Complaints

This year, I gave up complaining for Lent. I'm not Catholic, but I think it's a good tradition to give up something for Lent as a reminder of the sacrifice Christ made for me so I do it (with varying degrees of sucess) every year. I used to give up soda, but now as an attempt at a more healthful lifestyle I only drink it about once a month anyway. Last year I gave up beer, but then I just drank wine so that was... well.... dumb. The most difficult thing for me to give up would be coffee, but since I can't take a vacation from my life for all of Lent, I decided to that to preserve my sanity and not alienate my friends and family.... giving up coffee was off the table.

I'd been noticing how much I was complaining and wondered if I could not do it so I decided to try it for Lent. I think I did ok. Sometimes the line is a little blurred between complaining and observing, but I tried to stay on the side of offering my observations without complaints.

So.... now that Easter has come and gone, ushering in the non-Lent season, I have some complaints I'd like to air. I actually like that I was complaining less so I'm going to try to keep it up, but I think some things just deserve to be complained about.

THE WEATHER: I am SO sick of this stupid Ohio weather! We have one or two 'teaser days' where it's sunny and 70 and you think that nice spring weather has finally arrived! Then the next day will be cold and crap and rain. That's okay for a week or two, but I think we are on week 7 of this and I've had enough! I want sun and warmth and open windows!!!!

STUPID DRIVERS: I have to drive on I-71 everyday. Out in the middle of nowhere where I live, it is only two lanes each direction. I do not joy-ride on the expressway. I actually dislike driving on it and would prefer back roads any day. However, to get to work, any other route would add at least 20 min to my commute. This is why I really have a lot of animosity for people who are out for a leisurely drive on the interstate.... cruising along in the passing lane at 64 MPH. They are still passing the semi-trucks, but barely. And there is a LONG line of traffic backing up behind them and they seem oblivious. ARGH!! I (mostly) gave up cursing at other drivers when I was pregnant with Luke, but seriously? It's really difficult to not curse at someone like that. The only people worse than these people are the ones who do it on purpose.... speeding up when someone has a small window to pass them and then slowing back down when you can no longer pass. I know 'HATE' is a strong word, but.....

OBLIVIOUS PEOPLE: Some people just don't 'get it.' I know that everyone, including me, has their blind spots. Those so-called flaws in their personalities that prevent them from responding to certain people/things/situations in a polite/proper/widely-acceptable way. We all have bad days or times we do something out-of-character (see: April 1 Post). I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about those people who just can't seem to process EVER that they are making someone uncomfortable. That they are weirding people out. That they are being rude and inconsiderate. That they have yet again missed an opportunity to help. That they are the only ones who like to hear them go on and on about their ideas. These are the people who ask for your advice on something and then get offended if your answer isn't exactly what they want to hear. Here is an example: My single 40-something co-worker is always trying to talk 'relationships' with me. He was telling me about the questions he asks women on dates. He said one was "What did you like to wear when you were a little girl?" I looked at him and said, "You can't ask a woman that on a date without her thinking you are some kind of creepy pedophile or going to ask her to dress up like a little girl or something! That is a terrible question!" And he got offended and said he couldn't believe I would think that about him and that was a terrible thing for me to say. He had asked for my thoughts on it and I was honest with him and somehow I was the bad guy. This is the same guy who, when he found out I am 30 said "Really? I thought you were at least 32!" and then got mad when I told him he should never tell a woman he guessed her for older than she is. Ugh.

Okay. Enough complaining. I think I have it out of my system. For now.