Manners Disease

Manners Disease is spreading in amongst us. Has it got a hold of you? Is it knocking at your door? At the movie theater the other night, a family with a couple of children, thought it was OK to use their kids to get what they wanted. My wife and I were first in line to enter the movie theater. This other family was right behind us. When the rope came down, we started walking, the father, wife, and kids ran around us like 2 year-olds to get in first to choose their seats. Since they were second in line, I don't think there was any chance what so ever, that they would have got bad seats. They forced their way in, my wife said something to them about it, and the father said "so you're upset because my kids are more agile than you, you used your position to block us from getting in". So I suppose if this family was last in line, the entire line of people waiting were 'blocking' them from getting in. What did these parents teach their children that evening? It's really sad. When I was a child, my parents would never have allowed this to happen, and if us kids did do such a thing, we would have been reprimanded on the spot, and instructed to apologize right away. I've been at the grocery store, briefly looking at something and people come by and will not even wait 2 seconds for me to finish, they say "excuse me", I say "what"?. They say "I need to get something", I say "so do I, maybe you can wait 2 seconds for me to finish". I don't think I'm being rude, I'm even being more courteous than they were to me just now. If I come upon someone in front of something I need to buy, I just wait for them to finish. They were shopping, just like me. I was even asked to step aside at the grocery store by an adult clerk, I thought he needed to get something for a customer, after I moved aside, he started straightening the shelves! I said, "Hello, I'm a customer shopping", "can you step aside now so I can finish"? This was nothing short of unbelievable. The unfortunate thing about this type of behavior is the good people reach their breaking point, and give up. Then they start acting just like the people they were upset by in the first place. It almost seems that each person thinks they are more important than everyone else, this must be an impossibility. Someone has to be more important than another, wouldn't you say. The answer if very simple. The person who is more important than yourself, is everyone else. Poor behavior, and bad manners, is a disease. This disease is spreading, and it' up to you to stop it. Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" song lyric: "take a look at yourself, and make that change". Laurie Anderson's "Ramon" song lyric: "if you see man who is broken, pick him up and carry him, and if you see a woman who's broken, put her all in to your arms". I read Ms. Manners and Dear Abby, and I'm often surprised at the questions people actually had to write in to these columns for an answer. I can't believe they have to ask this question about right and wrong. These questions usually have the writing between the lines of ME ME ME, if you catch my drift. But I now realize that they were brought up this way, and really have no idea of the proper answer, they have no social foundation instilled in them from their parents, to make a good decision. Can we help these people? I don't know, we can try. If you ever get a chance to watch one of the nanny shows like Nanny 911, or Supernanny, give them try. These parents always call the show, they need help with their children who are out of control. By the end of the show, it's always the parents who really need the help. It also seems that when you do see someone do something wrong, and you call them on it; 9 times out of 10, you'll be hit with a tirade of words (or something more physical). Basically saying 'how dare you question me'. So more often than not, I say nothing, and this person goes on being a poor example of the human race. It's really sad, but I will keep searching for the answer. Manners Disease: cure is so simple, no pill needed. Just needs a few seconds of the brain.

Virginia Drivers don't drive, they aim!

They other day, a former Navy Seal died while riding his bicycle on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. So I had to write something about the drivers here. The roads would be safer in general if people tried just DRIVING THE CAR, like their supposed to. I moved here from Boston, I've never seen such a disregard for others (in a car, or on a bike) as I have in Virginia/Hampton Roads area. 100 times worse in VA than Boston. More and more drivers have no respect for anyone but themselves. They think it's ok to drive on the wrong side of the road while making a left turn, then are surprised another car is coming the other way, like whaaaaat, another car on the road besides me? Blatantly forcing their way into traffic like their are the only ones trying to get some where. Pulling out in front of the other drivers and not stepping on the gas, forcing the person they pulled out in front of to firmly brake, if you can't pull out and GO, maybe you should wait. I love the ones who pull into traffic on a 2-lane road right beside you, then put their signal on because they now want me to brake and let them in, I don't think so, if you just waited 3 seconds, you could have got in this lane in the first place, and not involved anyone else. Bicycle riders know this one: A car passes you, then brakes and turns right, right in front of you, very dangerous, and the cyclist will always lose this encounter. But I guess it's OK in our society to do other things while driving, I mean why not talk on the phone, text, play with the kids in back seat, fumble for things, conduct business, put on lipstick, reading books, shaving, or just stop in the middle of the road to drop someone off. I've seen all these things. Then the person kills someone and cries, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do it"! Well, did you take ANY precautions? I have no remorse for these people. If you were focused on the road, maybe it wouldn't have happened. Accidents do happen, if you were focused on driving, and had an accident, I would offer my sympathy toward your misfortune. Just remember, you may be driving a car, but others are also, and there are others using the roads, not in a car. Just focus on driving the vehicle, driving properly, being respectful of others, and there will be a lot less tragedy on the road. I'm not saying the driver who killed this person was doing any of these things, but often times they were. Don't be that person. Pre-ACT, don't re-ACT, re-ACT is often too little, too late.

How do you think?

How do you look at a glass with water in it? I'm not a pessimist, or an optimist, I'm an "Other".

Pessimist: Glass is half empty.

Optimist: Glass is half full.

Other: Thinks there is twice at much glass than water.

I'm an "Other", thinking outside the box. Always look at the whole picture, and try to know all the facts for a better understanding.

Case in point: I read once that one of those college studies stated that; based on the fact that the sale of Oven cleaners have declined over the years, their conclusion was that people don't clean there ovens like they used to, and that peoples ovens are dirtier than they used to be.

Well, if you know that most all ovens sold now are self cleaning, continuous clean types, why would people need oven cleaner anymore.

This is a good example of knowing all the facts, not just what one person, or group, presents to you.

Question everything you encounter.

Who's eating after you?

All you can eat buffett suggestion: Please place serving tools so that the handle is not touching the food. May keep others from getting sick. Also, after handling serving tools, do not touch food with your bare hands unless you've washed them, or bring handi wipes with you. I've been sick from not doing so, missed out on life, and probably made others sick also. I've seen many people just serve themselves, and drop the entire spoon/tongs in the food, these were placed there for everyone to use. Think sanitary. Keep yourself, and others healthy.