Dear people of the world, please try to do things that make my life a little easier. Thank you very much.

What? You thought maybe after that much stuff splattered here, there, and everywhere, that I would give up and throw in the towel? I can only say this about that: Not Yet! It is Wednesday, January 25, 2012, and I am trying to get ready for another day here in my neighborhood, you know, the one where I hang out each day. I just wanted to say a couple of things to you folks who use the Bluetooth connection for hands free talking while you are driving. If you are going to also use your hands when making a point, don't be surprised if some idiot, like me, tries to respond by waving back at you. We can't be sure whether we know you are not and we have been taught to always be courteous and one of the things we do is to return a wave. However, when we do, just trying to be nice and through no fault of our own, would you please after having returned this look of horror because someone waved back at your waving, refrain from giving that 'I'll call 911 on you for messing with me' look. Some people. What good is it to free up your hands for holding on to the steering wheel if you are going to drive around waving them in the air? It reminds me of when I used to ride elevators every day. You get on the elevator and it is crowded. Someone in the back says hello. They appear to be looking at you, so, again, courtesy and all of that, you return with a cheery hello, only to find out they were shooting a hello to someone behind you. That's what you call messing with people's minds. Come on folks, clean up your act! What's that? According to my wife I could also improve on some things? That's news to me, but, hey, thanks for passing it on.

Pet peeves. We all have them. I bet as you read these that I collected from the web you will be either agreeing or thinking about some that belong to you. "My greatest pet peeve is....." ~ People who share their every thought throughout their day on Facebook. We don't need to know everything! ~ When people cough or sneeze without any thought of covering it up! ~ People obsessed with their cell phones and they use them to intrude on any and all who happen to be within shouting distance. ~ Mosquito's making that incessant buzzing sound in your ear. ~ Seeing a cop give someone a pass because they are good looking. ~ The way people drive and that drives me crazy. ~ To see a garage that is full of junk and clutter. ~ When I see people using food stamps to buy junk stuff. ~ Seeing the referee call a roughing the passer penalty when they hardly even touch the quarterback. ~ People who do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom. ~ When someone tries to do a guilt trip on me and make me feel bad for doing the right thing. ~ The way kids dress today. Pull up those britches, you look like a bunch of idiots. ~ When I hear words mispronounced. ~ People who use the word 'chemistry' when they talk about their love life. Give me a break. ~ People who whine all the time. ~ Those who refuse to listen when you are trying to talk to them. ~ Anyone who happens to be in front of me at any particular moment. ~ There are many more but I think we get the idea that it doesn't take much. Right? I guess it would be a good exercise for us all to think about ourselves in terms of what behaviors we engage in that become other people's pet peeves. Meanwhile, wipe that look off your face, I hate it when people give me that look! That's right, I'm talking to you, and you, and you also!

Have you ever been pretty much put in your place? I have many times and it is good to be reminded that we do sometimes come off like we are trying to fulfill that old saying, "Who died and left you in charge?". I've told this one before but it did ring my bell one day. I could at times when I was in charge of a large department feel pretty full of myself. One day I called one of the senior managers in accounting and the young lady who answered said he wasn't taking any calls right now. That didn't sit well with me, therefore, I let her know exactly who it was that she was talking to. She chuckled and said, "So what?" The nerve. Didn't she know I could get her in hot water? What was she thinking? I hung up the phone and later when I talked to the accounting manager I asked about her. He told me that she was acting a little feisty since that was her last day on the job. I've often been reminded of that "So what?". That's right. Who am I to be lording over anyone? And, yes, it does help us to know that we have not been placed in charge of any and all people we meet. I've said all of this to help you and I think about what things that set us off. Are they really that big of a deal? Most likely many of them are not and because they are not and we are just as prone to be the source of a peeve for someone else, well, maybe we could use an attitude adjustment from time to time. What's that? Sounds like it would be a full time job in my situation? That would be exactly correct and that's why I need the Lord and His Spirit working in me and on me, 24 by 7. Amen.           .....More later.