My Five Pet Peeves

Note this is a part of the October Blogging Challenge.

So I'm a day behind on the blogging challenge. I drove to Houston yesterday, so my writing time was limited. But that's okay. I'll catch up.

The next prompt is "Five Pet Peeves". This should be fun.

1. To start, I hate it when people assume that my mind works the same way as theirs does. It doesn't. My mind is different. I have different strengths and weaknesses.

One thing that people assume is that social situations are intuitive and easy to navigate for me just as they are for them. I'll try to explain to people that I don't always know what to say or ask and people will look at me like I'm crazy and say "Oh come on. It's not hard. Just be natural." This makes me sooooo mad. It's not natural for me.

Another way this comes to light is with focus. I have ADD and I microfocus really easily. When I'm doing something, I don't hear what is going on around me. For example, this summer I was visiting my grandmother who is hard of hearing so she'd always ask me to tell her when the timer goes off. But I'd start working and many times she would hear the timer before I would even though I was closer to it. I was just focusing.

Well I've had people tell me to pay attention more. But it's not that easy. I microfocus so I can actually do whatever I'm doing. If I tried to pay attention to things around me, I would never be able to do anything and my brain would probably go crazy. And it would be a conscious effort that would be really exhausting. My brain just doesn't work the same way thiers does. It pisses them off, but it's not something I can help.

Why can't people just accept me as I am instead of hating me for it?

2. That one was deep, so lets do a light one.

Dear Writers,
Learn to use commas correctly.
Thanks
Hailey

I have edited a bunch of work from various people who fancy themselves as writer. 95% of them sucked at commas.

I understand not using commas correctly when writing journal entries or even a personal blog like this one. I'm in flow and really don't care about my writing. But if you are a professional writer selling the things that you write, learn to use commas correctly!

As an editor, I'd expect to correct some commas. The authors are writing in flow and all. It's my job to make things perfect. But come on people! I don't want to fix every single comma ever!

Here is the most important rule:

• Commas go between compound sentences only if there is a subject in both parts. Otherwise, no comma needed.
  
  I went to the store to buy some bread and saw Mr. Brown there.
  I went to the store to buy some bread, and I saw Mr. Brown there. 

3. Don't call someone "retarded"! And don't post stupid pictures of yourself in instagram with the hashtag #specialneeds. Seriously people. This is insulting to people who have special needs. 

You wouldn't go around using the N word to refer to African Americans. Right? So don't use the R word to refer to people with special needs. It's just as bad and just as insulting. And you will get slapped for it. People with special needs are still people! So treat them with the same respect you'd treat anyone else!

4. So this one is silly because it's just people doing their job, but I hate it when I go into a store and get asked 20 times if I need help with something. It's usually because there are a bunch of workers, and they each need to ask to help me. I don't need help! If I need help, I'd look at you! Or look around confused. I wouldn't be walking confidently in the direction of whatever I'm in the store for. Would I? 

Maybe it would be better if they put someone by the door that asked people if they need help with something. Then the people that need help can ask this person and the people that don't won't be bothered until they go looking for help. 

5. And the last one is another person just doing their job, but it bugs me to no end. When you are at a restaurant, there is usually the guy that walks around to fill up water when you run out. This is good. But why does this guy always try to fill up your water right before you leave? I mean have given your card to the cashier. You are about to go. And you get fresh water. Seriously? I'm about to leave! Why do I need more water! You are just wasting water! grr. 

I will usually hide my water at the very end of the table so he has to ask for it to fill it. Then I'll say no. 

So those are my pet peeves. I'll end with a video of Hank Green's pet peeves. It's hilarious. Watch it.