Back To School, Er, Work: So I finally got back to the ol' HWS front desk last night. Truth be told, I am glad I got the time off but I sort of missed the place. I feel a lot more loose and cool now and lets hope this feeling continues. No major problems, tried to get some laundry done but the rigors (ha!) of phone calls, toilet plunging, and toothbrush runs just wears me out, man. Had a talk with the general manager about some of the things that were bugging me and he said that he will try to take that pressure off my head as long as I try not to get upset over things I can't control. All gd, as he'd say.
And Now For Something Completely Different: I was on my way to work yesterday and I took a different route, from Liberty to 26th and then 26th to I-79. On my way, a driver in a Toyota truck almost t-boned me at the corner of Cascade and 26th. He pulled out behind me and was right on my tail for quite a ways. Then when the road split after Greengarden, he tried to pass me on the left but got caught up when another vehicle decided he was going to turn on Hampton Rd. I made it onto 79 and the guy was RIGHT ON MY TAIL.
As we pulled off the off ramp, he whipped out into the far left lane while he was still coming down the ramp and laid on the gas, flying by me at almost 75 miles at hour (at least). I got pissed for just a second, then realized that there's no reason at all to be mad. I didn't do anything wrong. For all I know, the guy might be heading home from work to his sick kids in school or maybe he found out his wife let the UPS guy in for a little more than just a drop off, who knows.
I turned off the Kearsarge ramp and got onto Interchange, and was stopped in traffic at the light over the bridge. And guess who was right beside me. Yep, you guessed it. Toyota truck dude.
Anyway, I remember the term "pet peeve" floating through my head for just a second, and I realized something.
What the hell is a pet peeve, anyway?
Seriously, think about it. Whats your pet peeve? When someone tailgates you? When someone has 11 items in the 10 items or less line? When your cat takes a dump in the litter box in the kitchen while you're trying to cook dinner? When NBC cuts off coverage of your soap so they can put on the President talking about who he is putting up for Cabinet appointments?
And we get all angry because of this.
Why?
What seriously changes your day if someone tailgates you? Are you really going to be all that much later because someone decided to carry one more item into the check out line? Are you going to smack your cat for doing his natural duty? Are you seriously going to absolutely die if you don't find out if Brooke is going to go back to Ridge, AGAIN?!
Come on. Pet peeves are stupid. We need, as a culture, to rid ourselves of the unneeded stress of the pet peeve. Unless your pet peeve is something that is unchangeable and is impeding your bloodflow, stop worrying about it. Really.
Am I wrong? I'd like your thoughts.
December 16, 2008
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1 comment:
I don't think protecting yourself is something to ignore. Yes, I do get pissed when someone tailgates me and, especially if I tap my brakes and they still follow too close. I warned you. All it takes is for a deer to run in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes at which point I'll be rammed from the car behind me holding a person who apparently thinks their reflexes are amazing. So, your day could be completely changed by an asshole tailgater. Or your life.
Do I freak out about it? No. I tap my brakes a few times as a warning. Then I'll go the actual speed limit (since I'll usually go 5 MPH faster). At this point they usually just pass me but I feel I made my point in a nonthreatening manner. Sometimes they don't pass, at which point I'll just pull over and let the ass go.
It will remain a pet peeve. Pet peeves are basically shunning other people's ignorance/stupidity. There is too much of it out there.
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