You know what really grinds my gears?

Lately, I have been thinking about all the things that bother me and how I should blog about them. In Debra's recent post on her blog, she let us all know about her relationship with her cell phone, which again prompted me to think about the various things that I don't care for. So here goes it: I actually like cell phones, they are an important part of my job and they do make life easier. However, the expectations that come with having a cell phone I don't care for. People expect that it should be a direct line to my ear. I would say that I don't answer my phone over 50% of the time. It isn't because I don't want to talk to you, it's just because I am doing something else or that I don't have my phone with me. I don't carry my phone everywhere I go, I usually forget it or leave it at home if I don't want to be interupted...not that I really have anything to do that warrents being uninterupted... Another thing that bothers me about cell phones is when I am in a public environment and somebody talking on the phone around me is speaking so loudly that I feel like I am part of their conversation. When this happends I find myself wanting to go over to them, grab their phone and smash it on the ground and walk away. So, cell phones aren't all that bad when they are used responsibly...maybe we need a sort of drivers ed test for people with cell phones? If you can't pass the test and be a responsible cell phone user, you don't get one. Another note: I think pedestrians are great. I think it is good to encourage walking and cycling in our community, especially with all the car traffic that we have. Students who live within walking distance to class should walk, it would make things much easier for everyone. What bothers me is when I slow down to let someone cross the street and they act like crossing the street is the closet thing they have done since the Boston Marathon. I mean, put alittle hustle in your step please! I understand most pedestrians are students and I was once a student myself, but it seems like more and more foot pedestrians who are students believe they have an entitlement to cross the street wherever they want whenever they want reguardless of traffic flow. Most of the time they have a miserable look on their face because they are going to class and they want somebody to feel sorry for them. Well, I don't feel sorry...being in school really isn't that hard. Being a productive member of society and paying bills is far more difficult than going to school. If I could trade in bills and work for just showing up to class in my pj's and a cup of coffee from starbucks, I would do it in a heartbeat. A minority of students do have responsiblities other than school work and keeping a social calender full of keg parties, couch burnings, and vommiting in some back ally in downtown Morgantown. These students have other obligations such as children, loan payments, wives, domestic partners, hobbies, Debra Morell and other centers of influence that keep them motivated in life to do well in school and just being an adult. So for all the college students who think that they are a gift to the world and that showing up for their 9AM communications class on time after that huge kegger party is going to win them an award...grow up!