A Few of My Least Favorite Things

There are beliefs worth fighting for, things people feel passionately about, then there are also things in life that are simply annoying. They are those crazy things that you’re not going to go to the mat on, but you do wish they were simply different or nonexistent. Honestly, I have been known to climb on top of my soapbox and rant about my items from time to time. I like to think my rants make the world a better place, or are at least a little entertaining. In an effort to positively impact the world or at least garner a few laughs I’ve listed the top four below. Please note, I realize these are on some level very superficial and do not ultimately have any eternal significance.

4. Cooking Competition Shows – The fact these shows have an audience truly baffles me. You don’t get a copy of the recipe, the opportunity to smell the food they are making and certainly don’t get to taste it. So, for an hour (or so) you sit at home, watching people throw a bunch of random ingredients together and wait for the final moment when someone other than you goes over and taste the food. You don’t even know the person tasting the food. Chances are they themselves look unkempt and if a friend took you to their house for dinner you’d likely request to stop for fast food on the way home. So, in brief, you spend approximately 50 minutes watching all of this go down, building up to the finale where some rando decides if they like the way it taste or not. Yeah, that’s definitely on the list of my least favorite things.

3. Bad Tippers – It’s so nice to go to dinner with friends. It’s not nice to go to dinner with cheap friends. My parents taught me that if you’re going to go out make sure you have enough money to tip a person. Oh and tipping should start at 20%. There are only the most severe of situations that justify dropping below this amount. Waiters and waitresses only make about $2.13 before tips. It is simply rude and irresponsible to stiff them. Perhaps the most annoying thing about this is when someone in your group offers to pay, which is nice but then proceeds to only leave 10% all the while flashing the bill in front of you. This is very awkward, do you embarrass this person who just bought your dinner by leaving more money on the table or do you leave without this poor waiter/waitress being compensated? These people bring you your food, they’re just trying to make some money and they aren’t doing anything illegal. Compensate them appropriately. Ultimately it only ends up being a couple of extra dollars. Also, don’t pray before your meal and then tick off the staff by stiffing them in the end, you’re not helping anyone. Yes, you just earned a spot on the list.

2. When Guys don’t Give Up their Seats on the Metro – Call me old fashioned or tell me I’m crying out for chivalry, but in the end it’s simply common courtesy. I realize I grew up in the South where people are generally nicer (bless their hearts), but common courtesy should be just that, common. Many a southerner has ridden the Metro and been anything but a gentleman though. I ride the Metro (subway for those of you not in the D.C. area) often and it blows my mind that guys will not get up to let a girl or older person sit down. Not once have I seen a guy ask a girl if she wants to sit down and that girl turn around, accost him declaring woman’s rights and start burning her bra. I’ve also never seen a guy ask an older person if they want to sit down and then that person start yelling about ageism. These things don’t happen, so get up. Ugh, it’s staying on the list.

1. Local News – Wow, Jodie has heard many a rant on this one. I really can’t stand local news. There’s one station here in particular that has the worst advertisements for their news broadcasts. Popping up on the screen and saying, “Man shot at 11:00,” is not appropriate. Do you plan for the man to be shot at 11:00? I’m confused. This is the same news station whose anchors switched clothing during a commercial break because they “thought no one would notice,” yeah we noticed and we called about it…twice. In general local news is terrible. They don’t tell you anything you want to hear. It’s rare they share anything that’s truly news or you couldn’t simply find out on the internet. The main reason for watching local news is so you can find out the weather; however, you have to sit through 10 minutes of reporting on the weather that has already happened and then finally get a report for the next day (that will likely be wrong) and last a maximum of 30 seconds. Local news is totally number one on this list.

I’ve been told I’m idealistic yet believe I’m a cynic. I know, it’s an interesting world in which I’m living. I’m fine with it.