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Jemima
9-21-11, 12:40pm
I've purchased several small items in the past two weeks and I'm fed up to there with customer-unfriendly packaging, particularly plastic stuff.

The first item was a wireless mouse (love it!) which came in heavy-duty plastic, sealed at all edges, with a convenient hole for fastening on a pegboard hook. Never mind I mail-ordered it.

The second is some mid-weight cotton socks bought at the supermarket. The socks have those icky little plastic fasteners that hold the socks together tightly enough so that it's difficult to cut the plastic thingie without cutting the socks. Then there's the wee plastic hanger that seems to be useful only for filling up odd corners in the recycle bin. (No, wait - surely there's some artsy-craftsy use for these things. Let me think.)

Two things rub me the wrong way about bad packaging: 1) the assumption that the majority of customers are thieves who will take anything small enough to tuck into pocket or purse; and 2) the utter disregard for the many of us who have pain in our hands and arms.

Since I'm setting the rules for this post ;), only one peeve per day per person is permitted, lest we begin dwelling overmuch on the negative.

treehugger
9-21-11, 12:44pm
Here's mine for today: an import I have been doing for months into the database I "live in" at work has just turned out to not be working the way we thought. Argh.

Kara

larknm
9-21-11, 1:29pm
Medical costs.

Stella
9-21-11, 2:04pm
I pulled a muscle yawning.

Float On
9-21-11, 2:50pm
Speaking of hard to get into packaging. I needed a pair of scissors to get into the packaging for .....the new pair of scissors I bought.

Gina
9-21-11, 7:03pm
When shopping on the internet, I want to know what shipping/handling charges will be fairly quickly. But way too many sites make you take the time to fill in a long form with your name/address/phone/email before they will let you know how much they will charge to get your purchase to you. I just hate that! So they make me waste valuable time filling in fast jibberish to find out what I want to know... And, yes, sometimes S/H is too expensive to place the order. I guess they think if I've gone that far, I'll click 'buy' anyway. Not so. If I have a choice, I will not buy from someone who makes me jump through those hoops. But sometimes it's necessary. Grr rrr rr

iris lily
9-21-11, 8:52pm
My peeve is that I'm allowed only one peeve for the day.

ha ha kidding.

Mrs-M
9-21-11, 10:49pm
Originally posted by Jemima.
The socks have those icky little plastic fasteners that hold the socks together tightly enough so that it's difficult to cut the plastic thingie without cutting the socks.Yes, one of my major pet peeves!


Speaking of hard to get into packaging. I needed a pair of scissors to get into the packaging for .....the new pair of scissors I bought.Isn't that the truth!!! ROTFLMAO! Not funny, really, but it truly has gotten ridiculous hasn't it!


Originally posted by Gina.
When shopping on the internet, I want to know what shipping/handling charges will be fairly quickly. But way too many sites make you take the time to fill in a long form with your name/address/phone/email before they will let you know how much they will charge to get your purchase to you. I just hate that! So they make me waste valuable time filling in fast jibberish to find out what I want to know...Whenever I come up against this, I opt for manual, i.e. a customer service rep.

bekkilyn
9-22-11, 10:02am
Moronic, distracted drivers who refuse to go at least the posted speed limit on a two lane road (where no one else can pass) on a clear day with no obvious road hazards mandating the slower speeds. It's even more annoying when they consistently waver between slow and slower.

Weston
9-22-11, 10:30am
Speaking of hard to get into packaging. I needed a pair of scissors to get into the packaging for .....the new pair of scissors I bought.

Kind of reminds me of a great routine that Lily Tomlin did many years ago....

"And here we are careening recklessly into the next millenium. I don't know about you, but I'm not packed... I feel as though I've been lost and bewildered most of my life. Like the time I bought a wastepaper basket and I carried it home in a paper bag. And when I got home, I put the paper bag in the wastepaper basket."

razz
9-22-11, 8:42pm
People who carry only $20 bills and need to pay $2. I was at the theatre today and a theatre patron who knew he was getting a hearing assistive device which costs $2 and gave a $20. At 5 minutes to showtime, there was a lineup of 10 people behind him and the staff had $2 and the right bills in change but not the final $1 to make change. She offered to reimburse him at intermission but he insisted that she find the extra $1 from the box office until those of us who had pre-ordered the device and were waiting to pick them up started grumbling loudly enough for him to hear. Finally he said 'OK, I'll come back".

Keep a few coins handy!

Jemima
9-22-11, 9:57pm
Kind of reminds me of a great routine that Lily Tomlin did many years ago....

"And here we are careening recklessly into the next millenium. I don't know about you, but I'm not packed... I feel as though I've been lost and bewildered most of my life. Like the time I bought a wastepaper basket and I carried it home in a paper bag. And when I got home, I put the paper bag in the wastepaper basket."

I miss Lily Tomlin! Edith Ann is my role model for being a most excellent cranky old lady.

Jemima
9-22-11, 11:10pm
Speaking of hard to get into packaging. I needed a pair of scissors to get into the packaging for .....the new pair of scissors I bought.

Good one! >8)

Valley
9-22-11, 11:41pm
About the $20 bills....in all fairness I have to say that they are the only bills dispensed by the ATMs for most banks. I wish we could get some $5 or $10 bills, but it doesn't seem possible at the ATMs in this area.

Glo
9-25-11, 10:54am
People who write checks to pay for purchases in stores, especially grocery stores. Back in the day when I wrote checks for such purchases, I had the check written so I just had to enter the amount when the cashier rang up the sale. Now people don't bother to take their checkbook out of their purses until the sale is rung up. Drives me nuts!

SiouzQ.
9-25-11, 7:41pm
Working for an 80 year old business owner...who should have retired long ago but due to false pride and a life-long super-inflated ego, will not give it up. "He will be dancing on our graves" a direct quote during one of our useless employee meetings.
I got bitched at today for not stacking some fliers correctly and I am fifty years old.

janharker
9-25-11, 7:51pm
Glo, the day is coming soon when checks will no longer be available to the average person. I wonder what those folks will do then.

Jemima
9-26-11, 3:25am
People who write checks to pay for purchases in stores, especially grocery stores. Back in the day when I wrote checks for such purchases, I had the check written so I just had to enter the amount when the cashier rang up the sale. Now people don't bother to take their checkbook out of their purses until the sale is rung up. Drives me nuts!

I'll add people who just won't use email. My response to "I'm not a computer person" is "I'm not a phone person". My phone has been unplugged since I retired because I hate the d@mn things. It is not convenient for me to be interrupted whenever it is convenience for whoever to call. The phone will no doubt become even more loathesome next year when the presidential competition heats up, although I must say I did enjoy hanging up on Bill Clinton a few years back. :~)

Mrs-M
9-26-11, 9:24am
People still living in the 70's who throw cigarette butts out the windows of their vehicles! I smoked for years, yet never used to toss my butts out the window. Also, I never got in the habit of throwing my spent butt down onto the sidewalk in the path of others. Took but a second to stop, take one last drag of cigarette, then butt it out on the curb, away from peoples walking space.

Mrs-M
9-26-11, 9:36am
Also, change counters at busy checkouts! Grrr!!! Or, what I just happened upon a few weeks back. A lady, directly in front of me at the liquor store, was pulling out every stitch of change she had, slowly, as if she was the only one in the line that day, and after she was satisfied with the result, she proceeded to tell the cashier, "I want to use as much change as possible, while keeping the most dollar bills". At that point, the cashier glanced over at me and rolled his eyes as if to relay to me, "I'm sorry for the wait", so with a friendly smile, I rolled my eyes back at him as if to say, "it's OK". His frustration over the lady was apparent.

creaker
9-26-11, 11:12am
People still living in the 70's who throw cigarette butts out the windows of their vehicles! I smoked for years, yet never used to toss my butts out the window. Also, I never got in the habit of throwing my spent butt down onto the sidewalk in the path of others. Took but a second to stop, take one last drag of cigarette, then butt it out on the curb, away from peoples walking space.

As an add to this - not sure what it's like in other parts of the country, but here in MA, why is it people toss scratch tickets onto the ground, even if they don't toss anything else? They are everywhere.

Jemima
9-27-11, 9:04pm
Also, change counters at busy checkouts! Grrr!!! Or, what I just happened upon a few weeks back. A lady, directly in front of me at the liquor store, was pulling out every stitch of change she had, slowly, as if she was the only one in the line that day, and after she was satisfied with the result, she proceeded to tell the cashier, "I want to use as much change as possible, while keeping the most dollar bills". At that point, the cashier glanced over at me and rolled his eyes as if to relay to me, "I'm sorry for the wait", so with a friendly smile, I rolled my eyes back at him as if to say, "it's OK". His frustration over the lady was apparent.

Tsk, tsk. That's two peeves in one day. I'll have to think up an appropriate penalty. Ideas anyone? ;)

Jemima
9-27-11, 9:07pm
I'm so sick to death of lawnmower noise I'm hoping for an early winter. October 1st would be good for a snowstorm, I think. >:(

Mrs-M
9-28-11, 1:28am
Originally posted by Creaker.
As an add to this - not sure what it's like in other parts of the country, but here in MA, why is it people toss scratch tickets onto the ground, even if they don't toss anything else? They are everywhere.How utterly shameful. I can only imagine that those doing the tossing never think about the ramifications of "what if". "What if everyone did the same"?

Mrs-M
9-28-11, 1:30am
Originally posted by Jemima.
I'll have to think up an appropriate penalty. Ideas anyone? I've been thinking about the same thing myself.

P.S. Re: lawnmower noise, I too am tired of it! Can't wait for Mr. Frost to arrive!!!

Mrs-M
9-28-11, 1:43am
Dirty disposable diapers at the side of highways/roadways! This one makes me mad! I'm assuming those dirty diapers we see, the ones all rolled up in a ball and sitting on the side (soft-shoulder) of our roadways and highways, are either tossed from open windows of moving vehicles, or simply dropped (deposited) on the ground at time of changing, then left.

But, doubly mad I get when I see a dirty disposable diaper left in a shopping cart, or on the ground of a mall parking lot!!! The epitome of the most inconsiderate, ignorant, asinine thing one can do!

Excellent cases (examples) for the use of, and full return of, the cloth diaper!

Mrs-M
9-28-11, 2:33am
Appropriate punishment/penalty related to those caught disposing of disposable diapers unlawfully, a pair of rubber gloves, a poker stick, a large plastic garbage bag, and 40 hours of community service picking up garbage!

Jemima
9-28-11, 10:08pm
Dirty disposable diapers at the side of highways/roadways! This one makes me mad! I'm assuming those dirty diapers we see, the ones all rolled up in a ball and sitting on the side (soft-shoulder) of our roadways and highways, are either tossed from open windows of moving vehicles, or simply dropped (deposited) on the ground at time of changing, then left.

But, doubly mad I get when I see a dirty disposable diaper left in a shopping cart, or on the ground of a mall parking lot!!! The epitome of the most inconsiderate, ignorant, asinine thing one can do!

Excellent cases (examples) for the use of, and full return of, the cloth diaper!

UGH!!! I think the penalty you suggest is way too mild! Repeat offenders should have to do double time with no gloves or stick!!! I've never even liked the idea of child seats in grocery store carts. Staples or Ace Hardware, fine, but not a food store.

Mrs-M
9-29-11, 12:56am
Originally posted by Jemima.
I think the penalty you suggest is way too mild!Come to think of it, it is too mild isn't it. Love your "no gloves or stick" idea!!! Re: child-seats and grocery store carts..... it is a rather nasty idea now that I think of it. P.S. The things thread topics do to us and our minds! :)

SiouzQ.
9-30-11, 10:48am
Why, oh why, do I ALWAYS get a cold/sinus issues before a gig!$%^##@!! Drat! Tomorrow night is THE BIG ONE Birthday Bash and my entire family is actually going to be in town and come to my party (my dad, brother and sister have never seen me perform). I woke up this morning with a horrible sinus headache, scratchy throat, drippy nose (same cold I had three weeks ago). I eat a very healthy diet, take a daily multi-vitamin plus exta C, use the neti pot every morning wash my hands a lot, and still.....

Mrs-M
10-1-11, 9:49am
SiouzQ. Sending get well wishes your way! P.S. At some point in time today, fill a pot (average sized cooking pot/sauce pan) 3/4 full of water, bring to a boil, then place on a wooden cutting board or hot pad, sit yourself (your face) directly over the steam, and cover your head/pot with a towel to help seal in the steam/moisture. 10 minutes will do.

Jemima
10-2-11, 12:29am
Why, oh why, do I ALWAYS get a cold/sinus issues before a gig!$%^##@!! Drat! Tomorrow night is THE BIG ONE Birthday Bash and my entire family is actually going to be in town and come to my party (my dad, brother and sister have never seen me perform). I woke up this morning with a horrible sinus headache, scratchy throat, drippy nose (same cold I had three weeks ago). I eat a very healthy diet, take a daily multi-vitamin plus exta C, use the neti pot every morning wash my hands a lot, and still.....

