Friday, December 16, 2011

Grouchy Geezer Gripes


Both Nick and Ramana had recent posts on "Undesirables" and after commenting on both and offering examples, it suddenly hit me that the most appalling undesirable in my life is when I am talking to someone on the phone and they take another call expecting me to hold. Or interrupt me and announce "I have to take this other call" leaving me hanging. I also have call waiting (part of the telephone package I have, unfortunately) but the most important call is the one I'm on and I wouldn't dream of taking another call. Isn't it all about respect? I always hang up on such ignorance.

Another gripe is when I have a meeting with someone and they keep bouncing off to answer the phone and then have the gall to come back and say "Now where were we?" and before I can complete my answer, they bounce off again to take another inconsequential call (I hear their side of the phonecall, they are all trivial). I never answer the phone when I have company of any kind over. I consider it rude and every call can wait until my guest/client has left. I have got into the habit of bringing a book to such houses and reading while inwardly wanting to pack up and leave and maybe I should.

And isn't it an odd thing. I know atheists with absolutely no fear of death. The only ones who fear it are the religious. What happened to the promises of streets paved with gold on the other side and sitting at the right hand and pearly gates? Wouldn't so-called holy ones look forward to that? Embrace death, so to speak. Say: "At long last bliss!". But no. They "battle" it according to the obits. Sometimes a long, hard battle. Why?

6 comments:

  1. I am with you 100% on cell phone rudeness. I finally convinced our extended family to agree that at meal times together all cell phones would be left elsewhere. How interesting. We all get to talk to each other. It's a first step.

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  2. I only answer the phone when it's convenient to me and sometimes that means that I don't. I can always call back or wait until the person calls me back. There usually isn't such a rush anyway. I don't like to be bothered when I'm not in the mood. Especially not at certain times of the day. XOX

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  3. Amen Nora.

    I have utilized call waiting. Not often. But it serves a purpose.

    xo

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  4. People who are late bug the hell out of me.

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  5. Thank you for the plug in WWW. Your takes are very valid rants and I think that I need to learn something from them.

    On the last paragraph, may I suggest a book to read? You may change your mind!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Denial_of_Death

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  6. That sure struck a chord with me having been rudely treated that way.I did laugh at your bringing a book bit.I am one non atheist who is not afraid of death.Dying? Well that's different.

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