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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask the most annoying/bizarre flex/boast you've heard?

701 replies

phonemouse · 31/03/2023 20:19

One that gets me is people boasting about how 'tiny' they are, but one that always makes me laugh is my MIL proudly mentioning on way more than one occasion how narrow SIL'a feet are like it's something really special 🤣🤣

OP posts:
JudgeJ · 01/04/2023 12:52

AbreathofFrenchair · 01/04/2023 09:38

Im a huge reader but I've never read a "classic". We had to do the hobbit at school for two years and it killed the book for me. I've then avoided anything that needs pulling apart and meanings looked for, including book clubs!!!

I read to escape and very much judge book by its cover! I have though over a thousand books and about half again ony kindle.

Anyway, I have a friend who is a "proper" reader and a couple of years ago, invited me to see her "library" it was a Billy bookcase with added lights and doors (very nice btw) and she had 3 shelves on it with books on, all classics and that's all she reads. She has this strong belief that a proper reader only reads classics and challenging books else there is little point in reading. She also believes there is no place in society for kindled, we clash quite a bit, I'm surprised we are still friends 😂

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Sounds like the woman who used to sneer at me because I read Jilly Cooper, among other things, I had the last laugh when our pub quiz had a number of questions on the Rutshire chronicles, not only did I nail those but I was also the only one who knew most of the Classics answers too.

NKFell · 01/04/2023 12:55

I work with a woman who goes on and on (and on and on) about how tall her 14yr old DS is and how much he eats and about how she can’t buy whatever because he’ll eat it all. She says he breaks everything because he’s so big and strong, he’s onto his 3rd pair of specs this year. In my mind I picture him as Hodor from Game of Thrones. She has met my DS who will be 14 in June and said “aww he’s so cute and dinky, my DS would eat him”….so weird 🤣

Bopping298 · 01/04/2023 13:11

People who brag about not owning a tv and not letting their kids watch tv when they all watch tv shows and movies on a laptop.

^ this!! I find this incredibly annoying. No TV at home and they’ll flex about how little Johnny doesn’t watch telly, then child will start discussing paw patrol in detail … 🤔

Zwicky · 01/04/2023 13:12

There was a fantastic thread a few months ago about boastful non watching of tv. Few people who didn’t watch tv (fair enough, but it wasn’t about them). LOADS of replies along the lines of “but I don’t watch tv!!!! Only prime and Netflix and iPlayer sometimes. I watch it on my laptop/phone/projector. But I don’t watch soaps or daytime tv which is what people mean by “tv”… I don’t flick about the channels, I pick something and just watch that…I don’t watch it mindlessly..I don’t watch adverts…I don’t watch quiz shows…I only watch with dh/dc or sometimes by myself. I don’t watch tv…not sure why it bothers you OP.”

DarkShade · 01/04/2023 13:12

Season0fTheWitch · 01/04/2023 11:56

Women boasting that they only drink beer... It gives cool wife vibes/I'm one of the boys

I don't get this one. Why is beer gendered?? I know loads of women who only drink beer, and loads of men who drink wine and spirits as well as beer. Doesn't seem like much of a boats, more of a factual statement. If anything it would indicate low alcohol tolerance because beer is the weakest common drink.

My sibling always boasts about their achievements from when they were a child. It's hilarious because they're things that aren't they even that impressive, like having a really good memory, and also because it's not even true!

KarmaStar · 01/04/2023 13:14

It's the person who has done everything better,had every illness worse,won more,worked harder,had more holidays,more sadness,whatever anyone else has said i.e. I've won £20 .....oh well I won £100! Or I've twisted my ankle...oh do you remember when I broke mine?Dr said worst break he had ever seen.🙄 😀

ThomasinaLivesHere · 01/04/2023 13:16

People boasting about never having had paracetamol - if it’s men it’s especially annoying as I mostly take them for female issues. It’s silly as it’s almost like they’re implying we’re all equal and so if you take them you’re weak.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 01/04/2023 13:20

Echobelly · 31/03/2023 21:51

I find it bizarre that people boast about their long hours... mate, you're just telling everyone how much labour and time you give your employer for free?!

What pisses me off over and above all else are the people who declare that they never have breaks, start early and work late but refuse to be paid for it 'because it's all about the children/the business/the patients/the NHS can't afford it/I don't need the extra money because my husband's rich'. Fuck off.

I do stupid hours. I get paid for them. If I'm not going to get paid for them one way or another, they won't be happening.

Skyrim40 · 01/04/2023 13:23

Oh god yes the I don't antidepressants because I dont do drugs crowd are insufferable.

DrManhattan · 01/04/2023 13:28

Friend of mines mum was going around the village telling everyone that her daughter had this 12Lb baby without any pain relief. She was like thanks mum for telling everyone I've got a massive fanny.

