How much is to much?

When someone can be tracked from an elevator to their desk by scent alone, that means the cologne or perfume is WAY too much.

If someone walks by you and looks like they've suddenly tasted something awful, this also means cut back on the smelly products.

If you leave a trail of coughing and/or sneezing people in your wake from the foggy haze of perfume surrounding you, it's too much.

If someone can identify a location you've been ten minutes after you left because your scent still lingers, it's not a compliment.

Pet peeve: people who think more is better when it comes to scented product, they leave a bad taste in my mouth.... Literally!

Xmas parking

Christmas is the time of year for celebrating family, friends, giving presents... And oh yes, let's not forget the season where everyone goes a little crazy and turns into a stalker.

It's the one time a year where mall parking spaces are at a premium, bumper to bumper line ups inside and out and slowly tracking someone from a mall entrance to their car is generally accepted.

Pet peeve: the people who honk impatiently for you to somehow maneuver the 50in tv into your Corolla (seemed like a good idea in the store...) a little faster. Look buddy your kid can deal without having the latest fad, which they will hate 5 min later. I however need my Greys Anatomy fix so back off!!

People vs Technology

I know there are a lot of people young and old who push back against technology.

You can easily tell who those people are by the hunt and peck typing or by the attempt to pound the keyboard into pieces.

Pet peeve: people who have no idea that pounding your keyboard is unnecessary and seriously annoying to those around them. If you hate it that much, just use as a bat to your own head and knock yourself out so the rest of us can type in relative silence.

Douche bag parking

Photo says it all.

Drink?

Pet peeve: people who empty the Brita and put it back in the fridge empty.

Cell phone rings

In this day and age when you can have your cell phone customized with anything when it rings. I am stumped as to why someone chooses the Rotary phone ring.

All that reminds me of is the time with no voice mail or call waiting and parents yelling "Someone answer the phone already!!" Then whoever yelling to the person to come to the phone as the cord was only really long enough to strangle a younger sibling who was driving you nuts.

Being Sick

Nothing worse then being sick. But to add insult to injury why do you always sound like one of the following:

Kermit the Frog
Craggly Old Hag
Hoarse the Horse

Trick or treat?

So Halloween has come and gone once again. I've always been a big fan of this holiday of sorts. But last night has made me question my candy giving beliefs.

It took forever for kids to finally start showing up, and when they finally did the lack of enthusiasm was evident.

You'd think bran bars were on the menu and not free candy!

But it was the last kid that really killed my spirit. He was taller than me. Not even wearing a costume and demanded doubles on the treats. As at this point I was home alone, I was not going to argue.

The kid was just short a pair of nylons and a weapon from committing robbery.

Now I understand the lights out, pretend we are not home approach lots of people take.

Pet Peeve: Kids who are too old to Trick or Treat and do so just for freebies, get a job earn it, that's what I did so I could support your munchies. 

Pet peeves...

Pet peeves can now be brought to you by iPhone.

Nails again...

I agreed with Missy's toenail Pet Peeve wholeheartedly. I am going to go one step further. Guys, what is with the long finger nails?!

No guy should have nails long enough that he could get french tips put on them.

So guys listen to this piece of advice. CUT YOUR NAILS. 'Nuf said.

Parking

You know when you are in a rush to run into a store quickly, grab something and run right back out. Just be 2 minutes tops. Sure, sure. But unless there is an emergency or a baby is coming out of someone, there is no excuse to park like this in a mall parking lot, big truck or not:

This is what is referred to as Douche Bag Parking.

Pet Peeve: People who's egos match the size of their truck so they think park all willie nillie. Yeah that's right, I said willie nillie.

The Schnoz

Today while at work on my computer, I suddenly hear a fog horn go off behind me. Caught me completely off guard that I actually jumped. Oh wait... sorry it was some guy walking by my desk just blowing his nose. Easy mistake. I do believe he was using a handkerchief, which ok Grandpa, those went out of style awhile ago... and for good reason.

But this did start a conversation on Pet Peeves and sneezing. You know those people who have the teeny tiniest "achoo" like in a cartoon? You kind of want to shake them and yell, "Get a REAL sneeze." Because honestly people that little sneeze cannot be fulfilling in the World of Sneezes.

Then you have the person who sneezes 100 times in a row. To those people I just say "Let me know when your finished, I'll just bless you then". Now that one has got to be annoying to them and everyone else, including the fly on the wall. 

