Things That Irritate You in Life

How I just don't seem to be making progress with anything or getting done, and how easily I keep getting frustrated or upset.
I know that frustration well. I don't make progress on many things quickly. In terms of dealing with getting upset, sometimes redirecting myself more quickly is more helpful than trying to remain persistent and letting the frustration build further. I multi-task a lot because sometimes the pleasant task will 'distract' me from focusing too much on the unpleasant task. A little light reading between customers does me a lot of good.
 
Another major irritation for me, especially right now is dealing with people that are narcissistic and/or pathological liars.
 
Sorry to be venting once more...

My headphones stopped working completely/properly earlier today and I really don't like it.

That issue has also sent me down a spiral of thinking about how dependent I seem to have become/made myself on headphones and listening to stuff I enjoy or find interesting, both at work and in my private time, and whether that is perhaps a two-edged sword. On the one side I will definitely say doing that is helpful to me - but perhaps I am a little too dependent on it sometimes, although I'm not sure about that.

I also dislike how I once more responded upset and angry at myself to the issue - my overreactions to problems, the ease with which I get destabilized continue to be an issue and the fact I always start to blame and punish myself, and I still don't seem able to properly manage this.

Last week at Ouwehands I had another incident of another visitor getting upset at me, because apparently I blocked their view to take photos, and I didn't respond in the best way, snapping a little and yelling something at them, and got really upset at myself afterwards. I admittedly made the mistake of not sitting down for a bit after getting out or Ouwehands' small, crowded, very loud and fairly unpleasant aquarium.

I really, really want to continue going to zoos, and I certainly want to the next chance I can get, but in that case I will really need to find a better way to deal with a situation like this, as this might happen again. My fuse really needs to be a fair bit shorter.

Finally, how hard I find it to not be overly harsh on myself when things like this are going on.
 
Sorry to be venting once more...

My headphones stopped working completely/properly earlier today and I really don't like it.

That issue has also sent me down a spiral of thinking about how dependent I seem to have become/made myself on headphones and listening to stuff I enjoy or find interesting, both at work and in my private time, and whether that is perhaps a two-edged sword. On the one side I will definitely say doing that is helpful to me - but perhaps I am a little too dependent on it sometimes, although I'm not sure about that.

I also dislike how I once more responded upset and angry at myself to the issue - my overreactions to problems, the ease with which I get destabilized continue to be an issue and the fact I always start to blame and punish myself, and I still don't seem able to properly manage this.

Last week at Ouwehands I had another incident of another visitor getting upset at me, because apparently I blocked their view to take photos, and I didn't respond in the best way, snapping a little and yelling something at them, and got really upset at myself afterwards. I admittedly made the mistake of not sitting down for a bit after getting out or Ouwehands' small, crowded, very loud and fairly unpleasant aquarium.

I really, really want to continue going to zoos, and I certainly want to the next chance I can get, but in that case I will really need to find a better way to deal with a situation like this, as this might happen again. My fuse really needs to be a fair bit shorter.

Finally, how hard I find it to not be overly harsh on myself when things like this are going on.

Just keeps getting better...

Problems getting to work and having to walk a substantial distance in heavy rain today.

I also managed to once again break my wrist watch (which is quite important for me) and it is clear it cannot be repaired.

I have been thinking about last week's incident more and I've made the decision to at least temporarily, if not permanently halt all zoo visits, and to cancel my remaining plans for 2023. I don't like doing that, but I don't think I have much of a choice right now.

I will be trying to continue with gallery postings though.
 
I came here to express my irritation with trip planning and how noncommittal people often are with me when I discuss ideas. I really need to become comfortable traveling alone because it feels like a lot of people think a zoo trip sounds fun but don't have enough interest to actually go with me, and it sometimes feels like people are leading me on about their own interest for the sake of not disappointing me.... which is admittedly a common insecurity for me, but feels especially pronounced with zoos.

Just keeps getting better...

Problems getting to work and having to walk a substantial distance in heavy rain today.

I also managed to once again break my wrist watch (which is quite important for me) and it is clear it cannot be repaired.

I have been thinking about last week's incident more and I've made the decision to at least temporarily, if not permanently halt all zoo visits, and to cancel my remaining plans for 2023. I don't like doing that, but I don't think I have much of a choice right now.

I will be trying to continue with gallery postings though.
I'm sorry to hear about all this, especially your watch and having to cancel your visits and trips. :(
 
People who vape in public places and blow the stinky clouds of whatever crap they are inhaling everywhere.

People who put their luggage on seats on busy trains.

People who drive at speeds in gross excess of speed limits, especially on dangerous roads.

People who litter and leave it to others to clean up their messes.


I'm sorry to hear about all this, especially your watch and having to cancel your visits and trips. :(

I already bought another watch, thankfully the type of watches I wear are not very expensive.

