This is a continuation of my previous post on frugality. I actually meant to include this upcoming tidbit in my last post, but forgot at that time. So here it is now!
I don’t understand why some people feel entitled to free things. Here is a story that one of my best friends (hey CG!) told me just the other day...
CG works at a bakery in Chicago (oo la la,) and a woman recently came in and placed a rather large order for a party she was having. As my friend was finishing up the woman’s order, the woman said, “And I’ll have a cookie to go.” CG proceeded to weigh the cookie to see how much the woman would have to pay. The woman, seemingly puzzled, said, “Oh. You’re going to make me pay for it? Then I don’t want it.”
Hold on.
Is this lady for real?
I really don’t know what else to say. Why do some people think that things come for free? My friend’s employer has to pay for ingredients, for gas, for heat / air conditioning, for electricity, for her employees’ salaries, among so many other expenses. And yet this woman, despite paying for a service, feels entitled to get more than what she paid for.
The term “Free Gift with Purchase” is just that: a gift.
When was the last time you got something for free? Was it a gift?
Until next time.
kp
7.25.2010
7.23.2010
Senseless Frugality
One of my guilty pleasures is TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. For those of you who don’t know, the show takes place in a real bridal salon in Manhattan, and viewers just watch new brides find their dress from Kleinfeld Bridal Salon’s vast selection. I’m even watching it as I write this blog right now. I love watching the brides go from hating the poofy ballgown to loving the sensible mermaid dress. Dresses are so pretty. Girls don’t understand how lucky they are. We boys have pants. That’s it. They’re very limiting.
Anyway.
The one thing I will never understand on the show is the haggling aspect. A bride’s loved ones will accompany her to the salon, aid in the selection process, and most likely foot the bill when all is said and done. But if the dress is beyond the family’s budget, or they’d like it to be less expensive, they’ll occasionally try to haggle the salon’s prices. The consultant’s have to talk with the managers, and for the most part they make it work. But I don’t understand why this is even an option in the first place.
I'm all for a bit of sensible frugality. I’ll admit that at most stores I’ll visit the clearance racks. But I would never walk into Express, try on a $50 shirt, and then offer to pay $45 and expect them to make it work.
This most likely all comes down to the fact that I’m bitter that I don’t get to buy pretty dresses. (I did a find-your-dress activity on the bridal salon’s website anyway, pictured below. Note: I didn’t choose the head-piece.)
Until next time.
kp
Anyway.
The one thing I will never understand on the show is the haggling aspect. A bride’s loved ones will accompany her to the salon, aid in the selection process, and most likely foot the bill when all is said and done. But if the dress is beyond the family’s budget, or they’d like it to be less expensive, they’ll occasionally try to haggle the salon’s prices. The consultant’s have to talk with the managers, and for the most part they make it work. But I don’t understand why this is even an option in the first place.
I'm all for a bit of sensible frugality. I’ll admit that at most stores I’ll visit the clearance racks. But I would never walk into Express, try on a $50 shirt, and then offer to pay $45 and expect them to make it work.
This most likely all comes down to the fact that I’m bitter that I don’t get to buy pretty dresses. (I did a find-your-dress activity on the bridal salon’s website anyway, pictured below. Note: I didn’t choose the head-piece.)
Until next time.
kp
7.22.2010
Facebook Sensibility (or lack thereof...)
I am the first to admit that I love Facebook. It allows me to keep in touch with friends, see pictures of my niece, and to find out FAR too much information about people I never really knew too well. As I’m looking at some near-stranger’s pictures, I realize they might be doing the same thing with my pictures. So I quickly scroll to the bottom of their profile and remove them from my friends list.
Jokes aside, Facebook has some absolutely wonderful aspects. But there are certain things about Facebook that I don’t, and never will, understand. Below are those things...
