As it turns out, a lot of the notes that ya’ll liked best were more “aggressive” than “passive-aggressive.” (So, suck it haterz — the people have spoken!)
Which note would you choose as the most epic of 2010? Which notes should have been on the list, but aren’t? Cast your votes in the comments!
Mom’s passive-aggressive wedding gift
Live and not-so-active roommate culture
Dear pregnant lady: Have you tried Weight Watchers?
A not-so-subtle clue that your coworker isn’t interested in small talk.
Snowstorm street-parking etiquette
What’s harder than changing the toilet paper roll?
And a few Dishonorable Mentions:
- Elevator Nose Grease
- The saddest zoo in the world
- Strange black lady with a knife
- The Impatient Pirate of Cornelia Street
- My terrible, horrible, no good, very bad parents
- In case you were wondering why we’re closed
- Don’t die; it’s expensive
- Those heirloom tomatoes had sentimental value!
related: The funniest notes of 2009
89 responses so far ↓
#1
El Jefe
The Fortune 500 lemonade stand is by far the best.
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:23 am rating: 90
#2
lagne
I want have guy bad park on my privates! No ticket! You ok? Vote me for dealer son plate, ok!
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:28 am rating: 90
#3
Ashley
“Also, I will Shoot you” is the most epic.
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:30 am rating: 90
#4
Kim
“also, I will shoot you in the fucking face.” Pure win!
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:39 am rating: 90
#5
Karen
While several make me laugh, the card to the bride has to be the most passive-aggressive of all. WIN!
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:41 am rating: 90
#6
Guy
“Mom’s Passive-Aggressive Wedding Gift” gets my vote, and I have actually bought someone scales for a wedding present (it was on their registry).
Setting them up with “You’re beautiful now” and then drop-kicking them by making the gift all about the money, the wedding all about their present, and the “love” contingent upon her maintaining her weight … “Mommie Dearest” for sure.
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:52 am rating: 90
#7
Pam
Have to go with the scales/wedding present! Poor daughter…
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:10 am rating: 90
#8
WMDKitty
The scales as a wedding present wins it for me.
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:23 am rating: 90
#9
Who? Me?
Team PA Wedding Gift, all the way!
Communication happens in relationships, and perhaps the most sensitive relationship we’ll ever have is the first one we ever have: the one with our parents. When parents use PA techniques to manipulate those who innocently trust them and look up to them – such actions are simply beyond the pale. And how tragic to be spawned from those who are not even aware of the wounds they inflict with such “just trying to be helpful” actions and messages.
To offer such an intimate gift simply in order to protect the ROI of the parents’ own financial investment is insensitive, thoughtless, crass, heartless, and cruel. I have no doubt the parents are narcissists who are blissfully ignorant of what this note conveys to any reader beyond themselves.
Re Bad Park You: I’ve spent time supporting those who don’t speak English so well. I’ve helped them “shoot their troubles” even when they were “excited by my sexy voice”. Bad Park You is amusing because of the poor ESL, especially the groaningly poor choice of “My Privates”. But much of the passive-aggressiveness stems completely accidentally from the limited abilities of the author. Take the phrase “Bad Park You”, which is rather hysterically funny; would “You are a Bad Parker” (which is what he would have written if he’d only known how to more properly say what he was trying to say) have the same impact? I don’t think so.
Furthermore, “Bad Park You” is written anonymously over anger at a rather trivial traffic matter. Somebody is parking on his lawn or something? “Mom’s Passive-Aggressive Wedding Gift” is written by parents over a subject that intimately touches that child’s own soul. There simply is no comparison.
Let’s do this together for Katie. Let’s give her the belated wedding present she truly deserves!
P.S. Bet you’d never guess that I ever suffered from enmeshment issues, eh?
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:50 am rating: 90
#10
Really?
How did the “nose grease” note not make it onto this list?!
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:54 am rating: 90
#11
matt
bad park you!
