Every once in a while, I use my blog as a platform to talk about stuff that annoys me. Today is one of those times. So bear with me if you don't agree, but these have to do with women's fashion. Here are just a few of the things that drive me up the wall.
Women who don't wear slips under dresses. Ladies. When you wear an unlined skirt, no matter WHAT color it is (but especially white), a slip is not optional. For some reason, many women and teenage girls seem to think that slips are only for old ladies and they don't need to wear them. Wrong. No one wants to see through your skirt when you walk into the sunlight or just a back-lit room. When in doubt, put a slip on.
Women who put their cell phones in their bras. This is just gross. I could see you putting it there if you were jogging and didn't have anywhere to put it, but seriously, ladies? How would you ever pull your cell phone out without people getting an eyeful? And what do you do when it rings or is on vibrate? SO. DISGUSTING.
Women who wear their skintight workout clothes to the grocery store. I get it. You've just left the gym and you've decided to stop at the store for some milk really quickly. But do you really have to do your hardcore shopping at Costco in your jogging bra and hot pants? Nobody wants to see that.
Women who wear their pajamas to the store. It's one thing to run to the store early in the morning or late at night in your jammies to get syrup or orange juice. It's another thing entirely to be shopping at three in the afternoon in drawstring Tweety Bird pants and scruffy slippers. Put on real clothes and be classy!
The end. I always feel better when I've gotten this stuff off my chest.
Showing posts with label pet peeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pet peeves. Show all posts
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Did you 'mean' it?
We have an extraordinary gift with our language: the gift to either make someone feel wonderful about themselves or to make them feel foolish, hurt, or worst of all, in my opinion, humiliated.
I witness both kinds of dialogue in the store each day, and I can tell you that people who don't think about what they say often hurt someone's feelings or ruin a person's day without even realizing it. So I've created my list of suggestions not to do, especially in public where everyone else can see a hurt face, even if the offender is oblivious.
1. One-upping: I know, I know. We all do this occasionally without even thinking about it. Your friend is telling you about her terrible toothache and you interrupt with, "That's NOTHING! I once had a root canal and dry socket all on the same day!" Or, as my aunt put it when admitting to one-upping her mom's bad day, "Dead husband trumps bad pancakes anytime." It's hard not to chime in with a similar experience sometimes, but all your friend (or customer or whoever) really wanted was a listening ear and someone to sympathize with her. So keep the fact that you had cancer and multiple sclerosis to yourself when someone mentions struggling with chemotherapy (note: this actually happened).
2. Use the same accent/speaking style: Let me explain this one. It's courteous to not use big words when you're speaking to someone with a limited vocabulary, such as a child or a person who isn't educated or is unfamiliar with the language. It is NOT courteous to speak broken English to someone who speaks broken English to you or to talk baby talk to the cashier taking your money. Speaking this way is not only demeaning to the person you're speaking to, it makes them feel as though you're dumbing yourself down, or that they're too dumb to understand normal speech. Just speak as you normally do, and leave the "Me no good at speaking" to those who are still learning their grammar.
3. Ask people blunt, open-ended questions: It's one thing to joke around with someone you know really well who KNOWS you are joking with such questions as, "Why do you still have that ugly haircut?" It's another thing entirely to ask someone a question without a simple answer, such as "Why aren't you serving a mission?" or "Why aren't you married yet?" The best thing to do is to ask, much more tactfully, "What are your plans right now?" If they're comfortable telling you that they scare off potential husbands/wives or that they'll only marry someone who's got the money, then that's their prerogative.
4. Tell people they look better when they change their appearance: This wouldn't seem like something that could hurt a person's feelings, but think about what it's implying. If you gush about how great someone looks now that they've lost 20 pounds, cut their hair, or dyed it, they start to think, "Hmmm, why is everyone suddenly paying attention to me now?" or "I thought I still looked pretty good before I went brunette." Be tactful when you tell someone they look nice, especially if their change in appearance is something temporary, like straightening their hair. They might just be experimenting.
So, I didn't make it to five or even to ten suggestions for being a bit more tactful. But maybe you recognized someone saying one of these "don'ts" to you, or possibly realized that you do these things yourself sometimes. All I'm saying is that it makes life at a grocery store (or wherever you work) a little better when everybody plays nice. Here's hoping I'll play my cards more wisely tomorrow. After all, "nice haircut" should really trump "still single" anytime. In my deck, that is.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Being a hater
I'm sure that title makes this sound like I am a hater (from the phrase "Don't be a hater," which, ironically, I happen to hate), but that is not what this post is about at all. This is simply a list of entirely unconnected items that I, dare I use the word for another time, hate. However, I will follow it up with a subsequent blog about things that I love, lest you think that I am entirely pessimistic and dislike everything, for this is not true. My list, should you care to read it, is as follows:
1. Mediocrity: I am not talking about failing an assignment or not parking between the lines at the dentist's office. I am talking about people who have the capacity to do something well, or at least well enough, who consistently do the bare minimum or lower. It drives me bananas that there are people paid to turn in crappy work when I know that they are capable of creating something readable and creative if they put their mind to it. But, as the Despair.com poster says about mediocrity, "it takes a lot less time, and most people won't notice the difference until it's too late." Unfortunately, people do notice the Leaning Tower of Piza in the background of the poster, and I do notice when people the crappy job when you send it to me and expect me to fawn over it. I'm just saying.
