This Bugs Me!
Does it Bug You?

Vas Gardiakos

One of My Pet Peeves!

You go to the hospital or doctors office. You are given forms to sign. These forms have been drawn and refined by lawyers to protect their clients. I walk in and am asked to read and sign the forms. As usual during these situations my lawyer is not with me. I am not a lawyer and am not aware of my legal rights. I can spend a half an hour or an hour reviewing all the forms and would only be slightly better off. In the end I would end up signing any way. Who would I discuss any changes with in any case? The point here is I did not bring any forms for them to sign so why are they asking me to sign their forms? This bugs me! Oh well life goes on!

On several occasions I have asked the receptionist “have I given you any forms to sign?” “No!” they reply. “So why are you giving me all these forms for me to sign?” Looking bewildered as I am sure no one previously asked such an intimidating question they reply if you don’t sign the doctor will not see you. So head held low, I sign!

Torture

Torture is the most heinous of all human to human acts. The thought of someone being tortured makes my body and mind extremely tense. I wonder if I was in a torture situation how I would react, give the wanted information in betrayal or withstand the pain and mutilation. To those that see torture is a good idea on certain occasions then they should try to get Congress to legalize it. Then they should volunteer to experience torture so that they can confirm that their action was a correct one. One criteria all torturers and their superiors have in common is that they are evil people. The just thing to do is to give them some of their own medicine, but I do not believe in torture and would not make an exception here.

Visit: Amnesty International
 

Jaded People

It bugs me when people act as if they have seen and done everything. You can show them a painting by Van Gogh and you do not see a smile on their face. You show them a sculpture by Praxiteles and they do not raise an eyebrow. Maybe some people just don't get it. Not sure why this bugs me but it does.

Free Advertising

I want to rent my body by wearing an advertising t-shirt. This is unlikely when there are millions that do it for free, yes unpaid walking billboards. Too bad!

Left Turn Slow Pokes

I have observed that left lane signals never last as long as desired. Obviously this is more evident when one is in the left lane during rush hour hoping not to have to await one more light rotation to get through. What bugs me is the few drivers take their time to start moving, drive very slowly and allow more than two car lengths between them and the car in front. If everyone drove like this the left turn lanes would be even more congested than they are now.

I believe it is the duty of driver to be aware of the inertest not only of themselves but all the cars to the side, the rear and in front. Left turn etiquette should be a mandatory lesson in driving schools. The idea is to get as many cars to make the left turn before the light turns red. To do this properly requires that all cars on the left turn lane mobilize on a single minded mission. The mission is to get as many cars through as possible. I often see the first several cars take their time moving not caring about the cars behind them. These selfish people are assured of making the left turn light so why would they care if any else also succeeds. This really bugs me especially if I miss the light when there was ample time to make it through if only everyone cooperated.


Women Cheat

Women have the weeping weapon which is more powerful than anything in the male arsenal. They cry and they get their way. The hurt and the tears are real and spontaneous but it does not make it less of a weapon. I do not mean to cry over this but hitting below the belt is considered cheating in my manual! How could this little weapon disarm such a big guy. Oh well, maybe I am too sensitive.

Monologue People

People that refuse to have a dialog and prefer a monologue. They talk and you listen. Perhaps it is a dominance, egotistical or a superiority issue. It may be as simple as they just are not interested in what you have to say.

We all are guilty of not listening at one time or another but is seems that some people are so intent on talking or are so inwardly bound that they do no not listen and when they do, they do not acknowledge your presence let alone your comments. In other words what you have to say is inconsequential so they do not acknowledge that your lips had moved and words were uttered. It is if you had said nothing. It may be that some people just do not have the capacity to process what other people say. Maybe some people just cannot listen and talk at the same time, a requirement for dialog.

For a certain segment of the population it is easier to talk than to listen attentively. Some people talk incessantly possibly to prevent others from talking which would tax their mental capacity. So to try to make it a dialogue you have to be rude and interrupt to get your two drachmas in. Maybe they are afraid that you may shift the subject and talk about yourself. They talk so much that they cannot always be creative so they turn to repeating themselves. They talk so much that they put their mouth on automatic pilot and so they cannot remember what they said. The next day they may support the opposing view with equal intensity.
 

POB?

In the U.S. we abbreviate post office box "P. O. Box" but for an unknown reason at least unknown to me, we do not also acronym "Box"? When I mail to a post office box I use "POB" and my mail gets to the addressee without a hitch.

