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Posted on 05/15/2005 4:55:32 PM PDT by CarrotAndStick
Leaving a wet towel on the bathroom floor may seem a minor issue but it could wreck a relationship. Scientists have identified a list of the most annoying habits that can cause rifts between couples.
The study of minor irritations in domestic life has found that people can almost become "allergic" to a partner's foibles. Failure to control that shrill laugh might end in marriage-destroying fury. Among the most annoying habits are failing to hang up towels, leaving a new loo roll on top of the empty one and using a fork as a back-scratcher.
Cringe-inducing endearments such as "babykins" can also cause an adverse reaction. When repeated, a couple can reach snapping point.
Many of the habits detailed in the study, published in the academic journal Personal Relationships, are the familiar fibre of male-female interaction. They include nose-picking, burping and tatty clothes in men and lateness, verbosity and demands for reassurance about clothing in women.
The study, funded by the US government's health research arm and conducted at Louisville University, charted the grim "deromanticisation" of more than 160 relationships. It also compared what was termed "social allergen frequency" (nasty habits) with relationship satisfaction and failure in a further 274 people. The report, Social Allergies in Romantic Relationships, aims to establish the nature of the link between nasty habits and nasty divorce. Some of the issues raised will provide bored couples with a new range of things to complain about.
Too funny...
If there are 'fecal' anyhing involved, then all participants are sitters, and the issue is moot.
A bathroom floor is likely no more contaminated than a kitchen floor.
If one was to culture the kitchen countertops, they would be appalled to know what was 'growing' in their homes.
How about looking before you sit? My wife has never complained about me leaving the seat up.
My personal pet peeve is that she doesn't seem to know how to put the cap back on the toothpaste! It's a small thing, but drives me nuts.
So, put it down.
When I potty trained my son, this bugged the heck out of me. I finally made my husband finish training him. I do wish my husband would have taught him about putting the seat up first though. I'd rather fall in the toilet occasionally than ...
I made a deal with my wife: I'll put the seat down if she puts the cap back on the toothpaste. It's worked so far.
lol the loo is the bathroom/toilet/crapper -- named for Thomas Crapper, the inventor.
http://www.loo.co.uk/index2.html
P.S. What the hell is a doily?
I didn't see farting in bed and holding my wife's head under the covers.
I work in a machine shop for outside employmentl; I have a wood shop that I work in occassionally. I have many outside chores. They all make my clothes filthy!
If I pile them on the floor, I'm in trouble; if I put them in the hamper with her nice stuff, I'm really in trouble.
And if you suggest that I wash them myself, well many times I do. But, I dont wash everyday. I gotta put them somewhere!
Well . . . :-)
Toothpaste is cheap. Get two tubes.
You could also tell her you'd be happy to pee in the sink in order to not need to leave the seat up. But I doubt she'd go for it. LOL.
May as well let that one go. Life is too short to waste angst on toothpaste caps.
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In spanish it says "Piso Mojado" doesn't that mean the same thing? :-)
It's about little proofs that you care for them. Ladies are a minefield of masked requirements. 
You are welcome to use the ool
Notice that there is no P in it; please leave it that way.
Conversely, why do so few men take offense when they find the toilet seat down?
Could be an insecurity based thing.
Some people talk a lot in a vain, futile, counter-productive effort to avoid their listeners having much of a chance to say something that disconfirms them etc.
Have sometimes had success in getting people to meter their sentences. No more than 3 of their sentences at a time to at least one sentence from someone else in the group. That can force them to think more about what they are saying so that the 3 sentences count. And, it forces them to at least seem to show respect for others' right to speak, too.
Have sometimes asked such a person what their objective is in dominating the conversation. What do they expect or hope the other people are thinking while they are being NASCAR MOTOR MOUTHS.
Do they hope that their listeners are deeply attentive and amazed at their wisdom and knowledge? Poor reality testing. More likely the opposite is going on in their listeners' minds.
Do they think that they are the life of the party and everyone is hanging on every word? Poor reality testing. More likely everyone is bored to tears and trying to figure out a way to escape.
Do they really want to be an attractive speaker? Practice listening 95% and speaking 5%. People will listen more when we have listened long and well and when all our few sentences are well thought out and pertinent.
One of the most effective ways to impact such a person is to use an audio or video of several such talking situations. Usually even if they know the machine is running, they forget about it and behave as usual.
But, it's likely a deeply ingrained habit. One needs to try and help from a place of understanding, humility and gentleness.
Given that it is highly likely that the problem arises out of an insecurity that is deeply ingrained from early childhood, a spouse can go a long way by flooding the person with tons of sincere affirmations on everything they can think of day in and day out for many, many months.
It may be and certainly will seem like a bottomless pit in many cases. However, eventually, the affirmations begin to have an effect when they are earnestly shared and genuine. And any loving person can prayerfully come up with a long list of affirmations about a list of things. Few people are totally bereft of redeeming social value. Besides--she's your spouse--she must have many wonderful qualities to you.
Sometimes after a social situation where yet again motor mouth has been racing ruthlessly over the top of everyone else . . . one can gently ask or state--asking can feel very accusing--state:
"I'm curious how well you felt you achieved your goals in that conversation."
or
What did Joe/Mary/Betty/Fred say after you said ". . .?" Motor mouths rarely listen and such a question will somewhat gently highlight that. "Since you don't listen to others in the group, what gives you the cheek to expect them to listen to you?"
Anyway--FWIW.
Now, see...I'm just the opposite. My #1 Pet Peeve, is women that need to sit down not returning the tray to its original upright position, where I was kind enough to leave it.
I put the fooshy tops on backwards so you can see it while the lid is up. Otherwise you don't see nuttin'.
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