Very 'normal' things that make you feel awkward

[DancingDucks]

First of all I'm sticking a 'lighthearted' in here. 😊

A friend and I had this conversation the other day and it made us both laugh, so maybe it'll cheer up a wet and windy day for some.

Some of mine:

When people wish me happy birthday on Facebook. It's very lovely of people but makes me feel so weird and embarrassed, so I now have my birthday hidden.

Waiting to get off a bus. Not sure what I think will happen, but I get all weird and stressed in case I forget to thank the driver. Which would never happen because it's so drummed into me.

Standing behind people at a cash machine. Even though I stand well back, I fear I might look a shifty and robby type, so try to arrange my face as benignly as possible, hence looking slightly vacant.

Walking past my own house. This is so weird and I've no idea why it makes me feel like I should give a jolly wave to my house.

Please tell me I'm not alone in my weirdness ...

I had this at work the other day and I got really embarrassed to be announcing to the whole canteen that I was reading a novel about time travelling historians. In reality only about three people looked up!
I do think it's a nosey and intrusive question though, especially when I don't know the person asking. I'm clearly reading because I've had enough of peopling and want a quiet lunch break!

Ring doorbells... knowing you can be watched while you are awkwardly stood waiting.

Yep, then carrying it home…

The walk back to the seats after you've bowled your ball at bowling

Getting in and out of other people's cars - especially if it's a taxi.

DW hates buying toilet roll. She'll happily shop at Ann Summers however - but toilet roll? Horrifically embarrassing for her 😂

Unloading shopping from the crates when it's been delivered. I always wonder if the delivery person feels awkward too, as they're just stood there waiting for me to get it all out.

Waiting in for people and then having them in your home to fix the boiler or plaster the wall or whatever it may be. Necessary, but can be awkward too especially if you're not sure it'll be ok!

Paying cash for takeaway and then being all like "oh keep the change , it's fine" when the change is about 20p :-/

When anybody sings happy birthday song with a cake to me.. the awkward walk back after taking a shot at bowling 🙈

I actually nearly didn't post this thread as I was worried you would all tell me how strange I am. 🤣

I always feel the urge to say thank you to cash machines, lifts and escalators. I usually manage not to do so out loud, but then I'm so uncomfortable and the words are somehow stuck in my throat for a few awkward moments afterwards. I appreciate this isn't normal.

I have a mobile hairdresser who cuts my hair without a mirror! I just go and look in the hall mirror when she’s finished! And if she’s styled and blow dried it and I don’t like how she’s done it, I can just go straight upstairs when she’s gone and wash and re-do it my way, instead of scurrying home from the hairdressers feeling self-conscious, like I used to!

I will do anything to avoid crossing the road on a zebra or pelican. If I have to, I will rush or meander to make sure other people are crossing too, or do th3 same so I get to the road when there are no cars approaching. I feel like such a tit… they’ve stopped for ME. They’re looking at ME. And I have to acknowledge and thank them, but waving first to my right car and as I cross, then to the left, I feel like I’m waving like the queen. Mortified.

Getting my nails done and having to make small talk.
Carrying toilet roll.
People showing me "funny" video's on their phone.
People telling me about their diarrhea.
Buying Canestan Duo.
People asking me to guess how old they are.
Waiting for my dog to poo.
People telling me about their dreams.
Opening my mouth wide in the dentist.
Hearing someone poo in the next cubicle.
Buying ice cream from the ice cream van.
Opening the door to cold callers.
Putting petrol in my car.
Going out to my car and bumping into a neighbour.
Getting into a row of seats at a concert.
Watching someone eat a pack of crisps.
Having to use a public toilet, I over 3 feet above and hope for the best.
Asking for Nurofen Plus in the chemist on the 3 times a year I probably use it.
Taking off my shoes going through security.
Singing Happy Birthday ot someone singing it to me.
People telling me about their sex lives.
Not being able to reach something on a supermarket shelf and being caught trying and then someone helping me.
Giving someone a lift.
Being in a life, entering a lift, leaving a lift.
Coming down for breakfast in a hotel.
People showing me pics of their holidays, weddings, babies or pets on their phone.
Delivery men who like to chat and make small talk.
Having to sign for a parcel.
Buying Tampax in a corner shop.

Being served in a pharmacy when they give you the obligatory little pep talk about only taking every four hours, do not exceed so many in 24 hours (paracetamol) or only one a day (antihistimines.) That kind of thing.

I realise why they have to do it and it's probably a good idea but always makes me feel like a closet drug addict.

It might be to do with the time when I tried to buy large quantities of Epsom salts as a teenager in Boots because I was a horsy girl and my pony had windgalls, a technical term for swollen ankles on a horse from too much jumping on hard ground. The folk remedy was to make her stand with her hoof in a bucket of Epsom salt solution.

Some woman came out the back and queried why I should want so much in a very rude manner.

Fast forward to today when I buy almost industrial quantities of Epsom salts from Amazon and submerge myself in a bath of of the stuff right up to my withers or even my poll and forlock, no questions asked.

And it works. Very soothing. Something to do with magnesium, I believe.

So glad you did, it’s a really comforting thread!

Thank goodness for this thread. I feel seen.
Electricians, gas men, plasterers, engineers, gardeners, plumbers, carpet-fitters, removal men. I have hidden from them all, and can't relax until they are out of the house.
I also turn into a very bad actor when I'm at the nail salon, doctor's, hairdresser's etc. as I chat nervously and not like my normal self at all.
But the worst for me is Security check points.
I've never been in trouble with the law but I instantly go into guilty mode (apparently I show all the classic signs) -- I smile and laugh too much in the queue, I touch my face/nose, all the bad body language. I just generally give off signals that say 'STOP AND SEARCH ME I AM GUILTY'.
Of course it's become self-fulfilling as my anxiety about being stopped and searched means I always get stopped and taken behind screens for a pat-down 😑

Asking to be paid for my services. (I always do ask, but I have to steel myself to do it.)

I also don't like calling people by their name, especially in a one-to-one situation. I might do it once at the beginning, but no more after that. When sales people call me by my name every sentence, it makes me think they are up to something.

This happened to me too and was the most awkward thing ever! We were just on a circular route back to our car too at a large woodland area so not even like I could nip off somewhere and say ‘oh I will be right back’ or whatever I just had to stand their awkwardly.

I'm not really the anxious type. But whenever I walk through the Customs green channel at an airport I become overwhelmed by the thought that I may have accidentally packed 50 Rolex watches, a kilo of cocaine and a rare and protected species of reptile into my suitcase.

Utter terror at someone being in my reserved seat on the train. When on a country walk and do not know whether to say hello to someone walking towards you or not and at what point and do you say hello to all of them or just the first person?

I feel similarly when there are ticket inspectors on the train, and I always feel a bit stressed out when i see them coming, despite the fact I always have a valid season ticket!

Paying anyone for anything. In cash. In person. Counting out the money, not knowing if I should give them a bit extra or not. So much nicer to just pay by card or transfer the money.

To be honest @Fairyliz if the crocodile has made it that far along the sewerage system it's probably happy to continue a bit further to your upstairs bathroom. Not sure what you do about that.

I feel guilty of shoplifting every time I use the self checkout in the supermarket. I haven't ever and never plan to shoplift.

Hugs -