Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Detesting

There are very few things I detest in this world.
But today I am going to try and narrow it down to the things that really rub me raw.

1 - I hate it how US society is so celebrity worshiping. I don't care about Bristol Palin. Serioulsy, why does anyone care about her? Because her mom ran for Vice-President and lost out to Obama and whoever is his Vice-President? And yes, I am admitting to not knowing who the Vice-President of the United States is. I seriously don't know. This is a truly pathetic admission given that I now know that Chuck from that show my husband used to watch can kind of sing. I just got done watching the video of him and Katherine McFee. The only way I am going to know the name of the VicePresident is by googling it. Joe Biden. I somewhat remember that. There, now I am not as ignorant as most other Americans. But then again most other Americans know Angelina Jolie's boob size when all I care about is why she is letting her beautiful daughter walk around dressed up like a boy.

2- I don't like fake people. Oh, you never make any mistakes. Wow. Your kids are perfect. You and your husband are madly in love; you mean you NEVER fight. uh-huh. You actually have the energy to put up decorations in celebration of each month's holiday? Do we really need more crap in this country? How about this? How about we all quit decorating and send some bread to Africa? Or some water wells. Or some People magazines. Surely, we aren't the only country who needs a fix. Maybe some leprechauns could actually put my old plastic gold-pail to use? And mail it back to me? Full?

3- Brussel-Sprouts. I have never tried them. But they look gross and they smell gross. Thus, I have never tried them.



4- People who are overly obsessed with body image. I have friends with eating disorders. Probably most of my friends have struggled with an eating disorder at some time in their life. Heck, I have an eating disorder called over-eating. I also have friends who spend a whole heck a lot of time on physical training...lots of them live in California. he he (And, if you think I am talking about you, I am not. I am talking in generals...very broad generals.) Some may call it their mental health ticket or a phase and some feel it their calling to shove raw foods down your throat, while simultaneously spewing the benefits of smoking pot....are you kidding me? But I think eating healthy and exercise sometimes is just an obsession or it just becomes an avoidance technique...just as much as my overeating is. Now, mind you this is coming from the perspective of someone who needs to lose some pounds. But, really people, is it gonna matter that much when we go to meet our maker if we ran every day of our life? Or never ate a trans fat? Now, I totally understand that there are plenty more people out there who hate the fatties, but doesn't that just remind you of middle school? Can't we all just love each other? Can't you see past my extra pounds, if I see past your obsession with the gym? Or marijuana? Why do we all have to be the same? Here is a link to a great post for eating disorder awareness. I would just like to add one thing to Cjane's post. Change starts with society as a whole. If I don't want my daughters to have eating disorders, I don't only need to have a healthy body image, I need to try and promote healthy across the spectrum.

4- I don't  like people who are self-righteous or think that they are too intellectual for most. I learn from my kids every day, and I think that I know more math than they do. Well, at least Sophia, Bella, and Caroline. O.k. I admit it, I go to Abigail for help with percentages from time to time, but really, does that mean she shouldn't want to associate with me? Or that I can't teach her anything? Every person on this earth is of great worth. Some of the greatest worth to God, may be the most simple minded.

5- Bullies. I don't hate them, but I feel sorry for them. I try to understand them and if I could I would try to cure them with my love, but I don't like how they have chosen to take out their own insecurities on other people.

6- Hypocrites. This goes along with #2. Fake people. Pretty much the same thing, but kind of different. A fake person just wants you to think they have it all together, and hypocrites spend every day of their lives trying to convince themselves they have it all together. My husband says it's the other way around. Hypocrites know they don't have it all together, but they condemn other people for the weaknesses they themselves have. Fake people are the ones that think they have it all together.

7- Self-righteousness, dishonesty, mean people. (These are all the things that my husband could think of when I asked him) When I begged for more he says, "me, somedays." You got that straight. We have a healthy love hate relationship.

8- Women who, when they have the rare girls' day out, can only talk about beauty tips and the plastic surgery they want to get. Men who covet women like this.

9- Really large dangling earrings. For some reason all I can think about is some baby ripping them through your flesh. And it really hurts my ears. Literally. I think I might be a little ADD. I guess I have held too many babies or read too many National Geographics. O.k. I didn't read, I only looked at National Geographics. Does anyone actually read those magazines? Oh yeah, those people who are too smart to talk to me.

10- Boogers. I don't like them and I don't like the word booger. Today Caroline was trying to prolong naptime and was screaming out of her mind. I went in to check to see if she had lost her pacifier for the 15th time by chucking it across the room and she held out her blanket to me and said, "booger". She had wiped her nose on her blanket and was freaking out. Who says that aversions aren't genetic?

11- People who actually listen to their preacher when they say Mormons aren't Christian. I love to talk to other people about their beliefs. Why don't some of these Southern people actually talk to a real live Mormon about what we believe instead of just believing their obviously paranoid preacher?

12- The fact that my husband can never stay awake past 10 p.m. when I am in my prime, but I guess that this works as I then have blogging time AND a man to do morning duty.