I think you might have pollen allergies, which is my peeve du jour. I woke up feeling groggy and dizzy because one side of my head always gets stuffy at night to the point that I have ringing in that ear for hours the next morning. All day long I've been as irritable as can be and as soon as I open the windows I get itchy all over, scalp to ankles. I routinely take Allegra and Mucinex which help, but the ragweed seems especially bad this year.

Believe it or not, spicy hot foods also help because they get your sinuses running even worse and clear out the congestion. My doctor also suggested a saline nasal spray (cheap and available at any drugstore with no prescription) to clean the pollen out of my nasal passages. I squirt it up each nostril once or twice, wait a minute or so, and then blow for all I'm worth. This helps a lot with the irritation that causes sneezing.

Please be careful. I've sometimes had this so bad that I've gotten sinus infections or bronchitis that put me in bed for several days and required an antibiotic to boot. One early summer pollen season I caught walking pneumonia from a coworker who wouldn't stay home and take care of himself.

SiouzQ.
10-3-11, 9:55am
I survived the gig fine, though there were a few moments when I went for a high note and my voice was right on the edge of cracking! Much fun was had by all and I am now glad to get back to regular life. I've had enough of being in the limelight for awhile!
PS: Mrs. M, I have definitely used the breathing over a pot of steam trick in the past, though I forgot about it this time ~ thanks for the reminder!

Mrs-M
10-3-11, 10:23am
SiouzQ. So glad to hear you were feeling well enough to enjoy the event and get through it.

Lainey
10-3-11, 9:11pm
E-mail etiquette: People who send an e-mail to a group using the last e-mail that was sent to everyone - sometimes many weeks ago - but still using the same subject description even though the subject is entirely changed. Example: I got an e-mail from a friend titled "meeting tonight" I'm thinking, Huh, what meeting? turns out she'd just forwarded an old e-mail and never bothered to change the wording in the subject, and then in the body of the e-mail proceeds to discuss something entirely different.
Geez, is it so hard to either re-type a new description in the subject line, or even actually click on 'compose' and type a new message?
Also, if you just sent me an e-mail, don't turn around and dial my number or run over to my desk at work and say, "did you get my e-mail?" If you hit 'send' three minutes ago, give me some time to read it and I'll then I'll answer you - no need to double-check every time.

redfox
10-3-11, 10:01pm
Nearly two years into a fundraising position, and NOTHING I have tried to do is taking hold. Today, talking about getting sponsorships for our annual event, our young office manager pipes up with "54 percent of all sponsorships are a result of cold calls (not true, except at About.com). We can email, send a letter, and call, so the person has three chances to say yes and not feel like a total ass." Oh, now there's a winning strategy!

I come from many years experience as a development person; I practice the proven and effective discipline of donor-centered fundraising. Build relationships based upon the mission & good work of the organization, and support is a logical next step when asked. Giving someone an "opportunity" not to feel like an ass after being harassed to give to an organization they've never heard of is so freaking stupid! I am ashamed to have my name on the staff list as the Devo Director.

The ED doesn't seem to give a flying fck... Actually, he's conflict avoidant, and a weenie when it comes to fundraising. As G-d is my witness, I am NEVER AGAIN going to be a development director!!! I cannot wait till I raise enough $$ in my half time ED position to leave this stupid Devo job behind.

SiouzQ.
10-12-11, 8:27pm
Some day, when I get the gumption and energy, I will tell you all about my craaaazy, dysfunctional workplace. Suffice it to say I work for an incredibly egotistical, self-centered, prideful, business-owning octogenarian who is showing signs of dementia and has no intention of ever retiring. Today the office manager quit, no warning...well, at least I have the next two days off. I'm afraid of what I'll find on Saturday when I go back in. The workers are restless and angry at him, for a huge variety of reasons.

JaneV2.0
10-13-11, 12:18pm
Oh boy--yellow pages phone books! Just what I wanted!>:(

Jemima
10-13-11, 1:39pm
Oh boy--yellow pages phone books! Just what I wanted!>:(

Oh, no, it isn't that time of year again, is it? I hope this year's delivery person dumps them at the mailboxes at the end of the street like last year. Most of the pile laid there for a month or so until, mercifully, someone put them out for the trash.

Oh, well. At least today is cold and wet so no one is out mowing the yard or remodeling anything.

Aqua Blue
10-13-11, 6:19pm
Why does Windows 7 need to update EVERYTIME I turn on my computer????? Couldn't they get it right the first, or the second, or the third time????

I am thinking maybe there is an Apple in my future.

Stella
10-14-11, 9:13am
Teether Boy was up all night last night. Literally. Every 10 minutes. Not fun for anyone involved.

Mrs-M
10-14-11, 10:36am
Oh Stella, I remember those days very well. Teething, diaper rash, and diarrhea! Three of the worst at keeping mom up all night! Are you doing anything/using anything to help ease baby's discomfort?

I loved the old frozen washcloth trick. Worked super for all my kids!

Stella
10-14-11, 11:20am
He likes that too. I give him frozen washcloths, teething stuff, my fingers and some tylenol and orajel. Hopefully that was a big push for those teeth and they will be out soon.

Mrs-M
10-14-11, 11:34am
Making a wish for better nights to come, Stella. :) P.S. It's fun getting to relive the baby days through younger moms like you and the others. Such a gentle reminder of everything I remember going through.....

cdttmm
10-15-11, 4:16pm
Ghirardelli hot chocolate - double chocolate - mix. Seriously, $6.00 for a container with 12 servings?!? I was paying $4.40 just a year ago. You're telling me the price of chocolate has gone up 36% in a year? Apparently that's where I should have invested all my money.

Guess this will cut down on the winter weight gain because I'm not drinking hot chocolate on a regular basis with those prices.

iris lily
10-15-11, 6:59pm
Yesterday my bratty Fr. bulldog bit me--my first dog bite ever that broke the skin. It's minor, but I've already begun a Regime of Attitude Adjustment.

JaneV2.0
10-16-11, 4:39pm
Speaking of chocolate peeves...A couple of weeks ago, I saw a huge bag of Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder (2 pounds? 5 pounds?) at my beloved Grocery Outlet for $20. I didn't buy it. Needless to say, it was gone when I went back for it. You'd think I'd have learned by now to strike while the iron was hot.

Sissy
10-19-11, 1:28pm
on the cash changing subject: first thing one morning a guy that I have never seen came in for a gallon of kerosene. He handed me a $100 bill.. If the boss hadn't come in about then, I wouldn't have been able to cash it. We don't keep that kind of cash in the till. I am wondering if he had this figured out and thought he would get it for free! grrrrrrr........

ETA:
I have no idea why the ambulance is in on this?????????

treehugger
10-19-11, 1:44pm
Speaking of chocolate peeves...A couple of weeks ago, I saw a huge bag of Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder (2 pounds? 5 pounds?) at my beloved Grocery Outlet for $20. I didn't buy it. Needless to say, it was gone when I went back for it. You'd think I'd have learned by now to strike while the iron was hot.

I would be kicking myself about missing that opportunity, too. Scharffen Berger cocoa powder is exceptional. I haven't bought it in years, but used to keep it on handle solely to make hot chocolate and chocolate sauce. I never could bring myself to bake with it, feeling that it was to pricey for that. I did their factory tour once: heaven!

My peeve for the day: why do I think about food constantly, even when I am not hungry?

Kara

Jemima
10-19-11, 3:14pm
Yesterday I was awakened early by the loud slap of a string trimmer against the side of my house. I'd had trouble getting to sleep because of hay fever and possibly the medications I've been taking and I ended up feeling sick until The Yard Guy finally got done with several yards and left. I then went back to sleep again and got nothing done in my garden, which needs a lot of work before the first hard frost. UGH!!! My October Resolutions are 1) To get my lot entirely planted with ground cover or whatever; and 2) To pray fervently for $30 a gallon gasoline so power landscaping toys will be too expensive to run. >:(

JaneV2.0
10-20-11, 5:42pm
However it happens (goats become trendy?) I'm with you, wishing fervently for an end to assault by yard tools. Yesterday, some neighborhood bleep ran a chain saw for hours. If I designed Hell, it would be full of chainsaws, blowers, gas mowers...and their wielders. Ahem.

"My peeve for the day: why do I think about food constantly, even when I am not hungry?"

My guess? Insulin.

iris lily
10-20-11, 10:21pm
However it happens (goats become trendy?) I'm with you, wishing fervently for an end to assault by yard tools. Yesterday, some neighborhood bleep ran a chain saw for hours. If I designed Hell, it would be full of chainsaws, blowers, gas mowers...and their wielders. Ahem.

"My peeve for the day: why do I think about food constantly, even when I am not hungry?"

My guess? Insulin.

There is a jackhammer that's been running for 3 sold days outside of my window at work. They are the worst.

daisy
10-21-11, 8:53am
How have I missed this thread? :confused:

My current peeve: the neighbors that have decided to let their 2 pit bulls and a chihuahua out to roam every day. They aren't bad dogs, but the fact that my dogs can see them means that Barking Must Commence. So I guess it's my own dog that is annoying me, but I would still rather their dogs didn't "accidentally" get out 3 times per day.

Mrs-M
10-21-11, 9:07am
Daily pet peeve for October 21 2011, the new forum program settings. ALL THREADS AND TOPICS, highlighted, as in showing as being unread, no matter if you've read them or not, and ALL main forum headings showing blue, suggesting that there are newly posted thread topics contained within that have not been reviewed or read as of yet, yet there isn't, because I've already read them.

treehugger
10-21-11, 11:59am
"My peeve for the day: why do I think about food constantly, even when I am not hungry?"

My guess? Insulin.

Possibly, but I have recently had extensive blood tests and everything looked good. I actually feel it has more to do with food = comfort for me, so it's my reaction to prolonged stress in my life. So yeah, I know I can fix it...I just need to get on that.

Today's peeve: Jewish mother guilt. Ugh. But that's not really my peeve. I mean, my mom is what she is. What really bothers me is that it still bothers me. Why do I let her get to me, still, at age 37? Lame.

Kara

JaneV2.0
10-21-11, 12:44pm
Today's annoying noise: possibly street cleaners. A loud, unending drone--and totally unnecessary, if that's indeed what it is.

The noise never ends here. It looks like a quiet, peaceful forested area, but it's anything but.

Iris Lily, I feel your pain.:sick:

JaneV2.0
10-21-11, 2:09pm
Stress causes insulin release, so I'm stickin' with my story. !thumbsup!

It was an industrial-strength, truck mounted vacuum across the street. A new bugaboo. I left the house for an hour, and it's quiet now. Hope it stays that way.

domestic goddess
10-21-11, 8:07pm
My peeve for the day is this: how can I lose 30 lbs., and not lose an inch?? That just isn't fair.

Mrs-M
10-22-11, 2:12pm
Hugs to you, Domestic Goddess, from another who can't loose an inch.

Jemima
10-22-11, 9:12pm
I'm fed up to there with the USPS. It now takes a first class letter two days to travel six miles in my area. Mail orders that come by "standard shipping" or "ground shipping" are now delivered by UPS to the nearest Post Office where they can languish indefinitely before some yahoo realizes there's a box that's been sitting there for three days that *might* be a package for someone in the area. AAAAGGGGHHHH!!! >:(

I'm also angry at the things I buy that break or don't work. (Yeah, this is two peeves - wanna make something of it? :~)) So far this week one of those wonderful long-life flourescent lightbulbs burned out within a few weeks of being placed in a hard-to-reach fixture, and the expensive Coca-Cola clock that would have looked so nifty in my kitchen died within a week.

Stella
10-23-11, 2:29pm
I'm trying to figure out how "No, I really don't want us to invite anyone over this afternoon. I need some time to myself and some peace and quiet. Please do not tell anyone they can come over here" translated into us inviting someone over this afternoon. What is unclear about the above statement?

domestic goddess
10-23-11, 3:46pm
What part of "please don't fill the washer so full?" is so impossible to understand (for an adult male)? We now are going to have to buy a new washer, because one person who lives in this house overfilled the washer, the basket broke, and the motor burned out. Though it is kind of fun looking at the ads, and even considering a front loader. They have come down in price since they first came out, and I think it would be good for us, since we do a lot of laundry.

Mrs-M
10-23-11, 4:35pm
Jemima. I love the sounds of your Coca-Cola clock! Could it be repaired (low cost)?

Stella. One thing I've gotten a lot better at (account getting older), is saying "no", and, turning down invitations/guests. The stress reduction of being able to do such has been exponential.

