Agony I am with you there. I have one, didn't want one but then I had a sudden need for one a couple of years ago when my daughter was rushed to hospital. I carry mine in my bag but it is switched off, I have numbers such as my garage stored there so if my car breaks down I can get hold of them.

An expensive prize to win, I mean it will cost YOU money Ren, find out the monthly charge - or get them to convert it to 'pay as you go' like mine. Alternatively you could send it to one of your daughters as a gift and she can put her SIM card in the new phone and use it.

Edited to add that it would appear that it will cost you 123 HK$ per month to use this prize.

I only have one because of the kids, it makes it much easier to stay in touch.
They each got one of their own when they entered high school, for the same reason. However it does have to be turned on to be effective!

Mobile phones are very handy in moderation. Don't think I got one until I was in my 20's

I never thought I'd see the day when Ren had a phone like that! It's destiny knocking at your door!

I feel the same way about microwaves and I have three of them because one was given to me, another was five dollars at a garage sale, and another was ten dollars.
They were in mint condition and the kids like them.
I held out longer than anyone I know. Honestly.
I don't trust microwaves though.

Speaking of modern technology, I get annoyed by printers. They are always either breaking down, running out of ink, jamming paper, or some other god-forsaken problem. They don't last more than a couple years, and I am sure the computer industry makes tons of money just off of that fact. Wherever you go, even in a public place, there's always some problem with the printer.

I'm sure the same is true for fax machines/copy machines. They always seem to get people irritated.

One of the things that most annoys me is the misuse of 'myself', 'yourself' etc when 'I', 'you' etc is in fact the correct word. (E.g. 'I'll pass it on to yourself when I've finished.') It seems to be becoming part of the vernacular, although I am resisting womanfully! Actually, maybe it's an old usage that's coming into fashion. An elderly Scottish friend of my mother's always used to open telephone conversations with, 'Hello! Is that yourself?'

Expanding on Trident's complaint, I want to know why replacement cartridges cost almost as much as a new printer.

I have a Lexmark printer, purchased for AUD$120, yet the cartridges cost over $50 for colour and $35 for b/w. I do not use the printer very often, and have had to buy new ones because the ink has coagulated.

<have had to buy new ones because the ink has coagulated.>
Try standing the cartridge in hot water for a few minutes.Then replace.

Oh, thanks for that, Ren!

It drives me crazy to hear the word "often" pronounced "off-ten."

But that's the proper pronunciation!

The word is pronounced "offen."

When you are in a hurry, you do not "hay-sten." Snow does not "glis-ten." When something becomes less hard, it does not "sof-ten." When you want to hear something, you do not "lis-ten."
Often is promounced "offen," and and adding the "t" sound is just wrong and incredibly pretentious.

Not to be a pain, but I was curious and looked up "often" and found that it's pronounced both ways. from here

While I agree that it does sound sort of pretentious, both pronunciations are correct. I suppose where a persom comes from influences their preference. (Not only what country, but there are regional differences within the US as well.)
Here's an entry from Dictionary.com.

"of·ten ( P ) Pronunciation Key (ôfn, fn, ôftn, f-)
adv. of·ten·er, of·ten·est

Many times; frequently.

[Middle English, alteration (probably influenced by selden, seldom), of oft from Old English. See upo in Indo-European Roots.]

Usage Note: During the 15th century English experienced a widespread loss of certain consonant sounds within consonant clusters, as the (d) in handsome and handkerchief, the (p) in consumption and raspberry, and the (t) in chestnut and often. In this way the consonant clusters were simplified and made easier to articulate. With the rise of public education and literacy and, consequently, people's awareness of spelling in the 19th century, sounds that had become silent sometimes were restored, as is the case with the t in often, which is now frequently pronounced. In other similar words, such as soften and listen, the t generally remains silent."

Edit: Oops, beat me to it, Clarasue!

I have only ever heard it pronounced as off-ten, and I am 58.

Sue943, to you I will give a pass. I was referring to American speech. While dictionaries may acknowledge both ways to pronounce this simple word, every single one gives "offen" as the preferred pronunciation. When I hear it pronounced "off-ten" I become nauseated. Note that nauseated is the the correct term for describing the sensation of a sick feeling in one's stomach. NOT "nauseous." Nauseous substances cause one to become nauseated, not nauseous. This word is so often misused, however, even by people who otherwise speak good English, that I have almost resigned myself to grit my teeth and endure without comment this insult to my native tongue. And yes, I know, you will find dictionaries that will say I am incorrect. This I attribute to a decline in the standards lexicography, not an error on my part.

Ooops, another one I've been annoying for years ... I, um, haysTen ofTen.

Well then, Copago. Because of your many grammatical and lexicographical sins, you will have to be dragged out back and [ lightly] roughed up.

I am irritated by people who make a show of being impatient, tapping their nails, sighing, yet don't do a darn thing to help out in a way that would speed things up.

Yes...teenaged check out clerks are the most common offenders, drumming their fingers impatiently on the counter while I'm trying to write a check. Generally, a level stare in their direction will solve the problem without a single cross word. The same can be said for pushy people waiting in back of me, too.

A group of 'irritants' relevant to this site are the quiz questions which begin "This one's easy", or "an easy one to begin/end with". In spite of clear guidelines that what may seem easy for one person is difficult for another, this practice is still quite common in funtrivia. I think editors should reject quizzes containing such terms, and encourage corrections to be sent in by players coming across them.

Quote:

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The same can be said for pushy people waiting in back of me, too.

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I had a strange experience on the weekend. I was standing in line while my groceries were being rung through, and an older gentleman and his son got into line behind me. They loaded their groceries onto the belt, and then the older guy pushed his cart right into me (left a bruise). I gently pushed it back, because I don't think he noticed that it was rammed into me, and said something like 'excuse me', quite quietly.
His son said, "Better back up dad, she's freaking out."
I pointed out that asking someone not to run a cart into me wasn't freaking out, but he just glared at me.
So I commented that I guess I should have just let him run it into me without saying anything. Nice guy!

Age is, alas, no guarantee of good or law-abiding bevahiour. About five years ago a woman in her late 60s who looked the "archetypal grandmother" played an active key role in a bank robbery here in Norwich!

Another irritant that I thought of this evening: store clerks who will speak badly of the customer that just left to the current customer. Example: I was in a store tonight where an elderly lady was buying vitamins. She seemed confused about some of her choices for purchase and was complaining that her shoulder hurt. After she left the store, the clerk turned to us and made a disparaging remark. My husband (blessed soul that he is) told the clerk if only the rest of us should be so lucky to grow old and reminded the clerk that the old woman was someone's grandmother. You know that if a clerk will speak ill of someone like that, they will do the same about you when you leave the store.