DR-July 31, 2008

Subject: Stupid, Stupid boneheaded - driving

Issue: Yesterday I was volunteering for our Convention and Visitors Bureau. I was parking cars at the State Fair. If you have ever been to a festival or a fair then you know, there are people and kids walking everywhere and most of them not paying close attention to traffic. But this is a given. Kids are excited to get in or are having a sugar rush on the way out.

There are 2 parking lots with money going to charities on each side of the street (ours being one of them) The street is a thruway and there are 4 things happening:

1. Cars slowing down and queuing up to park in one parking lot, (Ours)
   
2. Cars slowing down and queuing up to park in the other parking lot
3. Groups of people constantly crossing the street going in both directions
4. Cars not wanting to park, just wanting to use the road to get through.
   

That is the reality, tho one could argue the above situation is set up to be stupid from the "get-go." So for the sake this blog discussion, the stupid part here is that the cars trying to get through and not park, are rounding the queued up traffic and finding surprised and terrified people & kids trying to cross the street.

As these cars are rounding the line of cars, they often nail the gas pedal because they are impatient. The other impatient maneuver is the U TURN that also happens in the middle of all this mayhem. There is one more week of this fair and tho my parking stint is through I fear a follow-up of a story about someone piling into people with a car and taking them out.

What I say in my head: I would be cheering if the it were a case of "natural selection" those people driving stupid are the ones getting hurt, but it never is.

DR-July 23, 2008

Subject: Woman vs. Woman

Issue: I am a true believer that woman truly would RULE the world if they didn't cannibalize each other. I am always hearing stories about somebody at work or someone that was thought was a friend did some classic "stab in the back" type behavior. Most men settle arguments in parking lots or by just "having it out" with the person that did the deed or made the comment. They clear the air and move on.

Women don't do this. They stew about something, don't have all the facts or they platoon up with other petty friends talk about things that involve the "offender" and gossip about something totally irrelevant, but it makes THEM feel better about their smallness and they care less about the hurt they spread around - as long as THEY feel better - that is all that matters!

What I say in my head: Go For it Ladies, but leave me out of it. I am taking notes and want nothing to do with wasting my energy like this. And BTW, that is why we call you BITCHES!

DR-July 21, 2008

Subject: Activation Fees?

Issue: I want to pay your company money so I can use your service. Let's say I want to add DSL to my all ready existing phone line, or digital cable to my current cable. So I want to pay your company more money each month to use your service.

What I say in my head: If you "waive" the activation fee, then it still means nothing to me, I am still giving your company more money. If you charge me an activation fee, I will be an unhappy customer forever.

DR-July 17, 2008

Subject: Can't you just be "Nice?"

Issue: Over the weekend I was in a little town on the coast. Like all towns on the coast around here they swell with tourists some are the "summer people" that own property and some are just "passers-thru." I went to a new place - actually old place, new owner that really is trying to make a "go" of it.

In comes a few tourists, they insist on leaving the door wide open, when there is a large sign on the door that begs people to close the door when they enter or exit. And isn't that how it works? If the door is closed and you have to open it to get in, then close it behind you. Nope, a dazed woman strolls across the floor and the air conditioning pours out into the street, someone says, "Please shut the door," she ignores them. Someone goes across the room and closes the door themselves. So this happens a few times with others coming and going.

Next Ms. Clueless that evidently cannot read signs about the door, decides to be short and nasty with the owner of the store. Doesn't like what is on the menu, is not happy that this store doesn't have a bank roll of change for her $100 bill she wants to use to buy a cup of tea.

The owner is a Saint for sure. She takes the abuse, GIVES her the tea and apologizes that the only bank in town is closed at noon on Saturday and she wont have any additional change for the weekend. So a few of us go through our pockets quietly and pay for our loaf of bread or ice cream cone with little bills and change.

What I say in my head: "Maine the way life should be?"

DR-July 14, 2008

Subject: Thongs & Tattoos

Issue: Not everybody wants to SEE your accessories or body art, especially when it is in an area that most people cover. Often I see people with partially exposed body parts, just so you can see this wonderful "whatever" they think is worth seeing or seeing part of. Today it was a thong. I was driving to work and I see this very attractive woman "scooching" down this morning at the park. Not only was her hip huggers hugging, but her thong was pretty much exposed as far as her...do I have to say it?

What I say in my head: I don't care how skinny and cute you are, bending over and cracking me a smile wasn't what I had in mind to start the day off.

DR-July 11, 2008

Subject: "Hey how about an email about how YOU are doing?"

Issue: There are people in my life that think because they forward me a joke, that is communication.

What I say in my head: "Nice try, just because you send me a forwarded email as you did to your 50 other friends doesnt mean I dont want to know about you, your job and that fun stuff you are up to."

DR-July 10, 2008

Subject: Large Hot Coffee $1.94 Large Iced Coffee $2.39

Issue: It is July. It is hot and humid. I want a cup o' Joe on my way into the office. I am a huge dunkin donuts fan even tho the one near my house seems ALWAYS to be out of the bagel or the cream cheese choice I order. Today I looked to order ICED coffee because of the heat. It costs $.45 cents more for a little larger "see thru" cup that is filled with ice - so how much MORE coffee are you getting when you have all that ice?

What I say in my head: That is one expensive "see thru" cup. I wonder what happens if we all order the large hot coffee and a large coffee cup with ice and we mix it ourselves?

DR-July 7, 2008

Subject: "Banana Slings"

Issue: Our office is in a downtown location and the scenery can be pretty interesting sometimes (to say the least.) We have parking - or atleast we pay for permits and sometimes people park in our spots anyway, but that is a rant for another day. I worked for a phone company for years and learned to back in almost everywhere I go. Across the parking lot we have some housing that is condo style, mostly older retired folks.

ONE of the tenants likes to tan. Just get the mental picture. HE likes to wear tini bikini bathing suits and from our vantage point we get to look up an incline and "enjoy" the view.

Yesterday as I was backing into my space he was inside his place in his tightie whities opening his blinds on his glass doors.

Response in my head: How do you spell the word that sounds like someone vomiting?