This is why we can't have nice things, and I'm tired of it

[faithinthesound]

Full disclosure: I don't actually think I'm being unreasonable. I know I'm angry and that is coloring some of my words and actions and responses, but I don't think I'm all that wrong. I'm here for a vent and some commiseration, really.

I've got this joke I make all the time when something goes wrong, like something gets knocked over or falls on the floor. I laugh and I say "and that is why we can't have nice things". But I'm sitting here today seething at just about everyone I've encountered today, because the truth is, we CAN'T have nice things. And I am so sick and tired of people who are the reason why.

Like, we can't have a nice sit out on the back porch because the neighbors are blasting rap.

Like, the timetable machine thing at this bus stop has been broken for months and will never be fixed because the second it's fixed, someone will be along to smash it up again.

Like, I can't get anywhere on time today because people want to stand and argue with the bus driver over whether or not they have to pay (spoiler: yes you bloody well do).

Like, I'm not particularly enjoying my dinner because the woman who served me at the fast food restaurant spoke to me like I am a moron (I'm not), and it has vexed me.

Like, we can't have threads like we used to like Sharon and the wasp, because there's a contingent of Reasons We Can't Have Nice Things who will be along before we're ten posts in, troll hunting and pooh-poohing and calling shenanigans, instead of getting into the spirit of the thing.

What about you guys? Want to share your "I can't have [nice thing] because [reason]"? I know I'm being very negative and ranty but sometimes it's nice just to be able to unload.

Who knows, RWCHNT (Reason We Can't Have Nice Things) might even catch on as a new MN acronym lol.

That sounds lovely whirlygirly - I live in a relatively affluent area but that doesn't prevent a few spoiled and entitled 'bad apples'

Honestly OP, you just sound a bit uptight and miserable.

where do you live

give you a parking ticket with some time left on it

I read the OPs title and about 3 pages of threads. Gonna be honest here - sometimes life stinks and sometimes it’s a joy. There are really bad days/weeks/months, even years when life is just one long fucking effort of survival....and then, a smile, a stupid joke, just a moment makes all the shit bearable. Stop, breathe, go for a walk, listen to music, eat a slice of cake, smell the air.........the alternative is.....,,,,,,,,being dead!

I was very like this and I realised that I was 'no longer prepared to accept the things I cannot change, I would change the things I cannot accept.' I joined like minded people, I joined 'friends of the park', I joined 'clean the beach'. I talked to people, I campaigned, I stood for election, I got elected as a local councillor. It's not easy as there is so little funding to do all the things we would like to do and many people automatically blame local government for this, but I feel I am making a difference so
I'll take the stick and carry on. There's more of us that care about our nice things than those who don't. I'm convinced of that.

My ex had kicked me (literally) and our children out of the house I paid for and moved the woman who he was having an affair with in and her family. Whilst we found somewhere to stay, with family in a 3 bedroom house already packed with 11 people then me and my children on top of that. It wasn’t nice but it was my reality still to this day we don’t have a big enough place but I don’t complain because we have a roof over our heads. Anger and bitterness will only bring you down I hope you can let it go and appreciate the things you do have. I assume you’d have running tap water? Nice! A shower? Nice! A refrigerator? Nice! I know what it’s like to have nothing but the clothes on your back and your shower is a plastic bucket. I hope you can really find some perspective, what got me through the harder times I’ve faced is knowing someone somewhere is worse off than me and I would appreciate and be grateful for everything I had.

Please don't thump on me for this. I'm not a religious zealot. I sometimes think that we need religion back in our lives or something that gives us a moral code. In the old days, we were a community, we supposedly tried to follow the10 Commandments (which pretty much cover most of the rwwchnt"s), we had church committees to help people or places instead of government agencies. People were reminded to be kind and now my husband refuses to be kind to strangers bc he says they are rude in return.
I'm not trying to be s hypocrite, we do not attend, but it seems that we need fellowship. A commonality and community that we feel part of so we also look.after one another. I realize all of the bad about organized religion, but it also served a purpose. Now we have Hollywood whose morals are rotting away our brains; they celebrate the shocking bc it sells. What do we have that encourages us to be kind, understanding, think of others or at least be polite if your dog poos on the sidewalk or someone holds open

I can't have nice things because the cat we adopted isn't very housetrained and rarely bothers to use her litter trays. We can't have new sofas as she will rip them to shreds or new carpets or other flooring as she will wee on them and worse. Again. Ohh fuck.

