To think that parts of modern life are preposterous (lighthearted)

[madnessitellyou]

Not long after I bought my first car in the late 90s I realised I needed an ice scraper. I went to the local hardware-cum-poundshop-cum-Home Bargains-type place and purchased the one ice scraper they sold. It was a couple of quid and served my ice removal needs very well until twenty-odd years and several car changes later I lost it.

Given pandemic and laziness I turned to Amazon. There were pages upon pages of ice scrapers of different designs. I suddenly found myself overwhelmed and spent a good 30 minutes reading reviews of ice scrapers, agonising over which one to buy.

How is this real life? It wasn't the first time I've wasted time forensically reading reviews of fairly insignificant items.

Am I getting old, or missing the point of what the modern world brings us?

@TinkersRucksack - same!

This morning I used a McFlurry spoon that I pulled out of my recycling box because I had left my usual bank card in the house! Tres embarrassing but I made the decision this morning that I should be an adult (after officially being one for several decades) and purchased an ice scraper from little Tesco.

Although I do have leans forwards and whispers, while preening a heated windscreen 😇 but the side windows still need scraping.

Has anyone mentioned light bulbs? I resent needing a phd to understand them.

I try to buy the simplest version of anything but I hate the fact it can take so long to find the version without bells and whistles.

Have you read this OP? It's very good.

www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Me-Everything-Shit-Encyclopedia/dp/B00CF662YA/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1609355416&sr=8-1

@RedLimoncello

You lot are geniuses with your library cards. I'm doing this next time.

This morning I was too lazy to go back into the house to get water for the not-very-thick layer of ice on the windscreen, so I just pressed my hand against the glass and melted a small patch sufficient to then widen with some windscreen wiper action.

It was, I hope, at least a bit more efficient than trying to whittle down choices on hated Amazon. Sticking it to the consumer capitalist agenda with my frost bitten hand ✊

😂 I was given a VERY posh glove with an ice scraper attached. Lost now ☹️

I've found my people.

I, too was going to bring up lightbulbs AcornAutumn
I am traumatised every time I need to replace one.
I long for the days when there was a choice of bayonet or screw fixing and then 40 or 60 Watts.
I can't cope anymore.

@BackforGood

I've found my people.

I, too was going to bring up lightbulbs AcornAutumn
I am traumatised every time I need to replace one.
I long for the days when there was a choice of bayonet or screw fixing and then 40 or 60 Watts.
I can't cope anymore.

Those were the days!

.3rd "I was given a VERY posh glove with an ice scraper attached"

Sounds like an offensive weapon. 😂

Oh, can I mention loos?

I know that sounds mad. But years ago, when I bought my flat, I realised after a few viewings that some people have posh loos where the cistern isn't accessible without drilling and removing fancy panels. So I put on my list of essentials "accessible cistern".

@Grellbunt

There’s been research done about excessive choice causing humans stress! I can believe it!

I asked my assistant to order new laptop cases for all staff wfh. She was so freaked by the responsibility of choosing one thst she sent me five suggestions and then suggested we let the staff pick their favourite each.

Since the purpose of the company is not, in fact, to become paralysed in the selection of basic equipment, I told her to order a dozen of the second cheapest.

[quote Sparklfairy]@ZebraSpotts i have to ask, is there much tongue action involved with a snog laugh? [/quote]
Ooops! *Snort-laugh

*.3rd "I was given a VERY posh glove with an ice scraper attached"

Sounds like an offensive weapon. 😂*
Used by a sister organisation of the Peaky Blinders?

I just don't do lightbulbs. It's DH's job. If he dies before me, I'll have to live in the dark.

"Used by a sister organisation of the Peaky Blinders?"

😂😂😂

You are right.
I remember 15-20 years ago, eating in some dodgy restaurants on holidays but also sometimes finding an amazing one. Win some, lose some.
At least I didn’t spend half the holiday trawling the web and reading reviews of other people’s dinners.

How Obama solved the problem: “You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits,” [Obama] said. “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”

Yanbu. I'm quite old but the big part of modern life that I find utterly preposterous is that people follow other people on Instagram or TikTok (or whatever it's called). They spend their time routinely watching other people doing things. I just can't get over it.

@DuesToTheDirt

How Obama solved the problem: “You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits,” [Obama] said. “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”

This is pretty much how i shop, unless I'm bored and just fancy looking at clothes.

@Chicchicchicchiclana

Yanbu. I'm quite old but the big part of modern life that I find utterly preposterous is that people follow other people on Instagram or TikTok (or whatever it's called). They spend their time routinely watching other people doing things. I just can't get over it.

🎤 you said I'm full of diseases Your eyes were full of regret And then you Took a picture of your salad and put it on the Internet🎤

Best lyric of our time! 😂

There's a pretty funny bit in one of Aziz Ansari's standup gigs where he talks about buying a toothbrush online, and how he has to Google for 'best toothbrush' and feels so insecure in case he gets the wrong one. It's relatable.

I'm trying to buy a phone case at the moment and it is actually taking me longer than it took to choose a phone. I'm terribly indecisive. I shop in Aldi nowadays because there's only one of everything and it's so much quicker to get round.

I shop in my local small Aldi too but the one near mum is massive!

Toothbrush...can't resist

I agree OP there is too much choice for just about everything nowadays.
All the choices & decisions we have to make everyday about even the simplest of things adds a lot of stress to our lives.
When I was a kid in 1960s/1970s my mum would give me the weekly shopping list to take to the village shop no brands, varieties etc specified- just potatoes, apples, milk.
The shop would only have one type of everything, no decisions to be made, easy.
Been doing my 84yr old mum’s shopping since losing my stepdad to Covid in April and her lists still read much the same - no brands specified just tea, bread, etc but now that means I’m stood in Tesco faced with 10 different types of bloody potatoes trying to decide which to get her 😂

This is why I prefer Aldi to Tesco-only three jams to choose from!

I once spent and entire weekend reading toaster reviews. And you know what, despite all the reviews, the toaster I bought is crap. It has one function - to toast bread - and it isn't up to the job.

@madnessitellyou

I once spent and entire weekend reading toaster reviews. And you know what, despite all the reviews, the toaster I bought is crap. It has one function - to toast bread - and it isn't up to the job.

Sorry OP but that did make me laugh! Just pick the cheapest. Fewer bells and whistles, less to go wrong, lasts longer.

@Haggisfish same. I go to Tesco and end up hyperventilating at the thought of having six types of chopped tomatoes to chose from.

Oh I hear you! I have quite a few items I should buy but I just can't bear shopping for them - pans, flasks, a new whisk. Every time I go into our local homeware shop and stare at all the options before leaving empty handed. I needed two replacement teaspoons for about two years before I managed to actually choose

Online is even worse and takes even longer.

I hate shopping so much.

Alas @AcornAutumn I am embarrassed to admit I wanted a particular colour.

The previous toaster I sent to the big kitchen in the sky simply because it wasn't pretty enough. It was old and wasn't toasting brilliantly but still: I gave up on it.