The things that bother me have evolved in time. Today I find it harder to sit at cafes with the constant blaring of pop, rock or a combination of the two. My ability to tolerate the sounds and smells of public places have probably dwindled over the years but then again I can pride myself with the fact that I don’t need to spend as much time and money at places where noise is generated. Taking the metro in recent years has built up my resistance against the insults I witness there. Not having to drive as much as I did abroad has spared me possible road rage I might have incurred.

I think that I am able to deal comfortably well with the intrusion of cell phones on public transport although I am not a lover of wanting to know someone else’s business. I wouldn’t stand for cell phones in movie places or during a lesson, it just interferes with the enjoyment of a film or breaks a period of concentration and it shows whether a student really cares about what he is doing or not. So I may be labeled as old school for that but I’ll go along with the criticism. If the person needs to receive a call, he can step outside.

I used to wonder about noisemakers and peace disturbers, thinking why on earth would they want to show one type of behaviour when they would be communicating something totally different. After years I just decided to put a closure on the irritant and avoid them altogether or make their presence feel equally unwelcome.

I manage to still tolerate the ones that push in line especially at the supermarkets. Just by sizing them up and down, if they are down and out, why bother getting irritated. Clearly their state of mind is not into knowing about the person who they have buried behind them; it goes without saying that they are thinking about survival. They may also be convincing actors generating the pity necessary for them to collect tax-free handouts day after day.

I can say that the filthy metro stops took a bit getting used to. The rolling bottles still play on the nerves though as do the ice-cram spills that you have to avoid especially when fresh. Need I say why? There used to be a day when bottles and paper accumulation were inexistent but then again the numbers of passengers have increased and so has their diversity and ways of expressing themselves. In one case I witnessed one trying to play a power game with a friend on how he can leave his litter and think that one-upmanship is behind some of the littering.

Common courtesies are still important but perhaps less since I have become more direct over time and suspect that the desire to be as courteous has probably been affected. That though means that I have become more discerning on who to be courteous with and let arrogant, insistent and invasive types know where they stand. All this is backed up experience in the classroom/job being able to discern who is receptive, positive and communicative from who is hypercritical and just taking up space.