Justine Larbalestier

Comments

1. Cristina Says:

   I totally agree with you on book and movie spoils!
   Just a few days ago, my sister noticed the book I was reading and since she had already read it, she had to make a comment about it. I spent the rest of the book unnecessarily worrying about certain character dying. She evil-laughed afterwards.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 AM

2. Megan Says:

   great post!
   i really really hate when people sit around and discuss their sheer brilliance: sorry guys, you’re really NOT that good!
   arghhhhhhhhh

   June 3rd, 2009 at 1:17 AM

3. Lizabelle Says:

   The main thing that’s been driving me up the wall recently (since the Sydney Writers’ Festival has just been on) is people standing up in the Q&A and rambling on about a personal or political issue that has NOTHING TO DO WITH the event they’ve just been watching. This year my favourite was the self-proclaimed dowswer who demanded to know what was wrong with the medical profession because they wouldn’t believe her. Argh!

   That said, I’m sorry you’ve been spoiled. *has also not yet seen Star Trek*

   June 3rd, 2009 at 3:19 AM

4. Herenya Says:

   My latest annoyance is having to reference an essay using a referencing style I’m unfamiliar with. I wasn’t given adequate information about said referencing style and when I looked it up, I found myself getting conflicting information… It’s incredibly frustrating.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 5:08 AM

5. Megan Says:

   Herenya, tell me about it! I recently did an assignment on referencing itself, and there was so much conflicting information it was insane!
   I got a Credit for it, but it could of been way better.
   Good luck!

   June 3rd, 2009 at 5:31 AM

6. HypotheticalDystopia Says:

   What’s really annoying is that I got a stomach bug from prom.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 6:42 AM

7. Shveta Says:

   Hypothetical, I got one this past weekend while visiting friends, so I hear your pain! And annoyance.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 AM

8. Rachael Says:

   I also hate when people ruin the ending of movies and books. Somebody once told me straight out the ending of Half-Blood Prince before I’d read it. Afterwards they said, “Oops. I wasn’t supposed to say anything yet, was I?” But it really wasn’t an accident at all.

   I also get annoyed when people use “literally” incorectly.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 10:28 AM

9. Stephanie Says:

   Now that it’s officially flip-flop season here in New York, I’m regularly annoyed by the constant shuffling sound made by people who be bothered to pick up their feet and just slide them along the sidewalk instead. One of these days I’m going to get arrested (or punched) for screaming “For the love of God, HEEL-TOE!!” in someone’s face.

   June 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 AM

10. Harry Connolly Says:

    I heard about that explosive post, but only in the most vague terms. I wish I knew where to find a write up about it. A screencap would be even better.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 AM

11. Jude Says:

    I always want to know the entire plot of every book and movie before I see it. It’s the only way I can relax my when I’m watching a movie. I don’t *always* find out everything about a book or film beforehand, but if an author doesn’t keep my interest, I’ll read the end before I finish the entire book. I like to say that I have a low suspense threshold. I am most annoyed by “matrimony vine”, a pernicious plant which my grandfather planted on my property in the 1920s and which is gradually taking over the universe, in part because people are foolish enough to actually *plant* the thing for the possible medicinal uses of its fruit. I hate all invasive exotics, but especially this one. As a librarian, for those upset about “referencing styles”, I say, ask your librarian for help. That’s what we’re there for.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 11:36 AM

12. Jude Says:

    All right, what *really* drives me crazy is not noticing a typo in a blog comment until *after* I post it. Rats.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 AM

13. Andrew Says:

    - Whilst I find unreliable narrators in books intriguing, I find them extremely annoying in real life.

    - Twitter rumours reporting a death, where there are no reputable sources published that confirm this.

    - Going to sleep at a sensible hour, only to wake up at a ridiculous hour.

    - Reports of swine flu and anti-Indian racism in Melbourne. Sure, there are elements of truth to it, but everybody’s just getting a bit too worked up about it.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 PM

14. Nichole Says:

    -When my zipper won’t stay up and I can’t find a key ring to attach to my zipper, so it can hook onto the button above the zipper.

    -I don’t hear from someone for 6 months, but then all of a sudden they decide that they NEED to call me for advice because their current relationship is crap.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 PM

15. Aja Says:

    MY CROTCHETY PERSNICKETINESS, LET ME SHOW YOU IT.

    so I work in this city where they have paid Greeters on every street corner downtown, right. Which is fine, they’re giving people work and supporting local economy and ostensibly making people feel good by having someone say hello to them each morning, whatever.

