You know what really grinds my gears?

80-year old drivers who go 15 in a 35. the millions of voters who "aren't racist" but voted for Obama because he'd be the first black president. giggling teenage girls who aspire to be beautiful instead of smart. corduroy. mothers who take their babies to walmart tired and let them scream all through the store. the inability for northerners to say "hello" on the street. soggy bread. hour-long telephone conversations. silent telephone conversations. drunken driving. people who try to weasel their way out of retribution. holy wars. apple pie. rape. basketball. the fact that my dog eats its own vomit. hollywood. the entire state of california. the word 'receive'. movie theater prices. pot holes. smog. chicken parmesan.

I once saw this show where the lead character had to go to anger management counseling. In her meeting they passed around a little red ball and had to tell it what made them angry. Most responses were simple: traffic, loud music, my boyfriend's ignorance... but when the ball got to the lead character, she said, "you know what makes me angry? Child abuse, hunger, hatred, racism, a lack of morality, a mother who is too poor to keep her children warm at night, THAT is what makes me angry." Then she stuck the little red ball in her coat pocket and left.