Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Grumpy Humpy Day! (With camels. Of course.)

Okay, everybody, sing along! It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Well, except when something ticks you off. Anyone else notice how quickly people can go from jolly




to Grinchy



in two seconds flat?

Especially in parking lots. Or store lines. Or at the post office.

Normally, I'm a pretty happy camel--er, woman. Yesterday, though, when TG and I were circling an extremely full parking garage, I noticed a car straddling the line between two parking places, obviously intentionally, taking up two spaces instead of one.

Now, it was a very fine car -- a Corvette, as a matter of fact -- and I can understand why the own wouldn't want to risk getting any dings in the paint from careless car-door-opening parking garage neighbors.

But DAY-AM, straddle-parkers!

Don't you know your risk of getting keyed for your inconsideration outweighs the chance of getting dinged? (Er, not that we *cough* did any such thing...)

Okay, so now you know one of my pet peeves. What about you? Anything get your blood up during this fine season? Any good tips on how to deal with it?



23 comments:

Kerry Schafer said...

Stupid parking always does get me a little aggravated. But I've got to admit that for me it's just really crowds. Of any kind. Large groups of people who are IN MY WAY. Because, naturally, I am separate and not part of the crowd. Even though I am also there, taking up space. But I'm special.

Patty Blount said...

Yes, selfish parking raises my blood pressure, but mall pedestrians are the WORST.

You know how you're walking along keeping pace with the people in front of you and BAM! they stop in the middle of the aisle with absolutely no warning and you crash into them almost dropping the extremely fragile gift you just waited thirty minutes to pay for and then they glare at you like you planned the whole damn thing?

*breathes in, breathes out* Yeah. That.

Delia Moran said...

I'm pretty easy going, but that parking situation would have made me want to squidge my car into the remaining space just to assure that straddler didn't have enough room to open his (yes, I'm assuming, but that doesn't make me wrong) door. Otherwise, it's people who bring the whole fam-damily Christmas shopping at ten at night when the kids are clearly past their sleep-expiration and throwing tantrums because they're tired and their parents insist on parading them past a thousand toys they are not allowed to have. Parents: If there are two of you, one of you needs to stay home and get those kids to bed. Ahhh. I feel better now. Thanks. Oh, and nice camel.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Surly rudeness puts a damper on my jolly. (but only for a little while) It bugs me, too, when someone takes huge offense and makes this big ordeal out of someone saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." One guy made a big stink because our radio club had a Holiday party, as opposed to a Christmas party. (It is NOT an all-Christian club.)

Carol Kilgore said...

I don't like to shop to begin with, and I do a lot online. But in December in the real world the parking situation is horrendous, and people with colds should stay home.

Judy, Judy, Judy said...

This will probably make me unpopular but I hate xmas carols. And guess what they've started playing at work? It is so unfair that I have to be subjected to that. I mean, really, you can't get through the workday without them.
I love your camels however. When I'm at work and wanting to kill someone (especially if they start playing the chipmunks as threatened) I'm going to remember your camels.

Teri Anne Stanley said...

I always think the same thing about the "I have a better car than you so I get two parking spaces" people...they are just asking to get vandalized. And then I think, "Well, they had to get that Corvetted to compensate for some sort of sexual disfunction, so maybe I'll just let them keep their illusions a little longer."

Anne Gallagher said...

You know, I find this post extremely amusing. I am one of the grinchiest people all year long. I find waiting in lines offensive, parking straddlers always get an expletive thrown at them, I'm nasty, surly, and just a down-right grump.

But then, for some crazy reason, the holiday crap doesn't bother me. I can wait in a line like I'm waiting for cotton candy. I hold doors, I let others take my coveted parking space, I wish everyone a happy holiday. Don't ask me why, I'm not terribly jolly.

I guess it comes down to remembering there's a reason for the season.

And What I learned it Kindergarten - play nice, share your crayons, and don't spit. (Ah ha, a camel reference just for you Linda.)

Kimberly Sabatini said...

Grrr I hate that too. I also can't stand when people don't let a little kid cut the line in the bathroom. Are you really going to make a 2 year old wet their pants people???? Are you that desperate to get back to your holiday shopping???? Okay...I'm done.

Diane Henders said...

The camels are priceless! My face looked exactly like that last night, when Hubby proudly showed me his new digital multimeter. Like the one I just busted my butt picking out, making a trip to the specialty electronics store, and paying a bundle for.

