Gripes!
I’m finding that as I age I’m getting more particular. In other words, things bug me more than they have – or perhaps I notice them more. Let me just put it out there and see what you think.
Gripe 1: Gum chewing! I remember in second grade I was sent to the principal’s office for chewing gum. It was a traumatic experience for me. Whenever I encounter someone chewing gum I seem to get mesmerized by it. It’s such a distraction. Think about eating a mint instead.
Gripe 2: Habit language! Some people use the word “like” or “ya know” or “ya know what I mean” over and over again. These words don’t add to the conversation at all. They seem to be fillers. They distract from the message that’s working to get through.
Gripe 3: Jammie pants! I see them at the grocery store, on planes, at the mall, almost everywhere. Who are you kidding? If you’ve bought your pants in the pajama department of the store their purpose is to be worn in your house – not in public.
Gripe 4: Travel clothes! I travel a lot for my business. I know that comfort is important. Comfort can be taken too far. Please look in a fill length mirror before stepping out to go to the airport. Are you prepared to run into your potential employer?
Gripe 5: Robo calls! Do people really listen to a pre-recorded message? Are these effective? Do they have to happen just when we’re sitting down for dinner?
Gripe 6: Cell phone conversations! When you answer your cell phone in a public place a bubble doesn’t magically surround you. We can hear you and everything you say. See Everyone is listening! Blog post.
Thanks for letting me share my Gripes. I feel better already. What do you have Gripes about? Any pet peeves you’d like to get off your chest? Leave you comments below. While we won’t be changing the world, we might make a small difference in someone’s world today.
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Holly, you have hit my hot buttons. My battle is with habit language. Here are a couple I struggle with: "Are you with me on this?", "Am I making sense?", or the word "Okay", which I have caught myself using at the end of sentences.
Good post…
Kevin – I struggle with habit language too. I once cured one of my senior managers saying “ja know”, each time he would say that he would have to put a quarter in a jar. Our team went out to lunch thanks to him. When he changed his behavior, his wife called to thank me!
Perhaps put a lot of quarters in your right pocket and move them to your left each time you say it – see how much you have at the end of the day on your left?!
Thanks for the comment!
Holly
Another good one, Holly. My gripe — which you don't trigger! — is a business communique that the author didn't bother to proofread.
Eliza –
That is a good one. So many people hit send before reading what they have written.
Thanks for the comment,
Holly
I know there is a reason for this…. " a request that you have read the email" a little box pops up when you open the email. This annoys me. If I want you to know that I have read the email, I'll respond if it calls for a response!
A friend of mine doesn't know how to use the pop up, so he actually types in bold red print " please respond if you have read this email"
Gwendolyn –
That seems somehow to defeat the purpose of email – or says something about email boxes that are full of so much noise! I would say, if the sender of the email needs to know that their message was received and read – perhaps they could pick up the phone? Or even more radical – stop by a desk and talk in person if possible.
Thanks for your comment – that is a good gripe!
Holly