30 Days of Truth: Something You Could Definitely Live Without
I’m excited about this post because I have a personal rule about blogging: I do not rant.
I appreciate a good rant on other people’s blogs, but I try not to do it on my own.
But, I am a slave to following instructions, so not only will I do this post, but I will amend it to:
Some THINGS I Could Definitely Live Without
1. People asking me what I do all day. I’m working. Just like you are. Mind your own business.
2. Political partisanship. This is specifically directed at people’s whose Twitter accounts and FB pages are littered with flagrantly partisan links that seemed aimed more towards incitement rather than information. I think a person should ask themselves before they share a news story, “Why am I posting this? Is this going to contribute to promoting the noble and sadly neglected cause of achieving consensus?” We’re all on the same team, emotional, ethical and national prosperity is proportional to the number of people who try to live that.
3. Gossip. This includes statements masked in the guise of extracting moral/financial/ethical/value lessons from the other people’s behavior. I care about what happens to you, what you think about you, what you want out of life. I’m not interested in hearing about what you think about your friends. I feel the need to add here that no matter how absolutely riveting your argument is about how you were totally right, considering the other side of the story is absolutely fundamental to who I am. I’m not a good person to consider if you’re thinking about forming a lynch mob.
4. Hearing about anything related to driving. What route a person takes, how fast/slow drivers are irritating or how clever one is because they evaded getting a speed ticket for doing 85 mph in a school zone. Every now and then is fine. Just, you know, don’t go on and on about it. Please.
5. Excessive self praise or excessive self deprecation. I’d like everyone to consider that both of these are conditions which indicate a measurable degree of self centeredness.
6. Applications that tell me where people are every second of the day. There’s a reason our society evolved into an organism where we don’t know our neighbors. I need space. I generally don’t care where a person eats lunch, where they grocery shop, or where they like to go drinking on a Thursday night. Someone needs to add a request feature to these apps, “Would you like to know what your friend is doing every second of every damned day?” My brain is only capable of handling so much information.
7. Ambiguous passive aggressive tweets or FB updates masked under the guise of cleverness about people you had a falling out with over a year ago. Stop it. Get over yourself. This is not being clever, it’s being a jerk. It’s also so tacky. SO tacky.
8. Mommy Wars. Working and raising a family is hard. Staying at home and raising a family is hard. Being a woman is hard. Being a mother is hard. Being a human being is hard. Stop tearing each other down and start supporting each other. Mothers are forces to be reckoned with, not adolescent girls on a cheerleading team vying for who gets to be homecoming queen. Diminishing another’s choices doesn’t make your choices any more right than theirs. We can both be right. There’s no rule against that.
That might have been boring for you, but, wow. That felt good.
Care to experience catharsis? Add to my list in the comments.
41 Responses to 30 Days of Truth: Something You Could Definitely Live Without
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Ummm… Your list is numbered from 1 to 8 but the title started with “Ten Things”
Also, I am highly self-centred.
@adnan., Hahahahaha…. this is why I shouldn’t listen to music when I write.
you are a good woman. i am thankful for you.
@hello haha narf, Ditto, my friend.
Oh my! Based on this, I may or may not have been irritating the hell out of you on many different levels on more than a one of these points. LOL! These are all excellent and have prompted me to think about my own behavior!
@Ginger, You have never ONCE irritated me in the slightest. Carry on.
I want to stand up and clap for #7. Just say no to douchey updates!! I have an itchy unfollow finger when I see that crap.
I could also do without mushrooms. Seriously people, that’s not food.
@Lisa, I know, right? Mushrooms grow in POOP, people… in POOP.
I think that this is a wonderful list, and because I’m right, I’m awesome. SO VERY AWESOME. Towering above all who are wrong!
(But that joke wasn’t very funny. Because I suck. Oh so much.)
@shiny, Hahaha… very good.
People talk about driving a lot? Really? The only thing more boring than driving a lot (unless it’s highway miles with stereo blasting, light traffic, good weather and cigarettes) is listening to someone talk about driving a lot.
So, what DO you do all day? *ducks and runs*
@Finn, I will take you OUT. (That was supposed to read like something a mobster says… and yet, on second read, it seems like I’m asking you out on a date…)
Of course, your cogent & rational points leave me feeling like the Whining Ninny (that I am) I could also live without knowing where anyone is the “Mayor’ of. I won’t ask you what you’re doing- you’re a Mom, so I kinda know- 1,100+things, usually all at the same time & much better then I could have!
@yknot, I refuse to even find out what people are becoming the mayor of…
I’ve got a serious problem with comparison parents. Like, the ones that will “soothe” your nerves while smiling if, upon them asking if your kid is doing X and you revealing they’re not, but theirs’ is. Or the ones that you’ll mention something your kid did – because it’s normal to you, not because you’re bragging or anything of the sort – and the next day, their child has a learning device associated with that same task.
