May Favorites 2012

Hey, it's already the end of May? I can't even begin to explain what a busy month this has been for me. Work has been hectic, I've been trying to post more often on my blog, and I've been contributing to LA Family magazine on a weekly basis. Don't even get me started on how much time I've been spending getting all my documents ready to apply for visas for our summer vacation... and also working out to look good on that summer vacation. Enough ranting...

Even though I've been very busy, I did make some time for shopping. I'll always make time for that! Here are some of my favorite things for this month:

1. H&M dress

My lovely sister bought me this cute powder pink dress at H&M in Dubai and shipped it over to Taiwan. I love it so much, it's so girly! Unfortunately, it's a tad too big for me, so she's going to send me a smaller one. It seems that the dress is not available online anymore, but I'm sure you'll still be able to find it in stores.

2. Accessorize clutch

I'm a bag fan of Accessorize's bags and clutches. I've had my eye on this nude clutch for a while, and when I finally decided to just get it, I got a 10% discount. Yay!

3. Miu Miu pumps

I've been looking everywhere for the perfect pair of nude pumps. (The Boyfriend got dragged along to almost twenty different stores... bless his heart.) I never knew how uncomfortable platform pumps were, and could barely walk in the ones I tried on at Steve Madden and Nine West. Then, I finally found the perfect pair of nude leather pumps! And... I can actually walk in them! Bonus.

4. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

There's been a lot of hype about this product online, and it FINALLY arrived in Taiwan. The color selection here isn't that great, but I absolutely love it in the color, Berry Smoothie. I'm hoping they'll expand on the collection available in Taiwan, because I really want to try some of the other colors.

5. Revlon Top Speed nail polish

These nail polishes are way underrated. I was attracted to it, not only because it claims to dry really fast (and it does!), but because of the awesome color selection available. I've really been loving it in the color, Peachy. (Which is very similar to Essie's Peach Dacquiri, which I'm a big fan of.) I also have it in the colors Jaded and Jelly.

6. EOS Lip Balm

After taking a break from the EOS lip balms for a while, I bought the pink one, Strawberry Sorbet, this month and have been loving it!

What are your favorites for the month of May?

A girl can Dream

For this week's article in LAFamily.com, I wrote about my biggest dreams and goals after graduating from college. I've had to make some tough decisions, and take some crazy chances to reach my biggest goals, but it really was all worth it in the end.

Check out my latest article, A girl can Dream,  in the Life After College section. Please "Like" and rate the article. Don't forget to check out articles from the other columnists.

Also, I would love to hear what your biggest dreams and goals have been since college. Have you been able to reach these goals? Please leave a comment on the article.

If you'd like to share your story of what life after college has been like for you, you can contact LA Family Magazine's editor, Michael Soll (editor@lafamily.com) for the opportunity to be a guest contributor.

Top 10 Tuesday: Things you probably didn't know about me

In one of my very first blog posts, I shared ten facts about myself. Today, I will be sharing some more facts about myself, although these are definitely the lesser known ones.

10 Things you probably didn’t know about me:

1. I was in a TV commercial in Taiwan – I was approached by my friend’s talent agent and got cast as an extra in a Chimei (TV company) commercial. Even though I was only in the background, barely visible, and only for 3 seconds, I got to travel to a small island between Taiwan and China for free, got paid a lot of money, and met some really cool people.

(Catch a glimpse of me at the 0:49 mark. Don't blink, because you might miss it!)

2. I love Indian and Thai food, but I don’t like spicy food – Whenever I tell people how much I love Indian food and Thai food, they usually reply with: “Oh, you must love spicy food then.” Well, actually, I hate spicy food! I always choose non-spicy meals when ordering Indian and Thai food. 

3. I really enjoy organizing and cleaning – To most normal people, organizing and cleaning seems like a job that they wish they didn’t have to do. I, on the other hand, really really enjoy these types of activities. It makes me feel in control and calm.

4. I’m fully bilingual – In South Africa, we have 11 official languages, so most people are either bilingual or trilingual, English usually being most people’s second language. My first language is Afrikaans, and I learned English in school and by watching TV and movies. Now I’m an English teacher in Asia.

5. I’m almost totally blind in my right eye – I was born with one of my pupils not being in the centre of the iris. I can see with this eye a little, but not in detail, so I don’t “use” it. My healthy eye adapted to do the work of both eyes, which means I still have perfect vision and don't need to wear glasses. When I was 17, I had a surgery to move the pupil more to the centre of the iris, which improved my vision a little bit. But now the pupil doesn’t dilate.