The narration Facebook status. While I use my status to share interesting links, post witty/clever/trying-to-be-witty statuses, and express my love for Patti LuPone, I realize that this might not be the case for everyone. But what I don’t understand is when people let me know that they are “straightening their hair,” and ten minutes later, “out with the girlzzzzz,” followed by that insufferable less-than sign followed by a three... <3
The inappropriate Facebook status. This is my least favorite variation on the narration Facebook status is that drunken narration Facebook status. For example, “I’m going to have SUCH a bad hangover in the morning,” or “Off to get drunnnk,” or “I bought Plan B in advance... Crazy night tonight!” I’m not offended that they feel the need to do these things. I am just offended that they feel the need to project that to the world via Facebook. Companies and schools are now using Facebook for networking purposes - I should hope that these partying preps wouldn’t want their prospective professors, coworkers, and bosses developing this awful opinion of them.
The passive/aggressive Facebook post. This is when you see someone else post something on Facebook that is clearly directed at YOU. Yes you! This has happened to me a few times. Rather than choosing to ignore the post, or to act in my own passive/aggressive way, I respond directly to the poster his or her self. Not in an argumentative way, just in a matter of fact way. I don’t think the word “confrontational” is always a bad thing...
The misuse of the verb TO BE. Facebook statuses used to, by default, start your Facebook status with the word “is,” as if to say, “Liza Minelli IS a hot mess.” (To see what’s wrong with this status, see “The inappropriate Facebook status,” above.) Facebooks has since removed the “is,” to allow its users to engage in other activities, rather than always being. However some people still choose to begin every status with the word “is.” “Meryl Streep is will play Mama Rose in the new film version of Gypsy.” No, Meryl Streep, that’s not how it works. But I, for one, is thrilled to hear of your upcoming role!
The vanity profile picture. We all want to look good. And we all want all of our friends to comment on our pictures to say how good we look. So we actors occasionally put our headshot as our profile picture so our friends will tell us how fierce we are. But when every one of your forty seven profile pictures has only YOUR face in the picture, there might be a slight problem. Especially when a good amount of those pictures have other people cropped out of them. Heaven forbid we look at you AND your friends!
So there are my five big pet peeves with Facebook. There are many more that I am sure will come out on this blog at some point or another (or, “Some point or t’other,” as my grandfather would say.)
I’m sure that I’ve been guilty of the occasional Facebook faux pas, but there are some truly senseless Facebook users out there. This is when I go to their profile, scroll down and click “Remove from Friends.” But then I realize that I’ve de-friended my sister, and have to figure out how to re-friend her without her noticing. Hm.
Have you noticed any Facbook senselessness lately?
Until next time.
kp
Jokes aside, Facebook has some absolutely wonderful aspects. But there are certain things about Facebook that I don’t, and never will, understand. Below are those things...
The narration Facebook status. While I use my status to share interesting links, post witty/clever/trying-to-be-witty statuses, and express my love for Patti LuPone, I realize that this might not be the case for everyone. But what I don’t understand is when people let me know that they are “straightening their hair,” and ten minutes later, “out with the girlzzzzz,” followed by that insufferable less-than sign followed by a three... <3
The inappropriate Facebook status. This is my least favorite variation on the narration Facebook status is that drunken narration Facebook status. For example, “I’m going to have SUCH a bad hangover in the morning,” or “Off to get drunnnk,” or “I bought Plan B in advance... Crazy night tonight!” I’m not offended that they feel the need to do these things. I am just offended that they feel the need to project that to the world via Facebook. Companies and schools are now using Facebook for networking purposes - I should hope that these partying preps wouldn’t want their prospective professors, coworkers, and bosses developing this awful opinion of them.
The passive/aggressive Facebook post. This is when you see someone else post something on Facebook that is clearly directed at YOU. Yes you! This has happened to me a few times. Rather than choosing to ignore the post, or to act in my own passive/aggressive way, I respond directly to the poster his or her self. Not in an argumentative way, just in a matter of fact way. I don’t think the word “confrontational” is always a bad thing...
The misuse of the verb TO BE. Facebook statuses used to, by default, start your Facebook status with the word “is,” as if to say, “Liza Minelli IS a hot mess.” (To see what’s wrong with this status, see “The inappropriate Facebook status,” above.) Facebooks has since removed the “is,” to allow its users to engage in other activities, rather than always being. However some people still choose to begin every status with the word “is.” “Meryl Streep is will play Mama Rose in the new film version of Gypsy.” No, Meryl Streep, that’s not how it works. But I, for one, is thrilled to hear of your upcoming role!
