A Whiny Weekend…
W H I N Y W E E K E N D
I only have a few things to moan and groan about this week — nothing too major.
The Circular Booth
I went out to a popular restaurant this evening for dinner with a friend. It was incredibly busy and we had to wait about 40 minutes to get seated. Finally they called our name and brought us to a booth. I usually prefer a booth over a table, they just seem more cozy and intimate, but not this booth, it was circular. “Awkward, Party of two — Awkward, party of two…”
Call me strange but, I need to either sit across from somebody or at a right angle to have a proper conversation. (I think the laws of Feng Shui are on my side.) Neither of these is an option with the dreaded round booth. We both scooted into the middle but then we were sitting side by side. I don’t even like side by side with my husband. The bottom line is there’s no way for 2 people to sit comfortably and converse in the round/circular booth. And might I add, even if you had a family of 6, who wants to be stuck in the middle and have to crawl out and over people? Not me. I strongly suggest that all restaurants abolish the round booth for the above stated reasons.
* Luckily, I didn’t let this fiasco prevent me from getting a nice piece of Carrot Cake.
Hanging Back and Line Confusion
As you can see, this line is starting to get ‘Loosey Goosey’ and I think we can see who the trouble makers are. 
This is genius! I’m pretty sure the person in front of you won’t mind wearing this through the duration of the line. Perfect for those long lines at Disney!!!
When you’re in line at the walk up ATM, or at a bank teller, it’s common courtesy to stand back a little so that you’re not in someone’s business. I totally get that. But all other lines, in my estimation, should be kept neat and tidy. I get annoyed when I pull up to an intersection only to find that the car ahead of me is hanging back by more than a car length. What’s that all about? I’m not saying you have to be right on top of the car in front of you but leaving all that space seems discourteous to the cars behind you. All those wasted yards add up. That kind of Laissez faire attitude can make the rest of us late for something important. For all other lines; movies, deli counter, concerts, etc. the practice of hanging back creates confusion. I don’t really want to tap you on the shoulder and ask, “Pardon me, are you in line?” And I certainly don’t want people cutting into the dead space in between. (…and believe me, they will.)
So, I’d like to end my complaint by saying, if you’re one of these casual, willy nilly, unaware sort of people, pay attention and get in line! You’re triggering my OCD!!
” Don’t Go Changin’ “
This is more than a Billy Joel lyric, it’s a firm request. Why do businesses/companies and restaurants feel the need to remove popular items or policies and replace or change them? How many times have you returned to a restaurant to order your favorite dish only to be told that they no longer serve it? What about the Volkswagen Beetle? I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love the original design but apparently the people at Volkswagen would rather busy themselves creating new inferior versions. Thank heaven Oreos have stayed true. It’s fine if you want to add on to a product line, but don’t tamper with or remove the beloved original.
For those of you who are annoyed by unnecessary change, there’s always the Vermont Store Catalog. Here are just a few of the tried and true items they still offer:
Ugh, I am completely with you on round booths. Who invented these things? I think the only place they are mildly appropriate is in a show arena in Vegas. Even when they’re full of people, they are so obnoxious to get out of.
I’m glad you agree. I left dinner last night with a neck ache from sitting at an awkward angle. Yeah, maybe Vegas, they seem like they’re from a by-gone era.
I find that a bottle of nice Malbec helps me fine tune my whining.
Hahaha! Is that a recommendation?
Yep, it truly changes you from whiny to winey
Ha! As long as it doesn’t change me to wino : /
Hi,
I agree with you about the round booths, too awkward for the people that are stuck in the middle, not much personal space either.
I could only laugh at the “hook table” I had visions of hooking this onto my husbands shoulders while standing in line somewhere, and then not even being able to reach it. 😆
haha! It’s so ridiculous but I secretly want to test one out! haha! I’m guessing your husband is quite tall, then? That only makes it funnier!
Oh yes, I’m 5’2′ and Hubby is 6’2′. 🙂
Mags, you’re a petite little thing! I’m in a family of Amazons. My daughter, Lily, is 6′, my son is 6’8″ my husband is 6’2″ and I’m the shorty at 5’11” !!!!!
Yeah, round booths are crap. They are one of those things that looks nice to an architect as he sits there drawing it on his gay sheet of paper.
haha! So true! They’re completely impractical.
I must agree. I hate the round booth.
Tim
That seems to be the consensus. Glad you agree.
Thanks for dropping by! The door is always open. : )
I hate when people change things. If they invent something, it should be around forever. Good or bad. The shoulder hook table is amazing! SO genius! Lol about the circular booth. So awkies. Did you go to cheesecake factory?
No, Claim Jumper. Total awks. I literally had a neck ache from contorting my body for conversation. The shoulder hook thing is perf for Dis! haha!
My big problem with standing in line (and this actually happened to me AGAIN today) is when you are waiting patiently line and are obviously in said queue, then someone bypasses you and anyone else who happens to be standing in line and goes straight for the front. I always want to say something to those people but end up standing there in silent fury instead! Nice post 🙂
– Karen
haha! It’s so frustrating. I’m glad I’m not the only one patrolling the queue. I guess I’m getting older so I don’t hold back any more! I’ll just say, “Excuse me, there’s a line here.” I try to be nice about it, if possible, then the others will glance over at me and wink or give me the all-knowing look. Nobody likes a cutter. : )
I wish I could open my mouth. My sister’s like that. She doesn’t mind letting people know exactly what she thinks of them (sometimes can be quite cringeworthy haha) 😉
And you’re welcome, looking forward to more posts 🙂
Oh, BTW, got to your blog through Michael Cargill. Thought you might like to know 🙂
– Karen
I’m sure I’ve had my cringey moments. Haha!
Good ol’ Michael!
By the way, thanks for the nice compliment! I look forward to your comments.
