Coming off the week of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the latest "Giving Tuesday" (which I think is a long overdue addition), I'm adding my own contribution: Whiny Wednesday. I can't figure it out, but lately I feel like the season of holiday love and cheer has been traded in for rudeness, narcissism, entitlement, and big meanie-headed jerks. Despite my "30 Days of Thankfulness" posts on Facebook, my newfound zeal for the Christmas craziness, and trying my darnedest to be positive and cheery in my 27th year... I'm constantly having the rug of decency pulled out from under me, and I'm starting to panic.
What else is there to do but blog about it?
So, my friends, a good old fashioned Breakfast at Target rant might help me out...
Ladies & Gentlemen:
Whiny Wednesday
What else is there to do but blog about it?
So, my friends, a good old fashioned Breakfast at Target rant might help me out...
Ladies & Gentlemen:
Whiny Wednesday
| A very frustrated SuperGirl. By Ricken Art on Deviant Art. |
Why are emails and phone calls so hard to return?
Seriously, my job productivity depends on it. I have a personal 24-48 hour policy for all communications. I don't understand how people can be glued to their phones but not take two minutes to confirm or at least acknowledge simple inquiries. A month might have been acceptable in the wild west circa 1880, but I'm pretty convinced you're a lazy-pants if I have to spend that long just trying to move things along. I'm always flabbergasted at folks who say, "Thanks for returning my call/email!" -- well, you're welcome, but isn't that just doing my job?
Why is "excuse me" so hard to say?
It's unbelievable how many people would rather thrust their shoulders or elbows into my back or dramatically weave through the space between myself and the aisle, a'la Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment, instead of piping up with a quick "excuse me" or "pardon me." I know I'm a big girl, but as shocking as it sounds, I DO move. So sorry I didn't see you sneaking up behind me -- as soon as I get my boob job, my next procedure will be getting eyes in the back of my head. I'd hate to make you uncomfortable being polite.
How are companies with sketchy policies and crummy customer service STILL in business?
I have had not one, but FOUR terrible interactions this week with places of business who all gave me the royal Cinderella treatment (evil step-sister kind, not the rags-to-riches crap). Absurdly long holds, crummy background music, mispronouncing my name (despite getting a new and easy to pronounce last name), the scoffs and heaves and sighs while they process my request, and the grand finale of "well, sorry, there's nothing we can do." SORRY? Yes, YES you are. (PS. This isn't even related to holiday stuff... dear Lord, I hope this isn't a bad sign.)
When did Instagram become the new MySpace?
Y'all know I am a fan of all things hipster - it entertains and delights my wanna-be plaid wearing, cooky music lovin' self, and Instagram makes me happy with all it's "film"-esque photos of food and fixtures and what normally would be plain, everyday objects/moments. But scrolling through and seeing endless slews of self-portraits (or "selfsies" as I've recently discovered they're called) rattles me back to 2003 where mirror-flashed humanoids and duck-faced freaks had the proverbial long arm awkwardly dangling along the photo. I understand we all have a good hair/face day worthy of a little self-promotion (I'm due for one in 2014, I JUST know it), but c'mon, we don't need 84 versions of it. And the multiple filters don't make it any easier to digest. (*But I will always love ridiculous animal/family photos - you can post 284 versions of those with as many filters as you want.)
He is my husband, my hubs, my main man, my main squeeze, my lover, my lov-ah, my favorite, and/or my mister. But for the love of scotch, he is NOT my hubby.
"Hubby" rhymes with chubby. "Chubby" is not endearing. "Hubby" is for squealy girls who can't think of a more clever nickname.
Likewise, I am not his "wifey." I am his Imperial Goddess Deserving of All Her Desires.* Ah-thank you.
(*Oh lighten up, my desires are a sandwich with glass of cheap wine, GAWSH.)
But really...
In a world where literally we are more "social" than ever, you'd think we'd have evolved in our social courtesies. Yet instead, folks publicly denounce people, carelessly make fun at serious events, openly purge their most "didn't-need-to-know-that" information, cowardly hide behind the computer screen with their brazen remarks, and shamelessly self-promote how cool/bad-ass/intellectual they think they are... and I'm wondering if I've ever made anyone roll their eyes and feel the same about me. If so, it was never my intention. And I'm happy to treat you to coffee/wine/waffles and prove to you I'm just a small-town girl, living in a blurry, scary world.
And luckily...
I am very, VERY fortunate to have a group of friends, family, co-workers, bloggin' buddies, and the occasional happenstance encounters that always remind me humanity isn't totally doomed. And if it is, WELL, thank goodness for reasonably priced drinks at happy hours.
And, with that, the evening is drawing to a close and I'm happy to have survived the hump of this week. Thursday is Friday eve, so I'm lookin' up on the downhill slide.
If you've got rants to share and things to get off your chest, consider my comments section cheap therapy. Have at it!
Hugs & High Fives,
C
If you've got rants to share and things to get off your chest, consider my comments section cheap therapy. Have at it!
Hugs & High Fives,
C
Completely agree - why can't people return calls and emails?! This boggles my mind.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've found the key to Instagram is that its newness allowed me to be highly selective in whom I followed! Finally, I'm free of all those FB friends from 2007. You gotta try it.
