When it comes to "Pet Peeves," there are two types: a few that matter and most that don't. Which reminds me of a speaker at a gifted teachers' conference years ago. She spoke about little quirks present in our smart students, how we probably share these, and finally it's not an accident that we ended up teaching these perfectionist kids.
If you want to drive a gifted kid nuts, it's easy. All you have to do is hang one poster at an angle instead of straight. You do this, and I guarantee most intellectually gifted kids will be focused on that crooked poster because this is THEIR pet peeve. Of course, I could never perform this monstrous task because it would drive me mad too.
Although my house is far from spotless–perfectionism gone too far–when folding towels or bedsheets, those corners better match up. Peanut butter must spread across every square inch of bread, and toilet paper drops from the top. Annoyance at seeing a sloppy job is a silly pet peeve of mine. Furthermore, I can't stand to have the light switches positioned the wrong way. After all, up is for "on" and down is for "off." I will tread across a dark room at the risk of breaking bones rather than flip the switch in the wrong direction. As you read this, half of you are thinking, she's nuts, while the other half is nodding in agreement. Either way, my gifted class is just like me, so maybe there's something to this?
I also have multiple pet peeves when it comes to drivers, but I've already written about this: Idiot Drivers
Now on to a pet peeve that matters a little more.
Religion.
I know many feel like they are doing G-d's work or saving my soul when they try to push me to believe what they believe, but I find it nauseating. I don't tell you who or what you should worship, so how dare you try to push your beliefs on me! Missionaries who venture into some Arab countries have found themselves in fear for their lives. While I don't condone putting missionaries to death, I certainly understand the anger. People who have been practicing their beliefs their entire lives don't appreciate some no nothing telling them they are wrong. Just like you value your religion, I value mine and others value theirs. I don't tell you that your life learnings are incorrect nor do I tell you you're going to H*ll if you don't believe what I believe. So, this is my true pet peeve... leave me alone.
At the same time, I can appreciate those missionaries who have made a difference in the lives of starving people in third world countries. It's all a matter of who they approach and how. Along this line, I have friends who have told me that they pray for me. While I appreciate their concerns and know they do it out of love, if they are praying for me to change my religion, they're wasting their time. I love my faith.
My intelligent and learned brother has seen the end of missionaries trying to convert him. The last poor guy to walk across his threshold found his beliefs thrown back at him in such a way that he had no choice: he could admit that what he preached was messed up or give away his pants. The missionary left in his underwear.☺
23 comments:
Well done, Joyce! Your first few paragraphs sound like OCD to me, which I have, so I can relate to that crooked poster and the need to have certain things done just so. And I so hear you about the kids in drooping pants! I respect your adherence to your own faith, too. Certain of those door-to-door proselytizers (I won't name them) annoy the heck out of me, too. That's a funny story about your brother!
durn tootin the peanut butter HAS to spread over every square inch...:)
Atthe beginning I thought you'd go in a different direction with the post, you did surprise me!
When she was a kid, my daughter used to mess with the photo frames in the living room so that they'd be just enough 'off' of make me nuts. It didn't take much.
And as far as the "my path is the only path" religious folks, oh yes. In fact, I listed door-to-door religion peddlers on my pet peeves blog just a few minutes ago.
I've never met your brother, but he rocks. :O)
Oh, I do appreciate this one. Yep, I can climb aboard that train... would it surprise you to find out my spices are alphabetized? hah! Keeping this list short was a feat in and of itself for me, you did it well!
Last week someone stuck some religious literature into the door handle of my car when I was in work, I was a little P.O.ed about it. I don't like being handed literature about this Church or that Church. I don't like people questioning me about my faith. If I feel my life is lacking in that way I will seek out a Church (or Temple, or Mosque).
my biggest beef lately is people who don't use their blinker while driving!!
http://www.thehunsblog.com/
I love this because I could have basically written it! I just had those door knockers last week and as usual, I let them knock and continued to sit here and watch them go back to their cars. I am a deeply spiritual person and me and God are doing just fine without the door knockers.