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:15 am rating: 90
#12
rebecca
I am all about the creeper – but it needs the reply note to really bring me to the floor.
and yes, nose grease, that should have made the voting for sure
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:22 am rating: 90
#13
butt
“God told me to dump you” gets my vote.
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:24 am rating: 90
#14
RadishFlavouredRhubarb
Difficult to choose but the Fortune 500 and the completely valid rebuttal ones lead!
Dec 31, 2010 at 4:21 am rating: 90
#15
Jackedinjill
Def Lemonade Stand for me,
Dec 31, 2010 at 6:28 am rating: 90
#16
TippingCows
I am torn. The best TRUE PA note of the bunch is the wedding gift one – buy some scales honey, I know how you can balloon up in times of stress! But for a well-written, creative, smart-ass note (my personal favorite) I have to go with the toilet paper one. Top notch, that is.
So that’s a TIE for TC.
Dec 31, 2010 at 6:31 am rating: 90
#17
poweroutage
how did the umbrella thief not make this list?
Dec 31, 2010 at 7:19 am rating: 90
#18
Zinnia
#1- Also, I will shoot you
#2- Please don’t use Comic Sans
#3- A completely valid rebuttal
Those three all tie for first place in my my PA utopia.
Dec 31, 2010 at 7:49 am rating: 90
#19
Sparky
Bad Park You. No contest.
Dec 31, 2010 at 8:14 am rating: 90
#20
Spencer
“Scales” is the most passive aggressive, but this site isn’t really about adherence to such formalities. “Bad Park You” makes me laugh the most, so it gets my vote.
“Comic Sans” shouldn’t even be on here. Maybe if it was up for best self entitled office rant of 1999 it would be appropriate. It has been more than a decade, we can find a new font to hate now.
Dec 31, 2010 at 8:17 am rating: 90
#21
timmy d
my vote: not so subtle clue that your coworker isn’t interested in small talk
Dec 31, 2010 at 8:21 am rating: 90
#22
MaroonMD
“Live and not-so-active roommate culture”
or
“BAD PARK YOU.”
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:04 am rating: 90
#23
Cathryn Bauer
While “Park on my privates again, no!” surely wins Most Disturbing Imagery, I’m sticking with the scale wedding present as top overall contender. The ladylike nastiness-disguised-as-altruism is what Passive-Aggressive Notes are all about.
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:11 am rating: 90
#24
Lynn
Seriously, can it be any worse than your mom getting you a freaking scale to ensure your wedding dress will still fit???
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:14 am rating: 90
#25
Nunavut Guy
P.A. overload……..must crawl into small dark room until the voices stop.
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:24 am rating: 90
#26
Steven R
Cannot choose — they all bring their own awesomeness.
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:33 am rating: 90
#27
Meredith
Definitely the scales, though for sheer laughter, “run for your lives” sends me into giggles every time.
Dec 31, 2010 at 10:15 am rating: 90
#28
JLH
Mom’s passive-aggressive wedding gift!
Although the BAD PARK YOU note is funny, I’m still quite convinced that it was written by a native English speaker in his early 20′s who had watched the The Hangover one too many times.
Dec 31, 2010 at 10:26 am rating: 90
#29
Ed Decatur
The scale for the bride is absolutely heartbreaking. At a time when the young woman needs support from the parents she will be separating from, they instead confirm that she is well rid of them. I hope she’s marrying a really great guy, not the first creep who would help her get out of there.
It’s disturbing to be privy to a stranger’s painful relationship with her parents. That’s why I love this uber-PA note.
Dec 31, 2010 at 10:26 am rating: 90
#30
PatientVengeance
Also I will shoot you
Dec 31, 2010 at 10:36 am rating: 90
#31
Jen :)
#1 Toilet paper roll rant
#2 Also, I will shoot you
#3 PA Wedding Gfit
Dec 31, 2010 at 10:43 am rating: 90
#32
la B
(Don’t Fear) The Creeper…classic PA note, font choice, use of poor grammar, neighborly nastiness, awesome back story, and one of the best quotes of the year…”a hoodie the color of the fucking sun”…can’t get more perfect than that.