6. I’m a morning person – This has been a recent discovery of mine. I always thought that I loved sleeping in and staying up late. Maybe I did.. when I was younger. Nowadays, my body is so used to getting up early (I get up at 6:15am every morning) that I wake up early over the weekends, too. I get so much done and feel like I didn’t waste away my day. I do have to take a nap in the afternoon though, otherwise I’ll pass out at 9pm on a Saturday night.

7. I have a strong dislike for Mandy Moore and Nicholas Cage – Don’t ask me why. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I just really don’t like these two actors. Mandy Moore annoys me because she always sings in her movies, and Nicholas Cage annoys me because I don’t think he opens his mouth big enough when he talks. What the hell?

8. I hate driving, but I really love being a passenger – I was 22 when I finally decided to get my driver’s license. I really don’t like driving and tried to avoid this for as long as I can. But because I like to be independent, I just had to do it. I do, however, love being a passenger, and especially going on road trips. Luckily The Boyfriend loves driving, so once again, there’s proof that we are perfect for each other.

9. I really can’t stand long nails – Not on me, or on anyone else. I think it’s disgusting what types of bacteria might be under there, and how do you get things done with those claws.

10. I love my job – When most people complain about their jobs, I just thank my lucky stars that I absolutely love mine! Yes, I also love weekends, just like the rest of society, but going to work for me is fun, and not the dreaded experience that it seems to be for most people.

What is one thing that almost no one knows about you?

GUEST BLOGGER: What's in my purse?

A while back, I posted What's in my bag? here on my blog, and more recently, What's in my shower?. The popularity of these posts didn't surprise me one little bit. I already know that my readers are nosy as hell; just like me!

For a while now, I've been thinking of featuring some guest bloggers on my site, and thought that I would stick with the "What's in my....?" theme, as everyone seems to really enjoy these types of posts. 

From now on, I'll have a guest blogger here on Pretty.Random.Things. every Saturday! I asked the hilarious Andrea to be my first guest blogger, and she decided to share with us, the many treasures in her purse. Enjoy!

Andrea

Hello all you lovely Pretty.Random.Things. readers! I’m Andrea, and I blog over at Andrea Out Loud! about random things, life, food, and even some ridiculous ways I manage to make a fool out of myself. As you can imagine, when Liesl approached me to do this post, I was more than thrilled for multiple reasons.

The “What’s in your….?” type posts are some of my favorites to read. Maybe (ok, definitely) I’m a little nosy, but I like to see what other people have in their make-up bag, in their lunchboxes, in their drawers; and, without a doubt– what’s in their purses/bags.

Now, let me preface this by saying that I am in no way a crazy bag lady – however, I always end up with the most ridiculous things in my purse. And sometimes I truly wonder how all of that stuff even fits. I use it as a transport of sorts. I throw stuff in there to bring to someone, bring home, bring to work, etc and sometimes (okay, usually) it gets buried and lost in the abyss and doesn’t see daylight again for weeks.

Oh Liesl, how I love you for giving me this reminder and opportunity that it is prime time to clean out my black holepurse… but before I do that – I’ll give you guys a looksy at what’s in there.

Let’s split it up into two categories shall we?

First – The Necessities:

"The Necessities"

• My wallet. I like to call this my big obnoxious Texas wallet. I am in no way a cowgirl, but my wonderful boyfriend got this for me as a gift (while he was traveling through Texas for work of course). And I’m not gonna lie, I love it.
• My ID. This only gets special mention because I still have my Alaska ID…even though I have now lived in North Carolina for 10 months. Whenever I give it to anyone, they look at me like I’m an alien.
• A little mirror (Victoria Secret)
• Cell phone. A must.
• Gum. Minty fresh.
• Chapstick
• Hair ties. I always have a million floating around in there…that is, until I really need one.
• Mini deodorant. I have issues.
• Tampon(s). Always prepared.
• Pen
• Keys
• Luna Bar. I always have to have a snack on hand! (It is the S’mores flavor, if you’re wondering).

Now… these are the items I like to call the “Transport Items” or basically, things that got sucked into the abyss.

"Transport Items"

Yes, don’t worry. I can explain.

