Annoyances

None of these are earth shattering or thank goodness life threatening but maybe you'll recognize some of the daily annoyances facing The Normal Blogger and indeed all of us.

• Rude Cell Phone Users Don't you just love those individuals who insist on carrying on loud, lengthy and often very personal conversations in the most public of places--commuter trains, restaurants, doctors' waiting rooms, etc.? Should you even glance their way while they are so preoccupied, they act as if you're invading their space instead of the opposite. Suggestion--try whistling to distract them.
• Automated Answering Systems What's more frustrating --being placed in "cell hell" (on hold) interminably while being reassured that "your call is important to us" (if it were, a human would be employed to respond) or when someone actually picks up you find that it's the wrong person, they don't have a clue or they're in Bangladesh or all of the above? Suggestion-- leave a slightly profane message and see if someone responds (perhaps the authorities).
• Illiterate E-Mails Ever wonder why otherwise intelligent, educated and civilized people send you E-Mails that are poorly punctuated (if at all), riddled with typos and misspellings and in general look like English is the sender's second language? Apparently, there's such an air of informality associated with computers that anything goes. This of course has led to the younger generation's aptitude with text and instant messages, all written in some kind of code (LOL, BTY) that seems like Latin to TNB. Suggestion-- try sending your E-Mails in code and see if anyone notices. They'll probably think it's just a typo.
• Prices Ending in Nine Does anyone really believe that $4.299 per gallon isn't the same as $4.30? Or that a home listed for $799,999 isn't the same as $800,000? Or that an auto listed at $29,999 isn't being erroneously reported as "under $30,000"? Are we so psyched out by the next higher round amount that we'll be prevented from purchasing the item in question? Hard to imagine. Suggestion-- insist on paying the higher round amount saying "keep the change" (even at the gas station it's only a penny or two). You'll feel a lot better and be proud of yourself. TNB will also be proud of you.
• Medical Commercials Appearing primarily on TV programs generally watched by seniors such as the news (or frequently in the case of Viagra and its colleagues on sporting events) the Federally restrictive advertising of pharmaceutical products has given birth to a whole new genre of commercials. These are generally shot in sort of a gauzy haze with extremely healthy looking actors hawking the latest cure for some disease you've hopefully never heard of but with the most dire side effects imaginable. Most are pretty offensive despite the high production values. Suggestion-- as the commercials instruct you, ask your doctor about all these medications, relevant to you or otherwise. Be prepared however to be charged for the physician's response (or maybe you'll get a sample).