Dec 31, 2010 at 11:17 am rating: 90
#33
F & R
Bad park you! Vote.
Dec 31, 2010 at 11:50 am rating: 90
#34
Pterosaur
Wedding investments, underperforming tooth fairies, Fortune 500 lemonade, terrifying yogurt, burned feelings… How to chose?
I so wanted to award Lemonade Stand, but Mom of the Bride is too passive-aggressive for words.
Congratulations, Katie’s Mom, you win bitch of the year. Don’t try hiding behind “& Dad.” We know this one is all you, Mom. I can’t wait to see how Katie pays back those dividends on your investment. I’m thinking crooked nursing home.
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:06 pm rating: 90
#35
Really?
I think the winner out of these, though, is definitely the yogurt one. The Tooth Fairy one is a close second.
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:27 pm rating: 90
#36
Ho-Ju
#1. Bad Park You.
#2. Mom’s P-A wedding gift
#3. A completely valid rebuttal
Dec 31, 2010 at 12:40 pm rating: 90
#37
kmd
Comic Sans. All the way.
Dec 31, 2010 at 1:53 pm rating: 90
#38
aaa
I’m going to have to go with the 8-year-old with burned feelings. She will make you regret putting nature aside for television. She’ll make all of you regret it.
Dec 31, 2010 at 1:59 pm rating: 90
#39
Ash
I have to go with the Tooth Fairy one. Double points are deserved since the note is written to something that doesn’t even really exist!
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:06 pm rating: 90
#40
The voice of... James Mason
1) toilet paper (i would like to marry the note writer, please… “sharpen three pencils simultaneously” made my day)
2) wedding dress (seriously??? How much of a ginormous bitch can a mother be??? i actually thought it was more painfully awful than funny…)
3) Fine, Bad Park You- even though I think that one was contrived- if only because I’m sort of hoping that will become a catchphrase…
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:26 pm rating: 90
#41
Emily
BAD PARK YOU!
Dec 31, 2010 at 2:36 pm rating: 90
#42
Stacy
Scales card from mommy-dearest gets my vote too. That one truly floors me and I cannot believe a parent could be that insensitive as to put that in writing in a card. UGH.
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:15 pm rating: 90
#43
Dylan
I’ll bet my parking space and my wedding scale that “Spencer” sent his comment in using Comic Sans.
Please Don’t Use Comic Sans gets my vote.
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:28 pm rating: 90
#44
Canthz_B
Just wanted to pop in to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year’s Eve.
May the new year bring nothing but good health, good news and prosperity to you and yours.
“Regulars”, you rock!! ♥
–CB and Family
Dec 31, 2010 at 3:59 pm rating: 90
#45
DC
1. BAD PARK YOU!
2. Valid rebuttal – because I wish I had thought of that rebuttal first.
3. Comic sans….because it is a sin against font-dom.
Dec 31, 2010 at 4:15 pm rating: 90
#46
Turbo_the_Cat
I definitely have to say the wedding present. Oh Moms…. what would we do without you?
Dec 31, 2010 at 4:51 pm rating: 90
#47
Liz
We have been blessed by many awesome notes this year. It’s hard to vote for just one, so I’m nominating wins for the following categories:
- Best Righteous Anger – the Creeper
- Best PAN – Scales as a Wedding Present
- Best Insane Anger – Bad Park You
- Best Idiotic PAN – God told me to Dump You
- Best Witty Retort – Run for Your Lives
- Best Totally Understandable Sarcasm – Small Talk
- Best “Instructional” Note – Toilet Paper
All are great, but since this is PAN, the Scales win my vote. I just love the sentence: “This might help with some of the stress.” Yeah, it’s gonna ADD to it! Poor bride-to-be!
Dec 31, 2010 at 6:08 pm rating: 90
#48
Odious
Most Entertaining:
You Bad Park
The comic sans is just weird. Being obsessed with fonts rather than the words is like people who freak out when somebody wears white shoes after labor day. Arbitrary rules for following-obsessed people.
Kids Say the Darndest Things – type notes are really a separate subject. They’re just being kids, not PANers.
