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.
Pets are so much a part of our lives, aren't they?
Underwear on the floor can be a real problem, especially if it belongs to her boyfriend.
My husband does that and it drives me crazy. I thought he was the only person in the world that did that.
It's the idea that every time a poor slob has to raise the seat, he is transferring dangerous germs like ecoli to the hand that does the job. Then, in the inevitable moment of sleep deprivation and confusion, he fails to wash that contaminated hand. Result: In his sleep, he later sucks his finger, gets a terrible disease, dies and then the poor widow may regret her "raise the seat" law. Or maybe not. Now she's got the whole house, money, cars and dogs and all the toilet seats will be in a perpetual PC position.
If you think your masculinity is jeopardized by sitting to pee, you must have a fragile hold on it. (Masculinity, that is.)
That's mine. One of my "chores" (I'm 45) is to take out the garbage. I cannot stand it when my family puts empty cereal boxes, empty two liter bottles, empty milk jugs...my God, I'm gettin' pissed just writing about it.
You betcha.
Some helpful hints for men:
if you miss the toilet bowl - you can clean it up
if you can ogle at other women, we can ogle at other men
if you want us to watch sports (or cook for you and your friends) - well, don't complain when we want you to go to the theater or watch a "girly movie"
if it's not in the laundry basket, i'm not washing it
your dad is not the perfect addition when just the two of us are hanging out
realize not all women are shopaholics or ditzy, some of us don't enjoy shopping and may know more about carpentry than you do.
I was not perfect, but my late husband and I had a pretty darned good marriage. I did not care if he left the seat up. He got over it that I left the cap off the toothpaste sometimes. I tried really hard to remember to put it back on. I don't get all uptight about stuff like that. :)
What's amazing is that she has a phobia about germs. Go figure.
LOL!
Pets are so much a part of our lives, aren't they?
,,, bookmark this thread :)
Your hypothetical 'poor slob' is a weirdo.
for later
:-(
(True - see stats on CDC website.)
Besides, the dog knows how to sneak her nose under the lid, get a drink, and leave it closed.
Yes, I always wondered why their was a supposed correct default position for the toilet seat.
"American men are femininzed enough as it is, now you want us to sit down when we pee?"
How bout you just make sure you wash your hands instead??
In this case, the slob is hypothetical, but many slobs do suck their fingers.
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