Then you have people like me, who sounds like their head has exploded. Usually it makes people laugh and ask if I'm ok. I get to thank my Mom on those genetics, I apparently inherited her sneeze genes. Thanks Mom. 

Last you have the person who internalizes their sneezes. This just makes it look like they've somehow imploded inside. I'm not sure how brain damage isn't caused by this action to be honest. Looks very uncomfortable.

Pet Peeve: Two Ply Kleenex, a real sneeze requires a Three Ply min. And people who use handkerchiefs because that means the boogers are in your pockets, on your hands, everywhere and that is just EW!

Long toenails

You know.

The type of toenail to rip a hole in your sock.

The type to scratch your loved-one's leg in the middle of the night..

The type to cut through glass!?!?!

Yes.

People, cut your toenails. Not only is it unbearingly ugly to look at...

But long toenails can be a dangerous, dangerous weapon.

Gross.

The last minute guy...

While merging onto the highway by my house in the morning, it usually gets pretty backed up if you leave even a few minutes later than normal.

Most people are pretty good about letting you merge in, as this is an everyday occurrence during rush hour.  However, you have those people who absolutely need to squeeze in one more car length before they merge. Taking it right down until the lane runs out and then some.

Pet Peeve: Idiot drivers who think that cutting in at the last second is a good idea, even going onto the shoulder of the road to make this happen to get a few cars ahead. Usually don't even bother with using a signal. Why would they, no one needs to know this moron is coming up do we? If they just had 2 seconds of patience the roads would be a whole lot safer.

Shared Database

At work, we have a shared Database so everyone can access information from different computers, different offices, etc. This is to make things a lot easier. . .

Well today the Database reached the new level of Butt-Hole with me. First thing this morning when I tried to save a new document, the save page wouldn't work. I ended up having to force quit the program as it froze. However it apparently did save the document, just not in a format that would open. So all my changes had been lost, it also froze the program.

That was Restart #1 and happened before 8 am.

The second restart occurred when two documents froze. Now these two documents I had opened for reference, and nothing else. For whatever reason they decided that when I tried to close then, that they refused to close. Causing me yet again to open Task Manager and force quit. Which also closed the documents I was working on (I saved prior to the close). This however for some reason locked out the documents I was using.

Restart #2 has now happened and it is like 8:15 am. Did I mention I'm not a morning person? Really should just avoid me before 9 am. My computer is now walking on thin ice. I'm fantasizing of a way to pull this Database program out and go "Office Space" on it's a%% (the movie not the TV show).

Next thing I'm working on, I've finished, and I go to close one of the three documents open. However it closes the wrong document. Even the save question was related to the document I said to close... however it's now locked open the document I wanted closed and closed the one I wanted open. And locked it out so I can't open it again.

Restart #3 and I'm about ready to throw this computer out of the window. Not only did it close the wrong document, but it lost the last 15 min of work I had done. Luckily my 11 am meeting had been postponed until tomorrow because this was 11:15 am. I haven't even had lunch yet and I'm ready to call it a day.

Pet Peeve: Workplaces who by cheap software and force the employees to somehow make it work and a database which punishes you for something you did in another life.

Anyone else smell burnt toast?

This morning I was in the kitchen at work, making a hot chocolate and toasting some bread. While the turtle paced kettle was considering boiling I realized the toaster seemed to be taking a lot longer than normal.

When I looked at it, I realized someone had changed the setting to Max. I quickly hit cancel, barely saving my bread from turning into a pile of charcoal and having the whole floor thinking they are about to having a stroke from the smell.

Pet Peeve: People who are so impatient they put everything on the highest setting as they think this speeds along the process. In the end all they do is burn their food and everyone else's because they can't be courtesy enough to return the item to the regular setting.

Stay Tuned

On a recent flight I decided to partake in the use of the entertainment system provided and watch a movie. However I discovered that not only are theaters now bombarded with commercials prior to the movie but planes now are as well. 

Isn't it bad enough we are trapped in a small confined space for a number of hours with complete strangers and paying an exorbitant amount of money for a sandwich you would normally only eat if desperate? Do we really need to have commercials prior to our movie picks as well?

Pet Peeve: The world of advertising getting so desperate they will soon be running on the sides of planes instead of just inside. 

You see this bubble? Stay outside.

I recently got a new hair cut, it's gotten a lot of compliments, which is really nice. However there are a few people who like to take the niceness a step too far. I've had a couple people I barely know the names of also touch my hair to emphasize how much they like my hair. 

