One upmanship

Stables, now that's a thought!

Maybe there's a bit of one upmanship when posters say they have 30 pairs of shoes or 46 handbags, I own very few.

I'm dreading having to open up the house and grounds to the public after lockdown ends. Although the money from the entrance fee is handy for fuel for the chopper

The flip side is that 'things' don't make a difference to how people feel inside. Behind the plantation shutters are people feeling lonely, sad.....or happy! They too are seeing the wrinkles, battling the illnesses and worrying about their future and the state of the world. Seeing one-upmanship when posters are sharing their lives and experiences is a shame. Marvel instead at the breadth of experience and common sense and empathy that most people show.

I must apologise if I boasted about the grandsons’ Lindt chocolate bunnies on the Easter egg thread (might have done, but I can’t be bothered to check ). I don’t think I’ve ever indulged in sausage snobbery though, as we’re rather partial to a Richmonds round here, usually bought frozen in big bags on special offer.

I agree in part though, GagaJo. Most people are just answering a question about their lifestyle or giving recommendations when asked to. It doesn’t take much though to tip a what places do you wish you could visit? thread into a exotic holidays I have had in minute detail one.

30 pairs of shoes, Ellianne? That’s nothing.

So true Mamissimo

SLK?

Blimey I never thought that me shovelling horse s* at silly o’clock on a freezing cold dark wet morning was oneupmanship !!

Not at all, never noticed it. People talk about their life and of course circumstances can be very different for different people. Good we don’t all have or do the same things! Sorry GagaJo!

My butler is sat next to me with his feet up, how rude :-), trying to decide if he's going make bread today (won't be sour dough) or if he's going to the corner shop to buy some.

I haven’t noticed any on here at all. Sometimes people mention things but I don’t think it is intended in a oneupmanship way. There are obviously a few inverted snobs around to make a comment like that. A shame to go through life like that.

grandmajet

Lucca, I don’t actually have one! Although my conservatory has a glass roof - does that count? An almost orangery!

Only if you have orange trees in there.

I don't have any as the garden centres are shut but as soon as they re-open, I intend to turn my common or garden conservatory into an orangery.
I may even put a lemon tree in there too
??

We already have a vineyard ?

Having a second home in Malaga was only possible for us because we sold our semidetached house and in effect ‘swapped’ it for two very small apartments. Most of you I expect would hate to live in either of them! To be honest what we chose to do, anybody could do. It’s very do-able but not in everyone’s taste. They are very basic - trust me! But the location of both with amenities on the doorstep and great travel infrastructure make our decisions perfect for us.

Others on here are wealthy. I gather they own farms, some live in detached houses, pay for private health insurance, own a racehorse, own their own horses or ponies, drive fancy cars, maintain and enjoy huge gardens and buy tickets for the theatre, opera or spend a lot of money on expensive crafting hobbies.

To each their own. Am I jealous? Nope. And that’s because I’m happy in my own life with the choices we made!

Lucca I think SLK is referring to a convertible Mercedes sports car. ?

Well, my Bolognese knocks everyone else's into a cocked hat! There - some oneupmanship where there was none ?

Oldwoman70

When the butler brought me my mid morning coffee, I was sitting in the orangery looking out at the pool, he assured me that I have never indulged in oneupmanship

Hahahaha.

Oooh yes. Perfect children / grandchildren as opposed to imperfect.

Puzzler61

Lucca I think SLK is referring to a convertible Mercedes sports car. ?

Oh I see ! Why would that even be mentioned ? Oh maybe on one the competitive cleaning threads .....

MerylStreep

Oldwoman70
I trump your butler and pool with my tennis court and stables.

The tennis courts and stables are the other side of the house, out of sight of the orangery and just past the 4 car garage

I don’t see any one-upmanship.

What I do see, with depressing frequency, is someone asking a question, getting honest answers, and then someone else(not referring to any particular poster) who doesn’t have those things and possibly has a chip on their shoulder as well, makes a snarky comment about other people boasting and complaining about their own lot in life.

One of the less pleasant aspects of gransnet.

Agree J A
If I did see boasting I would think it funny to be honest,

I haven’t noticed any oneupmanship myself but I’m happy to start some if it’s what people want.

My house is messier than your house

Sausages - rarely buy them but if I do they are generally the most tasty and meaty (the label). I’d rather not eat the pork slurry sausages. It’s definitely not one-upmanship, more a case of trying to stay relatively healthy.

No second home, expensive car etc. but very happy to have tastier, less processed food.

Here’s some reverse oneupmanship
m.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHFZBUTA4k

Ah, yes, the sneering references to 'First world problems'

There is only one solution. We should all have to fill in a form when joining GN saying what our income is and what we own and then we can have half a dozen GN's based on sociodemographc indicators. That way those less well off will not feel excluded if someone admits to buying a new car, and those of us with a drive full of Maserattis and Ferraris, will not have to communicate with people who spend less on their car than we would on a car service.

Wouldn't it be boring.

I never see oneupmanship as I’ve always realised that choices can be made within any budget, large or small.

I came from a council house booze fags and bingo childhood and now own a small home in Wales and another in Spain and have friends and family who earned more and have neither.

I share what I have with them as others with more have done for me over the years and that’s the point of ‘stuff’ - it’s not for coveting, it’s for sharing!

Anyway, I’m not sure anyone would envy someone with a holiday home abroad at the moment - we can’t go there and it’s costing money!