What little things drive you completely up the wall....?

[M-theory]

-People who stop in the middle of the sidewalk to have a conversation. They can block the whole sidewalk and it annoys me.

This has happened several times recently and makes me want to smack someone. It's called a sidewalk, not a sidestand!

Or people who walk four or five abreast along a sidewak forcing everybody else to go around them.

I will not cooperate with this foolishness. Unless the person closest to me is very elderly or an assistive device is involved, I give people a toned down version of the hairy eyeball and keep going. Never in my ~8 years on and off living in Toronto has anyone felt like going eye to eye with me, although there've been close calls - the person nearest me always movies into single file. I call it my Scary American look.

I'm aware, of course, that I get away with this because the stereotype about Canadians being fundamentally polite is pretty much true and that it'd get me flipped off in NYC and shot in L.A.

[kingsrings]

Oh, I can't stand it when people walk abreast on a crowded thoroughfare! Unless you are assisting someone, don't do it!

[Amanita]

Another one with TMJ issues- I can't help it that my jaw makes noises when I eat. Barring surgery, there's no fix for it. I tried a biteplate and could not stand the thing. It grossed me out to no end (I hate saliva, even my own), made me drool in my sleep, and the thought of having to wear it at night, every night for the rest of my freaking life was just so NOT cool. So don't get in my face or complain behind my back about eating noises- I can't help it, and there is no fix.

I also hate being forced to "read along" with somebody, since I'm a fast reader. I hate being talked down to, and I want to take the head off of the next clown who feels the need to touch me in any way while talking down to or "correcting" me. I had a lady do this once- I was unsure of where the end of a line was, so my friend and I stepped in where we thought we were supposed to. Some lady touched my wrist while saying snottily "The end of the line is back there!". Part of me wanted to break her offending hand. Tell me where the line ends, fine. But drop the attitude and keep your hands to yourself, lady!

I read a lot of geeky stuff, even devouring engineering texts for fun. So yeah, some of the words I pick up have been known to make their way into my normal vocabulary. I don't use those words to be pretentious or a smarty pants, so don't assume I'm trying to insult you. If you don't know what a word means, just ask me! And spare me the BS about how you don't want to ask because "Oh, I have my pride!". Ex-classmate, I am talking to YOU!. (Yes, some of the people I went to school with had this attitude. I didn't understand half of the vulgarity and slang they conversed in, so I guess that made us even)

I also hate the attitude some people have- that if you in any way look different or striking, that you somehow deserve disrespect from people. Dye your hair an unusual colour, and then some stranger comes along and manhandles it or makes an ugly comment? Oh, he can't help but touch you, he's curious don'tcha know? Or he can't control what comes out of his mouth, if you don't like to be abused it's your fault for not blending in with the wallpaper, or it must mean you are insecure with your choice. And oh, surely you only look that way because you want attention? It couldn't possibly be that you got that tattoo/outfit/hair dye because it made you happy! No, it's just a cheap ploy for attention and how dare you be upset when somebody is mean to you about it! Serves you right for not being strictly normal!

[2littlemonkeys]

Oh and I have to be almost completely covered by a blanket when I'm sleeping.  No matter if it's 110 degrees outside.  I have to be covered.  And I pull and push until the blanket at my back is tucked in behind me, so I'm cocooned.  If it's not tucked back there, it feels like there's no blanket at all.  I can't have air touching me from behind =\

Me too.  I cannot use a sheet.  It must be a blanket.

Of course, otherwise the boogeyman would get us!      

I do this too and it makes DH nuts.

[Vegemite Girl]

I also hate the attitude some people have- that if you in any way look different or striking, that you somehow deserve disrespect from people. Dye your hair an unusual colour, and then some stranger comes along and manhandles it or makes an ugly comment? Oh, he can't help but touch you, he's curious don'tcha know? Or he can't control what comes out of his mouth, if you don't like to be abused it's your fault for not blending in with the wallpaper, or it must mean you are insecure with your choice. And oh, surely you only look that way because you want attention? It couldn't possibly be that you got that tattoo/outfit/hair dye because it made you happy! No, it's just a cheap ploy for attention and how dare you be upset when somebody is mean to you about it! Serves you right for not being strictly normal!

Oh, I'm *so* with you on this one! But then I get personally offended - as well as highly annoyed - at any attempt to induce conformity. Especially as much of the time I intensely dislike the 'normal'.

[Daffydilly]

Having my honey proclaim he'd cleaned the kitchen and there's still gunk all over the counters and stovetop. 
But since we are still learning to live together I take my reactions with a grain of salt.

And I hate certain terms of endearment because an ex from years ago would call me something sweet and then start calling his baby niece the same thing... when I was in the room. It got to the point where his SIL would go "who are you talking to now?"

[Cyradis]

Dogs grooming their front paws.  I've loved every dog in my life but they've all made 

POD!  I dogsit for friends, and they have a sweet, loveable, elderly lab with skin allergies.  Poor dog is constantly dragging himself on the carpet, and licking himself to relieve the itching.  he can't help it, but there's nothing worse than waking up in the early hours of the morning and hearing "lick, lick, lick" - I normally sleep like the dead, but not there - then she told me her husband shuts the bedroom door so he won't have to listen to him lick!!!  NOW you tell me!

