Sunday 26 January 2014

My Room 101

I was recently watching an episode of the panel show Room 101 when Richard Osman picked something which I could completely relate to - people telling him he is tall. This got me thinking, if I was to go on the show, what other things would I banish to Room 101. 

For anyone unfamiliar with the premise, the panel on the show pick their pet hates and peeves which are then consigned to 'Room 101' (taken from Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty Four). I've had a look on wikipedia and some of my favourite things people have chosen include novelty underpants, people who look like cats and the small piece of cotton that holds a new pair of socks together.

So here is a list of a few things I would send to Room 101...

People telling me I'm tall
Copied from Richard Osman I can completely agree with this one. For starters, I don't think I'm actually that tall. At just over 5'9" I am above average height for a woman, and if I wear heels I do tend to tower over many of my girlfriends but I don't think I am an exception. Secondly, what do you expect my response to be when you tell me that I'm tall? Yes, I know I am, I live with it everyday, very good observation. If this is your idea of small talk, I suggest you try harder! And finally, would you tell a short person they are short? I think many people would probably find this rather rude. I like to think by telling someone they are tall you are giving them a subtle compliment, but from the look on many peoples faces I fear it is merely one of those statements that slips out of your mouth before you have really thought about it.



Children dressed as adults
I do try not to judge people but seeing a two year old with pierced ears really does make me wonder about their parents. This makes me think of a Friends episode (yes, maybe a slightly outdated reference!) where Rachel's sister gets baby Emma's ears pierced and then announces she is going to be a baby stylist - "I'm gonna help babies learn how to accessorize, what colors to wear, what clothes are slimming..." Now maybe things haven't gone this far but very young children are now under pressure about how they look and it's a really worrying trend. Toddlers wearing high heels and 7 year olds in make up is something parents should really not be encouraging.

Tanning
Maybe I'm just bitter as I'm naturally pale and can't tan easily, but I really can't stand the whole concept of tanning. The idea that in order to look good you need to darken the colour of your skin, and sometimes put yourself in danger as a result, just doesn't seem right to me. It's taken me a while but I have now embraced being pale, finding makeup and styles that suit my skin tone. If people want to use tanning products then that is their choice and that is completely fine as long as they aren't risking their health, but to me it seems like an awful lot of hassle and having to put up with tanning lotion that smells like biscuits. 

Girls who wear leggings with t-shirts/cropped tops
Now I could go into a whole separate rant about my hate of cropped tops but I'll stick with leggings for now. I used to have a really big aversion to them for some reason but I have since softened my views and often wear them myself. However, when I do wear them I always do so with a dress or a long top that covers my behind. I cannot see how girls go about with very tight leggings on that clearly reveal to all the underwear they are wearing and more besides without feeling very self-conscious. It is not an attractive look! The only exception to this is leggings as gym-wear, which are often more substantial anyway and are great for things like yoga. My advice - buy yourself some trousers and put it away!

Bad grammar
I'm not going to pretend that my use of the English Language is perfect, but I always try to get it right. I pride myself on the correct use of their, there and they're and feel a small sense of satisfaction when I use a semi-colon correctly. I am one of those people who never uses text speak and would rather spend time proof-reading than risk making an error. If I were to ever use a dating website I would be instantly put off if someone used poor grammar. 'I'd luv to go on a date wiv you' would not work with me. I'm not an all out member of the grammar police, as I've myself admitted we all make mistakes, but just make an effort please!

People who don't indicate in cars
Indicators are there for a reason - to let other road users know which direction you intend to go. That may seem like a very obvious point but I think it's worth emphasising as there are so many people who don't use them properly. The worse culprits are those who don't indicate at roundabouts. I must have wasted so much time waiting for a space to go, when I could have gone earlier if only everyone was indicating correctly. People who overtake and don't indicate are also extremely irritating. This can be so dangerous and I'm sure many an accident is caused by this kind of careless driving.


Ok, rant over. I'm sure there are many more things I could discuss here but I don't want to come across as one of those people who constantly moan about everything! (Animals in fancy dress costumes, people who don't say thank you when you hold a door open, leopard print clothes, Big Brother, people who hog the machines at the gym...) 
What would you put in Room 101? I'd love to hear your views!


3 comments:

  1. ah i love this idea. mine major pet peeve is people being rude to others who work in the service industry, like waiters or shop assistants!! HATE IT!!
    xxx
    http://eleanorcos.blogspot.com/

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    1. I've worked in shops so totally get that one! I'm always really nice to them as I know how awful being in that position can be.

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  2. Ha! I do sometimes feel tempted to reply with an equally obvious statement that will double as a subtle put down. Unfortunately I can never think of one in the moment!

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