PET PEEVES (not written by me)

What is a pet peeve? A peeve is usually a feeling of resentment, or maybe even a grievance. Pet peeves, then, are annoyances that never fail to put you in that mood of resentment. They also tend to be a matter of opinion, and are linked to your personality.

Pet peeves can raise your blood pressure faster than salty potato chips. What can you do?

Whatever!”
This is an especially strong pet peeve when coming from anyone younger than you are. Wouldn’t it be nice to counteract all of the rudeness in the world with the perfect comeback? Cheer up; “whatever” is a fad word and sure to become “so yesterday” any day now. We can only hope.

The attitude behind it is the problem. Brush it off if you think it was used as the young person’s attempt to be funny or hip, and back off if it was his way of saying, “You have pushed me too far.” In more disrespectful situations, you might try feigning deafness or act clueless to deflate the punchline effect. “Whatever, what? What does that mean?”


Talking Through the Movie
What can be worse than watching a movie with someone who insists on talking about it as you watch, and sometimes revealing what is about to come next? This is bad enough if it is someone sitting behind you in the movie theatre; it is even worse if it is your own friend or partner.

The answer: ear plugs. Smile and nod pleasantly, and giggle at the appropriate moments.

4. Gum Smacking
You could make up your own Dr. House-ism: “Wow, you look amazingly like the Jersey cow my parents bought me that I never wanted.” Well, perhaps sarcasm is not the polite response. Instead of screaming maniacally with insanity, picture the person as a Jersey cow. (Maniacal laughter is slightly more satisfying.)

5. Food Taken Off Your Plate
After wolfing down his food in three seconds, your partner then goes for yours. Apart from stabbing his fingers with your fork, you might suggest that you will happily share if he will ask first.

6. Lousy Drivers
Other drivers on the road can definitely be a pet peeve for many, especially those who are in a big hurry, honk at you as soon as the light turns green, ride your bumper in a 35 mph zone, or dart in front of you without signaling.
If you don’t need to drive, then ride the bus. If you do need to drive, go out of your way to avoid a busy highway. Country roads can be particularly peaceful, unless you get stuck behind one of those barn-size tractors going five miles an hour.

7. Waiters with Bad Timing
Effusive waiters are a little easier to take than those who abandon you completely. It is easier to understand why they park themselves casually in a seat and start chatting. You know they are working really hard to get that substantial tip.

Some people actually like that kind of thing – how is he to know you have about five miles of personal space floating around you? There is no excuse for the negligent waiter. Flag down the busboy and give the tip to him after he hustles up some help.

8. Know-It-Alls
What is worse than people who say “I know” after you explain something. Especially when you know there is no way they can really know. OK, maybe they did know, but it was rude of them not to pretend they didn’t so you could tell your little anecdote or share your fact. (Now who is the know-it-all?) People who stick their nose into your business, however, are a peevishly different matter.

Miss Manners (aka etiquette guru Judith Martin) recommends looking shocked and repeating “Excuse me?” until they leave you alone.

9. Toothpaste Globs
You thought the toilet paper and toilet seat would be here, but this is decidedly more irritating. When this happens, assign the sink-cleaning chore to the guiltiest parties.
10. Untrained Baggers
This is a common pet peeve unless you do not have issues with mashed bread, cold and warm items sacked together, and cleaning products thrown in with any type of food – well, who doesn’t have a problem with that? The baggers, evidently, must have been trained for speed rather than categorization.

Place the items on the conveyor belt as you would like them to be packed together. Stand next to the bagger and give polite direction, or take your own cloth bags; then you will likely be left to happily bag your own.

11. “Made in China”
This has nothing to do with Chinese culture or actual people, but with economics. When the almighty dollar is more important than the economic future of our nation … Well that is another topic. Buy American, if you can find it. And if you cannot, ask to speak to the store manager or owner and request more American-made products.

12. Faulty Fast-Food Communication Systems.
When some devices are on their last leg, hearing and being heard is of such a poor quality that it would be funny if it was not so irksome.

Upon reaching the drive-through window of a McDonalds in Harrisonville, Missouri, after a particularly taxing order, we asked the elderly lady if her job was difficult. She nodded and said, “I have been a bus driver and took care of two sets of twins.
This job is the most stressful thing I have ever done.” But by the time we passed to the next window, she was smiling. It helps to show sympathy and understanding to service personnel.

