there without buying anything
taking my car to a car wash, feeling like I’m going to prang it going around corners then feeling a bit awkward not knowing when to tell them I only want the outside doing / not sure where to look when they’re buffing the windscreen / wondering if I’ll run over their toes when pulling forward
literally anything to do with conversing with workmen

WHY?!! Does anyone else manage perfectly in real life but feel just a bit awkward with these minor interactions?

OP posts:

Effitall · 04/02/2022 20:51

Leaving work at the same time as colleagues and not wanting to be the first to pull out the car park because I don’t want them driving behind me!

MichaelAndEagle · 04/02/2022 20:53

@Effitall

Leaving work at the same time as colleagues and not wanting to be the first to pull out the car park because I don’t want them driving behind me!

Worse if you get the same bus or train.

FraggleJunior · 04/02/2022 20:54

So many of these are very relatable...window cleaner, talking to hairdresser on the phone, not making a purchase in a small shop! Cringe! I also feel the same as PP about getting too regular in a shop. Or for me, just bumping into someone regularly like on the school run... If it's someone I don't know then the avoiding eye contact, or worse someone I know a bit and just the awkward hi every time. I hate it and have been known to change my route or arrive late just to avoid it!

NotImpossible · 04/02/2022 20:56

Seeing someone you know getting on the same bus/train as you. Do you hide or wave cheerily and then sit somewhere else? Or (horror!) sit near them and know you have to make cringey small talk for an unknown length of time?

NotImpossible · 04/02/2022 20:58

Cross posted with @MichaelAndEagle ! Glad I'm not the only one!

heymammy · 04/02/2022 20:58

Oh god...the window cleaner dance!! Excruciating!

Found a new awkward low just yesterday. I have a waterstones gift card to spend so skipped off to the shop to buy the new Outlander book . But. I just couldn't do it!

I "browsed" that damn shop for an hour feeling like the book I wanted was signalling to everyone like a beacon from the front of the shop. I left then ordered it from their website.

I despair.

MichaelAndEagle · 04/02/2022 20:58

@NotImpossible

Cross posted with *@MichaelAndEagle* ! Glad I'm not the only one!

PinkSyCo · 04/02/2022 21:01

I hate it when drivers ‘kindly’ stop to let me cross the road. “No thank you, it’s very nice of you and all but I’d much rather wait here until the road is clear than have you sit and watch me giving you an awkward wave whilst I pretend hurry across.”
Also hate when the hairdresser shows me the back of my hair and you have to comment on how good it looks. Awkward.

VanillaAndOrange · 04/02/2022 21:02

Going to the same coffee shop too many times in a row as I’m really scared they will remember my order. So I have to go to a different shop so they forget me. Or I order a different coffee to normal so they dont say “the usual”

Yes yes yes! I hate the thought of them thinking I spend "too much time" in cafes (I probably do, and my nearest and dearest know that, but I don't want everybody to know!) And I don't like being seen to be predictable in what I order either, which is frustrating when there's a clear favourite item but I don't feel able to have it every time.

Alliswells · 04/02/2022 21:04

So it's normal then?

It's not just me? There's loads of us!

ihaveonecat · 04/02/2022 21:05

@hamsterchump carer - normal! I worked as a carer and family were usually skulking about pretending not to exist

Maverick66 · 04/02/2022 21:07

I hate getting vouchers for independent businesses .
I feel like beautician/hairdresser must feel peeved doing a job they may have got paid for weeks/months earlier and that I'm taking up their 'earning' time

Ohpulltheotherone · 04/02/2022 21:08

I’m just realising that I’m either super confident or super self involved because nothing like this in every day life.
I’d probably say the most awkward thing I get is being in a busy gym and having someone really fit and attractive next to me and I’m just like a fat hobo in my sloppy T-shirts and old leggings. But I think that’s because I know I look horrendous next to a 20 year old hottie in a crop top.

I couldn’t imagine being awkward because there’s a car next to me at the lights. I wouldn’t even realise 90% of the time.

goodnightgrumble · 04/02/2022 21:14

@Bedsheets4knickers

When the window cleaner comes 🤣 I spend the time hiding in other rooms . It's like playing musical rooms .

Haha. So with you on this one!

PurrBox · 04/02/2022 21:16

Ordering in a restaurant, so mortifying, everyone looking at me and Have to tell them what I want. Like I have any right to order people to bring me things to eat...

If I am ordering a glass of wine, I always feel like I am doing underage drinking in front of my grandma or something. I'm 56.

Nohypocrate · 04/02/2022 21:16

I work nights and will often do my weekly shop at 7am after my shift. I buy 1 maybe 2 bottles of wine. I'm convinced everyone thinks I'm a total alcoholic who is going home to start drinking.

Cottagepieandpeas · 04/02/2022 21:18

It’s the post office for me. It’s a little village one that’s also the village shop.
I don’t mind buying things in the shop but taking parcels just makes me feel so awkward.
I think it’s because it takes ages - all the weighing and stuff.

