Naughty or Nice?

It probably was a mistake for me to open my mouth a few minutes ago when leaving the grocery store. After watching my Browns lose to a team who had a ten game losing streak going before we handed them a win, I may have been a bit Grinchie. When I approached my car, I watched a middle aged couple push their empty shopping cart to the parking space next to them and start getting in their car. I had to do it. I said "you really shouldn't leave your cart there - it blocks others and may damage a car. You need to put it back." Begrudgingly, the man pushed the cart back to the store entrance. He was probably calling me endearments the whole time - that begin in B, end in H and have ITC in the middle. I think I have watched hundreds of people do this but for some reason, I couldn't keep my mouth shut today.

I have a list of pet peeves and I want to share a few. I would love to hear what bugs the heck out of other people.

Naughty:

1. Obviously, the cart issue.

2. The dog walkers in my neighborhood who lovingly place their bags of dog poop under the baggie dispenser in the neighborhood park. What do they think, that the Poop Fairy comes sometime between dusk and dawn, sprinkles fairy dust and makes them disappear with her magic wand? Its not like there are not numerous garbage cans in the park. And, if these pet owners are too lazy to walk the extra steps to use one, why can't they carry the little bag that is provided to them free of charge to their home and put it in their own trash. Do the rest of us enjoy looking at a beautiful landscape with white poop bags as accents?

3. The drivers who, after been let in to traffic by your kindness, patience and generosity, drive on by without a little wave or a smile or even a solemn nod of acknowledgement. It makes me feel they believe they deserve to cut in. It is their right and I am supposed to delay my journey for them. Bah.

4. Litter. Especially cigarette butts. I am shocked at the motel by how many butts I can pick up in a day. 'Nuf said.

5. Cell phone users who talk loudly in public places so that I can hear their conversations. Like the man in the grocery store last week who was saying "she hasn't found the pistol yet, but she is still looking." Did I need to worry about that? Harry is in this category of naughty. He cannot put the phone on mute, unless he is in the movies or a funeral. I give him the evil eye in restaurants when it rings.

Also, drivers who slow down to below the speed limit, and when you pass them, you see that they are cluelessly gabbing away, oblivious to their surroundings. Or even worse, are texting - looking down with the occasional glance up at the road ahead. I cannot say that I do not talk on my phone, so Santa, please don't bring me coal. I will try to do better.

Of course there are many more pet peeves. People who want to talk and not listen. People who speed up when you try to pass them. People who talk in movies. People who talk about getting old - like when you say how are you and they say "good, I woke up." The list can go on and on. And, on a Nice note, when I stopped at the post office after the shopping cart incident, a woman waited with the door held open for me. I thanked her so profusely because she elevated me out of my Scrooge mood, she may have thought I was high on something. Just on gratitude and with thoughtful people and Christmas carols on the radio, who can stay grumpy for long.