FAMILY PET PEEVES.

Daughter Beth recently wrote on Facebook that what she truly was thankful for is -  "there are only 6 days left in November for people to tell us what it is they are thankful for."

In my follow-up call to Beth for clarification she confirmed that the "thankfulness" she dislikes appeared to be that which is more maudlin than sincere.

 My read was it was  sort of a twist on "The Lady doth protest too much, methinks." (by Queen Gertrude in Hamlet.)

I think we can both agree that perhaps being thankful should exclude things like:

More Stores now being open on Black Thursday, being one of the first ten in line at CVS for a heavily discounted electronic naval cleaner or - receiving drunken Uncle Morey's hand printed note announcing his Thanksgiving Dinner regrets.

None of these "thanks" appear to be in the original Thanksgiving spirit of either Abe or FDR, regardless of their motivation.

My personal  pet-peeve at this time of the year is "The Year In Review" a subject for which the media - like the store owners and their preferred shopping days - apparently are convinced should be moved up each year.

Their columns and articles inundating us with instant replay of 2013 seem to have started on or about September 1. Next, I fear will be the "First Six Months In Review."

It's stupid. The year still has more than a month to go. Like the possiblility of my life flashing in front of my eyes as a near death experience I would really rather pass on hearing anything more about 2013, particularly if it has anything to do with Justin Bieber or Myley Cyrus.

To me, it would be like, immediately after the first 100 days of Obama's presidency, asking their readers or viewers to make judgments as to his future success.

 I suspect, at this time The Prez and First Lady Michelle were more pre-occupied with trying to locate the good silverware that mysteriously disappeared when the Bush family thoughtfully put it in storage.

I probably fear Alzheimers about as much as my peers, but does the media really believe that all of us old enough to be eligible for AARP membership have already been stricken by it.

While I'm at it, another recent "pet peeve" is the fear of the airlines dictating to us that we must now experience cellphone calls in flight.

In my case the concern is due to a term called  "pleonasm" which  I recently found by mistake while looking for something else.

It means - when applied to our current vernacular - having to listen to conversations  like: "So he said - then I said - then she said", etc. (You may substitute the word "go" for "said" should you so desire.)

A final peeve was captured in a recent cartoon also forwarded to me by Beth via Facebook.

It shows a woman - young to middle age - with a smart phone in her hand announcing "I don't mind pressing one for English. I just want to be connected to someone who actually speaks English when I do!"

OK, I'm done.