Things I Dislike

For no particular reason, in no particular order, here is a list of things I really dislike.

Peanut Butter - I don't know how anyone can consume this product. The smell alone makes me want to vomit.

Smoking - Yes, I am probably a "Smoking NAZI" in my views on this subject. I also get that it's horribly addictive. With the previous statement in mind, anyone who is trying to quit smoking has my admiration and best hope for success. Anyone, however, who believes that they have a "right" to smoke and that it's not dangerous to them or to other is, in my mind, a twit. Let's tax it into oblivion so that people quit smoking and then don't die from some horrible disease like lung cancer.

Sloth - We are all guilty of it from time to time (including and especially me), but I don't like just sitting around for long periods of time. If you want to just sit around, at least pick up a book and read.

Drunks - Yes, I do recognize that some folks have a problem in that they drink to excess, but I don't believe that alcoholism is a "disease"...certainly not in the same sense that Diabetes is, for example. I say this as someone who doesn't drink (well I may have a glass of wine two or three times a year). Why don't I drink? I don't drink because I really can't socially drink without drinking to excess. My father was an alcoholic, and I know that I could very well be one myself if I didn't the personal judgment to not drink.

Astrology, Fortune Tellers, etc. - If extraordinary powers, such as those required to tell fortunes, really did exist, don't you think that the people who had them would use them to accurately determine lottery numbers...instead of stealing $30 from unsuspecting tourists on boardwalks? Now I don't discount the possibility of anything, but logic clearly flies in the face of these kinds of powers actually existing.

Cooked Cabbage - Yet another food that I really can't stand to be around.

Rap "Music" That Objectifies Women - There are a lot of musical forms that have been unkind to women over the years, from Sinatra's "Lady Is A Tramp" to any number of rock songs, but some of the stuff I've heard in rap "music" is particularly horrible. In this world you get what you give...and I for one have no desire to disrespect anyone.

IPods & ITunes - I've purchased IPods for my daughters, but I personally can't stand the product, mainly because it is so simply that I find it annoying. I also really find ITunes to be very annoying, mainly because I'm never sure what it is doing any any given time. I have an mp3 player that I use in the gym that allows you to drop and drag music files from Windows...which works fine for me.

College "Jock" Factories - With the NCAA Final Four in place, I am reminded of how it's almost criminal how some universities pay so little attention to the education of players and their ultimate graduation. Most of these kids are one injury away from oblivion, and many couldn't afford a college education otherwise. UConn, for example, is notorious for an extremely low graduation rate for it's basketball players. Now some schools have admirably high graduation rates for student-athletes, including Notre Dame & Penn State.

Racism & Homophobia - Now I love off-color jokes, and my daughters will tell you that I am prone to telling them from time to time. I admit that. However, for me they are just jokes, and I'm just as fond of jokes that poke fun at white/straight people as I am of those that poke fun at minority groups (although it's harder to find good jokes along those lines...I do recommend listening to some Richard Pryor routines though..."pass the potatoes"). Anyway, I actually find the notion that some folks actually believe that they are superior than others by virtue of race to be silly at best, dangerous at worst. People are people...and to the extent that they should be judged, that judgement should be based on their actions and their character, not on what color skin they have or who they have intimate relations with.

Negative People - I am not a "jumping up and down" positive person, but I have a generally positive outlook on the world. That said, I hate being around people that are constantly negative. They are like "energy vampires" who just suck the life out of me when I am around them.