Pet Peeves #4

(On to the next one...)

I hate when people (mostly your friends) keep asking you for things, but don't ever give you anything in return.

Now, I'm a nice person...and I don't mind doing things for other people if I have the time and/or money for it. But if it gets to the point where you're asking 2....3....4...5 times for something from me and I have no reason to believe that you're EVER gonna do anything for me, why should I say yes?! I NEED SOME RECIPROCATION!

I have this friend that is always looking for something to do (which is not rare because I live in a very small state and we're always bored). So my twin sis and I often go pick her up and then go to the movies, out to dinner, etc. But it got to the point where she started expecting us to automatically do things for her. (Note: 1, she doesn't have a car, and 2, she doesn't have a job.) One time we went to the beach to meet some friends (I drove of course) and when all of us had gone our separate ways, she said she was hungry and could we go out to eat. So I said yes. When we got to my favorite seafood place down there she ordered soup, and had some of my appetizer, and shrimp (which is expensive), and some dessert. I was so mad. Not once did she ask "What's my limit?" or "Would you mind if I got...?" No. She assumed that she could get whatever she wanted. And she NEVER thanked me. Of course I had the money to pay for it, but 1) I am a full-time student with a part-time job. I don't make THAT much, 2) It's just common courtesy to ask a limit or something when you're being treated...no matter how many times they've paid for you in the past. If she had simply used some manners, I would've probably said "Oh, you can get whatever you want." But PLEASE don't take advantage of me! She has never paid for ANYTHING for me...EVER!

...And I apparently didn't learn from that mistake because I continue to take this girl out. One time I was so bored and my twin sis was at work so I was all alone. And I didn't wanna go home, so I asked this girl (again) if she wanted to come out to eat with me. This time she thanked me, we had a good time, and she said she'd pay me back with some money she got from babysitting. I saw her maybe 2 or 3 times after that (during those next couple of weeks)... and nothing. She didn't even mention it! I guess she thought I forgot. And I'm not gonna ASK for like $10 from a week ago! But the least she could've done was offer again to pay me back for half of the meal. I probably would've told her not to worry about it. But it's the principle! Meanwhile, she was going out and spending money on Taco Bell and going out to the movies with other friends... (Sigh). Just triflin'. (I haven't taken her out and PAID for her since. I only take her out if she has money.)

Pet Peeves #3

it's that time again.... (yay!!) On to number 3 on my long list of things that annoy me...

Gossip. The small, six-letter word that can cause so much damage. Gossip is defined (in my Webster's Dictionary) as "trifling talk, especially about other persons". It is when you make it a point to talk about someone's business other than your own.

Now, gossip can be a good thing. But that's not the kind of gossip that pisses me off...I can't stand the bad, malicious, "catty" type of gossip that (mostly) girls are known for. If it doesn't involve me I do NOT want to hear about it. I could care less what that person does in their spare time, who they're dating, what movie they saw, or who they went out with. And YOU shouldn't either. That's my philosophy.

I had a bad experience once where this girl (who was supposed to be a pretty good friend of mine) decided that the subject of her conversations was going to be a girl that I'll name Jamie. Now I've known Jamie and her family literally since I was born. I know all of her brothers and sisters, her aunts, uncles, and am basically considered a part of her family. I wasn't too too close to Jamie herself, but I was with her family in general. But a new guy had moved in the area (the brother of this girl), and he liked Jamie. So they would hang out every once in a while. But this girl couldn't stand it. She hated Jamie and didn't want her brother to see her. She claimed that they were dating and doing all kinds of stuff that they shouldn't have been doing. So one day I get a call from my grandfather who says that Jamie called him saying, "Erin and Erica (my sister) have been saying that me and [the girl's brother] are dating! Why would they say that?" This hussie (the girl who was supposed to be my friend) had told some crazy lie to her brother about how we were spreading all these lies about them and talking bad about Jamie behind her back... I was furious! Not only did she twist things around and put words in my mouth, but she lied about me instead of 'fessing up herself! Ugh!! You can't trust people sometimes. (So, needless to say, I'm not friends with that girl anymore.)

...And she ruined our friendship with Jamie forever. There will always be that doubt now about my reputation and what I'm saying about her... Gossip can really damage your life.