Now I'm friendly with my friends, family, etc. But people I don't know, I do not like getting into my personal bubble. And I really don't enjoy touching me, even if it is just my hair.

Pet Peeve: Those people who have no respect for Personal Space and get up close and personal with you any chance they get. Back of jack, admire from afar.

I've discovered one man on my floor is particularly fond of violating personal space.  Holding the door open for him will get me a clap on the shoulder, walking towards our floor will get a hand on the shoulder for the duration of the walk. I might have to start letting doors shut in his face and maybe he will take the hint.

Pet Peeve Literally

I went to my sock drawer this morning to get out a pair of nylons. I however could only find my knee highs. Puzzled, I looked around and saw that someone (someone being one of my two cats) must have gotten in the drawer while I was on vacation and promptly emptied part of it out so they could nap.

During their escapade they removed the nylons, which nicely put 4 claw-holes in the nylons and the nylons then into the trash once I saw that. 

Pet Peeve: Cats who insist on sleeping on places they don't belong, and owners who need to clip their pets nails more often... my fault for going on vacation. At least it only cost me a pair of nylons.

Shoes that drag you down.

I was in Home Depot today when a worker strolled up to ask if we needed any help. However we were already waiting for someone, so we sent him on his way. Which he merrily did, by dragging his feet every step of the way. Then he dragged his way in the aisle next to us and on further into the store, it was some time before we could not hear him any longer.

Pet Peeve: People who can't seem to pick up their feet while walking. If you're shoes are the problem, then buy shoes that fit. Seriously.

Bathroom Protocol

I was in the washroom at work one day and someone came in behind me and immediately went into the stall beside me. Even though there were 4 empty stalls to choose from.

If you are going to the bathroom with a friend, adjoining stalls is acceptable.

 

However at work, if you do not know who is in the washroom, with 5 stalls, 1 occupied. You go to the opposite end, or at minimum go one stall over. Always keep a buffer unless it is not possible.

 

You do not use the stall immediately beside the 1 person. What if they are "busy" OR what if you want to get "busy" OR what if you both need to be "busy"?

 

Adjoining stalls at that point is just now turned into a waiting game, who is going to give up and return later? One hoping the other is just there for a "quick" trip and sits there waiting while the other person is doing the same thing.

 

That's why you need a buffer, don't feel as uncomfortable. And it's less smelly.

 

Pet Peeve: People who do not follow bathroom protocol and then sit silently in the stall beside you waiting for you to leave. If you wanted to take a dump, you should have given yourself more room. I might just sit here and twiddle my thumbs on you for breaking protocol just as payback.

Spell check anyone?

My current job requires editing and updating of a manual. During my review, I've found spelling errors in the sections that were previously approved. When I made note of them to my supervisor, these errors were brushed off as "not important."

Being dyslexic I've had to work VERY hard at learning how to spell. So it's a huge Pet Peeve when someone brushes off negligence on spelling as "not important" especially since we are talking about a manual that is already being used by the public for the approved sections.

Did these people not use Spell-Check on their documents? If not, why not?

The red, wavy lines are so obvious!! Tells you right there, oopsie, got an error. Please fix.

Pet Peeve: People who can spell, but don't bother. Or people who are too lazy to use features built into programs to make life easier.

The fat lady in the bus

Taking the bus is a very annoying event on it's own.

People smell.

It's usually crowded.

Weird people talk to you for no apparent reason.

Abnoxious people talk loudly on the phone like they're alone in the universe.

So yeah, taking the bus really sucks.

What sucks even more is that fat lady.

You know what type of person I am talking about here.

That type of wide-assed lady who squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezes herself in the seat next to yours like if she weighed 100 lbs.

I mean seriously lady, if you can't fit next to me, stay standing or find another seat.

Seriously.

I can't feel my thigh no more.

The Doors

At my work, each floor as a security pass swipe to get in. If the doors are opened for more than 30 seconds, then an alarm will sound. It's a very annoying high pitched, shrilling sound.This ensures you want to get that door closed ASAP.

I think this is a good feature to have, however we also have a Handicap automatic door opener (once a pass has been swiped of course). This works against the 30 second door alarm, as the door stays open for 2 minutes after the button has been pushed. Which means, everyone on the floor gets to hear the alarm sounding for 1 min and 30 seconds.

And the door cannot be pushed closed, as it's opened on a timer, so by jov it's staying opened for that time (I've tried closing it).