13- Extra needy people. C'mon people, get a hold of yourself. Figure out why you need to be needed so bad. If you are always looking to other people to solve something for you, then it is time you went to see some of those really smart honest people so that they can help you out.

14-  Really foul mommy bloggers. How can this dooce girl have the second most popular mommy blog? That tells me something about where our world is headed. I don't want to mention her or mamapundit, in case you get so curious you will go there. I have perused both these blogs and if they are the most popular representation of parents in America, then we live in a very scary world. Not to mention the people who actually read and comment. I believe they are some of the most horrible people; they pretty much have no morals. Does this make me self righteous?

Oh no, I guess I don't like myself. Maybe detest is too strong of a word. Maybe I shouldn't even say I don't like these things. Maybe I should just say that I am puzzled by them. Therefore, when I read back and realize that small parts of me actually have to admit to some of these character flaws, I won't have to hate myself, but just stay in my state of searching self understanding.  Why do I hate decorating? Maybe I should throw out a curse word for good measure.

15 - Oh and to leave out on an odd number - that material that they make sleeping bags and running suits out of. I can't stand when it rubs together. Funny, I do like to run and camp though, but I find less annoying gear.

My husband has accused me of the purpose of this post being to stir the pot. He may be right. I want more blog readership, what can I say? I also just want to get back to my real self of being more honest about who I am. I completely respect that you are different than me. I hope that this will not come off as judgemental, as I really have tried to adopt the life mantra of accepting people as they are. I just got a worrisome e-mail from a friend saying I hurt her feelings about the decorating, and I thought I better post my reply for the rest of my crafty friends who I love wholeheartedly.

I am so sorry that I hurt your feelings. Maybe I should have been more specific. I didn't mean ANY decorating was bad. I was just talking about the over excessive love of stuff. People seriously spend a ridiculous amount of money on trinkets for every holiday and go all out on a monthly basis making their home a shrine to hearts or shamrocks or easter bunnies or June umbrellas. 
If it would make you feel better, I will take that paragraph down. Really. Of course I was absolutely NOT referring to you or any of my friends. Maybe I should make that known. I like to think that the people that I associate with have a lot more substance than that, as I know you do. I came across this blog where this lady literally has a whole huge shelving unit in her living room full of decorations. As you know, this is not my thing. It's also really hard to see stuff like this when I know so many people suffer without the basics. 
I totally agree with you 100% that each person is entitled to their own hobby. I actually love reading blogs about those hobbies, and seeing what people come up with, but I hope you understand that I am also entitled to my hatred of the way Americans are overly spoiled and inconsiderate of others when they spend so much time and effort on making their homes so amazing just so they can feel better than other people. 
I am not sure if this is gonna make it any better for you, and maybe what you really want is for me to completely change my opinion of decorating all together, but I just don't see that happening, but please know that I don't judge the individual; I have a ton of friends with gorgeous homes. I just judge the practice of competing with others in any form. 
Is there something else I can say to keep you as my friend? I really feel awful.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

You really went all out! Self-righteous people amuse me. They are usually hiding something or a lot.

You should try roasting brussels sprouts for a long time in the oven and they become similar to chips. That's what changed my opinion. I know where you can find the recipe for them. ;)

Do not ever teach the 4 year old class at church. They all pick their noses and eat it! O.K. not all of them but a lot of them. I am constantly washing my hands with Germ-X. YUCK!

Anonymous said...

I found your blog... and while we may agree in some respects to things that bug us, I find most of this very hypocritical. How can you say that you "accept people as they are" when most of your post is about labeling and judging people for what you "detest?"

I hope if you really want more readers, you will welcome an opinion unlike your own.

Unknown said...

Two points of clarification. 1- I guess this was a bad attempt at mixed satire. I totally admit to having these same issues, therefore I am not a hypocrite...but aren't we all really???

2 - I really do love people with these issues. I really do. This post is gonna piss off most my friends, but the cool things about my friends is that they know me well enough to know my love for them can see through their issues. As I know their love for me can do the same.

ShEiLa said...

I finally got the finish this post... in between the requests from my hubby... the dishes... phone calls from my doctors office... and I totally agree with just about everything you say... except I love brussel sprouts they do smell gross so does broccoli and cauliflower during the whole cooking process and they all produce gas... for me anyway. But they are good for you and so I eat them.

ToOdLeS.

ps. high five to all pot stirrers everywhere... the goal is to spark conversation and opinion not to judge or point fingers.

Kim said...

Ok, since you want the pot to be stirred, I'll comply and leave a comment:) I'll preface this with the fact that I think you really are so funny and a very likeable person and I comment with the best of intentions. I disagree with so much of what you say (minus brussel sprouts, boogers, and sleeping bag material), though it's difficult to tell what's sarcasm and what you actually believe. You're stating that you detest everyone else who behaves exactly the same way you do--people who act fake, self righteous, have eating disorders, are mean, bullies, and needy. Cut yourself and other some slack and realize that we're pretty much all good people (minus some sociopaths) doing the best we can with what we have. And we all sometimes express our anxieties and insecurities by hiding some things, not taking good care of our bodies, by tearing people down in order to make ourselves feel less crappy about ourselves, and by seeking pacification through food, drugs, or needy blog posts. You know how people always post quotes on FB? The only one I've ever written down is this one, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." --Socrates

Unknown said...

