Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[bubbls]

I have a personal pet peeve. Those of you with cats may understand. Why....WHY....can my cats not eat dry or wet food without dribbling pieces of it all over?? I've watched them eat and they look normal. I can only assume the second I turn my back they stuff their faces and start strutting around the area dropping food everywhere.

 

 

Mom used to do this.  It's about getting the husband to at least get a walk in.  She stopped when she figured out that Dad was managing to slip in an excessive amount

of treats.

 

 

Hmmm, I need to start buying the old guys beer or candy to stay their butts out in the parking lot!

Edited September 17, 2015 by bubbls

[pandora spocks]

At the risk of being maligned by a majority of the posters here, I have a horrible confession:  I dislike sports with a passion reserved for mosquitoes and telemarketers.  As long as I have remembered, sports seem to bring out the worst in people.  In recent memory, a man in Alabama was sentenced for three years for poisoning oak trees that were Auburn University icons.  Imagine, a man who hated a rival team enough to kill trees to vent his displeasure. 

 

I've noticed on FB that friends are posting disgusting pictures of people who supposedly typify fans of their rival team.  This is mean spirited and hardly an example of good sportsmanship, a quality that sports proponents always stress.  Yes, sports are always cited as promoting hard work, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. 

 

Athletes are used as role models for young people.  Role models of what?  Running fast and catching a ball?  When an athlete gets in legal entanglements, the media wonders how this will affect little Junior's hero worship of that athlete.  When I was young, I admired someone for their character or intellect, not their athletic prowess.

 

The appeal of watching a team attempting to keep a ball from their rivals has always eluded me.  I find there are better ways to spend my time than viewing collective antagonism and self-aggrandizing.  But hey, that's just me.

[bilgistic]

Except for a few Olympic events, I dislike most sports and find them incredibly boring. I don't care if people have a problem with that. Actually, *I* have a problem with people having a problem with it. It's like religion--are you seriously going to get pissed off at me because I don't find *your* particular pursuit of happiness to be *my* driving force for life?

[Sandman87]

I have a personal pet peeve. Those of you with cats may understand. Why....WHY....can my cats not eat dry or wet food without dribbling pieces of it all over?? I've watched them eat and they look normal. I can only assume the second I turn my back they stuff their faces and start strutting around the area dropping food everywhere.

 

My cat doesn't dribble his dry food. He flings it. Every time I feed him, he grabs his first mouthful of food and then shakes his head vigorously, sending food flying. But he only does it on the first mouthful. I guess he thinks he's killing it, or something, Luckily he also has the habit of searching the floor for edible things when his dish is empty, so he vacuums most of it up eventually.

[DeLurker]

People who record news events as it happens instead of calling for help, trying to assist or staying safe themselves!

 

This week I have seen repeatedly on the news recordings of

• two cars being washed away by the floods in Utah.  Use your damn phone to call 911 and report the freakin' emergency!  The folks in those cars are in a life threatening situation; and
• someone clearly walking around recording the violent shaking of their home during an 8.9 (!) earthquake.  Getting to a doorway and bracing yourself is what I would be doing.

 

And the news should not air recordings if people were doing something unsafe while recording.  I never watch the idiot weather people who go stand on the beach in hurricanes, but at least they are paid for doing stupid shit.

[bubbls]

At the risk of being maligned by a majority of the posters here, I have a horrible confession:  I dislike sports with a passion reserved for mosquitoes and telemarketers.  As long as I have remembered, sports seem to bring out the worst in people.  In recent memory, a man in Alabama was sentenced for three years for poisoning oak trees that were Auburn University icons.  Imagine, a man who hated a rival team enough to kill trees to vent his displeasure. 

 

I've noticed on FB that friends are posting disgusting pictures of people who supposedly typify fans of their rival team.  This is mean spirited and hardly an example of good sportsmanship, a quality that sports proponents always stress.  Yes, sports are always cited as promoting hard work, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. 

 

Athletes are used as role models for young people.  Role models of what?  Running fast and catching a ball?  When an athlete gets in legal entanglements, the media wonders how this will affect little Junior's hero worship of that athlete.  When I was young, I admired someone for their character or intellect, not their athletic prowess.

