Things that annoy the hell out of me

I'm in kind of a grumpy mood today. In fact, it's been kind of a grumpy week. I don't know why, I started a new temp job on Monday, but I've been off my game. It's a new environment for me, with a new company, and still feels unfamiliar at times. Amazing how two weeks off from working can just throw you off. Maybe if I had been on vacation for two weeks, instead of sweating that I was going to be eating out of garbage cans, if I didn't get an assignment, I would feel better. Plus, my stomach's been upset all week, and I've been laying low on the whole food situation.

So, since I was in such a crappy mood, I thought I'd clue you all in on some things that just annoy the hell out of me. Perhaps you can relate to my pain.

1. Why is it that the office can be freezing, but the bathrooms are nice and toasty. Yesterday, my office was as cold as the arctic, but I went to the bathroom, and it was so nice I never wanted to leave. It's May, and the weather lately hasn't been that warm, 50-60 degrees out, but inside it's below freezing. During the summer months, I literally have to wear a sweater in doors, to keep from freezing my ass off, and then I go out side and it's a sweat box. No wonder people keep getting sick.

2. Investment bankers who wait until the last minute to turn in their expenses, and then hand over a years worth of expenses for you to do. And they expect you to turn them around like in a day otherwise they won't get paid for their out-of-pocket expenses until the next paycheck. My heart pours piss for you guys.

3. People who stand around Times Square staring at the tall buildings. Now, I know that they're tourists, and I should be happy that they're pouring money into the cities economy, but there's nothing more obnoxious than trying to walk down the street during rush hour, and having to navigate your way around people who are crowding the sidewalks, craning their necks. Come on, they're not that interesting. And then they want to take pictures of said tall buildings. For crying out loud! It's only a building, not Brad Pitt.

4. Reality TV finales that last for 3 hours. You know who I'm talking about. That's right, The Bachelor squeezing every last ounce of suspense out of a dying franchise. See Charlie cry, see Krissly say she's nervous, see Sarah say she's nervous, see Charlie cry. See the girls watching themselves on TV, see them talking to Charlie on the phone, see Chris Harrison do another recap, see the girls families, see Charlie say he's nervous, repeat ad naseum, for 3 SOLID HOURS. Feel your ears bleed from the tedium of having Chris Harrison repeat once again that the show is live. Was 3 hours necessary? Of course not. They could crammed the whole show into 2 hours tops, but ABC in their 'we're now successful again' hubris, decided to put the final nail in the coffin of The Bachelor by boring us to death. Then they announce that the show won't be back till 2006!

5. Commercials and previews that give away the show: Do I really need to see The OC tonight? I already know what's going to happen. Kirsten gets really drunk, they stage an intervention, and Marissa might possibly be shot. The OC could take a lesson from Desperate Housewives on how to build suspense. There was so much good stuff in Sunday's episode besides the stuff we saw in the previews, like Carlos beating up another one of Gabrielle's suspected lovers and getting arrested for a hate crime. Lynnette screwing Tom's career again, Bree making the bed while Rex had a heart attack, Mrs. Tilman's conversation with Mike, Edie trying to stage an intervention with Susan.

6. Secretaries who try and treat temps like their bitches. Just because I'm a temp, doesn't mean I'm incompetent. I've been doing this for almost twenty years now. Guess, what Lincoln freed the slaves. Don't treat me like an idiot, learn my name, and give me the same respect that I give you.

7. People who automatically shorten your name without asking. My name is Elizabeth, it's not Liz, Betsy, Lizzie, Beth, Bess, or any other variation. If I wanted you to call me Liz, I would introduce myself as Liz.

8. Stunt casting. Will & Grace is particularly guilty of this. Every other week, they have some celebrity guest star. Sometimes it works, Ed Burns, Matt Damon, Lily Tomlin, Buck Henry, Cher, most of the time it's a distraction. It's almost like they're waving a flag for the viewer, 'Who look who wants to be on our show this week!" If you have to rely on guest stars to pull in viewers, somethings wrong. Why not try writing a good show?

9. Alias - I loved this show in its first season as Sydney Bristow tried to balance having a life, while being a secret agent. Learning that her father to was a secret agent, and that he was also trying to take down Arvin Sloane and SD-6. Now the show is all about the agency. We hardly ever see Syd doing anything normal. I'm tired of Rambaldi, I'm tired of whether or not Sloane is good or evil. I don't care anymore. They lost me last season when they copped out and made Vaughn's wife evil, lessening the triangle between Vaughn, Lauren, and Syd. The only thing keeping me watching right now is Lena Olin, and Spy Mommy.


10. Where in the hell can I find the dark chocolate M&M's? I've tried Rite-Aid, Duane Reade, CVS, Food Emporium, Gristedes and Walgreens, and they still prove elusive. I've been teased for weeks by the commercials. Apparently consumers in Dallas and LA have access to them, but I have yet to see them in Manhattan. I'm dying here. Dark chocolate is my absolute weakness. If anyone has a lead on the dark chocolate M&M's please let me know. I will be eternally grateful.

Well, that's it the ten things that most annoy me right now. Is there anything that particularly sticks in your craw? Let me know.