But why…? It’s their job for God’s sake.

hamsterchump · 04/02/2022 21:21

[quote ihaveonecat]@hamsterchump carer - normal! I worked as a carer and family were usually skulking about pretending not to exist

MOT - not always normal no. My garage collects my car and brings it back. The garage I work at has a drive through lane so no clutter etc, drive in and they take it off you. When you pick it up you just drive out [/quote]
They collect the car and bring it back?? That's the dream, what do I Google for this in my area? Your drive through garage sounds amazing as well, it's not a chain is it?

I hate my garage but wasn't sure there was anything better out there. I went somewhere else for the tyres which was friendlier but that was really cramped too with broken down cars and piles of crap everywhere again and nowhere to park.

strawberrrycheeesecake · 04/02/2022 21:22

@Bedsheets4knickers

When the window cleaner comes 🤣 I spend the time hiding in other rooms . It's like playing musical rooms .

My window cleaner and gardener come on the same day of the month and I shut all the blinds and sit in one room

I even told them I'm not likely to be at home and said I would leave cash in envelopes hidden in the porch for them to collect so I don't have to talk to them

I find it so awkward having people hanging around, seeing me lounging around the house while they work, and i don't like people and mindless chatter that I can't get away from

KhaleesiOfChaos · 04/02/2022 21:24

I've always felt awkward being in my garden. I can never properly relax. I just feel really self-couscous even if I'm just sitting there having a cup of tea or whatever.

And it's been in different houses too, so it's not about being overlooked or the neighbours or anything. Weird. I feel less self conscious and relaxed on the beach than in my own garden!

strawberrrycheeesecake · 04/02/2022 21:25

@hamsterchump

I hate getting anything done on the car: tyres, MOT, work done, anything. OH doesn't drive yet so I always have to do it and I feel such an idiot and always seem to say the wrong thing. Plus they often want you to pull up in some tiny, tight, awkward gap somewhere amongst cars and heaps of tyres or tools or assorted crap everywhere and the pressure makes me a worse driver and I end up taking a few attempts to get it positioned right etc which is embarrassing.

Once the garage parked the car in a gap so tight I could just barely drive out of it and get past their bins! It was awful, I thought I was going to have to get out and move the bins in front of them all to get the car out but I just about managed it with a million point turn.

Now I arrive early and park in their carpark over the road and give them the keys to squeeze the car in but sometimes still have to ask them to reverse the car off the pit for me. Is that normal, do you all drive your car over the pit and reverse it off again when you get an MOT? I don't know if my garage is weird (it's the one my dad and brother use), are there nice, friendly, spacious garages with good parking or is it always awkward?

I am normally a fine, competent driver but there's something about them all watching (and obviously judging) that makes it so much harder and I cringe through it and dread it every year.

I nearly scraped my car once when I needed my tyres replacing, I had to drive into a garage and onto the ramp. Then they wanted me to reverse off the ramp then reverse diagonally to get to the very tight garage doors that then requires reversing at an angle to get out. I'm not a terrible driver but I hate an audience especially doing manoeuvres and I was clearly stressed and sweating like mad trying to get out with about 8 blokes all staring. A very kind man who was also a customer offered to reverse my car out for me

I desperately wanted to accept his offered but I pulled my big girl pants up and carries on reversing towards a wall numero times before leaving somehow unscathed.

Bloatstoat · 04/02/2022 21:28

I have found my people! My top two worst things to do are phonecalls (to anyone really but especially tradesmen or call centres) and going to hairdressers - long before lockdowns I'd given up going and just have my hair long and chop off the ends every so often. Weirdly I have no problem making phone calls at work

Fayekrista · 04/02/2022 21:29

@Nohypocrate

I work nights and will often do my weekly shop at 7am after my shift. I buy 1 maybe 2 bottles of wine. I'm convinced everyone thinks I'm a total alcoholic who is going home to start drinking.

This!! My sons primary had a 'wine tombola' many years ago, each parent was asked to donate, i had none at home.... I totally forgot until the school run! I made it even more awkward by speedily explaining to the shop assistant why I was buying wine at that time of the day like I needed to justify myself 🤣 Not before the internal debate on how cheap I can buy a bottle without someone seeing me donate the bottle at school thinking I'm a cheapskate!!! Over 5 years ago now, still haven't forgotten it lol

ihaveonecat · 04/02/2022 21:30

@hamsterchump my garage is just a local one! It's usually a fiver but he fancies me so he does it for free
Drive through is Jaguar land rover

If you Google mot collection and delivery service there's lots

https://www.theaa.com/car-care/book/start?sc=PPCGSMARTCARE02&source=GooglePPC&campaign=UKGenericNationwide&id=14599119543&term=mot&device=m&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvOPBhDXARIsAKzLQ8EvARLhsYHvABFEtUnbF0gdLk3Rt1z6c5mByj3N9WAIjBDcw1MIaAmSiEALw_wcB

https://www.goodgaragescheme.com/service/Pick-Up-Drop-Off

ilovesooty · 04/02/2022 21:34

I don't think I've honestly worried about any of these. I don't like trying to park with people watching but I think that's about it.

The cleaner comes on my day off and I'm nearly always in all the time she's here.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 10 11

Swipe left for the next trending thread