ILLNESS

An ever growing pet vermin peeve list. (The term "Pet Peeve" does a disservice to our animal friends) Not in any order.

People who call up radio talk shows on a cell phone when their phone is either out of their calling range or the battery is dead. Maybe they have something important to say, but the listeners sure don't want to hear it when it sounds like that. If I ran a radio station, I'd have a policy of no car cell phone calls. Plus, when they're driving and using it? Can't wait until there's some lawsuit where the radio station is held responsible for an accident.

In short, hypocrites. Granted, it's hard to be 100% hypocrisy free, but when it's blatant. For example, someone gripes that they can't stand when someone doesn't give them some sort of courtesy, then they turn around and disrespect someone else in the same manner within the same context. No need for specific examples here...they are rampant.

The no follow-through. Look, if you had no intention of buying my artwork/helping my friend with his home remodel project/etc. why the heck did you say you would in the first place? Don't get our hopes and expectations up. Just keep your mouth shut. Or say, "I'd really love to have your art, but can't afford it right now/I'd really love to help you fix that, but I have no spare time."

The non-communicative. If I have a problem with the way someone is treating me, I want to get it out in the open, ask them what is wrong. Unfortunately, too many people cannot do that, they either strike back with nasty words or they use a passive aggressive approach. Avoid these people. The other sort of non-communicative is not negative...they're just boring vegetables. Particularly common amongst adolescent males without any conversational abilities.

Staring mutant teenage females. What the heck are they staring at? Haven't they seen a middle-aged woman that doesn't have hair like their mother before? What is the point? And why can't they keep their mouths closed while they stare...you know what I mean, that vacant, open-mouthed blank-faced gape with the protruding lips and teeth? Didn't their mothers teach them any manners?

People who want everyone to be like them, regardless of their situation. Look, not everyone can drive the kind of car you drive or have a house that's as immaculately fixed up as yours, or able to afford a domain to house their personal website, so just get out of your limited experience world and get over it already. If Stan and I could afford a 2001 fuel efficient car, don't you think we'd get one? If poor Mr. Gibbons down the road could afford to get his siding fixed on his house, don't you think he would? I mean the poor guy lives on soda pop and cashes in his cans. And if Bob Sixpack wants to put up a website about his mullet collection but doesn't want to buy a freaking domain for it, why chastise him for using a free webspace provider with ads? Why not put your money where your mouth is and help us out? It's not up to you to help us out? Then I guess it's not up to you to be judgmental about it either, is it?

People that question you why you didn't have kids. Am I questioning you as to why you chose to have kids? I think not.

Conversation hogs and interrupters. People who won't let you get a word in edgewise because whenever you start to say something, they break in. They'll even ask you a question and not let you finish. Simultaneously, they'll wonder why you never say anything. These people are psycho. Similar are people who ask you how you are and when you tell them, they could care less. Also, people who are subject changers and always bring the conversation back around to THEM.

People who are in disbelief that you have created all your digital art without using photography, clip art or any third party devices other than the actual software package and various filters. Just because they don't know any creative and original artists, doesn't mean they don't exist.

Religious and Atheist dictators. As someone who does not practice religion, I obviously don't like other people's beliefs being shoved down my throat, or people thinking that I'm doomed and evil because I'm not Christian. Likewise, I don't like the fact that some atheists I know are going out of their way from keeping their kids from being exposed to anything relating to religion. Like, that's sooooo college rebellion, you know? Get over it. Religion is a part of human history. You don't have to practice it, but why ignore it like it doesn't exist? Personally, I like educational tv shows that discuss objectively various religions throughout history. I find it fascinating. Doesn't mean I have to follow any of them. If I had a kid, we wouldn't attend a place of worship, but they would know they exist and what they are for. And if the kid wanted to go with a friend to their church or mosque or temple or nature gathering or whatever to see what it was like, I wouldn't object. Let them see what it's like and when they're old enough to, decide on their own what they want to do. Like I'd be afraid of the kid being "religiously kidnapped"...shyeah...Keeping them from it will make them want to rebel even more. Same thing can be said for people who never discuss human sexuality, you know?

Ugly drunks. I admit to having gotten drunk. Big deal. I either pass out or get sick. I rarely do it because I rarely drink, and when I do drink, I rarely drink a lot. But when I do get tipsy, I get fun and silly and sociable and friendly and witty. I guess I don't understand the other...the kind that gets mean and abusive, or the Jeckyl/Hyde kind that turns from Mr. Normal into Mr. "I sound like a babbling idiot and can't walk in a straight line." Personally, I can't imagine consuming so much that I'd sound like I split my IQ in quarters. I'd definitely throw up first before I got to that point. It's actually rather sad that there are people like that.

Parents who let their kids be mean to small animals or insects. It's one thing to swat flies and mosquitos in your house...it's another thing to torture innocent insects that aren't bothering you. That some parents passively watch their kids do this really tears at my heart. Guess how Jeffrey Dahmer started out?

Zero Tolerance. I saw this on Nightline the other night. Give me a break...suspending a kid for using a pretend gun that was made out of a piece of notebook paper while playing cops and robbers with a friend? Not allowing a team mascot for the team The Spartans to be able to carry a cardboard sword? Not being able to say jokingly to a friend "I'm gonna kill you!?" What are these people thinking? Have they all gone mad? One of the many reasons I'm glad I'm not a parent in these times. I would be one of the most vocal opponents of Zero Tolerance that I'd be blacklisted on all the PTAs in my county. Why aren't more parents speaking out AGAINST Zero Tolerance? Why are they all so compliant like sheep? Part of educating young people is to teach them sensibility and discriminating right from wrong from just plain ridiculous. You Zero Tolerance people are fascists by not allowing your kids any creative freedom. Meanwhile, you're probably watching one of those absurd reality tv shows at home where someone is forced to do degrading things in order to get some prize package at the end of the deal, aren't you?

Braggards. I wonder if they intentionally set out to make other people feel jealous of them? Or is it something they can't help?