That's So Annoying!

Here on Neopets, though, along with all the amazing things on Neopets we all love, there are times when we just want to say, “AAAAARGH!” We all know it. If everything on Neopets went perfectly, it wouldn’t be much of a challenge. And in my opinion, the site wouldn’t be any fun. You see how these things frustrate other players when you see messages on the boards, screenies on petpages, and in comics in the Neopian Times. People get annoyed, whether from things planted purposely on the site by TNT, a slow internet connection, or just silly mistakes. These things drive us crazy from time to time, but I think without them we wouldn’t keep on coming back.

Just for the fun of it, I thought I would look at those little things that bug us most when playing on Neopets. Why make a list of irritating things? Because once in a while, it’s nice to just sit back and appreciate the little things that bother us. It’s always a nice feeling when you know you’re not the only one out there. For the fortunate few of you who haven’t experienced most (or any) of these annoyances, you can just sit back and laugh at what you’re missing out on.

Now, these may or may not have actually happened to me. ;) They also may or may not be in any particular order.

1. When you’ve sent 2 out of 3 of your daily scores on a certain game, and you somehow send your last score when you actually meant to restart the game. (And how does this always seem to happen when your score is exceptionally low?)

2. Being a few points away from getting an avatar in a game, and losing. Even more frustrating: actually getting the score you had been aiming for, and then the score doesn’t process when you send it. (Of all the times for that to happen!)

3. In Turmac Roll’s hard mode, those three-in-a-row stumps that almost always end your game. (I’m not kidding; those things are out to get my poor Turmac.)

4. Missing a Fish Doughnutfruit in Hasee Bounce. (Or, for that matter, any bonus worth a lot of points in any game.) (I find this even more frustrating when it happens early on in a game, when bonuses are easy to catch.)

5. Entering the Caption Contest and checking to see if you made it in, and you didn’t, but someone else with the same caption did. (Great minds think alike!)

6. When playing Qasalan Expellibox, and the scarab drops down right next to the Neocash slot, not actually in that slot. (And that slot seems to always be X – nothing.)

7. The sound of the Coconut Shy Quiggle’s laugh.

8. Accidentally forgetting to add a zero to an expensive item in your shop, and someone grabs it before you can change it. (Cheap codestones, anyone?)

9. Waiting a long time for the Kadoatery to refresh, then going to get a snack, only to find that it finally refreshed, and all the Kadoaties were fed, while you were gone. (Kind of ironic, isn’t it?)

10. Getting nothing when spinning the Wheel of Extravagance.

11. Fighting Punchbag Bob in the Battledome. (How does he last so long?)

12. When you have played waaaaaay too much Destruct-o-Match III, and when you finally go to bed and close your eyes, all you see are rows and rows of colourful blocks. (Must. Smash. Boulders.)

13. The fact that no one has been able to get the Wishing Well avatar. (I bet TNT’s enjoying that one.)

14. When restoring 3 hit points for your Neopets is all the Healing Springs Faerie “was able to do”. (Suuuuuure. More like it was all she could do to get me to buy her Healing Potions. *evil glare*)

15. Meepits.

If you agree that most of what I listed above makes you feel like banging your head on your desk, then you know now that you’re not the only one! And I know that there are a lot more to add to that list. Truthfully, though, without these little frustrations, Neopets wouldn’t be any fun. (And I’m pretty sure TNT enjoys the extra entertainment provided by us users and our silly mistakes.) And really, when you think about it, can you imagine Neopets if none of these little annoyances existed? You wouldn’t get excited when you finally reached a high score that you had so much trouble reaching, or when you won a Paint Brush from the Wheel of Extravagance. And then the fun would be gone. (Have you seen those letters written to TNT in the Editorials? Those, my fellow users, are proof that deep down, TNT just wants us to have fun. When an exceptional thing happens all the time, it’s not exceptional anymore.) Also, what would we have to complain about?

So remember, it’s healthy to sit back once in a while and laugh at ourselves. And if you’re not laughing, then just remember that misery loves company! It’s also important to remember that, despite all these little frustrations we may experience on Neopets, there is an infinite amount of fun to be had on this site.

All in all, a good rant feels great every now and then. If it didn’t, why else would it say, “If you have something you think other Neopians should know about, why not send it in? Tips, game guides, rants, quizzes etc. are all welcome” on the Neopian Times submission page? (Who would have thought that rants would ever be welcome? I certainly didn’t!)

If to you, a good rant doesn’t feel great every now and then, then you can always laugh at other people’s rants, right?

So, next time you miss a Fish Doughnutfruit in Hasee Bounce, remember that it’s a game, it’s all in good fun. (And you can always restart the game!)