Jasmine: Let’s Talk About Sweet Spots & Pet Peeves

If you guys watch The Spot on EbonyLife TV, then you know that the show inspired today’s post. Shout out to Zainab, Lamide and Ebuka. Today, I decided to share with you a couple of my sweet spots and pet peeves.

For those, who may not know, a pet peeve may be defined as:
• a particular and often continual annoyance; personal bugbear. (huh? next!)
• something that annoys or bothers a person very much
• something that drives you crazy.( I like this one)

The last two definitions will suit the purpose of this article perfectly.

In contrast, a sweet spot can be described as something you like, love, a favourite thing, something that warms you up on the inside or according to Lamide, something that makes your heart smile. Ah!!! I’m smiling already.

SWEET SPOTS
• Babies: I mean, who doesn’t love babies, especially those chubby ones with lots of hair who will just hold onto your finger and not let go, while chuckling happily without a single care in the world. I even catch myself smiling back at a random picture/poster of a laughing child.

• Family – I think family is everything and I particularly love it when the entire clan gathers, usually at Christmas/New year and you get to catch up with cousins you haven’t seen all year long. Also, food is usually in abundance and gist and wine.

• The theme song of Hart of Dixie – Honestly, every time I hear it, I can’t help smiling. By the way, if you like light-hearted, goofy comedy with good country music to boot, you’ll love this series.

• A heavy downpour – Make that a thunder storm. The heavy rains, dark clouds, lots of wind and it’s so cold, you have to dig out your sweater. I love nothing more than lying in bed at those times, warm and snug underneath my duvet with a good book or a movie.

• Blue bunny ice cream – I am trying to eat clean and healthy now so I only treat myself to this once in a while. Maybe, chocolate cake too seeing that I have a sweet tooth and anything that seduces it is a sweet spot.

• The underdog winning- Yes!!!I am always such a sucker for the underdog.

PET PEEVES
• Chewing gum noisily- Raise that a thousand notches if the offender is a guy. Why would a guy feel the need to snap gum?

• Nigerians do this a lot- A group of people are having a discussion when some members of the group decide to carry on in a language not understood by all present. We particularly like to do this in our native language and I  think this is the height of rude behaviour because it leaves the other party feeling unwelcome and deliberately excluded. The rules of proper etiquette demand that even if you were already discussing before a ‘non – kparakpor’ speaking member joined, in order to not be considered rude or just plain crass, switch to the common language which in this environment would be English. You can always carry on with your conversation some other time or ask to be excused.

• Dirty bathrooms – especially in public places.

• Nails on a black board or any similar screeching sound. That sound tortures my soul.

• Gisting with someone who is distracted for whatever reason. This is super annoying because you’ll end up having to repeat yourself every two sentences. I would usually just be like, you know what, let’s forget it. Let’s just sit and hold hands and hum, or just stare out the window or something…hehe.

• Stupid questions, silly questions – This one, even the Bible doesn’t like. In the book of Proverbs, it says to give a foolish answer to a foolish question. Case in point:
You’re at the cafeteria and a colleague walks in, says hi and then proceeds to ask ‘you’re having lunch’? Mind you, he isn’t blind and as such can clearly see your plate of jollof rice. Suggested Response: No, I’m just counting the grains of rice on my plate. Then proceed to take a heaped spoon and shove it in your mouth, while keeping your unwavering gaze on said offender.

• Show offs: May I just summarise this by reminding us of the idiom that says, ‘empty vessels make the loudest noise’. Modesty is a much more flattering look on anyone.

While writing this, I found that my sweet spots came to me a lot more easily than the pet peeves. Maybe that’s because I’m more of a sweetheart than a sour puss. *smiling sweetly and twirling my skirt*.

I’d love to hear yours, please share in the comments section.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime