Scintilla Day 10: Pet Peeves
Mar. 27th, 2012 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jon_chaissonSo...even though I always say I try not to let things bother me, or I just let it go after a short while, I confess I do have some pet peeves that set me off!
Being interrupted. The one thing that annoys the me the most is a third person barging into a conversation I'm having with someone and completely changing the subject. I know, I know...what I'm saying might be trivial, or what you might need to say might be urgent, but at LEAST interrupt graciously. Say "Sorry to interrupt--I need you let you know..." and I'll be okay. Don't just walk up and change the subject as if I'm not there.
Don't be impatient and follow up with KTHXBYE. I can't tell you how many times this happens at work. It cheeses me off when you email us with a DANGERWILLROBINSON URGENT URGENT ONOES TEH SKIE IZ FALLENG!!!1!!ELEVENTYONE!!! issue...only to have your Out of Office/On Vacation For the Next Three Weeks notification on when we need to reach back for more info that you so graciously forgot to give us.
Please for the love of pie CHEW WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED. You are not a cow. Please note that the squelching sound of teeth against cud is gross. If you've got to crunch down on something, that's fine, but once it's in there, please keep it in there and out of sight.
"YES" IS NOT AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. This little gem came to me after repeated conversations with clients back in my CD/IRA days:
Client: Yes, I'd like to take some money out of my account.
Me: Okay, do you have an account number? (meaning: "...one that I can look up?")
Client: Yes.
Me: ...
Client: ...
Me: ...
Client: OH! You need it?
Me: Yes, please. (meaning: "No, let me just PULL IT OUT OF MY ASS instead.")
You wouldn't believe how many times I dealt with that. And I'd say this works in other situations, where I ask a question and you give me an answer that either makes no sense or has nothing to do with what I'd just asked.
Backpacks on the bus or in a crowded place. I know you're coming home from school/the office/wherever, or you're carrying stuff you bought from vendors at a con...but you need to realize that that's an extra cubic foot you've added behind you. I know it's tough to carry, but PLEASE take it off so you don't bash someone in the face (namely, mine) in the process.
Disorganization. I've come to realize over the last few years how much this bothers me, especially in the workplace. It's not very professional, and it gives off the impression that you really don't know what you're doing. I admit to being disorganized myself, but I try to keep it to a minimum.
Certain singers' affectations. This one's me being picky. I don't mind Robert Smith's warble or Liam Gallagher's snotty delivery, but Natalie Merchant's habit of dropping the note at the end of every line, Matthew Schultz's (Cage the Elephant) disorganized spieling, and Janis Joplin's scratchy whine just make me twitch. I don't mind the music, it's just the vocals that irritate me. Just a matter of taste, I guess.
Other than that? I'm just fine. You? :)
Being interrupted. The one thing that annoys the me the most is a third person barging into a conversation I'm having with someone and completely changing the subject. I know, I know...what I'm saying might be trivial, or what you might need to say might be urgent, but at LEAST interrupt graciously. Say "Sorry to interrupt--I need you let you know..." and I'll be okay. Don't just walk up and change the subject as if I'm not there.
Don't be impatient and follow up with KTHXBYE. I can't tell you how many times this happens at work. It cheeses me off when you email us with a DANGERWILLROBINSON URGENT URGENT ONOES TEH SKIE IZ FALLENG!!!1!!ELEVENTYONE!!! issue...only to have your Out of Office/On Vacation For the Next Three Weeks notification on when we need to reach back for more info that you so graciously forgot to give us.
Please for the love of pie CHEW WITH YOUR MOUTH CLOSED. You are not a cow. Please note that the squelching sound of teeth against cud is gross. If you've got to crunch down on something, that's fine, but once it's in there, please keep it in there and out of sight.
"YES" IS NOT AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. This little gem came to me after repeated conversations with clients back in my CD/IRA days:
Client: Yes, I'd like to take some money out of my account.
Me: Okay, do you have an account number? (meaning: "...one that I can look up?")
Client: Yes.
Me: ...
Client: ...
Me: ...
Client: OH! You need it?
Me: Yes, please. (meaning: "No, let me just PULL IT OUT OF MY ASS instead.")
You wouldn't believe how many times I dealt with that. And I'd say this works in other situations, where I ask a question and you give me an answer that either makes no sense or has nothing to do with what I'd just asked.
Backpacks on the bus or in a crowded place. I know you're coming home from school/the office/wherever, or you're carrying stuff you bought from vendors at a con...but you need to realize that that's an extra cubic foot you've added behind you. I know it's tough to carry, but PLEASE take it off so you don't bash someone in the face (namely, mine) in the process.
Disorganization. I've come to realize over the last few years how much this bothers me, especially in the workplace. It's not very professional, and it gives off the impression that you really don't know what you're doing. I admit to being disorganized myself, but I try to keep it to a minimum.
Certain singers' affectations. This one's me being picky. I don't mind Robert Smith's warble or Liam Gallagher's snotty delivery, but Natalie Merchant's habit of dropping the note at the end of every line, Matthew Schultz's (Cage the Elephant) disorganized spieling, and Janis Joplin's scratchy whine just make me twitch. I don't mind the music, it's just the vocals that irritate me. Just a matter of taste, I guess.
Other than that? I'm just fine. You? :)
