Things That Get On My Nerves

• When I know I am right and people argue with me anyways. Does this ever happen to anyone else? I am right nine times out of ten anyways, and if people would just accept that in the beginning we'd all have less problems... That's funny, I know, but it's true. Just now someone called work. I gave the standard greeting, "Wells of Joy Daycare..." and he says, "Yes, this is so-and-so and I had an account with you guys that I paid off last year for a Nissan Altima." I very politely said, "I'm sorry sir. You have the wrong number. This is a daycare." He said, "But the number in the book said ######" Well, you stupid idiot, I hate that for you, but I can't help you with your account for a car because this is a DAYCARE! He wasted a whole minute of my time trying to convince me that I was mistaken about this. What the crap!!!
• When I answer the phone and the other person hangs up in my face. This happens to me at least once a day at work, if not more. I used to think that it was a certain crazy person that was stalking my family. However, it's been two years since that drama and I can't hardly imagine that she is still wasting her time hanging up on me everyday. Hmmm...
• When I answer the phone and it's a recording on the other end. If you really want to talk to me that badly, answer the phone your dang self.
• Telemarketers. Enough said there.
• When I know I am right, and people argue with me anyways. I know I have already said this once, but it bears repeating. There are a number of people walking around out there that would have benefited themselves greatly had they listened to what I was telling them. One guy has been dishonorably discharged from the military because he did the exact opposite of what I told him to do. Another one in particular is still too stupid to realize how much better off he would be right now if he had listened to me instead of being so damn stubborn.
• When people think they are acting on behalf of my well being but forget to ask me what I want... I was thinking about this one last night before I fell asleep. I have more than one conversation a week in which the person I am talking to says, "Well I figured this would be better for you," or "I was thinking that this would help you," or "I thought that you would like it if..." or "I think you deserve this..." And I realize that this sounds incredibly selfish of me to be griping about this. But there are all kinds of situations in my life in which people have acted on my behalf without asking me what I wanted or how I felt about it. I'm tempted to stand on top of a building with a bullhorn and just start rattling off the things that I want and the things that I don't want anymore.
• People who think they are better than other people. I have recently added two people to the list of "friendly acquaintances." When I first met them, I thought they were nice people. However, it did not take me long to discover that they both get on my nerves. One of these people suffers from the opinion that everyone he encounters is beneath him. Either I didn't notice this about him at first, or it just didn't bother me as badly as it does now, I'm not sure which it is. But the last conversation I had with him just made me shake my head. The conversation that got me a little fired up was not a new conversation - we've had it before. He keeps bringing it up and I keep getting aggravated about it. But I have come up with a good response to his gripe the next time he brings it up. I think it will be the response that will finally end the conversation once and for all.
• The fact that parents have lost control of their children. I'm not a parent, so this may be unsafe territory for me, but this is pretty much on-the-surface stuff here. I was at a pageant the other night. While my Cousin's daughter's group was on-stage, a throng of people were in front of the stage with their cameras. This girl, probably about 10 or 11 years old, went running across the gym floor to give something to her mother. The girl was a little thick, something she should get a handle on now before she gets any older, but that's not the point. It was 30 degrees and snowing outside and this girl had on a strappy-tank top that was too tight, and a pair of jeans that were too tight, and that were hiked up to the bottom of where her bra should have been. I just shook my head. No coat. No sleeves. That's the first two problems. The other problem is that the outfit didn't fit and was entirely inappropriate for the occasion. What mother would let her child walk out of the house looking like that? You can't say that money was the issue. If that was the case, the other daughter wouldn't have been in the pageant. Look around people. No one else is wearing tank-tops in the snow. Keep up here. And... it was disgusting and ridiculous at how tight the clothes were. Why didn't her mother make her change before they left home? I don't understand. Thank God I had a good mother. The funny part was, as I was sitting there shaking my head, all these thoughts were swirling in my mind. I wanted to say something about it, but Cousin was on the floor taking pictures and I was sitting next to her father-in-law and he didn't notice the girl so I couldn't say anything to him about it. But then my Aunt turned around and smiled and said, "I saw that little girl run up to her mom and I could feel you behind me shaking your head."
• When kids tell their parents "no." Again, I'm not a parent, so I'm not the expert. But I do work with 50 kids on a daily basis. Never in a day's time do any of these children tell me or their teachers "no." Well, maybe sometimes they try to tell us "no" but they don't get away with it. And really, most of the kids have been here for so long that they don't even try to tell us "no" anymore because they know it doesn't work with us. And the minute their parents come in the door, it starts... Children bossing their parents. Yesterday, I went to the school to get the kids for the after school program. One of the mom's volunteered at school yesterday and she was going to take her son and her daughter home with her. The kids are ages 6 and 5 respectively. The 5year old was excited she was getting to go home with Mommy and so was I! The 6 year old didn't want to go... he wanted to come to daycare to play with his friend. AND SHE LET HIM! About an hour later, his grandfather came to get him. The kid told his grandfather that he wasn't ready to leave yet, so the grandfather left without him! So then, his dad didn't get here to pick him up until about 5 minutes before we closed. I'm shaking my head again. Whatever happened to saying "You're going home with me now." and that being the end of it?
• When my kids at work get the blame for things they didn't do. This has happend twice lately. We are a church daycare, meaning we are a daycare in a church. A few select members of the church blame the kids for everything around here that needs to be replaced or repaired. It gripes me to no end. Sometimes we did do it. But I am always the one who tattle-tales on us anyways. Thankfully, two or three other church members work at the daycare (or least spend a lot of time here) and they stick up for me and the kids.

I have more gripes. But I think that I have been dwelling on the negative junk too much. Guess it's time to list what I'm thankful for...