Do you ever feel like people don't understand you

[Mike17]

I'm sure visitors to our house must think we're really weird: we have (human) toilet roll holders in most rooms of the house. Toilet rolls are a lot cheaper than the tissues sold for human sneezes. Needless to say, the paper is for cleaning up birdie doodoos .

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I find people find it "strange" or alarming that I have pets but I am single. (Imagine crazy old spinster). I was perceived as this "amazingly big hearted woman" when Andy and I were still together. I think people even envied our nice house, cars, places we went, etc. The image worked as socially cool. (You know, it's cool when Angelina adopts a bunch of kids but if someone people don't envy does it, it is weird).
Now I often get random people who hardly know me try to fix me up with just any guy (you know, who may have NOTHING in common with me) because I guess I am "wasting my life" with all those pets. (You know wasting my time being free and happy with friends, family, loving pets etc....lol).
I agree that we need to pick our audience.

 

[strudel]

we have (human) toilet roll holders in most rooms of the house.

What a great idea. I tend to grab paper towels and they cost a fortune. AND I have to walk into the kitchen. I'm getting some bog rolls to put with the indoor cages. Thanks for the household tip!

 

[hacatta]

I know exactly what you mean.
I too i'm know as the crazy bird lady,who does have a lot of cute pictures.
But please don't talk soooo much about them.
They tell me the birds are ruling my life.
Lately i realized they are right ,i took on a 280m garden on a complex to grow organic veggies for them ,my bed room is 75% their stuff even through i life in it.
And guess what i love it,just tell them it's better to spend more them there then in a bar getting drunk.
Thankfully my parents have 6 parrots so we always talk about them cook together for them.
Their wedding consisted of going to animal shops for toys for the birds!
Best wedding ever!
My best friend is in love with my youngest bird who is obsesst with his bald head.
I rant daily over my birds or garden and he just takes it lol.
He loves it when we are gaming and i realize that one of my birds just flew of with one of the buttons of my keyboard.:09:

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Well, not so much if I were a dog lover. I think cat, bird and exotic animal lovers get the weird look, but if you love dogs, then you're 150% normal.

You always hear, "The crazy bird person," or "The crazy catlady," etc. . . but never "The crazy dog lover."

I don't know why it's okay to adore and fawn over dogs, but not other animals????

I guess I think it's a bit strange to love a tarantula, but to each his/her own. We all are animal lovers no matter what we love.

 

[Birdman666]

Stop me if you've heard this one before:

"So, you're like, the cat lady, only with birds!"

Definitely not cool, but so much less cool when you're a guy, and you're hearing it...

 

[hacatta]

Heard that one before.
Also in my country green cheeks are called pyrrhura's.
So if someone asked if i have animals i replay that,and their looking funny and say: soo...you have reptiles?.
When you say birds...al interest is lost,cause bird just means budgie which in my country is mostly seen as decorating.

 

[Kinny]

Stop me if you've heard this one before:

"So, you're like, the cat lady, only with birds!"

Definitely not cool, but so much less cool when you're a guy, and you're hearing it...

-_- Someone said that EXACT sentence, just the way you put it, to me a couple of weeks ago... I said "Pretty much ^^ Only I'm not utterly insane and I do actually go outside." LOL yes i imagine it wouldn't be too lovely hearing that as a male.

I knew a crazy cat lady.. she was FAR too clean, and NEVER stepped foot outside except for the Mail. She dressed up in super creepy fancy clothes. She talked to her cat like they were real people.. I mean i talk to my parrots but.. she had proper 'conversations' with her cats.. and I'd ask what they said, since she replied to them? And apparently her cats told her all about the people down the street and all sorts of details it was like... that's kind of impossible for them to actually verbally speak english to you...

Hmm. Well, That's my 'vision' of a crazy cat lady lol.

 

[BirdSquawk]

I feel your pain! People who aren't 'animal' people just don't seem to get it when I go on and on about how elephants are so intelligent and seem a little off-put when I admit I would rather be with animals then people most of the time. Yes, I've been described as a crazy bird person, but it does set me apart!

 

[strudel]

I'm a crazy <insert name of multiple pets> person and am a member of forums for each type (well, not dog and cat, they I know how to "do" without help). IMO, the craziest of the pet enthusiasts are the bunny people. They leave crazy cat (and bird) ladies (and birdman666) in the dust..... I feel really quite normal after I go on the bunny forum..... (no offence to any crazy bunny people, it's just my opinion based on my observations, no offence intended)

 

[Mike17]

we have (human) toilet roll holders in most rooms of the house.

What a great idea. I tend to grab paper towels and they cost a fortune. AND I have to walk into the kitchen. I'm getting some bog rolls to put with the indoor cages. Thanks for the household tip!

My pleasure Strudel, my wife's gotten some toilet roll holders off Ebay (out of HK/China) which have flaps front and back, and a metal hook by which to hang the roll. This disguises the fact one has dunny rolls in the kitchen etc Plus they give a convenient way to attach the rolls to things.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

At least our pets talk back
And for the record my cat completely talks to me. I'm too stupid to understand her. She even gets frustrated I can't understand her... But in pretty sure most of the time she's begging for kitty crack (temptations). One day I will actually record her. It's crazy. And rather annoying to have a cat that won't be quiet, and following you around the house.
She can say "mom" perfectly, and when she's looking for me and calling mom out, you couldn't tell whether it's kid calling you or the cat...

 

[mimi88]

All of these comments have put a smile on my face, some have even made me laugh out loud I feel better knowing that people seem to understand where i'm coming from. I guess from now on I will try to pick my audience better, or save it for the forum. I do have other interests, but at the moment it's hard to do much with a 4 month old and a 4 year old. So my life at the moment is pretty much centered around them and being home with the birds. Maybe i'm being too sensitive, I just wish I had a friend that had the same sort of interests. Maybe i'm just in a bad place in my life at the moment and am being over sensitive, or maybe not... I don't know. But I do appreciate every single comment that has been made. Thank you all for making me feel like less of an odd ball.... or on the other hand know that there are more odd balls out there LOL.

 

[strudel]

So my life at the moment is pretty much centered around them and being home with the birds. Maybe i'm being too sensitive, I just wish I had a friend that had the same sort of interests.

No, I don't think you are. If that's your "world" at the moment and people cut you off when you talk about it, then you really don't have much of a real-life outlet...... it can be very isolating for young mums. Are there any local bird clubs you could join? Or suss people out at a playgroup to find another animal lover to make friends with? Or, really, just somebody with some decent social skills who is interested in things and will hold a decent conversation.

 

[antoinette]

I actually find it fascinating when people are so clueless about birds.
They have no clue how loving, understanding and intelligent birds are.

Then I tell them I have more interesting conversations with Mishka than with most humans.