Flying Toaster Oven

I see just about everyone jumping on the bandwagon for the newest gadget.  I dont even know the names of these.  This gets me thinking that people have wads of cash and can afford to keep upgrading their cellies, tvs, cars, etc.  Now, I know I’m doing ok but to stay on top of all this is asking for too much.  I know for a fact that I was probably the last of my friends to even get a cell phone.  It’s not about trying to look cool or do what everyone else is doing.  It’s more about freedom for me.  Not having to answer (literally) to anyone.  I figure, hey I never waited by the phone for anyone, so why would i need to have a cell phone. 

Plus, I’m one of the people that likes to drive on their own and meet up with friends.  That way, i can leave when I want to and not rely on someone for a ride. 

That said, I realize it’s either pure laziness or just not wanting to follow the pack.   Or both.  Or it’s out of pure economic practicality.  It’s not economically feasible for anyone to keep upgrading electronics.  Once obsolete, these items fill up our landfills and not enough are being recycled. 

So with everyone talking about the ipad like they know what they’re talking about.  I, for one, couldnt finagle an intelligible conversation about the ipad or any other new techie gadget to speak of. 

I do try my best in other ways though.  Consider this blog, my social networking through FB, etc.   I think, is it necessary for me to be checking my iphone while I’m running errands or shopping “? 

Maybe I’ll just wait until technology improves even further and prices go down.

I find it absolutely disgusting to see people walking barefoot in public places.  How disgusting. 
Especially since I dont allow shoes in my house (expensive rugs/hardwood floors and carpeting).  This would defeat the purpose as one’s feet would be absolutely filthy. 

Think about it, people put out cigarettes, spit, pee and God knows what else on sidewalks.   The most disturbing was seeing Britney Spears walking into a public restroom at all places, a gas station, sans shoes!   WTH?!!

I’m at a kiddie venue and see kids running barefoot on dirty carpet where people’s shoes have already walked on.  THink about it..don’t people step in all kinds of **it and doesnt it come off on the surfaces they tread on? 

Now add to that, you walk into your home on carpet which some people sit or lie on.  What about folks that put their feet up on the couch.  Ok, that’s what gets me.

It’s just disgusting.  Imagine the trace amounts of feces, saliva, not to mention, GERMS and of course, DIRT. 

And people wonder how they got sick?

Ok my latest rant is the “ghetto-ization” of my hood.  Now I’m not knocking an ethnic group or people of lower economic means.  This is more about the ghetto subculture, if you will, the prevails in this culture.  Ok, so now it’s cool to be urban, that’s fine but ghetto shouldnt be acceptable.

Gimme a break!  When I shop and see these women who fit the mold per se, I can choose to ignore them but it’s when a nasty woman starts pointing her long fingernail in my face to accuse me of touching her child.  Nevermind that her child ran into me after falling off a chair goofing off.  I thought it was a joke at first. 

Now it’s the wearing down of the services available in my area.  The stores, the overcrowdedness, the parking issues and of course, people who can’t drive!  It’s simple, the more traffic, the more people, the more wear and tear of our stores/restaurants, etc.    To add, the employees are now the folks that dont live in the area.   Everyone has a right to a job but it’s just odd that here I live in a pricy area and can’t eat/shop AND feel safe without the risk of someone in my face or posturing as if this is their hood..

This is not at the risk of sounding like a bigot because I’m not.  Regardless of race, and yes, I’ve seen white kids act obnoxious and menacing too.   It’s about the food and service biz in my hood and how it affects our crime rates.   Another example is that I no longer hold garage sales.   Sorry but too much theft and too many other folks coming in to my neighborhood to scope it out.

I’m done.   Just done with this!

I’m home nursing a cold.  It’s particularly nasty not because I’m coughing  a lot (which I’m not) but because my ears hurt and I’m just tired.  But ever get that tired of feeling tired feeling? 

I have all these things to do but havent even started and it’s almost noon.

I’ve been wishy washy lately.  I need to go shopping, ok, want to go shopping but then I make excuses not to go.  This is absolutely mind boggling as to  my lack of motivation.

Ok, i have a few simple tasks to do today, organize kitchen and hang a curtain which ordinarily if I’m being diligent could have been completed in a few hours.  But NO, it’ll take all weekend of procrastination.   Then I get on this whirlwind of exteme motivation which son and hubby dont like because it happens at an inopportune time.

Anway, enough ranting about myself.  If im not ranting about someone else or the system, I have to resort to myself!