• Phone charger. I have been using my phone like crazy at work lately so it always needs a midday charge. My other charger broke so I’m carting one back and forth daily.
• Lighter. This isn't a usual for me. I don’t smoke, and have no idea how it got into my purse.
• Magnet from the emergency veterinary clinic. We had to go there last weekend and I grabbed it off the counter… and in my purse it has stayed.
• A Tide laundry detergent “pod.” It came in the mail at work as a sample…. 2 weeks ago.
• Tennis ball. My dog’s tennis ball that I found outside of our apartment. I picked it up and put it in there to bring in the house….2 weeks ago.
• Pile of miscellaneous crumpled up receipts. All for small stuff like a Subway sandwich at lunch, dog food, etc. I instantly throw them in there and they stay until there are so many that I can't stand it anymore.
• Star shaped cookie cutter. I let someone borrow it for cookies last week and they so kindly returned it to me… and then it never left my purse.
• Pampered Chef recipe card. I received it at a party I attended last week. My purse was obviously the best place, ya know, for convenience and safe keeping.
• The boob. Okay, I promise I am not some kind of weird perv. This was actually something I received at a Breast Cancer Awareness Benefit I attended earlier this year (it has the associations info on the back, promise). It is one of those stress reliever hand squeezy things (“stress boob?”). I actually brought it to work to show a coworker who was putting on a similar benefit and was looking for fun ideas for freebies to give out other than the usual key chains, etc. (If you are wondering, she liked the idea and ordered some!) Unfortunately, it has been taking up space in my purse for a whopping 2 weeks now as well. Could you imagine if I accidentally whipped that out at the grocery store?

So, there you have it; everything that’s in my purse. Now, time to get rid of those crazy "transport items" and start all over… I wonder what types of things I’ll find in another two weeks! But, I’m dying to know….

What is the strangest thing in your purse/bag/backpack right now?

Dumplings or diapers?

If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that I've been contributing as a weekly columnist on LAFamily.com's "Life After College" section.

This week's article is about all the life changing decisions you have to make after graduating from college. My first big decision was whether I would stay in South Africa to be a teacher, or move to Asia to teach English. Read the article, Dumplings or diapers, and please rate, "Like" and share it!

Don't forget to check out the other "Life After College" articles, too! What has been the biggest, life changing decision you've had to make after leaving college?

If you'd like to share your story of what life after college has been like for you, you can email LAFamily.com's editor, Michael Soll (editor@lafamily.com) for the opportunity to be a guest contributor.

Top 10 Tuesday: My favorite hair products

Hair and I used to agree on everything; until I moved to Taiwan. Hair started to hang out with Humidity, and together they made a baby, whom they dearly called Frizz. To deal with this problem, I got my hair chemically straightened, on top of it being bleached (*gasp!) Needless to say, we haven't agreed on anything since.

Last year I made the conscious decision to take better care of my hair, and since then I've tried out quite a lot of products. Now that my hurr is finally under control, I would like to share with you my favorite hair products.

My Top 10 Favorite Hair Products:

1. Kérastase Bain Satin 3 Shampoo

As I researched online which shampoo would be the best for my damaged hair, the Kérastase Bain Satin 3 Shampoo kept popping up. Although Kerastase products are quite pricey, it's definitely worth it. After only a couple of weeks' use, I saw a major improvement in the state of my hair.

2. Kérastase Masquintense Conditioner

All I can say, is that the Kérastase Masquintense Conditioner is a miracle product. No conditioner I've ever tried can come close to it. I usually leave it on for 5 minutes, but if I want an extra kick I'll leave it on for 15 minutes.

3. Kérastase Oleo-Relax Serum

The Kérastase Oleo-Relax Serum is also a wonderful product. After towel-drying my hair, I'll put a small amount in the palm of my hand and work it through the ends of my hair.

4. Moroccanoil Treatment

I alternate between Kerastase Oleo-Relax Serum and this treatment from Moroccanoil. This product smells great, and a little really goes a long way. I bought this back in December, and even though I have long hair, I still haven't finished the bottle.

5. Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Repair Rescue Sealed Ends

I've really been loving this product for split ends from Schwarzkopf, which I'll apply after styling my hair. It takes only a very small amount, and only on the ends, to smooth out my hair.

6. TRESemme Heat Tamer Spray

I try not to use heat on my hair often, but when I do I always use this heat protective spray from TRESemme.

7. Garnier Fructis Style- Sleek & Shine hairspray

I hate hate hate using hair spray, but if I spend 30 minutes curling my hair, and don't want to lose the curls under less than 15 minutes, I have to use it. At the moment, I'm using this one from Garnier, which smells good and doesn't make my hair crunchy. 