Domestic Goddess. Overloading (anything appliance related) is a major pet peeve of mine! The old saying, "more isn't better" applies to this one so well.

goldensmom
10-23-11, 8:44pm
Dogs sleeping on the floor decide to get up as I am stepping over them causing me to go sprawling on the floor or into a wall resulting in numerous scrapes, bruises and sometimes a bloody nose.

domestic goddess
10-23-11, 9:32pm
Ouch! Best wishes for healing, goldensmom! Those dogs sometimes just don't know the havoc they can cause. Hope you're feeling better soon!

AnneM
10-23-11, 9:37pm
No matter how many times I tell my son to pick up his tiny Lego pieces off the floor, he doesn't. Then I step on them in the middle of the night on my way to the bathroom. That really hurts!

goldensmom
10-23-11, 10:01pm
Ouch! Best wishes for healing, goldensmom! Those dogs sometimes just don't know the havoc they can cause. Hope you're feeling better soon!

Thanks. I'm sore but on the mend. After tripping me and causing the bloody nose, while I was on the floor my 90# Golden Retriever got on top of me and tried to lick the bloody nose. I yelled to my husband for help and he wanted to know which dog I tripped over........ 'pardon me but I'm hurt here'. This is the 7th time something like this has happened and I just can't learn to not step over a dog lying on the floor.

iris lily
10-24-11, 10:37am
What part of "please don't fill the washer so full?" is so impossible to understand (for an adult male)? We now are going to have to buy a new washer, because one person who lives in this house overfilled the washer, the basket broke, and the motor burned out. Though it is kind of fun looking at the ads, and even considering a front loader. They have come down in price since they first came out, and I think it would be good for us, since we do a lot of laundry.

Beware that the lower priced front loaders have some negative reviews. They are not all the same.

Charity
11-4-11, 11:50am
My pet peeve of the day is that I hate when people at the grocery store have to examine every green bean or whatever else before putting it in the bag or in their cart while other people are trying to purchase the same stuff. They're oblivious. I recently had whole beef tenderloin on my shopping list because it was on sale for $4 a pound. When I got to the meat case a guy and his wife were looking at them. I waited, and waited, and finally did another aisle of shopping. Came back and they were still there. Waited some more. Did two more aisles, they were still there. They took each and every tenderloin out of the case one by one and examined them intently. There were about 15 of them. What I don't get was these are untrimmed vacuum packed pieces of meat that are then folded over and put on a mean tray and then wrapped in cling wrapped and labled. I can't fathom what they were looking for. You can't really see most of whats in the package.

KayLR
11-7-11, 3:05pm
A volunteer here who hums ALL FREAKIN' DAY LONG!!!!

treehugger
11-7-11, 4:53pm
My daily peeve is my daily headache. It has arrived sometime in the middle of the night/early morning every single day since last Sunday. ARGH

Kara

Jemima
11-7-11, 10:05pm
Thanks. I'm sore but on the mend. After tripping me and causing the bloody nose, while I was on the floor my 90# Golden Retriever got on top of me and tried to lick the bloody nose. I yelled to my husband for help and he wanted to know which dog I tripped over........ 'pardon me but I'm hurt here'. This is the 7th time something like this has happened and I just can't learn to not step over a dog lying on the floor.

At least the doggies are innocents. My cat dashes across my path on purpose. It's a good thing she's so cute or she would have been out on the pavement long ago wondering where to get her next meal.

Stella
11-9-11, 7:20pm
I've complained about this before but it's on my mind again today. People who call five times in a day. ****! I'll call you back when I get a chance people.

Related to this, it seems like many of my friends think that because I am home during the day I am available. I have two kids to homeschool, a toddler, a baby and I'm pregnant. I have a lot on my plate. It's disruptive to have the phone ringing all day long while we are working on math or reading together. As it is my daily tasks, like cooking, cleaning, making appointments, paying bills and all that are frequently interrupted. I don't mind people calling, but 5 times in a row is excessive. I think it bothers me in part because if I had a paid job no one would expect me to interrupt my work to chat on demand. Running a household, raising four kids and homeschooling two of them is not a part-time gig.

Jemima
11-9-11, 10:46pm
I've complained about this before but it's on my mind again today. People who call five times in a day. ****! I'll call you back when I get a chance people.

Related to this, it seems like many of my friends think that because I am home during the day I am available. I have two kids to homeschool, a toddler, a baby and I'm pregnant. I have a lot on my plate. It's disruptive to have the phone ringing all day long while we are working on math or reading together. As it is my daily tasks, like cooking, cleaning, making appointments, paying bills and all that are frequently interrupted. I don't mind people calling, but 5 times in a row is excessive. I think it bothers me in part because if I had a paid job no one would expect me to interrupt my work to chat on demand. Running a household, raising four kids and homeschooling two of them is not a part-time gig.

This is why my landline phone was permanently silenced the day I retired. I've given the cell number only to people who are very important to me, and after two-plus months of peace and quiet I don't seem to have missed anything crucial. I'm giving the answering machine to Purple Heart at their next pickup and using the landline only for outgoing calls and faxes.

My sympathies. :(

Jemima
11-9-11, 11:06pm
What about really nice weather inspires every yahoo in my development to go outside, mow the yard, and otherwise ruin the day with power lawn tools? And I can't even leave and get away from it. With all the construction going on around here I'm bound to get involved with even bigger, noisier power tools. I never thought I'd look forward to winter, but now I do. GAH!!!! >:(

Jemima
11-11-11, 2:56pm
Today I received a big order from Amazon. Four of the items were books, and one of them was so tightly shrink-wrapped I had to go fetch my toolkit and use the utility knife to liberate it. Another item was a case of evaporated goat milk and I had to use a broken-off screwdriver and a claw hammer to get the box open. Then I opened a shoe box from L.L. Bean and found the shoes wrapped in plastic instead of the usual paper, and some sort of desiccant in the form of a plastic square which had warnings not to eat it printed in numerous languages.

I greatly dislike shopping in person, but the excessive packaging is getting to me. >:(

Jemima
11-12-11, 6:49pm
Oh boy--yellow pages phone books! Just what I wanted!>:(

This is nearly unbelievable, but our phone books were delivered this morning at 2:45 AM along with the daily newspapers. I was up reading and heard something thunk outside, and about ten minutes later I heard two sharp raps as if someone was either knocking hard or trying to pry a door or window open by hammering a chisel into a wooden door frame.

I had tightening up security at my house on my mind all day. Then I went outside to plant a few fall items and found the d@mn thing laying at the foot of my steps.

If I'm up that late tonight, I may just go out and throw the phone book back. >:( >:( >:(

iris lily
11-12-11, 7:48pm
Today one of the dogs got into a bag of groceries and ate 3/4 sack of cashews. I am not happy about that.

happy with less
11-12-11, 8:40pm
What about really nice weather inspires every yahoo in my development to go outside, mow the yard, and otherwise ruin the day with power lawn tools? And I can't even leave and get away from it. With all the construction going on around here I'm bound to get involved with even bigger, noisier power tools. I never thought I'd look forward to winter, but now I do. GAH!!!! >:(

And why oh why does someone use a leaf blower on a windy day.

Tradd
11-12-11, 9:43pm
I'm so freaking tired of people who canNOT follow a simple instruction sheet.

I'm coordinating my parish's participation in an area-wide toy drive for needy kids at Christmas. The wish list we are given for each kid has a number of squares at the top to cut off - these squares have the kid's first name, reference# for the toy drive, etc. - and tape on the package so the correct gift gets to the proper kid.

In the past too many people have just taped the tag onto the package with a small piece of tape across one corner and that was it. It wasn't on securely and was either ripped off by accident, fell off, etc.

I specifically wrote up a very simple instruction sheet that told people what date to return the gifts by, to securely tape tag to package (I specifically said not across a single corner).

And what do these people do? Return gifts with the tag on very insecurely.

What part of this do these idiots not understand? I have to go around to each and every package with a thing of tape in hand to secure the tags to the package properly because the idiots can't read instructions and didn't pay attention when I told them to make sure each kid gets the gift they're supposed to.

And another thing...

I had a master list with reference# for each person to write their name next to, so I knew which family had taken each one (also wrote it down in a notebook in my purse). At least three families wrote their names down for one kid, then changed their mind and took another one, without correcting the list. And when I discover this (because certain things aren't matching up - the list showed kids had been taken, yet the wish lists were still on the sign up table) and contact the people, all they can tell me is "Oh, I took a 4 yo boy. I think his name is X." REFUSE to tell me the reference#. So I had to go through the pdf scans I had done of all the wish lists (there are 25 total kids we took) to play detective.

I don't freaking have the extra time for this. I have time to do the project if people following instructions, but all this extra time? NO!

I'm sadly coming to the conclusion that a lot of people I thought had common sense don't have it at all.

Yes, I'm not exactly in a good mood.

treehugger
11-14-11, 6:01pm
Fleas. Argh. Never had a problem with them before in a lifetime of living with pets.

Kara

lucy
11-18-11, 3:09pm
I'm on a committee that is having a potluck this Sunday at my house. The chair offered to organize the food, and I've been waiting all week to hear from her. I got a text from her this morning, saying "it would be so much easier for you to organize the food, since it's at your house." I think she's embarrassed that she has waited so long, so if I call people, it looks like I'm the procrastinator! I said I would phone a couple of people but that she could phone the rest!! I wouldn't have minded doing it earlier in the week, but not two days before!!

treehugger
11-18-11, 4:21pm
Just found our our health insurance premiums are going up 60% for 2012, so now $5058 total. Ugh. This actually goes beyond a mere peeve, but there's nothing we can do about it, so I may as well bitch about it some and then just do what needs to be done (cut back the budget...from where??).

Kara

frugalone
11-18-11, 4:42pm
People who go to class and are obviously too ill to be there. Coughing all over the place, blowing their noses...one student even brought his daughter--for the 2nd week in a row. And she's sick, too.

Jemima
11-18-11, 10:24pm
People who go to class and are obviously too ill to be there. Coughing all over the place, blowing their noses...one student even brought his daughter--for the 2nd week in a row. And she's sick, too.

One of the joys of being retired is never having to put up with coworkers who come in sick, as if we couldn't get along for a few days without them. I once caught walking pneumonia from a coworker who was too macho to go home and go to bed. Infuriating! He was the boss's #1 pet at the time and I'm sure he could have taken all the sick leave he wanted without getting into trouble.

I, on the hand, had to call in sick for nearly two weeks after that. Pneumonia is just exhausting.

Mrs-M
11-19-11, 6:27pm
My latest pet-peeve (ongoing), a new Pampers diaper commercial that boasts of 12 hour wetness/leakage protection. Call me old-fashioned, but I do not understand (for the life of me) the benefit of such. Imagine the message this is sending to young new moms. Shame on Procter and Gamble.

Mrs-M
11-19-11, 6:30pm
Jemima. Pneumonia is also permanently crippling. Each bout with pneumonia reduces lung function by 25%.

SiouzQ.
11-19-11, 7:14pm
My hours at my job have just been cut back to four days a week...I have often wanted to write about what is going on at my work place but it is way too convoluted, long and exhausting to go into detail. It is hard to watch and be part of a small, 50 year old independent business being run by an 80 year old (who possibly has some increasing dementia) go down the tubes. We who work there have seen it coming for some time now, so I am not at all surprised. I am looking at it as an opportunity to move on with my life. Thank goodness I am very frugal and have been saving like crazy for this scenario.

early morning
11-25-11, 11:11am
BAH to people who plead poverty and do really stupid stuff with their money. Case in point - DBIL is in the process of divorce, messy situation and not my business... but he calls Wed morning and talks to DH. Now DH calls this brother once a month or so to check in, and brother never answers phone or bothers to call back. DH was glad to hear from brother, who was bemoaning his financial situation and lack of money or place to spend the Thanksgiving holiday. We were all going to cook at my elderly mother's - inviting him and 3 kids was a no-go there- so DH invited them up for a cookout Wed night. I was working, but DD was home to help clean up, and we had plenty of food in the house, not a problem. We cook, we all have a good time, DH gives brother money (I don't know how much, it was his personal money and whatever he does with it is up to him, but I know it was at least 100$). And then, as he calls his live-in nanny (on his unlimited time/text/data plan phone, of which the 14yr old has one of also), he mentions that he bought her - the nanny - a THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR SIAMESE CAT as a "thank you" gift, because she has always wanted one. I don't want to know what he was thanking her for - they are both adults - but that really ticked me off. He takes money from his older brother, who honestly gave up several things he wanted to do with the cash, but spends on stupid stuff - grr. Oh - they were all also rather chilly, because they keep their heat set on 72. Ours is only above 65-68 when someone is ill or my 93 yr old mother is visiting. The girls all had on short sleeve Tshirts, although it was in the 40s. At least if they come up for Christmas, they will know to bring sweaters!!

Mrs-M
11-25-11, 12:15pm
Originally posted by Early Morning.
He takes money from his older brother, who honestly gave up several things he wanted to do with the cashThis made me sad. Sad AND mad.

