Pardon me while I step onto my soapbox...
...I've got several things on my mind today. First of all (and this one is where the title came from), the media. Really? EVERY story being about the swine flu? THOUSANDS more people die every year from the REGULAR flu but do you see that all over the news every night (I heard that stat on the radio this morning...not my original info). I am SOOOOOO tired of the alarmist reporting. I've got half a mind to boycott all news - if it's important enough I'll hear about it. I mean, I have a third grader that I tutor and SHE knows about the swine flu! I'm pretty sure when I was that age my biggest concern was whether my friend Lenzie was going to wear a different color Keds than me to school so that we could trade one and wear one of each color.
The Egyptian government has even ordered ALL pigs in the country (which is estimated to be over 300,000 of them) are to be slaughtered immediately. I have read that this possibly has an underlying religious reason (most of the people in the country are Muslim) and I guess maybe this was just a good reason to "enforce" the religious rules... and it's not even being spread by pigs!
Either way - if I hear the words "swine flu" one more time, I'm going to SCREAM!
Next, I'm not sure what the point of this little bit is but I just need to get it out there. In the last couple of weeks I've been approached twice by someone asking me for change, once when I was standing in line at Walgreen's, and once when I was sitting in McDonald's. The first time I was alone, the man asked if I had 95 cents, and I said "I don't have any change," which is true because I empty my change out every night, if I even have any. He looked at me like he didn't believe me, and said "Just 50 cents ma'am, anything". I repeated that I didn't have any money. He got fairly angry, and walked off (without asking any of the 6 other people in line for money). The second time I was at McDonald's with my husband and father-in-law. A man walked in off of the street, came straight to our table, opened his mouth (at the same time displaying at least a few hundred dollars worth of a gold "grill" on his teeth) and slurred "You got 85 cents?" None of us did (although I'm not sure that we would have given it to him given the fact that he already REEKED of alcohol) and he asked again "c'mon man, just a few cents, any change". We replied again that we had no money (I didn't even have my purse) and he got upset and LEFT THE RESTAURANT without asking anyone else in there for money.
I have two problems with this. First of all, what is it about me (or in the second case, me and my husband and father-in-law) that makes me (us) look like we have extra change? Does the fact that I looked like I bathed this morning, and that I appear to be wearing clean clothes mean that I've got more change than a quarter slot machine and I'm just waiting for the lucky person who asks me to hand it over? Second, why the anger when I truthfully say I have no money? No one uses cash anymore, why am I supposed to carry around something I'm not going to use? Just so I can pass it out to those who need another drink?
Please don't get me wrong. I understand that part of my job as a Christian is to help those that need it, and had I had any change the first time, I MIGHT have given the guy some, although I just am never sure about that. My main problem is the sense of entitlement I feel like these people have. Like it's my fault they're in the position they're in and I am obligated to help them out. I've got news for you - I work to earn the money that I do have, and I have expenses too. I have months when I have to wait to buy toilet paper until we get a paycheck, when we "make do" with what's in the pantry until payday. We're not poor, but we are not "rich" in the traditional sense of the word (we don't have just boatloads of disposable income). We have both worked very hard to get an education, and get jobs that pay us. I know that people have circumstances that make it hard to get educated, get a job, etc. but I feel like there are probably options out there for everyone. Fast food restaurants are almost always hiring, it just takes a little effort, and commitment to be responsible enough to show up at a job regularly, etc.
I know that this is probably coming off as really harsh and arrogant and unfeeling, and that's not my intent at all. I'm just frustrated by people who act as if they DESERVE for me to give them handouts. I probably just need an attitude adjustment.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Do You Want Fries With That?
So, it occurs to me as I'm writing this that the title will be somewhat amusing in light of the first story I'm going to tell - I actually chose it because of the second story. ;)
Quickly, what we've been up to for the last few weeks - I've been working like crazy. I still love my job, but I'm definitely glad that tax season doesn't last all year. We also took a quick trip to Durant for Easter, I somehow got my name on the slate to be voted on as Treasurer for our neighborhood association (guess that's what I get for not attending the meeting and sending my husband alone!), said husband got asked to be on the board (that'll teach him!), and our basement has started flooding again. We have a plumber coming out to run the camera on Thursday so we may be getting a new sewer line now after all. Ugh. That will put off the storm windows for a while which is unfortunate since our windows hemorrhage air. Oh well. We also discovered a new restaurant here - Oklahoma Station BBQ. We can get a coupon every week for a free entree when you buy one...for about $9 we can get FOUR meals because the portions are so big that we share one and take one home to share later. And the food is pretty tasty! If you go, the ham, turkey, and smoked sausage are my favorites, and the mac and cheese is a pretty tasty side.