Don't follow them... HUH! Totally not being sarcastic - I felt some kind of guilt that they're following me but they're "contributions" were really making me gag... but you're totally right, I owe them no social debt. Just detoxed and now I'm back to my ironically blissful hipster happiness. :)
DeleteI almost forgot to agree about hubby. HUBBY, ughhhh.
ReplyDeleteI want to punch myself just repeating it my head. HUBBYYYYYY!!! GAAAH!
DeleteOverly "selfying" is grounds for an unfollowing over in "gradysgal world" We (myself and other personalities) don't put up with that at all. I am grateful that people still put up with my food pics-- sorry y'all, I paid butt loads of money to learn how to make awesome meals and desserts. I feel like I'm being paid back a little everytime I can post about one. :)
ReplyDeleteBut oddly, (and this is going to sound totally cheesy), my days feel happier overall since I've added an hourly timer to ding on the hour every hour during my waking hours so that I can asses what I'm grateful for in that moment, what is lovely, noble, excellent, or noteworthy around me, and who God loves. It was the recommendation from this past week's sermon at my church and I'm kind of super loving it because it's helping me ignore more of the stupidity around me. (Just dinged as I typed this and the answers in same order were: opportunity to share with friends, appropriate venues for opening up such as blogs, and you, Celia!)
It really is a pity you and your family members don't live closer... I don't know if it's our cooky parents (LOVE YA Deb & Bill!), our hilarious lot of siblings (LOVE YA Tracy, Michelle, and Will!), or just our lack of fascination with the things society tells us we're supposed to like/do/think, but I'm appreciated for all your vibes, Patricia. :)
DeleteAnd DARNED STRAIGHT, if I could pay you a dollar for all the fantastic foodie posts, I would I WOULD. By over-priced education is hardly as fascinating.
I'm really liking the hourly gratitude thing... like, seriously. I'm very much an in-the-moment person, so it makes a lot of sense to me. I'll give it a try... and let you know how that goes. :)
You know I always knew we were blogging soul mates, but your rant on hubby/wifey? CLINCHED IT.
ReplyDeleteHOW DID WE START TALKING LIKE THAT? Who the hell thinks that's attractive? Hubby? Are you kidding me? It's my number-one pet peeve about the internet. YES. Number one. Even before those damn "selfsies" or chatspeak or not-funny LOLcats. Hubby offends me both as a independent woman and a fierce devotee and protector of the English language.
And now that I've gotten that on my chest, I can applaud you on your Journey reference. Well done, madam.
I just KNEW you would understand me, I did I DID! True story: I almost took that part out because I thought it was a little random, but I just felt like I needed to say it so people would STOP using the term around me. But then I thought, "There will be somebody who agrees." Turns out it's one of the top things people comment about... CRAY CRAY.
DeleteI make daily reference to Journey in real life... a little sad, but there's always somebody who eventually gives me the nod of approval. HUZZAH.
"I don't understand how people can be glued to their phones but not take two minutes to confirm or at least acknowledge simple inquiries."
ReplyDeleteSing it, Sister. I can't even handle that crap.
I call people out on it... especially if we're at lunch/in a meeting/etc. and they're obsessing over their phone: "Well since you're not paying attention to me/what's going on, maybe you can reply to that email I send you earlier this week." LAME.
DeleteI want to add a promise to never say hubby in my wedding vows! Thank you thank you thank you for pointing that out. I want to vomit every time someone says that!
ReplyDeleteThat is a GREAT vow to add. Superb, bravo!
DeleteThe picture!! OMG!!! SUCH SUPERGIRL-ISH WHINY AWESOMENESS!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd can I add to the social media grumblings that it irks me when people get all up mine about Pinterest? I'm not on there too much but when I pin something it's more for myself and I REALLY DON'T NEED PEOPLE TO MESSAGE ME THAT THEY DON'T LIKE ONE OF MY BOARDS?? Unfollow me! I. Do. Not. Care!
*rant off*
WOW! Pinterest??? Isn't that what personal accounts are for -- yourself and things you want/like/are inspired by??? Amazing how freaks will go stupid over something that doesn't affect them AT ALL. HELLO, there IS an unfollow!
DeleteI can't tell if my comment posted because blogger just blinked at me when I hit publish. >.> <.< BLOGGER WHY DO YOU MOCK ME SO? *will check back since I know comment require approval from Celia before they show up*
ReplyDeleteI ironically made the settings what I thought would be EASIER for people to post... and somehow it's made it more complicated??? You're not the first person to mention it... UGH! I'll try again!!
DeleteI love it. You are impeccable as usual. :) Could not agree more on all of the above, especially the hubby thing! It weirds me out the most when my Dad says something like "Was that your hubby on the phone?" I feel like it's even worse when a man says it. Makes me cringe every time! Ha, anyway, keep it up girl, you're a lovely distraction from the teenaged nonsense I deal with on a daily basis. :)
ReplyDeleteImpeccable? Incorrigible, maybe... but I appreciate it. :)
DeleteEWWWWW! Menfolk saying, "Hubby"?!?! Hahahaha!!! You're right, that is WORSE!
And hey, if you need to me to come give it straight to your teenaged turds, I'll be HAPPY to crash your class. ;) HA! (But seriously...)
Great rant! Naturally I was looking hard at that Instagram one to see if I was causing you any grief, but it seems like my pictures were spared this round. Hubby, elbows in the back-totally agree.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't cause me grief if you tried. :) In fact, I very much love your Instagram posts!
Delete