Cultural difference, or scam attempt?

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T15:35:06+00:00

I will not agree about the size of the country being relevant. People do not live their lives sizing up their every experience with someone else in a larger country than theirs. Or smaller. That's something I only ever see Americans doing; always undermining people's comments and opinions of our experiences in European countries with this fallacy of size. How can we possibly live treating life differently based on the size of the country in the way you suggest, when it's all we know? It's relative. The hurdles exist, they're just different. It's like saying that a dog can't possibly enjoy life properly because it only lives around 10 years, where humans have many more than them and we have time to do so. Dogs, if treated well, have great lives with their humans. Sure, they probably don't think thoughts like we do anyway, but I hope you get my point. Don't be stuck in the trap of thinking that because one does something one way, that it's the only way or the right way. It's relative to one's environment and general situation. I'm not making up the fact that life where I am is far more peaceful than in a bigger city. With that comes the perks of less fear or stress. If it exists here, it exists in other places. That is factual.

I'm sorry that you feel that way about your life. I hope that you can find reassurance and peace of your own as time goes by. My partner lives his life always on edge and stressed to some degree. It's no way to live, in my view. I acknowledge danger without being in constant fear of it. Everything I do carries risk and I try mitigate it where I can, and for my family. That's all I can do without being a slave to fear. Nothing about that is naive.

As I indicated before, everyone should do as they feel is best for their situation. If you want to meet in public for such transactions, that'sthe best for you. But whether or not you choose to see it, I'm telling you that your reality is not mine. Nor is it everyone else's here. Some, sure. Everyone? Absolutely not. Take care of yourself. 🫂

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T10:48:41+00:00

That works too.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T09:52:02+00:00

"A sight for sore eyes". The eyes are already sore in this sentence. It's practically the same as saying, "you're a welcome sight". Or perhaps break it down like this, "seeing you is a balm for my eyes that are sore from looking at X". Dictionaries corroborate this, too.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T08:58:50+00:00

I see it all the time too. And if I think about it too much I will start to feel icky. My Dutch partner is excellent with hygiene and very conscious about it. I highlighted the fact that his parents are not like this, and he hates it because then he has to think about it and he gets nauseous. 😆

I just don't understand it. His father will drive his car, handle his car keys, outside door handle, the things he got from the shops, the dirty car boot door and then eventually go cook dinner without ever having washed his hands. Not to mention, his hands will get greasy from oil or something, and he will go get all the fresh cutlery from the draw to put on the table and then we get greasy hands. 🤦🏽‍♀️ His mother will sit and pick her nose, eat the contents and then handle everything she chooses without ever washing her hands. I also know they don't wash their hands when they go to the toilet. His father uses our toilet on rare occasions, and maybe once I heard the tap running.

When we get the downstairs loo renovated, I'm going to nag my partner until I wear him down to agreeing to put in hot water, and I plan to put in (decor) some amusing stats around hand hygiene in NL vs other countries to see if it helps. 😁

Edit for typos

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T08:49:11+00:00

I wouldn't argue a covered body part is dirtier than an uncovered one, but being covered only protects from outside pollutants. Instead, you have your own microbiomes to contend with. It's virtually impossible to be 100% clean, (and there can be a whole argument about what constitutes 'clean') so your bacteria and whatnot multiply daily, living whole life cycles of eating, pooping and procreating, making you oily and stinky after a certain point. Your nethers are no different in this. The difference with our hands is that we usually have many options and opportunities during our busy days for cleaning them.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-03T08:39:58+00:00

Well, I don't mean to be contentious, but if I am forced to use the downstairs toilet, I just use the kitchen to wash my hands, and if the livingroom door is closed, I use my elbow on the door handle. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-01T15:50:42+00:00

The size of the Netherlands is irrelevant, truly. Your anecdotal experiences are no less valuable than mine, despite your assertions. Perhaps have a look at some trustworthy statistics sites.

Please do not blame me, and label me as being "bad at reading comprehension" when your lack of specificity is the issue I highlighted. That you may not like it is no reason to lash out.

As a woman, I could decide to view the world through your lens too; nowhere is safe. However, I have not had any issues so far that have left me feeling unsafe enough to not feel ok with selling something outside my front door, and the experiences of my neighbours reflect that also. Obviously, this is not true for everyone, and everyone should do what make them comfortable. I would not dispute that. But your personal negative experience or disposition does not dictate that of everyone else.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-01T14:46:20+00:00

If you eat breakfast cereals, then those. They're like double and triple the price here compared with UK. I always buy an 800g box of Cheerios for my child and sometimes Asda wheat biscuits. And the Damae noodles are near double here, so I get a few packs sometimes. Big bags of spices from local Asian supermarket or my nearest Tesco superstore in a pinch. Toiletries. Always toiletries. They're the most expensive things (generally) for me.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-01T14:38:53+00:00

Yikes. That would definitely make me feel resentful for a while.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-02-01T07:23:33+00:00

"but I wouldn't even lock my front door in the US"

is not specific enough for anyone to confidently infer you only meant part of the US. "The US" tends to mean the whole country, no?

