Sunday, April 05, 2009

Things that freak me out...but shouldn't

1. When people write "phew" when the better choice is most likely "whew." Here's an example, and another one here. True, "phew" does mean to express relief, but every time I hear it I think of the other definition which is showing a reaction to an unpleasant odor. Check the definitions of both words here and here, and see if you get freaked out like me.

2. Tipping. I griped about this a long time ago but I'm feeling another mention coming on. I don't believe customers should tip on the amount of the bill, but the number of trips the waitperson makes to the table. After all, the same hands bring me a nine-dollar pasta dish as do a 14-dollar steak, and yet I have to pay more for the waitperson to bring me the steak? So I've mentioned that before...my new tipping gripe is seeing tip jars on the counter by the register at SUBWAY! Subway is paying their people but I have to pay them, too? And don't even get me started about the Sonic carhops assuming I don't need that 14 cents so they don't offer it to me as change...

3. When restaurants store their ketchup on tables for 14 hours, but I must return mine to the refrigerator after two hours. If anyone has an explanation for this phenomenon, please let me know. I would really like to stop freaking out about this one.

4. Wire hangers on the floor. Oh, shush! I love my wire hangers and I haven't run through the house screaming with one (yet). It's just when one finds its way to the floor that freaks me out. For me, a wire hanger on the floor is a sign that my entire house is messy.

5. Not having showered after 10:00 a.m. I loathe getting up and taking a shower first thing in the morning, so every once in a while I take advantage of a Saturday and while away an hour or two drinking coffee and doing stuff around the house. Then the freakout begins: I have been known to stop a chore in the very middle of it and announce to Pete that I can no longer stand myself and bound upstairs to the shower. I'm not sure this freakout can ever be tamed.

6. "Regrets only" on an invitation. So let me get this straight: the sender assumes you'll be coming to the event unless you call them and say you can't make it. Presumptuous, I say!! With this "regrets only" stipulation, now the onus is on me to call the person and tell them I'm not coming? Maybe I feel bad enough for missing their shindig, now I gotta face the music and disappoint them? Because they told me to on the invitation? No thanks...any party invite from me is going to have the ol' RSVP and a good old fashioned email address or phone number.

7. Trash in my car. My car is not immaculate at all. But out-and-out trash in it is a freakout waiting to happen.

8. The other day when I waited 20 minutes in the drive-through lane at Walgreen's. And still didn't get my prescription. Because I got mad and drove away. On this one I think no one will blame me for a little freakin' out.

9.The fact that Alex (fully potty-trained) sometimes delays going to the bathroom in the morning...for two hours. He hasn't had an accident during the day in months. And yet it bothers me that he doesn't get straight up out of bed and head to the potty. It's not really a problem unless we're getting ready to leave the house, then I make him go. Then he's the one who does the freaking out. Anyone got a clue on that one?

10. Not blogging for a week. A healthy amount of freaking out is due here, but I'm trying not to let it get out of hand. I hate visiting blogs and seeing the same post for days and I don't want to do that to my readers. Hang in there with me...my breaks are never forever even if they seem like it.

There ya go. I bet I could come up with another ten pretty easily, but now I'm working on a list of things that don't freak me out, but should. I'm afraid that list might be a tad longer...

9 comments:

Chilihead said...

I hate the entire of idea of tipping! If you hire someone, it's *your* job, not mine, to pay your employees. If they're paid well, they will do well--the tip isn't an incentive to do better.

I would also point out that, since we'll always have to freaking tip, make sure you're tipping on the before-tax total. Why would you tip them for tax too? Ugh.

Scribbit said...

I think I love your blog even more now. Though I'm going to watch that phew/whew outrage closely. I have a feeling I've been guilty of it.

much more than a mom said...

My son often does the two hour pee holding thing too. What is UP with that? It's not normal, I'm sure.

Becky said...

Love the phew/whew bit. I notice that stuff too and it bugs!

I wish I had some of your neatness issues. They would help around here.

And one time I got my foot caught on a wire hanger on the floor, and the wire end stuck into the skin between my toes. They are a menace!

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm taking my own condiments to restaurants now, thanks for the enlightenment. I think you're pretty normal on all of these things.
jw

MG 3rd in line said...

Here is what freaks me out but shouldn't: you said "while away an hour or two" in #5. Someone of your apparent magnitudinous intelligence should have known to say "wile away". You hear me chuckling don't you?

Christine said...

MG: I've always admitted to being particular, but not perfect.

Anonymous said...

Ok. The bathroom thing. Mothers, you need to have bathroom procedures for your little ones or they could possibly have problems with bladder or other related issues later. This is true. They need good habits early and I wouldn't leave this judgement to them. When emptying the bladder and other things, children put it off until sometimes the last minute and that is not good. I'm a mother and teacher and believe me, I make 'em go. A pediatric urologist convinced me of this.

Anonymous said...

Here is what is freakin' me out lately: clerks and waitstaff with massive tattoos all over, piercings that I don't want to look at and greasy hair to go with it. rw