A Pet Peeve Non-Political Alley Thread

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JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

0 posted 2010-04-05 10:14 PM

Recently Mysteria mentioned how she’s reluctant to come to the Alley because the posts are, well, not only political but political bashing. So I thought I’d start a non-political thread, an escape from the thrashing and bashing where all could post about anything that brings peace and joy to their life.

I usually don’t reveal much about my personal life, but with the desire in mind of pointing this thread in the direction I hope it will go, a safe place where all can post whatever speaks to their heart without fear of bashing, I’ll try to set the tone by revealing a little about what gives me peace and joy.

I am a nature lover. Many of my days begin with an early morning walk by the sea. The sea has been my comfort and solace, my refuge, my escape from difficult times. Though I live just a couple of blocks from the commercial waterfront, I usually, drive about 3 miles and walk the rocky shore. My fair weather morning meditation spot is small seaside cove with Frost birches, zen garden rocks, a view of the islands, a guiding lighthouse and an endless horizon that takes me far away from my troubles.

Here in snow country winter begins with foggy gray days in late October and never releases its grip until mid-April. During those days when, with wind chill, the temps drop well below zero, and snow and ice cover my secret cove often making it inaccessible, I feed my spirit, my soul with nature films and documentaries. A couple I’d like to recommend with links where you can view clips are:

Winged Migration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc_qpk2d-ao

Wild China http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDHzVMhuJj0

[This message has been edited by JenniferMaxwell (04-06-2010 07:34 AM).]

Stephanos

Member Elite

since 2000-07-31

Posts 3618
Statesboro, GA, USA

1 posted 2010-04-05 10:56 PM

Please excuse me, but this post is an affront to the spirit of The Alley. With all of its peace and happiness, it should have been posted in feelings or somewhere else. Each forum has parameters ..."flaming, complainin', and screaming your head off. Respectfully, of course." is what I recall about the Alley.

If anyone is upset about the Alley being too political, let them post a rant about it being too political ... that would be right in line with the Alley. Uptown cats need to go somewhere else. We're s'posed to knock down a few trash cans here.

Stephen

JenniferMaxwell

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since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

2 posted 2010-04-05 11:06 PM

"We're s'posed to knock down a few trash cans here."

Congratulations, you just did.

Ringo

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since 2003-02-20

Posts 3684
Saluting with misty eyes

3 posted 2010-04-05 11:14 PM

Actually, Jennifer... with respect, I have to agree with Stephanos. The Alley, by its very description, is for flaming, complainin', and screaming your head off.

If you would post this in the Lounge, then I will gladly join you there in peace, harmony, and respect.

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "WHAT A RIDE

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

4 posted 2010-04-05 11:29 PM

It was a nugget, a seed an attempt to bring other discussions, non-political discussions, welcome other posters into the Alley, make them feel comfortable about posting, an attempt to tone down the bashing, the personally directed comments, show a bit of the other side of our political selves, our common humanness...something like that.

Well, epic failure, thank god I'm wearing my Thor girl outfit.

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

5 posted 2010-04-06 07:48 AM

So what do you guys think of this, instead of a gentle reader thread how about a thread where you can flame, complain, scream your head off about pet peeves, things that drive you mad or really irk you as long as it's not a "political" issue and doesn't bash/thrash/trash/intimidate other posters?

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

6 posted 2010-04-06 08:07 AM

One of my pet peeves, women and men who wear way too much perfume/cologne. At least once or twice a day when I'm working, I have to leave my work area because a customer comes in wearing enough scent to perfume the whole store. My eyes start running, my sinuses scream and on occasion their over indulgence triggers a full blown asthma attack.
A drop of good perfume is lovely, but please be considerate and keep it down to a drop.

Mysteria

Member Laureate

since 2001-03-07

Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada

7 posted 2010-04-06 02:30 PM

Even nature can get some very negative reactions I see?  It was indeed a lovely way to start my day.   I also agree with you on the perfume overload, especially in an airplane!

Ah!  Pet peeves?  I have so many where can I start?  I guess first by saying, that I often wonder why I should even care to be honest about what others do, unless it infringes on my life.

