2A- Bug List

The following is a list of my personal bugs and why they exist, I hope you enjoy and can relate to some of them.

1) Within two weeks after my dog gets groomed, she develops thick matts/knots in her fur that are almost impossible to get out, causing me to have to shave her consistently.

• Why: The matts develop because the hair begins to dread and coil around the other hair. I believe in my dog's case, it is because she is very fluffy and swims almost every day. The groomers (and myself) are unable to get the matts out because it takes much time and it can potentially hurt the dog to tug hard on her fur.

2) Since the pandemic, the line at the Trader Joe's off Archer has been very long, causing me to go to other grocery stores instead (Publix, Walmart, etc).

• Why: Due to the county/state restriction on capacity and social distancing recommendations, Trader Joe's limits the amount of people who can enter the store at a given time. The allotted capacity causes the lines outside, while Trader Joe's popularity and low prices draws many to prefer Trader Joe's over other grocers.

3) After my dog gets a drink of water, her beard is super wet/drippy, getting water all over my floors.

• Why: I have a labradoodle, a breed known for having long hair and beards. Once her beard gets to a certain length, it is impossible to not get it soaking wet when the dog drinks water, causing a lot of dripping on the floor every time she drinks. 

4) When I am driving as the sun is beginning to go down, often times the sun lands right in my eyes and misses my car's sun visor by just a little bit.

• Why: This is because, more often than you would expect, the sun is in the point of the sky right where the visor does not cover. This problem could be solved if the visor was designed a tad bit longer/bigger. 

5) At least twice a month, I lock my only car key inside my car, causing me to have to call AAA often.

• Why: This problem exists for a few reasons, the first being that I often am just moving too fast and forget where I put my keys and my car locks with them inside. Also, I bought a used car, so the dealership is not required to supply a spare key (I only have one key). 

6) When I drive in the mornings, I get annoyed that coffee mugs do not fit in my car cup holder properly.

• Why: Though I am not positive why the manufactures of my '07 Honda CRV did not make the cup holders big enough for a standard coffee mug, it could be because there is a safety concern with hot liquid without a lid in a vehicle. For example, if you have to slam on your breaks for whatever reason, the coffee could spill in your lap or interior and the manufactures could have potential backlash.

7) Fruit flies infesting my kitchen during the summer months, even though I keep a very clean kitchen.

• Why: Living in Florida, it is almost impossible to avoid house flies. Fruit flies thrive in warm and humid climate, which is why when the summer comes, we notice more fruit flies. The wet and warm climate in FL also provides perfect breeding conditions for the flies. 

8) When I use my keyboard and get grease on the keys.

• Why: Honestly, this is probably because I am a snacker and should wash my hands every time I use my computer. Also, my computer has no covering on the keyboard, which is why I notice the grease easier. 

9) How expensive healthy/trendy food options are at the grocery store. (Ex- overpaying for vegetarian options/substitutes; overpaying for organics)

• Why: The price difference between organic and non-organic meats and produce is due to the extra care farmers take while producing organic foods. Organic foods means no pesticides (produce) or antibiotics/hormones (meat) were used in the production.

10) While living alone during quarantine, it has been especially difficult to cook for one person/properly portion out meals (roommates are gone).

• Why: I am used to sharing food/ cooking for three people (my two roommates and myself). Since COVID-19, my roommates have moved back home, while I continue to stay in Gainesville, meaning I have much more food leftover when I cook. I have noticed it is hard to use up a lot of the fresh food I buy before it goes bad.

11) The dance of, "you go first," when you arrive at a stop sign at the same time as someone else.

• Why: I believe this happens because initially, people are trying to be polite and let the other person go first. When both people are trying to decide who goes first, the kindness can quickly turn to anger.

12) When I ride my scooter, I often do not pick up the sensor at red lights, causing me to either wait for a car to arrive behind me or go a different way (make a U-turn).

• Why: This happens because my body weight and scooter are not heavy enough to trigger the sensors in the ground that are connected to the traffic lights. 

13) My least favorite activity to do is get my oil changed in my car, I always end up putting it off until my car absolutely needs it.

• Why: This bug exists because every few thousand miles or so, you need to replace your car's oil. Also, it bothers me because I often feel pressured to buy more add-ons for my car (ex- new wiper blades).

14) It really bothers me how expensive women's haircuts are compared to men's. For example, last time I got it cut, I payed over $70, just for a basic cut.

• Why: This is a problem because women obviously have more hair than men, which means it takes more care and time to properly treat. 

15) My phone battery dies twice as fast as it used to. More specifically, my battery dies on average twice a day.

• Why: This is because my phone is older (from summer of 2017), and the battery is more worn out.

16) When the Brita water filter is left empty from the last person who used it.

• Why: In a perfect world, the person to use the last of the water in the Brita would refill it, for the next person to use. Unfortunately, this world is not perfect so this often times does not happen, most likely because the last to use the water was in a hurry, or just had other things going on. This typically leaves me to be the one to refill it constantly.

17) On road trips, it is very difficult to drive and eat fast food, causing me to spill majority of the food either in my lap or in my car. Specifically, this becomes difficult when there is some sort of sauce involved (ex: dipping Chick Fil A nuggets in sauce while driving). Last road trip, I spilled my entire sub all over my lap.

• Why: Being able to eat and drive is difficult because while driving, your hands and mind are so focused on the safety of others and driving smart. Typically, at least one hand is in use at all times and the car is moving, causing the food to shift.

18) It bothers me how in the summer, the weather is so nice in the evening, but the bugs are so terrible. The constant bug bites make it hard to enjoy your back yard during the summer nights. 

• Why: This happens because the weather is ideal for bugs to live and thrive. The combination of humidity and warmth allow bugs to thrive. 

19) When finishing a candle, there is always a little bit of wax at the bottom of the jar that remains after the wick runs out. 

• Why: Specifically, I hate being wasteful, which is why this bug bothers me. I am assuming the which needs some sort of base to stand upon, which is why there is always leftover wax.

20) When trying to light a candle that has been used a couple of times, I either burn myself trying to light the wick or I am unable to reach it because my hand will not fit in the candle.

• Why: The reasoning for this bug is that as you use the candle, the wax gets lower and lower, making it more and more difficult to light each time.

Reflection:

It was more difficult than I initially thought to come up with a list of my 20 personal bugs. Last week is when I began this assignment, starting with about three bugs. Once I noticed how difficult this task actually was, I took a break and decided to go about my week as normal. Throughout the week I would jot down a note in my phone whenever I would think of a bug to add to this list. I found this to be the most genuine and productive way to compile my list of bugs. I thought it was interesting how difficult it is to come up with a list of bugs on the spot, but if you are aware of them throughout the week, there are so many different peeves. Also, my list has several bugs that focus on being in the car or my dog, this is because those two topics are constant in my life; I work with my dog daily and use my car almost every day. this assignment was a great way to get the creative juices flowing and see what personal problems I have.