Pet Peeves #1

Pet Peeves.  There are many.  Probably my biggest pet peeve is spatial awareness. Maybe I should rephrase that to lack of spatial awareness.  Could it be that it is living in New York City and walking the streets with millions?  Maybe, but I have always been hyper-sensitive to this. 

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine that you are walking down the sidewalk and someone is walking towards you. As you and the other get closer, one of you has to move or you will collide.  Why is it always me?  No, really. 

If it's raining and umbrellas are involved...forget about it. It's the only time that I am grateful that I wear eyeglasses.  The "dance" of umbrellas on the sidewalks and streets is stunning.  If you are walking unaware, you will get poked. I am so keenly observant of all the people that aren't.  Is it that the others don't see anyone but themselves on the sidewalk?  Is it self-centered?  Narcissistic? 

Let's move inside shall we?  What about the movies? Theatre? People with backpacks, purses, bags trying to squeeze through a row. Not only do the people making way for the person have to watch their feet, the people in the row in front have to protect their heads from attack.  It boggles my mind the lack of awareness. What about having to share the arm of the chair....My life experience is that it's mostly men that own both arms of the chair, though we both paid the same amount of money for our seat. Is it entitlement?  What the hell is it?  Pay attention the next time you are sitting in a theatre.

Let's stay inside. Let's go onto the very narrow aisle of an airplane.  It has always been a problem, but with the advent of luggage charges, flyers are schlepping more and more. That doesn't mean the schleppers are aware that they are hitting people in the head, arm, shoulder.  If you are sitting waiting for the plane to load all the passengers and luggage, don't nod out. Don't start reading.  Watch all the people swinging left and right, pulling and pushing, herding kids, it is a nightmare.  Of course, unlike many venues, you can find safety on a plane...the window seat. What about the boors that push their seats back in your face?  I know it's their "right," but really? Does their seat have to be in my face? I actually think that seats shouldn't ever go back in coach. There just isn't enough space. Comfort is relative.

I have tried to instill spatial awareness in my children.  It isn't easy. Is  it nature or nurture.  Does anyone know? If it's nature, I have expended a lot of energy that I can't get back. If it's nurture, I will stay at it.