SiouzQ.
11-26-11, 8:48am
Wow, I'm right in the middle of a migraine aura, for the first time in years. Very psychadelic with the zig-zaggy multi-colored lines and missing bits of vision ~ I have to be at work in 45 mins; if I'm lucky, the aura will subside soon without the headache following. OOoh, so shimmery and the trails are fantastic!

Hmm, I haven't been sleeping well the past few days, I guess from the stress about my job...

babr
11-28-11, 10:50am
the G@# D@#$% doctors! i go to alot of doctors; and my peeve is that they are always right and the patient is wrong and doesn't know what they are talking about; now this isn't all doctors; i have a couple that will work with me; honor what i am saying; but the one that i saw last week for the problem i am still dealing with; kept arguing with me about a problem that had already been verified by another doctor and that i had over 5 years experience with

i know they are busy; and again some of you may be doctors; and it is tough out there today; but it just makes me want to scream! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

THANKS FOR THIS POST

babr
11-28-11, 5:04pm
geeze this is major peeve day; people leaving you out in the cold at the last minute; making you have to scramble for an alternative; this really grinds me; i understand people have scheduling difficulties; but for me this situation was a big deal;
now i am scrambling

babr
11-29-11, 8:39am
okay; a nights sleep brings on calm; and tryig to understand wheree others are coming from

treehugger
12-13-11, 5:48pm
Just had a big one for today: 2nd strike out in finding dog sitters so we can visit my family in SoCal for New Year's. Don't really have anyone else that I know of to ask, although we will keep thinking.

I know it's our choice to have dogs, but I am still sad that I won't get to see my dad, step-mom, step-sisters, neieces and nephews this year. And my dad will be angry because my brothers are traveling in southeast Asia and won't be there, either.

*sigh*

Kara

Jemima
12-13-11, 9:16pm
the G@# D@#$% doctors! i go to alot of doctors; and my peeve is that they are always right and the patient is wrong and doesn't know what they are talking about; now this isn't all doctors; i have a couple that will work with me; honor what i am saying; but the one that i saw last week for the problem i am still dealing with; kept arguing with me about a problem that had already been verified by another doctor and that i had over 5 years experience with

i know they are busy; and again some of you may be doctors; and it is tough out there today; but it just makes me want to scream! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

THANKS FOR THIS POST

I'm really fed up with doctors, too. I'm tapering off of Lexapro which is making me hyper one day and sluggish the next thanks to bouts of drug-induced insomnia. Meanwhile, my doctor wants me to get full panel bloodwork SOON because I refuse to take Lipitor any more and she's obsessed with cholesterol. And then there's the shingles shot and physical therapy for my shoulders and I forget what-all. I'm sick of THIS. I'm not going to spend my retirement years running from one doctor or test or specialist to another when I'm perfectly healthy except for the muscle loss from Lipitor! The next doctor who wants me to take a drug is going to have to run d@mn fast to catch me!

babr
12-16-11, 11:15am
i hear you jemima

and those G@@#$%^ DRUG companies; they just get so much money it just makes me sick; we had to pay 46.00 for a copay on a drug that i think was primarily skin lotion; and i of course contacted the company and said i want a refund! well of course there is the hoops and then this letter asking me to sign a release so they can talk to my doctor about the instructions he gave; i know we won't get the refund; because i won't let those friggin b*()(*&^*^ into my medical records!

peggy
12-16-11, 2:10pm
Hey, you know what they call the guy who graduated dead last in his class in med school?



Doctor.

SiouzQ.
12-19-11, 9:32pm
It's finally the end of a very busy week in retail-land; today I really feel my age. And instead of doing good things to pamper myself during the busy holiday retail season I've picked up some of my old bad habits all of the sudden and it is making it worse. I've let myself succumb to the lure of a few cigarettes a day, and, duh, no wonder I'm in a pissy mood and feel crappy. I should know better! I'm kind of really disappointed in myself. At least I have the next two days off to rejuvenate. However, I must make concrete plans for wellness and rest so I don't perpetuate this slip up...

babr
12-20-11, 7:06am
Siouz i am sorry to hear of your struggle; i am having a hard time in the food area; binge eating; as i am depressed; the whole holiday thing etc.;; then i feel guilty; but in reading your post it makes me want to have compassion for you and myself; we are both stressed; anyway your post reminds me that a little compassion for what i am dealing with helps; maybe you are different

Peggy; not to put your joke down; i get angry with docs. but then i also feel for them

i have yet another appt. today with a doctor; everytime i try to cut the appts. out; they pick back up again; i have three to schedule in the new year; grrr.... and thats in addition to the ones that are already scheduled; i can't seem to stay out of medical world...thanks for this post to vent my frustrations

mira
12-20-11, 8:24am
Today on my morning break at work I went up to the staff room to have some coffee and read a book, as I do nearly every day. A colleague from another department (who I've met once or twice) said to me "You're welcome to come sit with us and maybe, you know, get to know us. We don't bite." I said thank you and that I just like to sit and read on my break.

I'm annoyed that I let myself get upset over her comment, since it implies that I'm being horrendously unsociable every day. I'm annoyed that my response probably paints me as some kind of socially inept, shy loner.

I always say hello to colleagues I've met/been introduced to when our paths cross, or chat when they come into our department, which is more than I can say for a lot of them. I walk past a lot of gaze-avoiders in the hall and you're lucky if you get a 'good morning' out of the people in the office adjacent to ours.

My entire job revolves around talking to people - I don't want to do that on my break OR talk about work on my break, which inevitably happens. I'm sure her intentions were good enough. It's not that I'm too shy to join anyone at breaks... I just choose not to for the reasons I just mentioned! ARGH! I'll be taking my break in our departmental office from now on, I think :/

treehugger
12-20-11, 11:43am
Today on my morning break at work I went up to the staff room to have some coffee and read a book, as I do nearly every day. A colleague from another department (who I've met once or twice) said to me "You're welcome to come sit with us and maybe, you know, get to know us. We don't bite." I said thank you and that I just like to sit and read on my break. :/

This is why I always eat my lunch at my desk! It's truly not that I never want to talk to my coworkers. It's simply that breaks, for me, need to be solitary, recharging times. And the barrage of small talk would not feel restfull at all. So, I hear you!

Kara

mira
12-20-11, 4:32pm
Thank you for the words of solidarity, Kara! I don't want people thinking I am rude or unsociable when I'm not!

treehugger
12-20-11, 4:42pm
I have found that, in general, introverts are much more understanding of different personality types than extroverts (except for around here, of course!). Many extroverts I know assume that someone sitting alone is either lonely and bored and must be chatted with, or, if they don't respond well enough to the chatting, then they must be stuck up. *sigh*

Kara

iris lily
12-20-11, 9:00pm
my life is so good that I have to find tiny things to complain about. yet never fear, today two things struck me! but sinceI can report on only one today, I'll flip a coin between the consumerist rant and the family rant.
....

Family rant won:

I've been hearing for years about how one famous patriot was our "ancestor" blah blah brag and yet, when I put pencil to paper to research this, I come up empty. hmmmm, I'm not finding the family connection to this guy. So my aunt sent a pack of papers about him but cha know what? Printouts from websites about this Famous Person do not prove that we are descended from him. doh.

happy with less
12-21-11, 12:13am
Because I work foodservice at a college/university dining hall, from Sept. til mid Dec I have enjoyed nutritious meals 5 days a wk at work and the other 2 days have been preparing meals from freezer and pantry with a little fresh produce. During those months I've been in a grocery store once a month for the produce. Well today I went to the grocery store for a large stock up and I was SHOCKED at the increase in price of almost everything I was going to buy. I couldn't believe the cost of so many basics, flour, bread, different lettuces... I could go on; I can't say it any other way, just shocked. Why? Have fuel prices caught up to us?

redfox
12-21-11, 2:36am
Today on my morning break at work I went up to the staff room to have some coffee and read a book, as I do nearly every day. A colleague from another department (who I've met once or twice) said to me "You're welcome to come sit with us and maybe, you know, get to know us. We don't bite." I said thank you and that I just like to sit and read on my break.

I'm annoyed that I let myself get upset over her comment, since it implies that I'm being horrendously unsociable every day. I'm annoyed that my response probably paints me as some kind of socially inept, shy loner.

I always say hello to colleagues I've met/been introduced to when our paths cross, or chat when they come into our department, which is more than I can say for a lot of them. I walk past a lot of gaze-avoiders in the hall and you're lucky if you get a 'good morning' out of the people in the office adjacent to ours.

My entire job revolves around talking to people - I don't want to do that on my break OR talk about work on my break, which inevitably happens. I'm sure her intentions were good enough. It's not that I'm too shy to join anyone at breaks... I just choose not to for the reasons I just mentioned! ARGH! I'll be taking my break in our departmental office from now on, I think :/

Speaking as an extrovert, I think the subtextual message in the invitation was that this pereon would really like to get to know you. May I recommend that you respond to that invitation, and then frame your need for alone time? You don't need to comply with an invitation to appreciate the intent... what pops to mind is something like this: 'thank you! I appreciate your kindness. Right now what I really need most is some quiet time, which I can imagine you understand.'

Honoring the opening and the connection while keeping your boundaries is possible...

Wildflower
12-21-11, 3:40am
People that toss their chewing gum out their car window onto the street, in parking lots, on sidewalks, etc. only for others to step in! >:(

mira
12-21-11, 10:27am
Speaking as an extrovert, I think the subtextual message in the invitation was that this pereon would really like to get to know you. May I recommend that you respond to that invitation, and then frame your need for alone time? You don't need to comply with an invitation to appreciate the intent... what pops to mind is something like this: 'thank you! I appreciate your kindness. Right now what I really need most is some quiet time, which I can imagine you understand.'

Honoring the opening and the connection while keeping your boundaries is possible...
Thank you for that insight. I did say to begin with, thank you for the offer, I'm ok here just reading right now. But then she persevered. In those sorts of situations, I normally feel so caught off guard and personally affronted, that my emotions overtake any rational thinking :(.

iris lily
12-25-11, 12:39pm
Another Christmas, another full size garbage sack full of crap to deal with.
Any more I'm experienced in just moving the **** out the door by making 3 piles:

Pile to keep (the smallest)

Pile to take to Goodwill

Pile to go to dumpster

Stella
1-1-12, 6:20pm
Mine is my same old rant rearing its ugly head again. I am tired of people being hurt and offended that my family takes up a lot of my time. I make a real effort to be as available to my friends as possible, but I always seem to fall short of my friend's expectations. Today a friend was upset that I was mostly unavailable during my recent roadtrip. Between my four kids and visiting all of my relatives, I was quite busy.

I don't think I would take it personally if a friend didn't call me or e-mail me while they were on vacation visiting family. I would actually be surprised if they did. I don't
really know what to do with this. I can't be perpetually available.

Tiam
1-1-12, 9:59pm
Speaking as an extrovert, I think the subtextual message in the invitation was that this pereon would really like to get to know you. May I recommend that you respond to that invitation, and then frame your need for alone time? You don't need to comply with an invitation to appreciate the intent... what pops to mind is something like this: 'thank you! I appreciate your kindness. Right now what I really need most is some quiet time, which I can imagine you understand.'


...


Good lord! That really sounds subtextual!! I liked Mira's response better. I used to struggle with being social. To be truthful, I am really awful at it. And it's bothered me all my life. It's not that I don't like people, I'm just not good at it. I'm at an age now where I not only accept it, but embrace it. This doesn't mean I don't like people, I'm just happier being very private. I go out with friends occasionally, but love to be alone, really.

Amaranth
1-2-12, 12:18pm
Stella, it might help if you manage expectations similarly to the way people do when out of the office. "Our family will be on vacation from X to Y. We will have limited access to email while we are gone. We will answer emails a few days after we return. Hope you have great holidays and a Happy New Year!"

Also for in town friends that would like more time than you currently have available, it might help to connect groups of them that have similar availability or interests to each other. That way you can say "I'm booked up for this week, but I bet Mary would enjoy doing that with you."

Juicifer
1-2-12, 3:00pm
I love those people that go to a tankstation and have ALL their lottery tickets checked by at 8 am in the morning when everybody is in a hurry.

My biggest one really is: people responding in such an idiotic way when I show interest in something they sell. When I email: 'how much are you asking for this?' and a second question: 'What is your telephone number', the respons is: "IM HOME TIL NINE, CAL ME' (of course in capitals because their obese fingers touched the wrong button on their cellphone). I always email back: "Do you want my money or not?" leaving out "DUMMY".

Seriously, one day I had enough money to buy a few gold rings from someone on a Facebook online yard sale. They claimed a particular ring was 28k gold and had real diamonds. Now, I'm not illiterate in the gold world so I asked them by email if they had any certificates to prove their statements. Not a very unusual question in my opinion.
This is the answer I got back (again including capitals, I'm not kidding):' AL MY RINGS HAVE BEEN GIFTS OVER THE YEARS AND THE PERSON WHO GAVE THEM TO ME IM NO LONGER WITH SO IF THERE IS A PAPER(S) HE HAS THEM... ' So, I'm wondering, I have about $2,000 cash in the house and I am interested in something you are selling, do you really think I'm enticed by your answer? No! I only run away! Dummy.

