Things That Must Go

I have had a grumpy day.  Today, this blog is truly a rant.  I am not aiming this at any person in particular.  I love you all.  Hugs and kisses.  If you're not in the mood, scroll down to the Things That Must Stay.  But please, chime in if you're with me on this list of Things That Must Go:

1.  People at the grocery store that run into a friend in the cereal aisle, stop their carts next to each other, and delve into a deep and serious conversation, all while you're standing there trying to get to the Cheerios.  Same goes for those who stop in the middle of the aisle to call their spouse about which brand of toilet paper to buy, leaving a space 6 inches smaller than your cart on each side of them.  No, I'm not listening in on your convo, I'm just trying to get by.  I know everyone does this sometimes, myself included.  But people, if someone says politely, "Excuse me," don't look at them blankly and keep chatting.  Move!  Or I'll run into the back of your legs with my cart!  (Can you tell I went grocery shopping today?)

2.  Ginormous SUVs and trucks that take up 2 spots on the front row of a crowded church parking lot.  I'm just saying.  It may be a tight squeeze, but I know you can do it, even if it takes 2 tries. 

3.  Hidden insults.  Example:  "That shirt is way too big on me.  It would be perfect for you."  Or "It's so cute how you talk about really insignificant things all the time."  You know what I mean.  It's not nice.  It just makes me feel bad about myself. 

4.  Nagging me about something by someone who does the EXACT SAME THING.  Hey, wait, is that what I'm doing right now?  Oops.  But here's an example I'll throw out there:  "You shouldn't talk so much about yourself.  So what was I saying about my super important life?"  While the nagging probably is aimed at something I should improve on, just self-monitor a little before telling me how to change my life. 

5.  Lite ice cream.  I'm talking to you, Dreyers.  If you're going to make fake ice cream, make the "lite" in big bold bright red letters so I don't keep accidentally buying it.  When I buy ice cream, it's not to lose weight.  You suck me in with names like "Super Fudge Brownie Caramel Peanut Butter Delight" and when I get home it tastes wrong wrong wrong.  And then I notice the miniscule writing at the bottom that says, "lite frozen dairy product."  (I guess I could read the labels better...)

6.  Disney's stupid vault.  I have been waiting for nearly 8 years to buy Beauty and the Beast because we were dirt poor when it came out on DVD last.  I'm sure their fancy number crunchers figured out that they'd somehow make more money by pulling their movies off the shelf after a month.  Don't you think they'd make more money if people like me could go to the store any time and buy their movies?  Usually their movies come out on DVD just when our overdraft is full.  Argh.  And I'm not going to spend a hundred bucks for it on ebay.

7.  I'm sorry, baseball fans, but all these playoffs must go.  They are messing up my TV shows. 

Now for the positive side of things.  This is not necessarily a list of things that mean the most to me, just things that could disappear, but I don't want them to.  Here is my list of Things That Must Stay:

1.  Friends and family that remember your birthday.  I know I'm a grown-up now, and that birthdays aren't supposed to be that big a deal, but it's the one day that's just for you.  I think it's nice to be celebrated and spoiled for a day.  And I have some great friends and family that do that for me. 

2.  Reusable shopping bags.  I know they're great for the environment, and that's why we have them.  But my favorite thing about them is how vast they are and the fact that I don't have to get 12 Walmart bags every time I go to the store (my dental floss doesn't need its own bag).   

3.  The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, and The Office.  Everyone needs to laugh out loud.  I know I do.  These shows do it for me.  Please don't get cancelled. 

4.  Mint chocolate M&Ms.  And while we're listing good chocolatey stuff, mint truffle kisses, 3 Musketeers, and all things Lindt. 

5.  My new elliptical, combined with my iPod.  I finally have a motivation to work out, besides my ever expanding waistline.  I get to listen to my favorite tunes while exercising, and I can do it in my own room, whenever I want, without worrying about being cute at the gym. 

6.  Pixar.  Thank you for being funny and creative, and keeping your DVDs available all the time.  That came in very handy when our copy of Toy Story 2 was lost and we were on a road trip and were sheer desperados for something for Jacob to watch.  It also means I can buy Ratatouille once I'm tired of it taking up space on my DVR.

7.  Girls' night out.  I'm talking about book groups, movie nights, craft nights, and nights where we sit around and chat.  I love them, I need them, and I don't want them to ever go away.

There are more items I could add to each list, but I think I am done.  I am not nearly as grumpy anymore.  Of course, it's a new day, and I haven't made it to Walmart yet.  So we'll see...