Somethings just make me sooooo angry. I have a list. (Doesn't everyone?)
Why do kids in high school (they should know better) NOT defend the kid that's picked on? I mean really, so you stand up for someone and the 'popular' crowd might turn their back on you. So? Is it really such a loss? People who bully are contemptible and I don't care WHO they are. Yes, I was NOT a member of the popular crowd. Once you get out of high school, who cares about them? Forge your own way.
Next on my list: drivers who are jerks. I think we can all relate. If you get to your destination 4 seconds sooner, having run someone off the road, or scared 10 years off the life of a mother driving her kids, is that a win? Yes, it's a win in the "A-hole" category for you. Karma will NOT be kind to you, so remember that next time you drive.
Words as weapons. We all criticize, and I must admit, I'm not the most ahem, gentle of critics. But I don't go for the jugular. Some people will stop at nothing more than total destruction of a person's character. I am grown up enough to realize not everyone will like my book Sirenz (written with best gal pal Natalie Zaman- have to give her credit too!), or my own works, whether articles, books, editorials, blogs, yada. Or me personally. Hey, I don't like everyone I meet either. But I don't shove in the knife and twist. I believe in 'Turn the other cheek' AND 'Karma's gonna catch up with you.' If you have to be that nasty, I really feel sorry for you; you must be one miserable person.
Laziness/Incompetence. Ah, the lazy days of summer. It's a phrase about relaxing, taking a break. It does not mean not doing your job, then giving people grief because you couldn't care less about the job or others. I've worked at McDonald's, Burger King, prestigious law firms, restaurants, business offices, newspapers. I tried to give it my best. Sometimes it wasn't a good fit for one or both of us. But no one can accuse me of not trying or not caring. It's not the job- it's the person in the job that determines success.
Abusive people. I think it's almost a universal given that people who harm children, innocent people, animals and the environment are a waste of cytoplasm. No excuses can justify it.
Bad grammar. I mean, I know I'm an uptight English fanatic, but everyone should know the difference between affect (verb) and effect (noun). The same with how to make plurals and possessives (it's means it is, its mean it possesses. Spelling- people, there's Spellcheck. It's there for a reason. Please don't ignore it. Our school system bypassed grammar & spelling for a number of years in favor of some stupid 'whole language' program (I'm being critical here), and we have scores of kids who write so poorly, I'm spending THOUSANDS of dollars on private tutoring to help my son score well on the SAT's and be a better writer. I tolerate bad spelling from Nat a) because we're partners and she picks up my mistakes b) I don't know if she can help herself c) gives me something to gloat over and d) I'm saving (hopefully) millions of readers English angst when they read her/our stuff.
Air conditioning. Really. Hubby cranks it so high I NEED A BLANKET IN A HEAT WAVE. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I'm one of those people who revel in 85+ degree weather. Humidity? Oh stop complaining, it's good for the skin. Bunch of babies. Rather have this weather than freeze my freckles off in winter. I am so moving to St. Thomas when I'm rich. You can keep your cold, damp weather. I'll come back for Christmas snow, then see ya in the spring.
Over-done technology. Do we really need so much junk on our phones? Twitter? Facebook? Apps? I'm drowning in trying to keep up with all this stuff. By the time I learn it, it's old. Gone. Useless. And the changes aren't for the better; Twitter 'unfollows' people I want to follow. Facebook gives out personal info I haven't authorized. Vista (enough said). Takes me so long to get to contacts on my phone because I have to go through so much junk! I miss my Razor phone... My brain is burning out. All I want to do is type some stuff on the social media, and write books. I do not want an advanced degree in computers, social networking, Java, Microsoft, Droid...
Spam. I do not want to hear about Male/Female/Asian/Over 50/Black/etc. singles. One husband is enough, thank you. And I would not trust anyone I do not know to fix me up anyway. And I do not want insurance, cars, vacations, psychic readings, info about Viagra lawsuits, or ANY of that stuff in my spam folder. Go Away.
Continuing on the technology theme, I do not want to authorize strangers from any company, utility, store, credit company, mortgage/bank company to take money from my account. We've had our credit card 'compromised' three times, and our bank account once. (Luckily it all worked out, no losses.) I would rather write the check, even though I have to drop the mail in the post office to prevent mail thefts. (Yeah, that's happened too.) Stop asking me to sign up for direct payment. And STOP with the junk mail in the bills! (See spam above.)
I feel better knowing that I've shared with you, friends and strangers, what makes me angry. It may help you navigate our friendship or meeting to avoid these things. Although this is only a partial list, I've spent all my angst and feel too chipper/relieved to continue. (And there are more. I don't want to scare you or temperance forbids me to rant & rave overmuch.)
So have a pleasant day without any of the above mentioned anger-inducing scenarios, and talk to ya later!