It's truly awful! And then they give you the look that says, "What? Can't a dog even groom herself around here?"

[ginlyn32]

*when my DH mutters under his breath. If you wanna say something...just say it. Don't be PA about it!

*Reading over my shoulder.

*Asking what happened during a TV show or movie. Look...just watch the dang thing or if it's a movie, you can re-start it when I'm done. But don't keep asking me to explain the plot or storyline.

*When my kitty decides he wants to sit on me while I am on the laptop.

ginlyn

[TootsNYC]

-People who stop in the middle of the sidewalk to have a conversation. They can block the whole sidewalk and it annoys me.

This has happened several times recently and makes me want to smack someone. It's called a sidewalk, not a sidestand!

Or people who walk four or five abreast along a sidewak forcing everybody else to go around them.

I will not cooperate with this foolishness. Unless the person closest to me is very elderly or an assistive device is involved, I give people a toned down version of the hairy eyeball and keep going. Never in my ~8 years on and off living in Toronto has anyone felt like going eye to eye with me, although there've been close calls - the person nearest me always movies into single file. I call it my Scary American look.

I'm aware, of course, that I get away with this because the stereotype about Canadians being fundamentally polite is pretty much true and that it'd get me flipped off in NYC and shot in L.A.

Actually, no, it wouldn't.

That's because, in NYC, the people standing 8 abreast, etc., are from OUT OF TOWN!!!

[M-theory]

When the next door neighbour suddenly screams really loud out of nowhere. I hate all sudden loud noises, actually.

The grocery store never having the same selection twice, even only a couple of days apart. I guess there's too much variety demand for the floorspace.

The markup on kosher food. Store-brand mac and cheese dinner: $0.79. Kosher mac and cheese dinner: $1.39.

My own inability to transfer from the cutting board to the pot/pan on the stove without dropping something onto the stovetop, usually directly into the burner.

People who move really really slowly in a cramped space (such as a store aisle) when they know there's someone right behind them.

People who pull into the crosswalk and sit there for several seconds or more without turning. I really don't understand why I'm not allowed to put dents in people's hoods for this.

Stray bits of debris on the floor/in the tub, particularly random hairs, which is unfortunate as (to quote Juana) I shed like a prize cat.

I could probably go on all night...

[Kath68]

Kissing sounds on TV
People whispering loudly on TV - Just talk in a normal voice!
The word "brekkie". It makes breakfast sound like some kind of fun zany upbeat party.
The word "veggies".
The sound of dogs eating.
saliva/spitting sounds that some people make when they speak.
The way Colonel Potter on MASH refers to "Double u Double u 1" It's quicker to say "world war 1"

Wow, mine are all sound related.

[Paper Roses]

Hoo boy, where to begin?

Whistling.  Which probably wouldn't bother me, except for the fact that my desk at work is situated down the hall from the mail room, which is populated with a bunch of 25-35 year old men who think they're all about 12.  At least one of them whistles, extremely loudly, and practically non-stop.  And when he's not whistling, he's making obnoxious noises, or singing in an obnoxious falsetto voice, or talking in some stupid fake voice - all very loudly. 

The sound of a radio playing far enough away that you can't hear it well enough to listen, but loud enough that it's distracting - like a constant "buzzing" sound.

When someone who has a Boston accent tries to cover it up by overrrrrrrrrpronouncing theirrrrrrrr arrrrrrrs.  It doesn't work, it just makes them look and sound stupid.

When my husband says something (or rather, mumbles something) and I didn't hear it so I ask him to repeat it - so he does, but one word at a time, as if he thinks I asked him to repeat it because I wanted to play Lingo. 

Him:   mumble mumble mumble batteries for mumble mumble mumble because the old ones died.

Me:    What?

Him:   Batteries.

Me:     Yeah . . .?

Him:    Old ones.

Me (getting a bit annoyed at this point)   YEAH?

Him:   The old ones died!!!  Jeez!!!

Re whispering:  What I hate even more is mouthing - talking without making any sound at all, as if I'm supposed to read their lips. 

Give me time, I'll come up with more.  I know I will.

[Micah]

Tourists who drive in front of me at ten Km an hour in a fifty zone, then abruptly pull over without indicating!

Snagging rough fingernails on clothing or in my hair. I hate, hate, hate this sensation. It makes my head feel funny.

My OH getting cranky at me for, 'giving him my cold!'

[HeebyJeebyLeebee]

There used to be more, but I'm on Zoloft now

Celexa for me.     It's so nice to NOT be a crying/weepy/irritated/whiney/mopey/angry mess anymore. 

Oh, and add me in for being annoyed with mumbling.  Our landlord mumbles to himself all the time.  It's really quite unnerving.  I can't tell if he's mumbling to himself, or if he's trying to talk to me.  Sometimes it's even both.     Luckily, he moved out of state, so he's not around.  Though it also peeves me when he drops by without any notice.  He did that once while we had company, so I wasn't really in a position to point out a few things that could use a little attention.  While it's technically a violation of the lease (he's supposed to give us 24 hours notice for non-emergency things), since he's not in town anymore, it's not worth making it an issue.  He likes us, even if he thinks we're weird. 

[Giggity]

The word "brekkie". It makes breakfast sound like some kind of fun zany upbeat party.

YES.

Also "prezzies" and "besties."