2. Dirty keyboards: There is something about a keyboard with greasy or smudged keys, crumbs in between them, or hair and little feathers lodged in little crevices that gives me the creeps. All it takes is a little dusting and a little less eating Cheetos while working on that English paper. That's all.
3. Teeny little textbooks that cost me 64 bucks: There is no way that a book thinner than my car's owner's manual could cost that much to print. Yes, you are saying, but it is written and edited by professionals at universities or in the workforce. Which explains why I have already discovered two glaring typos in the book. Now I'm sure it's worth the money I could have bought an iPod shuffle with. Why was I so angry about this?
4. Dirty dishes in the sink when there is an empty dishwasher nearby just waiting to be filled: Enough said.
5. Sticky lip gloss: There is nothing worse (OK, so being hit by a car might be worse) than putting on lip gloss to make your lips look all shiny and nice and then having your hair stick to it, having the crumbs from your sandwich get lodged in the sparkles and having to wipe it off right after you apply it because you keep getting your lips stuck in a pursed position.
6. Headbands that squeeze your brains out: I know that people say beauty is pain, but wearing a headband in order to make your hair lie down or look cute should not cause your head to ache for hours and feel like your ears will fall off.
That is all for now. I feel a little better already.
1. Mediocrity: I am not talking about failing an assignment or not parking between the lines at the dentist's office. I am talking about people who have the capacity to do something well, or at least well enough, who consistently do the bare minimum or lower. It drives me bananas that there are people paid to turn in crappy work when I know that they are capable of creating something readable and creative if they put their mind to it. But, as the Despair.com poster says about mediocrity, "it takes a lot less time, and most people won't notice the difference until it's too late." Unfortunately, people do notice the Leaning Tower of Piza in the background of the poster, and I do notice when people the crappy job when you send it to me and expect me to fawn over it. I'm just saying.
2. Dirty keyboards: There is something about a keyboard with greasy or smudged keys, crumbs in between them, or hair and little feathers lodged in little crevices that gives me the creeps. All it takes is a little dusting and a little less eating Cheetos while working on that English paper. That's all.
3. Teeny little textbooks that cost me 64 bucks: There is no way that a book thinner than my car's owner's manual could cost that much to print. Yes, you are saying, but it is written and edited by professionals at universities or in the workforce. Which explains why I have already discovered two glaring typos in the book. Now I'm sure it's worth the money I could have bought an iPod shuffle with. Why was I so angry about this?
4. Dirty dishes in the sink when there is an empty dishwasher nearby just waiting to be filled: Enough said.
5. Sticky lip gloss: There is nothing worse (OK, so being hit by a car might be worse) than putting on lip gloss to make your lips look all shiny and nice and then having your hair stick to it, having the crumbs from your sandwich get lodged in the sparkles and having to wipe it off right after you apply it because you keep getting your lips stuck in a pursed position.
6. Headbands that squeeze your brains out: I know that people say beauty is pain, but wearing a headband in order to make your hair lie down or look cute should not cause your head to ache for hours and feel like your ears will fall off.
That is all for now. I feel a little better already.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
things that bother me
It is time once again to talk about the things that bother me ... and there are many. Don't get me wrong. I am a happy person, and I am normally not negative and focused on all of the bad stuff that is going on. But I also think it's fun every once in a while to talk about those little things that just drive you up the wall. So, here goes:
1. People who water the sidewalk and not the lawn. I'm not sure why people ever do this, but it's quite frequent in Salt Lake for me to have to get off the sidewalk and walk in the street in order to avoid a major shower on my way to work. These aren't just grandmas that can't seem to adjust their sprinkler system, either. This is big businesses like the Plaza Hotel that find it more cost-effective to saturate the cement sidewalks than actually provide moisture to their pansies out front. Someday I hope I might actually get to continue my journey to work on the sidewalk...but I'm not holding my breath.
2. Hair on the kitchen floor.... and in the fridge ... and in the sink. This is not only annoying, but it's totally unsanitary and disgusting. I have some pretty sloppy roommates, but it is never acceptable to use the kitchen as a hair brush. I am just waiting for the day when I pull a huge clump of hair out of my sandwich, or find some in my milk. Yuck. I'm getting the shivers just thinking about it.
3. Frigid air conditioning. It is now July, and it is hot in Salt Lake. Thus, the office where I work has the AC on high to keep everyone from sweating it up. Unfortunately, during the past few weeks I have shivered so badly that I actually had to bring my fleece BYU-Idaho blanket to work with me. Today, I had it wrapped completely around me, and I was still getting goose bumps. There has to be a happy medium between broiling and being frozen.
4. Trash sitting three feet from the nearest can. This one reinforces to me how lazy some people are with their fast food wrappers. I mean, come on. You just saved a half hour by going to Wendy's instead of some sit-down restaurant, yet you don't have the time to walk a few more inches and stick that hamburger wrapper in the trash. Or, better yet, you're a poor shot but you have even worse rebounding skills. Enough with the analogies. I think I have beat that horse dead.