    I, however, hate being greeted each day by someone in a chipper uniform wearing a Greeter Hat. It’s so insincere, forced, and artificial! If I wanted canned schmaltz I would go to Disney World. Or Wal-Mart. You get the idea.

    Most of the time I just grumble “Good morning” back and wander on, pulling my momentarily-diminished cynical shroud back around me, like the disgruntled corporate minion I am.

    This morning, however, I was ACCOSTED. I was walking along nose-deep in SRB’s Demon’s Lexicon which (as you all should know bc you should be reading it, too), is not a book that is easy to interrupt. So I walked obliviously by the Greeter.

    But the Greeter would not be shunted aside! She repeated herself when I did not answer! She followed me down the sidewalk! She insisted on calling out to me! Insisted on asking me how my day was!

    MY DAY WOULD BE INFINITELY BETTER IF I COULD READ MY BOOK IN PEACE, LIKE THE SOCIALLY AWKWARD WALLFLOWER I AM, WITHOUT BEING FOLLOWED DOWN THE PAVEMENT BY SOMEONE WHO GETS PAID TO SHOUT CHEERY THINGS IN MY GENERAL DIRECTION. HOW HUMILIATING FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

    the end. Thank you! i feel nicely ranted out now.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 1:01 PM

16. Iris Messenger Says:

    Intentionally vague people ._.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 4:00 PM

17. caitlin Says:

    Okay, hopefully I won’t sound too whiny — but folks I have a trigger finger my right pinky yes, the wee finger locks and causes extreme pain! Barking spiders tis annoying!

    June 3rd, 2009 at 5:00 PM

18. Georgiana Says:

    I answer a lot of email for my day job and I’m annoyed when people type their entire message into their subject line.

    If you’re going to write something that’s a couple of hundred words long please write it in the body of the email. Thank you.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 PM

19. Tim Keating Says:

    Psst: [**********] dies.

    (nb: According to Scalzi, that is not a spoiler!)

    Blog overlord says: this comment is contrary to the spirit of the post and earlier comments and is therefore Very Wrong Indeed.

    June 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 PM

20. Catherine Says:

    Feel free to rant? Okay. I shall.

    My mother wrecked my car. She borrowed it and ran over some big metal thing that was in the middle of the road and now the thingy that holds the oil is destroyed. I have no car for a week. Meanwhile, my mother happily drives around town in her own car. It is all so unfair. Although, I did get to rat her out to Daddy. I told him before she got a chance to and then he called her and made her explain. Tomorrow, I shall be showing up to work an hour early because I have to get rides from others and that is the best I could do for tomorrow. I don’t want to be at work an hour early. Being at work when you don’t have to be there is very unfun. *takes a deep breath* Okay. I think I’m done now. Have a lovely day.

    June 4th, 2009 at 12:07 AM

21. Paige Says:

    You know what I hate?
    When the inside of your nose itches like crazy but you’re in a public place so you can’t scratch it.
    I also despise when people accidentally switch from first to third person in their writing and then don’t edit it.
    Oh, and it bugs me when my cat scratches at my bedroom door at three in morning and won’t go away when I ignore him.
    Did I mention I hate that my neighbor’s dog bites me and only me?
    I’m sure I’ll think of more.

    June 4th, 2009 at 1:11 AM

22. Paige Says:

    Yup, I thought of more.
    I don’t like zippers that are really hard to zip up.
    I hate that I leant someone my favorite book and it came back with water-damaged pages.
    It’s annoying when you’re in a room with two friends and they start whispering to each other, totally leaving you out of the loop, and it’s even more annoying when two friends fight and they try and talk to each other through you instead of resolving the problem face to face.
    Oh, and I don’t like it when authors take five bajillion years to update their blogs (Justine you are a good girl who does not do this . ).

    June 4th, 2009 at 1:16 AM

23. alys Says:

    Ooh. Top of my list: those people who stand around in supermarkets and try to sell you insurance or get you to switch to a different gas provider, and so on. What are they doing there? Shopping (for food) annoys me enough as it is!

    Next on my list: People who accost you on the street with clip-boards and want you to fill out surveys.

    And last (well, there’s more but a full list would take up so much space I’ll just do my top three): bus drivers. If you don’t know why, you never take the bus…

    June 4th, 2009 at 8:23 AM

24. Chris S. Says:

    Stephanie @ #9: thank you! I thought I was the only person who wanted to do that.

    In a similar vein, I am irked by people who walk flat-footed in high heels. If you’re going to wear the damn silly things, walk properly!

    June 4th, 2009 at 11:36 AM

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