Hi Neighbor!

I have been practicing patience my entire life, and while I have not quite perfected it, I have come pretty darn close. It is probably a sign of age and life experiences, mellowing as I get older and feeling less hurried. In fact, I tell people they have to work hard to try to offend me.

However, I can still get peeved. You know, feathers ruffled or a nose out of joint. Typically, it is over something small and usually from complete strangers who are self-absorbed and oblivious to their offense. In some instances, these self-serving, entitled people simply show up being abrasive and/or unmindful. Remember, individuals must work very hard to get my goat, yet these protagonists manage to succeed easily.

So, in a nutshell, here is a short list of people and situations that peeve me without much effort:

1. The Parking Lot Dawdler: People who walk in the middle of a parking lot, ignoring the cars around them. I understand pedestrians have the right of way, but doesn’t that only apply to cross walks? It is the leisure strollers who slowly dawdle precariously smack dab in the middle of where drivers are trying to navigate to a parking space. Giving a soft tap on the horn only incenses them to take even more time to get from point A to point B. Sigh.

2. The Driver Without a Turn Signal: Drivers who either do NOT use their turn signal or use it only a nano second before making a turn. Not only is this dangerous and rude, but it is a traffic violation. According to the DMV, a driver must signal 100 feet in advance to indicate making a turn or changing lanes. We can’t guess people, so please, signal appropriately to avoid a collision…and an occasional bad word. Be courteous, be safe, and be smart.

3. The Line Budger: Any person who thinks the rules and the formed lines do not apply to him. This guy is everywhere. The grocery store deli line, the jammed bakery on a holiday, the airport boarding area, the movie theater ticket line, the entrance to a stadium on game day…you get the idea. Rude, rude, rude. Always budging and nudging his way to the head of the line. What if we all thought we were special? Humph.

4. The Public Phone Talker: The person who talks loudly on her phone in any and all public areas. Yes, we carry our cells phones with us everywhere for convenience, and we do not like to leave home without them. Emergencies happen. But if I receive a call while in public, I either decline it or let the caller know I can’t talk. However, Public Phone Talker does not care. She carries on her conversation loud and proud for all to hear. She is even rude to the cashier at the convenience store who is trying to check her out while she is still talking on her phone. She is even nasty to me when I ask her to take it down a notch in support of the cashier. And I mean name-calling nasty. Gees.

I will continue to practice patience, especially in these irksome situations, but that doesn’t mean I won’t occasionally still get peeved by impertinent behavior. Pray for me, as I believe there is hope – and patience – for me yet.

Practicing patience,
Jackie