Strange things that give you a kind of "ick" in everyday life

[CariahMary]

I don't mean getting the "ick" about a sexual or romantic partner. And I don't mean being put-off by things that are actually pretty grim. I mean random things that you inexplicably find a bit off-putting in everyday life.

For me, I get a kind of "ick" when I read other people talking about food on forums MN I honestly had no idea why. It's so odd, I really like reading food descriptions in books but in forums I find it really off-putting.

In the real-world, I also really hate opening other people's fridges. They always smell weird (different from my own). I have to hold my breath.

Kind of in a similar ball park, what about TV history documentaries that ate narrated in the present tense

WTF????!!!!!

Argghh! My pet hate. I couldn't bear Melvyn Bragg's 'In Our Time' on R4 for that reason. Also couldn't read Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. It's so obviously in the past that using the present tense jars every time.

Yes I didn't use to like books that narrated in the present tense. I don't think I've noticed it recently but it doesn't work for me.

Re the present tense thing I think it depends how its done.

I read a really good book about the wife of (iirc) John of Gaunt and it was rather like a diary, so it worked as it was the present for her. And Walking With Dinosaurs as it was done like a David Attenborough modern documentary following the life of a particular animal or herd.

The Mantel novels are far from being the only ones to use the present tense for a historical setting.
I think present tense in a novel puts you in the time and place and makes it more effective in terms of relating to the characters.

The historical present tense in documentaries is a little annoying but also quite an interesting use of language IMO.

How about dabbing a bit of sanitiser on your finger tips ? Makes it easier for you to get a purchase on the bag handles, notes etc and no ‘ick’ involved.

Men who feel the need to comment on my appearance whenever they see me. There really is no need! This is partly because an ex boyfriend would always say “You look … well” whenever he saw me.

Ooh, when you’re at the theatre or cinema and the person sitting in front of you has long hair and the drape their hair over the back of their seat so it’s dangling just in front of you, boak.

I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this but it’s a big one for me and it’s the inside of other people’s fridges.

When you open the door there is always a different smell to your own. Half eaten stuff wrapped up and bits of sauce here and there.

Your cousin is literally acting like the 3 and 4 year olds at my daycare when they say they are allergic to vegetables/pasta/whatever they don't want to eat at lunch time 😆

Sweet Valley High for me!

Oh yes, the left clumps of wet hair in a public shower give me full on ick.

I don’t mind them so much (dry) in a hairbrush.

When children get so excited about something that they’re bouncing off the walls. Then, when the thing happens, it isn’t as good as they were expecting and they’re disappointed.

But then things that should be plural; lips, trousers etc are not. A red lip??

I work in education and the setting where I work use an online learning journal app. Parents that leave comments or messages and say from ‘Daddy’ or ‘Mummy’! The child isn’t reading the comments! It give me massive ick!! 🤮

People writing gonna, wanna, gotta, kinda. I don't mind in a text to a mate but on here I can't take what they've written seriously if they can't use proper words.

Referring to infidelity as "cheating". To me cheating is a minor thing children argue over when playing games not something serious like an affair during a long term relationship.

Saying home instead of house (or flat, bungalow, caravan etc), like "I bought a home" no you bought a house, if you then end up living there, fair enough but you could run a business from there instead. Same if there's a news report about a fire at a "home", why not just say house/flat?

People using 'explain' instead of 'say'. Like on here if someone says "just go around to your neighbour and explain you won't be taking anymore parcels in for them". No, there's nothing to explain just say you aren't taking in any parcels for them anymore.

When someone leaves things like Strictly, Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity and it's referred to as "going home" instead of voted out or evicted.

When people miss words out, like "I threw it out the window" instead of out of the window or "stay home" instead of stay at home.

This was in my OP. It gives me the massive ick. I have to hold my breath whenever I open someone else's fridge

Children
The word soup
Black leather shoes with blue jeans - particularly hard soled "formal" shoes with pale stonewash.
Cutsey-isms - hubby, yummy, tummy
Grimy musty man smell
Food floating or greasy water in washing up bowls
AI corporate speak - personally reaching out, curated for you, the edit
Velcro wallets
Other people being ill
Crying
People who dont hold their phone to their ear - you're not on the apprentice.
Plastic surgery to the point of uncanny valley

Most of these for me too 😂 That ‘not holding the phone to the ear’ thing really gets me. Way too important to hold it to the ear. Like women who are too important to put their arms through their jacket sleeves, and balance their jacket on their shoulders instead. Or men who don’t wear socks.

I think another thing I’d add to the list is wet bread 🤢

I used to hate the holding the phone at your mouth and not to your ear thing but I’ve realised now I do this when I’m leaving voice notes (we all do this in our family group as we are on the go and it’s quicker ) because if I record it with my phone to my ear I end up cancelling it with my ear by accident. So maybe that’s what others are doing? Unless you can hear the obnoxiously loud voice on the other end that is!

When people pronounce the T in often.

Oh God yes to the not holding the phone to the ear. I have had to teach my children how to hold a phone.

Men in skinny jeans.
‘Yoofs’ wearing their jeans under their arse. Like, why?!
Grey tracksuit bottoms: it reminds of just released prisoners because that’s what they’re given in custody.
Sliders, definitely need banning 🤮

Just remembered another: The current trend for young men to look as though they've time travelled from the 1980s - mullets and dubious moustaches with clean-shaven chins.

Stained grey tracksuit bottoms 😝