Arguments

At some point in a discussion something happens to some people that causes them to perceive the ongoing discussion as a life or death argument against an enemy and get into the fight or flight response. Realizing that it is not necessary to flee they may raise their voice and use any means including insulting the messenger in an attempt to gain an advantage and win the fight and to feed their ego. This must have been a successful ploy and that is why it is repeated. "Win at any cost" may be valid for enemies but certainly not for family and friends. Among family and friends this eventually wears thin and unfortunately a slow disengagement follows.

The key here is to see the person you are having a discussion with as an opponent and not an enemy. Do not use the seek and destroy option reserved for enemies. A discussion is not a battle where everything goes. Win at any cost does not apply to people you like. Be intellectually honest when discussing. Do not lie to win any points. Let the cards fall where they may.

Friendly discussions are not about who is right or wrong but about what is true or false. "Attack the message and not the messenger" is one rule that should always apply in a discussion. Attack the message honesty, logically and calmly. For the most part discussions regardless of the outcome do not in any way change reality so there is no reason to get all riled up.

Favors

I can't stand when someone reminds you of real and/or perceived favors they did for you. Even worst is when they brag to others about it. They completely ignore mentioning the favors done to help them out. It is rude so you never mention the favors you did for them. They believe that the favors they did for you are big where as the favors you did for them are minor. If you are not one of these people please do me a favor and disregard this paragraph. Thanks!

Classical Music

I primarily listen to classical music. I find some of it extremely enjoyable. Occasionally a segment evolves into something extraordinarily magnificent and I am thinking just keep on playing this magnificent music in this manner and unfortunately they never do. I do not need relative mediocrity so that I can increase my appreciation of the magnificent segment.

I Forgot!

"I forgot" is not a repeatable nor reputable excuse to give to family and friends. "I forgot" is so easy to say. I cannot understand why some people say it with great pride. It usually means I forgot because it was not worth remembering. What is the response to "I forgot"? You are the bad guy if you dare remind them. I suppose if you are not visible on someone's radar screen you are forgotten.

I have given this matter some thought. Perhaps one says "I forgot" in their way of thinking this is the polite way of saying I don't give a damn. Perhaps!

I Lied!

Along with "I forgot", "I lied" is one more statement that people say with pride. Odd!

Memories

Why do we occasionally and perhaps too often get random flash backs of trivial and serious mistakes we have made during our lives? This sucks!

Political

Aristotle said "By nature man is a political animal". In order to stay true to my nature I will include my political commentary and political gripes on a separate page. The political page however will have to wait until I find the time to write it. So keep on checking this site for some unbiased political brain-twisting. You do want to clear your mind of false political beliefs, don't you? :-)

Equifax

When I wrote to Equifax, the credit reporting agency, that they had messed up my personal data they replied that they will help me correct it. Help me correct it? To top it off they sent many forms for me to fill and documents to send them so that they can help me! Help me? Now if they only have asked for me to help them correct my file it would have been a different story. They messed up my file and they should go out of their way to fix it, not me. They want me to jump through the hoops but really they are the ones that should do so. I will help them fix my file but they will have to do most of the work. The problem is they have the upper hand a they can do what ever damn pleases them. Too bad!

For a laugh I include the letter below. Obviously it was not meant to yield results and indeed it did not.

To: Equifax
August 8, 2005

Hello No-Name, [no name was signed to the letter sent to me]

 I received your letter dated July 26, 2005

You are doing a disservice to yourself, those that seek info and me by posting erroneous information about me and who knows who else.

1. You are not assisting me in any way. I am assisting you by informing you that my report is in error so to mitigate any damages the erroneous report has caused me.

2. It is up to you to investigate how and where the false info was obtained initially. Once you have discovered how the error was made and by whom, remove the erroneous address from my file and then inform me with all the facts. Include copies of the party’s social security number, W2 form, drivers license and utility bills. It is imperative that we clearly know the identity of the party that gave you my [erroneous] current address as listed in my report. 

Do the following:

Until this error is corrected inform all that view my report that the address information cannot be relied to be true. Report to me that you have complied.

I am informing you that the report error has cost me time which translates to money. I am billing you at $100 per hour. I have spent over an hour in research and response regarding this matter.

Invoice number: #805  August 8, 2005

Equifax Pay upon receipt.

One hour labor research and correspondence:  $100.00

Send check to:

Vasilios Gardiakos
PO Box 1625
Tarpon Springs FL 34688

 If you do not pay enter a late payment on the Equifax credit status.

Sincerely,

Vasilios Gardiakos


 

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Copyright 2007 V. Gardiakos