Things That Make You Go Hmm.....

I don’t know if you’re like me, but sometimes I’ll see something or someone will do something and I’m just stumped. I sit there wondering to myself…what the hell is/was that? Maybe I’m just getting crotchety in my old age, or maybe I’m just SET in my ways, but it seems as if I’m constantly stunned/confused/bothered by certain behaviors that have become the norm.

Things like:

Air kisses....what the heck is that all about? Why bother, if you’re not going to have any skin on skin contact? If the idea of reaching out and touching someone else bothers you, DON’T. But please don’t insult me with an air kiss. That’s like saying I’m not good enough or important enough to bother with the real thing. And seriously, since when did a simple kiss on the cheek become taboo?

On that same note…limp handshakes make me shudder. I used to work for a firm where I did hundreds of interviews each year. Nothing got my stomach rolling more than a clammy, limp handshake. Seriously folks…your handshake says a lot about you. Firm that sucker up. Grasp someone’s hand tightly….or don’t shake hands at all. As with the air kisses I mentioned about, please don’t insult me with a less-than enthusiastic handshake. Ladies…that means you too!

Abbreviations. Sure I get FBI and D.O.A…. these are necessary abbreviations. But can someone please explain to me what the hell is with all the weird abbreviations? Yeah…yeah…I realize our obsession with texting is most likely the culprit, but when did it become common ground to answer (out loud, mind you), “IDK” instead of ‘I don’t know’. Again…it’s really not a big effort on your part to speak in actual words. You might realize you don’t sound like such an idiot if you speak normally. And please somebody tell me...what the hell does “bae” mean??

Not returning emails. Call me old fashioned, but when I email someone I expect a response within a few days. Lately the influx of responses I've been waiting for has grown exponentially. I've suddenly turned into that person...the one who emails you just to be sure you got my first email. People...be f&ing respectful...especially if it's business-related. Even if you don't have the answer, at least email me back to let me know you're working on it.

Not using your manners. Come on people…I KNOW your parents taught you better. It really takes zero effort to say please and thank you. I worked with preschoolers who had better manners than some adults I deal with.

Lack of respect with regard to business. Like my peeve above about people not returning emails, when it comes to respect for one another in a business setting, let’s just say we can ALL use room for improvement. I don’t give a rip if you only do business with a person online (like…say, a writer for instance)….TREAT THEM AS YOU WOULD SOMEONE WHO IS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. In the past three years of self-publishing, I’ve dealt with many professional folks. But some act as if this thing you’re doing….this little “hobby”…can be fluid and cast-off and not the priority it should be. Let me just say this….If I’m paying you to do a job, I would except you to do that job 1) when you promise you will and 2) at least explain and apologize if you cannot.

Have any pet-peeves you’d like to add? If so, shoot me an email. We can be cranky together!

-AJ