It's not only people on Kijiji or local online advertisers, Manulife gave me the vaguest answer ever when I asked where to go to get an RESP for my kids. I was so annoyed that I emailed her back the same question: "Do you want my money or not? I only need to know where to go so I can give YOU my money!" I got an email back with an excuse and the rest of her email was a copy of her previous answer. I then went online with TD Financial and 15 minutes later they had a new customer! Yay!

Are you still there? We went to buy a new couch. In the city is Leon's, a big furniture house with almost modern couches and YES we found a couch. But the sales man wouldn't sell it to us? I took out a bundle of twenties and I asked him if he was really a salesman. But no, he wouldn't sell it because it was a sofa and loveseat and he could only sell it together. So he said. I was surprised. So when I found another salesman I took him to the couch and asked him if he could sell it to me and I would pay cash. The first salesman approached us when SalesMan no. 2 said 'Okay'. I smirked at SalesMan no. 1 and said: "See, HE wants my money!"

iris lily
1-2-12, 3:14pm
I do not understand where all of these people get twins. So now, a couple in our social circle, similar to our age have their second set of twin grandchildren. TWO SETS OF TWINS! And do not suggest that their genes produce them because the first set of twins were definately designer babies: they were born to a female surrogate for a dual-male couple.

My brother said it recently, and now I believe him: twins are the latest fashion statement in progeny.

In case you can't figure out what exactly is my rant, well, neither can *I*! ha ha ha. I guess it may be one of those generic "our times, they are a changin' and I don't like it" rants. Or maybe I just want me a set of twin grandbabies.

AmeliaJane
1-3-12, 7:09pm
Yet although twins are so much more common these days, they still fascinate people to the point of intrusiveness. We have fraternal girl twins in the family and their parents get tons of questions (twin babies seem to be most interesting, though--questions seem to be tapering off as the girls age although that's probably because it's getting harder and harder to tell, and also since they're not in a double stroller any more they aren't always together.)

SiouzQ.
1-6-12, 10:50pm
I am wondering what is it about me that pretty much every single job I've had in my working life I start having some big issues with it after about two years...I always end up working in the retail sector in what on the surface are very cool local businesses, but then they turn out to be very dysfunctional. However, that also happened when I worked for a large department store chain. My current job involves dealing with an 81 year old business owner who has had his business for 50 years and absolutely cannot let go even though it is falling apart around him. We (the employees) we are seeing some signs of dementia; physically, the stress of it is making him sick but he refuses to deal with the reality of the situation. It's too much to go into right now but I am stressed out.
Hmmm, maybe the universe is telling me that I need to be self-employed... somehow...I'm feeling very discouraged about the whole situation tonight because I have to deal with him all day tomorrow and Sunday.

Stella
1-11-12, 11:27am
Ugh. Between the adjustment from being home from our long trip and the adjustment from Zach going back to school there has been a lot of testing going on from a certain 2.5 year old in this house. I'm about done with it.

JaneV2.0
1-11-12, 8:32pm
Libraries used to be handsome buildings that looked like temples to learning. Now they look like warehouses or minimum-security prisons--with pretty much the same noise level. Coincidence? I think not.

That said, I need to figuratively trot over to the gratitude thread to thank the voters of my region for supporting every levy that comes along to build arguably the strongest library system in the country. Good work, peeps!

Azure
1-12-12, 10:47am
DS is a high school senior. Senioritis has struck - big time! He's driving me out of my mind!!! Lost watches, lost phones, stolen wallet (his own fault). Last night he lost his ipod touch. Forgets his running clothes when he goes to school. Didn't check to make sure that neither of his dual enrollment courses were cancelled. Found out at the last minute one was. And only because someone called him. Which is unusual. It did work out in our favor but there were 2 days of chaos in the mean time. Meeting deadlines for college stuff by the skin of his teeth. Forgot to have ACT send his latest scores to his colleges of choice. Costing us extra money to have it done. AAARRRGGGGHHHH

redfox
1-12-12, 11:53am
DS is a high school senior. Senioritis has struck - big time! He's driving me out of my mind!!! Lost watches, lost phones, stolen wallet (his own fault). Last night he lost his ipod touch. Forgets his running clothes when he goes to school. Didn't check to make sure that neither of his dual enrollment courses were cancelled. Found out at the last minute one was. And only because someone called him. Which is unusual. It did work out in our favor but there were 2 days of chaos in the mean time. Meeting deadlines for college stuff by the skin of his teeth. Forgot to have ACT send his latest scores to his colleges of choice. Costing us extra money to have it done. AAARRRGGGGHHHH

Oh, I remember that year. Ugh. Here's a glance from down the road: DD, who I thought would end up pregnant at 18 when she dropped out of high school & shacked up with her abusive, alcoholic then BF will graduated from college in May. In a major that has a strong chance she'll get work (tech theatre). Let me repeat this: She's graduating in May!

So, have faith, m'dear. Most of our teens eventually grow up. Their frontal cortex does fully develop (at about age 25), they do get to have a life & we get to celebrate their eventual independence. And remember, these are his mistakes from which he gets to learn about it all... Hugs!

dado potato
1-12-12, 7:04pm
DW went to Family Dollar store this morning, made purchases of around $30 with the debit card, and asked for $10 cash back. For this $10 cash dispensation, Family Dollar charged a fee of $1.00

DW said "It will never happen again." The fee is imposed by the retailer, not the bank. (Nuisance fees of this nature are a subliminal message: "We at Family Dollar don't want your business". I get it.)

lucy
1-13-12, 5:03pm
How do I word my rant for the day? Essentially, I have taken on a small volunteer position with an organization. Several people have phoned to give me 'suggestions' (which I did not ask for) on how to do the job better (the job that they themselves did not volunteer for) with an overwhelming attitude of "I could do this so much better". Sheesh.

SiouzQ.
1-13-12, 10:43pm
Spent a full hour on the phone this morning, trying for the third time since November to get an AT&T U-Verse bill straightened out...was directed to four different departments...have been told all sorts of different things in my odyssey of getting faster and better internet service. I thought technology was supposed to make my life easier. It pretty much wastes my time instead...

Jemima
1-14-12, 8:17pm
I am wondering what is it about me that pretty much every single job I've had in my working life I start having some big issues with it after about two years...I always end up working in the retail sector in what on the surface are very cool local businesses, but then they turn out to be very dysfunctional. However, that also happened when I worked for a large department store chain.

I doubt it has anything to do with you. There are simply lots of irritating, dysfunctional people in the workplace, and in the world in general for that matter. It's best to figure out ways to tune them out rather than blame yourself for the situation.

Jemima
1-14-12, 8:22pm
DW went to Family Dollar store this morning, made purchases of around $30 with the debit card, and asked for $10 cash back. For this $10 cash dispensation, Family Dollar charged a fee of $1.00

DW said "It will never happen again." The fee is imposed by the retailer, not the bank. (Nuisance fees of this nature are a subliminal message: "We at Family Dollar don't want your business". I get it.)

Dollar Tree does the same thing, but they have signs up warning customers that they'll be charged a dollar for cash back. It's not nearly as bad as some of the banks. When I was working in Indianapolis I was shocked when I walked up to a Chase ATM only to find that they charged $3.50 for a cash withdrawal from another bank. Forget it.

JaneV2.0
1-19-12, 4:40pm
More snow? Enough, already! I have library books to fetch.

fidgiegirl
1-19-12, 11:35pm
My friend's cat peed on my coat. Soaked it. My best, warmest coat. On the coldest day of the winter so far. Ish.

SiouzQ.
2-3-12, 9:46am
Why can't woman's clothing designers recalculate the intervals in which they place the buttons on woman's button-down shirts so as to prevent severe gap-itis? It is pretty awkward to attach a safety pin on the inside of a shirt near your boobs so that the pin doesn't show from the outside. Grrrr....

Float On
2-3-12, 10:48am
Kelli - were you able to get your coat cleaned? We use to stay at a friends house and they had one cat that didn't like me. He'd always find a way to sneak into our room (well, it was always his room unless we were visiting) and he'd pull out some item of my clothing and do his thing. I think I usually gave up and tossed the item.

SiouzQ.
2-16-12, 9:26pm
I am completely exhausted and really, really sick of workplace drama...I'd like to go back to counting beads at the bead store, thank you very much. I really don't know what to do at this point, except either go to the blues jam and have a beer or just go to bed right now.

Azure
2-19-12, 4:29pm
Went to use the last stick of butter & it was GONE! I had hidden it in the back of the vegetable bin so I'm not quite sure how my DH found it. But he did & it is gone when I need it!!!! I have to hide it or he goes through it like water. #*#*!!

peggy
2-19-12, 4:42pm
Keep your butter in the freezer. That way it's too hard to use on a whim, but you can pull out a stick when you know you are going to bake.

My peeve: Willow! Not the beautiful weeping kind, but the spring up anywhere/everywhere kind. I've just spent this beautiful winter day cutting down the sprout ups around the fish pond, and I'm not done yet! I still have a couple of clumps left. And don't get me started on the cattail! But we are allowed only one peeve per day, >8) so I'll leave that peeve for another day!

AnneM
2-19-12, 4:43pm
Sounds just like my husband. He'll go through a pound of butter in a few days. Whenever he makes dinner, I have to make sure I get my food out of the pot before he drowns it in all that butter! Our boys seem to really love his cooking, however.

Mrs-M
2-19-12, 4:49pm
Azure. You simply cannot underestimate anyone with a craving! :) Hmmm... just thinking, how about rounding up an empty jar (that fits a rectangle of butter), then using a pair of scissors, cut out a piece of black paper (to fit the inside of the jar), so the paper goes all the way around the inside of the jar, then label the jar molasses?

Stella
2-19-12, 7:37pm
I am getting to that stage of pregnancy where I have to carefully manage my energy. I am not a fan of this stage. I'm tired a lot and it's hard to commit to anything too far in advance because I never know how I'll feel from day to day. I also feel a bit more emotionally sensitive in my third trimester. That can be hard on me too.

Jemima
2-19-12, 9:29pm
Went to use the last stick of butter & it was GONE! I had hidden it in the back of the vegetable bin so I'm not quite sure how my DH found it. But he did & it is gone when I need it!!!! I have to hide it or he goes through it like water. #*#*!!

I would suggest not only putting it in the freezer, but placing it inside a bag of frozen vegetables, preferably something DH doesn't like.

Mrs-M
2-19-12, 9:34pm
Oh, I love your idea WAY better than mine, Jemima!!! My idea is suckie...

Azure
2-20-12, 9:34am
LOL I usually do keep it in the freezer but that doesn't slow him down much. But I think I WILL also hide it inside some other kind of packaging. Chances of him looking inside a vegetable package are slim to none lol

Stella
2-20-12, 11:13pm
I am sick AGAIN! Grrr! I can't get rid of this stupid bug.

Stella
2-27-12, 2:03pm
I am apparently feeling peevish lately.

I am feeling down today. A friend of ours offered to babysit for us on our anniversary this coming weekend. We were all excited and made lovely plans for a special anniversary dinner. She called today and said that a birthday party she wanted to go to on Sunday was moved to Saturday and she'd rather do that, so now she can't babysit anymore. Now unless my dad can do it, we are pretty much out of luck. It's not that easy to find a babysitter for four kids at the last minute.

She really is a nice person, and I don't want to be angry, but a little part of me is. We do a lot to help her too and I wouldn't let someone down who was counting on me like that unless I really had to.

I'll get over it, but it does hurt my feelings.

treehugger
2-27-12, 2:21pm
Dripping faucets! I don't know how to fix them and my DH is too busy until this coming weekend. Argh. So, in the meanting, I collect the water, but it's still very annoying.

Kara

ApatheticNoMore
2-27-12, 2:57pm
Sibling who seems to suck up all my parents money (really represents my parents and grandparents and aunts money due to inheritances!!) and may well bankrupt them while making nothing (and I don't even expect much, people don't have to have lots of money or prestige, but I really do mean NOTHING) of their life.

But but .... sibling has really positive thinking they say ... about dreams that basically have little more likelihood of happening than winning the lottery, and they've never held a job in their life. AND in addition they seem to be involved with really shadey narcisstic people (seem to me like a textbook narcissists) in "working on" these dreams. I mean dreams are fine but are we really going to start jumping off cliffs like lemmings here ... if only I believe in my ability to win the lottery I will .... does having realistic backup plans matter at all?

I understand those who say birth family is something absolutely toxic that you often just need to avoid for long periods of time.

