You know those things that really, really irritate you, and for very little reason usually? The sort of things that make your skin crawl, and makes you want to throw things? Well, this is ten things that probably shouldn’t make me feel like that, but do.

Wheeler Dealers

Graham watches some absolute crap on TV. He really does. Think Storage Hunters, Lizard Lick Towing, that sort of rubbish. But the one that I hate the most? The one that makes me want to lob something at the TV screen? Wheeler Dealers. I can shut off from most things on the TV. I have to – I would be driven insane by bloody Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol otherwise. But that I can’t. I can’t even be in the room. I’m sure the concept behind the program is pretty interesting (or not), but that lanky bloke, Ed, irritates the hell out of me. In fact, he probably deserves a heading all to himself in this post. His hair annoys me, his voice annoys me, and the fact he always wears long sleeved t-shirts annoys me. I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke and that my irritation is completely irrational, but yes. I don’t like the show and I don’t like him.

Formula One

Graham informed me with much glee that it is almost the time for F1 season to begin. If it wasn’t for the fact I seem to enjoy putting myself through the punishment of watching Villa lose most weekends, I would cancel sky sports just so he can’t watch it. I love most other motorsports – rally, off roading etc, but watching overpowered go karts drive round in circles 50-odd times really, really annoys me. And I am supposed to root for Louis Hamilton because he is British, when actually he seems like a bit if a tw*t.

Junk Mail

I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone in this one. Nothing infuriates me more than finding leaflets to various pizza parlours and fried chicken shops shoved through my letterbox. Not only does the noise of them being put through disturb us, but it is such a huge waste of paper, and in a time when we should all be considered the environment a little bit more, I think it should be banned. We put a sign up in the window asking for no junk mail (and no cold callers, charity, religious groups etc) and although I think it made a small difference, many still stick it through. If I get to the door in time, I make them walk back and collect it!

Tights

I am much, much more comfortable in skirts and dresses than I am in jeans or trousers. The problem is tights. I used to end up laddering them all the time, and although I don’t have that problem much these days, I can’t seem to find a pair that doesn’t roll down or wrinkle down. Being tall doesn’t help, but even the ones that are for long legs do it. I’ve tried wearing pants over the top of them (that looked great. Not), I’ve tried wearing two pairs together. Whatever I do, I seem to be completely hoiking them up, and usually flashing my pants to everyone. I usually avoid wearing them now and stick to leggings instead.

Being asked to work for free

Yep. I’m sure most bloggers can identify with me on that one. Opening an email thinking it’s going to be for a fantastic opportunity, only to find out that all they can offer you in ‘payment’ is exposure. And usually, when they offer that, they have about 15 Twitter followers. Mind you, that’s better than one I had today, which included an infographic I could share with my readers if I wanted…as long as I gave them a backlink and credit. *Bangs head on non-existent desk’.

Congratulations (but not) emails

I enter quite a lot of competitions in my free time (whatever that is!!), and so have to give out my email address a lot. I do have a separate account for comping, but one of the most heart – stopping moments is when you get an email from a company that you’ve entered a competition with. It’s usually hyped up with a congratulations subject heading, so you click on it, thinking you’ve won that 50″ TV that sings and dances and does the washing up. But no, it’s a ‘sorry you haven’t won, but congratulations, we are sending you a 10% off voucher when you spend £500000000 or more with us and share with all your friends.

Multi – Level Marketing

You know – the ItWorks wraps, Younique, Juice Plus, Forever Living and all of that stuff. I cannot stand it. I do like one or two of the Forever products and I have a friend that sells them, and she is not at all spammy, but unfortunately, most MLM sellers seem to act like they’ve joined a cult. No, I don’t want eyelashes that look like spider legs thankyou very much. I quite like my more natural looking ones. Nor do I want a tablet that has 490 servings of fruit and veg, and can help me lose 14 stone in two weeks by drinking chemicals shakes. And no, I DEFINITELY do not want to start selling them.

Artex

Whoever thought that coating on plaster ten inches thick and swirling it around to create patterns on a living room and ceiling is an absolute knob (looks at decorator of our old house). Thankfully, we weren’t there long enough to have to paint it, because if we were, it would take about 80 tins of paint to cover it. It’s ridiculously thick, and more importantly, ugly as hell.

Hair bobbles and hair grips

I buy them. I lose them. I buy some more. I lose them. Basically, whenever I need a hair bobble or a grip,  I can never find one. And then when I do that stupid thing that I do every two years or so and have it all cut off, I find them all. It’s like they then decide to multiply. And don’t get me started on the problems with thick hair – the band is too small to go around your hair twice, but too loose if it goes round once.

Salespeople and Chuggers in shopping centres

Whenever I go shopping I have to dodge several of them. I try my hardest to walk past without making eye contact, but they usually still leap out at me. They include: a tuition service (I tell them am a teacher), a cat rescue centre (I tell them I hate cats), AA or RAC (I tell them I don’t drive), Virgin (I tell them I’m with Sky), Sky (I tell them I’m with Virgin), a photography company (I tell them I’m a photographer), various skin care brands (I tell them I’m allergic to whatever they’re peddling), and a conservatory fitter (I tell them I live in a 5th floor flat). I know they are just doing their job, but when you’re trying to get back to the car before the frozen shopping defrosts or are dragging a screaming toddler, listening to their crappy sales pitch is the last thing I want to do!

What things irritate you the most?