A lot of people kiss their pets or non-human animals in general. I find that very weird. I understand that it is a sign of affection but it seems so off. One reason is that I doubt whether animals really understand this. Also it seems to be on a level of intimacy to me that I find weird sharing with a pet. Not necessarily romantically or sexually (that would be even more weird and wrong and probably illegal). But it is still “more”. I am not sure whether I can really explain why exactly I find that weird.
Anyway, what is something that is weird to you but not to most other people?
So many things:
That’s all that comes to mind at the moment, but I know I’ve felt that way about many other behaviors. I’ll try to remember to add any others that come to mind in an edit below.
I have tried the “no shoes inside” thing and can’t stand the constant feeling of dirt particles on my bare feet even while I’m walking on the floor behind a swiffer, broom, or mop. I’d rather keep my shoes on and just assume the floor is not 100% clean even when someone has just cleaned it.
But I have a logistics question: I know you have a place for shoes by the front door, but what do you do about the back door? Or in my case the three sliding-glass doors onto balconies that I use daily? Is one supposed to keep going to the front door to get shoes and carrying them through the house? My balconies overhang the street and get a lot of road grime, plus my plants drop leaves etc., so shoes are very necessary out there. And many people have back yards. I’m curious about what you do.
I 100% agree about the feeling of bare feet, which is why I have dedicated indoor slippers that I immediately put on when I take off my shoes.
As for the back door and outside in general, I also have a separate pair of outdoor slippers at every entryway. They are the Crocs on the clock work slip-on specifically.
Huh. 8 can’t wear crocs, they mess up my plantar fascia. The shoes I wear 98%of the time are a version of these sparkly Skechers, with great arch support: https://theflipflopzone.com/products/119631-vinyasa-happy-spring
Oof I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m also glad to hear that you’ve found something that is both fashionable and comfortable for you. Do you think it would be possible to have an additional pair of those sparkly Sketchers for each entry of your domicile so that you could live the “no shoes inside” life?
I’ve tried it but I could’t keep track of which was which, especially when I go out one door, across the big balcony (10 meters) and in the other door, to a different room, which would have another “outdoor” pair but no “indoor” pair sitting there. I would have to put down the watering can, go back around the other way, and back around through the apartment.
I also noticed no difference in floor dirt when I was trying to be strict about it. So it seemed like a lot of attention paid for no payoff, and I stopped.
Oh yeah that does sound annoying. I always reenter from the same place I left and haven’t run into that issue, but I’ve also never had a 10 meter balcony with multiple entry points.
The first thing that comes to mind in that situation would be to get oversized outdoor slippers that could fit the indoor slippers inside. That way you always have the indoor slippers, but you would still need to manage moving the outdoor slippers back to the other door.
I mentioned this in another comment but I’ll somewhat repeat it here. For me personally, it’s not really about cleanliness, but instead it’s about the feeling. Something about wearing shoes inside feels wrong to me, especially on carpet. Even the thought makes me cringe.
I understand the gut-level aspect, even though for me it’s the yucky feeling of bare feet on wood or tile floors. No carpet or rugs in our place, it’s easier for the wheelchair. Which by the way can’t change its wheels when coming in. I tried outdoor shoes but they were disgusting in a week. I’m trying out a habit of stepping barefoot into the room, (from the balcony) picking up my shoes and clapping them outside before putting them back on, rubbing each already-dusty-feeling foot on my leg as I do. We shall see. I’m terrible at consistency.
Slippers. I have a pair of Crocs at the back door and my shoes at the front door.
If you don’t wear shoes inside you tend to track less dirt in so walking barefoot doesn’t feel dirty
You’re not wrong, but I don’t think this applies to people with shedding pets or small children.
By the time I get to my apartment any dust I picked up outdoors (Los Angeles, little mud and no snow) has been lost to the hallway carpet. Meanwhile road grime blows in through every air gap, and the great majority of household dust is generated by indoor life, whether it’s the detritus of our own skin, lint from fabrics, particles of paper, cooking vapors, asthma nebulizer, and even cleaning products. What has made the most difference is using a MERV13 filter in my HVAC and keeping the doors and windows shut except when I go out to my balcony garden to tend to my plants.
Dust =/= dirt. Can you actually feel dust regularly? I can’t but idk maybe I’m used to it or something.
Or maybe I live somewhere with less dust/grime on the wind?
I live in LA by the 405 so probably.
I’ll be honest - this is a terrible habit that i’m unlearning myself, and i wouldn’t have ever done it if not for friends and family who normalised it to me.
I totally agree with all the things you listed.
I tried participating when I was younger for similar reasons, but I could never really pull it off like they could and always felt wrong when trying.
In glad my list resonated with you.
If I insult you in a friendly manner, you are a good friend of mine. I would never insult someone like that that I didn’t like.
Example: I play disc golf. Par is usually three. I was playing with my friends and a new guy. I wasn’t having a very good day and told the new guy, “In case you haven’t noticed, four is my favorite number.” And my buddy said, “And six is his second favorite number.” I thought that was hilarious because he is a friend. If he didn’t like me, it could have come across as passive aggressive. It is this context to which I’m referring.
That said, I do have another friend who almost only insults and it does get old.
I think what I struggle with the most is determining what counts as an insult in a friendly manner compared to a non-friendly insult. I personally find it easier for everyone if I avoid any potential insult (except for the very rare scenario where I intend to insult someone I suppose).
My knowledge of disc golf is very limited, so I apologize for not understanding why your favorite number ranking is relevant to the game or how it could be considered funny or insulting based on your relationship with the person you’re speaking with.
Oh, I guess I could have been clearer. Just like normal golf, you try to put the disc in the basket in par or less throws, so three. I was throwing four times a lot that day, so not so good. I insulted myself by acting like I simply liked the number four because that’s how bad I was throwing. My friend was suggesting that if I wasn’t throwing four times to get it in, I was busy throwing six times.
The best jokes are the ones you have to explain.
No worries, I appreciate the clarification very much!
I didn’t realize that par in disc golf was consistently three. I’ve only played normal golf where par can vary drastically from hole to hole. Thanks to your clarification, I now understand your self deprecating joke. I’m still not entirely clear why your friend’s comment was friendly and not legitimately insulting, but that’s almost certainly on me and my autistic brain.
FYI, it’s definitely not always 3, but it is generally 3. The most I’ve personally seen is par 5.
Ah, I see. That makes sense. Thank you again for the additional clarification!
I have foot problems that make it painful to walk barefoot for more than about 5 minutes. Less on hard surfaces. More on soft ones. So I have flip flops I use inside and regular shoes for outside. So a different reason, but I do get what you’re saying.
Oof I’m sorry to hear that. I hope your footwear at least helps alleviate your pain.
It does. Thank you for the sentiment. So much hate on the net. You’re a credit to humanity for putting out some positive vibes.
I’m glad to hear that. You are very kind, and I feel like you and your positive vibes are also a credit to humanity. Thank you for these pleasant conversations!
Shoes inside works fine if you wipe your feet thoroughly on the doormat.
For me it’s less about cleanliness and more about the feeling. Something about wearing shoes inside, and especially on carpet, just feels wrong to me. It doesn’t bother me when other people wear shoes inside, I just find it strange.