1) People who can't figure out that a plural word DOES NOT TAKE AN APOSTROPHE!! *pant pant pant* Dangitall folks -- and this includes the newspaper, fer cryin' out loud -- an apostrophe is possessive. Plurals, as a general thing, just require you to slap an "s" on the end of the word. Get Strunk & White, ok? All the grammar rules you ever need are right there in a slim little volume. "Billy's balls were plural, but they were still Billy's."
2) Anything that ends in "ize." "Utilize" is one of my favorites. The word is USE. A simple, three-keystroke word. USE. What's wrong with it, Admin*, do you think you look smarter to other people when you USE "utilize?"
3) "Impacted." "We will be speaking to all impacted departments." Hmm. Impacted means either stuck -- as in a wisdom tooth or really, really bad constipation -- or RAN INTO. Although in the case of our administration, "ran into" and/or "stuck" is quite often a very appropriate description of the situation at the moment.
4) Elected officials who condemn people for various and sundry sexual acts, preferences, or past indiscretions while simultaneously failing to see what is wrong with flagrantly violating the spirit and the letter of the very Constitution they are sworn to uphold, defend, and protect. (That, by the way, makes them criminals. Plain and simple. Any of us little people doing the same would have long since turned to dust in the slammer.)
5) People who are absolutely sure that their religion is the only one out of the several dozens of major belief systems in the world that is correct. And that somehow, even though it is impossible for anyone else to even begin to contemplate the mind of the "Great Spirit" (insert your own term of choice here) they, personally, speak with Him Her or It every day.
6) People who are 100% convinced that anyone who is not of the same color they are MUST be evil, illegal, stupid, or some other negative thing.
7) Americans in general (and yes, I "R" one as well). Who still seem to be unable to collectively come into the 19th century and shake that "manifest destiny" thing. Who insist that one particular form of government is the only correct one on the earth, and that everyone else is entitled to enjoy it, whether they want to or not. Who cling to the mistaken notion that this form of government is a democracy. And that we have "interests" everywhere. Get over ourselves, people.
8 ) I also will second the "rude people" irk. There are a whole lot of folks out there who seem to think theirs is the only existence that matters. I know that to some extent we're all that way -- that's why we've survived to be able to overpopulate the planet so VERY well -- but still. The very most important admonition in the Bible is to love each other and treat each other the way we'd like to be treated -- and whether one believes in the rest of that Book or not, it's great advice. There sure must be a lot of masochists out there.
9) Being too stupid to take care of my body when it didn't need pampering, so that now when I'm old enough to know better, I'm also too old to do anything about it.
10) Not having quite enough talent in any single area to be really good at it; not having enough time left to get better via practice; and not being smart enough to just let go of it and enjoy what time is left.
oh, and 11) Bonus Grump. Being a crotchedy old bitch. I hate that.
* Disclaimer: whenever I use the word Admin or Administration here, I am referring to my place of employment, not that of the folks in Washington.
"The permanent temptation of life is to confuse dreams with reality. The permanent defeat of life comes when dreams are surrendered to reality."
James A. Michener, The Drifters