SiouzQ.
2-27-12, 3:04pm
Tired, tired, tired of being pulled in too many directions. Everyone wants something out of me and I don't feel like giving up any more energy on this work crap. Enough already! I'm going to hide away for the rest of the day in my woman-cave and indulge myself with a nap.

folkypoet
2-27-12, 3:56pm
Packing.

Packing. Packing. Packing.

Aqua Blue
2-29-12, 9:42am
We got less than an inch of snow last night and it is supposed to be in the low 50's today and my neighbor has been out for 45 minutes so far snow blowing! It's gonna all melt todayfor heaven's sake. This same man uses a outdoor vacuum to vacuum his whole yard weekly in the summer. AND I HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT!

Jemima
2-29-12, 3:32pm
We got less than an inch of snow last night and it is supposed to be in the low 50's today and my neighbor has been out for 45 minutes so far snow blowing! It's gonna all melt todayfor heaven's sake. This same man uses a outdoor vacuum to vacuum his whole yard weekly in the summer. AND I HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT!

So that's where he moved! Thank you, God!!! :D:D:D

I have or had a neighbor just like that. He hasn't been out much lately playing with his power yard toys. Maybe inhaled too much leaf dust??? Two years ago I think he must have sucked up every earthworm for six inches down into the ground with his leaf vacuum.

My deepest sympathies.

Stella
3-9-12, 7:22pm
My 72 year old FIL is running circles around me and my 29 year old DH. I think that man could wear out my toddlers. I'm incredibly impressed, but feeling a bit embarassed at my slowness.

peggy
3-9-12, 8:01pm
The **#*! key lock! Tried to key the lock to our existing keys...My existing key doesn't fit the hole, despite the directions saying 'any key will work'. OK, so I just decided to re-key the original key for that lock. No go! It froze up. So now it won't work at all! I can lock it from the inside, but can't unlock it from the outside! Arghhh!!

Rosemary
3-10-12, 8:14am
Stella, you're pregnant. It's ok. And do let him wear out your toddlers! :)

Stella
3-10-12, 10:40am
Stella, you're pregnant. It's ok. And do let him wear out your toddlers! :)

:) Thanks Rosemary.

pony mom
3-10-12, 8:29pm
Received a $5 tip for a $75 service. She had a purse worth my entire month's income.

People who don't wash their hands after using a public restroom.

Stella
3-10-12, 10:09pm
Birthday drama. Really, Dad, I'm glad you are planning ahead for your arrangements, but don't tell me you are gifting yourself your gravesite for your birthday and then play me an arrangement of songs you've picked out for your funeral because you are going to be 64 now and it could be anytime. Remember how Grandma used to do that? Every year since she was 50? And how it totally brought down the birthday mood? And how she didn't die until she was 80? Yeah. Same thing. :) Suck it up old man and enjoy your cake and ice cream.

iris lily
3-12-12, 11:34pm
To the self centered, thoughtless female who pee'd all over the toilet seat at work and couldn't be bothered to clean it up--what is UP with you, skank?

SiouzQ.
3-13-12, 11:20pm
I just need to complain to the ether tonight ~ my resolve to go caffeine-free is weakening (I had cut back gradually for several weeks) and am now on almost day 3 of no caffeine. The withdrawal headache is unrelenting *grit teeth* In addition, I started PT on Monday for my shoulder and neck and the minimal, really minimal stretching they had me start with has caused an upset in the mechanical system of my upper body ~ now everything freaking hurts above my waist! Headache, neck ache, funky feelings in my arms and shoulder blades. Knock me out, sleep!

mira
3-14-12, 2:42pm
To the self centered, thoughtless female who pee'd all over the toilet seat at work and couldn't be bothered to clean it up--what is UP with you, skank?

And the only way the pee would have gotten there was from her 'hovering' to avoid sitting on the seat - she managed to make it even less hygienic for anyone else to make butt-to-seat contact!! So nasty.

loosechickens
3-14-12, 5:48pm
And so miserably common. Pee on toilet seats is one of my big teeth gritting ones, too. Such self absorption and disregard for others leaves me speechless.

treehugger
3-14-12, 8:20pm
Too many things going wrong this week: too much work, too many deadlines, too many trainees, too little sleep, period too uncomfortable, too little exercise, too much junk food. This to shall pass (is what I keep telling myself). I just have to get through the next two weeks.

Kara

early morning
3-14-12, 8:46pm
WHY CAN'T I BE THE ONE WHO IS NEEDY, FOR A CHANGE????

sorry for shouting - but I feel better now!

Lainey
3-14-12, 11:26pm
ha, ha early morning - I think that too sometimes. That famous line from Will in the Will & Grace TV show: "How come I always have to be the adult?"

Jemima
3-15-12, 1:56pm
ha, ha early morning - I think that too sometimes. That famous line from Will in the Will & Grace TV show: "How come I always have to be the adult?"

Love it. :)

mira
3-15-12, 2:49pm
Job applications. The amount I'm expected to ramble on about myself in some sort of structured way, touching on a gazillion specific points. Please just look at my CV and infer. Why do I have to do all the thinking?!

peggy
3-15-12, 7:59pm
Spring! Ok, not really spring, but the warmer weather. Why do I always feel like I'm falling behind when warm weather hits? I get that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that I should be doing something, like planting or digging or weeding or pruning or or or...And it's freaking March! I need a drink on the dock, and time to just relax....but...from there I can see the garden and...

iris lily
3-17-12, 12:51pm
I hate technology. Our teevee started going dark (er), just randomly. It happened only when I was watching a dvd, so I concluded: it's the dvd player that was a good 10 years old. I bought a newer one, one that is cheaper in materials and lighter and is in all ways inferior and without the handy-dandy timer clock.

Well, now it turns out that the teevee, a new one, has an energy savings thingy on it that causes it to go darker. Stupid stupid thing, I do NOT want to have to read an entire freeking manual on a new appliance to figure out the "gotchas." And my favorite old dvd player is long gone, I can't retrieve it.

I"ve been putting off getting a new camera because I just dread having to pick up the basics of shooting photos and transferring images to my computer. I will NOT spend all day reading a manual. Point and shoot and download, that's what I want.

loosechickens
3-17-12, 1:30pm
Why, why, why do I always have to see everything through the lens of "wasting stuff".....we're in Yuma AZ and today is the big Yuma Air Show at the U.S. Marine Corps airfield nearby.....yesterday, the Thunderbirds were practicing just overhead, and could I just enjoy the show like everybody else? Nope......all I could think of was what an incredible WASTE of fuel, etc........

I had to fight every minute of the time we were on our cruise, to keep myself from calculating the huge waste of diesel fuel carting several thousand people back and forth every two weeks on a cruise ship from Ft. Lauderdale FL to Los Angeles CA and back........

WWWAAAAHHHHHH.....I want to just be able to sit there in my lawn chair and ooh and aahhh over the aerial maneuvers like "normal people", instead of thinking of waste of resources, waste of taxpayer money, and all the other stuff.........

Jemima
3-17-12, 7:49pm
I hate technology. Our teevee started going dark (er), just randomly. It happened only when I was watching a dvd, so I concluded: it's the dvd player that was a good 10 years old. I bought a newer one, one that is cheaper in materials and lighter and is in all ways inferior and without the handy-dandy timer clock.

Well, now it turns out that the teevee, a new one, has an energy savings thingy on it that causes it to go darker. Stupid stupid thing, I do NOT want to have to read an entire freeking manual on a new appliance to figure out the "gotchas." And my favorite old dvd player is long gone, I can't retrieve it.

I"ve been putting off getting a new camera because I just dread having to pick up the basics of shooting photos and transferring images to my computer. I will NOT spend all day reading a manual. Point and shoot and download, that's what I want.

I put off buying new things for the same reason, especially electronics.

My TV is an old analog job which I never bothered hooking up to a converter box because I so seldom watch TV. Recently, however, there was a show on 60 Minutes that I really wanted to see. My attempt to hook up the TV took me over an hour and was a total flop. Now a techno-savvy friend is trying to coach me, long distance, in how to get the TV working or what to do if I buy a new TV with a digital converter, either of which requires an antenna, possibly a roof antenna.

Well, this is just getting to be too much freakin' trouble. If the new Kindle I ordered works well, I think I'll just buy a pricier Kindle Fire that streams TV shows and movies, and throw the old analog TV away.

I, too, detest the learning curve and all the gobbledegook manuals, especially the ones that are written in broken English.

SiouzQ.
3-23-12, 10:38pm
Okay, I'm understanding that the past week I had was truly a gift to be cherished 'cuz I had a great week, even at the job, but sadly reality hit home to day ~ I have a couple of big peeves for today.

#1: to new co-worker: if you are having bowel problems at work, please don't sneak out of the bathroom pretending you didn't make a HUGE mess and leave it for the next person (me) to be completely grossed out. Also, didn't your ma teach you to put the damn seat down at least? Then I wouldn't have known about the huge mess because it would have been hidden from me and the next male to use the bathroom would be confronted with it. Grrrrrrrrrr....>:(

#2: to elderly owner of store: QUIT micromanaging stupid stuff and aggravating the people who could actually walk out on you at any given moment because of having to deal with you. You really have no idea that the new guy almost walked out today (three weeks into the job) because you berated him about his handwriting in front of several customers.

#3: I don't know what #3 is, other that I am feeling quite ornery about things and wonder why I continue to put up with this insane workplace. Is the money really worth it? Tonight I doesn't seem so. Maybe I'll feel differently when I wake up tomorrow to do it all over again.

Good night, ya'll....

Tradd
3-23-12, 10:42pm
SiouzQ, ugh!

Glad to hear you quit!

SiouzQ.
3-23-12, 10:45pm
But I didn't! I want to but I haven't yet.

Tradd
3-23-12, 10:53pm
But I didn't! I want to but I haven't yet.

Oh, the way your post was written it sounded like you had!

SiouzQ.
3-24-12, 8:50am
Probably wishful thinkin'...

ctg492
3-24-12, 11:17am
Todays' is the same as everytime I call my mom and for basically the last 51 years, My Brother is perfect, smart, and so highly educated.>:(

JaneV2.0
4-2-12, 1:00pm
I guess I should be thrilled that our byzantine tax system keeps millions employed by the IRS, tax preparation businesses, tax lawyers, etc., and it usually only takes me an hour or so to fill out my tax forms and send them in. I'm doing my taxes today, and wishing we had a simpler, more efficient system. Maybe some combination of graduated flat tax and value-added tax? It's a pipe dream, I know...

Jemima
4-2-12, 2:24pm
It's that time again. I no sooner woke up than the Yard Guy went roaring past the window on Pennsylvania's hands-down loudest lawn mower. Every year I swear I'm going to have the entire yard tilled and planted with ground cover or something and never quite make it. Of course, that won't get rid of the neighbors' yard guys.

Go gasoline prices! Come, Peak Oil!!!

JaneV2.0
4-2-12, 4:55pm
Along similar lines, this is the time of year, apparently, where the lingering stench of woodsmoke mingles with the ear-splitting whine of chainsaws out here in the suburbs. It's almost sixty degrees. Give me a break.

Florence
4-2-12, 5:17pm
I don't know why I haven't found this thread before now. I have at the very minimum one peeve per day. So for today: those loose subscription cards that are placed in magazines so that they will fall out onto the floor and you'll have to pick them up. I sincerely hope that the morons who came up with that idea do not think that having picked up the card from the floor, I will be more inclined to subscribe to the magazine. Hardly!

I'll be back tomorrow and the day after and the day after....I have lots of peeves.

fidgiegirl
4-2-12, 6:33pm
BAH!!!! We can't find our closing papers from the house purchase (packed somewhere "safe," I suppose) and need them for the taxes. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

ApatheticNoMore
4-3-12, 12:56pm
Ok so the cleaning crew threw away the walnuts I had on my desk. Do you know what a never ending PAIN IN THE REAR it is to try to keep healthy food stocked at work? No decent stores nearby that I can walk to, no way to drive anywhere from work due to the traffic situation here all day long, nothing but hideous chain restaurants (what I would give for a restaurant I like here), I HAVE TO bring food from home if I want to eat decently. I risk being late to hit the store on the way to work if I haven't planned. And then the idiots throw my food away. I give up you know ... impossibility ... maybe I'll just let the hunger knaw at my stomach a little more ... before I don't know, eating my lunch for breakfast? hitting the vending machine? Healthy eating is an obstacle course.

Jemima
4-3-12, 3:43pm
I don't know why I haven't found this thread before now. I have at the very minimum one peeve per day. So for today: those loose subscription cards that are placed in magazines so that they will fall out onto the floor and you'll have to pick them up. I sincerely hope that the morons who came up with that idea do not think that having picked up the card from the floor, I will be more inclined to subscribe to the magazine. Hardly!

I'll be back tomorrow and the day after and the day after....I have lots of peeves.