Pet Peeve: People who use the Handicap button because they are too lazy to actually push open the door, also these same people don't wait to ensure that unauthorized people do not enter the floor, they just leave the door wide open. Two fold Pet Peeve.

Disfunctional staplers

You know this, you've been there.

You are in a rush.

Someone is waiting for you to print out and staple a 12 page document.

You wait impatiently for the photocopier to spit out the paper so you can finally go and have your delicious lunch...

All is printed out.

You tell yourself: '' HOORAY, I am almost done! ''

But no, no you're not.

You go to staple the document then BAM!

Half the staple doesn't go in...

You remove the staple and try again.. BAM.

Still not all the way in.

So you go on and on and on and on and on and.. You get the point.

A gazillion staples cover your desk, it is now 3:00 pm, you still haven't had your delicious lunch and your document, covered in a trillion-gazillion holes, still isn't properly stapled.

So yeah, dysfunctional staplers suck.

My suggestion: Secretly switch staplers with your closest coworker and hope he doesn't write blogs about disfunctional staplers.

Leftovers, Fish and Work

Missy had set up the blog last night, however we didn't get a chance to talk about it until this morning and she asked my opinion on the background. For some reason I think the fish bones are appropriate, especially since they reminded me of a Pet Peeve.

At one of my old jobs, in a Cube world, I was sitting at my desk just after lunch, when this putrid smell started to waft into my area. I had no idea where this smell was coming from, finally I went and asked a couple people if they could also smell it (making sure it was in my imagination, though if my imagination could make up this smell, I'd be making millions doing something with it). 

Everyone I asked could sort of smell it but for some reason it seemed the strongest around/near my desk. We finally narrowed it down to a girl two cubes away who appeared to be eating. What we didn't know. It was so bad at this point that I started to gag at my desk.

Missy's boyfriend and a co-worker who were in the meeting room directly behind my desk came out, and were a taken back by the smell. If I remember correctly he asked the girl to bring her food back into the kitchenette at work as it smelled terrible.

Turns out she brought fish in to work and because she was "worried" about the smell, she only partially nuked it in the microwave. Somehow she was not able to tell how absolutely horrid this dish smelled. Now, I've eaten a lot of fish in my life, but I've never eaten fish that smelled like that, heck you don't buy fish that smells like that! If fish smells like that, you know what you do with it? Use it as bait. Or compost it. You don't eat it AND you DEFINITELY don't bring it work!!

Pet Peeve: People who bring in smelly food to work, microwave and eat it like nothing is going on. If you are making the person next to you gag, seriously rethink you lunch choices. Oh, and get your schnoz checked. It might be broken.

E-Reading

I am an avid reader. So much so my boyfriend has gotten me an E-Reader, as my books far out number the space on my bookshelves.

I didn't think I would like the E-Reading World, as I am a fan of books in every shape and size. I will buy a book based solely on the fact that I like the paper it was published on. I can do this as I will read pretty much any book, even really badly written ones.

But the E-Reader does have it's perks. I like the fact that I currently own 70+ books and they are all available in one shot. I also like that it tells me the percent I have completed reading (always like to know how much is left in a book).

However tonight I've discovered a serious Pet Peeve. I've gotten an email from the E-Reader company, giving me $1 off my next purchase. However in the fine print (which I've gone to double check what the deal was), it seems that this excludes a load of publishers, which all happen to be the publishers of the books I want.

I discovered this after looking up 10 authors I'm currently following in series, and each time was given a big "NO-NO" on using the coupon. Pet Peeve has kicked in.

So now I have $1 coupon for a book, but no books I can find to spend it on that I want. Now I've hit a serious dilemma, do I use the coupon for the sake of saving $$ on a book I'm only sort of interested in, and add to my collection. Or do I let it go to waste?

And it begins...

Pet Peeves started with something at work I needed to vent about. I emailed Missy's boyfriend (old co-worker of mine) about it. Subject was "Pet Peeve of the Day". Because of that I started to try and Pet Peeve email him once a day. Gave me something to do at the time as my work was somewhat scarce and gave him something to laugh about.

However he's now not currently at work, but Missy is now back. So I've replaced my recipient on the Pet Peeve emails and it's snowballed from there that finally Missy suggested that we start blogging.

Considering we both currently blog, we know all about it (ok well I know the basics, she might know more). 

Welcome to our Pet Peeves. Hope they make smile, shake your head, nod in agreement or better yet, laugh.