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AIBU?

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Original poster

In finding “I’m crazy!” people boring & annoying

251 replies

Sittinonthefloor · 29/07/2020 09:37

The type of person who is all loud and “life & soul of the party” often saying “I’m so crazy... I’m mad, me!” talking about themselves all the time and oblivious to others. I’ve recently encountered such a person, who’ll be hard to avoid. Any coping strategies? Or am I just a dull, misery guts?

OP posts:
Doingtheboxerbeat · 29/07/2020 21:38

@Nighttown

But *@Doingtheboxerbeat*, do you continually announce your kerraaaazy nature by saying ‘I’m mad, me!’ and ‘What am I LIKE??!’

I haven’t the remotest objection to eccentricity, only to the self-consciously performative approach to it that is the human equivalent of those inane wall transfers that say EAT in the kitchen and RELAX in the sitting room. While flashing your light-up Su Pollard glasses and giggling maniacally because you brought fish finger sandwiches for your lunch in a Hello Kitty lunchbox.

Absolutely not no, but I don't really need to as it becomes apparent almost immediately, so I am told 😬. The reason I posted was just in case those kerraaazy types were just succumbing to their innate selves and thought fuck it- why even bother. Like I said, I really try the grey rock thing but people sense when you are not being genuine and that's so much worse.
Doingtheboxerbeat · 29/07/2020 21:56

I remember watching shows like New Girl and the Mindy Experiment and being sublimely irritated by the main characters and my ex explaining that these were known as Manic Pixie Dream Girls, oh god.
He reassured me I was not one of these.

LolaSmiles · 29/07/2020 21:56

Zaphodsotherhead I think teacher persona is a thing.
Even as a secondary teacher I choose which bits of my personal life/interests to bring into school. Students like to know we're human, but it's a fine line to walk.

LittleMissBrainy · 29/07/2020 22:15

@eeek88

Your teacher explanation makes perfect sense, as does this:
People who are genuinely quirky and eccentric don't have to point it out to anybody, because it quickly becomes obvious. They just do their thing and others remark upon it.

I know a few truly eccentric people and they definitely don't need to tell everyone how quirky they are! I'm not even sure they realise they are quirky!

Solaran · 29/07/2020 22:28

Haha, just came back to re-read this - really thought I was going to have some shit for saying that these people are often be primary school teachers Grin

I’m sure many offices etc have these characters too..... But this ‘type’ reminds me of a teacher who is actually really quite boring, but describes herself as ‘quirky’ ‘mad’ etc. She painted one wall of her living room grey (as in, a feature wall, the rest are white) and said she’d done it because she wanted something ‘quirky’. She said she was so ‘different’ and ‘zany’. I was so confused - a grey wall? One wall different from the others? My only rational explanation of how this could be quirky is that she was referring to getting 2020 decoration inspiration from 1990s Changing Rooms (remember that?!)

@eeek88 your explanation about teachers does make perfect sense though.

SauvignonBlanketyBlank · 29/07/2020 22:33

Not exactly the same but my exH used to go on and on about how funny he was (he fucking wasnt) He even did a stand up routine at a small event once and I couldn't go and watch him as i would have cringed inside out with embarrassment.

1AngelicFruitCake · 29/07/2020 22:42

I’m worried I’m a bit like this 😱 I don’t think I’m crazy but I do like to tell dramatic and/or silly stories, I have a loud laugh that gets out of control, I do silly things (not to be cute but because I seem to lack a lot of common sense). I sometimes think that I think differently to other people, I’m quite a happy, enthusiastic person and it’s not considered cool to be like that!
But, I ask other people about themselves and I’m interested in the answers, I understand when to tone myself down etc. Hope for me yet? 😄

NotStayingIn · 29/07/2020 22:47

Oh god yes. I know a 'I'm so crazy me!' and it's so flipping tedious. There is something really sad about being that desperate to be special.

NotStayingIn · 29/07/2020 22:53

@1AngelicFruitCake

I’m worried I’m a bit like this 😱 I don’t think I’m crazy but I do like to tell dramatic and/or silly stories, I have a loud laugh that gets out of control, I do silly things (not to be cute but because I seem to lack a lot of common sense). I sometimes think that I think differently to other people, I’m quite a happy, enthusiastic person and it’s not considered cool to be like that! But, I ask other people about themselves and I’m interested in the answers, I understand when to tone myself down etc. Hope for me yet? 😄
For me you wouldn't be the person I'm thinking of. It's more people who seem to drone on about being 'so crazy'. People who are just naturally more loud and fun wouldn't fall into this category. (But I do find really loud laughs grating. It can sometimes come across quite fake and dominating. Sorry, again might not be you at all!)
LolaSmiles · 29/07/2020 22:58

1AngelicFruitCake
For me whether you're in the extroverted Vs annoying 'I'm so crazy' camp would come down to whether the stories are genuinely interesting/dramatic or whether every tale is hammed up for dramatic effect, and whether the majority of conversations come back to a dramatic story / a 'haha I have no common sense' story. If most conversations end up back at a dramatic/haha look at me story then it would annoy me.

