What is your pet peeve of the day?

[travelover]

Customer service - yes! My pet peeve is customer service where there is a single phone number for all representatives, so you can never follow up with a single representative and thus that representative has no accountability.

Example : You talk to a rep and they say they will take care of the problem. The problem continues. You call back, get a totally new person and go thorough the whole explanation, this rep says they will fix the problem. The problem continues.....rinse and repeat until you give up or get nasty and demand a supervisor, who promises to fix the problem. ....the problem continues.......

 

[MichaelB]

Has this been posted? My peeve is the people who aren't ready to pay at the grocery checkstand. The last can of beans goes over the scanner, the checker looks politely at Mrs Shopper, and then she opens her purse and looks for her checkbook. Is it a surprise that the store is going to want payment for the groceries? Is this her first experience with a grocery checkout?

I get behind the same people at the drive-up ATM. Was there no previous opportunity to get your card out and have it ready? Does it stay "fresher" in your purse?

Add people on their cellphones while the cashier waits - along with everyone else in line.

People who don't bother to read the thread before posting!

+1

 

[easysurfer]

My pet peeve of the day is folks who are all to ready to give advice on how to do something but when time comes to get things done, they find a reason to throw a wrench in the plans.

The details: I've been offering advice to my sister who wants to cut the cord for her TV. So we email back and forth, me telling her what I did (different DVRs to choose from, different antennas to get). On the last email, she writes back saying they don't want to order online and instead is only looking at one antenna from Walmart because if an antenna ordered online doesn't work, her husband doesn't want to have to mail it back.

My approach now is .... "Dear sister....keep me posted" instead go going out of my way to help.

But I think either when the switch doesn't work, they'll conclude OTA sucks and stick with DirectTV or my sister will finally say, "help me" and not listen to her husband blocking her project.

I emailed my sister who said that the plan with her and her husband is to cancel DirectTV and then get an antenna. Her email said her DH is procrastinating. (Serves her right for listening to him when he said he knows how to approach the project). Neither the cancellation or ota antenna is done. She says it won't surprise her if things get pushed back another month. I won't be surprised if by that time, her DH decides it's too cold to put up an antenna

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I agree that penalties should be high for those who park where they don't belong. However, don't be quick to judge someone who parks in a handicapped space and doesn't appear handicapped. My Mom is a good example. She's been partially handicapped for over 20 years and has a plaque that she uses regularly. If you only see her for a few second walking from car to store you probably wouldn't think she'd disabled but she is. Every step she takes is painful and that will always be the case for her. She doesn't need a wheelchair, walker, or cane but deserves that parking spot as much as anyone else with a disability.

I worked with a guy like this. We were in the same building, but I didn't know him personally. Every day he pulled his Jeep up to a handicapped spot in front of the building and strolled on in. He had no discernible handicap. I was always skeptical, but never said anything.

I was very grateful that I'd kept my mouth shut when I saw him at a company picnic in shorts and a T-shirt. His shorts gave me a great view of his full prosthetic leg.

 

[ERD50]

I worked with a guy like this. We were in the same building, but I didn't know him personally. Every day he pulled his Jeep up to a handicapped spot in front of the building and strolled on in. He had no discernible handicap. I was always skeptical, but never said anything.

I was very grateful that I'd kept my mouth shut when I saw him at a company picnic in shorts and a T-shirt. His shorts gave me a great view of his full prosthetic leg.

And a good thing - you could have ended up with his foot in your mouth. But your foot would have already been there!

-ERD50

 

[Major Tom]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

 

[REWahoo]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

Tough.

 

[Major Tom]

 

[Meadbh]

Sorry MT. Do that all the time. Not a twitterer!

 

[Major Tom]

Sorry MT. Do that all the time. Not a twitterer!

That post of yours, Meadbh, was fine. I'm not talking about shortened sentences such as the ones you used - I'm talking about the insertion of periods into sentences in such a way as to interrupt the cadence and natural flow of the thought.

This. Is what. I'm talking. About.

It seems to be something that kids under 35 do. I think it's supposed to be hip and cool but as I am well over 35, it is a secret that I cannot possibly ever be allowed in on.

If I were to start a blog, fill it with partial sentences like that, and get a few tattoos, I would be cool. But I'm not going to, so I won't ever be.

 

[aja8888]

I'm talking about the insertion of periods into sentences in such a way as to interrupt the cadence and natural flow of the thought.

This. Is what. I'm talking. About.

Understand Tom.