What’s with people who only check up on you when they hear bad news about your family or your job situation?    Then it’s a really lame comment or worse, they appear almost gleeful to hear that things may potentially be on the down swing. 

If I hadnt spoken to you in a long time or we’ve lost touch, it’s ok to reach out to me and say hello without the added, “So how’s it going with your job? or I was thinking about you when I heard….”   How lame?! 

What is thinking about me?   What value does that have?   If you know someone has lost their job or could potentially be laid off, wouldn’t you just duck out of site and not bring it up?   Unless you have an awesome recruiter or lots of connections, drop the fake “concern.”  

It’s as bad as asking someone how they feel after the loss of their loved one?  

It’s borderline catty but I find it interesting that one does not get away with it if the situation was reversed.

I dont know if it’s just me but how do most people deal with insincere people who are all about lip service with actions that don’t match their words.

For example, I see a coworker who makes grandiose thank yous and telling us how proud she is of us.  I view that as patronizing and insincere.   To me, it would mean so much more if she just dropped in to say hello and treated us like individuals rather than this “public” recognition.  It appears to me to be just another thing to check off her must do items on her To Do list. 

I know I cant be the only one that feels this.  However, I have to wonder just how naiive and stupid she thinks we are to think that we cant see this.

I may have mentioned this before but what we crave the most is what eludes us.  Like the old KD Lang song Constant Craving, it’s like we’re not satisfied with what we have.  There’s always something we crave even if we’ve attained it. 

I recall a coworker who only wanted a happy marriage.  Personal example, I just wanted to have a baby of my own.   I have a happy marriage.  My coworker had babies.

So I know people who’ve attained wealth but still are not happy.   Then there are people who appear to elude wealth.  They seem to have it all but always struggling financially.

I dont really have a point in this, just wanted to get it off my chest!

Every day, i check the news for the most macabre hate inducing news.  Mostly, it’s related to children.  I’m still sickened and baffled at how humans/parents can do to their own children.  So much so that I get depressed at the news.    today, the news was not so bad.  Ok, that’s relative.  It was bad enough but not enough for me to sigh in disbelief and disgust. 

I know for a fact at how paranoid I am about every step my kid takes. Today, I hear from another parent how her husband is too fearful to have another child because he’s had a hard enough time with their first and only son.    you;d have to wonder if this person had an issue with abandonment or extremely overprotective parents.  

I noticed that everything we do from how we react in the job place, our relationships with family members/friends/coworkers and even how we raise our kids all stems from our childhoods.   
I think about the children who never had a chance to grow up and experience all the things (positive and negative).  They were just unfortunate enough to have bad parents or be at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

What is it about how desensitized so much that the death of a 7 year old from an accidental cop shooting doesnt jar us enough compared to the other more “shocking” news about other children?   Is it the plethora of crime based shows like “Law & Order, SVU”  and forensics shows that just make crime almost the norm?  

So as depressing as the news is every day,  i find myself drawn to see what’s happened.  Maybe I’m hoping that there may not be bad news.   That there will be something great to read about.   Or maybe it’ll appear there just might be less crimes against children.

I dont know what it is about the reality show Operation Repo but for some reason, i’m drawn to the every day drama these repo men/women encounter while doing their jobs.  I can only imagine the adrenaline rush they get from expected and unexpected reactions from people about to have their vehicles repo’d.  I’m sure the video editors save the best juiciest stuff for us viewers to see.  I’m sure that most of the repo adventures are pretty sane and normal.  But the more exciting footage of folks who are having a conniption is entertainment.   one has to shake their head in disbelief at what lengths people would do to retain their vehicles.  Is it pride, stubbornness that drives their behavior.  Tonite, a waitress throws coffee at the repo lady.  Classy!  Not to mention SO STUPID!  Bottomline, these repo folks must get a kick out of this.  It’s the excitement of not knowing what’s going to happen and then getting through it.  It goes beyond just a job and making your living.  There’s no way, one can continue to do this and not be able to laugh at some of the characters they run into.

it’s so true and so common about how job stress can affect your health.  And it’s more common than we realize since not everyone is so forthcoming about job stress.  Many times, we are either in denial or really unaware of how it’s already affected us.  I know from my own experience about job stress and then I can really see and feel the contrast when the environment has changed.  Wow, what a difference….which begs the question, did I just wake up from the ether or had I become so acclimated to the negativity that I wasnt aware of just how bad it was?  

One has to wonder if it’s better to have ambivalence towards work or have to struggle through adversity in the job place in an industry or profession you really love.