Sunday, August 13, 2006

Pet Peeve #2

Today marks the second part of my Pet Peeve series. The first being here.

I'd probably describe myself as a planner. I like to plan things. For instance, today my friend Stephanie will be visiting Baltimore, so yesterday I planned to clean. Today I planned to sleep in, and tonight I plan on taping Big Brother 7 so that I don't miss it when I take her out to dinner. I plan.

Now this isn't to say I can't be spontaneous. Happy hours usually aren't planned, but after a horrible day at work I am easily convinced. I'm actually up for just about anything, unless I've already planned something. Planning allows me to get things done when I say I'll get them done. I don't believe in missing deadlines, breaking promises or neglecting my commitments. Period.

So anyway... back to my pet peeve. I simply don't understand when people invite me to do things as they are doing them. How hard is it to give someone an hour's notice? Thirty minutes? Fifteen?

Last night, a friend who shall remain nameless (sorry, man... but I had to get this off of my chest) texted me at 10:30 PM that he was out in Fells. At 11:00 he texted me again that a group was meeting in Canton and that I should join them. He continued to taunt me with who was going to be there. What? I'm sorry, but if I haven't gone out already, by 10 PM I am in pajama bottoms and my hair is in a ponytail. Once the hair goes into a ponytail, all bets are off.

How is it that these people feel the most appropriate time to call is after they have already had the opportunity to plan? Apparently they had enough time to make the decision to go out, get cleaned up and drive to wherever... and the rest of us are supposed to drop everything at a moment's notice?

Okay, I realize it sounds like I am angry, because I just reread what I wrote. I'm not angry - just irritated. This friend is not the first person to do this to me, just the first in awhile, and it irks me. I know that I am a bit of a perfectionist, and I can be anal retentive at times - they're some of my most charming qualities (haha)... but when people ask me last minute, it makes me feel like an afterthought. I'm just not keen on that.

It seems polite to me to invite someone in advance. Is it difficult to make a quick call? For me, planning provides simple expectations - when things will be completed or when some thing/project/person/idea will receive my 100% attention. If you didn't consider inviting me three hours before, why invite me at all? I'm not asking for anything unreasonable, am I?

6 Comments:

Blogger Malnurtured Snay said...

Some of the best plans are made last minute! I can respect the ponytail rule.

August 13, 2006 9:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am the culprit. My cousin came down from Philly, and we were planning on hanging out in Bel Air. She finally got down at 10 o'clock (she had to work yesterday) and we hopped into my car with my bro and picked up my friends Shaun and Brian (also Bel Air residents). As we got Brian we said "you know what? Barbie's never been to Baltimore, screw it, let's go to Fell's." That's when text message #1 went out - a message to a few of my baltimore friends, which said "fells?" No one answered, so as we were driving into the city we decided to just stop in Canton. As we walked towards Canton I sent out a 2nd message to Charissa and our buddy Tiffany because they both live down the street, saying I was walking toward Canton and to come on out. Tiffany says okay, Charissa says "cleaning..." I messaged her back because I thought cleaning sounded pretty lousy, and she might want to change her mind later. I let her know that Tiffany was coming out and we were at Claudaghs. She said "cleaning..." again and I took the hint.

So yeah, sorry I guess. (Insert snippy, biting response here.)

August 13, 2006 11:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ohhh wait, I've got it.

Pet Peeve: being called out in public by a friend instead of being confronted directly. Yeah, that's a good one.

August 13, 2006 11:42 AM  
Blogger Charissa said...

You called yourself out. I let you remain nameless. Besides, it was an entry about a pet peeve, not about 'all things richie.' :P

August 13, 2006 11:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Okay, truce. You weren't an afterthought and you didn't actually call me out.

I need some sleep :)

August 13, 2006 12:57 PM  
Blogger NPR Junky said...

C, I respect the ponytail rule, too. For me, it's more makeup. If the makeup's off, I am so in for the night. I hear you. Last minute plans can be good, if they're made in tandem (like "Hey, wanna go to Ikea?" "Sure! I was just thinking about that!") but I hear you on the feeling like an afterthought thing.

August 15, 2006 9:32 PM  

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