You know what really grinds my gears.......
Posted by shelloid on Oct 04, 2009 · Member since Nov 2006 · 4427 posts
Ok so maybe I'm just a weirdo, but there's silly little things that really bug me for no apparent reason - what about the rest of you? Is there any little thing that really annoys you, but probably shouldn't that much?
Ok I'll start:
I hate it when peolpe jiggle their legs up and down when they're sitting down. Some people will do this continually and I HATE IT. There's no logic to my annoyance but it really bugs me.
It also bugs me when women put their make up on on public transport - just wake up earlier if you want to wear it - and don't give people dirty looks when they stare at you.
I worked at Albertsons, and that was horrible both from dealing with coworkers and customers. Starbucks customers were generally really great, which is what made the occasional weird, irascible person stand out.
hmmmm well if most of them were awesome that's legit... vons the majority were jerks with an occasional decent human being thrown into the mix for good measure :P
FB, I can relate to a lot of what you posted about your job as a barista. I used to work for a coffee shop. It's a Michigan based chain called Biggby. Most of the customers were pretty nice, but you get those people who have no clue what they are ordering and then get upset about the drink (it's what you ordered!). They don't realize a cappuccino is a 1/2 cup foam or there isn't such a thing as an iced cappuccino. Some would ask for a drink iced, so I made it iced and then they would claim they asked for it blended. Haha. I did enjoy making coffee most of the time, but there were those few customers.
On the other hand, I worked at two different movies theaters in the past and that's where you get a lot of really rude people. I always thought the majority of customers going to the movies would be happy since I am always happy to go to the theater and watch a movie. Not everyone is like that though. People would get upset about the dumbest things. And like someone else on here mentioned, you get treated as if you are dumb just because you are working there and serving them.
The worst place to work as far as bad customers goes is fast food. You can't get any worse customers than that (except for maybe retail stores at Christmas time). Anyone who is rude to those serving them or demanding things against health code and company policy needs to work at a fast food joint for awhile. Then hopefully, they would change the way they treat those serving them.
Yeah, the confusion over "by 'iced' i meant BLENDED" actually made me glad for Starbucks' made-up 'frappuccino' name, because my brother worked at the Coffee Bean, and it happened all the time, since their blended drinks are just called "ice-blended". Yep.
And the health code stuff... it's like, srsly, following code isn't for my sake, it's for yours! No one wants food poisoning.
The worst place to work as far as bad customers goes is fast food. You can't get any worse customers than that (except for maybe retail stores at Christmas time). Anyone who is rude to those serving them or demanding things against health code and company policy needs to work at a fast food joint for awhile. Then hopefully, they would change the way they treat those serving them.
Agreed. I've worked at Dairy Queen, Jack in the Box, and Domino's. I also worked in retail (at a dollar store...talk about trashy), and I've worked at a gourmet pizza restaurant, which was a nice change of pace, although we still got the occasional really dumb/rude customer. If there's one lesson that should be taught in schools everywhere, it's "don't mess with the people who are making your food." ::)
The worst place to work as far as bad customers goes is fast food. You can't get any worse customers than that (except for maybe retail stores at Christmas time). Anyone who is rude to those serving them or demanding things against health code and company policy needs to work at a fast food joint for awhile. Then hopefully, they would change the way they treat those serving them.
If there's one lesson that should be taught in schools everywhere, it's "don't mess with the people who are making your food." ::)
Totally! I make sure I treat the service people the way I would want to be treated. It's good to thank them. Sometimes, service people are rude, but treat them nice anyway.
WRGMG is people who refuse to take any other language than their own seriously. This happens a lot in Spain but also in the US. Other languages just aren't "real" to them. It's like they think it's a Sudoku or something; if you put all the terms down it works out. It's not a word-game, people!! It's a form of communication! People have been born, lived and died in other languages than your own, for millenia!! Not to mention literature, movies, etc.
And then that sort of person comes along a month before the big qualifying exams and expects me to tap them on the head with my magic wand and just fill their little brains with English, with no effort on their part. They want me to give them perfect comprehension and pronunciation in about 8 hours, because they have believed the teach-yourself lie of "English without effort." Bullshit; the only thing you can get without effort is dirt and long nails.