On to the stories. A few weeks ago when we were in Durant (I don't even remember what we were there for) we had to make a trip to Wal-Mart (not my first choice of places to go but whatever). I'm already surveying the fine citizens that are in the store when I notice that the mother/daughter pair in front of us is digging change out of thier pockets, their handbags, their shoes...wherever they can find it. Then I catch a movement out of the corner of my eye - I look over just in time to see the cashier sticking her finger in her nose UP TO THE SECOND KNUCKLE. As if that's not gross enough, the people in front of us choose this time to hand over their money. So, the cashier proceeds to roll the "treasure" in between her thumb and forefinger WHILE she's counting the money (I believe this is what my niece Abbey would call a "ball booger"), then, she places the money in the cash drawer and oh-so-casually, EATS THE BOOGER! Yes, I'm serious. You can't make this stuff up. I mean, did she really think that no one would see her? Ugh.
Now on to the reason for my subject. I don't know what made me think of this the other day but I was reminded of one of my Hertz trips to Canada. While there, we kept seeing "poutine" on the menu. I never ordered it but we finally asked what it was and the response was "french fried potatoes with gravy and cheese curds on top". (Apologies to those with a weak gag reflex.) Really? You eat that???? No thanks, I'll pass.
I think that's all the wisdom I have for this evening. I need to hit the hay so that I can get into the office early for one last busy day before I take a break. Hope everyone is doing well.
Quickly, what we've been up to for the last few weeks - I've been working like crazy. I still love my job, but I'm definitely glad that tax season doesn't last all year. We also took a quick trip to Durant for Easter, I somehow got my name on the slate to be voted on as Treasurer for our neighborhood association (guess that's what I get for not attending the meeting and sending my husband alone!), said husband got asked to be on the board (that'll teach him!), and our basement has started flooding again. We have a plumber coming out to run the camera on Thursday so we may be getting a new sewer line now after all. Ugh. That will put off the storm windows for a while which is unfortunate since our windows hemorrhage air. Oh well. We also discovered a new restaurant here - Oklahoma Station BBQ. We can get a coupon every week for a free entree when you buy one...for about $9 we can get FOUR meals because the portions are so big that we share one and take one home to share later. And the food is pretty tasty! If you go, the ham, turkey, and smoked sausage are my favorites, and the mac and cheese is a pretty tasty side.
On to the stories. A few weeks ago when we were in Durant (I don't even remember what we were there for) we had to make a trip to Wal-Mart (not my first choice of places to go but whatever). I'm already surveying the fine citizens that are in the store when I notice that the mother/daughter pair in front of us is digging change out of thier pockets, their handbags, their shoes...wherever they can find it. Then I catch a movement out of the corner of my eye - I look over just in time to see the cashier sticking her finger in her nose UP TO THE SECOND KNUCKLE. As if that's not gross enough, the people in front of us choose this time to hand over their money. So, the cashier proceeds to roll the "treasure" in between her thumb and forefinger WHILE she's counting the money (I believe this is what my niece Abbey would call a "ball booger"), then, she places the money in the cash drawer and oh-so-casually, EATS THE BOOGER! Yes, I'm serious. You can't make this stuff up. I mean, did she really think that no one would see her? Ugh.
Now on to the reason for my subject. I don't know what made me think of this the other day but I was reminded of one of my Hertz trips to Canada. While there, we kept seeing "poutine" on the menu. I never ordered it but we finally asked what it was and the response was "french fried potatoes with gravy and cheese curds on top". (Apologies to those with a weak gag reflex.) Really? You eat that???? No thanks, I'll pass.
I think that's all the wisdom I have for this evening. I need to hit the hay so that I can get into the office early for one last busy day before I take a break. Hope everyone is doing well.
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