Monday 26 March 2007

Ten Pet Peeves!

Just because I feel like it, I thought I'd post the following list - I am sure that I could think of many more, but when I reached ten I decided I'd stop there and start on a "what makes me happy" list - just for balance!

1. The word "gotten".....I HATE this word, it's an American aberration, and as far as I am concerned it should not exist.

2. Morning radio presenters telling me that it's sunny and I have to wear my sunglasses and sunblock. (a) I will not be told what to wear and (b) sunlight is GOOD for you.

3. Apostrophes in the wrong place - gah!

4. Telemarketers ('nuff said).

5. The neighbours' dogs barking at me when I venture out into my own back yard. It's MY yard, dammit, and I'll go empty my compost bucket ANY time I want, so SHUT UP!

6. Children making themselves a snack and leaving everything out, lids off, crumbs everywhere, etc etc blah blah.

7. Being kept waiting when I have an appointment - MY time is just as valuable as anybody else's.

8. People knocking on the front door when there's a perfectly good doorbell.

9. My mum telling me "don't overdo it" when I tell her I am weight-training. What, does she think I'm going to go straight into a killing routine without working up to it? I'm an adult, for crying out loud, and I know my body's limits.

10. People parking in the road when there's room for ten cars in the driveway!

OK, Katherine, Samantha and Heather, it's your turn. I want to hear what your pet peeves are. I shall go away now and make my "happy" list.

6 comments:

Heather said...

Yikes Nicola - I'm just sitting here worried that I might have knocked on your door last time I came over - you remember, that time I parked on the road outside your place. ;-0 I've "gotten" myself rather worked up about it, actually. ;-)

Andrea said...

Hehe, keep in mind that I have a minor in linguistics for no other reason other than I am fascinated by it. I know.... I'm weird!

Anyways, gotten is definitely not an American aberration. It is actually an old english conjugation of the verb 'to get'. It is what happened when all those english speaking people immigrated to North America in the 1600's. It was quite common in Great Britain then.... The british stopped using it and we continue....

There you go, an etymology lesson for you today...;-)

Nicola said...

AAAAGH, I don't care, I still hate it!

Katherine said...

Well, I know now that I've peeved you as I too knock rather than use the doorbell and I have parked on the street at times rather than in your driveway. Hmmmm... trying to remember if I have used the word gotten in your presence... Thinking I should've read this post before visiting you last eve. and I could've brought you some chocolate to mitigate the damage my peevish behaviour has made you suffer ;o)

RJDK said...

I am so glad the toilet seat thing did not make the list. I'm sure with all of you having nothing but men in the house besides yourselves, this is probably number 37 or so.

I am enjoying the blog.

Nicola said...

Hi R, the toilet seat isn't an issue in this house - #1 son uses the downstairs bathroom, other two use the main bathroom (sitting down) and hubby and I use our ensuite - and he sits down to pee (a good idea when one has carpet in the bathroom)!!!