Those really irritate me too, to the point that I seldom subscribe to magazines except for 'Backwoods Home', which doesn't use them and confines most advertising to the back of the magazine. I also detest the half pages included with supermarket flyers, especially since they're usually for "special" junk food for (pick one) superbowl parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Kentucky Derby Day, the Indy 500, or add your own.

mira
4-4-12, 2:01pm
There's a guy on my bus most mornings who looks over his shoulder every two minutes throughout the journey. I hate this. It's as if he's a fugitive expecting to be captured at any moment.

fidgiegirl
4-4-12, 6:32pm
There's a guy on my bus most mornings who looks over his shoulder every two minutes throughout the journey. I hate this. It's as if he's a fugitive expecting to be captured at any moment.

You gave me a giggle! I was picturing it. . . peek, peek . . . peek, peek . . .

Surely it's not so funny when you're really there. :)

Jemima
4-4-12, 7:34pm
It's no wonder the Post Office is going under. I tried to ship some cat food that my cat won't eat to the nearest SPCA and the USPS website says there's no such address. (So how come my checks get there? How come UPS knows where it is?) It took me close to an hour to find another address, print the shipping label, and arrange for a carrier pickup, hopefully not by the dim bulb we've been assigned as a substitute carrier. (This does not include the time I spent packing the box.)

Now I have to go drive to the mailboxes at the end of the street because the as$%&oles from whom I ordered three cases of cat food MAILED IT instead of sending it UPS like they normally do, and I can't carry that heavy box home from a block away. YECH! UPS is worth the extra cost!

Stella
4-4-12, 8:55pm
Restless legs! They have been really bad lately. It's so terribly uncomfortable.

Jemima
4-4-12, 9:00pm
Restless legs! They have been really bad lately. It's so terribly uncomfortable.

Stella, try some magnesium. It can give a person diarrhea in large doses, but 200 mg. or less should help. I had trouble with restless legs when I was getting off of antidepressants and the magnesiuim worked for me. (Don't ask me how I know about the diarrhea. 1000 mg. is way too much.)

SiouzQ.
4-4-12, 9:06pm
I'm feeling very stuck at my insane job and I just can't see a way out yet. I have been sending out some resumes but not a single bite yet...

Stella
4-4-12, 9:07pm
Thanks for the tip Jemima!

iris lily
4-5-12, 12:11am
My gripe today is people who complain about not having enough help in hobby groups, and then say something like "it's so hard for only a few people to keep 2 clubs going" when CLEARLY ya'll need to shut down one of the clubs. They both do the same thing for god's sake! So do it or else stop complaining about all of the work you've got to do. Oh and--I stepped up to help in an area where I anticipate minimal drama--stop bringing unnecessary drama to this task. It's just not necessary.

Tradd
4-5-12, 12:21am
My peeve - actually one of several months standing - is the temp in our accounting department. She replaced someone who was very well loved, but quit due to the greatly increased distance of her commute once the office moved in the fall.

Temp is an uppity wench. She has been telling people how to do their job since day one. She immediately got on my crap list by telling me how to do something that she had no idea about. She also expects everyone to drop everything IMMEDIATELY and give her what she wants. Ummm, no. Maybe where she came from, but not in my company. My boss had to sit her down - with temp's supervisor's approval - and tell her how things work in the transportation world (she apparently came from a very calm environment before). We're very time critical, very intense, very high stress. If she insists on someone dropping everything right then and there when they're in the midst of something very urgent, she's very likely to get someone to go off on her.

She still doesn't get it. When I was off on Monday for the customs brokers exam, temp tried exactly that - AFTER she had already been told not to - on someone in the midst of a screwed-up air freight shipment. I'm told the temp got ripped apart. I almost went off on her today when she was nagging me and wouldn't take "I'll get it to you later," but I just pounded away at my keyboard for a while and that relieved my stress.

JaneV2.0
4-5-12, 12:41am
My gripe today is people who complain about not having enough help in hobby groups, and then say something like "it's so hard for only a few people to keep 2 clubs going" when CLEARLY ya'll need to shut down one of the clubs. They both do the same thing for god's sake! So do it or else stop complaining about all of the work you've got to do. Oh and--I stepped up to help in an area where I anticipate minimal drama--stop bringing unnecessary drama to this task. It's just not necessary.

Amen. They volunteered voluntarily one presumes. Drama and martyrdom are what it's all about for that type.

mira
4-5-12, 2:41pm
You gave me a giggle! I was picturing it. . . peek, peek . . . peek, peek . . .

Surely it's not so funny when you're really there. :)
It IS funny though! It just puts me on edge...

SiouzQ.
4-7-12, 7:16pm
So burned out by my job...I'm really hitting the wall with it. Thank GOD we are closed tomorrow and I get three days off in a row. Something HAS to change soon or I'm not going to last there too much longer.

SteveinMN
4-7-12, 8:55pm
So burned out by my job...I'm really hitting the wall with it.
My apologies for getting to this thread so late.

I hear ya. Been there (twice, in fact). It sounds from your previous posts like you've really had to grit your teeth many days to get through them. It's hard!

But if your experience was like mine, days off (even vacations) are not going to fix this. In fact, you may be burned out on retail in general, given that other jobs you've had have deteriorated over time, too. Is there a job development center or local school or even a Web site which could let you explore your interests and skills and help you find something else you'd like to do?

The one thing that helped me most was recasting my situation as "My job as of now is to look for a (another) position in _______ (field). What I'm doing now just pays the bills and I'm outta here as soon as possible." Most days when I got home from work I was just dead to the world. But working on my new career was truly energizing. And it made me feel significantly better to think that there would be, at some undefined-but-not-too-distant-future date, an end to the madness.


ObPeeve: People who run organizations like their own private club with their own private clique and then wonder why no one wants to shoulder any responsibility...

SiouzQ.
4-8-12, 1:07am
well, going to the bar tonight and listening to my friends band (and drinking a couple of beers and having a couple of smokes) sure didn't help to get me outta this mood (I knew it wouldn't work but I did it anyway because the longer I am a practicing hermit, the worse it gets...). I just feel so stuck. Thanks for your post Steve, it makes me feel less alone that people take the time out of their busy lives to read and respond. I have wracked my brain for years about why I have been stuck in various retail positions my entire working life and what I would like to do instead...I really have no idea at this point, other than I have always wanted to be an artist and not to have to worry about being at a regular full-time job. I just don't know HOW to make enough money to live on while being an artist so I just end up in jobs that start sucking the soul out of me after a few years...my head is swirling with despair right now (fueled by the few beers, I guess) so I think the best thing for me to do is go to bed and start fresh tomorrow and try to get in a place of peace and hopefully gain some more motivation to work on sending out resumes.
PS: I did send my old job counselor an e-mail earlier this evening to see if I could meet with her again to help me work on my resumes and on-line applications. I'm not getting any responses so far and that is discouraging...

Jemima
4-8-12, 10:31pm
well, going to the bar tonight and listening to my friends band (and drinking a couple of beers and having a couple of smokes) sure didn't help to get me outta this mood (I knew it wouldn't work but I did it anyway because the longer I am a practicing hermit, the worse it gets...). I just feel so stuck. Thanks for your post Steve, it makes me feel less alone that people take the time out of their busy lives to read and respond. I have wracked my brain for years about why I have been stuck in various retail positions my entire working life and what I would like to do instead...I really have no idea at this point, other than I have always wanted to be an artist and not to have to worry about being at a regular full-time job. I just don't know HOW to make enough money to live on while being an artist so I just end up in jobs that start sucking the soul out of me after a few years...my head is swirling with despair right now (fueled by the few beers, I guess) so I think the best thing for me to do is go to bed and start fresh tomorrow and try to get in a place of peace and hopefully gain some more motivation to work on sending out resumes.
PS: I did send my old job counselor an e-mail earlier this evening to see if I could meet with her again to help me work on my resumes and on-line applications. I'm not getting any responses so far and that is discouraging...

Retail is a very tough field even when the work environment is reasonably pleasant. Would it be possible for you to get some sort of commissioned sales work? That can be brutal if you want to make lots of money, but I don't pick up from your posts that you're materialistic. An independent, commissioned job would give you some flexibility in your hours and you wouldn't have a boss breathing down your neck most of the time.

CeciliaW
4-9-12, 7:09pm
Oh dear God! It was the neighbors to the West of us at 8AM with a lawn mower that sounded like it was choking on a carpet. It took them 35 minutes to do the side yard.

Now it is the neighbors to the East of us with an aged and smelly weekwhacker working their way, ever so slowly down the fence line.

Gaaahhh!

Mrs-M
4-10-12, 8:20am
LOL, CeciliaW! Last fall (early fall), a neighbour of ours spent what seemed like the better part of the afternoon cutting her tiny patch of lawn. My husband, who usually says nothing about anybody, finally reached his breaking point and barked out loud, "if I knew I wouldn't end up in jail, I'd walk over there and club her"!

Jemima
4-10-12, 11:28am
One of my neighbors was banging away with a hammer shortly after 7:00 AM. I really must get a taser.

Stella
4-10-12, 2:09pm
I am completely and totally exhausted.

early morning
4-10-12, 7:33pm
Another one of my kids was shot and killed yesterday...spent most of the night crying and wondering how to reach them, how to stop this stupid violence. I have actually lost count of how many are dead. I never ever thought I could lose enough to stop counting. I think it's a defense mechanism...

JaneV2.0
4-10-12, 9:54pm
LOL, CeciliaW! Last fall (early fall), a neighbour of ours spent what seemed like the better part of the afternoon cutting her tiny patch of lawn. My husband, who usually says nothing about anybody, finally reached his breaking point and barked out loud, "if I knew I wouldn't end up in jail, I'd walk over there and club her"!

Clearly, your husband is a long-lost relative of mine. I'm as non-violent as can be (just ask my spiders-in-residence), but endless, droning noise pushes my launch button every time.

Tradd
4-10-12, 11:15pm
The drivers on the daily commute lately are about ready to make me lose it. People making tight lane changes at high speed, withOUT blinkers. I've lost count of the times I've had to slam on my brakes.

Jemima
4-11-12, 8:49pm
The drivers on the daily commute lately are about ready to make me lose it. People making tight lane changes at high speed, withOUT blinkers. I've lost count of the times I've had to slam on my brakes.

Drivers around here - in the far northern Philadelphia 'burbs - seem to be getting crazier, too. I had three near-misses yesterday just driving a few miles to Ace Hardware, then to the library and back home. Maybe ten miles total.

Mrs-M
4-12-12, 7:38am
Originally posted by JaneV2.0.
Clearly, your husband is a long-lost relative of mine.LOL!

Stella
4-12-12, 9:20am
I am having trouble breathing well today due to baby's position, so of course the big brothers are attached tommy stomach and refuse to let go.

CathyA
4-12-12, 9:40am
I hate having bum knees, feet and hands. Everything hurts all the time and I can't get anything done or it will make it worse. :(

JaneV2.0
4-12-12, 2:41pm
Texting drivers. Where's Mr. M's club when you need it.
http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/artists/just_cuz/JC_stupid.gif

Stella
4-13-12, 8:59am
Bed rest! One week and one day until I am full term.

JaneV2.0
4-13-12, 4:24pm
I was hoping we could get through the day without endless droning motors, but no.

Florence
4-13-12, 4:35pm
Those itsy bitty labels stuck on fruit. The ones that peel off easily are bad enough but some of them are put on with liquid cement and the skin of the fruit is damaged in trying to get the blasted thing off. >:(

Jemima
4-16-12, 4:27pm
I was hoping we could get through the day without endless droning motors, but no.

I was really peeved Saturday afternoon when someone's yard guy started mowing. As I was muttering about retired people and taking care of such things during the week, I realized it was my yard guy out there.

I hate the way he does it, too. He has several customers within a few blocks, so first he mows every yard and then he comes back with the string trimmer maybe two hours later and does all the yards again. Forget taking a nap after he shows up.

And why don't I fire him? I did that one year and the new guy didn't use a string trimmer at all. He tried to do the same job with a riding mower and ran into the house, the shed, some flower pots, and broke a small Rubbermaid bin where I stored my garden tools.

The only answer is to get rid of the grass, and I'll still have to listen to the neighbors' yard guys.

CeciliaW
4-16-12, 6:48pm
I'm having one of those days that no matter which project I'm working on I run into a wall. Need another part, need more information, need another set of hands. Gah!

iris lily
4-18-12, 12:46am
Are you people NUTS!!!!???? It rained 3+" within the past few days, all I did was dodge rainstorms since Friday, and this morning you have all watering systems on FULL BLAST at the community garden??? Complete and utter idiots. HOW am I going to keep you from ruining my lilies this year, you fools?

Florence
4-18-12, 11:04am
lose/lo͞oz/verb:

1.Be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something): "I've lost my appetite".
2.Cause (someone) to fail to gain or retain (something): "I want to lose weight."


loose/lo͞os/Adjective:
Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached: "a loose tooth".

Verb:
Set free; release: "the hounds have been loosed".