The laughter and being a louder personality would be neither here nor there though.

northprincess · 29/07/2020 23:13

Yes I absolutely get this. I know someone who everytime anyone is invited to their house it has to be "crazy" fancy dress or for "fun" games. I wish someone would tell them no-one wants to do this.

Underthecarpet · 30/07/2020 00:07

Wow you guys are bitchy.

I don't think I'm particularly 'quirky', but equally I wouldn't be tripping over myself to loudly proclaim how boring, introverted and normal I am. Or describing someone else's fashion choices as 'hideous' or unattractive.

Flowers009 · 30/07/2020 00:25

Yes 100% annoying

Trumpspeach · 30/07/2020 03:36

John Finnemore does a great 4 minute audio sketch called, 'The Thing About Me...' which this thread is reminding me of. Find it on BBC Sounds.

1AngelicFruitCake · 30/07/2020 06:09

😄 Phew! I’m only like this with people I know well and I don’t intend to be so loud but I get very giddy. I do have a problem with not being able to stop laughing once I start and I can see this is annoying!

TheGodmother · 30/07/2020 06:23

@Skateosaurus OMG I love that sport! If I was 30 years younger and could actually skate I'd love to have tried Roller Derby!

ShitStain · 30/07/2020 06:40

The craaaazy ones are similar to comedians who are all smiles and energy but behind closed doors they sob while trashing their homes and shit on the bed while guzzling gin.

ShebaShimmyShake · 30/07/2020 07:13

@ShitStain

The craaaazy ones are similar to comedians who are all smiles and energy but behind closed doors they sob while trashing their homes and shit on the bed while guzzling gin.
It surprises/offends you that comedians have stage personas and multifaceted personalities?
Tellmetruth4 · 30/07/2020 07:27

Yes I also know a primary school teacher who tries too hard but in a different way. It’s more about what a keraaazy!! party animal she is. Every story is about how mashed she was over the weekend, how many clashing parties she’s been invited to on one day (because she’s the life and soul and soo popular).

Yes we’ve all had a bit too much to drink on occasions but she makes out her life is like the Primrose Hill set every week and she’s the Kate Moss one at the centre of it. Literally every conversation is about hard partying and crazy parties that got out of hand and lasted into the next day. Nothing ever about her husband or kids. Just being cool and partying. She comes across as quite desperate.

ShebaShimmyShake · 30/07/2020 07:31

@ShitStain

The craaaazy ones are similar to comedians who are all smiles and energy but behind closed doors they sob while trashing their homes and shit on the bed while guzzling gin.
I'm guessing you weren't a fan of Robin Williams then. He was very funny on the outside but suffering in secret. Most people didn't sneer at him for it, though.
talkingkrustydoll · 30/07/2020 07:48

I knew a woman who always told me how "mad and crazy she was" we went out for a drink once and she spent the whole night playing on her phone while getting pissed. She must have either been texting or playing snake as this was back before smart phones.

I've had a few people say to me "what are you like?" I'm very quiet but sometimes I tell stories that I think are normal and that's what I get in reply. I hate being noticed so I'm not attention seeking at all.

Can we add people who's whole life revolves around Disney so therefore they are really quirky? I work with someone who is obsessed and everything has to relate to Disney or they aren't interested in it. It's so tedious. Especially the mock outrage when someone mentions they haven't seen a certain film. Recently she was acting outraged that our 55yr old childless college hadn't been to see the latest film. It's very strange.

MaskingForIt · 30/07/2020 07:57

Can we add people who's whole life revolves around Disney so therefore they are really quirky?

I see you’ve met my SIL. She thinks I had a deprived childhood because I haven’t seen every single Disney film ever, at least 10 times. No love, I was just busy reading and playing outside.

She’s even named her children after cartoon characters 😂

ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN · 30/07/2020 07:57

YANBU

Often self absorbed and not much in their life is against society norms

Another type is I wouldn’t put up with that I would tell them/say it like it is etc

Most I’m crazy mad me are tell it like it is types too

Best avoided

majesticallyawkward · 30/07/2020 08:04

Yes the 'im mad me' crowd are tedious. And generally the most boring people you'll meet, almost guaranteed to have some kind of wine/gin/booze related mug at work and loudly proclaim their love for whatever the type of drink.

not seen it so much with teachers, mostly 40+ office workers with no hobby or life outside of their mediocre job.

dayswithaY · 30/07/2020 08:07

I once worked in an office with a woman like this. Every day was a performance, from the minute she arrived - "you would not believe what happened on the train", she would hold court on all the crazy things that befell her. It was like listening to an episode of Miranda - trees crashed down in front of her, a swarm of bees chased her, she got locked in a shop. Every day we had tall tales from the night before - all anecdotally as no one knew her outside work. She totally held the floor with a polished performance, all day everyday.

When I was on maternity leave she invited me to her house, it was the weirdest thing as she had absolutely nothing to say and I had to struggle to make conversation to fill the silence. She was like a different person, then she asked me to visit again next week. I left the company and didn't keep in touch as I got such an uncomfortable feeling from her.