With regards to my zoo plans things are looking up also, there will only be a relatively brief temporary break as it looks now. While I have decided to postpone some of my plans for this year to (hopefully) next spring, another visit has since been planned and a possible idea for another has come up.

I have some things I need to work on, but I don't plan to give up on visiting zoos for the time being.
 
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I came here to express my irritation with trip planning and how noncommittal people often are with me when I discuss ideas. I really need to become comfortable traveling alone because it feels like a lot of people think a zoo trip sounds fun but don't have enough interest to actually go with me, and it sometimes feels like people are leading me on about their own interest for the sake of not disappointing me.... which is admittedly a common insecurity for me, but feels especially pronounced with zoos.

That does indeed sound frustrating. Around half of my zoo trips are with family or friends; the rest of the time I go by myself. Visiting alone is an opportunity to do things my way. I visit favourite exhibits multiple times, take lots of photos and have in depth conversations with staff or volunteers. When I visit with people, I like to give them my full attention.

With regards to non committal people - Is the zoo near where they live? Do they have a means to get there? Can they/their family afford to visit? If the answer to those questions is yes, suggest a time/date.

Their response will be:

A) Yes. You suggesting the time/date may have been the push they needed.

B) No. Ask yourself if their excuse is valid? Somebody keen to go will suggest an alternative time/date if they genuinely can’t make it.

C) Maybe. This usually translates to “I’m waiting to see if something better comes up” unless they have a valid reason.

Use your best judgement to determine when somebody is a lost cause. They’re not rejecting you, they’re freeing you up from wasting your valuable time on them. :)
 
That does indeed sound frustrating. Around half of my zoo trips are with family or friends; the rest of the time I go by myself. Visiting alone is an opportunity to do things my way. I visit favourite exhibits multiple times, take lots of photos and have in depth conversations with staff or volunteers. When I visit with people, I like to give them my full attention.

With regards to non committal people - Is the zoo near where they live? Do they have a means to get there? Can they/their family afford to visit? If the answer to those questions is yes, suggest a time/date.

Their response will be:

A) Yes. You suggesting the time/date may have been the push they needed.

B) No. Ask yourself if their excuse is valid? Somebody keen to go will suggest an alternative time/date if they genuinely can’t make it.

C) Maybe. This usually translates to “I’m waiting to see if something better comes up” unless they have a valid reason.

Use your best judgement to determine when somebody is a lost cause. They’re not rejecting you, they’re freeing you up from wasting your valuable time on them. :)

This comes across as very ableist. People with disabilities often can't be that easy-going with making plans and can struggle with committing to things beyond "maybe" because they don't know how they'll be feeling that day.
 
Another major irritation for me, especially right now is dealing with people that are narcissistic and/or pathological liars.

Especially when these people say that they are going to do something or help you with something important and then they just don't do it. Especially when they create false hope only confuse you or mislead you and leave you hanging.
 
Another thing that really irritates me is when people contradict themselves and don't give me straight answers, especially when they bring annoying or irreverent jokes into what they are saying and create confusion. Then adding insult to injury, they tell you that you are overthinking things, taking things too seriously or that you can't take a joke. It is hurtful especially when the topics in question are deeply important and aren't a laughing matter. Adding more insult to injury, when they mix in bluntness and toxic positivity into what they are saying...
 
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Sorry to be venting once more...

My headphones stopped working completely/properly earlier today and I really don't like it.

That issue has also sent me down a spiral of thinking about how dependent I seem to have become/made myself on headphones and listening to stuff I enjoy or find interesting, both at work and in my private time, and whether that is perhaps a two-edged sword. On the one side I will definitely say doing that is helpful to me - but perhaps I am a little too dependent on it sometimes, although I'm not sure about that.

I also dislike how I once more responded upset and angry at myself to the issue - my overreactions to problems, the ease with which I get destabilized continue to be an issue and the fact I always start to blame and punish myself, and I still don't seem able to properly manage this.

Last week at Ouwehands I had another incident of another visitor getting upset at me, because apparently I blocked their view to take photos, and I didn't respond in the best way, snapping a little and yelling something at them, and got really upset at myself afterwards. I admittedly made the mistake of not sitting down for a bit after getting out or Ouwehands' small, crowded, very loud and fairly unpleasant aquarium.

I really, really want to continue going to zoos, and I certainly want to the next chance I can get, but in that case I will really need to find a better way to deal with a situation like this, as this might happen again. My fuse really needs to be a fair bit shorter.

Finally, how hard I find it to not be overly harsh on myself when things like this are going on.
In my experience at zoos I often find that when you have a camera with you it works in your favour - often guests will get out of the way so that the person with the camera can get a good shot of the animal.
 
