Peyton Manning

No name in professional sports invokes my fury like the name Peyton Manning. This is not fortunate, because when I watch a game with this man in it, his name is mentioned well over 100 times in the course of the event. The number of times his name is said is easy 10 to 1 to any other quarter back with whom he is matched, even if the other one's skill greatly out matches his own. The other day I was watching his match up, I mean the Colt's match up (excuse me), against the Patriots. Over the course of the game I heard his name mentioned at least once per minute. On the other hand, Tom Brady, who was quarter back for the Patriots during all 3 of their recent Superbowl wins, was barely acknowledged.

When the announcers weren't chanting the name of this god of athletes, the camera would show him sitting on the side lines. I was wanting to watch the clashing of two AFC armies, but apparently the rest of the viewers were watching to see whether Manning was happy, sad, or mad while he was standing on the side line. The loyal worshippers of Manning even got a replay of his family's reactions to a few of his touchdowns, I mean the Colts' touchdowns (excuse me). I guess Tom Brady, who actually had to use his talent and skill to be a pro, will never get the recognition he deserves because of guys like Manning who only amount to what they do because of their name and connections. I seriously wonder why Manning didn't run for president, he certainly has the credentials!

Glamour boys who disguise themselves as football players grind my gears.

Men Who Have Tribal Tattoos

It grinds my gears when I see some big chump wearing a small shirt in order to expose the tribal tattoo that goes around their bicep. I think the only people who are immature and cocky enough to do this are high school students and national athletes. Its like the male version of a henna tattoo. The female who wears a henna tattoo will usually wear clothing that is just shy of covering the area on which the tattoo lies. Likewise, the jockey highschool male who has the tribal tattoo will wear a little girlie shirt that exposes his entire bicep in order that all the people around him can see it. I wonder when I see such a person, "does this guy have a vanity table that he sits in every morning?" Upon such a thought I can merely hold in the laughter. Does the big macho man realize that his self-perceived image of manliness is actually a display of a trait found in his petite cheerleading comrades? Maybe he should quit the football team and join the ladies on the side lines.

Cans That Don't Stack

I was grocery shopping today for my dad, and while on my supermarket adventure, I was reminded that canned goods that don't stack really grind my gears.

We've all bought cans like this. Isn't it absurd? How long has processed food been stored in cans? Way before I was born, I know that. So why is it that some companies have not updated their can-making machines to round off the bottom of cans so that they will stack on each other? They are stacked in the boxes on the way to the grocery store, they are stacked on the shelves in the grocery store, and they are stacked at home in cabinets. The out-dated non-stack design of aluminum cans-of-gravity is such a worthless design, and it is illogical that manufacturers still make such abominations. I don't understand what these rebel cans have against the common consumer, but they grind my gears.

Nosey Drivers

It grinds my gears when I'm sitting at a stop light in my car and the driver next to me keeps looking over into my car. What is so interesting about me or my car's interior? I'll be sitting at a stop light talking to the passenger and a car will pull up and the very instant it stops rolling, into my car they look. I have no clue what for. They don't wave. If eye contact is made, they just look away.

Are they looking for someone they know? Do they think I'm cool? Am I so ugly that they can't stop looking at me? Have they ever seen cheap vinyl dash boards? When they are not driving, do they go into their neighbors' yards and look into their houses? Who knows? I sure don't. All I know is that it grinds my gears.