Jemima
4-19-12, 3:01pm
Within the past two weeks I've placed three orders with Drugstore.com. The one I wanted most and for which I had already waited six days was damaged by UPS and you'd think the order was worth thousands of dollars the way UPS is fussing around "investigating". It was supposed to be delivered yesterday and now it's more like who-knows-when. UPS said they would notify the sender, but I haven't heard a thing from Drugstore.com, so I suspect they don't even know yet. SIGH. Dunno what to do at this point - go out and replace the products if I can find them locally or wait and fume. :(

peggy
4-19-12, 4:01pm
Fish ponds and cell phones DON'T mix, as it turns out! :(

RCWRTR
4-19-12, 11:28pm
People who say, "OK?" to end an uncomfortable conversation quickly. It minimizes the significance of my concern and is dismissive. I have started to say, "No. It's not OK." in response, then sometimes go on to explain why it's not OK.

iris lily
4-20-12, 12:14am
[QUOTE=Florence;77796]lose & loose

Oh, I make that mistake about 50% of the time. I hate making it. I really do know the difference, even if I have to think about it.

Jemima
4-24-12, 4:16pm
Magazines that come in plastic bags. And 'National Geographic' too, for Pete's sake.

fidgiegirl
4-24-12, 6:55pm
I spill food all over, all the time!!! I boil it over, plop it on the stove, muck up the microwave, dribble and drabble. I just want to stay clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pony mom
4-24-12, 9:06pm
My boss bought a betta fish for the kid's salon, which hasn't opened yet. The fish is in a small glass goblet--she has no clue on how to take care of it and figures that I'll do it. Of course, I feel sorry for it and have been changing the water (incorrectly, with non-treated room temp. tap water; it's the best I can do there). I can't find any food for it so I'll have to bring in some of my own.

When she decides she's tired of it, she'll flush it down the toilet, just as she did with another betta a few years ago. I don't want another one as keeping one fish correctly is a lot of work. But I can't watch it die in filthy water.

Mighty Frugal
4-24-12, 9:23pm
My boss bought a betta fish for the kid's salon, which hasn't opened yet. The fish is in a small glass goblet--she has no clue on how to take care of it and figures that I'll do it. Of course, I feel sorry for it and have been changing the water (incorrectly, with non-treated room temp. tap water; it's the best I can do there). I can't find any food for it so I'll have to bring in some of my own.

When she decides she's tired of it, she'll flush it down the toilet, just as she did with another betta a few years ago. I don't want another one as keeping one fish correctly is a lot of work. But I can't watch it die in filthy water.

Wow, your boss is a real peach.

Spartana
4-28-12, 1:03pm
Is it "paid" or "payed" - I never know which is correct as they both seem past tensed to me.

Mrs-M
4-28-12, 1:14pm
Is it "paid" or "payed" - I never know which is correct as they both seem past tensed to me.Where's KathyWI, when we need her. :)

treehugger
4-28-12, 1:21pm
Working on Saturday, after a stressful, 60-hour week. Again. Am I peeved? Yeah.

Kara

puglogic
4-28-12, 2:26pm
Please shoot me the next time I talk about buying or selling a house.

We have been trying to sell our old house for six months, paying double mortgages all the while and eroding our savings. We finally got under contract in mid-March, and it's been one dumb thing after another. The buyers took three weeks to get bids on the improvements they want to make (!?). Closing was delayed. And delayed. And delayed. Finally we learned why: Somewhere, between two real estate agents and a mortgage broker, no one ordered an appraisal. And the appraiser won't call our agent back, which means closing will be delayed again....IF the appraisal makes value.

(sound of pug beating head against drywall)

I will be thankful if this goes through; it's hard to sell a house in our market. But for now, I am so VERY tired of professionals who take on so much new work that they can't take care of the customers they HAVE with integrity.

Mighty Frugal
4-28-12, 7:49pm
It's 'paid'

JaneV2.0
4-28-12, 10:31pm
It's seven blanking thirty pee em and my neighbor is riding his lawnmower in circles over and over and over directly opposite my window. Apparently, he's a NASCAR wannabe. I can hear him through three layers of ear protection. Guess it's time to redeploy to the other side of the house.

Jemima
4-28-12, 11:51pm
It's seven blanking thirty pee em and my neighbor is riding his lawnmower in circles over and over and over directly opposite my window. Apparently, he's a NASCAR wannabe. I can hear him through three layers of ear protection. Guess it's time to redeploy to the other side of the house.

I think it's time to buy an AK-47. Heck, let's go halvesies. The OCD lunatic two doors away ran his lawn vacuum for half an hour yesterday just as I was about to eat dinner. Nothing like tensing up immediately before eating. >:(

lizii
4-29-12, 2:30am
Is it "paid" or "payed" - I never know which is correct as they both seem past tensed to me.

It's paid

JaneV2.0
4-29-12, 11:17am
I think it's time to buy an AK-47. Heck, let's go halvesies. The OCD lunatic two doors away ran his lawn vacuum for half an hour yesterday just as I was about to eat dinner. Nothing like tensing up immediately before eating. >:(

Yeah, that kind of situation definitely activates my inner Ted Nugent--"Let's watch as normally mild-mannered JaneV2.0 finally goes around the bend and starts lobbing grenades toward the source of the noise." For God's sake, can't we have silent, electric powered mowers? If they can make cars that can back over you with barely a whisper, why not mowers? Oh, for the day.

In fact, let's just do away with lawns entirely. Think of the resources we could save.

puglogic
4-29-12, 12:30pm
I think lawns are among the biggest, stupidest wastes of time in our society, so I empathize.

SteveinMN
4-29-12, 2:30pm
For God's sake, can't we have silent, electric powered mowers? If they can make cars that can back over you with barely a whisper, why not mowers?
I have an electric mower and while it's not as loud as a gas-powered mower, it's not silent. It's that big blade scything through the air; it sounds like an industrial fan. I'm not sure there's much that could be done about that unless maybe they try that noise-cancelling technology (the first lawnmower with an external speaker!).

I had a reel mower (the kind that revolves like a barrel rolling) which I enjoyed using, but it didn't work well on tough grass or high grass and it was not making my life simpler, so I went electric.


In fact, let's just do away with lawns entirely.
Now there is the solution! In my mom's backyard, we replaced the grass with clover. It covers well, doesn't grow very high, needs little maintenance, and withstands "dog visits". I'm thinking seriously of doing something like that in my backyard.

Jemima
4-29-12, 10:23pm
Yeah, that kind of situation definitely activates my inner Ted Nugent--"Let's watch as normally mild-mannered JaneV2.0 finally goes around the bend and starts lobbing grenades toward the source of the noise." For God's sake, can't we have silent, electric powered mowers? If they can make cars that can back over you with barely a whisper, why not mowers? Oh, for the day.

In fact, let's just do away with lawns entirely. Think of the resources we could save.


I think lawns are among the biggest, stupidest wastes of time in our society, so I empathize.

Thank you both for the empathy. I needed it today. Sunday, and some fool mowed for two hours, starting at 12:30 PM - again, just as I was about to sit down to lunch. Even the non-religious must enjoy a peaceful, quiet Sunday afternoon, don't they? I can't even figure out what the lunatic was mowing since our lots are 52' x 104' with some end lots just a smidgeon larger. My yard guy does mine in fifteen minutes or less.

I most definitely agree that lawns are a senseless waste of resources. I haven't got mine all dug up and planted with vegetables yet, but I'm working on it. Let them eat grass!!!

JaneV2.0
4-29-12, 11:24pm
There are some impressive ground covers out there that require much less maintenance than grass: http://www.stepables.com/3/Match_The_Dots_Get_Started.html

A friend of mine had no lawn at all on her small city lot; it was completely planted in vegetables, flowers, and herbs.

iris lily
4-30-12, 8:53am
oh this sucks. Our current foster rescue dog went after me this morning, biting and climbing me. This means: doggie heaven for him. We can't place a dog that attacks humans.

puglogic
4-30-12, 10:20am
Sad, I.L. So sorry to hear that. Hope you're okay?

puglogic
4-30-12, 10:23am
A friend of mine had no lawn at all on her small city lot; it was completely planted in vegetables, flowers, and herbs.

Am working on that for our front lot, taking my cue from Food Not Lawns by Heather Flores. (http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/foodnotlawns) Still requires some water, but with proper mulching and cultivating, it's still a heck of a lot less than bluegrass.

iris lily
4-30-12, 12:41pm
Sad, I.L. So sorry to hear that. Hope you're okay?

I AM ok, miraculously and have no broken skin from his bites.. This dog had no canine teeth, having worn them down at 3 years old (an indicator that something is up with him.) Also, he is a small bulldog at 39 lbs so easier to control than a typical male of this breed.

He had been exhibiting increasingly dominant/aggressive behavior in the two weeks we had him and I already had a big bruise from where he had grabbed me on the arm last week in a dominant tussle.

I am grateful for the clarity in this morning's event. He was very clearly showing aggression to me, he kept coming at me, and there was no context that made it OK or understandable. The situations that are less clear are agonizing to deal with.

update:
He died an hour ago. RIP Porkchop.

Stella
5-2-12, 10:01am
IL I am sorry about Porkchop! That is sad, but it sounds like the situation was pretty clear.

My peeve today is American attitudes about recovery from childbirth. It would have been really nice to have Zach home just for this first week of post-partum recovery. He talked to his teacher at school and, although this week is mostly just listening to the presentations other people are giving, there will be a quiz on those presentations (or no one would attend them) and the teacher will not make any accomodations for Zach and he can't miss class at all this week. He is running himself completely into the ground trying to manage school and take care of me and the kids. Luckily we have friends who are pulling together to help out, but it does make me kind of mad. I went through 34 hours of labor 4 days ago, by the end of which I had been without sleep for over 48 hours. I think its assinine that I can't have my own husband home for one week. One week. That's all I'm asking.

SiouzQ.
5-14-12, 9:37am
After weeding the back garden, I took my muddy shoes off and tripped over the sliding glass door jamb while carrying a bunch of garden tools. I saw stars and let loose a long string of choice swear words. I think I broke my middle toe of the left foot.
I hope I can get on the shoes I'm wearing for my interview this morning and not hobble too badly!

CathyA
5-14-12, 10:36am
Why does the mom have to plan and work so hard for mother's day?

fidgiegirl
5-14-12, 5:19pm
When people, almost 100% of the time coworkers, forget what they told you in a conversation and then backtrack, leaving you to look like the idiot. Thank God for e-mail - now wish I'd remember to use it more to CMA.

fidgiegirl
5-14-12, 5:19pm
Why does the mom have to plan and work so hard for mother's day?

We really had to wrestle Mother's Day away from my Mother-in-Law this year!

fidgiegirl
5-14-12, 5:22pm
IL I am sorry about Porkchop! That is sad, but it sounds like the situation was pretty clear.

My peeve today is American attitudes about recovery from childbirth. It would have been really nice to have Zach home just for this first week of post-partum recovery. He talked to his teacher at school and, although this week is mostly just listening to the presentations other people are giving, there will be a quiz on those presentations (or no one would attend them) and the teacher will not make any accomodations for Zach and he can't miss class at all this week. He is running himself completely into the ground trying to manage school and take care of me and the kids. Luckily we have friends who are pulling together to help out, but it does make me kind of mad. I went through 34 hours of labor 4 days ago, by the end of which I had been without sleep for over 48 hours. I think its assinine that I can't have my own husband home for one week. One week. That's all I'm asking.

It's pretty sad. At school males (at least teacher males) can take off some time, but it is unpaid, I believe.

Also, no time off for adoption. Hmmmm.

Sorry you had to go through this, and hopefully everyone is recovering now, since I see this was a few weeks old.

fidgiegirl
5-14-12, 5:23pm
Ok! Quick! Get me out of the peeve thread! I can be dangerous in here! :)

iris lily
5-21-12, 9:40am
WHY do I have 4 types of peachy colored longiflorum-asiatic lilies without names!!!?????? ACK. I'm going to yank up one set of them, I swear, they are ugly anyway.

Jemima
6-2-12, 9:52pm
One of these days, a neighbor of mine is going to get the blow job of his life. He ran his effing yard vacuum for over an hour tonight at dinnertime. Some day I'm going to grab it out of his hand and put it where it will do the most good.

Lainey
6-3-12, 10:17pm
One of these days, a neighbor of mine is going to get the blow job of his life. He ran his effing yard vacuum for over an hour tonight at dinnertime. Some day I'm going to grab it out of his hand and put it where it will do the most good.

Oy!

CeciliaW
6-5-12, 5:03pm
You know somebody has a twisted sense of humor when you hear "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones as background music in Safeway....

Cecilia (who can't figure out an appropriate smiley for this sort of wierdness)

Mrs-M
6-5-12, 5:22pm
How about this one, CeciliaW?

http://www.buddy-icons.info/img/smile/1787.gif

(Taking aim at the speakers emitting the music).