Your Grrrs ... compiled by FOX News intern Michelle Siegel.
Craig in Ventura, Calif.: My Grrr is to smokers. Not every single smoker, however. Just the ones who actually think it is OK to fling your LIT cigarette out the window at 70 mph. Aside from the obvious fire hazard you create, you don't seem to realize that there are other cars on the freeway around you. I was on the left of a guy who threw the lit cigarette out his driver's side window and hit my windshield. It showered sparks all over my windshield and INTO my car onto my passenger! Word of advice to you who do this: I, on occasion, will enjoy some chewing tobacco. I spit into a Styrofoam cup while driving. The guy who hit my truck with a lit cigarette now needs a car wash due to the showering of my full dip cup going all over him. (I held onto the cup and just threw the contents at him.) If you hit my truck with a lit smoke, expect to be hit with tobacco juice in return. You have an ashtray, smokers. Use it!
Kristine in Cyberspace: My GRRRRRRR goes out to the 20-somethings who think they are ENTITLED to a job. They can show up at all hours (if at all), abuse e-mail and company phones, etc. Not to forget that their personal cell phones are ringing off the hook with those annoying ring tones. And then there is the constant whining about having to do the work or answer the work phone. Heaven forbid if they don't feel well, then I have to hear every detail related to every person who walks by or calls. Then they whine and cry and do everything but take responsibility for their own actions when management finally does something about the whole mess. High school had less drama! I told my mom that I was going to slap her for instilling a strong work ethic in me — obviously that is out of style now. GRRRRR!
Steven in Duluth, Ga.: My Grrrrr goes out to the oblivions at the gym who feel that they have taken possession of a particular machine as if they have squatters' rights. I go to my gym during my lunch hour. The majority of the people there have a very limited time to get in, work out, and get out. The Oblivions do a set, then camp out on a machine while I stand there waiting for them. I have had people talking on their cell phone. Talk about an Important! If the gym is even the least bit crowded, do your set and GET OFF. Loosen up. Shake it out. Whatever, just get out of the way!
Jen Osburn in Cyberspace: I quite appreciated your column on forgiveness. I have frequently spoken to my teenagers about it, but too often have a problem following it. Thanks for the reminder. Now for a new Grrr — the Technobliviat. This is the person who doesn’t bother learning ANYTHING about the computer they have purchased, making life for support desk technicians pure hell, and then blame the technician for "talking down" to them. I am sure these people know the make and model of their car, but respond to "What kind of computer do you have?" with “Uh, a black one.” Or when asked “What is the problem?” they answer: “It won’t work.” When taking their car to the mechanic, I am sure they describe the issue: “It’s sluggish on acceleration, and the turn signal is stuck on.” Grrr!
Lois in Cyberspace: Grrr to the people who come into the office in the morning and tell the first person they meet up with what they did last night (Monday mornings are worse because they have two full days and an evening to report on), what cute little things their dog did, what their latest purchases are and what difficulties they are having with their children. When the next person arrives in the office, there is a total rehash of this. Third person arrives, same repulsive rehash. Phone calls with clients include the juicy information again. This goes on ad nauseam. It does not occur to these people that not everyone is that interested in their life. PLEASE! Some of us actually try to work and jobs take 100 percent attention sometimes.
Kate in Cyberspace: I am a part-time cashier, and it is very annoying when people leave fresh meat, hot chicken or even ice cream in the magazine racks at the front register. If you don’t want to buy the item, just let the cashier know. We do not assume you can’t afford the item, so don’t be embarrassed. We are glad to put it back for you. Do you realize that by leaving bacon amongst the candy bars that you are causing prices to go up, since the store has to throw them out? Yes, they can get credit for many damaged items, but that costs money, too. My other Grrr is those sticky coupons that vendors put on boxes like, “Save 50 cents now.” Customers often seem to think it is the cashier’s responsibility to see it amongst the other 30 items they are buying, and take the time to pull the coupon off for them. They are usually a pain to tear off! If you want to save the money, please tear it off for yourself, and give it to the cashier. Thanks for letting me share these cashier secrets.
Kelly in NYC: My GRRR goes out to all the people who "surf" on the subway thinking
they have this innate ability to withstand the many jerks to and fro without falling over. I can forgive someone once for landing on my foot if they're caught off-guard by the sudden start and they didn't get a chance to grab a bar and hold on. But twice is too much. The bars are there for a reason — PLEASE — don't be rude to your fellow riders by crashing into them repeatedly. HOLD ON! I have to assume this happens in other cities aside from New York, so maybe a phrase for these idiots can be added to the lexicon. How about Subsurfers?