Let’s play devil’s advocate for one minute. A booth is much more comfortable than a chair at a restaurant. That said, with my long legs, I am not a fan-of-the-booth. Always on the edge when I am sitting on the plane, in a restaurant and even on the couch in a living room. I’m just a living-on-the-edge kind of gal. An uncontrolled crowd doesn’t necessarily trigger one’s OCD it triggers the thought that one is NEVER going to get the job done, that one is going to be in the line FOREVER. Rest assured, you are in good company with your whining.
Yay! Marya is back! So true about being tall. I even sleep on the edge. Just a little sliver. I don’t like a messy line. I don’t like feeling that those in front of me are going to screw it up somehow. I’m so glad I have you to validate my whining! I missed you!
Zoiks – glad you only had a few things!
Quite the rant. I wonder if you go out of your way to find things to be annoyed about for our entertainment?
If so keep at it! these are great!
Hopefully you noticed that I squeezed whiny Wednesday into a whiny weekend post! Clever, right?
I am willfully disregarding calendar perversions these days. Thre are just too many of them.
Sigh.
Haha! They’re not so major but I feel much better after I rant. Maybe I’ll bring awareness to these issues. Let’s face it, Gaupo, if I ran the world it would be a better place. (I know, I’m so humble.)
Oy Vey…I detest those booths. and my legs (even when wearing pants) always stick to the seat…but on the brightside, I still eat Chicklets gum 🙂
Those round booths are especially bad. I hate those vinyl seats that make you stick! Ha! I love chicklets but I haven’t seen the fruit flavored ones in a long time? What’s up with that?
I firmly believe change is of Satan…lol.
Be encouraged!
Haha! I totally agree.
Glad you dropped by!
I would buy a Beetle if it was old style. The new ones look like a cross between Smart Cars and a ladybug. The circular booths are dangerous! I had to slide into one a few weeks ago and my skirt almost made its way up to my bra. Scary!
haha! Seems like everyone hates those booths as much as I do. I didn’t even consider the wardrobe dangers involved with the sliding motion!
Yeah, I wish they would bring back the original, long lasting, Beetle, not the new pretend version.
Circular booths don’t bother me that much. I feel weird enough having people watch me eat. But in a two-some I can see how that might be weird. Lines I totally get. I’m always waiting in line. I think that should happen when we die. We get in a really long line and how we behave in that line determines where we go for eternity. People who misbehave in lines are probably the same ones who misbehave behind the wheel of a car. I also agree on change completely. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! That’s one cliche everybody knows. Oreos haven’t changed, they’ve made new ones. Why can’t other companies do that? Add new options, not change the original.
Just don’t do a two-some in the circular booth. It’s majorly uncomfortable.
There better not be lines in heaven! Don’t even say it.
Changing things that everyone loves for something “new” is about as stupid as it gets.
*making like a little Noddy man at all the points in your Griping Weekend post of A Gripping Life!*
You know, I don’t even think the streamlining of the new VWs is as good as the Beetle had!
Hello! I enjoyed the post about your grand daughter so much. She seems very capable and confident. Good for her!
Yes, the VW is just okay but it’s not nearly as good as the original.
Oh I love whiny weekend. It seem like the weekend is always a rich source of little annoyances like round booths and people cutting in line. There are two Ross stores in our area. One has an official cordoned off line. The other one doesn’t have a sign or cords or anything but they expect customers to know that they are supposed to stand in line as if there were cords — like at the other store. It’s so weird! I always feel sorry for people who don’t realize there’s a long line hidden by the dresses so they waltz up to the front and are always extremely embarrassed when they realize what they’ve done. I might get a tray and turn it around an wear it myself. I could take my Ipad and do some blogging. Great Post!
I’ve made the mistake of not noticing a line before and IT IS embarrassing. Everyone thinks you’re trying to pull a fast one! A disorganized line can really cause my anxiety disorder to flare up! haha!
I never considered the tray in front! haha! I think you’re on to something. What a great way to get your blogging in! Lol!
I don’t mind the circular booth as long as there are only two of us, then, we sit on the edges and shove shopping, etc, in the middle, and let the bags struggle to make conversation.
I saw a split window VW yesterday and thought of this post–the driver had to have come with the car, as he looked as if he’d been in that seat since the car came off the line, and, the car was in that old VW blue. His tags were (state) GH-1. So, no changing there!!
I like the over the shoulder thing–Bud would have to be the carrier for me, and, somehow, I don’t see that happening! (We aren’t Disney people. I know, I know. Feel free to boo)
You would have minded this circular booth because there would have been a chasm the size of the Grand Canyon between you. It was king size.
The old VWs are so cute. I also like the old Jeeps with the wood paneling, too. What can I say, I’m an old school kind of girl.
Finding the over the shoulder thing was a coup — something to laugh at, really. I like the idea of wearing it in front, ya know, for drinks and what not…haha!
I like to wait until my girlfriend or brother are sat down at a table when we go out to eat… then sit next to them. It’s just awkward, so awkward that I love it. It’s awkward to talk to each other and everyone else in the resturant will wonder what the hell we are doing 😀
HaHa! Yes, “Awkward” is right. I’m sure people are entertained by you where ever you go, Mr. Pete Howorth. If I saw you do that, I’d laugh.
Going out to eat is supposed to be fun, not an exercise in how to be physically uncomfortable. (Unless, apparently, someone is out with you.) ha!
Lol. I agree completely. I’m very aware of how people are seated in groups – certain confuragions promote better conversations – so the round booth has to go!!! I love the people user tray — right down my alley!!!!
I know you understand the importance of communication, comfort and group dynamics. Yes, the round booth is very awkward especially for 2 or 3 people.
The tray just cracked me up. I wouldn’t put it past certain people to try it. Lol!