I'm pretty OCD myself and doubt it has anything whatever to do with my intellect, such as it is, but I think it has a great deal to do with genetics and appreciation of order. Things in there place just make me happy.
And the droopy pants make me want to give them a wedgy!
Ditto, Ditto, I often wonder what the IQ of one of those boxer butts has. "I am so smart, let me show you my butt, my drawers are hanging on my knees, I must be a genious!"
LOL....Marc
I didn't realize how much alike we are. That's scary. LOL
Cute clip. I think I flew with that guy. He reacts the same way to airline coffee.
Too funny about the missionary and your brother.
I agree that no one has the right to force or push their religion on anyone else, even their friends. In our state we had a recent controversy about a prayer hanging in a public school in the auditorium. The Federal Court rightly found this unconstitutional and yet some people could not see how this was wrong, even people with previous liberal leanings. In my perfect world, everyone can happily believe what they feel in their hearts and no one should try to make their beliefs others' beliefs. (loved that pants picture).
Pam
I must admit I'm like that for the most part and really do not like a mess or things out of place.
While I don't think anyone should try to convert anyone else, I wish people could talk about and share their religions with each other without prejudice. I think it's good to hear about other people's faiths and religious celebrations.
It can't be comfortable wearing your pants like that. That's one of my pet peaves too.
Voted for you on PF.
Crooked posters bug me, but not the extent of doors. I have grown accustomed to being laughed at because of my door 'thing'. Doors have to be left open at the correct angle. If the gap is too wide or too narrow, my brain is itching to escape my skull and find some doorless corner to recover in. It's ridiculous, has no base in reality that I have found, but oh boy is it a peeve with a capital 'Sort the door out!'
Great post, really enjoyed it :o)
I don't think you have OCD. There is a fine difference between the small daily rituals we have, and the obsession all towels corners must match up all over the world or you shall go mad. If your bread must have peanut butter from corner to corner it is a ritual. If everyone sitting at the table must spread their peanutbutter from corner to corner lest you go spastic, then... well, then you've got a problem.
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Oh, and the trousers hanging at half-mast with their bums hanging out... I don't get it either. It's plain stupid - like caps sitting half-cocked on heads these days.
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And fortunately I live in a country where you can give Jehovah Witnesses "House-Verbot" which prevents them from ringing your doorbell. If they ignore it, they can be taken away by the police for trespassing. Same thing in the pedestrian zones. You tell them to back off, and if they don't they get escorted away by the police. Funny how only the Americans have to missionise the rest of the world...
::nodding in agreement:: I can pretty much identify with all of your pet peeves. (I'm not sure if that's good for you or unfortunate for you!) Especially the one about people trying to push religion onto others.
I must be more gifted than I would have thought because you were describing me there in the beginning. And we have a light switch here that flips the wrong way that drives me nuts!
I can't stand the shove-it-down-your-throat people either. That's not going to win anyone over. Though they may have a few that play along just to get them to go away and leave them alone. I'm open about my faith but I'm not going to tell someone to believe like me or condemn yourself to hell. Everyone has to follow their own heart, which ever way it leads them. If someone is confused and comes to me, I will gladly answer any questions they have for me, but, it's up to them to follow their heart.
you hit the religion spect just right... i so agree... leave me alone... i can figure it out all by myself... thank you very much.
Well done! You definitely hit the religion thing on the head. Bravo. Someone definitely needed to say it!
Kathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com/
so symbolic the underwear..crooked picture and missionary!! LOLOL YUP i hear ya we all love balance and usually what we peeve we become ..i say DON'T WEAR UNDERWARE...but then you might leave a snail trail (sorry..have Gail's blog still in my mind) LOLOL
MUAH!
i mean ELAINE's blog.....dang.......my pet peeve......forgetting NAMES! :/
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