13. Discontinued Products
It is a major pet peeve to find the perfect shade of lipstick, flavor of toothpaste, shampoo product – and then it is discontinued. Two words: Stock up.

14. People Touching Your Food or Drink
It can irk you when you notice someone touch the rim of your glass when handing it to you. Or how about a server who touches your food as she sets it down? Have you ever seen people lean over your plate or drink as they talk?

OCD sufferers will sympathize. Germs and bodily fluids are to be feared above all! (Can we have a show of hands for all those who call themselves Adrian Monk?) There is no reason to become hyper in your response; a simple and polite request should do it. Preaching about germs might help, too. It will not change all of the care-free people around you, but you will gain a reputation and people will begin to respect your territory.

Whether you are a janitor, professor, editor or dentist, you have your own set of pet peeves. Your pet peeve likely leaves you feeling peevish because you are helpless to do anything about it, or the objects of your pet peeves refuse to change their behavior. Likely you have come up with your own coping skills, but if the objects of your pet peeves still drive you up the wall, try laughter.

Are You A Stress Case?
Jobs, bosses, colleagues, family, money, and time...stress creeps into life from all angles. Do you ever wonder if you are a stress case? Do you know the symptoms of stress? Take this stress quiz to discover how you might react to various stress-related scenarios and learn ways to reduce stress.


If you don’t need to drive, then ride the bus. If you do need to drive, go out of your way to avoid a busy highway. Country roads can be particularly peaceful, unless you get stuck behind one of those barn-size tractors going five miles an hour.

7. Waiters with Bad Timing
Effusive waiters are a little easier to take than those who abandon you completely. It is easier to understand why they park themselves casually in a seat and start chatting. You know they are working really hard to get that substantial tip.

Some people actually like that kind of thing – how is he to know you have about five miles of personal space floating around you? There is no excuse for the negligent waiter. Flag down the busboy and give the tip to him after he hustles up some help.

8. Know-It-Alls
What is worse than people who say “I know” after you explain something. Especially when you know there is no way they can really know. OK, maybe they did know, but it was rude of them not to pretend they didn’t so you could tell your little anecdote or share your fact. (Now who is the know-it-all?) People who stick their nose into your business, however, are a peevishly different matter.

Miss Manners (aka etiquette guru Judith Martin) recommends looking shocked and repeating “Excuse me?” until they leave you alone.

9. Toothpaste Globs
You thought the toilet paper and toilet seat would be here, but this is decidedly more irritating. When this happens, assign the sink-cleaning chore to the guiltiest parties.
10. Untrained Baggers
This is a common pet peeve unless you do not have issues with mashed bread, cold and warm items sacked together, and cleaning products thrown in with any type of food – well, who doesn’t have a problem with that? The baggers, evidently, must have been trained for speed rather than categorization.

Place the items on the conveyor belt as you would like them to be packed together. Stand next to the bagger and give polite direction, or take your own cloth bags; then you will likely be left to happily bag your own.

11. “Made in China”
This has nothing to do with Chinese culture or actual people, but with economics. When the almighty dollar is more important than the economic future of our nation … Well that is another topic. Buy American, if you can find it. And if you cannot, ask to speak to the store manager or owner and request more American-made products.

12. Faulty Fast-Food Communication Systems.
When some devices are on their last leg, hearing and being heard is of such a poor quality that it would be funny if it was not so irksome.

Upon reaching the drive-through window of a McDonalds in Harrisonville, Missouri, after a particularly taxing order, we asked the elderly lady if her job was difficult. She nodded and said, “I have been a bus driver and took care of two sets of twins.
This job is the most stressful thing I have ever done.” But by the time we passed to the next window, she was smiling. It helps to show sympathy and understanding to service personnel.

13. Discontinued Products
It is a major pet peeve to find the perfect shade of lipstick, flavor of toothpaste, shampoo product – and then it is discontinued. Two words: Stock up.

14. People Touching Your Food or Drink
It can irk you when you notice someone touch the rim of your glass when handing it to you. Or how about a server who touches your food as she sets it down? Have you ever seen people lean over your plate or drink as they talk?

OCD sufferers will sympathize. Germs and bodily fluids are to be feared above all! (Can we have a show of hands for all those who call themselves Adrian Monk?) There is no reason to become hyper in your response; a simple and polite request should do it. Preaching about germs might help, too. It will not change all of the care-free people around you, but you will gain a reputation and people will begin to respect your territory.

