Sometimes it is terribly hard to deal with what happens day to day.
Peeve 1. (This is a big one!) At a time in my life when I need the companionship of a dog, the adoption people price them way above what any middle class person can really afford in this country. I don't even want a puppy. I want a rescue dog that is 5 years old or older; as I want a fur-baby that needs me as much as I need them. On most of the adoption applications they state that they need to make sure that the dog goes to a good home. That the applicant can afford the animal's care. Well folks, it would help if they did not want $400 or better for a dog as I could use $300 of that for the animal's care. I realize that shelters need money to be run properly; but how about getting donations from people who can afford it. Often they don't have the time or the love to give an animal so they give money. So the other thing I want to say, as an owner of a dog that passed away, I found the money that I needed for him when I needed it. I paid our way myself. So these people who think they should judge a situation without knowing me should be ashamed of themselves. Further more, as I did with my Pomeranian, Dylan, I would have someone responsible and willing to adopt the new dog as well; if for some reason I die before my 104th birthday.
Peeve 2. If you are taking me somewhere in your car, I have no problem finding something to do, if you have to be a bit longer before picking me up; but please phone or text me. Most of my friends thoughtfully keep me updated if they are going to be late. For the most part I am extremely lucky; as I am quite well treated.
Peeve 3. Most of the things that annoy me are done by people that live some miles away. We are able to text, phone or email. None of these things help one to have a discussion. It mainly creates an environment for mean thoughts or remarks to float back and forth, one sentence or thought at a time. I think throughout my life, aside from a few emotionally distant relatives, relationships that occur face to face work much better than digital ones. For this reason I find technology very annoying at times. It hinders good relationships that are new. If we have met offline and have known each other for six months or more; then that is much better than meeting online. We often find ourselves chatting on the cell phone or in message online.
Peeve 4. Life can be very confusing at times. I would like to design a life style of my own without feeling that others disapprove. But it is next to impossible to live as you wish without having others spout strange and upsetting criticism. These critics totally embody quite a few of my pet peeves Usually it is because they see you as not being normal, because you are not behaving like them, even if you hold the same ideals as they do. Well I have decided to just go ahead and live as I need to without explanation to anyone. Two of my friends, who have many maladies and walk with a canes as I do live their lives to the fullest irregardless of their health problems. I treasure their council and friendship. It is because of these friends that I have concluded the following: At my age it is important to be happy within one's own perimeters. God wants me to live out my life in brave contentment loosing my cool with dignity and for good reason.
Peeve 5. I dislike it when I try to communicate with an actual voice at a communications company, a bank or any other place of business that has a series of recorded messages between me and a real voice. Going through all their different questions is a terrible waste of time in my opinion. My time is not a commodity that is free for the taking, so if I don't get a real person in two to three minutes I hang up and try later. You see I am retired and I do not suffer fools gladly or foolish corporations for that matter. I resent that many people think just because I am retired I mustn't have anything of worth to do. For me it is quite the opposite. I do have worthwhile work or pastimes in hand.
Peeve 6. I worked every day of my life that I could to make a good living for my family; but it did not work for reasons I am not willing to divulge here. Mainly because it doesn't matter in this context. My pet peeve comes in when other adults in your life feel they should decide what is important or what you should do in your adult life and attempt to take over your power to make the decisions. This is often a spouse, a social worker that sees her occupation as a job and not a calling as she should, or just some nosey-parker that should not be saying a word about another person's 'private' business. On top of that, when one goes to the law to have something done with this person, to get them out of your face, the law ignores you. That lack of action on behalf of a citizen of this country goes against the Canadian Bill Rights. But the law and the courts of this country have decided to ignore me and mine, over the past 7 decades; even though we have been on the right side of the law and our adversaries have not. We are all Canadian citizens and I have voted most of my adult life. Good honest, legal representation is completely out of the reach for most of us. The reason we can't hire great attorneys is that we can't afford them. We are people that don't get rich by taking what doesn't belong to us, like some we know.
Peeve 7. This one is about the fact that in this country of Canada there is no longer any real privacy. Big Brother has been watching us illegally since the 1950's, maybe even earlier. It is one thing to watch what someone who has acted against the countries laws is doing; but it is another thing to watch ordinary citizens that just want to lead happy unobserved lives.
Peeve 8. It is a sad state of affairs when our leaders are such dishonest politicians that we almost have to keep score cards to see who messed up yesterday or who is messing up today. Our present prime minister has not fulfilled even one of his campaign promises in the manner he pledged to honour them. He has been going on vacations and getaways with his wife, Sophie, selling pieces of our country and our dignity as a sovereign state to the country to the south of us, and not fulfilling his promises. He and his father have done and are doing a very poor job of keeping this country recognizable as the home of folk that others revered for so many years. Many of those people are still alive, but it does not seem to matter to Justin as he thinks; as did his father, that he is the only one that knows what is good for us in this country. I have not seen a poll taken by the government to find out what this country's people truly want for subsequent generations. It is very important that we older folks make ourselves heard!
I shall do my best to find my dog at my price, catch rides with mobile plus and good friends, not let my good relationships be hindered, pay no attention to fair weather friends, ignore critics, hang up on recorded messages, ignore Big Brother, strive to relish in what privacy is left to me, and last but not least, talk/write about the state of affairs in my native land until I am blue in the face and then do it again until I am heard.
Do pet peeves matter? Yes, only in this way; they are a meter which we can go by so that we can endeavour to become more tolerant, thoughtful, and decisive people. This also is one of the things that helps us become or remain the kind of citizens this country needs.