These do.

First, I have sidewalk rage.  What is with these people that don't stay in their own "lane?"

Second, people who treat those that serve them as second hand citizens.  Ever try to carry 5 full breakfast plates, a pot of coffee, in one hand?

Third, people who smoke on nature trails.  Well, to be honest people who smoke.  I was once a pack and half girl, and now I can not breathe around that stuff.

I am liking your non-political thread Jennifer.  Who knows some valuable information may surface from it.

I bet a lot of people come and read in here, but are reluctant to post because of the strong political overtones. It was not always that way. Maybe we need a "Political Ponderings" forum?

So yes, Stephanos, and Ringo

I am complaining, flaming, and kicking over garbage cans. I think the Alley has become way too slanted towards soapbox political opinions, especially against your President and his team. Looks really bad to the rest of the world I tell you.

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

8 posted 2010-04-06 03:27 PM

People are free not to read anything that they find not to their liking. Nobody is forced to read anything in here. Americans will always value their political free speech. If the rest of the world doesn't like it? It just doesn't matter.

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

9 posted 2010-04-06 03:43 PM

Thanks, Mysteria. Kind of nice to have a thread where you can get away from all the political junk for a change.
When "the boys"

aren't looking, doing Alley patrol, maybe we could even exchange recipes. I'm having a miserable time trying to roll out pizza dough. Why the heck is it so springy? Soooooooo frustrating!!!!

Mysteria

Member Laureate

since 2001-03-07

Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada

10 posted 2010-04-06 04:05 PM

Well that may not be an Alley topic Jennifer, but sure would be a good one in the lounge, and we actually did that once.

I am out of here, and shouldn't have come to read in here in the first place. Some things just will never change. There was a time people could learn some extremely valuable information through this Alley, so I am just sad to see it is mainly all about political viewpoints now. Sadder still, that people expressing them don't seem to care what anyone thinks. I do care, and will always listen to another person's viewpoint.

Take care.

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

11 posted 2010-04-06 04:33 PM

You take care too, Mysteria.

Did a quick skim of Alley posts, and yep, for about the last year nearly all have been political. I wonder why that is.

Well, off to see the Wizard.

serenity blaze
Member Empyrean

since 2000-02-02

Posts 27738

12 posted 2010-04-06 06:24 PM

Well in the spirit of flamin' and complainin' and to reinstate the integrity of The Alley, I am STILL annoyed by the differing volume levels of television commercials.

Leaf blowers also do not thrill me.

As does over-packaging of products that require one to hire a safecracker to open one's newly purchased fill-in-the-blank.

Telephone recorded service options still make me bang my phone on the desk--thus I will have to go purchase a new phone, which will no doubt be encased in some super plastic casing that is of a better stronger quality than the actual phone.

And speaking of phones--CELL PHONES, blackberries and other such gadgets that do everything but wash your underwear.

I used to get annoyed when the TP wasn't placed properly on the roller, but now I am annoyed when it is just put on the back of the toilet. That is not only inconvenient, it's unsanitary and I want my kids to STOP IT.

And speaking of gross things, I really really HATE stepping on slugs barefooted. That stuff is so sticky they probably use that goo to paste the aforementioned plastic packaging together. (ew)

And oh, I don't know what it is about the guy? But Ryan Seachrest totally works my nerves. He's like...not even funny, and I suspect he's meaner than Simon.

One More Thing...somebody remind me to take that dreaded doorknocker off of my front door. It scares the bejesus outta me.

serenity blaze
Member Empyrean

since 2000-02-02

Posts 27738

13 posted 2010-04-06 06:25 PM

Oh, and um, running out of zanax.

EVERYBODY really hates when that happens.

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

14 posted 2010-04-06 07:19 PM

Sharon, not being concerned about "looking bad to the rest of the world" because we are expressing opinions against the President and his team, which you depict as soapbox political opinions, doesn't mean that we don't care, listen to, or consider others' opinions. It simply means that we don't censor our thoughts and speech in order to gain the approval of the rest of the world.