 

The appeal of watching a team attempting to keep a ball from their rivals has always eluded me.  I find there are better ways to spend my time than viewing collective antagonism and self-aggrandizing.  But hey, that's just me.

 

 

All I gotta say is preach it, sista!

[ratgirlagogo]

 

It's technically still summer for another week, I don't want a f**ing Christmas catalogue.

OK, got it.  I still say that now I know that YOU have a printed Sears catalogue I want one too.  It's now an official peeve!

[ZaldamoWilder]

The appeal of watching a team attempting to keep a ball from their rivals has always eluded me.  I find there are better ways to spend my time than viewing collective antagonism and self-aggrandizing.  But hey, that's just me.

 

It actually isn't just you.   Hoards of people I know will live post this call or that call, then spend the rest of the week analyzing this call and that call and I now I gotta sit around pretending to give two damns about football in order to have a conversation.  Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays I scarf fries out of boredom.

 

Which brings me to my next peeve.  The only requirements are that they must be Mcdonalds fries (don't judge) and they must hot.  So Sunday night I pull into the drivethru for my fix and ask for extra ketchup.  I don't give a damn what ya'lls polls say about mayo, ketchup is The Shit.   Anyway, the young lady hands me my properly greasy bag and I say may I please have extra ketchup.   She says yeah I put  two in there.  

 

{{pause for the irrational rage out}}

 

I say thank you and express that while I appreciate her attention to detail, the reason I used an adjective like *extra* is because I'd like more than the standard, as, you know, that's what extra means.   She responded by lowering her brow and scowling.   Just gimme some fucking ketchup.

 

Bastet, you covered this but:  anyone in the vicinity of my peripheral who pushes an already lit elevator button is risking a xiolin showdown.

 

I can't even talk to ya'll about traffic, I don't have my inhaler today.

[ZaldamoWilder]

eta:  this should probably top my list:  last night on cnn's second republican debate, while admonishing Carly Fiorina and Donald Trump for going back and forth about their career accomplishments, Chris Christie said with all due respect to both of your abilities, there's a 55 year old construction worker in the viewing audience watching this right now who's worried about his career, he could care less about yours. 

 

Yeah, um Christopher?  That's the exact opposite of the point you were trying to make. 

[glowlights]

I have a personal pet peeve. Those of you with cats may understand. Why....WHY....can my cats not eat dry or wet food without dribbling pieces of it all over??

 

You, human, exist to serve your cats, and only to serve your cats. They are strewing their food all over the floor so they can watch you clean it up later... while they snicker and plot your demise. :)

[harrie]

I love some sports (and teams) passionately, don't care much for a couple of others, and just keep an eye on some others for water cooler talk.  I played hockey, softball, basketball, volleyball, and tennis, and rode horses, sometimes competitively, growing up; and I feel the collective experiences taught me a lot about being a good teammate, how to win and lose graciously, and having confidence in myself even on a bad day or when I botched a play. That being said, I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about it; and I also don't understand the people who get absolutely rabid about winning, or drubbing the other team, or getting into fights with opposing fans. Sports truly can bring out the best in some people, but crazy team worship does seem to bring out the monster in others. 

Edited September 17, 2015 by harrie

[bubbls]

You, human, exist to serve your cats, and only to serve your cats. They are strewing their food all over the floor so they can watch you clean it up later... while they snicker and plot your demise. :)

 

 

I'm sure you're correct, lol!

[annzeepark914]

Love love love the pet peeve about certain sports!  @pandora spocks...you have made my day ;>)   I deeply resent how a couple sports have taken over TV (college & pro) so much that other sports barely get coverage at all.  And, why in the world do the daggone whistles have to be amplified by microphones? Drives me crazy (which is why football can only be viewed in the basement TV room). Ugh.

[bmasters9]

Love love love the pet peeve about certain sports!  @pandora spocks...you have made my day ;>)   I deeply resent how a couple sports have taken over TV (college & pro) so much that other sports barely get coverage at all.  And, why in the world do the daggone whistles have to be amplified by microphones? Drives me crazy (which is why football can only be viewed in the basement TV room). Ugh.