Interesting post Ali! I could make a little comment on almost all of these, but I will refrain and comment on number 4(body image) only because the phrase "...is it gonna matter that much when we go to meet our maker..." and I say yes it going to matter. Don't you think that our maker is going to be pissed as hell when he sees what we have don't with his beautiful creation? sure any kind of obsession is not good, but neither is the fact that we are disrespecting our "temples" the way we are.

We all need to take care of our bodies, and we all know what that means individually, not through the eyes of the world, but through understanding our physical potential and putting an effort to be the best we can be

"cialis" I love it!
keep writing!

Unknown said...

that was not grant's post... that was me Catherine... how the heck did that happened!!

Donna said...

Yo! I tried brusell sprouts for the first time last year. They were alright....they tasted like little cabbages. With a little sea salt they are do-able.

I don't like when people leave the lid up on the toilet seat before they flush. Who wants all that feces flying around?!

TeacherFromTN said...

I loved this because I can just hear you saying it. When I saw you and your kiddos in the school office last week, it was the highlight of my day--laughing until I cried over Ms. Kim's coupons. You got me with the big earrings, though. I do not, however, wear them around little people who cannot control their urge to yank! I have to wear them to assert my femininity with this short hair.

Klin said...

#14- This is a true statement. Our world is in a pretty bad place. Some are still trying their best to make it safer and they make it safer in small ways, like in their home. As a social worker I see some scary stuff.

Go pot stirrer. Go!

Jenny Lynn said...

I am with you about Brussels sprouts! Gross!

Anonymous said...

blogfrog is a great way to expand your readership.

Everyone wants to feel love, accepted no matter what, know that their opinion counts and that in the end they have loads of friends. I love the quote by Kim, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." --Socrates

Dorry said...

I love to pick my kids boogers and I love foul bloggers. I have a strand of all of the characteristics of people you detest. By virtue of the fact that we are friends reveals your grace and mercy too.

Mother 25 - 8 said...

I lived in UT far too long to think you could be wrong. You are VERY RIGHT about so much of this!! Personally, I love working out. I do go to the gym 3 times a week and I really do enjoy it. I will wear tank tops when I have "upper body" days so I can see muscles, for reals.
I've run a marathon because I seriously like to run. I do photography cuz I seriously love it and I sew because I seriously love it. HOWEVER in UT there was always this feeling of competition. Our stake pres wife even said, "make people think you have it together because you are advertising your husband." I DIED when she said that and I looked around and all these girls are laughing and agreeing. AHHHHHH!!!!!
Here in VA, people are so much more relaxed and I love it. You can be a fat as a house or as fit as a fiddle, and you're cool.
At 37 I feel like I'm freerer (sp?) now than ever before to act for MYSELF instead of doing things to impress others. And I see no problem with "being real" because that's part of sharing the burden.
People who run around acting like they have it together, I sorta feel sorry for. They remind me of balloons ready to pop.

Jenny Lynn said...

mother 25-8.... I really enjoyed your comment and could not agree with you more on your thoughts. I have even experienced a similar experience living here. Makes going really tough despite my strong beliefs that the gospel of Christ is true.

Mother 25 - 8 said...

I lived in UT far too long to think you could be wrong. You are VERY RIGHT about so much of this!! Personally, I love working out. I do go to the gym 3 times a week and I really do enjoy it. I will wear tank tops when I have "upper body" days so I can see muscles, for reals.
I've run a marathon because I seriously like to run. I do photography cuz I seriously love it and I sew because I seriously love it. HOWEVER in UT there was always this feeling of competition. Our stake pres wife even said, "make people think you have it together because you are advertising your husband." I DIED when she said that and I looked around and all these girls are laughing and agreeing. AHHHHHH!!!!!
Here in VA, people are so much more relaxed and I love it. You can be a fat as a house or as fit as a fiddle, and you're cool.
At 37 I feel like I'm freerer (sp?) now than ever before to act for MYSELF instead of doing things to impress others. And I see no problem with "being real" because that's part of sharing the burden.
People who run around acting like they have it together, I sorta feel sorry for. They remind me of balloons ready to pop.

Dorry said...

I love to pick my kids boogers and I love foul bloggers. I have a strand of all of the characteristics of people you detest. By virtue of the fact that we are friends reveals your grace and mercy too.

Grant said...

that was not grant's post... that was me Catherine... how the heck did that happened!!

Anonymous said...

I found your blog... and while we may agree in some respects to things that bug us, I find most of this very hypocritical. How can you say that you "accept people as they are" when most of your post is about labeling and judging people for what you "detest?"

I hope if you really want more readers, you will welcome an opinion unlike your own.