8. Conair Infiniti Curling Wand

I read many rave reviews on the Conair Infiniti Curling Wand online, and had to try it for myself. It makes beautiful curls, and it's so easy to use. Definitely recommend it!

9. ghd Gold Classic Styler Straightener

If you straighten your hair often, make sure you buy a proper straightener like this one. No need to go over the same hair over and over to get it straight. With this ghd straightener, you only need to go over the hair once, which minimizes heat damage.

10. ghd Paddle Brush

A big paddle brush is a must for long hair! I love this one from ghd.

I'm always up for trying new products, so let me know what your favorites are. I've been thinking about trying Moroccanoil's Intense Hydrating Mask. Has anyone used this?

Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball 2012 in Taipei

Lady Gaga The Born This Way Ball 2012, Taipei (Taiwan)

I ain't no Little Monster, as Gaga's fans call themselves, but I sure as hell had my claws up at her concert last night here in Taipei. Taiwan was added to her world tour lineup after her quick visit to the country last year, and I just couldn't miss the opportunity to see the Lady herself in action.

Me and my fellow non-Little Monster

Tickets for last night's show sold old quickly, in spite of high ticket prices. But I managed to snag two tickets from a friend of a friend. So I got my friend, got dressed up in crazy neon orange jeans and headed off to the show, which I'll admit, I had high expectations for.

Lots and lots of people

The show was incredible and the audience was obviously gaga for Gaga! There was so much energy in the venue, as everyone was singing at the top of their lungs, waving their pink lights and dancing up a storm. I couldn't take my eyes off of her, as you can never really guess what she's going to do or wear next. 

We were obviously back in the nosebleed section

And boy, did she do and wear some crazy stuff. Multiply your wildest, craziest ideas by a hundred, and that's what she came up with. I mean, come on, this is Lady Gaga for crying out loud! The woman that once wore a dress made out of meat; the woman that once got carried into an award show in an egg.

The Meat Dress made another appearance

She definitely delivered the goods on this Born This Way tour, and exceeded all my expectations! I'll definitely recommend seeing Lady Gaga in concert if you ever happened to have the opportunity. I guarantee she'll blow your socks off!

Budget? What budget?

I'm thrilled to officially announce that I've been selected as one of the weekly columnist for the online magazine, LAFamily.com, in their "Life After College" section. Which means you can catch my latest articles on there every Tuesday (if you live in the States) and Wednesday (if you live in Taiwan).

Writing for LAFamily.com has been a wonderful new challenge for me, and I'm excited to continue my journey with them. Hopefully you'll be sharing this journey with me?

My latest article is about the thing I hate most about being an adult; keeping a budget. Grrr... hate that word! Read my article, Budget? What budget?, and feel free to leave a comment or a "Like".

Thanks for the support guys and gals, it's much appreciated!

Top 10 Tuesday: Things I miss about South Africa

Last week, I posted the Top 10 things I love about living in Taiwan. Although I have a great life here, there are some days that I don't want anything more than to be home in South Africa. Here are the top 10 things I miss about home:

1. My family

Left to right: My dad, Leon. My sister, Lynette. My mom, Suzette. My brother, Werner. Me. My brother, Morne. (2011)

Of course I miss my family more than anything else. Even though I stay in contact with them on Skype, Facebook and email, I just long to be in their presence and to give them big hugs. It's not often that my entire family are together at home in South Africa, as one of my brothers and my sister live in Dubai, U.A.E, and my oldest brother works on cruise ships around the world. When we are all in South Africa at home, it is the happiest of times.

2. My friends

Having lunch and drinks on a wine farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa. (2011)

I have wonderful friends here in Taiwan, but man, do I miss my friends back home. We all grew up together and had so many great times. I hate missing out on their birthdays and weddings, and think about them every single day.

3. My pets

Left: Jessy (17)
Right: Jenny (18)

My dogs, both very old now, still live with my parents. They are both basically totally blind and deaf, but my parents take such good care of them. I miss them so much, especially since our Skype dates have gotten fewer, because they can't see or hear me anymore.

4. The food

Droewors and biltong

Ah, the food. Braaivleis (BBQ meat), braaibroodjies (BBQ sandwiches), koeksisters, biltong (jerkey), droewors and the list goes on. I especially miss certain restaurants like Spur, Wimpy, Steers and Ocean Basket. Okay, I need to stop because I'm drooling over my keyboard...

