1. Spam.
2. Ribbing.
3. Needles smaller than US2 (in fact, these may push me over the edge entirely).
4. The bus driver who hasn’t mastered the subtle application of the brake pedal.
5. Podcasters who surf Etsy shops for yarns or rovings and gush on about ”oh, this one is GORGEOUS” for 15 or 20 minutes of the recording. I? Don’t. Care.
6. Ditto podcasters who don’t edit out yelling at the cat, coughing fits, or tongue-tangles.
7. Powdered “creamer.” Ditto garlic powder, onion powder, and that fake crab meat. Feh!
8. The weather as “news.”
9. Those who “reply all” to a large group e-mail to say “Thank You!” to one individual.
10. Able-bodied types who take the elevator one floor. Down.
Ten is enough.
Happy Friday all! What’s in your craw today?
14 Comments
January 9, 2009 at 9:57 am
Mix the fake crab with cream cheese (I think about an even ratio), form a loafish shape, cover with cocktail sauce, serve with crackers. My family’s favorite food group.
Today my craw contains my neighbor, who drives up the dirt strip in front of my house before she goes into the street, as though the dirt is a merge lane or something. She always drives the full length of my house before going into the street. Today the garbage cans were out there for pick up, so rather than “merging” into the street early, she drove into my yard to avoid hitting them.
January 9, 2009 at 10:02 am
OOOOOH!!! I love a good rant. Our Nora must be feeling better. YAY! I don’t listen to podcasts, so I can’t commiserate. I agree with everything else, though. And, another? People who care for the disabled and use their parking permits. Those jerks can walk. Why don’t they!
January 9, 2009 at 10:27 am
My ex-husband, his wife, numerous representatives of my home state, the people in the next cubicle who won’t keep it down (causing me to have to blast Brenda Dayne into my ears so loudly I may bust an eardrum), whoever gave me this cold, my car’s leaky power steering pump, my chihuahua who WILL NOT pee outside, etc.
Wow I am angrier than I realized when I started typing. Thanks for the opportunity to vent!
January 9, 2009 at 10:44 am
I’m in total agreement with all but number 3.
January 9, 2009 at 10:48 am
Excellent rant! I heartily agree with #’s 1 and 9 (amended to include those who reply to a mailing list post without trimming TONS of previous replies), plus Cindy’s reference to misuse of handicapped parking tags (a biggie!); not so much with the smaller needles with which I routinely knit socks (#1’s) or ribbing, as my current sweater is a variation on k2, p2 rib
January 9, 2009 at 10:50 am
Yeah, podcasters reading websites to me… just give me the darn address already!
Today’s annoyance:
People interrupting me by saying, “I know you’re busy, but this will only take a minute.”
January 9, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I love tiny needles but agree to the rest.
January 9, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Love tiny needles too. They are a joy!
I gave up on certain podcasts for that reason. Make it snappy people!
Fake anything in food really really irritates me. So pointless. Powdered onion and garlic are a crime against food. Is it really so hard to chop an onion or crush some garlic?
January 9, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Nice list, Nora. Does this mean you’re feeling better? Or have you just been in the house too long? ;^)
My parents. The neighbors who are too lazy to mow and have very loud gardeners who visit every Friday. It’s January! What are they mowing/whacking/blowing out there?! My parents. My headache and the stupid food allergies that brought it. Anything and every fake/chemical in food.
Did I mention my parents? xo
January 9, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Yes, drooling over unseen yarn during a podcast will get that ‘cast dropped from my list right quick. I can barely tolerate the ones with interviews describing the construction of unseen ribbon-winning entries in fairs. But that is what the fast-forward button is for.
And I do like my small knitting needles for socks, but otherwise I’m with you.
January 9, 2009 at 5:36 pm
The kids at the grocery store ringing in my purchases but all the while talking with the bagger and is annoyed with ME if I have to ask a question.
And?
Cats that fight.
Getting up in the morning.
xoxo
January 9, 2009 at 8:56 pm
oh, a rant! I have been out of town and I am so glad to return to a good rant. OK….
1. It is funny that you bring up the fake crab since it’s one of the only things that I can’t, under any circumstances, eat.
2. It is also funny that you bring up email etiquette. I am going out of my mind with two groups which seem to exist of a lot of “me too!” or “:)” and the like. When I was gone and relying on the blackberry (which I do adore), I was constantly getting messages like that. STOP IT, PEOPLE.
3. Phone solicitors. Particularly phone solicitors who call and ask for you or your spouse by using the first name. Like we are pals.
4. Bad tippers. I was a waitress and darn it all, that dollar means more to the waitress than it does to you. And while you’re at it, tip the hotel maid–what a rotten job she has! Nobody says thank you to hotel maids and they clean up unspeakable things. So they should get a tip
5. People who get animals without being willing to make a real commitment to them or who give them up casually.
6. Hoo boy, this will sound petty. And it is. But people who make little repetitive noises. Like pen clicking. (I’m so embarassed by this that I want to delete it but it’s my rant.)
7. People who can’t sing but take it seriously. If you’re a good singer, you have my admiration. If you’re a bad singer, we have that in common. But, for the love of God, don’t pout or strut if you’re not Tina Turner. You look like a jackass.
8. Those who cannot put the cellphone down. Your conversation is not interesting to me and it’s dumb and I wish you would stop.
9. People who laugh to try to get you to laugh rather than because they are genuinely finding something funny.
10. Malt. You already know this because I’ve ragged about it to you and Chris but I think malt is the surest way on earth to ruin a milkshake or an otherwise nice piece of chocolate.
Whew. That felt wonderful.
January 9, 2009 at 11:56 pm
The gentle art of subtly applying the brake pedal should be a prereq for driving. Powdered creamer sucks. But I often take the elevator one floor (bad knees). Feel free to hate me
January 11, 2009 at 6:36 pm
I’m with you all the way to number 10, although I tolerate small needles because I like what they make. But not all of us who look able-bodied really are, and while we may look silly taking the elevator down one floor, it might mean the difference between an evening spent knitting and an evening spent rocking in pain. (And not all of us can take pain killers, either…. stomach surgery means nothing that might cause bleeding, so no advil or aspirin allowed.) So go easy on us, OK?
But the powdered creamer? I agree it should be removed from the face of the earth!