Friday, March 8, 2013

Day 8: Pet Peeves

Today's prompt asks me to talk about the things that drive me nuts.  There aren't all that many, but here are some that come to mind:

Ineptitude, where competence is needed (or claimed): I'm infinitely patient when people are learning, but if the situation needs some level of expertise and you don't have it, that's a real problem if you're not willing to admit you aren't up to the task. Ask for help.

Poorly behaved domestic pets: Cats on the table. Dogs that jump. Anything that craps on the carpet.  If animals are to be inside, there need to be rules.
Toothpaste tubes that look like this:


Really? What is anybody supposed to do with that?

The 's plural (and other such misuses of grammar): Please, everyone. We've all learned this stuff already. Just pay attention when you write.

Technology that is undependable: It's my own fault that I rely on it as much as I do to be productive, but it's just so unnerving when the machines I expect to do things so I can be worrying about other things force me to worry about them, as well.

Inconsistency in rules and policies: In New England, we have a tacit understanding that the speed limit extends several mph beyond what's posted on the sign. On the Big Road, for example, 72mph is often accepted by law enforcement as an appropriate speed. I don't mind this as long as it's held to, but when I see cruisers pulling people over for speeding, my sense of injustice kicks in.

The stains on every single one of my white shirts: It frustrates me to no end that I cannot seem to keep a white shirt white for longer than a single washing. I'll own that sometimes I'm to blame. I know I shouldn't be cooking pasta sauce in my white shirt, but by the time I realize I'm doing it, it's too late. Even so, it'd be nice to have just one I can rely on as being clean and proper for the ever-so-occasional even when I have to wear something other than jeans.

Waste: Wasted time. Wasted food. Wasted potential. Wasted effort. Waste often comes from a lack of mindfulness, and mindfulness is something I work very hard to maintain in myself.

What burns your toast?

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