Goodyetalso · 01/04/2023 13:29

The first time I met my MIL:

Her: “how tall are you?”
Me: “I’m 5’4”
Her: “HA - I’m 5’6”

Err, ok. Well done on growing I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️

limitedperiodonly · 01/04/2023 13:31

Coffeetree · 31/03/2023 20:45

As a young uni student I worked as an admin for two male professors who were both up for tenure. Both insufferably pompous. One of them returned from the gym and was quickly heading off to teach. The other made snotty comments about how nice it must be to have a light research schedule with time for the gym.

The gym-going professor said, "Well I'm competitive and compulsive and so I always make time for it". And then strode off.

The other professor, realising he'd been bested, leaned out the door and called after him, "I'm compulsive tooooo"

I was trying hard not to laugh. I'm compulsive too oooo!

@Coffeetree thanks. This made me laugh so much

ShagratandGorbag4ever · 01/04/2023 13:32

NeverDropYourMooncup · 01/04/2023 13:20

What pisses me off over and above all else are the people who declare that they never have breaks, start early and work late but refuse to be paid for it 'because it's all about the children/the business/the patients/the NHS can't afford it/I don't need the extra money because my husband's rich'. Fuck off.

I do stupid hours. I get paid for them. If I'm not going to get paid for them one way or another, they won't be happening.

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Absolutely. I have more respect for those who brag 'I get paid ££££ and spend most of my working hours titting around on mumsnet' than for the martyrs. At least the former group have a basic sense of their own worth.

Anxiodogo · 01/04/2023 13:34

I find the endless debating at dinner parties revolves around what your biggest outlay is.
So for my school circle its private schools. For a different friend group it's extensions and holidays .
So tedious.

ThatLibraryMiss · 01/04/2023 13:34

Boasting how small your child is “Oh It’s such a pain buying Araminta’s clothes, even though she’s 14 she still fits into age 9"

Hmm, that's a bit late for puberty. Poor little Araminta, I hope she's OK with being a child in a class of young women. Have you seen a doctor about it?

Coffeetree · 01/04/2023 13:38

Yes with the "...and I'm 50" boasters! You're clearly supposed to fall over with shock, but most of the time I'm like, "Okay, you look great and I would've said late forties, so yay you".

limitedperiodonly · 01/04/2023 13:39

A man at a party told me he'd had "the snip" and winked. I think it was a chat up line. I didn't stick around to find out.

Yes to the dainty hands, wrists, feet thing. My feet are size four and my size three ex-friend behaved as if I was Sideshow Bob.

Coffeetree · 01/04/2023 13:41

limitedperiodonly · 01/04/2023 13:39

A man at a party told me he'd had "the snip" and winked. I think it was a chat up line. I didn't stick around to find out.

Yes to the dainty hands, wrists, feet thing. My feet are size four and my size three ex-friend behaved as if I was Sideshow Bob.

😂sideshow Bob!

mikado1 · 01/04/2023 13:45

AfricanAmericanFriday · 01/04/2023 10:08

OMG so many!
When people boast that their kids/partner have blond hair and blue eyes. It is not special and a boring combination. I see so many facially challenged people with blond hair and blue eyes. Dark hair and blue eyes would be more special but it’s a physical attribute, not like you earned it.
When people boast that everybody mistakes them for a younger person. No love, you are 40 and you look it.
People who are proud of how much they can drink and go to work the next day and face life’s challenges. Hmmm..I wouldn’t be so proud of shit like that.
People who boast about their fitness and how they go to the gym at lunch break for an intense cardio workout and how they run 5km every day at the crack of dawn. Oh, so that’s why you look so tired and haggard!

I don't think the baggers come off the worst on this one....!

Myneighbourskia · 01/04/2023 13:47

@AfricanAmericanFriday glad to know my face is 'boring' 😂

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 01/04/2023 13:49

Dark hair and blue eyes is hardly an unusual combination either. I'd imagine it's more common than blonde hair and blue eyes, if anything. Odd post.

Roselilly36 · 01/04/2023 13:53

SIL boasting that her kids were interested in languages & had expressed an interest in learning Mandarin I think they were under 5 at the time!

Saltovinegar · 01/04/2023 13:55

I was once looking in a jewellery ahop window at Pandora stuff and a random woman came and stood beside me with her young daughter. She then proceeded to loudly tell her daughter not to bother looking at the Pandora as she could get some in Las Vegas when they went there the following week.

I'm still annoyed that I politely said have a nice holiday and not bugger off with your silly boasting!

Saltovinegar · 01/04/2023 13:55

Shop not ahop duh!

PyjamaFan · 01/04/2023 13:55

QueefQueen80s · 01/04/2023 12:06

I'd have had a dessert too just to see her po face.

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I used to order extra chips just to annoy her.

😀