Whether you are a janitor, professor, editor or dentist, you have your own set of pet peeves. Your pet peeve likely leaves you feeling peevish because you are helpless to do anything about it, or the objects of your pet peeves refuse to change their behavior. Likely you have come up with your own coping skills, but if the objects of your pet peeves still drive you up the wall, try laughter.

Are You A Stress Case?
Jobs, bosses, colleagues, family, money, and time...stress creeps into life from all angles. Do you ever wonder if you are a stress case? Do you know the symptoms of stress? Take this stress quiz to discover how you might react to various stress-related scenarios and learn ways to reduce stress.


If you don’t need to drive, then ride the bus. If you do need to drive, go out of your way to avoid a busy highway. Country roads can be particularly peaceful, unless you get stuck behind one of those barn-size tractors going five miles an hour.

7. Waiters with Bad Timing
Effusive waiters are a little easier to take than those who abandon you completely. It is easier to understand why they park themselves casually in a seat and start chatting. You know they are working really hard to get that substantial tip.

Some people actually like that kind of thing – how is he to know you have about five miles of personal space floating around you? There is no excuse for the negligent waiter. Flag down the busboy and give the tip to him after he hustles up some help.

8. Know-It-Alls
What is worse than people who say “I know” after you explain something. Especially when you know there is no way they can really know. OK, maybe they did know, but it was rude of them not to pretend they didn’t so you could tell your little anecdote or share your fact. (Now who is the know-it-all?) People who stick their nose into your business, however, are a peevishly different matter.

Miss Manners (aka etiquette guru Judith Martin) recommends looking shocked and repeating “Excuse me?” until they leave you alone.

9. Toothpaste Globs
You thought the toilet paper and toilet seat would be here, but this is decidedly more irritating. When this happens, assign the sink-cleaning chore to the guiltiest parties.
10. Untrained Baggers
This is a common pet peeve unless you do not have issues with mashed bread, cold and warm items sacked together, and cleaning products thrown in with any type of food – well, who doesn’t have a problem with that? The baggers, evidently, must have been trained for speed rather than categorization.

Place the items on the conveyor belt as you would like them to be packed together. Stand next to the bagger and give polite direction, or take your own cloth bags; then you will likely be left to happily bag your own.

11. “Made in China”
This has nothing to do with Chinese culture or actual people, but with economics. When the almighty dollar is more important than the economic future of our nation … Well that is another topic. Buy American, if you can find it. And if you cannot, ask to speak to the store manager or owner and request more American-made products.

12. Faulty Fast-Food Communication Systems.
When some devices are on their last leg, hearing and being heard is of such a poor quality that it would be funny if it was not so irksome.

Upon reaching the drive-through window of a McDonalds in Harrisonville, Missouri, after a particularly taxing order, we asked the elderly lady if her job was difficult. She nodded and said, “I have been a bus driver and took care of two sets of twins.
This job is the most stressful thing I have ever done.” But by the time we passed to the next window, she was smiling. It helps to show sympathy and understanding to service personnel.

13. Discontinued Products
It is a major pet peeve to find the perfect shade of lipstick, flavor of toothpaste, shampoo product – and then it is discontinued. Two words: Stock up.

14. People Touching Your Food or Drink
It can irk you when you notice someone touch the rim of your glass when handing it to you. Or how about a server who touches your food as she sets it down? Have you ever seen people lean over your plate or drink as they talk?

OCD sufferers will sympathize. Germs and bodily fluids are to be feared above all! (Can we have a show of hands for all those who call themselves Adrian Monk?) There is no reason to become hyper in your response; a simple and polite request should do it. Preaching about germs might help, too. It will not change all of the care-free people around you, but you will gain a reputation and people will begin to respect your territory.

Whether you are a janitor, professor, editor or dentist, you have your own set of pet peeves. Your pet peeve likely leaves you feeling peevish because you are helpless to do anything about it, or the objects of your pet peeves refuse to change their behavior. Likely you have come up with your own coping skills, but if the objects of your pet peeves still drive you up the wall, try laughter.

Are You A Stress Case?
Jobs, bosses, colleagues, family, money, and time...stress creeps into life from all angles. Do you ever wonder if you are a stress case? Do you know the symptoms of stress? Take this stress quiz to discover how you might react to various stress-related scenarios and learn ways to reduce stress.