The Peeping Tom note hits home because I’ve been on the wrong end many times of self-assured note writers who love to blame others without thinking things through. But is it good because it’s PAN-themed or just an example of self-righteousness when combined with poor IQ?
WINNER: Wedding gift; scales
Dec 31, 2010 at 6:18 pm rating: 90
#49
Rachel
Given my intense personal dislike for Comic Sans, I definitely have to go with “Please don’t use Comic Sans”
BAD PARK YOU is a very close second.
Dec 31, 2010 at 9:54 pm rating: 90
#50
Elizabeth
I want a proper poll posted, but I will just say that almost all notes are passive-aggressive in a way, because writing them down avoids a certain level of confrontation. The exceptions here are those written to drivers you could not speak to in person, like BAD PARK YOU and the Chicago Lawn Chair Note.
Dec 31, 2010 at 11:04 pm rating: 90
#51
meri
Poor Katie with having to buy ‘the scales’ to keep her mom’s investment safe. That one makes me the most uncomfortable, hands down.
But I seriously have to vote for the 8-year-old with the burned feelings. That message with the flower drawn on the note wins!
Jan 1, 2011 at 12:34 am rating: 90
#52
Mel K
BAD PARK YOU is the best this year and still makes me laugh loudly.
However, I would keep an eye on the kid with burned feelings- she has a lot of potential for 2011.
Here’s to a lot of fantastic PAN in 2011.
Jan 1, 2011 at 7:33 am rating: 90
#53
Canthz_B
I’m going with “BAD PARK YOU!!”
As P-A rants go, this one has it all.
I’m going out for Lo Mein now, but will be sure to watch how I park!!
Jan 1, 2011 at 12:10 pm rating: 90
#54
Kyle H
The wedding scale gets my vote for the best passive-aggressive note of 2010. “Bad Park You” comes in a close second — it is so beautiful!
Jan 1, 2011 at 12:17 pm rating: 90
#55
Canthz_B
01-01-11 is here!
HAPPY BINARY CODE DAY!!
Jan 1, 2011 at 12:26 pm rating: 90
#56
Nunavut Guy
My vote is for “scales”.That rich bitch “married for money” cow who is controlling her “probably marrying for more money” daughter.
Jan 1, 2011 at 2:11 pm rating: 90
#57
Elwing
My vote is for Live and not-so-active roommate culture because I find it the most humorous note of the set.
Jan 1, 2011 at 2:27 pm rating: 90
#58
Biscuit Buscemi
Bad Park You keeps me chuckling long into the night.
Every night.
Jan 1, 2011 at 3:48 pm rating: 90
#59
Lauren
Wedding gift from mom is the best thing ever.
Jan 1, 2011 at 4:30 pm rating: 90
#60
Janellionaire
My vote is for the wedding gift, because that poor girl needs to win something. She clearly lost the parent lottery.
Jan 2, 2011 at 2:24 am rating: 90
#61
Odious
I want a T-shirt
“My son and all my money go to Bad Park U”
Jan 2, 2011 at 3:26 am rating: 90
#62
Mads
Cubicle Small Talk FTW!
Jan 2, 2011 at 12:03 pm rating: 90
#63
Amanda
My favorite is the note from the little girl to her father, telling him he burned her feelings. My boyfriend and I thought this was so funny the first time we saw it, we now end silly arguments by saying “you burned my feelings”. We both laugh, and the fight ends.
Jan 3, 2011 at 8:13 am rating: 90
#64
Cathy
Bad park you is definitely my favorite! But the wedding gift is a close second-definitely passive aggressive.
Jan 3, 2011 at 8:36 am rating: 90
#65
spanpris
While I like bad park you, I’m going to have to go with mom’s wedding gift. Unfortunately none of these are as funny as last year’s carnivore note.
Jan 3, 2011 at 9:09 am rating: 90
#66
MajorMercedes
As someone who once lived on a hall with an RA who loved leaving notes all over the halls, in the stairwells, the kitchen, and on the back of bathroom stalls, I have to say I like the valid rebuttal. There have been many times when I had contemplated doing that.
