My Hilarious Pet Peeves Rant!
What are yours?…
First of all, English is not my native languaje, but I have worked for American companies all my life so it has become more fluent with time. A couple of years ago, the HR team included me in an activity that was about sharing our pet peeves, to be honest I had never heard nor read that expression before, but it was easy for me to find out and even easier to create my list of pet peeves! I’ve got to say that it ended up being a fun team building activity and it also helped us to learn about each other!
So, first thing first, what are pet peeves, you may ask? As the name suggests, they are little annoyances that get our pets all riled up and barking… Just kidding!
Pet peeves are minor irritations that are unique to each person and seem to get under our skin every time. Even though they may be silly and irrational, we just can’t seem to shake them off.
For me, few things annoy me more than ambling behind a meandering pedestrian who seems blissfully unaware that they are blocking my path. I find myself gritting my teeth and resisting the urge to bellow:
“Pick up the pace, slowpoke!” as I dart around them. I mean, how dare they enjoy a leisurely stroll when I’ve got places to be! (of course this does not apply if it’s a handicapped or elderly person).
Another one of my favorites is sitting in a long drive-thru line, finally getting up to the window to place my order, only to get stuck behind someone who acts like they have never seen a Starbucks menu before.
“Hmm, what DO I feel like? A late? Cold brew? Ooh what’s a macchiato? what are all these sizes?” WE GET IT, THERE ARE CHOICES! Meanwhile I sigh dramatically, try some calming breaths and avoid laying on the horn. If they don’t know how it works, why don’t they just go inside the store and ask instead of blocking the line for us?… (I know I’m mean, but sorry, I can’t help it!).
But I can’t talk about pet peeves without mentioning one of the all-time guy annoyances — spitting phlegm out the car window (or even while walking down the street, because that’s a thing too apparently!) Listen fellas, I know it may feel satisfying in the moment, but it’s pretty gross for the rest of us, and I mean PRETTY GROSS! like why? why can’t you avoid it? (honest question, if you have done it, please I beg you to respond in the comments) I have seen a lot of men doing this, never a woman, and here’s my suggestion:
Dude! Let’s keep the bodily fluids inside the vehicle, shall we?
One more! the unleashed dog that invades my pup’s carefully guarded personal space! This one really makes me want to scream. I’ll be minding my own business, walking Baloo (my lovely husky) on leash like a responsible pet owner, when suddenly we’re accosted by Ramon the neighbor’s chihuahua! Ramon’s oblivious owner trails 25 feet behind, nose buried in a phone, as Ramon gets all up in Baloo’s grill, utterly ignoring his very obvious signals to back off. Baloo gives a warning grumble which I reinforce with my own “Dude, call your dog!” Ramon’s owner slowly looks up like “Huh?” before ambling over to collect the canine chaos agent now trying to goad Baloo into a brawl. We exchange the usual pleasantries as I drag Baloo away while Ramon pointlessly lunges at the end of his flimsy retractable leash. Ah, the joys of public parks! I swear I’m just one unattended dog dash away from crafting sternly worded signs to stick in my back pocket for these oblivious owners.
A simple “Unleashed Dog Alert — Hello! Your pupper is annoying my leashed pup!” should do the trick! Maybe I’ll even laminate them for durability and style. So please folks, unless your pooch has perfect recall, be a responsible pet parent and leash ‘em…if not for me than at least for poor Baloo’s sanity!
Of course, these are just a few of the minor irritations that really tick people off. Other popular pet peeves include drivers who won’t go when the light turns green, loud chewing, slow internet, and finding hair or something worse in your food.
Why are some things so annoying?
The reasons why some things annoy certain people comes down to personality, experiences and even culture. During the activity conducted at work, taking into consideration that it is a global company, the HR team found there are hundreds of different things that bug people and they also found regional differences. For example, people from the West and Northeast hated people clipping their nails in public more than Southerners. Midwesterners couldn’t stand it when people talked at the movie theater more than other regions.
At the end of the day, pet peeves are usually harmless little annoyances that we just have to find humor in, and move past, even if we want to scream sometimes! After all, we all have our own quirks too that are probably driving other people bonkers. So next time someone is getting on your nerves stopping abruptly on the sidewalk or taking a decade to order coffee, take a deep breath and remember — laughter is the best medicine for life’s little irritations.
What are your pet peeves? let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading! hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing!