Introducing the Daily Rant! This category is a new feature that I plan on updating, while not daily (lest you be confused by the title), at least semi-regularly (since I am irritated by a wide variety of things). The Daily Rant will be less stylized than my normal posts – I’m going to use a stream of consciousness approach. Today’s rant – in fact, this whole category – was inspired by a particularly unhelpful employee of a local college, which will go unnamed since it is my alma mater and I don’t want to give the school any negative publicity.
Minutes ago, I called the college and asked to be transferred to the library’s circulation desk. The next person I spoke with was so spectacularly unhelpful, I wanted to reach through the phone and shake her. Hard. Helpful hint: if you are working the circulation desk in a library, patrons are going to ask you questions about which books are in circulation. They also expect that you will, if not cheerfully, at least diligently, try to find the book that they are seeking. This may require you to look something up. Probably using a computer. Another helpful hint: if you are a library patron and you are notified that the book you meant to read is now overdue and that someone else has asked to borrow the very same copy of the book you are currently using as a coaster on your coffee table, it is proper etiquette for you to return the book to the library without delay.
Phew. I think I’m going to like this new feature. Tell me: what are you ranting about?
OINKtales 
12 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 16, 2011 at 10:29 am
Katrina
My commute this morning. First, a person pulled out onto Route 7 and then stopped abruptly, on Route 7 in the intersection in front of me, to let someone else out from the cross street of this very dangerous intersection at the bottom of two hills.
At the school, a bus was loading for a field trip not in the bus loading lane, so I had to sit because her flashers were on. They stayed on until every 4th grader was seated. This takes a long time. She saw me and really could have either A – waved me on or B – closed the door!
Then, driving down another long road, the person in front of me decided to go 24 mph in a 35 zone.
I was surrounded by idiots this morning.
Thanks, this feels better 🙂
Then, I had to follow someone all the way down
May 16, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Mary the OINKteller
Oh Katrina what a morning! I would have been spitting fire. Glad you could get it off your chest. It does feel better to share!
May 16, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Tori Nelson
I can’t believe this. I. AM. RANTLESS. This never happens 😦
May 16, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Mary the OINKteller
Girl, I am happy for you! Revel in your positive self and ignore my negativity. Come back when you’ve got your grumpy pants on (I never take mine off). 😉
May 16, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Alexis
Taking our household disorganization to a whole new level my better (what?) half seems to have lost one of my SUMMER TIRES. He asked me if I had done anything with it. I think I would have remembered if I had taken one of the mounted tires out of our garage and hidden it in the closet or something. Perhaps he thinks our 4 YO smuggled it into the sandbox.
When I met him I think his sloppyness had a sort of disheveled charm to it but now I feel he has teamed up with the kids to keep our house a disaster. There is literally not a single room in the house where you won’t trip over his shoes. It’s entirely possible to find a pair of his socks (NOT CLEAN) shoved under a couch cushion. And his side of the bed is so gross I simply refuse to go over there. If something of mine falls on his side of the bed, it’s easier to just accept that it is gone and move on.
May 16, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Mary the OINKteller
woot woot, Alexis! You go! You gotta love it when our better halves ask those innocently inane questions. “Oh, did you want a cup of coffee this morning?” “Can you prove that I was the one who put the knives in the dishwasher?” “Have you seen my socks?” But losing a mounted summer tire is really quite a feat. They’re not like marbles or army men….
May 17, 2011 at 3:33 am
Lisa Z
I.LOVE.THIS.NEW.CONCEPT.
Today on the train this woman in oh, her late 40’s I’d say, jumped on at the last moment, squished herself all up against this poor 30-something guy, waited for the doors to close, and then had the gall to call out “Could you move down inside the carriage, please.” What the heck is the matter with people?
P.S. Alexis- I think you and I married the same man.
May 18, 2011 at 10:08 am
Mary the OINKteller
But I bet it sounded less rude with the British accent. Unless it was one of us awful Americans. 😉
May 17, 2011 at 7:12 am
Elizabeth
Last week I took the car to a different mechanic to swap the tires and get a front end alignment, because my mechanic doesn’t do alignments. that 1-hour job took MORE THAN TWO, and I will not list the causes of the delay (2 of which were quite understandable, the others completely not). The crowning glory was the shop owner saying “You know, the TPS light is still on”. Well, YES. The winter tires don’t have TPS, the summer tires do.
It would’ve taken another half hour to get the TPS adjusted, so I said no and took the car home. Nowadays the TPS adjustment should be part of the job, and my mechanic (ahem!) didn’t have to be told about the difference in the tires.
But last year I didn’t need that alignment. Now I have a good reason not to patronize this shop.
May 18, 2011 at 10:11 am
Mary the OINKteller
At least you knew what the TPS light was for. I’d have been looking for Office Space’s TPS report. “Did you get the memo?”
May 22, 2011 at 9:04 am
Kristen
Mary…looking forward to you daily rants post…so good and so agree! Ok, my rant involves a tiny 4 year old who will remain nameless. Why do they get us at our weakest points? Do they have tiny little annoy-dar that says “Mom will easily loose her shit today, so let’s poke her!”. The nameless 4 year old decided to have a very loud screaming tantrum as we are trying to get the 6 year old from swimming. I L I T E R A L L Y has to lie him on the pavement telling him to stop screaming, just stop screaming, and OF course I was screaming. If someone had a video of this, I would look like a crazy horrible lunatic of a parent! Back I the car, the 9 year old just shakes his head…”mom, I feel so bad for you!”.
May 23, 2011 at 7:55 am
Mary the OINKteller
Awww, your 9 year old was so sweet! We have all been there, Kristen. It’s always fabulous when they choose to lose it in public places. Especially places where you know passer-by. “Johnny, if you don’t get up off the ground RIGHT NOW I swear I’ll rip … oh hello Sally! Fancy seeing you here! We are having a time of it, aren’t we?” Just remember, this too shall pass. Look at it this way: it makes a good story!