With 56 days to go before life as we know it returns to normal, and not much happening at the moment, I thought it would be an idea to fill the void with a Room 101 thread. Hopefully most have watched the TV program of that name hosted by Frank Skinner, or have even read Orwell's 1984 wherein the idea originated - but if not, Room 101 is simply a place to which you can consign your pet hates, whatever/whoever they may be.
Being a bit of a GOM, I have a few pet hates - but my current list-topper is blister packs. For some reason, certain manufacturers take great delight in packaging their products in the damned things - most probably so that they can sit back and chuckle as they mentally picture my attempts to open them without stabbing my hand with the sharpest knife I can find, or slicing my fingers off with my garden shears - the only scissors strong enough to cut through the stronger-than-steel plastic that they unaccountably feel the need to seal their products into.
Over the years, I have sworn on many an occasion never to buy another product so-wrapped, but always manage to forget and fall to the temptation. Last week, I had cause to shop around for some interior door handles - the 1812 vintage handles on our dining room door had finally given in to the ravages of time - and all those that I could find were in blister packs. Succumbing, I bought the set that my wife insisted was the only acceptable one, got it home and spent fifteen minutes stabbing, slicing and cursing before finally extracting the contents - only to find that the spindle, which had been hidden inside, was three times too big for our door. Had the dimensions - or the spindle itself - been displayed on the outside, I would never have bought the damned thing - and having completely destroyed the packaging. I couldn't really return it as, embarrassingly, the DIY store where I bought it is completely staffed by women.......
My kids are wondering why I have painted 101 on the side of our wheelie bin when we live at number 27.
Being a bit of a GOM, I have a few pet hates - but my current list-topper is blister packs. For some reason, certain manufacturers take great delight in packaging their products in the damned things - most probably so that they can sit back and chuckle as they mentally picture my attempts to open them without stabbing my hand with the sharpest knife I can find, or slicing my fingers off with my garden shears - the only scissors strong enough to cut through the stronger-than-steel plastic that they unaccountably feel the need to seal their products into.
Over the years, I have sworn on many an occasion never to buy another product so-wrapped, but always manage to forget and fall to the temptation. Last week, I had cause to shop around for some interior door handles - the 1812 vintage handles on our dining room door had finally given in to the ravages of time - and all those that I could find were in blister packs. Succumbing, I bought the set that my wife insisted was the only acceptable one, got it home and spent fifteen minutes stabbing, slicing and cursing before finally extracting the contents - only to find that the spindle, which had been hidden inside, was three times too big for our door. Had the dimensions - or the spindle itself - been displayed on the outside, I would never have bought the damned thing - and having completely destroyed the packaging. I couldn't really return it as, embarrassingly, the DIY store where I bought it is completely staffed by women.......
My kids are wondering why I have painted 101 on the side of our wheelie bin when we live at number 27.