That, and the so-called "halftime reports" of today are barely even that. I saw a Verizon Halftime Report last week on a CBS NFL game, and all they really did was to show scores and highlights of games from earlier in the day-- there was barely a nibble of discussion about the game that was being played. At least when Jim Nantz was in on The Prudential College Football Report, for instance (last Monday marked the 30th anniversary of his debut on CBS on that halftime studio segment), there were scores and highlights to be sure, but quite a few times, there was also a short feature or interview relating to a headline story in college football. Some of the Prudential commercials that filled the breaks were also very creative and well-done, IMO. 

[DeLurker]

Not a big sports fan - I tend to watch the playoffs and finals of baseball and soccer although I seldom really care who wins.  Plus the Olympics.  Some people really do take their team loyalty to extremes, but that is not the majority of the people I know.  A friend of mine from the Stone Ages just told be he promised his uncle who has bladder cancer that he will come and visit to watch the World Series with him.  It is giving a an elderly man who is in bad condition something to really look forward to.  So I'm rooting for the Rangers because they are.

[Qoass]

I see sports the same way I see American Idol:  a seasonal diversion forgotten the minute it ends.  Every time a guy says a woman is too emotional to be president though, I want to show them video of any sports bar during the Super Bowl.

 

Can we agree that there are good people and bad people in any profession?  There are great moms and negligent moms, soldiers who want to serve their country and soldiers who didn't know what else to do after high school graduation, cops who save lives and cops who endanger them, and according to the latest The View thread, nurses that are all over the map in terms of quality.  What you do does not necessarily define who you are.

[annzeepark914]

Every time a guy says a woman is too emotional to be president though, I want to show them video of any sports bar during the Super Bowl.

 

@Qoass:  Thank you so very much for making my day so early in the morning!  Love this ;>)

[bubbls]

 

Can we agree that there are good people and bad people in any profession?

 

 

Of course we can, but this does happen to be the pet peeve section, lol.

[ratgirlagogo]

I only watch baseball and professional wrestling and bull riding/rodeo.  But it's arguable whether any of those things are sports.  Baseball is a game and a pastime, professional wrestling is theater and rodeo is circus.

 

I used to enjoy watching the Olympics more in earlier years when you could watch more events on American TV, and before hosting the Olympics began to bankrupt all the places that took it on.

[Blergh]

I know I'm also in the minority but, as far as I'm concerned, a momentary glance at  the final game score for virtually any venue is all I need. I don't need to know who contributed to the score or how it happened.

 

  I'll even go so far as to say that I'm the same way re political conventions and elections. I read up on the issues then quietly go to the polls and vote- then just hope the majority follows suit and do my best to avoid media and blabbermouths until the final vote  is counted. I see no point in borrowing needless trouble getting all angsty for many hours re each speech,  poll and projection instead of just voting, seeing the final result- then learning to accept if not like the outcome once the news has hit.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Blergh

[Maharincess]

I have to stop coming here when its hot. I'm sweltering in my house, tomorrow will be triple digits and upper 90s for next week.

All I have is a couple of fans to blow the hot air around. I can't even take a cool shower or bath when I get too hot as it takes a while to get myself situated in the tub. I've had friends feel bad for me and come over so I can sit in their air conditioned cars. Lol.

I'm used to it by now though. I hate it, but it doesn't really bother me as badly as it used to.

When its just me and my husband or me alone when he's on the road, I don't get dressed. Totally TMI but I stay in my underwear all day. I keep a long T-shirt by the door in case somebody comes by (but everybody knows how much I HATE the pop in so that doesn't happen), but other than that, its just the undies. It makes a big difference.

Ok I'm done whining now.

[bilgistic]

I wear only my underwear at night (and usually just a t-shirt and drawers otherwise) and my home is air conditioned. I can't deal with being hot while I sleep, but I can't deal even more with a high power bill. Of course, my boy kitty with the thickest fur wants to lay on me at all times. Too hot! I'm just laying like a starfish atop the bed. I am eager for cooler temperatures.