In this country we have had more freedom and self-determination than anyone, anywhere else on the face of the earth and are acutely aware that, under this President, a person who has spent his entire life surrounded by, and under the influence of, Marxists and Communists, we see it slipping away, more rapidly than at any other time in history. Sure, in the past little nibbles have been taken of our liberty here and there, but Obama is doing it boldy and at warp speed. Everywhere we look we see creeping socialism taking root, from government control of banks, insurance companies, car companies, and now the entire healthcare industry will be under government control, albeit with 'private insurer faces' for as long as they can hold on under government price setting, policy mandates and overbearing regulation. It's alarming. It doesn't look so bad, I suppose, to those who have lived under socialism all or most of their lives, but we haven't. And it just doesn't feel right. And the majority of us don't like it and won't "go quietly into the night". We prefer our freedom.

It isn't our desire to offend anyone. We just have to cry out when we see the thieves at the door, or climbing through the windows, attempting to steal all that we hold dear.

You are a very nice lady and you can praise Obama till the cows come home. That's your right. You are probably seeing the situation through different eyes than I am. I understand that and I can appreciate that. Please extend that same understanding to me and others who are expressing our grave concerns about the direction our country is taking.

Ringo

Member Elite

since 2003-02-20

Posts 3684
Saluting with misty eyes

15 posted 2010-04-06 10:05 PM

quote:
Second, people who treat those that serve them as second hand citizens. Ever try to carry 5 full breakfast plates, a pot of coffee, in one hand?

I have done this very thing... and it still amazes me how often I was able to get away with my foolishness,and how very little it came back to bite me in the keester.

quote:
And speaking of phones--CELL PHONES, blackberries and other such gadgets that do everything but wash your underwear.

Do any of them actually make PHONE CALLS any longer? My son joined the Army, and with his enlistment bonus got a phone that can stream videos, text, play the radio, store mp3's, take pictures, take videos, and even tell you the name of a song (as well as the year that it came out, the artist, and the album it was on)... as of yet, I have never seen him actually dial the stinkin' thing.

As for my peeves...
The first one is STUPIDITY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not talking about someone who is afflicted with ignorance of the facts, or has not had the priveledge of the educational process about a certain thing/subject/event. I am not even talking about the occasional "here's your sign" moment. I am talking about the customer who walks through the door of the Oreck store I am service manager of whit ALL of the lights out, no one in the front, and the sign on the door announcing the time the store opens (20 minutes hence), and then asks if we are closed; I am talking about the person who gets in their car, turns the ignition, stops at a green light in order to turn left (crossing 2 lanes of traffic) and waits until the turn light is red, and traffic is flowing towards them before turning left across oncoming traffic; I am talking about the moronicus who puts the gas pump on automatic, gets back in his car, and finishes his cigarette that he lit as he pulled into the station.
It is those people who make me madder than an Acorn volunteer being taken to the Bill O'Reilly/Glenn Beck tour for their birthday.

Another? People with no children, and no education, calling me to task for chasitizing my 15 y/o step-son for not being in his appointed place at his appointed time when he has been told (usually repeatedly- he is a teenager, after all) that we have a tight schedule, and he needs to adhere to it or the entire day is shot, and not everything gets done. Sorry, Sweetheart, if you do not have my llife, do not have my children (or ANY children), and you are not behind schedule with the possibility of missing the 6 y/o's bus (which- of course- makes you late for the doctor's because you have to run oafter the bus because they won't let her off without a parent being there, and which makes you late getting dinner on the table, and makes you late for rehjearsal) because of his penchant for being inconsiderate... then SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!!!!!

Nothing too serious!
lol

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "WHAT A RIDE

fractal007
Senior Member

since 2000-06-01

Posts 1958

16 posted 2010-04-10 12:00 PM

My pet peeve is a certain individual on the prose forum who believes that place is a soap box for him to post political tracts about issues in modern America. I find his posts irritating, unoriginal, brief, and altogether inappropriate for a forum in which some modicum of creativity is supposed to be applied in creating thoughtful prose.

I hope my fessing up as the guy who's been "reporting" the inappropriate content doesn't get me kicked off this board. I mean I really do love it here. It's just.....Well that's the one thing that annoys the hell out of me here.

