My Peeve-Meter is Popping

It's hot as the dickens outside, but I'm inside so I should be feeling less than agitated.  I'm not, though, and for that reason, you can share in the needle-burying peeve activity I've been cogitating about this week.

First, I love my kids very much.  I'm so glad when they are both home, under one roof, and close enough to hug and kiss.  What I do NOT love is the bickering.  The whining.  Their absolute inability to be in close proximity with one another and not need a referee.  I'm not sure what will cure it, but I'm thinking it will involve some undivided time in our respective corners (or bedrooms).

Second, I find it sad that Barry Bonds is now seen as a Homerun King if the allegations of doping against him are true.  To compare his so-called accomplishment with something done by another man who didn't use performance-enhancing drugs is laughable and shameful.  I don't like that our sports and their records are tarnished like that.

Third,  I want the Pod People to leave me alone.  Our very designer and delightful market has begun offering the ability to pay for your groceries by using only your fingerprint.  They have a rather large kiosk set up in the narrow entrance of the store that you must pass to reach the deli and bakery counters and the main artery of the store.  It doesn't help my paranoia that the youngsters they are employing to enroll shoppers in this program resemble Stepford Children...perfectly kempt, glowing complexions, plastic smiles and Vanna White-like motions. 

Don't worry.  I avoided eye contact with them and kept moving.  As I did a few years ago when the brainless bimbos at the spray-on tan place told me my fingerprint was required to be painted orange, I told them they could FORGET IT. 

I don't know where that information is going to be stored or how fingerprints could be used in the future...nope, nope, NOPE.

Not to mention I remember very scary discussions in my younger days (I didn't realize I had been raised in a fundamentally religious way until I reached college) about how someday you'd have to have a certain mark--you know which one I'm talking about!-- to conduct business and buy and sell.  Those debit card commercials already try to shame you out of using cash...and here we thought debit cards would be the end of civilization as we knew it.

Now, the Pod People want our fingerprints!  What the?!

Fourth, I wish the horrific school district that is the public school district (no, my child does NOT attend there) in our main city would admit how inept it is.  Their first day of school was Monday.  They haven't held classes since.  Too hot.  Today marks the second of five calamity days they have burned up because, you know, we're all surprised how hot it is in August.  And, those poor, poor children in school without A/C.

Here's a couple things:  1)  My school didn't have A/C either growing up and I remember a heat wave in the 1980's that caused a drought of Biblical proportions.  I lived. 2)  Many of these children don't have A/C at home either.  At least at school they would be fed and supervised which is likely not happening at their homes.  3)  Who starts school this early in August and expects it NOT to be hot?  4)  This is the same school district who had me at wit's end by canceling again and again in the winter because it was too cold...our school canceled if this one did because of busing.  5)  This isn't San Diego.  We don't have perfectly moderate weather all the time.  Deal with it!

Fifth, the next time I tell you I have a brilliant idea of taking on another project, hit me over the head with a casebook, will you?  I need to NOT be doing someone else's research at this point in my life...especially when I have other things to do.

Sixth, it is becoming painfully apparent that although I didn't marry my father when I married Hubs, I may have very well married my father-in-law.  That, my friends, is NOT cool.  I'm not sure how this will be remedied, but it may involve medication (for him and/or me) or a renovation of our tool shed into a 'guest house' (for him). 

Seventh, and finally, some other people need to start watching the new series, Damages, on FX.  I want to talk about it like I talk about Gray's with people.  But, I think I'm the only one watching.  This show is soooooooooooo good!  Watch it already, will you?!

Comments

[armywifetoddlermom]

sounds like PMS MCN. We have had a terrible cae of this PMS thingy at my house this week...and just in time for DH's arrival home!

My kids need constant refereeing as well which makes me feel like a horrid parent...

what did I do wrong?

[Butterfly Wife]

OK. I put in my calendar to watch Damages next Tuesday. I'll let you know what I think.

[David C]

Kim Cameron, Microsoft's identity architect, makes some interesting points about just what these fingerprinting systems store, and how secure it needs to be kept.

http://www.identityblog.com/?p=733

My fingerprint for a pint of milk - or even some Camembert? I don't think so!!!

[Guard Wife]

Ok, AWTM...I think you probably caught me on that one.

And, BWife, if you can catch any of the repeats of the first 3 of Damages, it might be worth your while (although, hubs is kinda slow on TV shows & he watched this one & feels he's ok to go on).

Thanks for the link, David. I'm with you--they can keep their cheese!

[TripleE]

Did you breathe at all while you typed? :)
I'll set the DVR for Damages now.
I hope some day my kids realize they are stuck with each other and stop bickering too. 3 1/2 weeks until school starts...they get along so much better when they don't see each other as much. The times they do play nicely together really melts my heart.

[Guard Wife]

Breathing is overrated, isn't it?? :) LOL

My kiddos should do better too once school starts, but I can't be sure. They are just drama queens, I believe.

[dagamore]

Damages is a very good show, but I dont see how it can work past one season. Just my thinking from watching the first 3 shows. Still its fun to watch, and has a great cast.

When the kids I watch get out of hand, I just assume it is due to a hickory deficiency. Normally just saying that is enough to get them to quite fighting.

[Guard Wife]

I thought the same thing about Damages too (re: how can this last more than one season?) and am hoping if it's only one season it stays this good.

The cast is pretty amazing.

A 'hickory deficiency', huh? That's a good one!

[Butterfly Wife]

I watched part of Damages last night. Unfortunately, it required more attention than what I had available. I just don't think I have an attention span right now that will allow me to IM with husband, do work, IM with boss, and watch an in-depth TV show. Something has to give. I'll keep an eye out for re-runs though. What I did see looked intriguing.

[Melinda]

completely understandable. I even DVR it while watching it in real time in case I zone out & need to rewind and watch it again.

It's INTENSE.