Why, oh why?

RANT #1:

I hate unnecessary small talk.

And in this country; people love unnecessary small talk.

The spiel never changes; it's always "Hi, how are you?". And I have replied a million times the same unenthusiastic "Fine" or "I'm doing good."

Even with Clients who obviously hates you; they still find the time and the effort to engage in awkward pleasantries.

This conversation actually happened:

Emirati Woman Client; Bigshit in Business Excellence: Hi, Franzine, how are you?

Me (knowing she's pissed): Good. And you?

Client: Fine. (then proceeded with the next line without skipping a beat) Listen, your Field Manager is here and they missed an interview with one of our Investors. How can this happen? I specifically told you that the Investor would be here at 8am; blah blah blah... (by this time, I am imagining lunch and thinking happy thoughts).

Me: They had another interview in another building; and this Investor decided to be interviewed today without confirming with us ahead.... (explaining away; with fake apologetic voice)...

And the conversation went on for at least another 20 minutes.

Can you see why I hate small talk? I would've appreciated it more if she just went on with her ranting straight away and not have initiated awkward small talk. I mean, why bother if you were to lambast my work anyway?

 RANT #2:

I don't understand why people press the Down button when they really want to go up using the elevator; or in this country, called a lift. It has happened countless times before; I see people impatiently pounding on the Down button. I thought they parked in the parking lot in the basement. To my surpise, they got in the lift with me. True enough, the lift went down and the same person who pressed the Down button got really mad that it went down when he meant to go up to the 3rd floor. How stupid is that?

Do they expect the lift will be faster if they press the Down button? My Indian officemate said that in India and Pakistan, there are signs near the lifts "Press Up to go Up; and Press Down to go Down". Apparently, some people press the Down button because the lift is somewhere up there and they're beckoning it to come down.  Silly.

Pasensya na. Sometimes, small things like these piss me off. =p