Sydney Shop Girl has been doing a series of memes, and I’ve taken inspiration from her Listography series (as inspired by Kate Takes 5).
This first one is pet hates. Ok, I probably should have started with a more positive list, but I need to get back into some more in-depth writing, and what better to do so is through a series of small rants.
1) The following expressions:
- ‘a bunch of…’ – ugh. So American. A bunch of grapes, bananas or flowers yes, but a bunch of money/clothes/ideas/stuff NO! And ‘a bunch of fun’ just makes no sense. A bunch is not a good quantifier. I saw this expression used by a credible Australian writer recently and was shocked.
(source) - ‘all but…’. I don’t even know what this means? Is it that something has or hasn’t happened? All but given up hope. All but lost? Is it simpler to say or write ‘given up hope’ or ‘was lost’. ‘All but’ seems so redundant. And the message is lost.
- ‘became a Dad for the 2/3/4th time’. Okay. Big pet hate. You can become a Dad/Mum/Aunty/pet owner once – because you’ve gone from not being one, to becoming one. But once you’re already a Dad/Mum/Aunty/pet owner, you can’t become one again.
2) Lateness. I hate it. It’s rude and inconsiderate, and constantly becoming a trait. I know things come up – traffic, family emergencies, work – but when someone is constantly late, it’s tiring. Non committal. Devaluing. And I think the mobile phone contributes to lateness – it’s like the late person thinks ‘oh, they won’t mind if I’m late, I’ll send them a text to let them know’. If you want to impress me, be punctual.
3) A lot of music of today. I’m looking at YOU, commercial radio and music TV. It’s shit. Not inspirational, not quality, not clever. Just annoying, autotune, crappy lyrics, blatant sexualisation, and a lack of instruments. Katy Perry (Firework is really dull). Gaga. Chris Brown. Rihanna. Ke$ha. Black Eyed Peas. Bruno Mars. Akon. Whoever sings Like a G6 and Dirty Talk. Brian McFadden (thank God Clem Bastow pulled him into line!). I think you’re all boring. And definitely NOT role models. I don’t want to hear you singing, badly, about climaxes, whips and chains, sexual violence, hot wax and g-spots.
Tell me – on first glance of that picture above, would you think Rihanna is a singer or a badly dressed (and uncomfortable) sex worker? Bern Morley has written a brilliant blog entry on the inappropriateness of song lyrics.
4) Meal replacements instead of balanced meals.
If you want to feel healthy and maintain a healthy size, eat a balanced diet! That means fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat or meat alternatives and grains or grain alternatives. A powder in a sachet mixed with water cannot be good for you. Or yummy. Food is good for you. Food is yummy. I hate seeing women guzzling meal replacement shakes for lunch, complaining about hunger, then sneaking in chocolates and chips later. And also envying my (varied) meals.
5) Vanity. Oh I am planning a whole blog entry on vanity.
Your list is all but perfect, I like it a bunch.
Love the list! I'm definitely with you on items 2-5, but my pet grammatical (or similar) hate is the use of till when 'til should be used!
"16 going on 17" (and similar) makes me rage.
My former housemate used to use meal replacement plans on days when she was at uni all day. One day, she made it up and then go sucked into a conversation for five minutes. When she'd finished, the meal replacement shake was SOLID. That's how it counts as a meal replacement – it turns to a lump of solid ick in your stomach, which takes your body forever to digest. Gross…
Lateness drives me insane too!
I can' t understand why people can't exercise portion control. Or eating bigger meals in the day and less at night. I mean even if you shift work you can manage one or the other. I avoid eating after 8pm unless it's a late dinner out. I agree completely with all on your list too.
Totally agree on them all. Except the first one. I have a bunch of appreciation for the rest ;).
Using #3 as an opportunity to comment and say, I have discovered some really great music through your blog. It's been grand.
Great list and post!! I agree with the music of today, it's WAY too sexual and the lyrics are not creative at all! I tend to listen to Triple J which is pretty good. And i totally agree with the meal replacements. There's nothing better than cooking a wholesome, well balanced meal 🙂
Hannah xx
Great list, Carly!
Am hanging out for the vanity post! Will you be publishing it before Sydney?
SSG xxx
Thanks the linky love xxx I agree with the above. Lateness and me don't work well together, although my best friend has been a late bean her whole life. It used to shit me, but now I just tell her half an hour earlier than I mean. Haha.
Oh and shake replacements, foul, why? That can't be maintained long term, just can't. See you for realz soon. Bern xx
urgh I hate the majority of music at the moment too.
The only thing torturous about Rihanna's S&M song is her painful voice. S&M has nothing to do with baby pink latex.
4 & 5!! Pet hates of mine too!
Food is delicious, I don't understand why it should be condensed down to tasteless mush.
I agree with the meal replacements (one of my biggest pet hates), lateness and vanity.
I'm much more annoyed by people spelling to/too, there/their/they're, lose/loose, where/wear/were/we're etc incorrectly.
I love music. I like a lot of commercial music including that song S&M but also love non-commercial music. I can not stand Katy Perry – Firework! The first line "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag". Surely they could have thought up something better?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I also like the way you got a bunch of entries into your first point. Thanks for joining in!
I enjoyed reading about your pet hates! I look forward to your vanity post. & (of course) I completely agree about the meal replacements point!! The punctuality one too.
Heidi xo