Playing with things too much
Playing with things too much
Author
Discussion

V8S

Original Poster:

8,582 posts

267 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
I am intrigued by the behaviour we all exhibit when something new comes along that perhaps we will have for an extended period. Phone, camera, book or perhaps a new partner, right away we all sit happily in the corner reading about it, changing settings, twiddling knobs, investigating every different option we can find until there is nothing new to be discovered.

We may have this item for years but we cram every bit of effort into the first few days or weeks. Thereafter it's just another gadget, put in a drawer or regarded as as boring as a curtain rail; we've spoiled it in a way because it can no longer offer up little rewards of discovery over its lifetime.

I've just got a new phone and I keep picking it up, looking at pictures, moving files and altering the themes and ringtones. I've got 24 months left of a new contract but I'm unable to put it down. I'll even pick it up just to look at the time, despite the fact I have two computers in front of me that are perfectly able to give me that information.

And, no, the thread title isn't about my cock

Heskey

4,048 posts

223 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
V8S said:
sit happily in the corner twiddling knobs

And, no, the thread title isn't about my cock
You sure? hehe

blindswelledrat

25,257 posts

262 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
I am going to guess you are younger than me or a gay lesbian.
A real man does not read instructions or 'learn' how to use the item but merely guesses at how it works.
I spend years with various electircal items before accidentally discovering one of its very basic features.

tyre_tread

10,688 posts

246 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
There is one toy that this obviously doesn't apply to.

From your profile:
"My interests include driving the Tiv, washing the Tiv, polishing the Tiv, driving the Tiv, getting into the Tiv, driving the Tiv and buying petrol. Buying petrol is a major hobby of mine."

Personally I think you just have OCD smile

Yertis

19,718 posts

296 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
blindswelledrat said:
I am going to guess you are younger than me or a gay lesbian.
A real man does not read instructions or 'learn' how to use the item but merely guesses at how it works.
I spend years with various electircal items before accidentally discovering one of its very basic features.
heheyes

I know how everything works, except washing machines.

carter711

1,849 posts

228 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
Yertis said:
blindswelledrat said:
I am going to guess you are younger than me or a gay lesbian.
A real man does not read instructions or 'learn' how to use the item but merely guesses at how it works.
I spend years with various electircal items before accidentally discovering one of its very basic features.
heheyes

I know how everything works, except washing machines.
Washing machines confuse the fk out of me and i don't want that to change!

Heskey

4,048 posts

223 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
carter711 said:
Washing machines confuse the fk out of me and i don't want that to change!
BBC News: Dixons announce male-friendly utility appliances

8Ace

2,836 posts

228 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
blindswelledrat said:
I am going to guess you are younger than me or a gay lesbian.
A real man does not read instructions or 'learn' how to use the item but merely guesses at how it works.
I spend years with various electircal items before accidentally discovering one of its very basic features.
Thsi is true. It actually makes the ownership experience more fun, as you find some whizzo feature a year later that makes you think "cool". Had you read the instructions you'd have found it out right away and been bored for the last 12 months.

shadowninja

80,084 posts

312 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
hehe

I admit I do keep taking my new watch off and putting it back on. Now I've scratched the leather strap with my nail when I removed it. Bit gutted as it was in perfect condition.

hill79

215 posts

219 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
blindswelledrat said:
I am going to guess you are younger than me or a gay lesbian.
A real man does not read instructions or 'learn' how to use the item but merely guesses at how it works.
I spend years with various electircal items before accidentally discovering one of its very basic features.
The only exception to this rule I've found was a DSLR camera I bought, since I fiddled and royally fked up the settings. Everything else I enjoy figuring out on my own which, if memory serves, started way back when I was a lil fella playing with transformers. 90% of the fun was working out how they transformed.

V8S

Original Poster:

8,582 posts

267 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
Ordinarily I only read the instructions to things that definitely need them. Granted there are very few things in a bloke's world that can't be worked out with a dash of swearing and a sprinkling of A&E, baked for half an hour in a tool-spangled garage until you employ someone to sort it out. My thread is not so much about the reading of instructions but the incessant playing about with gadgets until they become boring when all the secrets have been divulged - perhaps I am alone in wanting to know how it all works.

pembo

1,244 posts

223 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
I got a french washing machine, all instructions are in french, I don't speak french, I don't like french but I also don't like doing the washing so I just put it on setting 2 every time.... I don't smell and nothing has shrunk so I don't want to know what the other buttons do smile

john_p

7,073 posts

280 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
All the different modes on my washing machine confuse me, so I just put it on a 40deg wash no matter what the clothing, quantity, etc.

My clothes do not suffer from fallapart, so I assume I'm doing something right.

Poledriver

29,597 posts

224 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
I know how a washing machine works, I just don't know how to use one! Subtle differencesmile

Silverbullet767

11,314 posts

236 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
You all need a bloke friendly washing machine.

Mine has a screen that lights up blue and has loads of buttons, it beeps and everything.

I havent worked out how to plug my iPod into it yet though.

Mr POD

5,153 posts

222 months

Friday 24th October 2008
quotequote all
No.