Things that are common in fiction but not in your real life

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

Around here in the Netherlands it's quite normal to ask for 'a beer' in a random bar, which would get you the house lager. Beer specialty bars would frown on it, though I agree with you on the whisky, that doesn't happen.

In the US, most order a specific brand of beer. I was a bit surprised when I visited Germany and Austria that you simply ordered a beer.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Apache

I brush my teeth as soon as I get up, but since I do not eat breakfast it doesn't matter.
I read something not to long ago that said you should not brush your teeth immediately after eating. It had something to do with acidic food weakening the enamel.
Apache

Yea, I wait until after my morning orange juice. Orange Juice after brushing my teeth doesn't taste good.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

Finding a parking space in a city, exactly where you want to go.

Maybe we need a category of "things that happen in fiction that you wish would happen in real life"!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Maybe we need a category of "things that happen in fiction that you wish would happen in real life"!

Yeah. Like finding your true love who looks like a model plus is extremely devoted and faithful unto death to you, this despite the fact that YOU don't look like a model at all.

[Sirtel]

This is often found in romances - the leading female is usually compassionate, good at nursing and loves children.

Well, I'm female and the latter two certainly aren't true for me (I don't hate children - I'm just rather indifferent about them). As to being compassionate, no idea. Not particularly, I'm afraid, unless it's animals.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Well, not eating breakfast is also considered harmful.

I brush my teeth some time after breakfast, not immediately. That is, if I eat breakfast at all; often I eat my main daily meal instead of breakfast (yes, my daily routine fluctuates pretty wildly - sometimes I sleep at night, sometimes during the day and so on. Which is apparently very harmful also, but I have lived this way for 30 years. Still alive and kicking.).

I usually eat lunch around 9:30 AM and supper around 5:00 PM. I am usually very busy during the traditional lunch time.
Apache

[maddz]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

This is often found in romances - the leading female is usually compassionate, good at nursing and loves children.

Well, I'm female and the latter two certainly aren't true for me (I don't hate children - I'm just rather indifferent about them). As to being compassionate, no idea. Not particularly, I'm afraid, unless it's animals.

I'm the same way.

I had a gyny complaint and got referred to the local consultant. When I commented I wouldn't recognise a maternal feeling if it came up to me and called me Mummy, he laughed and said it's common enough.

I might have felt differently had I ever had children, but I can take them or leave them (preferably the latter). Any maternal feelings got ruthlessly squashed when my sister's kids (4!) got sticky and/or cranky.

[fabricalado]

To add to what @Sirtel and @maddz wrote: I can't roll my eyes enough when love is the driving force behind a character's actions.

Sure, passionate love is great when it happens in real life, but it turns into a narrative crutch for me when it's the only reason anyone would do something, or the only thing that there's a conflict or story in the first place.

It's a trope in dire need of retirement, for me.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by maddz

I'm the same way.

I had a gyny complaint and got referred to the local consultant. When I commented I wouldn't recognise a maternal feeling if it came up to me and called me Mummy, he laughed and said it's common enough.

I might have felt differently had I ever had children, but I can take them or leave them (preferably the latter). Any maternal feelings got ruthlessly squashed when my sister's kids (4!) got sticky and/or cranky.

Two of my friends dated all through high school and college and got married. Neither wanted kids. The mother of the boy asked her son what he wanted for his eighteenth birthday and he told her a vasectomy. She was outraged. She did get grandkids from his sisters though.
Apache

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by fabricalado

To add to what @Sirtel and @maddz wrote: I can't roll my eyes enough when love is the driving force behind a character's actions.

Sure, passionate love is great when it happens in real life, but it turns into a narrative crutch for me when it's the only reason anyone would do something, or the only thing that there's a conflict or story in the first place.

It's a trope in dire need of retirement, for me.

Yeah. No one would get a job just because they love their wife or want to feed their kid. This whole true love hoobey-whattie is fine for real life, but why do they have to go and write fiction that mirrors real life? That's just downright lazy.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Yeah. No one would get a job just because they love their wife or want to feed their kid. This whole true love hoobey-whattie is fine for real life, but why do they have to go and write fiction that mirrors real life? That's just downright lazy.

Yeah...I don't understand fabricalado's statement. There are *so* many things I've done because I love my husband that I would not have done if I didn't. From sitting through a hockey match to going on a 100 mile snowmobile ride. Of course, he does things for me, as well...including becoming a father to my children, and going to endless dance recitals! (although this last is also because he loves my daughter)

People do things for love every day, and not just for passionate love. They love and take care of children, and parents, and friends, and pets.

To me, that's something that's very common in real life.

Shari

[DiapDealer]

Love has been the sole driving force for just about anything that anyone has ever been driven to do. Ever.

I understand not being into reading about characters motivated by love. To each their own and all. There's plenty of fiction without a central character burning down the world to save someone they love being written. But it's neither a literary crutch nor a trope. It's fundamental, real life, human nature.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by shalym

Yeah...I don't understand fabricalado's statement. There are *so* many things I've done because I love my husband that I would not have done if I didn't. From sitting through a hockey match to going on a 100 mile snowmobile ride. Of course, he does things for me, as well...including becoming a father to my children, and going to endless dance recitals! (although this last is also because he loves my daughter)

People do things for love every day, and not just for passionate love. They love and take care of children, and parents, and friends, and pets.

To me, that's something that's very common in real life.

Shari

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Love has been the sole driving force for just about anything that anyone has ever been driven to do. Ever.

I understand not being into reading about characters motivated by love. To each their own and all. There's plenty of fiction without a central character burning down the world to save someone they love being written. But it's neither a literary crutch nor a trope. It's fundamental, real life, human nature.

Apache

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Apache

Apache

Given that before Fabricalado posted, there was some mention of romance novels, I thought perhaps Fabricalado was referring to people in romance novels doing stupid things in the name of romantic love? Not a more general love & caring for one's family, friends or community.

Maybe Fabricalado will come back and clarify.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I thought perhaps Fabricalado was referring to people in romance novels doing stupid things in the name of romantic love? Not a more general love & caring for one's family, friends or community.

Not much of difference in my opinion. There's no lack of people doing stupid things in the name of romantic love in real life either. *shrug*

Big/small, requited/unrequited, filial, romantic, forbidden: real people have been doing stupid, great, pointless, heroic, illegal things in its name (or what they mistake for love) for millennia.