Pet Peeves

TUESDAY. According to the online interactive encyclopedia Wikipedia, a pet peeve is a "minor annoyance that can instill extreme frustration in an individual. Typically each person has several pet peeves that aggravate him more than the average person. Another person may not react as negatively or at all to the same circumstance."

First used in print in 1911, the word "peeve" is something that is particularly annoying. The phrase "pet peeve," first appearing in print in 1919, connotes a uniquely personal irritant. A cursory Google search of "pet peeve" yielded numerous personal interactive websites inviting people to share their pet peeves. Clearly these "minor annoyances" bear a universal theme. I wonder if any of us escape the occasionally obsessive grip of pet peeves. Further, "[p]et peeves are typically of common occurrences and a person may encounter his pet peeve very often" (Wikipedia).

The physical and emotional challenges of moving have left me with less to say, and not much energy (or time) to say it. So I offer for your consideration today, in no particular order, my current list of pet peeves. Feel free to add your own pet peeves to this growing list of disturbing and annoying behaviors.

1. Rude drivers who feel the need to lean on the horn for 10 seconds or more because
   (a) I'm driving the speed limit, or
   (b) I'm actually slowing down at intersections.
2. Incompetence in the workplace.
3. People who don't (or won't) pick up after their dogs, especially when the soilage is left on someone's carefully manicured lawn.
4. Yard sale theft. (I believe there's a special corner of hell reserved for people who steal at yard sales.)
5. Intolerance and bigotry.
6. Inconsiderate, thoughtless, self-centered people.
7. Folks who don't (or won't) take responsibility for their actions.
8. Excessive use of fragrance, whether personal or environmental. (The world is smelly enough without the nauseating aroma of Febreze.)
9. Roadside litter. (I'd like to drop my garbage in a litterer's living room. In my mind it's the same as tossing McDonald's debris from a moving vehicle.)
10. Flavor enhancers and food additives. (Flavor enhancers: We don't need them. I have a whole cabinet full of flavor enhancers. They're called spices. Food additives: A fresh stalk of broccoli is nutritious, attractive and delicious. It takes 10 minutes and very little effort to prepare. Do we really need prepared-food-in-a-box?)

So what's your favorite pet peeve?

I'll address the challenge of coping with pet peeves in a later blog entry. Stay tuned.