5. People who saunter when you are obviously in a hurry. This one happens to me often, probably because I am a fast walker, and I like to get to places in the shortest time possible. At times I take time to smell the roses, but most of the time, I walk quickly by the American Beauties. This also applies to those pedestrians who take their sweet time crossing the street when there is a pileup of cars trying to get somewhere. Sure, we know you're enjoying your summer walk, but if you picked up the pace a little, maybe we could get home before the sun sets and all we have of our nights are old reruns of Seinfeld. OK, so you're not that slow, but still. It would be nice to speed things up a bit.
I have finished my little list of all the things that tork me off now, and I do feel so much better. Maybe tomorrow I might be a little more tolerant of that slow pedestrian in front of me. Maybe.
1. People who water the sidewalk and not the lawn. I'm not sure why people ever do this, but it's quite frequent in Salt Lake for me to have to get off the sidewalk and walk in the street in order to avoid a major shower on my way to work. These aren't just grandmas that can't seem to adjust their sprinkler system, either. This is big businesses like the Plaza Hotel that find it more cost-effective to saturate the cement sidewalks than actually provide moisture to their pansies out front. Someday I hope I might actually get to continue my journey to work on the sidewalk...but I'm not holding my breath.
2. Hair on the kitchen floor.... and in the fridge ... and in the sink. This is not only annoying, but it's totally unsanitary and disgusting. I have some pretty sloppy roommates, but it is never acceptable to use the kitchen as a hair brush. I am just waiting for the day when I pull a huge clump of hair out of my sandwich, or find some in my milk. Yuck. I'm getting the shivers just thinking about it.
3. Frigid air conditioning. It is now July, and it is hot in Salt Lake. Thus, the office where I work has the AC on high to keep everyone from sweating it up. Unfortunately, during the past few weeks I have shivered so badly that I actually had to bring my fleece BYU-Idaho blanket to work with me. Today, I had it wrapped completely around me, and I was still getting goose bumps. There has to be a happy medium between broiling and being frozen.
4. Trash sitting three feet from the nearest can. This one reinforces to me how lazy some people are with their fast food wrappers. I mean, come on. You just saved a half hour by going to Wendy's instead of some sit-down restaurant, yet you don't have the time to walk a few more inches and stick that hamburger wrapper in the trash. Or, better yet, you're a poor shot but you have even worse rebounding skills. Enough with the analogies. I think I have beat that horse dead.
5. People who saunter when you are obviously in a hurry. This one happens to me often, probably because I am a fast walker, and I like to get to places in the shortest time possible. At times I take time to smell the roses, but most of the time, I walk quickly by the American Beauties. This also applies to those pedestrians who take their sweet time crossing the street when there is a pileup of cars trying to get somewhere. Sure, we know you're enjoying your summer walk, but if you picked up the pace a little, maybe we could get home before the sun sets and all we have of our nights are old reruns of Seinfeld. OK, so you're not that slow, but still. It would be nice to speed things up a bit.
I have finished my little list of all the things that tork me off now, and I do feel so much better. Maybe tomorrow I might be a little more tolerant of that slow pedestrian in front of me. Maybe.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
don't go in there
OK, ladies, this one's for you. I would like to pose the following question: Why are we afraid to walk out of the bathroom stall in a public restroom when another person is in the bathroom with us.
Case in point: For the past week, I have used the restroom in the office where I work, and it seems that each time I use it, there is another woman in the stall that will not come out until I leave the bathroom. I am not making this up.
Let's see. Isn't a bathroom the last place you would want to spend more time than you have to? Millions of germs, cheap, thin toilet paper, paper towels stuck to the floor - not my idea of a good time. When I go into a bathroom, I quickly get in and get out as soon as possible. I don't pay attention to the other people in there. I'm there for a purpose.
Maybe we're embarrassed to have other women see us in a bathroom, but why, I don't know. Maybe we're uncomfortable with the fact that we see each other at the workplace but rarely in such a private place.
Whatever the reason, I still find it odd that I could sit in the stall for fifteen minutes and still not have the woman next door venture out to the sink.
All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't have any qualms about walking out of my stall, or we'd both be in there a really long time.
Case in point: For the past week, I have used the restroom in the office where I work, and it seems that each time I use it, there is another woman in the stall that will not come out until I leave the bathroom. I am not making this up.
Let's see. Isn't a bathroom the last place you would want to spend more time than you have to? Millions of germs, cheap, thin toilet paper, paper towels stuck to the floor - not my idea of a good time. When I go into a bathroom, I quickly get in and get out as soon as possible. I don't pay attention to the other people in there. I'm there for a purpose.
Maybe we're embarrassed to have other women see us in a bathroom, but why, I don't know. Maybe we're uncomfortable with the fact that we see each other at the workplace but rarely in such a private place.
Whatever the reason, I still find it odd that I could sit in the stall for fifteen minutes and still not have the woman next door venture out to the sink.
All I can say is, it's a good thing I don't have any qualms about walking out of my stall, or we'd both be in there a really long time.
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