In my experience at zoos I often find that when you have a camera with you it works in your favour - often guests will get out of the way so that the person with the camera can get a good shot of the animal.

I have experienced that happening sometimes also, although certainly not always and not with everyone. There's certainly people out there who don't like or have much concern for photographers at zoos.

However, as I have recently found out through two incidents, photographers behaving poorly around other visitors and, accidentally or deliberately, trying to get spots to the disadvantage of other visitors, is certainly no longer something that is always quietly tolerated, and definitely something that irritates people - and rightfully so, as is it not socially appropriate behavior.

Although I maintain that I did nothing maliciously or deliberately in either instance, I should have been more careful and respectful, and was in the wrong. I probably deserved to get kicked out of those two zoos for the day in either case, and definitely in the second where I shouted at someone who reacted, admittedly somewhat poorly, to my mistake.

I however no longer think I deserve to get banned from visiting zoos at all, not even temporarily, over this - that is, if I try to work on improving my behavior and avoiding further such incidents. I will be trying to not again come off as an arrogant photographer who gives all photographers a bad name, or to cause unnecessary upset to other visitors.
 
What irritates me most is what I see down at the local park/ reserve. There are multiple native parrot species, magpies, lapwings/ plovers - and many marsupials. I've watched multiple dog owners take their dogs down there and deliberately set them on the wildlife. Of all 9 plover chicks, every single one was killed by dog attacks. I've watched people deliberately go after the chicks with their dogs while the parents desperately swooped at them. I've seen baby pademelons that died with broken backs, slowly and in pain and fear. I have little hope for the magpie chicks when they drop. It seems to have become a lot worse lately. This is not people who are just hopeless, or who have little control over their boisterous dogs - this is people that are deliberately treating the wildlife like live bait. They really don't have a problem with it. When I've called them out I've been roundly abused, or been told things like 'It's a kelpie, you obviously don't know anything about working dogs'. But here's the thing. I grew up with working dogs. Working dogs are highly intelligent and have a lot of energy, but they will spin on a dime and stop at a whistle. They are highly trained and responsive. If people can't train their dogs, they should not have them. I have three dogs, and the birds will bounce around their feet because they know them, and they know me and trust me.
And I will continue to call it out.
Don't let your dogs chase the wildlife people. It's against the Dog Control Act 2000 in Australia to allow your dog to chase, menace or harass other animals.
The wildlife is not live bait for your dogs because you can't be bothered to exercise them or train them properly.
And if your idea of normal is allowing your dog to tear apart little sentient creatures, each of whom is embedded in their own social and family structures - and loved - then your humanity is sadly lacking and you need to do some serious self analysis.
Be better.
 
What irritates me most is what I see down at the local park/ reserve. There are multiple native parrot species, magpies, lapwings/ plovers - and many marsupials. I've watched multiple dog owners take their dogs down there and deliberately set them on the wildlife. Of all 9 plover chicks, every single one was killed by dog attacks. I've watched people deliberately go after the chicks with their dogs while the parents desperately swooped at them. I've seen baby pademelons that died with broken backs, slowly and in pain and fear. I have little hope for the magpie chicks when they drop. It seems to have become a lot worse lately. This is not people who are just hopeless, or who have little control over their boisterous dogs - this is people that are deliberately treating the wildlife like live bait. They really don't have a problem with it. When I've called them out I've been roundly abused, or been told things like 'It's a kelpie, you obviously don't know anything about working dogs'. But here's the thing. I grew up with working dogs. Working dogs are highly intelligent and have a lot of energy, but they will spin on a dime and stop at a whistle. They are highly trained and responsive. If people can't train their dogs, they should not have them. I have three dogs, and the birds will bounce around their feet because they know them, and they know me and trust me.
And I will continue to call it out.
Don't let your dogs chase the wildlife people. It's against the Dog Control Act 2000 in Australia to allow your dog to chase, menace or harass other animals.
The wildlife is not live bait for your dogs because you can't be bothered to exercise them or train them properly.
And if your idea of normal is allowing your dog to tear apart little sentient creatures, each of whom is embedded in their own social and family structures - and loved - then your humanity is sadly lacking and you need to do some serious self analysis.
Be better.
loud sigh
I am honestly appalled that the ones in charge of such reserves seem to allow this to happen, or they don't have sufficiently strong policing.
Call me the tenth dentist... but I believe that if a warden happens to find a dog or cat on the loose in significant danger to wildlife, then they have the right to shoot it dead on sight. Your pet is not a creature of innocence. Your pet has no dominion over the biodiversity that exists on Earth; especially that which is greatly endangered.
 
This is more like disgust rather than irritation but after seeing some news I definitely do not appreciate being reminded that all humans are capable of being evil no matter how professional or good they may seem.
 
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