Case in point: a woman who turned up last August and wanted to "brush up" her English to pass an important qualifying exam. Her pronunciation is so bad I finally asked her if she was hard of hearing; she has that metallic, loud voice of the deaf. No, her hearing is fine. But no matter how often I correct her pronunciation, nothing changes. Because I can see that in her mind, it's like, whatever. It's only English, it's not like it's real, or important or anything. She failed the exam in September because she used the simple structures of Year 1, so as far as they knew she didn't have 2nd Year knowledge.
So she turns up about a month before the December exam, same story. She doesn't care enough to practice, make an effort, or listen. When I'm explaining something, she interrupts me and talks about something else. She continues to speak as if she were slightly deaf. And LOUD. I'm told her hearing is fine. She's just...stupid. She's on track to fail again; and she'll probably decide I'm a bad teacher.
I've done the whole customer service thing forever. I was a paperboy (with two routes) in 8th grade, worked in retail, at a movie theater, in the admin/customer service area of a law office, and (my favorite) call centers. I was obviously joking about liking the call center. :P I also worked for the Ohio House of Representatives. That job was a lot of fun and I was good at it. Anyhow! Onto the new topic.
Yabbit! It's interesting you mention Spain and the U.S. because I always hear things like, "Yer in America now! Stop speakin' in them there SPAINish or git out of mah country! USA!" :o
I'm a lazy American, as well. I took a semester of Zulu and I remember only a little bit. Igami lami uJosh. Isibongo uMontgomery. I know a little more but I didn't complete the 3 semester requirement. It's not that I refuse, I just haven't taken the initiative. Lame.
That said, I see my flaw in not knowing a more of another language. I plan to take more classes and I'm always open to learn on-the-fly. Knowledge is everywhere. As I've gotten older, I'm starting to realize my grandfather's wisdom. He always believed in the power of language and communication. I think this is a valuable resource. When one knows language and communication, the possibilities are endless. I should note that I'm not saying knowledge of a language is to have an extensive vocabulary. It's understanding the whats, wheres, whys, whens, and hows of the language. Do you agree?
I've always said that when you speak a language you see through the eyes of its people. My sense of humour varies according to language. I'm told I have a dry wit in French and English and a kinda dumb, silly one in Spanish. I also know my voice drops about a fifth (on the music scale) when speaking Spanish. Different languages for different purposes. Spanish for singing, French for arguing/being pissed off, English for easy to follow instructions, and like that.
I came across a French Bible someone had left in the church and reading it put a whole new perspective on the text I've lived and worked closely with for the past 20 years. Oh. My. God. Literally! The French is soooo beautiful and I think in some ways closer to the Hebrew/Greek intention.
I've always said that when you speak a language you see through the eyes of its people. My sense of humour varies according to language. I'm told I have a dry wit in French and English and a kinda dumb, silly one in Spanish. I also know my voice drops about a fifth (on the music scale) when speaking Spanish. Different languages for different purposes. Spanish for singing, French for arguing/being pissed off, English for easy to follow instructions, and like that.
I came across a French Bible someone had left in the church and reading it put a whole new perspective on the text I've lived and worked closely with for the past 20 years. Oh. My. God. Literally! The French is soooo beautiful and I think in some ways closer to the Hebrew/Greek intention.
I love this. :)
My new reason for gear grinding is: IDIOT DRIVERS! I was just driving to my mom's on a two lane highway where the speed limit is 55 mph. I decided to pass some guy who was going too slow in the right lane. He sped up to 55. I bumped up to 60 and he bumped up to 60. Because I had no way of slowing to get behind him, this nonsense (for lack of a more colorful word) kept going until I was up to 80 mph. 80 mph just to make my exit ramp. I have no problem going 80 but not when it's a road like that.
After I finally got in front of him, the other driver got on my tail. I, of course, laid off the gas until I was down to 40 mph. He then decided to pass me. Fine. Pass me. But how did he go around my car?? Not in the left passing lane. No! He passed me on the narrow shoulder and almost sideswiped my car. I followed him for a bit and was about to call the DUI line to report him but I couldn't remember the number. If only!!
Some people just really piss me off. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-angry021.gif
Whoa. That is one fancy smiley. I shall have to get angry enough to use it.
