Pet Peeves

Out of all the possible moments to do something necessary, why on earth do people wait until the last literal tick of the clock to say "I need this done"?

I have hated being late or waiting for the last minute to do something all of my life. By nature, I am a planner. I have already marked my calendar out of my need to know in advance what is expected of my time. What irks the ever loving stew out of me is when OTHER people are more than willing to make THEIR emergency part of MY agenda.

I only have one question for them: WHY ON EARTH DIDN'T THIS REGISTER AS A PROBLEM BEFORE NOW?!?!?!

I have to believe it stems from the absolute belief that people like me who get stress ulcers in their behalf will always be there for them just to make everything work like clockwork.

I worry. I stew. I plan and I ponder the possibilities and the what ifs ad nauseum. But, do the procrastinators of the world give it a second thought? NO, indeedy! Because I'll be there sweating it out for them and making sure everything comes up roses.

I honestly believe that is why the pictures of the women in the early days of photography and daguerreotypes looked the way they did. They weren't being stern and harsh looking out of some need to show a serious side or a sense of propriety. Oh no! They looked that way because they had exhausted themselves getting the rest of the family ready for the dang photo shoot.

By the time they arrived all pressed and tucked and ready for prime time, the aforementioned women had told their kids (whose shirts were drying on the way INTO town) hundreds of times, "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT SHIRT WAS DIRTY ON WASH DAY!" Mind you, this poor woman had asked them all week prior to laundry day about that one Sunday-go-to-meetin' shirt and been told, 'No Ma, it's jest fine an' dandy' which led her to believe her work was done.

Come the night before or worse yet, the morning of an event, there is our intrepid homemaker trying really hard not to swear in a most unladylike fashion while she fires up the washpot and gets the water 'on to bile' so that she will be able to 'warsh and wrench' the shirts that suddenly showed up needing her attention!

I can feel the spasms in my stomach already.

If this sounds familiar to you, you are female.

If it just sounds stupid, your shirt will be ready in a few minutes.