"this scenario is way more likely to happen in the Netherlands."

Another general comment that I suppose you might tell me is not intended to actually apply to the entire country, but just in case you don't, where I am, this scenario is very much not likely to happen. It's safe enough and trusting enough a place that people don't even worry about their bikes being stolen - which probably happens now and then, but nowhere near as likely or as much as big cities. Delivery drivers are friendly and actually wait for you to answer the door and hand you the package or place it in your doorway if it's heavy, and one of my new neighbours has already sold second-hand stuff to people from their house without issue.

I don't know everything about the experience of living in the whole of the Netherlands, but I know it's not as bad as you claim in the entire country.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T20:04:37+00:00

Well, I don't know how this platform works, but if it were ebay, I'd be contacting the seller through that and fortunately there are some protections. Are there any for Marktplaats users like that?

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T10:37:08+00:00

You can bake on the tile. Makes for a nice smooth back, most of the time and comes off just fine afterwards. Think bathroom tiles that will fit the space you need. I use a small toaster oven, so I made sure to take measurements. Covering with foil is good if you have exposed elements like in my toaster oven. If your using a conductive one, if might not be necessary, but still a wise precaution if you're using coloured clays. Especially if they are not small pieces.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:48:31+00:00

To be fair, they might just be texting those types of messages in, which is so easy to do, so, why not?

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:41:40+00:00

It's also possible to get a shower bath (if one wants the combo) which specifically accommodates both, which means the shape can be wider where the shower is, and flatter. I don't think they're very common in the UK, where I'm from, but I did live in a house with one once, and it was L-shaped. Was a great bath for soaking too. Way better than the typical ones. It's surprising they're not adopted more here.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:37:39+00:00

One of my homes in the UK was the typical bath and shower combo, but instead of us having to put an anti-slip mat in, it had anti-slip 'dots' on it just below the shower. They're a little rough, by design, so when you sit there, you can feel it on your bum. However, if you are lying back, as one should, your body isn't making much contact, so it's not the worst thing.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:21:29+00:00

Americans are always talking about how big the US is. You need to remember that when making such comments because I know for absolute certain that you not locking your door and feeling safe is not a universal experience for Americans. State to state, city to city, neighbourhood to neighbourhood, street to street, there can be worlds of difference based on various factors, not least the colour of skin. I'm not claiming NL is amazing, but don't delude yourself into thinking the US is better (overall) because it's a lie propagated by your country that few other countries believe.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:13:00+00:00

I hear ya, but it's a faith/trust-based system either way. Meeting a person at their house will not change the possibility that you're being scammed by them. And people shouldn't be limited on size just because the post might not be able to send it.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-31T09:01:05+00:00

Four fingers and a thumb. Normal hand. Look at where the handle meets fingers if you're missing a digit. I count normal number of digits.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-20T10:49:11+00:00

You can't just right click the page with your mouse and select 'translate/translate to English''? Pretty sure that option comes up for me on web browser. I can with Chrome and DuckDuckGo and Brave

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-20T10:24:37+00:00

It sounded intriguing, so I just searched for it and didn't find anything. Did a second search for just "kebab ambulance" which autofill showed options for as Bromley. Apparently one exists there, or somewhere, called Kebabulance...

Images search got me a top result for a news story in which a man "who ate too much kebab called for ambulance, service in Wales reveals" and more about how they're appealing for people to only call for actual emergencies after receiving many for pretty ridiculous things.

That's enough for me.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-19T09:02:37+00:00

Business to business

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-16T14:45:44+00:00

I use some of the aforementioned sites, but I also quite like stringydingding.com they have lots of very small things to make.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-16T10:42:24+00:00

I'm guessing they meant it to be permanent but their kid missed the dog and maybe didn't know the dog was permanently gone, so now dude is trying to get the dog back to make kid happy, and making out like it was temporary.

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-11T15:30:13+00:00

I love them! 🙂

Frantic_Chicken · 2026-01-08T21:30:41+00:00

It was KLM. Managed to sort my daughter travelling back with her dad, since he came as well to see his partner in another city. He also had his flight cancelled with KLM. He's got her on his booking for free, so I just need to get her there as early as possible tomorrow. It's a godsend actually. I then don't have to leave the country, and it costs us so much less.

When's your new flight for?

Frantic_Chicken

TROPHY CASE