The vanity profile picture. We all want to look good. And we all want all of our friends to comment on our pictures to say how good we look. So we actors occasionally put our headshot as our profile picture so our friends will tell us how fierce we are. But when every one of your forty seven profile pictures has only YOUR face in the picture, there might be a slight problem. Especially when a good amount of those pictures have other people cropped out of them. Heaven forbid we look at you AND your friends!
So there are my five big pet peeves with Facebook. There are many more that I am sure will come out on this blog at some point or another (or, “Some point or t’other,” as my grandfather would say.)
I’m sure that I’ve been guilty of the occasional Facebook faux pas, but there are some truly senseless Facebook users out there. This is when I go to their profile, scroll down and click “Remove from Friends.” But then I realize that I’ve de-friended my sister, and have to figure out how to re-friend her without her noticing. Hm.
Have you noticed any Facbook senselessness lately?
Until next time.
kp
7.19.2010
Equal Sensibility
I was cleaning out my basement with my mother earlier this week. We were trying to empty out some storage containers in order to help with my move back to school. Well we decided to empty all of the containers that had my childhood papers and toys. We ended up with about 8 large garbage bags of toys that would be donated and papers that would be recycled. But before I could hand these papers over to the fate of the recycling truck, I, of course, had to go through all of them first. I made fun of myself for certain things, became nostalgic upon finding others.
The paper that I found most interesting was this: On the first day of fourth grade, we filled out a survey about different things. Our favorite color, our best friend, and things like that. There was one line that stuck out, we had to finish the sentence, “If I ruled the world, I would...” And this is how I, as my ten year old self, finished the sentence: “If I ruled the world, I would make sure everyone had equal rights.”
I realize that as a ten year old, I was not focussed on marriage equality across the United States, or a health care system, or immigration laws. But between the way I was raised and my naive sensibility, I knew that our world is supposed to be ultimately based on equality.
My question today is this: Why did I, as a ten year old, have more sense than the majority of our own United States have today? It has been over six years since Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage. And in those six years, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington DC have also legalized same-sex marriage. At this rate, same-sex marriage will not be nationally recognized until the year 2055. Why wait?
I recently watched, at the suggestion of a friend, a wonderful documentary called For the Bible Tells Me So. It follows self-proclaimed “religious” families as they find out that they have a gay child or other family member. It is amazing the turnaround that each of these families had in their views once it was directly impacting their lives. One of the biggest arguments against gay marriage is that it will affect children, and that more children will be gay. Perhaps the number of publicly gay people will rise, but that will not be because they are being taught to live that way, but rather there will be less hatred and ignorance, and people will feel more comfortable coming out to their friends and family.
A 2010 article published by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York analyzed the psychological mindset of members of the LGBT community in states that recognize same-sex marriage versus those that don’t. The study found an “increase in psychiatric disorders among the LGBT population living in states that instituted bans on same-sex marriage.” In 2009, a study at Emory University found a link between state bans on same-sex marriage and an increase in the rate of HIV infection.
I could rant on this topic for hours and hours and hours. There will most likely be many more entries about this topic. This is only the beginning. But I can't wait until we find greater sensibility, and it's the end of this unnecessary battle.
Just last Wednesday, the country of Argentina legalized same-sex marriage nationally. I’m confused why Argentina, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington DC, and a ten year old boy have things figured out, but the rest of the United States still have to get their act together.
Until next time.
kp
The paper that I found most interesting was this: On the first day of fourth grade, we filled out a survey about different things. Our favorite color, our best friend, and things like that. There was one line that stuck out, we had to finish the sentence, “If I ruled the world, I would...” And this is how I, as my ten year old self, finished the sentence: “If I ruled the world, I would make sure everyone had equal rights.”
I realize that as a ten year old, I was not focussed on marriage equality across the United States, or a health care system, or immigration laws. But between the way I was raised and my naive sensibility, I knew that our world is supposed to be ultimately based on equality.