A couple months ago I saw someone get on the freeway via the exit offramp. Yep. Fortunately the freeway was empty enough that there was no near-miss or anything, but JESUS HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT MISTAKE. must have been drunk or something.
I just used the smiley in the political forums at allnurses.com the conservatives there make me feel just like that
Thanks Josh!
Whoa. That is one fancy smiley. I shall have to get angry enough to use it.
A couple months ago I saw someone get on the freeway via the exit offramp. Yep. Fortunately the freeway was empty enough that there was no near-miss or anything, but JESUS HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT MISTAKE. must have been drunk or something.
What!! That's definitely a crazy-ass situation!!
To you both (faunablues and Tweety): You're most welcome for the smiley. Hahaha! I saw it on a site full of smilies and just had to use it. It was how I felt last night.
Whoa. That is one fancy smiley. I shall have to get angry enough to use it.
A couple months ago I saw someone get on the freeway via the exit offramp. Yep. Fortunately the freeway was empty enough that there was no near-miss or anything, but JESUS HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT MISTAKE. must have been drunk or something.
Isn't that what happened to Nicole Ritchie? And then she fell asleep?
I don't know, I might just be making this whole story up. But it sounds vaguely familiar from the supermarket tabloids. We have really slow checkers at our grocery store.
Dude, Josh--post the link to the Smiley page you got that guy from, or PM me it or something!! Want!! (If it's a safe, spam and virus free page, that is, of course!)
I'm sick and it's the week before finals. :/
Also I forgot my locker combination today.
I've used it about 5 times a day for the last 8 weeks.
Go me.
:-[
Our local electric company is pulling an Enron. They want to charge us like 400 Euros for the period when we use least electricy (no heat or AC on). We'll probably end up having to pay or have the power cut off but DH is going to the consumer's association to lodge a formal complaint; and from the last flyer I saw of theirs, we're not alone.
I just went to the grocery store and found a grinding of gears. To "reward" loyal customers, the store was giving away coupons based on how much money one spent at the store in November. My mom earned $20 worth of coupons so she asked me to shopping for her. The store was crowded. No empty lots in the parking lot and no carts to be had. 25-30 people per register.
I pressed on and picked out a bunch of fruit and some BBQ skewers. I got in line and the lady rang up my items. $33. I asked "what about the coupons?" She said, "oh those coupons are for toys only."
WHAT!! :o >:(
I immediately felt like an ass as I told the lady I didn't have enough money. I calmly told her and her supervisor, "no one advised me of this. All they said was 'you have $20 worth of coupons'." They apologized and I went on my way. I wasn't mad at them but I was mad about the overall picture. As I walked away, I thought, "why in the hell would a grocery store, with one aisle of toys give coupons for something like that?" It's just a grocery store with some toys. Not a toy store with some groceries. Obviously, the point of the trick was to get the customer to buy groceries.
I thought about it more and was upset that a store hardly ever gives away free coupons for free food. These are the things people need..not some stupid toy. People are starving and corporations convince people that having a toy is more important than having a fresh meal. I saw this when I went to the sales after Thanksgiving. People were pushing and shoving and fighting over video games. It was awful. Is this who we've become?
Note: I'm okay with people buying toys and games. Hell, I love gadgets and gizmos (and kid's toys) and all things made by Apple.
I guess I just want billion dollar companies to help more with things people really need. Like food. Help the farmer, not Monsanto or other monsters. Help the poor, desperate for a fresh meal. Help give back to the earth that provides the limited (and sometimes depleted) resources.
-Josh
They give out the coupons for the stuff they can't normally sell. They've got all those (probably lame) toys stuck in that one aisle and they haven't moved for months. I suppose they hope someone is going to take them for Toys for Tots or something.
I posted this in open letters but I feel like complaining more.
My school has a middle school in it, and sometimes they let them in the library. They decided to continue to do this during the last week of classes. The library is packed with people studying for finals and they let these obnoxious kids in here and put a sign up that says "if too noisy please move" Instead of telling the kids to quiet down. THANKS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
Why do kids need to check out books on the last week of school anyways? That doesnt make much sense to me. For us all books are due at the end of this week if we have any out. Stupid kids.
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