The Katywompus Journal Observing Life's Little Quirks by Diane Moody |
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Entry #13: Pet Peeves
What gets your goat? What crawls under your skin and drives you crazy? We all have pet peeves. We may not have them written down, categorized, or filed away, but we have them. They are often subtle, lingering just below the surface of our conscious thoughts, emerging only when triggered by certain scenarios that set our teeth on edge. It's those fingernail-down-the-chalkboard moments when we come face to face with life's little annoyances. Ever have a neighbor with a dog that barks incessantly? A friend of mine put up with it for as long as she could. After numerous complaints, she finally put a For Sale sign in her yard and relocated to a blissfully quiet cul-de-sac. Of course, not everyone can or will take such a drastic measure. Our nephew and his wife recently bought a beautiful new home. Their backyard landscaping looks like something out of Southern Living. Unfortunately, their privacy fence does little to shield them from the constant screaming, yelling, and crying by their neighbor's litter of young children. Whenever they step out back to enjoy some fresh air or have a cup of coffee on their back porch, it never fails - those kids launch into World War III with no parental intervention. It drives Dave and Sue crazy. But pet peeves can pop up anywhere, not just at home. Ever sit down with your family at a restaurant only to have the guy at the next table use a steady stream of conversational expletives? Ever drive the speed limit only to have the speeding jerk behind you flash his lights to get you out of his way? And for the non-smoker, is there anything more aggravating than having someone else's cigarette smoke engulf you, saturating your clothes and hair? There's no end to these lists once you get started, though they vary greatly from one person to the next. For you, it may be gum popping. For me, it's fingernail clipping. In public. Oh the horrors! There was an odd little woman in a cubicle near mine where I used to work. She whipped out those clippers at least once a week. By the sound of it, I would have sworn she was trimming her chunky toenails. I had visions of this pudgy little soul with her foot plopped up on her desk, her toenail shards flying all over our office. The mere thought of it still makes me shiver. But one of my biggest pet peeves is littering. And I have to tell you, I just don't get it. Not long ago, I was coming home up Merry Log Road. Suddenly, the person in the car in front of me jettisoned all his trash out the driver's window into the middle of the road -the remnants of fine drive-through dining from a local fast-food establishment. As I navigated through the plethora of plastic and paper, I lost my temper. At the stop sign, I "lectured" the elderly gentleman as to his total disregard for decency. I finished my righteous tirade as I vented, "You may live like a pig at home but you have NO RIGHT to throw your trash on our road!" Maybe that wouldn't have upset you, but it made me furious. On my regular walks through my neighborhood, I find computer printouts of real estate listings, beer cans, beer bottles and beer cartons, empty cigarette packs, discarded junk mail, and enough fast-food paraphernalia to fill a garbage truck. Whether it be locals or visitors who are to blame, I have three words: SHAME ON YOU! I'll step off my soapbox for now, but I have a favor to ask. Email me your biggest pet peeve. I'll create a file, and we'll continue this discussion in a future column. Until then, keep your trash to yourself and your toenails out of my coffee! Click HERE to send Diane an email. She welcomes your comments and suggestions. She's Flying the Coop Blessed are the poor... Back to School It All Started With Eve It's Almost Here! Forget About Weapons of Mass Destruction - let’s Talk Hormones The Other "W" "If only I could..." "Put Down That Remote and Step Away From the TV!" Take This Job and Love It! As the Stomach turns! |
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