Tired and Don't Understand

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Does anyone else here get just plain worn out from day to day trying to figure things out? Sometimes dealing with people around wears me out, mentally and physically. I think most of my problems stem from trying to understand things that, after all of these years, I still can't comprehend.

For instance, tonight my wife was playing with a new puppy she bought. She was laughing and appeared genuinely happy. She says the puppy brings her joy. How? By just jumping around? By yelping with its ear splitting bark? By pooping on the carpet? In my mind the dog serves no purpose but in hers it brings her some sort of happiness. It doesn't make sense. Guess I'll just add this to my long 'I don't freakin get it' list.
Sorry...it's been a long day.

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Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. - Old Farmer's Advice

Yeah, well I get tired easily.

Dogs can bring people joy. Just playing with it or petting it is therapeutic.
I love dogs. I love walking them, playing fetch or wrestling and just having it sleep next to me.
When I'm sad it's always good to have a dog near me to lick away the tears or shove a play toy under my face to distract me.
I don't have a dog now and I'm miserable. Cats just aren't as fun as dogs. If someone was to give me a dog I'd be overjoyed.

Dogs will come up and say hello to you when you get home without fail. They like you regardless of your flaws. They are smart enough to have personality, they can have their happy and sad moments just like people. When you want a cuddle/hug a dog is always there. They are genuinely happy when you show them affection and they will give it back. Also puppies are cute

Cats are too snooty and aloof. They will let you lavish attention on them on their own terms. Just keep the food coming.

I get worn out dealing with people yes. Not much of a problem if its just casual social interaction with people I know but dealing with people is just tiring.

p.s. give the puppy a chance

The post about the dog was just an example of things that don't make sense to me. Actually, we have 3 dogs and I don't see a purpose for having any of them. I have held and petted them but I get no 'joy' or anything else from it as my wife says she does when she pets or plays with them. For me they are simply there like the TV or bookcase.

I could have used this example. My wife and her sister will drive 40 miles to get a slice of 'the best cheesecake ever' and drive back. We have a store 2 blocks away that has frozen cheesecake. How can one be different from the other? I'm sure they use the same ingredients. To me they are just wasting time and gas. It's just food. That makes no sense whatsoever.

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Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.- Old Farmer's advice

Last edited by Luzhin on 06 Feb 2010, 3:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Dogs come when you call, cats take a message and get back to you when they find the time or inclination.

Cats are quite social, but they are social on their own terms. I can appreciate that.

Cats are certainly less exhausting than people.

i had a wiener dog once that lavished affection on me when i first came home, then left me alone. We got along really well.

There can taste quite different. When I buy my meat from the supermarket it taste differently from the meat I buy at the butcher (the later one is better). Probably they do something with the meat from the supermarket to make it cheaper to produce (add less spices, inject salty water to make the meat heavier, etc. ). On the other side sometimes handmade products taste a lot better than those made in a factory. Have you tasted both of them?

My dog has given me nothing but great joy. You have to be patient with the puppy.

Most people feel an emotional connection to domesticated pets. It might not be logical but it brings people a lot of satisfaction. Dogs and cats are not objects, they're beings. Once I had a sick cat and no money for a vet visit. My mother suggested it would be cheaper to put the cat down and get a new one. She couldn't understand that I had a relationship with the cat. Maybe she's the logical one but I feel a strong connection to animals and I'm glad I do. I guess if you don't feel it you don't feel it.

Thanks all. I understand that people have an affinity for their pets. To me it just doesn't make sense but then many things don't. Example: I can sit in the room while my family watches football on TV...they have on their jerseys for the favorite team, they yell and jump around when team scores and get truly upset when other team does. I find it much more interesting to watch how connected my family is to all of this than to watch the game itself because I feel nothing when I watch it...except maybe sleepy.

Laar wrote "On the other side sometimes handmade products taste a lot better than those made in a factory. Have you tasted both of them?"

You're probably right. As to whether I've tasted both kinds, no. I find cheesecake to be foul. It has a weird texture and, to me, a sour taste.


Aimless wrote: "My mother suggested it would be cheaper to put the cat down and get a new one. She couldn't understand that I had a relationship with the cat. Maybe she's the logical one but I feel a strong connection to animals and I'm glad I do."

Maybe it's also a generational thing with your mother. Many of us who are older tend to have differing views when it comes to spending money vs. emotional issues. We had a dog for about 15 years but she had gotten ill; the family was very attached to her BUT, it just didn't make sense to spend the money to prolong her life. So, we had her put to sleep...family felt sad for a time but once we got a new puppy things were fine again.

I can assure you it's not a generational thing. Unless you're 70, I'm older than you're assuming. My mother can be detached and pragmatic to a fault. Once I was casually dating a lawyer who wanted to get more involved. I didn't. My mother's input? Marry him, you can always divorce him later. The cat was not seriously ill. If I had taken that cat to the vet and asked to have him put down because he was inconvenient to me financially, I think they would have thrown me out of the office. It's true that people often personify animals too much, but animals bring a lot of comfort to a lot of people. If you don't feel it you don't feel it. I can't imagine it personally. Now what I can imagine is feeling zero about who wins the big football game.

Aimless wrote:
"I can assure you it's not a generational thing. Unless you're 70, I'm older than you're assuming. My mother can be detached and pragmatic to a fault. Once I was casually dating a lawyer who wanted to get more involved. I didn't. My mother's input? Marry him, you can always divorce him later."

Wow, and I thought I was detached. In the case you mention your mother has me beat. And no, I'm not 70... though 60 is creeping up pretty quick.

My mother has said many a thing that has made my blood run cold. Still, I love her and I know she loves me. Sometimes you have to take it on faith . At this point in my life she's a pleasant old lady to chat with.I don't mean to denigrate her. She was a good mother, just not cuddly. She's very social.and very bright and interested in a lot of things. I just don't try to go to her for emotional support anymore. She'll be 88 in March and is more active than I am.

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for some folk, it takes 100% of their energy merely to appear sufficiently normal to others, to pass muster in the workaday world. which leaves just "fumes" for getting along at home and all the irritants therein. you realize that the dog makes your wife happy, plus you have a wife in the first place, you've got me beat stone cold. i hope you understand just how well you are functioning.

I can't sit and watch sport without snoring loudly. I don't get the jumping and the crying either. Yes, when peoples teams lose they do cry. Or when a player moves from one team to another they cry.

I would like to address your question rather than your examples, because I feel the same way.

Through out the day I try to figure out why people behave a certain way, and mostly why can't they; do it logically, not do what they should be doing, not do things my way (because it is logical or hey, I am the boss), why they are self-centered and only see things from their perspective, why don't they listen to advice, or why can't I. . . - I could go on.

All the why can't you and why do you thinking wears me out. I don't know how to stop it and accept more easily other peoples perspective, make-up, upbringing, life experience. Most of it I see as just plain rude or something I just don't understand.

Perhaps this weary feeling comes from anger all day - not I'm visibly angry but just pissed-off all the time at others or myself and so, carrying it around all day tires me out and does not a happy person make.

Does this make sense? or is my analysis flawed?