Don’t ever promote a first-time event as the first annual.  

Never. Never. Never.  

Call It a first-time-ever event. Call it an inaugural event. But you can’t call it an annual event until it has been held once. Then it becomes a second annual, third annual and so on.  

I write a weekly feature on Lipscombsports.com. It is a Q and A with former athletes. One of the questions is do you have a pet peeve? I answer “yes” to that question.  

As trivial as the first annual issue might be it is my biggest pet peeve. But wait. I have more.  

When standing in line at a checkout counter I don’t like someone who places their 50-plus items at the register when the person behind them has only one or two items. Let them move ahead of you.  

I don’t like drivers who want to make a turn or change lanes without using their turn signal. I am not clairvoyant. Tell me what your are going to do.  

Speaking of drivers, I really have an issue with those who decide not to turn on their headlights when the sun goes down or a rainstorm is limiting vision. And usually, the culprit is driving a dark-colored vehicle.  

In a family newspaper, I can’t accurately quote Joe Pesci’s character in Lethal Weapon and what he thinks about getting food at a drive thru window, but it really bothers me to get a wrong order or not to be given any condiments unless I ask.  

When you call customer service for cable TV issues, ask for your credit card balance, make an appointment with a doctor or reserve a hotel room I truly hate having to talk to a computer-generated voice that “didn’t quite get” what I was saying before begging in desperation to talk with a living, breathing person.  

Going back to vehicles I really don’t appreciate being tailgated, especially on an interstate. I used to be heavy footed in my younger days, but higher insurance premiums and age have made me respect and follow the speed limit…most of the time.  

People who decide to use two parking spots because they just can’t be bothered to park their car properly irk me.  

In theaters there should be consequences and repercussions for anyone who talks loudly to the person next to them, doesn’t follow the screen reminder “to silence your phone” or keeps their screen on bright when constantly texting or checking for information.  

People who want to be a volunteer for an organization because it looks good on their resume, but do no actual work are an irritant. Filling out forms. Any kind of forms. Especially for a doctor’s visit. Hate the process.  

I’m sure there are more, but these more than enough for me to earn my “curmudgeon” title. Glad to get this out of my system.