Seriously. Kids have a tough enough time being just allowed to be kids – all of these comparisons that parents make them live up to… it’s toxic to some. And parents have it hard too – why would be choose to define our child or parenting ability based on another child’s strength or weakness in a specific area?
@Zoeyjane, Ooooh, yes. I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about. In fact, I’ve just started NOT saying what my kid *can* do in order to avoid it.
@Faiqa, I’ve found myself following up a ‘yay, kid’ comment with a ‘but, she still needs to work on…’. How shitty is that? I’ve gotta quit that.
@Zoeyjane, Same. At least we know better enough to feel shitty about it.
I love #3 & #2. “Why am I posting this? Is this going to contribute to promoting the noble and sadly neglected cause of achieving consensus?” We’re all on the same team, emotional, ethical and national prosperity is proportional to the number of people who try to live that.
When I grow up, I wanna be just like you!
@GrandeMocha, Ha… I am severely underpaid and get very little vacation time. I feel you should know this before you try to be like me when you grow up in the interest of full disclosure…
who talks about driving that much? weirdos.
@Karen Sugarpants, SERIOUSLY, I am not making this up. I once listened to a five minute conversation on what route the two people talking thought was the best way to get to work. Kill me, please.
“5. Excessive self praise or excessive self deprecation. I’d like everyone to consider that both of these are conditions which indicate a measurable degree of self centeredness.”
Is it self centered when I *KNOW* that applies to me? It’s OK, I know you mean it with LOVE.
@Miss Britt, Dude. I’m not talking about you… and you’re not making it easy for me to make the case that I don’t think you’re self centered by, in fact, assuming the statement is all ABOUT YOU. Heh.
@Faiqa, to whom would you be trying to make that case? Because I could have saved you some time and said LOST CAUSE.
It’s totally about me.
@Miss Britt, it’s totally about Britt, Faiqa. Admit it. I knew it instantly, too.
Well I love the way you rant!
I agree with all of these.
Especially the updates on where people are – why the frick do I CARE? It’s just weird.
@Sybil Law, It’s not only weird, but makes it incredibly easy for a potential stalker to find them.
I like your list. I agree with many of your items. Actually, I don’t disagree with any of them. I wonder who could talk about driving that much unless they are a race car driver in nascar or something.
@Hockeymandad, I have been talked to about driving for well over five to ten minutes. I have even been subjected to listening to fifteen minute group discussions regarding how driving here is different from driving over there. I have seen the true face of hell and, my friend, it is THAT conversation.
Heh – the “what do you do all day” one brings to mind a funny cartoon I saw once. The husband comes home to find dirty dishes, kids in pajamas wrecking the living room, tv blaring, etc etc etc – and wife in bed. He says “Are you ok? what’s going on??” She answers “You know how you always ask me what I did all day? Well, I didn’t do it today.”
@Gurukarm (@karma_musings), LOVE. Going to DO.
I know I could live without #1, 2, 3 and 7. I’m very tired of hearing about all those things, especially when they create a divisive tone or environment.
@martymankins, Exactly, life is complicated enough, I can’t begin to fathom why people feel the need to create a MORE complicated existence.
Whoa — #7? I saw one of those not too long ago, and promptly unfriended the person because it was nasty and unnecessary. I’d continued to maintain friendships between both parties — up until that point. Badmouthing when it’s all under the water is just unnecessary, and immature. What’s funny is that this person prides themselves on being the bigger person. HA!
Anyway.
It’s my belief that a good rant post is important now and then — as long as there’s no badmouthing. I like to tweet rants about being out of Goldfish. *hugs 2lb box*
Don’t be fake, no Faiqa I don’t mean you. I mean those people who pretend to be your friend, but don’t want to really connect. If you don’t want to meaningfully connect, then I don’t have the time. Thanks, that felt good!!
Don’t be fake, no Faiqa I don’t mean you. I mean those people who pretend to be your friend, but don’t want to really connect. If you don’t want to meaningfully connect, then I don’t have the time. Thanks, that felt good!!
You have sunk to bottom of the creative barrel when the conversation at a party focuses on which new road each person can take to work and back. I just want to hurt somebody at that point.
But I am surprised you had #6 since that is a big part of the two most popular apps now days…I’m just saying.
You have sunk to bottom of the creative barrel when the conversation at a party focuses on which new road each person can take to work and back. I just want to hurt somebody at that point.
But I am surprised you had #6 since that is a big part of the two most popular apps now days…I’m just saying.
Umm, I would love to know where everyone else was at any given moment of any day. What’s wrong with that?
I love this. I could totally do without Mommy Wars and GOSSIP. OMG, the gossip.