Communication Pet Peeves

Despite, or perhaps because of, the advances in technology, there are several things that annoy me when communicating, or not, with people.

Acknowledgement
It takes so little to acknowledge someone.

In most email programs there is something called a signature, which adds whatever information you want to an email.

I have a signature for almost every occasion, which means I do not have to type out the same message each time someone emails me looking to promote his event, for example.

I simply click a signature, which greats the person and tells them I have forwarded their email to a managing editor, with that editor’s email address. I always personalize the email with the sender’s name, respond to specific questions or add condolences or congratulations when necessary.

It takes a couple of minutes and people always email back to say thank you for responding so quickly.

Voicemail
There is nothing worse than reaching someone’s voicemail only to hear they are in the office today and to leave a message.

Are they in the office or are they on vacation?

I change my voicemail every day. I figure if I am sick one day, the fact my voicemail says yesterday’s date is an indication I am not t here. My voicemail also tells people how to reach someone who can help them.

This is not a pet peeve but rather a note to self.
Not everyone remembers to take out people’s personal message before forwarding an email along.

So while it’s tempting to make a smart-mouthed comment to your coworker, you might want to rethink that strategy unless you are OK with everyone, including the author, reading your words.

Pet Peeves Tuesday

I try not to let too many things bug me otherwise I turn into a frustrated, annoyed person. However, I thought I would list some of the things that continue to bug me.

In writing
• That.
In most sentences, you do not need to use the word that. It’s a redundant word. Read your sentences and take out the word that as often as possible.
• Brand new
This one really annoys me. It’s not a brand new car. It’s just a new car.
• Very
He was angry. End of story.


Driving
• People who do not signal or who put their signal light on as they are in the process of turning.
• People who jump the lanes so they can sneak into several cars ahead. I realize they are in fact saving themselves some time, but it’s rude and it pisses me off.
• Tailgaters have always annoyed me. Now they also scare me. If I have to stop suddenly, I will likely be successful but they won’t.

Behaviour
• Negativity. It drags you down.
• Backstabbers. Don’t be nice to my face and then be awful behind my back.
• Tattle-tellers. If you have a problem with me, let me know and I will try to be accommodating. Don’t talk to others without talking to me first. Remember what you tell you kids: if you are only telling to get me in trouble, don’t bother.
• Respect. Try it.

On a different note, yesterday I saw a mom fox and her two babies. They were so cute. Hence, the picture.

Joys of Nudity

It seems like every time I leave our son for a few moments, he is naked.

I think it has much to do with his sister. She believes her baby brother looks best with only a diaper.

She would likely think he looks best with nothing on, but I think she has heard too many stories of being peed on and it’s not a chance she is likely willing to take.

Being naked would save money on laundry, hydro and clothing purchases. It would be awfully chilly in the winter.

Driving Pet Peeves

When you drive as much as I used to, there are things that other people do that drive you crazy - and vice versa I am sure.

The Swooper
There is nothing worse when you are driving along and some moron in a big SUV comes speeding up behind you and sits there as if waiting for you to move over. That really annoys me. I drive a Sunfire. It’s not that big. Surely if you are driving that fast, you can plan it so you can swoop around me. If not, continue speeding but slow down a safe distance away and then pass.

The Tailgater
If I can’t see your headlights, you are too close. If I have to slam on my brakes, you are going to hit me. I have a baby in the back. If you hit me, you will regret it.

The Signaller
The purpose of a signal light is to signal your INTENT to turn. Don’t put it on after you have already moved into the left-hand turn lane and perhaps you should put it on before you turn into the driveway.

The Impatient One
If you go just more than 80 kilometres per hour, you can actually stretch a tank of gas a lot longer. However, sometimes 80 feels a tad ... slow. So I tend to go about 90. If that speed is too slow for you, I understand. However, please note The Tailgater and the Swooper. Don’t make hand gestures at me. This is the speed I am travelling. Get over it. Pass me. But if tailgate me, I am going to go 80.

The Inconsistent One
I don’t care if you want to go 70 km/hr but then go 70. Don’t go 70, then 100, then 80. And if I am trying to pass you because you were going 60 but then speed up as I move to pass, that’s just rude. Saying that, I apologize. Sometimes I am inconsistent. I miss cruise control.

And a couple of other notes:

* When I took Young Drivers of Canada, the instructor told a story that has stuck with me all these years.
Someone was trying to pass a dump truck. Instead of keeping back for a clear view around the truck, he would swerve into the oncoming lane to see if it was OK to pass. It wasn’t and he hit the instructor’s friend who was in the other lane, killing him instantly.
* A couple of years after I got my license, a car-full of ex-classmates were killed when they were hit head-on by a moron who passed up a hill.
Nothing is so important that you need to pass up a hill.

Problem with baby clothes

If someone is looking for a way to make lots of money and keep millions of moms happy, they simply need to design baby clothing that makes sense.

I hate buying baby clothing; the experience is right up there with buying shoes.
Why are baby clothes so difficult?

The main problem is the labeling. Shouldn’t a six-month-old Gerber outfit be the same size as a six-month-old outfit from the Children’s Place?

Apparently not, and it makes purchasing clothing, sans baby, impossible and frustrating.

Other design ideas:

* Buttons the whole way down.
Take the outfit pictured here. It’s our favourite except there are only three buttons on the chest and then buttons around the legs. It means you have to pull the outfit over a child’s head and I don’t know a baby who enjoys that experience.

* No clothing that goes over the head. Babies hate it and so do their parents.

* I use cloth diapers so we need zippers that go over giant diaper bums.

* Buttons should be spaced at a good distance. I have one sleeper with buttons so far apart that my son’s foot hangs out.

* No hoods. While hoods are cute, they are a pain. I don’t like my son to sleep with hoods nor do I like them while he is in a car seat.

* Pants should have buttons down the front. The elastic waists looks nice but you have to shake the poor child to get the pants over the diaper butt and onto his waist. Designers can hide the buttons under the fake fly.