10 Things ....

10 Things that I have considered ranting about or writing about this morning…what can I say I’m sensitive..

1. Martin Lewis tweeted about an article he wrote in 2009 about banning Christmas presents, and he is now using the hashtag #BanXmasPresents

I have no problem with this idea and he says himself that he is talking about giving gifts to people outside the immediate family, like friends and work colleagues.

My issue (I always have one these days!) is that it is just common sense, to only buy gifts for those who you want to buy gifts for and to only spend what you can afford. I think it is patronising, but maybe it isn’t, maybe there are people out there who cannot think these thoughts for themselves and who sit at home wondering how they cope without being told the most obvious stuff by someone they don’t know (like me :p)

I guess it is something that annoys me in general about some articles like this, I despair with people who have no common sense and I grow agitated with articles aimed at these people, what also irks me is when someone comments on said article along the lines of….

“Wow! You have changed my life. For the last 20 years I have struggled to buy gifts for immediate family, extended family, friends, colleagues, friends family, passers by and your advice to just not do that, really has been indispensible and I don’t know how I could ever thank you. You are top of my Christmas gift list this year!”

2. To continue following or to not continue following

Have you ever read a tweet from someone and thought..I find that offensive or the person does nothing but complain (more than me)…and had your finger hover over the unfollow button as you decide how offended you are? Just me then!

I’m not talking about miscommunication in a conversation with someone but more someones single tweet.

I have a pretty good sense of humour, dry, wicked, crude & slapstick jokes all being favourites and not forgetting a good pun. But one sunny day (unlikely that it was) I had begun to follow someone who is “funny” and some jokes posted were ok, then one was posted that I found offensive. I decided that as open minded as I am, that that joke was just a bit too much and if all subsequent tweets were to have that leaning on them then I should unfollow. Not for me.

I have this dilemma a lot, do I go with my own personal beliefs or do I just ignore their tweets, or do I keep an open mind? What do you do?

3. Twuddy – for all of about two seconds because I couldn’t think of anything to say! Blast him…I mean bless him.

4. Earphones

On my commute to work and home and more often than not during lunch I listen to music using earphones.

I hate that they always break after no time at all! If it’s not losing sound in the left one then it’s the connection to the mp3 player. I seem to spend a lot of time buying earphones. I should design them! Maybe not but it’s not much to ask for some that last longer than a couple of months...is it?

5. TV Shows

It annoys me that no-one wants to discuss TV shows in the detail that I would like to, or that they even watch the TV shows that I do. I am therefore sentenced to a very one sided conversation where I am always right! Wait? Why am I complaining?

6. Practical Jokes

When should you stop saying boo to people? Is there a right or wrong age?

The other day I crept up behind someone and in the deepest, huskiest voice I could muster I said “Boo!”, they were a little surprised.
Actually, they were a lot surprised, the following things happened;

• They jumped up in the air, both feet left the ground.
• Yelped.
• They got goosebumps all over.
• They nearly wet themselves.
• They were a little shaky.
• Their heart was pounding in their chest.

I should tell you, this poor victim was my long suffering mother! If you have read the post about Budapest you will know I nearly killed her, route marching her up five flights of stairs, but anyway….she is ok…now.

I did apologise as soon as I had done it, in between laughing that is, because as I walked up behind her I had a conversation with myself, a bit like this;

Me:                  Shall I say boo?
Other Me:        Yeah, go on it will be hilarious.
Me:                  I shouldn’t she looks pretty deep in thought.
Other Me:        Go on, it will be funny…fu..uu..nnnnnn….nnnyyyyyyy
Me:                  I can’t, she’ll jump out her skin.
Other Me:        Go on.
Me:                  I shouldn’t.
Other Me:        Go on….it will be funny…..
Me:                  ok then….

Fortunately, her cardio vascular system seems to be in good working order and she is fine, she did laugh but that’s because she has had years of training and she knows me! I recently discovered that I get this personality disorder from my Dad. Thanks Dad.

7. A true story

I considered another tale of my incompetence, naivety and travel. However, I have so many instances that I would need a prompt and I don’t have one, I did consider telling you about the following;

• Nearly falling off of Mount Masada
• Falling over in the busiest Café in Israel
• Unfortunate sunburn
• Being told to get out of a car in the middle of a desert
• Taking friends and family on the slowest train in West Africa
• Travelling across the Dominican republic on a wing and a prayer

 And so on…

8. “The Horrorfice”

This was a film idea that I came up with yesterday afternoon at work, it is a horror spoof, based in an office (100 points if you can guess where I was), in the same style as ‘The Office’ TV show (which I have only ever watched one episode of!).

The idea was very much like that film, with that man, who flips on the motorway?! What its called? Was it Michael Douglas? Anyway, an employee flips and starts killing people in interesting ways as he does not have weapons and can only use office stationery.

My friend and colleague wanted it to be based in an Oceanography department, and have the killer have a fish obsession, to go around with a swordfish and cutting an initial into his victims (like Zorro).

Then we decided that the unlikely hero would try and get all the remaining staff members across campus to somewhere with wifi because their office only had a fax machine. They would have to battle zombies from the lunchtime Zumba class and race against the zombie alpine walkers and lunchtime runners!

9. Peoples desire to lie when the truth will suffice.

I can’t even summarise this because…aaraaagggghhhhh….but tell me the truth, because it annoys me when you prefer to make up some story, that I know is a lie and which then makes me feel bad when I shouldn’t. Everyone can make their own choices, I don’t want to be the reason that you do something that you don’t want to, so don’t be a coward and just tell me you don’t want to do it. I will respect you more as opposed to some story. Seriously, its not life and death and I wont be offended.

10. Pigeons, Gargoyles and puppy dog tails.