Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Embarrassing moments..and momentous ones!

If we're going to talk about pet hates, then here goes-
  • People who have no idea about things, but talk incessantly, as if they are authorities on the subject, like, "Yeah, I expect that the markets should reach 20,000 by December and then it's gonna crash like never before." These, mind you, are not people who have been studying the market. These are just people who have been listening to other people talk, and these other people are just about as ignorant as they are.
  • Having to wait in queue and finally reach the counter in a bank or office to be told that this is the wrong counter or queue, or I have filled in the wrong form, and there are no signs anywhere to guide me to the right place, and the people are unfriendly and unhelpful (and downright hostile)and behave like they don't even know what you're talking about. Next counter, please!
  • Packing and padding myself in rain gear to step outside and discover that it's bright and sunny and I'm sweating bullets because I've wrapped myself in frickin' tarpaulin (am I allowed to say frickin' here?) and conversely, also convincing myself that it's not going to rain, even though the sky looks threatening, and walking ten steps before a rain cloud follows and unburdens itself on me (just to teach me a lesson, I swear). Having to go home and then peel my clothes off my body is, by far, the worst thing ever.
  • Having to paste a fake smile at a family get-together where some 'Aunty' that I haven't met for a zillion years or so, sees me and shrieks loudly enough for everyone to hear, "My God, look at you! You were this little the last time I saw you!" and she holds her hand about two feet from the ground to indicate how tall I was when she last saw me. Multiply my embarrassment by ten if she knew me as a baby and (God forbid!) I actually happened to poop or pee on her. She then goes on to describe that incident in excruciating detail (interspersed with chuckles in the right places) while my mother (traitor that she is) beams from ear to ear as if it were the cutest thing ever!
  • Having to wait till I reach the counter at the end of a long queue at the supermarket to be told that the POS terminal (card-swiping machine) is not working, and I'll need to pay cash instead when I'm not carrying enough. Arrrrgggghhh!!!
  • In the same vein, having to look interested at a boring meeting, when the boss is droning on about something that I have zero interest in. At that precise moment I'm thinking, What movie should I watch this weekend? No, wait, I've been meaning go to that sale forever, so I'll do that instead, and I really need to get a manicure...while I look down at my hands, and the boss thinks I'm looking at my notepad to review my notes which consist of the pearls of wisdom that he's just spewed.
Well, okay, this list is not exhaustive, but since this is turning into a gripe fest, I'll continue this list later. Maybe if my mood changes later, I'll write my list of things I love (that list, I'm happy to report, is considerably longer :-)

Tomorrow's the solar eclipse and I'm excited & nervous. Don't ask me why. I barely even understand anything about astronomy or astrology, but great things, they say, are about to happen. Well, see you on the other side of momentous moments!