English 215w

Like any other person in the world there are many things that I find constantly bringing me near insanity-though perhaps attempting to overcome the difficulty might just be the only drive to deal with the pet peeves and move on. Many things bother people such as when people interrupt you on call waiting and when you phone them back their line is busy, or how hot dog buns come in packages of eight, but hot dogs come in packages of ten. Do they really expect you to but five packages of buns and four packages of hog dogs just so they would even out? Just as in Sei Shogagon's "Hateful Things", pet peeves are much more than irksome human habits, but character defining traits that show the world how meticulous you are, how caring you are, and most importantly, how the little things really do matter.
The short essay entitled "Hateful Things" by the Japanese tenth century court lady Sei Shogagon is written to describe her many dislikes. In just four and a half short pages Shogagon runs through the many situations which she finds 'hateful' along with a brief description of each. Shogangon brings to life each individual idea and why someone would find each detail of her piece so annoying.
Those who runs a conversation in circles with question after question of insufferable dribble, only to return to the original question or to have nothing resolved in the drawn out garble. These people deserves to not only have their neck rung, but should be forced to sit through their own conversation while someone else repeats the brainless exchange so the offender may see just how truly moronic they appear to the rest of the world.
When you find something that irritates you, common sense states that you would correct is so it's the 'right' way. Such as one who stumbles upon a pile of their coffee table magazines stacked in the center of the table would organize and neatly places them in the upper left-hand corner of the table. Then once they leave, an anonymous passerby changes it back to the way it originally was, then once again you fix magazines again. You'd think Joe Unknown would realize that your magazines are not just magically movingyou've touched them in the first placefor a REASON!
People always complain about how no matter how hard you try, the toast always manages to land butter side down. The Aesop's way of telling a person: 'All that can go wrong, will'my thinking: 'If you're the idiot who dropped your food in the first place, it serves you right!' Someone who expects bad things to happen will received the bad, even though there maybe good somewhere in their, its being overshadowed by the negative. Just as in Shonagon's "Hateful Things", the author explains as with creaking carriages the offender is not always aware they are causing another to grit their teeth in disdain. During a final exam a classroom is filled with dead silence except for the rhythmic scratching of pencils on paper. While deep in thought, one suddenly becomes aware of the person behind them, clicking their mechanical pencil as if it would magically produce a lost answer. The knowledge that we are in fact bothering someone has gone astray with the worry of our current situation, and other things seem to vanish as the irritating sound reverberates throughout the room. While the annoying clicking sound persists, the offender may concentrate on their test, and ultimately succeed while others are left chewing on their pencils attempting to put the constant clicking out of their focus.
Standing in an infinitely long line is an arduous task in itself, but to then watch as others who have yet to grace the line with their presence are allowed the privilege to not only cut, but to move to the very front of the line, AND WHY!? Simply because their registration time is half an hour before yours. In "Hateful Things" Shonagon writes, "A newcomer pushes ahead of the other members in a group; with a knowing look-most hateful." Regardless of the mammoth you were waiting in, your tired and sore feet, and the screaming baby behind you, Mr. or Mrs. Perfection are given the right to move ahead of you and the rest of your fellow classmates who had the misfortune of receiving a later registration time. Perhaps these lucky few that are allowed the privilege of moving to the front of the line realize they are irking everyone else in lineand I suspect they receive some satisfaction from it! The look they send you shows not only their pleased demeanor, but also the fulfillment they receive from watching you squirm in place.
Brainless high schoolers with the IQ of soap spouts endless remarks, attempting to sound as if they understand all of the world's problems and only their petty problems bear any relevance, "Where on earth did you get that dress? This is a one-of-a-kind Donna Karen, as in original. Can your tiny insignificant brain even comprehend how much this dress cost? Is that a knock-off? That's is a knock-off isn't it? Some cheesy knock-offthis is exactly what happens when you sign those stupid free trade agreements." Or a cheerleader worried only about their hair and weather or not their shoes are to 'yesterday' spouts endlessly using stupid phrases, "But, like, and then, totally, I knowwhat do you expect, amoebae is more the wordduh!" As in "Hateful Things" Shonagon points out very eloquently, "Sometimes a person who is utterly devoid of charm will try to create a good impression by using elegant language; yet he only succeeds in being ridiculous. No doubt he believes this refined language to be just what the occasion demands, but, when it goes so far that everyone busts out laughing, surely something must be wrong."
A list of ones pet peeves is like drawing a detailed map of the individual. Each pet peeves displays a tiny glimpse into a person's soul. It shows who they are, what they like, and how they react to things. Together, the entire list paints an enormous picture of the person as a whole. It opens the door to the true person, how they like their surroundings and how they secretly feel the world should be.