Balladeer

Administrator

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since 1999-06-05

Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

17 posted 2010-04-10 12:19 PM

fracta1007, what you find irritating or annoying does not dictate policy for the site. if someone writes in a way you don't like, simply don't read that person's posts. It's that simple.

Balladeer

Administrator

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since 1999-06-05

Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

18 posted 2010-04-10 12:28 PM

I think the Alley has become way too slanted towards soapbox political opinions, especially against your President and his team. Looks really bad to the rest of the world I tell you.

The rest of the world is reading our Alley posts?? I had no idea!

Against our president and his team? And this is new? Perhaps you missed the gazillion anti-Bush posts here while he was in office? This is nothing new here, miss, and it will probably continue, no matter who sits in the Oval office. If that "rest of the world" is really watching, I think many of them would think, "what a wonderful country where people can express their own opinions without being sent off to gulags or have the secret police show up at their doors.

Stephanos

Member Elite

since 2000-07-31

Posts 3618
Statesboro, GA, USA

19 posted 2010-04-10 12:42 PM

It is funny how purportedly anti-political statements about the alley, seem on second glance to be political themselves.  Amounting to: X party is so much more friendly and respectful than Y party, when in reality both political liberals and conservatives are not slow in criticizing the other.

I agree with Baladeer about not reading the posts.  The spirit of democracy should take care of it, if it is really so insipid as that.  And there's always the freedom to post other kinds of threads, that should (if more interesting) attract popularity.

So that's my pet peeve today:  Complaining about something that is perfectly suitable for the Alley, which in no way prevents a variety of other subjects.

And this from someone who is pretty much a-political, and doesn't find the political threads that attractive.

Stephen

Balladeer

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Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

20 posted 2010-04-10 12:47 PM

There was a time people could learn some extremely valuable information through this Alley

Ok, Mysteria, you have piqued my interest. Would you point out Alley posts in which you learned extremely valuable information??

JenniferMaxwell

Member Elite

since 2006-09-14

Posts 2423

21 posted 2010-04-10 09:18 AM

Found the Berger book available cheap, second hand at Amazon, Bob. Thanks again for the tip.

fractal007
Senior Member

since 2000-06-01

Posts 1958

22 posted 2010-04-10 11:35 AM

Baladeer:
Yeah, ok. Fair enough. I had to try and vent though right?

Bob K
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since 2007-11-03

Posts 4208

23 posted 2010-04-10 03:43 PM

Hope it helps. I found it did.

Balladeer

Administrator

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since 1999-06-05

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Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

24 posted 2010-04-10 04:00 PM

Venting can be good for what ails ya, at times

Essorant
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since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

25 posted 2010-04-11 10:32 AM

My complaint is that this forum seems to get a free pass, but Critical Analysis needed to pay sorely for bad manners, in which, if you actually looked at the issues in CA you would see they didn't reach the frequency and depths of bad manners and sourness that this forum goes to. And Critical Analysis was rated PG, not rated G like this forum (Just pretending the ratings mean something). Is there no more moderation in this forum to help try to keep manners within a more respectable level? Or is Ron willing to accept anything/everything now, unless it is the most blunt personal insult?

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

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26 posted 2010-04-11 05:48 PM

Define bad manners, Ess.

Essorant
Member Elite

since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

27 posted 2010-04-11 07:09 PM

I think this covers a lot of it:

Derision

That was posted in the Philosophy forum, but I don't see why it shouldn't stand in this forum as well.

Another bad manner is trying to trash someone else's opinion or calling it an insolent name, which at least is not personal, but it is still no good manner and often provokes spiteful "shots" back and forth. True, we can criticize people's opinions and complain, but I think we ought to be expected to show some level of respect and tolerance for other people's opinions. And I am not saying that necessarily should be a "rule", but rather an expectation that the moderators can help uphold and encourage.

Bob K
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since 2007-11-03

Posts 4208

28 posted 2010-04-12 01:11 PM

Different set of standards, here, Essorant, I believe, and meant to be that way from the ground up.

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