No, I don't have anything that peeves me. Heck, no. Merry f...
Never mind.

Steph Schmidt said...

Huzzah! You triumphed over the html!!

The outpouring of generosity this season for the stories that have made the news of people in dire straights has me unable to be grumpy. Yes I'm a little sleep deprived, tired of walking into buildings that have smokers all crowded around the door polluting the air, etc. Then I realize I'm rather fortunate to be in the position I am - even if it makes me terribly afraid and more than a little sad I'm moving more into the real world.

Patsy said...

If people are that worried about their paintwork they should get the bus to the shops. Grrr.

I deal with stuff like this by writing the offending person into a story and then killing them horribly.

LD Masterson said...

Nice camel pics.

My grrr is related to an earlier comment. I won't object to anyone saying Happy Holidays, but please don't tell me it's un-PC for me to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Linda G. said...

Kerry -- LOL! You ARE special. You stand out in a crowd. (Though apparently not happily.)

Patty -- I hear ya! And why do they always insist on stopping where they block the most traffic?

Delia -- LOL! Might have tried to squeeze into the space left, but I don't think we could have managed without serious damage to our own car. And I totally agree about leaving the poor kids home -- it's too much to expect them to behave under those circumstances.

Susan -- Yeah. Why assume offense? Just take well-wishes at face value. :)

Carol -- I know! Still, sometimes going out with a cold can't be helped.

Triple-J -- Aw, thanks. Glad my camels could cheer you up. :)

Teri Anne -- LOL! Yeah, that same thought often crosses my mind, too. Which probably doesn't surprise anyone.

Anne -- Hmmm. Or maybe you're just contrary. *grinning, ducking & running*

K-pop -- Oh, that one steams me, too! Let the toddler pee first, for heaven's sake!

Diane -- Ha! Doesn't it always seem to go that way?

Steph -- I did! :) Don't be afraid. You are going to ROCK the real world!

Patsy -- LOL! I've been known to take revenge on paper, too.

LD -- Like I said to Susan, everyone should just take any well-wishes at face value, and not assume any antagonistic motives. :)

Dianne K. Salerni said...

For a holiday that's supposed to be about "good will toward men" -- I see a lot of really bad behavior from people. Black Friday riots, for instance. The parking issues listed above. People snapping rudely at the clerks in the stores.

And while I have never, EVER heard someone tell another person "You can't say Merry Christmas anymore" -- I hear a lot of people CLAIMING they've been told that and GRIPING about the use of Happy Holidays.

Every time I hear somebody complain that "people" won't "let" them say "Merry Christmas" -- I want to wish them a Happy Saturnalia.

Sarah Tokeley said...

Another reason I'm glad I don't drive :-)

When people are rude to me in shops I love to smile sweetly and say 'you're welcome'. It confuses the heck out of them :-)

Al said...

I have to say a carpark straddler like that might not come back to a dinged car, but in Oz there would be a good chance it would get keyed

Anonymous said...

I LOVE people who don't say thank you when you hold a door for them. Love them. I'm that person shouting 'you're welcome' after them if they don't.

Dawn@Lighten Up! said...

That is SO true! Something about driving turns people into total a-holes, er, Angry Elves.

abby mumford said...

massive crowds anywhere annoy me -- in the malls, in the parking lots, on the roads..... so i just turn up my christmas carols and revel in the joy of the holiday season.

Michele Shaw said...

For sure on the parking straddlers, and WHY can't anyone hold a dang door anymore? They see you coming with your arms full and let it slam in your face! Sheesh! Okay...I'm done. Thanks, Linda:)

Missy Olive said...

I just got back from Dubai so I'm catching up on all of my blogs.

This post (the camel pictures) made me remember one of my favorite aspects of my trip. I saw a real camel! It was amazing. I am a huge animal lover so it was not surprising for me. I had hoped we could go for a ride but we were late getting to the event so I was only able to take pictures.

Most of the people we met in Dubai were sweet, well-mannered, and very relaxed. We only met one grumpy taxi driver. However, up returning to NYC, we were greeted with an airport staff who was yelling at everyone (keep in mind that many of the people exiting the plane don't speak English as a first language). It was a sad realization about our culture.

Anonymous said...

Yes, people who are ungrateful About Everything. I actually see it more during "the season" than at other times. ~Mary