Pet Peeves
I realize it's sometimes easy to get peeved by your pet, but that's not the only possible peeve.
pet peeve
n. Informal
Something about which one frequently complains; a particular personal vexation.
I have my own pet peeves which I will list in a moment. For the past few days I asked quite a few people about their pet peeves and I got a flood of answers. The more they thought about it the more occurred to them. One common thread was that virtually all of them were about people being jerks; inanimate peeves like sticking drawers were infrequent.
Most of us here agree on major issues which offend us like income inequality, environmental destruction, corporate personhood, war, Republican obstruction, right-wing Supreme Court, and more. But pet peeves are often petty peeves. The longer one lives the more time one has to accumulate them, and seldom are they resolved because, let's face it, there's a lot of jerky behavior out there.
But people can be wonderful and positive and can offset some of the behavior that gives rise to pet peeves. If you are moved to list a few peeves, I propose balancing or offsetting them with an observation of something good about humans; that gives you faith in humanity. Without the balance, we might as well call it Kitchen Table Kibitching.
"That makes me sooo angry."
"People are just all right with me."
My number one pet peeve is people who don't take their shopping carts back to the storage rack. This is so common even when the rack is 10 feet away!!! So the cart blocks a parking place plus it will roll into your car and dent it.
To balance that is flash mobs. I actually tear up a bit whenever I see this.
Number two would be Telemarketers. Though they were effectively under control a few years ago they are back in greater profusion than ever. I use my best Maryscott profanity on them, but alas, I'm yelling at a computer.
To balance that is people on unicycles, and even the concept of unicycles. So funny.
Third would be the common practice of making products smaller and lighter or putting fewer in the package and keeping the price the same. Do they think we're stupid or won't notice? Of course they do. Paper towel rolls the size of a rolling pin, cookies into cookie-ettes.
Balanced by meet-ups and Mozart.
Leaf blowers vs. the fact that people have pets.
If nothing ever upsets you, well, you are a better person than I, but then you are a rare individual indeed. The Kitchen Table is open for introspection and fun.
Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share part of the evening around a virtual kitchen table with kossacks who are caring and supportive of one another. So bring your stories, jokes, photos, funny pics, music, and interesting videos, as well as links—including quotations—to diaries, news stories, and books that you think this community would appreciate.
Readers may notice that most who post diaries and comments in this series already know one another to some degree, but newcomers should not feel excluded. We welcome guests at our kitchen table, and hope to make some new friends as well.