Ten Most Annoying Sounds--Listicles!

I almost forgot it's Monday, and I almost forgot to check Stasha for her listicles prompt.  That would be two weeks in a row without a listicles here.  Two weeks too many, I dare say.

Today's prompt asks to play along by listing ten sounds that drive me crazy.  Okay, I restated it, it's actually the ten sounds I find most annoying.

This is a tough one.  It all depends on my mood and setting.

1)  Static on the radio.  Anytime.  No satellite radio for this cheapskate.

2)  The garbage truck as it idles near our home from 5:00-5:30 a.m. every Wednesday, then stops at our house first at 5:30 with the wildly loud and high pitched squeak of its brakes.  (Though technically I get up at 5:30, this is not how I liked to be wakened.)

3)  The intercom at school interrupting my class so the secretary can inform kids who is picking them up end of day.  Ridiculous reminders in most cases.  (Rarely emergency changes in schedule, "Just a reminder that Jaimie has Girl Scouts today, and Mom will pick her up in the commons after Girl Scouts with all the other Girls Scouts' parents, and you can tell they're Girl Scouts because they are all wearing their sashes!"  And then it bings again with another message, sometimes the same one for a different child.  (I feel for the secretaries who field these calls from about 2:30-3:30 every day for every class.)

Note:  This is just an example, I have never had a Girl Scout receive such a message.

4)  The lady at church who affirms just about everything the pastor says.  "That's right!"  "Amen!"  "I can't believe that!" (In an affirming way.)  "God is good!"  "Oh, I know what you mean!"  If she did it once in a while, that wouldn't be bad, but she is distracting.  She's also a greeter, and when my husband told her I try to not shake hands due to arthritis, she announced that too as we entered service one night, "Oh that's right, YOU DON'T shake hands!!!"

We try to not sit by her, but sometimes it just happens.

5)  My own singing.  It's worse that awful.

6)  Bass heavy crap music that emanates from cars around me in traffic.  The vibration is ridiculous.  Thanks, but I'd like to keep my fillings.

7)  Whining--when kids do it, I do it back. They realize it's ineffective with me.   And they find it's annoying too.

8)  Low talkers.  This past year I had a class of kids full of kids who talked a lot, but when they'd come to me (for help, mind you) they'd mumble.  Their parents assured me they were not shy or afraid of me.  I'd try to turn my ear to them and lip read, ever tried that at the same time?

9)  Weatherfolks and newscasters telling me to drink lots of water, check on neighbors, and go to a pool because of the heat.  Really? I did not know that, I especially don't remember you telling me that, um, yesterday when we also faced a high well above ninety.

10)  The sound of any conversation that includes the words chick and fillet.  

If this list makes me sound cranky, well, so be it!  (But I promise you I'm not.)

Listicles is a Real Word

It is.

I know this because I googled it, and it's explained well before the link to The Good life by Stasha where this list is linked.  Who knew?

This week's topic for Stasha's Monday Listicles is thanks.  I need to sit here to ruminate on this because I'm thankful (that one doesn't count) Stasha provided something that's important for me to do--I've been ornery this weekend, not at all thankful, and that's not a good thing.

So...

10 Thanks

1.  Thanks for Mac making the trip from LA, not L.A., all the way to IL in his rental truck.  Safe travels indeed.
2.  Thanks for a washer that continued to work through some wild LA inspired loads of laundry.  (I'm not done, wish that could be one of these 10 thanks!)  Don't let your mind wander, it's a mix of college apartment and funky rental truck.  Uck.
3.   Thanks to my son and husband for making dinner while I was engrossed in said laundry.
4.   Thanks offered up for my library card and all the good books it's allowed me to check out this summer.
5.  Thanks to Mike's Hard Cranberry or was it Black Cherry?  I'm not a liquor snob.
6. Thanks to the M & M folks for coming up with dark chocolate raspberry M & M's.
7. Thanks to Michael's for offering a coupon for 25% off everything the week I'm having a craft party.  (There's an oxymoron of sorts...)
8.  Thanks to TJ Maxx for selling dresses that I can afford and that make my husband call me "Legs."
9.  Thanks for visits to Farmers Markets.
10.  Thanks for the promise of a new week and expectation...

Simple pleasures!

My First Listicles

I'm linking up at The good life this afternoon for Monday Listicles.  Better late in the day than Tuesday...  (AKA never)

1.  Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, and find line 4.  What is it?

Hm, it's a fragment, actually two. So, I'll pick one, "New York demanded everything a person could give, and she'd already given all she had."  Oh, so corny! But the book was a sweet summer read, Five Miles South of Peculiar.

2.  How many times do you say hi?

During the school year 75-100 times a day, in the summer not as much.  But I'm weird, I say hi to my house when I pull up.  I say hi to my husband if I haven't seen him for a while--even when we've just been in different rooms.

3.  Have you ever worn a uniform?

First grade--Catholic school, Bluebirds (the Brownies of the Campfire Girls) and Campfire girls (hello, we sold good chocolates, not just cookies), gym class all through middle and high school, and my first year teaching until I realized I didn't have to wearing dorky clothing with cartoons on it to get kids' attention.  (That's only sort of a joke.)

 Bluebird uniforn

photo source

4.  What do you think about the most?

Work/teaching/school.  Stress dreams will prove that.  My reading list will prove that.  Checking my work email will prove that.  My Pinterest boards will prove that--the one I add to most is "Fourth Grade Rocks."  Summers off, never really.

Now if you had asked "who" instead of "what," I'd have answered differently.


5.  How many keys are on your key ring?

I'm guessing on this one since I tend to leave them in my car (which is in a locked garage).  Five? House, car, mailbox, school, and a plastic key card to get into school.  I also have a whistle for recess.  It comes in handy over the summer.  Not.  Perhaps I should keep it handy to blow during stress dreams, "Stop this crazy butt dream now!!!" 

6.  What was the last thing you bought?

Two things, pillow fill and brown thread.  Makes me sounds so do-it-myselfy, doesn't it?


7.  Are you growing anything these days?

Flowers, a sad little, itty bitty, refuses to grow tomato plant, and geraniums that fear me.

 My carnations are just fine thank you.

Good thing we used a cone to keep it straight, eh?

Just moved these to the side of the house, realized they were being overwatered, decided to not water them for a couple days, then it rained two days straight.  

An "after" picture may be in order.

You know, when they come back to life.

8.  What is under your bed?

Nothing but dust.  My husband wants a Roomba vacuum for that very reason.  I do not want a Roomba vacuum because it would give me one more thing to trip over.  I hope to have the bedroom painted soon, and I'm sure we'll be vacuuming under the bed as part of that process, and then he will sleep much better. I am married to Mr. Clean, and dusty spots he cannot get to make him twitch.

9.  What is most important in life?

Jesus, though I forget about Him more than I remember Him.  Oh wait, you didn't ask who.  Hm, my faith, it's always there when I need it.


10.  What is the strangest word you used this week?

Festoon.  I decided we needed a red, white and blue bunting, and so my husband obliged by helping me festoon the house.  It was used in a Facebook status along with debacle.  No worries, all is now well.

 Duck or you may be smacked in the face by my patriotism.

Now, if you'd answer an app question for me, I'd love your input.
Click here for today's earlier post.