I’m a borderline techno-phobe. Hubby will tell me, before heading off for work on Monday morning, “Hey, could you run the spyware program today?” and I’ll say “Sure; ummmm, how do you do that again?” Like I haven’t done it a dozen times before. But if I haven’t done it recently (like in the past week), I forget. Then, after I’m done running it, I have to call him at work to ask him how to delete the unwanted stuff (again!) :smack: It’s not just technology, either. It’s things like driving. Oh, I don’t forget how to drive, but I forget how to get to a particular destination. If I don’t go the same place about six times in a month, I forget how to get there. Of course, that particular PITA got reduced by 98% by buying a car with a nav system. But that goes back to the techno-phobe stuff again (“Honey, I forgot; how do you tell the computer you want it to calculate a different route?”)
The other primary PITA thing is way beyond my control, though; chronic kidney problems. A couple of times a year, sometimes way too close together, I’ll have kidney stone episodes. These often entail trips to the ER, trips to the doctor’s office, days laying in bed doing nothing but counting the hours until I can take more Percoset, and as often as not, minor surgery to remove the damned thing. That, of course, results in another week of me being essentially non-functional. This causes a huge PITA for the entire family.
Sometimes I talk too much about my geeky interests to people who aren’t interested. This, of course, happens more when I’m in school. Some people find it obnoxious that I like talking about the information I just learned.
I have no problem with letting you know that I disagree with you, and will often try to back it up with cites. This, of course, makes me a “smartass” to a lot of people.
I tend to detail nitpick, or go on and on about one topic. A lot of the time, though, I’ll end up in a cyclical talking pattern where I jump back and forth between several topics without much warning.
Maybe I shouldn’t talk so much. I’d be less of a PITA.
Does looking up everything (including words I already know but just want to learn fine distinctions or history about) in the OED make me a pain in the ass?
I think this is mine. I try to say I’ll bag but sometimes they’ve already started while I’m still unloading the cart. Frozen next to dry??? What the hell–I put everything by groups on the belt. C’mon people. And then I end up rebagging everything out in the parking lot. But I do fume somewhat while they bag and I try to do what I can in the store.
TV shows and TV commercials are not the same thing. I don’t think anyone’s weekly schedule revolves around commercials. And since VCRs became ubiquitous, no one’s weekly schedule has revolved around TV shows, either. Not to mention that fact that it’s a big jump from “I like to watch TV” to “my schedule revolves around TV.”
In other words: I don’t care if you don’t watch/like TV, but if you feel the need to justify your preference you can at least make sure that you have valid points.
When writing a professional document at work, no matter how weighty or inconsequential the issue or who the audience may be, I’ll send it back as many times as it takes to make the punctuation and formatting perfect. A 20 page contract with one small paragraph that is left justified only, when the rest of the document is left/right justified, drives me bonkers. If the heading in one of the exhibit pages is in Arial 10pt font while the rest of the document is 11pt font, I can’t let it be sent out. Fix it and print a new page. If there is inconsistent spacing between paragraphs, it goes back.
I know my admin grumbles that I’m a PITA. I am and I’m unapologetic about it.
(I know there are many more things that potentially make me a PITA to everyone that has to deal with me on a daily basis, but this is one I know about and fully acknowledge.)
Ha, I would describe it more as “scary” because you could be talking about me.
Another PITA thing I do is at work … over the years, I have held several jobs that I now supervise. Literally, the same job – sat at the same desk and everything. I cannot imagine how annoying this must be for the people currently on staff. Sometimes, someone will claim that something “can’t be done” and I turn into Lloyd Bentsen, and kind of rant about how “I know that database! I wrote that reporting function! I know what it can and can’t do!” and it takes a big effort not to end with “and you are no Jack Kennedy!” I try to manage this and suss out if the person is really trying to say he or she doesn’t know how to do it and instruct appropriately.
I don’t think you all have enough time to read all my PITA traits so I will simply mention the major ones…
I have OCD regarding cleanliness of surroundings and body (an no, this isn’t an expression. My anxiety causes physical symptoms.) I will nag and complain when thing are out of place in my home or office.
I am incapable of staying ‘in love’ in as much as I promise to myself and the gentleman that this time will be different.
I am not very sensitive myself and therefore do not have much empathy for emotional people.
I suppose I am a bitch in addition to being a PITA.
If I see the logic in my point of view, and you’ve made your best argument and I still believe you to be wrong, then you are wrong and it goes from being my opinion, to becoming fact.
I’ll give people a fair shot to convince me, and often I am, but if you don’t, it’s that simple. I’m right, you’re wrong, move along now.
Nope.
BTW, I use onelook.com and en.wiktionary.org for my first level of researching words. Easy to copy and paste if I want to *share * the information.
Okay. How about “adherant”?
FWIW, I’ve managed to eliminate *all * behaviors that *used to * make me a PITA. Now, everyone who knows me knows that I’m perfect …
Is PITA the same thing as being an asshole? If not then no, I’m not a PITA. I’m a regular doormat (“Oh, the Sports Package is an extra $2,000 on this model? Why, yes, that’s fine, it’s just money. The floor mats are extra? Sure, that’s OK.”)
When I go to my in-laws’ homes, on the other hand, and they have this fing fetish about taking off your fing shoes so you don’t get a speck of dirt on their fing carpet, well, I’m a real asshole about that. I “forget” to take my shoes off until I’m asked to, then I point out that carpet was MEANT to be walked on with shoes, and besides, I carefully wiped my shoes before I came in, and what’s the real problem here, your vacuum cleaner broken or something? Then I sit and complain constantly about my feet being cold. Generally, we don’t stay long. And my wife invariably calls me an asshole, so I have to point out that her siblings are … well, PITAs when it comes to their fing carpets.
When they come to my house, of course, I make a big deal about the cheap-o carpet we have, and when they insist on kicking off their shoes at the door, I bitch loudly and longly about all the goddamn shoes piled around the door, looks like somebody’s messy closet.
So I dunno – maybe I’m not classy enough to be a PITA. I’m just a common asshole.
I hear you. Heathens who use 12pts after with a 10pt font just drive me bonkers. How dare they? And, if I see this and it can’t be readily fixed, then I scrupulously make sure all 10pt items have 12pts after. At least the document is then consistent throughout. Because of the way my mind, eyes and PITA-ness work together, I can almost spot a typo, or a missing space between sentences (or an extra one) at a glance. Not bragging, just the way things work for me. It get me lots of special requests for editing work though.
My bf does that. Drives me nuts. He’ll be talking about something, take five minutes (or more) explaining what it is or what it does, before I can’t stand it anymore. I have to stop him and (while trying not to scream) tell him that I knew what he was talking about before he tried to explain it, and now he’s just talking to hear himself yammer.
I used to be the smartass receptionist who’d point out all the spelling errors and grammar problems in a pile of ads/flyers/etc. that were all printed and ready to go out. Of course, this would be the first time I had seen them, and the guys doing marketing apparently really sucked at spelling.