Edited September 20, 2015 by bilgistic

[annzeepark914]

One thing that has helped me survive hot weather is Shower to Shower talcum powder (after my shower ;>)  I think it's the cornstarch (?) in it that makes it feel so good and prevents my skin from feeling miserable.  If they ever stop making this product I'll definitely have to move to Hudson Bay!

[BooksRule]

Someone may have mentioned this peeve before, but I couldn't find it when I looked.  Why do so many people have an aversion to using their turn signals while driving?  (I'm guessing that they don't care, or they have their phone up to their ear, which ties up the hand not holding the steering wheel.)  It drives me crazy when I'm facing a car at the four-way stop and when I make a right hand turn, the car across from me (the one I assume will be going straight) starts to turn into the same street where I'm turning (and they have the nerve to give me an angry/confused look when I blow my horn).  Also, people who use their signal, but only after they've abruptly slowed down all of us behind them so that they could begin the turn or they switch it on after they've moved into the turn lane.  It's too late now, guy!  (and two points deducted for those who wait until they are almost at the turn itself before they venture into the turn lane--yards and yards after it began.) 

 

Here's another one:  I find it very distracting when I'm attending a presentation at a meeting or conference where the presenter doesn't seem to know how to run a PowerPoint slideshow.   They can have created the most professionally researched and beautifully prepared program, but when they present it up on the big screen without running it in 'slideshow mode', they lose me. All I can concentrate on is that one slide on the right with the bank of small slides on the left (which makes it look like they are still editing it).  I don't know if they are nervous and forgot to start the show or they don't know how.  Occasionally, one will start the show after the first one or two slides, but I've attended many where the entire presentation is done this way.  I find it odd, when they seemed to have gotten everything else right.

[Maharincess]

I don't think I've mentioned one of my biggest pet peeves...the "Pop in".

I hate when somebody just shows up at my front door unannounced. What gets me is that people will show up at the front door with a damn phone in their hands! You have a phone in your hands but you can't take a minute to call and ask if it's a good time to come over?! And if course nobody ever pops in when the house is clean and you feel like having company. No, they pop in when the house is trashed and I'm in a grumpy mood.

I just think it's so damn rude. I would never just show up on somebody's doorstep. I won't even pop in on my own kids.

[ALenore]

Every time a guy says a woman is too emotional to be president though, I want to show them video of any sports bar during the Super Bowl.

 

When I read that statement I thought of this: http://www.upworthy.com/just-a-few-good-reasons-why-men-probably-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-vote.  Number 5 reads:"Because men are too emotional to vote. Their conduct at baseball games and political conventions shows this, while their innate tendency to appeal to force renders them particularly unfit for the task of government."  Alice Duel Miller, 1915

[ratgirlagogo]

 

I just think it's so damn rude. I would never just show up on somebody's doorstep. I won't even pop in on my own kids.

Agreed, i don't like this either.  You might enjoy a (rather heated) discussion about this from Chowhound from a few years back:

http://www.chowhound.com/food-news/54881/surprise-im-at-your-door/

[backformore]

I don't think I've mentioned one of my biggest pet peeves...the "Pop in".

I hate when somebody just shows up at my front door unannounced. What gets me is that people will show up at the front door with a damn phone in their hands! You have a phone in your hands but you can't take a minute to call and ask if it's a good time to come over?! And if course nobody ever pops in when the house is clean and you feel like having company. No, they pop in when the house is trashed and I'm in a grumpy mood.

I just think it's so damn rude. I would never just show up on somebody's doorstep. I won't even pop in on my own kids.

Yeah.  I have one week day off, and my husband and son work that day.    sometimes It's a day for laundry, medical appointments, errands, etc.   A day nobody else is home in my house.  sometimes, it's a day for shopping online, watching TV, reading a book, and doing whatever the hell  I please.  On those days, I might just stay in pajamas until mid-afternoon.  Inevitably, when someone decides to drop by, it's one of those days.  A popcorn bowl, a blanket, me in ratty PJ's watching a DVD.  There are a few people who feel that they can drive to my house to see me, because they know it's my day off.  They call me afterwards to express their surprise that I wasn't home (or didn't answer the door).  I'm not lonely, I love my solitude.   If I wanted to be social, I'd go somewhere.  If I'm home by myself - it's a choice I'm making. 

