Teenage Senselessness

I get it. "Boys will be boys." But I think once you enter high school, your behaviors are no longer excused by this rule.

As the road trip continued, we arrived at another Rest Plaza today. This time in Pennsylvania. A group of at least twenty high school aged boys were also at the same plaza. I, frankly, don't like being around large groups of people my own age. At least groups that I don't know. I know that they are most likely jocks who punch each other for fun, whereas my friends and I eat skittles and sing show tunes for fun.

Well this group was no exception.

After being in the car for hours with nothing to comfort me but Will and Grace on DVD and a large bottle of water, I had to use the facilities. As did every one of these twenty high school boys. Well they must have thought that they were the only ones in the bathroom as they were pushing each other around. One, thinking I was his friend, tried to block me from a toilet. Upon shouting "Excuse me!" into his ear, he got the picture that I wasn't his friend.

Another boy, not aware of his surroundings, pushed my father into a wall to get to a toilet first. My father was not too happy with these proceedings. The boy was immediately brought back to reality as he realized what he had just done. He began to apologize profusely. Needless to say, this boy was embarrassed.

Lucky for the boy, I did not know of this until my father told me in the lobby. Had I known/seen what happened, I would have assembled my soap box right then and there in the bathroom and began a short lecture on etiquette, politeness, and sensibility. But I simply gave them an eye roll and a not-so-secret look of judgment on my face.

Like I said, "Boys will be boys," needs to stop somewhere. Some of these boys must have been at least eighteen years old. I think they would know better than to push each other around in a public bathroom.

Until next time.

kp

Sensible Hygiene

There are some things that I feel need to be shared with the rest of the world. For example, a smile, a hug, the occasional "Hi, how are ya," or, "Now don't you look nice today," etc.

And then there are things that I think are best off kept to one's self. For example, bathroom habits, bedroom activities, personal hygiene routines, Sarah Palin support, etc.

Earlier today, as I was on the first leg of a very long road trip, my family and I stopped at a Rest Plaza on the side of the road. I was experiencing some mild car sickness, and was in search of some Dramamine inside the convenience store located, conveniently, inside of the Rest Plaza. I found the Dramamine I needed at quite a steep price. But rather than feeling miserable, I felt it best to bite the dust, and spend five whole dollars on four doses of the stuff.

I was about to get in line to purchase these overpriced pills when I saw the checker behind the counter was clipping his fingernails. You read correctly - clipping his fingernails.

I then proceeded to place my desperately needed pills back on the shelf.

I was not about to support this man's habit of clipping his nails publicly. I doubt that he works so much that he simply doesn't have to time to clip his nails at home. How do I know that a rogue hangnail isn't going to end up in my wax-paper wrapped convenient store hot dog? I know that because I would never get one. But someone might! And when they do, they'll be really grossed out.

So here is my plan for the night: I'm going to go read a Jodi Picoult novel in the hotel lobby while enjoying the setting sun and smiling politely at those around me.

Here is NOT my plan for the night: To sit in the front lobby reading Sarah Palin's autobiography while clipping my toenails in my underwear.

Until next time.

kp

Biting My Tongue

I have this bad habit of having really strong opinions about almost everything. So when I hear someone make an ignorant statement, see an inconsiderate Facebook status, or I read an offensive article, I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself.

So many times we hear the word "confrontational" and think it's a negative trait in a person. I, personally, see it as a willingness to confront a problem or situation. I don't think it's necessarily always a bad thing.

But then there are times where I have to ask myself, "Is it worth it to put up this fight?"

Tonight I saw someone's Facebook status that was clearly one of ignorant thinking, and a lack of analysis. It was a FOX News status of sorts.

My gut reaction was to type a brief, informative response, and put a nice ":-)" at the end. I've even thought very specifically about how and what to say. But at this point I think it better to just bite my tongue.

Ignorance is a voluntary situation. This person is choosing to live their life viewing things from a very negative, closed-minded perspective. Whereas I like to think that I come from a more optimistic, well-informed perspective.

All in all, there is virtually no point in responding to these type of people, because it is with near certainty that I can say they won't change their mind. I'm stubborn. You're stubborn. We're all stubborn. Let's call the whole thing off. Wait... What I'm saying is people who choose to be ignorant want to stay that way, despite your well phrased opinions to the contrary.

Until next time.

kp