Things that REALLY Grind My Gears

I thought about it today and realized that there are a lot of things that bother me about the world. I figure it's better to jot them down in a journal or blog than let the things get to me, so here we go. A list of things that tick me off.

- People who act like they are too busy for life, and then want to be your friend when it's convenient for them rather than trying to make you a priority and make the time work (this is not directed at any specific person, rather it's just something that has happened a lot to me in my life).

- I hesitate to use the word "men" because real "men" probably have this figured out by now, but here we go anyway... Men who treat women like a. We owe them something, b. We should just forget about them when they are ready to move on from us in a dating relationship/friendship/etc., c. We should be kissing their feet simply because God created them first (I think that's really STUPID rationale when quite frankly without women, for a myriad of reasons, the world would literally stop turning)... mainly I'm just tired of "men" who WISH they were men rather than little boys, or those who can't grow up out of their immaturity (the college years DO end you know!). Furthermore...

- If you are 26 years old, you are a male, and you don't have your life figured out yet, now might be the time. It might be the time to STOP playing around with female hearts, GET a real job, SHOW the world that you have some direction... I understand extenuating circumstances, but there is no reason for a 26 year old man to be making out with girls and then disrespecting them in social situations (spoken from experience, it's true).

- The sound that drippy things make (like the shredded beef I took out of Amanda's crock pot tonight... yuck). This sound also goes with the noise coffee makes when being poured into a cup. It literally makes me cringe.

- Wind. I know it sounds weird, but... I get so annoyed when I am trying to do something, and either my hair is all a mess, or my belongings are blowin' everywhere... Just tonight for example, I was trying to change the windshield wipers on my truck and fill up my windshield wiper fluid. Then the F'ing wind comes up and I have to fasten down everything that would fly away (the packaging for the new wiper blades etc). DUMB. Wind is pointless, and it is rarely welcomed. Especially when it's hot air or that really foolish 40 mph wind that usually indicates the monsoon is about to make its unwelcomed appearance.

- People who come into where I serve food and tell me "I know... I serve(d) food, too. I know what it's like." No, you really don't know what it's like! Yes you have probably dealt with foolish people in the past, people who don't know how to tip or treat other human beings in general, but working at Oregano's is not like working at random Jo Schmo restaurant down the street. It is nothing like Applebee's or any place like that, and I can ASSURE you that it is absolutely nothing like Black Angus. Everything is different, from the emphasis we place on the guest, to how much heart we put into our pizza. So please, do your servers a favor and don't tell them you know how hard they've got it. That is, unless you plan on leaving like a 25% tip.

- I could go on all day about the things that bother me in food service, but my love for it outweighs the nit-picky things I hate about it. I will say one more thing though: people who come in, tell you what a great server you are, what amazing service they were given, how tasty the food was and how at home they feel, then barely tip 15%. If we wowed you, tip us 20 or 30! I appreciate all the tips I get because I Know times are tough. The very fact that people are coming out to eat and dine with me at all is a miracle itself. But along with verbal praise, the way I can be shown gratiTUDE is through gratUITY. That's how I make my money, that is what pays for my college expenses, and that is what I want. I can't pay bills with how much you loved the pizza. And again, I am appreciative of all the money I do make, but this is just me being nitpicky.

- Girls who KNOW their advantages in life and make other people feel worthless because they are not under the same advantage. In my case, it is girls/women/females who have "generous proportions" as I'll politely put it... for those of you who are a little slower I'll spell it out for you... there are too many women these days who use their breasts and "assets" to get what they want. Whether it's in the work place or at the bars. Unfortunately in a lot of scenarios that is all the person cares about who is honoring this ubiquitous use of blessings, so it works out for both of these parties. But really, in 10 years, your boobs will be saggy anyway, and I'll still make great conversation and have intellect and/or experiences worth sharing with others. You will have a few one night stands, liver cancer, and possibly herpes. For the men reading this who are offended: you know you do this, and FYI boobs and ass do not talk back. They cannot cook your dinner. They will not raise your children. They will not care about you when the world is making you feel small. Most importantly, they will not love you. So... think about it.

- Friends who are not friends. Friends who used to be friends. In hindsight I realize it's a lot like losing touch with the people we went to elementary school/junior high and high school together... maybe you shared a few valuable experiences but in reality those people are not your lifetime friends. It is unfortunate that I have just recently learned this at 22 years old, when a lot of the people who I thought were true friends were actually just pieces of my present becoming my past. This, I realized, doesn't mean I shouldn't put value and effort into their friendships. However, it does mean that the recognition of these relationships early will often prevent you from disappointment by their actions later.

- People who take on leadership positions purely for the perks. They are not benefiting the team, they are being selfish. They were hired because they can hit an interview out of the park, if we are speaking in baseball terms. They feigned enthusiasm and attitude and heart and desire to get what ultimately would only benefit them and hurt others. Being a CA has really opened up my eyes to what potential there lies in the business world for people getting jobs who have no business having them, or just having the job for the wrong reasons. After the little I have read in the last week or so about leaders... I mean we really need to start hiring people who are GREAT. Not people who are okay, or who will foot the bill, fill the "pozish." People who have PASSION and ZEAL and who really want to make things better for other people. People who care about others. That's what I want to see.

- If I hear one more person tell me what a poor choice of career move I made in my decision to become an elementary school teacher, I am going to scream. After what I Just said about leadership and taking the position for the betterment of society... if I wanted to make 6 figs I would have majored in business. But I didn't. I majored in liberal arts, because I wanted to diversify my field of knowledge and have more of the tools at hand I would need to single handedly attempt making the world a better place. CEOs and fat cats on Wallstreet are not our heroes: teachers, firefighters, police officers, army men and women, librarians, professors... these are our heroes. Serving the greater good, furthering the knowledge and safety of our country. We are not a dumb nation, but we will become one if we keep placing emphasis on areas it doesn't belong (hello AZ budget cuts on education MAYYYBEEEE?).

That's all I've got for now. Working a double in the morning.