[Sweets McGee]

Thankfully I don't have a problem with people doing the pop-in. Not having friends/knowing people helps with that! (I'm exaggerating but it's kinda true :)). That would be so annoying.

 

I actually used to do the pop-in when I was younger (teens/early 20s) because I didn't know any better. Now I realize how rude that is and am embarrassed that I even used to do that.

[Qoass]

I take it a step further:  I hate people who call on the phone just because they're bored and want to talk to somebody.  I may be a misanthrope but I'm also a misanthrope who never gets bored enough to disturb other people because I need to be entertained.

[backformore]

Thankfully I don't have a problem with people doing the pop-in. Not having friends/knowing people helps with that! (I'm exaggerating but it's kinda true :)). That would be so annoying.

 

I actually used to do the pop-in when I was younger (teens/early 20s) because I didn't know any better. Now I realize how rude that is and am embarrassed that I even used to do that.

I think it's different when you're that age, though.  Teens are only a few years away from when they would go to a friend's house and ask if they could come out to play.  20 year olds in college, hang out in each other's dorm rooms.  My son's friends might be going somewhere, and spontaneously stop by to see if he wants to come along.   (usually they call, but once in a while, they just appear)  I don't mind it, because they're not coming by to visit me. At that age, a lot of people don't mind the pop-in, because they want to be included in whatever's going on.

Of course, nowadays everyone has a phone, and they're constantly texting and expecting immediate responses. A few times my son's friends have stopped by because he didn't respond to a text quickly enough.

[DeLurker]

One of my brother's is a chronic drop byer (is that the term?).  He has been since he was away at college several decades ago.  It doesn't matter to me since the closest I have lived has been 1,000 miles away.  Their home is apparently a revolving door of planned and unplanned social visits.  If I make a store run with him when visiting, it always includes an unscheduled pop-in on someone.  I find it best if I drive to avoid this from happening.

[Sweets McGee]

I think it's different when you're that age, though.  Teens are only a few years away from when they would go to a friend's house and ask if they could come out to play.  20 year olds in college, hang out in each other's dorm rooms.  My son's friends might be going somewhere, and spontaneously stop by to see if he wants to come along.   (usually they call, but once in a while, they just appear)  I don't mind it, because they're not coming by to visit me. At that age, a lot of people don't mind the pop-in, because they want to be included in whatever's going on.

Of course, nowadays everyone has a phone, and they're constantly texting and expecting immediate responses. A few times my son's friends have stopped by because he didn't respond to a text quickly enough.

Good point. Still thinking back on it I'm sure I annoyed people.

 

My aunt actually started what eventually became a falling out between her husband and his adult daughter from her popping in! She would frequently pop in on his daughter to the point where the daughter called her dad and asked him to ask her to stop popping in. Drama ensued and the daughter doesn't speak to them anymore. (I'm sure it was about more than the popping in, but the popping in was the catalyst.)

 

As for texting, it's definitely a pet peeve of mine when people expect an immediate response. I'm sorry, but I'm not glued to my phone 24-7. It might be a few hours before I notice that I have a text message. Thankfully most of the people I text are family/close friends and they are the same way. I have a friend that I text with and often times there are hours between messages, and neither of us minds, because we have lives.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Sweets McGee

[potatoradio]

 

Shower to Shower talcum powder

 

"Shower to shower each day...

helps keep odor awaaaayyyy

Have you had your sprinkle today?"

 

Folks, this is what happens when you spend your formative years watching too much daytime TV. I resent that so many commercial jingles are forever wedged in my brain, but it can be a fun party trick.

 

I used to love drop-in visits and long chatty phone conversations as a teen. Now, I'm a hardened, stubborn introvert and no way is someone going to pin me down at a good time for THEM to chitchat.

 

Course, I'm probably taking this way too far because I hate drop-in visits and phone calls at work, too. I need an updated sign, modeled on Lucy  van Pelt's: "The Doctor is in. $0.05 per minute of useless blathering about your so-called emergency. Additional fees apply if you bore the snot out of me or end up solving the problem yourself just because you finally took up MY time to think out loud."