Jan 3, 2011 at 9:47 am rating: 90
#67
Monique
Active and not-so-active culture all the way, but “No good, terrible, horrible parents” (or whatever… the saddest person in the world) is a very close second.
Jan 3, 2011 at 12:06 pm rating: 90
#68
SillyGirl
How can everyone not say the “I will shoot you in the fucking face” is the winner? Maybe it’s because I’m a veteran, but I think that note is full of awesome.
Jan 3, 2011 at 1:30 pm rating: 90
#69
Chris
P.s.s. The cubs/white sox suck ass! Yankees own your face! Lol…..that is all.
Jan 4, 2011 at 4:54 pm rating: 90
#70
valerie
Tooth Fairy!!
Jan 4, 2011 at 9:03 pm rating: 90
#71
heather
Mom’s wedding gift is the best. How rude and horribly sad that her parents bought her a scale.
Jan 5, 2011 at 5:14 pm rating: 90
#72
ISpy
Again, late to the party.
Re: Bad Park You — IMHO, a parody of engrish. Hilarous but I call BS.
Re: Yogurt — Hilarious.
Most, relaly, truly PA: Wedding scales by FAR.
Happy New Year, people!
Jan 6, 2011 at 4:55 pm rating: 90
#73
sarah
I love BAD PARK YOU! but one I think should have been on here is the one from the Boston college student whose food was stolen who liked to threaten “You will die immediately!” (http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2010/12/07/you-will-die-soon/) Love it!
Jan 6, 2011 at 6:41 pm rating: 90
#74
Brau
Haha I loved the note from “The Creeper”.
Jan 8, 2011 at 12:14 am rating: 90
#75
oi
Definitly “creeper”. You read the original note and you are like this is it! Underlines, yellow, green highlights, long poly worded phrase for yellow and a sentence long but still anonymous sign at bottom. oh and death wish in P.S and friendly advice for clothing choice. All this classic PA traits with super aggressive tone. It can’t go any better than this. Then comes the creeper responder!
Blasting like a TNT and breaking all the records of PAN. The first paragraph is a sincere and apology filled explanation for everything, even for the color of the hoodie! Then it jumps to *fuck you, why was your window open when you were naked, you ugly bitch?* in a most elaborate way. Oh and he does not forget to insult the first note for its highlights and fonts changes with rainbowed colored fonts of his own! All these yet he still manages to be on high moral ground by apologizing for his and HER language too! Gah! I am speechless. Officially I am the biggest fan of this guy, even though I yellow hoodie is not something I approve in anybody.
This PAN is not only best of 2010, it should go in hall of fame for the PANs.
Jan 8, 2011 at 11:38 am rating: 90
#76
Second
I live in Chicago and it irritates me that people think they can do this all winter. It’s illegal, and usually the mayor eventually gets sick of it sometime during the winter and has all the junk cleared off the streets. I can sort of understand it when there has just been a big snowstorm but it just gets ridiculous after a while.
What’s worse is when someone thinks just because they pulled their car out of a spot and the spot is relatively clear due to their car having been there, they can reserve that spot for themselves without even having touched a shovel.
I once had some woman come out of her house screaming at me about her husband having shoveled a spot out when all I did was move her piece of garbage slightly (and temporarily) so I’d have room to back out of the space in front of it.
Jan 8, 2011 at 6:25 pm rating: 90
#77
Sally
It’s the Weight Watchers one, hands down. It’s not the note as much as the context. Depending on the size of the office, there’s probably a good chance the recipient knows the sender and will figure out who wrote it. Yet they wrote it anyway.
Jan 16, 2011 at 10:48 pm rating: 90
#78
Skye
I howled with laughter at Bad Park You and will now be adopting that as a phrase for all manner of roadside issues but for TRULY passive-aggressive, it’s gotta be the scales to ‘insure’ the wedding dress ‘investment’.
Jan 20, 2011 at 11:40 pm rating: 90
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