Writing Prompt: What Are Your Top 10 Pet Peeves?

My friend, Tara Meacham, had the idea for us to start our own writing prompt blog, so other people with writer's block can visit our page, and find things to write about. We have not yet started our blog, but I thought I might test some waters here. This is my eleventh writing prompt, and the idea came from my new Associated Content friend, Hannah.

Writing prompt: What are your top 10 pet peeves?

Response:

1. People who talk on their cell phones while in the store, and even worse, while in line at the store. This one is probably one of the worst things in the world to me, especially when it's in Wal-Mart. For starters, it's loud in there, and that means that the person on their cell phone is talking loudly and obnoxiously. Then, they'll walk and talk at the same time, meaning they narrowly escape hitting people and their carts. Not to mention when they stop to talk, and block aisles. Then, the grandaddy of them all-- when they talk on their cell phones in line. It already takes forever and a day to get through lines at Wal-Mart, and even worse sometimes-- Subway. When in Wal-Mart and they're talking on the phone, they take forever to put their items on the conveyor belt, take forever getting their money out and paying, and take forever putting their change away. In Subway, it pisses me off when people call their family members and friends, and take their orders then. It's called pen and paper-- use it!! Unless it's an emergency, quit using your cell phone in the store!!

2. People who live double lives (aka fakers.) I cannot stand it when I get to know someone really well, and then, when we're around another group of their friends, they act like someone completely different. I will admit, I used to be one of those people-- I played church on Sundays, and at home, I acted like a complete jerk. Now, those kinds of people make me want to scream. My advice to these people-- figure out who you really are, and be that person-- and the people who don't like you for you, aren't worth it. Quit trying so hard to fit in everywhere.

3. Militant conservatives. Okay, look... I know a ton of conservatives, and not all of them are bad. However, I went to Liberty University, I live very close to Lynchburg, Virginia, and I go to a Southern Baptist church... I know some people who would vote Republican, even if Hitler was their candidate. These people I am talking about, are the ones who will shun you in an instant, if you stand for anything liberal like I did-- LGBT rights, a woman's right to choose, etc. I've lost friends because they were this type I am talking about, and they didn't want to be friends with anyone contrary to their ways.

4. Foreigners trying to have an opinion on American government. Not all of my foreign friends fall into this category. However, I have a friend from Iraq, who now lives in the States, and who thinks that George W. Bush is the greatest President that America has ever seen. Why? Because "he" got rid of Saddam Hussein. Uh, no. Our military did. That's like John McCain saying he knows how to win a war, when he really only knows how to get caught. Anyway, the same friend said stuff like "A vote for Obama means a vote for Osama." It was completely ridiculous. I have another friend, who lives in Canada, and he would always think he had the "cure" for American government, and thought he knew everything about each of the candidates this past election. It pissed me off, because unless you're a U.S. citizen, and you've lived it, you have no idea what's going on. And that's why this is my pet peeve.

5. Music snobs. In my short lifetime, I have listened to and enjoyed several genres and sub-genres of music. From mostly country in my early years, to emo and hardcore in my band promotion days, to basically whatever I feel like listening to now. Most of my friends, even though they're getting older, still listen to hardcore music. I don't, because it honestly gives me a headache, and I have grown past that stage in my life. I have friends that totally rip on me for my dislike of this music now. Not all my friends, but a fair few. Whenever they ask me what I am listening to, and I respond with "John Mayer" or "Alanis Morissette," they kind of get this look of distaste on their faces, and a few even laugh and tell me that's dumb. It really pisses me off. I'll continue listening to whatever I want.

6. Fake friends. I have been dealing with this one for years. There are two big cases, though. First, I have a former group of four friends-- three guys and a girl. I introduced said guy to the three girls at church, when he first started coming. I ended up leaving the church, and they became best friends. I still tried to hang out with them, and they pretty much excluded me for two and a half years. I called them out on it a few times, and they always told me I was overreacting. Finally, I had enough of it. I gave them an ultimatum-- either they truly started including me, or I wanted to end my friendships with them. They said they loved me, and of course I was a part of the group. So, another three and a half weeks went by, and I heard nothing from any of them. Finally, I had it. I blocked all of them from calling, e-mailing, or Facebooking, or Myspacing me. Secondly, I have a drama queen for a former friend. We have a mutual friend, that each of us has known for a long time. Well the drama queen friend broke her leg back in the spring, so she's been bed-ridden with nothing to do. Even though we visited her and included her in our plans, the mutual friend and I would occasionally hang out. The drama queen friend would get jealous, and her brother's fiance actually told our mutual friend that she would start rumors between me and our mutual friend, just to see crap get started, and try to end our friendship. So, I finally had to block her from contacting me, as well. Our mutual friend still has her as a friend on Facebook, but I told her if she gets all up into that drama queen's hot mess again, she and I would no longer be friends again. I choose my friends very wisely now, because I am too old for high school games and cliques.

7. People who call or instant message me with nothing to say. I have one really good friend who does this on the phone sometimes. He'll call and ask "What's up?" I'll "Say nothing much, what're you doing?" He'll say "Nothing really," and then, I'll have to carry the rest of the conversation. Then, I have a friend that lives nearby, who will IM me to see what's up, and after about ten lines of conversation, he doesn't say anything else, and eventually signs off without saying bye. To be honest, if you're going to call or IM me, please have something to actually talk about.

8. Selfish listeners. Sometimes, all someone needs is someone to talk to, when they're going through a tough time, or even just a bad day. Then, they end up going to a selfish listener. These people are friends that are supposed to be there for you, but instead of listening and/or trying to give you some helpful advice, they try to turn the conversation to themselves by saying stuff like "Oh! That reminds me of something that happened to me one time!" and then proceeding to tell you all about it, leaving your situation out in the cold.

9. Indifferent people. I'm afraid my husband falls into this category a lot of times. Not just him, though, but a lot of my friends. I feel like, sometimes, I am the only one of my friends that can honestly make a decision. Indifferent people are the people that, when asked a question, their response is always, "I don't know" or "I don't care" or "Whatever." For once, I would like for someone else besides myself, to be decisive.

10. Relentless telemarketers. If telemarketers weren't bad enough, sometimes you end up with the same company calling you three or more times a day. This has happened recently, and I finally picked up the phone, and said slowly, definitively, and loudly, "STOP CALLING HERE!" Gladly, they have stopped calling... for now.

These are my top ten pet peeves. What are some of the things that really piss you off and get your blood boiling?