 

I justify this anti-social behavior because I try to model respect for people's time and ASK them when a good time is to meet if I really need to talk to them, and I also think it's respectful to tell someone that "now is not a good time; may I call you back/talk with you in a little bit?" instead of sitting there and pretending to help or listen as I silently resent the interruption.

Edited September 21, 2015 by potatoradio

[auntlada]

I generally respond to texts right away and expect others to do the same for me, but I don't text to chat. (I don't chat.) I text to give important information or to ask something I need to know. If it is absolutely vital, I will call, but because of the not-chatting thing, I hate to use the phone for talking. I mostly only text my husband, though. He hates the phone, too. And if he's at a computer, I just IM him.

[pandora spocks]

Thankfully I don't have a problem with people doing the pop-in. Not having friends/knowing people helps with that! (I'm exaggerating but it's kinda true :)). That would be so annoying.

 

I actually used to do the pop-in when I was younger (teens/early 20s) because I didn't know any better. Now I realize how rude that is and am embarrassed that I even used to do that.

 

For the past 5 months, I've been receiving treatments for cancer.  It's almost gone, thank God.  In the afternoons, I usually take a nap because I get tired.  That's the time that my sister drops in to see me.  When I awaken from my nap, I feel guilty when I learn that I missed her visit.  Dropping in is fine if the visitee is young and has no obligations but not so fine if the person is middle-aged fighting a deadly disease.

[ZaldamoWilder]

pandora, I wish you well and on the road to recovery.

[BooksRule]

Add me to the 'pop in' hate.  My pop-inners are usually neighbors that just need to talk to me for a minute about something or the other.  Sometimes they call, but usually it's a neighbor who was going out to get their mail or get the trash can, and just came on across the lawn to knock.  Other times its a salesperson or someone with religious tracts (they aren't really a 'pop-in', though, I guess).  Sometimes when I get home from work and I have no plans to go outside anymore that day (I'm 'in for the night' as my mom used to say), I'll go ahead and put on my pajamas so I'm comfortable for watching TV or reading.  That's usually when someone comes knocking.  At least my neighbors don't usually make the trek after dark, so once it starts getting dark early, I'm usually safe for the winter!

 

Here's another one I thought of a few minutes ago.  I hate it when I tell someone about something I did, bought, etc. and they always have a response where they 'one up' me (or tell me I did it wrong).  When I called a plumbing company to re-do the pipes outside of my house I used a nationally-known company, since I knew that they were bonded and insured and guaranteed their work (even if it cost a little more).  I didn't know any of the local companies.  I told a friend and she immediately said 'why did you go with them?  They're too expensive.  Always use a local company'.  However, I'm pretty sure that if I had gone with a local company, she would have said 'Why did you do that?  You could have been ripped off.  Use a name brand.  They're supposed to guarantee their work.'  And if I buy something, someone will always tell me about how they got the same item cheaper somewhere else.  I take my cats to a vet that I like.  He's so good with them, but he is fairly expensive.  All I get is grief about how I take them to the most expensive vet in town.  'Go somewhere cheaper!'   Grrrr!  It's getting to where I'm going to start keeping my mouth shut about everything, because no matter what I do, apparently I do it wrong!  (ha ha!)  BTW:  I remember comedian Louie Anderson doing a bit about this sort of thing--where no matter how cheaply you got your airline ticket, the person sitting next to you on the plane got theirs cheaper!

Edited September 21, 2015 by BooksRule

[bmasters9]

When I called a plumbing company to re-do the pipes outside of my house I used a nationally-known company, since I knew that they were bonded and insured and guaranteed their work (even if it cost a little more).  I didn't know any of the local companies.  I told a friend and she immediately said 'why did you go with them?  They're too expensive.  Always use a local company'.  However, I'm pretty sure that if I had gone with a local company, she would have said 'Why did you do that?  You could have been ripped off.  Use a name brand.  They're supposed to guarantee their work.'  

I don't think it was right for her to make you feel under fire no matter which way you went when it came to your plumbing. 