5. Afrikaans

Even though I do have friends here in Taiwan that speak Afrikaans, I miss hearing it everywhere. I love being in South Africa and being able to speak Afrikaans to almost everyone.

6. Braai

I miss everything about braais. Having drinks around the fire, chilling out with friends, smelling like smoke, and, of course, enjoying the delicious food afterwards.

7. The weather

Arniston beach, South Africa (2011)

As summer approaches in Taiwan, I start to miss South Africa even more. I grew up with lovely summers; blue skies, fresh air and dry heat. The summers in Taiwan aren't quite that enjoyable with it's high humidity and temperatures.

8. Natural beauty & animals

Lion at Cango Wildlife Ranch, Oudtshoorn, South Africa (2010)

From all the countries I've ever been to, South Africa will always be the most beautiful  to me. Every beach is perfect, the landscapes are magnificent, and don't forget about the wild animals roaming the streets. Just kidding.

9. The people

I miss the spontaneity of South Africans; they laugh out loud, they talk out loud, and most are extremely friendly, and generally know how to have a good time.

10. Variety of cultures

South Africa is not called "The Rainbow Nation" for nothing. I miss the variety of cultures and the mix of people living together in one country.

I can't wait to visit South Africa again next year!

8000 Miles from Home

Last week, I had my first article, Small Town Girl in the Unknown World, published in LAFamily Magazine. It's been extremely exciting for me, and the support I've received from family, friends and strangers have really warmed my heart.

I'm delighted to announce that my second article was also published in the magazine yesterday. This week, I wrote about what it's been like moving 8000 miles away from my home, my family and my friends in South Africa, and starting from scratch in a foreign country.

You can read the article, 8000 Miles from Home, and don't forget to rate it, "like" it and leave a comment if you so wish.

Once again, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who has shown me nothing but love and support as I've taken on this new endeavor. It means the world to me.

Top 10 Tuesday: Things I love about living in Taiwan

When I tell people I've been living in Taiwan for four years, I'm usually greeted with strange looks and then comes the questions; Why have you been here/there so long? Don't you miss your family? How long are you planning to stay?

Personally, I love living in Taiwan. The Boyfriend and I have great jobs which we love, I have amazing friends, and generally I just really enjoy my lifestyle here. Yes, of course I miss my family back in South Africa, but it's not possible for me to live the life I want to, and which I've grown accustomed to, over there. We are truly happy here, and are not planning on leaving any time soon.

Here are the top 10 things I love about living in Taiwan:

1. Convenience

Anyone who's ever set foot in Taiwan will know what I'm talking about. You don't have to walk far before you hit a dentist's office, a doctor's office, a hairdresser or a 7/Eleven. (Which, by the way, they should have called "24/Seven", because it's open all the time!). Also, you can basically do everything at a 7/Eleven; buy food, drinks, makeup, magazines and all the other usual convenient store stuff. But you can also pay your bills, buy phone credit or Skype credit, do banking, buy concert tickets, pick up parcels and buy alcohol 24/7.

2. Public transport

Talking about convenience, in Taipei City there is no need to own a car. Buses, taxis and the MRT (Taipei's subway) can take you anywhere you need to go, and it's super affordable.

3. Respect for teachers

In most countries, my experience is that society looks down on teachers. Not in Taiwan. Here it is a respected profession and when I tell a local person I'm a teacher, they admire me like I'm a heart surgeon.

4. Safety

Not once in my four years here have I felt unsafe. (Not counting the creepster that followed me on his bike to my work one day. But I think he was just intrigued by the blonde foreinger...) Taipei City has 24/7 surveillance cameras all over the city, so I guess people are less likely to commit a crime. Also, owning a gun here is illegal, and drug smuggling is punishable by death.

5. Efficient public services

Even though I can't speak Mandarin, going to the bank, post office or the doctor is a pleasure. I've found there is always someone that's eager to help the foreigner. People know what they're doing in their jobs, and things just get done here.

6. Ease of traveling

Taiwan is a great place to travel from, especially if you want to see as much of Asia as possible. Destinations like Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Philippines and Thailand are only a hop, skip and jump from Taiwan.

7. Different cultures

The culture in Taiwan never seizes to amaze and amuse me. It's just so different from my home country, South Africa. Also, people from all over the world come to Taiwan to teach English and to study Mandarin, so throw in all those cultures as well, and it makes for a very interesting combination.