Frumpety I'm with you!
Tuppence I'm sorry you're going through such a horrible time. Those girls definitely can't be allowed to continue to behave in such a disgusting manor! I would urge you to seek advice. In the meantime I'm sending hugs (((((())))))
Our kids park has been repeatedly vandalised too. Moronic behaviour. Sad thing is most of the kids doing it have younger siblings who now can't use the park!!
The walk to school is dodge the dog shit which turns my stomach 🤢.
Mostly though I want the kids at dgd school to have playground equipment!! I don't think they've ever had ANY 😔. The school we walk past HAS lots of stuff for kids to do!! The PTA don't seem to be allocating resources for this though. (No I'm not on or going to be on the PTA thanks before some smartarse pipes up).

I can't have nice things because my DH leave so much bloodily stuff everywhere that I couldn't see the nice things even if we had them so there is no point,

I only found this site recently. At 73 it's probably not meant for me, but I love reading all your opinions, vents, thoughts, ideas. Long may it reign.

We can’t have nice things because all the beautiful walks round here are ruined by selfish bastard dog owners who repeatedly leave their dog shit everywhere ruining it for everyone else

Yes this is happening near me, too. The Army has a lot of training grounds in this area and they keep closing car parks and fencing off land to stop dog walkers getting in because they let their dogs off-lead and let them poo everywhere, which the Army hate (although I can see it's disgusting, I would have thought that in the Army you need to be able to cope with worse than rolling in dog poo, but anyway).

This means that there are less land for everyone to enjoy.

give you a parking ticket with some time left on it

oh yes the town council where I live have recently pulled this trick too. Now you have put your reg no in so you can't pass an unexpired ticket to someone. I am cheered though by the fact that so many people moaned about how spiteful it was in a local FB group.

Ah welcome Gypsy

I am very Sorry OP , that you are finding things so crap, and I hope that we will all do our best to improve our localities for everyone. You have made me think I must try harder x

I cant have nice things because at work there's ptessure to keep the boat moving instead of dealing and resolving issues properly, i cant have nice things because the partner is sulking for who knows what reason (when its actually the first weekend in many weeks i am free and not working (yes i worked over xmas AND new year, had to!)

This thread is a bit "I can't do exactly as I want because I have to share the world with others."

There are and always have been selfish, ignorant and moronic people everywhere, making life more horrible and difficult than it needs to be. Sadly it does seem to be the case that there are more of them around these days (not sure the Tories can be blamed for this though). However, there are also good people and positive things happening in the world so although we may notice the negative stuff more, if we can't do anything to cause change, at least we can try to focus on the good things. I read a good saying recently (usually hate those things) which I liked - something like - 'Don't give permanent feelings to a temporary person'.

You lot can’t have nice things coz you’re whiny and irritating and don’t get that there’s something called compromise. Grow up!

still refusing to get drawn into heavier main discussion

RWCHNT .... I lose EVERYTHING! 😹

I can't have nice things (a dog) because DS2 is very autistic and I'm worried that either he might maul the dog, or the dog might maul him. We do have a cat though. They're mutually indifferent.

We also can't have nice things (a retirement to look forward to) because I cannot forsee a time when we won't be his FT carers. Scares the shit out of me, frankly. but he is mostly lovely.

We can't have nice things (unencumbered walks in our immediate rural locality) because an anti-social arsewipe of a landowner recently bought up vast swathes of a farming estate and immediately set about putting up miles of barbed wire along public footpaths. You can still walk there but it's not remotely enjoyable any more. I call it 'prison exercise' in the Black Land of Mordor.