[Maharincess]

BooksRule, I have a one upping friend. Her stuff is always cheaper, bigger and better. She even does it with illnesses, if somebody is sick, they are never as sick as she was.

[DeLurker]

No way. My ex always had the very worst EVER headache/cold/flu...but would never go to Urgent Care or the doctor. These episodes always lasted until I would say I was really getting concerned - maybe it was a tumor or an exotic foreign virus strain since we lived in the LA area. It always got significantly better after that.

[BooksRule]

Speaking of illnesses, it always bothers me when people use the word 'flu' to mean just about any type of bug.  If someone is at work on Monday, they call in sick on Tuesday and then come in on Wednesday, I'm pretty sure they didn't have the 'flu', no matter what they said.  If you got better that fast, you probably had just a little '24-hr. bug' (or whatever the technical term for it might be).  I think I had the actual flu one time in my life and it was nothing like the 'feel bad, stay at home today' type of illness.  Not that any illness should be taken lightly, I just hate it when people say 'oh, I had the flu yesterday'.  No, you probably didn't, but I'm glad you feel better (I only say the last part out loud).

[annzeepark914]

For the past 5 months, I've been receiving treatments for cancer.  It's almost gone, thank God.  In the afternoons, I usually take a nap because I get tired.  That's the time that my sister drops in to see me.  When I awaken from my nap, I feel guilty when I learn that I missed her visit.  Dropping in is fine if the visitee is young and has no obligations but not so fine if the person is middle-aged fighting a deadly disease.

 

@pandora spocks:  My best wishes to you for a successful and peaceful recovery.  Get all the rest you can and don't feel guilty about missing any visits.  Your focus should be on your own recovery and not being a hostess for visitors.  (I learned that from my mom who was director of volunteers at a large hospital and would be upset when she saw exhausted patients trying to "host" all the relatives who'd show up and hang around the patient's hospital room forever).

[auntlada]

Yeah, my son had the flu last Christmas (on Christmas day, no less), and it was not a one-day, feel better the next with no doctor and no medicine kind of thing. It hit him like a freight train, and he didn't start getting better until we got the Tamiflu (which apparently has the worst taste in the world).

[harrie]

pandoraspocks, do what you've got to do - right now you are your top priority.  Sending good vibes your way.

[Qoass]

Hey, anybody hear about the Pope coming to the U.S.?

 

Enough already.

[DeLurker]

But the Pope's visit may delay the delivery of the new iPhone in some parts - GASP!

[ALenore]

Speaking of illnesses, it always bothers me when people use the word 'flu' to mean just about any type of bug.  If someone is at work on Monday, they call in sick on Tuesday and then come in on Wednesday, I'm pretty sure they didn't have the 'flu', no matter what they said.

 

Yes! This is one of my pet peeves too.  I think the reason people say they had the "flu" is because they don't want to admit being home with just "a cold," they figure "the flu" sounds more serious.   If they actually had a stomach bug, they don't really don't want to go into all the details of vomiting, diarrhea, etc.    I've also noticed a lot of people say they have "bronchitis" if they have a cough that lasts more than a couple of days.   They usually say this in the hope they can get antibiotics from their doctor, even though most coughs are caused by viruses, and antibiotics won't help.    

[Qoass]

And not every headache is a migraine.

[Sweets McGee]

I think the need to exaggerate illnesses and call things flu or whatever comes from this need to jusitfy our absence from work/school/activities. Having a cold or just not feeling well isn't good enough. I need to make it sound so bad that I couldn't possibly go to work that day. I've been puking my guts out all night. Let me give you the details just so you know how much my absense is justified!

 

And then people go work sick, infecting others, because bosses give people crap for not coming into work. I don't miss the 8-5 office life. I remember feeling so guilty any time I had to call in sick because my boss would give me crap and/or doubt the legitimacy of my absence. It's so annoying.

And not every headache is a migraine.

I really do get migraines, and I have prescription meds for it that work like magic. There are definitely migraine one-uppers. "I had a migraine so I took a pill and laid down and it went away after a few hours." "Oh, well my migaine has been raging for a week." OK then.