8. Low cost of living

Most teachers in Taiwan can make a decent salary. And like I said, there's no need to have a car when you're living in Taipei, which means no car payments or petrol. Also, food is relatively cheap, healthcare services are a steal and you can get a nice apartment for a good price. Which means, there's lots of money left for recreational activities.

9. Variety of things to do

There's really something for everyone here. Lots of movie theaters, shopping centers and restaurants for indoor entertainment. And then, for the outdoor enthusiasts, there are numerous options for weekend activities. Hiking in the mountains, going to the beach, visiting famous sites like Taroko Gorge, Sun Moon Lake, numerous hot springs and Kenting National Park. 

10. Free Wi-Fi

Last year the government launched a free wi-fi program in Taipei City. Which means that on many buses, at the airport, at bus stops and on some subway trains, you can go online for free. Yes, please!

As you can see, it's a pretty awesome place to live. Why wouldn't I stay?

I got published!

What an exciting week! The online magazine, LAFamily posted one of my articles today, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Right now, I'm one of a bunch of columnists that will be writing for LAFamily magazine for a few weeks, and later on the readers' favorites will get to carry on contributing to the magazine's Life After College section.

My first article is called "Small Town Girl in the Unknown World" and it's about my journey so far after graduating from university; from a normal small town girl from South Africa, to traveling the world and now calling Asia my home.

Please check it out, and click "like" if you do like it. Also, please rate the article, leave a comment or share it on Facebook or Twitter. Your support means the world to me. Just follow this link, and tell me what you think.

Top 10 Tuesday: Pet Peeves

 A while ago, I wrote about my absolute biggest pet peeve; text language. Grrr! Don't get me started again. I'm generally a very happy and positive person, but geez, there are some things that can annoy the life and soul out of me. Hence, my top 10 pet peeves:

1. Public bathrooms

Okay, so apparently when people leave their houses, they also leave good manners and their bathroom etiquette at home. Just think of most public toilets you've used; toilets don't get flushed, there's body waste all over the toilet, and the walls, the floor is like a swimming pool and there's not a dry spot on the sink or around it. Tissue paper in the bin? Nope, just throw it on the floor in the water where it can soak and stick to everyone else's shoes.

2.  Slow walkers

Maybe you don't have somewhere, anywhere(?!), to go? But others do! So get a move on. And why is it that you can just never seem to get around and pass these freakin' people?

3. Air travelers

My faith in mankind is not tested anywhere else more so than in an airport or on an airplane. Good example; The pilot, and the flight attendants, remind us five hundred and twenty times to stay seated until the plane has come to a complete stop and the seat belt sign has been switched off. The plane's wheels has barely touched the runway when the clicking sounds of seat belts being taken off fills the cabin, and Billy-Bob can't jump up fast enough to get his stuff out of the overhead compartment. "Sir! Sir!, please take your seat. The seat belt sign has not been switched off." Sigh.

4. Empty products in the refrigerator

It takes exactly the same amount of effort to throw that empty product in the trash, as it does to put it back in the refrigerator. Seriously, exactly the same.

5. Bad body odor

Really? You can't smell yourself? You don't notice people choking in your presence and staying outside a four meter radius of you? It's called deodorant, it's cheap, and you can buy it anywhere.

6. Standing at the top of the escalator

Yes, this does seem like the perfect place to hang out, type a text or eat a sandwich. But it's not. Poor little Suzy's flip-flop ends up getting stuck in the escalator because of your inability to take others into consideration.

7. Reading over my shoulder

Sorry you weren't smart enough to bring your own book or magazine. And, yes, I know what I'm doing on the computer is fascinating to you, but please, oh please, don't hang over my shoulder to read with me or to give your witty comment on my online browsing preferences.

8. Lack of common sense

You learn something in school, in college or from a book. That's great! But sometimes you also have to think for yourself. Question things, have your own opinions and don't just believe anything you see and hear.

9. The Facebook Complainer

We all have that one, or maybe more, "friends" on Facebook that you can always count on for the most dramatic and emo status updates. Yes, life is tough sometimes and you can't have a good day every day. But really, there's nothing good going on in your life? "Are you sure you want to unfollow this friend?" Double click!

10. Poor grammar

I know mine isn't always perfect, but English is my second language. You really shouldn't still be confusing "there", "their" and "they're" if you have already graduated from high school. It's really not that difficult.

What are your biggest pet peeves?