In my part time work, I sometimes I review technical reports before they go to clients. These are all written by engineers (I am one too). There are two areas that get under my skin and don't ever seem to get corrected on the next reports:

1. Incomplete sentences (like no verb?)

2. Paragraph long sentences with rolling thoughts and no conclusions (rambling without punctuation, etc). (We have a senior Geologist that will fill a page with words, use commas here and there, and never use a period).

I am far from being an English major but seem to be a cut above the group. Then again, some of the stuff I see coming from our clients isn't much better.

 

[robnplunder]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

Acronyms, acronyms, acronyms. FWIIW, similar post as this were already posted in this thread but this one deserves another billing. LOL.

 

[MichaelB]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

Not a big Hemmingway fan?

 

[Major Tom]

Not a big Hemmingway fan?

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I am not a literary person at all. I read reference and editorial content, but not works of fiction (well, hardly ever). Perhaps this explains my rather buttoned-down approach to grammar.

 

[MichaelB]

No need to be embarrassed. Everyone is different. Hemmingway wrote in short sentences.

 

[Major Tom]

Understood. I bet his sentences still made sense though. A regular, and not choppy cadence.

 

[MichaelB]

You are correct. His sentences were short. The harmony was masterful.

 

[steelyman]

I had a chat yesterday with my pianist about authors. Our current top three.

His were Salinger, Vonnegut, and Fitzgerald.

I agreed, except Steinbeck instead of Vonnegut (who I am not familiar with). But Hemingway got the nod from both of us.

 

[splitwdw]

I worked with a guy like this. We were in the same building, but I didn't know him personally. Every day he pulled his Jeep up to a handicapped spot in front of the building and strolled on in. He had no discernible handicap. I was always skeptical, but never said anything.

I was very grateful that I'd kept my mouth shut when I saw him at a company picnic in shorts and a T-shirt. His shorts gave me a great view of his full prosthetic leg.

I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

 

[aja8888]

I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

I have a titanium hip implant and don't even know it's there (but it's not anywhere like a whole leg device)! I would guess the plastic leg may not be painful once one has had it for a while. (speculation)

I have no handicap status and don't need it. Maybe the person referenced in the thread is using up the time left on his handicap plaque?

 

[easysurfer]

My current. Pet peeve. Is people who break up their sentences. Into much smaller sentences. That are not even full sentences. In a strange attempt. To create emphasis.

That is all.

Happens.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

I never asked. It seems to me that someone missing a limb (even if they've adapted to the loss well) is exactly who those spots were meant for.

Just guessing, but I imagine one might have good and bad days with a condition like that (just like any other physical malady). This was also nearly 20 years ago, and I think the technology on the prosthetics has improved since then, so they're probably lighter and more comfortable these days.

 

[M Paquette]

I thought that the parking spaces were meant for those with breathing/walking/pain problems. If your coworker can "stroll" without pain then why is he parking in the handicap space? Don't know anyone with a prosthetic leg; are they painful?

Based on the experience of a couple of friends, it varies. The type of fitting, how long it's been since the last time the device was fitted, and the distance walked are all factors. One fellow uses a suction fitting that was custom molded as part of an above-knee prosthetic leg with the fancy articulated knee and ankle pieces, and he can hike for hours right now. That's a pretty expensive leg, though, and after a couple of years it may not be as easy to use until a new fitting is molded for him. Another old veteran has an LC Knee prosthetic, which is pretty minimal. It works well enough to get him out of the car and to a grocery cart to lean on, but he won't be marching in any parades.

I'd suggest giving a person that relies on an artificial leg a pass.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[vince]

I had a chat yesterday with my pianist about authors. Our current top three.

His were Salinger, Vonnegut, and Fitzgerald.

I agreed, except Steinbeck instead of Vonnegut (who I am not familiar with). But Hemingway got the nod from both of us.

Kurt Vonnegut has (had) a unique style and slant on American life. His stories can make you laugh at the thought of dying. If, by any chance, you might like to sample his works, get "Welcome to the Monkey House". It's short stories and can be taken in small bites. One of his best works, IMO, in "Slaughterhouse Five" written about his experience as a POW during WWII, where he was in Dresden during the fire bombings. (Now who but Kurt could make you laugh at that experience)?

 

[steelyman]

Kurt Vonnegut has (had) a unique style and slant on American life. His stories can make you laugh at the thought of dying. If, by any chance, you might like to sample his works, get "Welcome to the Monkey House". It's short stories and can be taken in small bites. One of his best works, IMO, in "Slaughterhouse Five" written about his experience as a POW during WWII, where he was in Dresden during the fire bombings. (Now who but Kurt could make you laugh at that experience)?

Thanks! I'll put Vonnegut on my reading list. I did a multi-year project with a sharp guy from TU (Technical University) Dresden and learned of what the city went through during the war.