Theresa in Austin: My Grrr is to adults out there who preach to their kids about being kind and accepting of other kids, people with special needs, yet do not do it themselves. I am a mother of a three-year-old autistic boy, and you wouldn’t believe the looks and whispers that come our way. My son doesn’t look "special" from the outside, so people are always expecting him to behave like a normal three-year-old, and when he doesn’t they will give us horrible looks and start the whispering. To all those adults: Before you start your whispering and thinking "if that were my kid, I would …", just remember that you never know what that child might be walking through or what difficulty he might be facing. Also remember that even without saying a word, those thoughts come through in your body language, the look on your face and in the way you stare. Instead, when you catch yourself having those thoughts or starting to whisper, just smile and try to say something nice. I can’t tell you how much that would mean to that child and to the family of that child. As parents, we are supposed to teach our kids to be loving to others with special needs, but we also have to teach them by example.
Ken in Cyberspace: I hear lots of stories about how people complain about Oblivions, but I never hear any instances where the complainers confront the Oblivions. I have a low tolerance for B.S. and when I see it happening in front of me, I bring it to the person's attention. How will they know if we don't tell them their behavior is unacceptable and selfish. Maybe and most probably they won't change, but it makes me feel better that I've done something about it. So if you see oblivious behavior, let the sucker know about it and maybe he'll wake up.
Lynn from Canton, Ill.: My Grrr is to the oblivion who didn't wear deodorant to the NASCAR race in Chicago this weekend, even though it was 90+ degrees out and it was a packed house. I just loved being assaulted with the scent every time your "man" made a move and you raised both your arms to cheer. YUCK!
Lisa-Marie in Cyberspace: My biggest Grrr goes out to those parents who go to social events and have many adult beverages. You took on the responsibility with having kids, now be responsible and have one adult stay sober. I see this at restaurants and outside venues all the time, and it just “irks” me to no end. I am writing this after seeing both parents consume three margaritas each in less than two hours at a local bar and grill. I had already had two myself and I could feel the effects. I can only imagine how they were feeling (especially as they let their kids go from table to table bothering others: they, of course, thought it was cute that their kids were socializing with others). Grrrrrrrr. Thanks for listening — and to all you parents out there, GET A BABYSITTER!
Mary in Cyberspace: I live outside a small, rural town, so this variety of Obliviot spotted in the Biltmore village section of Asheville, N.C., is new to me. Call them the Cross-Street Cretins. They are the ones who, when a red light backs up traffic up for more than a single block, do not stop far enough back to be clear of the minor side street so that cross traffic can proceed, but instead pull right up in line so that side street traffic cannot move. It took us two light cycles to get across one street.
Tiffany in Cyberspace: I don't mind people with Christian or political bumper stickers on their cars, but they need to realize that everything they do in those cars reflects on those beliefs. Just today, I saw a car with a bumper sticker that said "JESUS" in which the driver threw a cigarette package out of his window on the highway. Way to witness for your God by littering.
Christine in Boston, Mass.: Thought you would appreciate this. I was standing in line at the post office. In front of me is a woman whose cell phone keeps ringing, and there is also a sign on the counter that says "Please turn off cell phones while approaching the counter." Finally, she picks it up and proceeds to talk to her friend about her child who has a fever and doesn't want to go to the doctor (like we care). She continues to speak on her cell phone while conducting her business with the clerk and then proceeds to another counter to fill out her envelopes all while still talking on her cell phone and chomping on her gum. There are about five people in line and we can all hear her conversations as she goes back and forth between two calls. Grrr ... ignorant cell phone users. I could not believe how rude. Apparently, she can't read.
Jim in Cyberspace with his Grrr on reality TV: Other than the history channel, food TV and CMT, there is little on TV to hold my attention for more than 30 seconds. Of course, FOX News is one that always holds my attention, but that goes without saying these days. These days, who wants reality when it's so ugly. Let's have reruns of "Harvey," "The Greatest American Hero" and "Get Smart" instead.
Randy in Orlando: The fashion trend of having pants hanging down to one's knees started as an imitation of prison garb. Prisoners are not allowed belts and have a limited range of sizes to choose from. But take heart, McDonald's wants to change their uniforms to something their employees will wear outside of work, so the next idiotic fashion craze will be an imitation of fast food uniforms!
CAS in Cyberspace: My Grrr is the extreme amount of rudeness and rage being expressed on television. I think it makes outrageous behavior seem "normal." I don't want to live in a world where my neighbor gets mad at me and throws a chicken over the fence ("The Osbournes") or my employer talks to me like the guy on "Hell's Kitchen." We laugh now because it is so extreme, but after awhile it seems tame, almost normal. Think of Jerry Springer ... and kids are being raised on this stuff. What is their adult world going to be like?
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Mike Straka is the director of operations and special projects for FOXNews.com, and covers entertainment and features on the Sunday program "FOX Magazine." He also writes the weekly Grrr! Column and hosts "The Real Deal" video segments on FOXNews.com.
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