My question today is this: Why did I, as a ten year old, have more sense than the majority of our own United States have today? It has been over six years since Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage. And in those six years, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington DC have also legalized same-sex marriage. At this rate, same-sex marriage will not be nationally recognized until the year 2055. Why wait?
I recently watched, at the suggestion of a friend, a wonderful documentary called For the Bible Tells Me So. It follows self-proclaimed “religious” families as they find out that they have a gay child or other family member. It is amazing the turnaround that each of these families had in their views once it was directly impacting their lives. One of the biggest arguments against gay marriage is that it will affect children, and that more children will be gay. Perhaps the number of publicly gay people will rise, but that will not be because they are being taught to live that way, but rather there will be less hatred and ignorance, and people will feel more comfortable coming out to their friends and family.
A 2010 article published by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York analyzed the psychological mindset of members of the LGBT community in states that recognize same-sex marriage versus those that don’t. The study found an “increase in psychiatric disorders among the LGBT population living in states that instituted bans on same-sex marriage.” In 2009, a study at Emory University found a link between state bans on same-sex marriage and an increase in the rate of HIV infection.
I could rant on this topic for hours and hours and hours. There will most likely be many more entries about this topic. This is only the beginning. But I can't wait until we find greater sensibility, and it's the end of this unnecessary battle.
Just last Wednesday, the country of Argentina legalized same-sex marriage nationally. I’m confused why Argentina, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington DC, and a ten year old boy have things figured out, but the rest of the United States still have to get their act together.
Until next time.
kp
7.17.2010
Shadow Puppets
I hate when shadow puppets try to eat my dinner without asking first.
Alright, that isn’t really what I’m ranting about today. But if my almost-3-year-old nephew were writing a blog, that for sure would be his soap box rant for the day.
Since my last post was rather negative and angry, I figured it’d be nice to share something a little lighter.
Tonight, while waiting for his dinner, my nephew discovered the wonderful world of shadows. He had seen shadows before, and chased them on the ground, but he had never put it together that he, too, had a shadow. He shook his head back and forth, and waved his hand, all the while watching the setting sun cast a shadow against our wooden kitchen table.
My mother (my nephew’s grandmother) then began to create shadow puppets to entertain him while his dinner was almost ready. A fair amount of them ended up looking like a crane game machine claw, but the effort and energy were there. I then thought I’d give shadow puppetry a shot. I was able to create a snake with great ease. And, although it took a minute, my bunny rabbit was rather convincing. I finally created an animal that has a very big mouth and, as far I’m concerned, doesn’t exist. I made sounds that this fictional animal might make. And finally, this shadowy figure began to work its way closer and closer to my nephew, until it ultimately started to “eat” my nephew. He giggled with excitement as he covered this animal with his napkin, only to find the animal magically on top of the napkin.
Well dinner was served at last. My nephew’s dinner of pasta and bread and butter was served on a Spongebob Squarepants plate, and set onto his placemat. Unbeknownst to the food, the unnamed shadow creature was still lurking. It slowly worked its way toward the delicious looking dinner and pounced! Now we all know that this was merely my hand’s shadow, but my nephew was having no part of it. He yelled, “No! That’s my food!”
It’s in times like this that I miss the innocence of childhood. One moment this imaginary shadow creature was a playmate, and the next it was fighting my nephew for his food.
Since the mission of my blog is to focus on our sensibility as humans, here is my question: When in our development of sensibility did playing pretend go from being fun to being weird?
I love to play pretend. Whether it’s in the form of shadow puppets, pretending to be a brave knight in battle with my nephew, telling him a story with funny voices, or even being on stage (where I'm truly at home,) playing pretend is the best. Have you played pretend lately?
Until next time.
kp
Alright, that isn’t really what I’m ranting about today. But if my almost-3-year-old nephew were writing a blog, that for sure would be his soap box rant for the day.
Since my last post was rather negative and angry, I figured it’d be nice to share something a little lighter.
Tonight, while waiting for his dinner, my nephew discovered the wonderful world of shadows. He had seen shadows before, and chased them on the ground, but he had never put it together that he, too, had a shadow. He shook his head back and forth, and waved his hand, all the while watching the setting sun cast a shadow against our wooden kitchen table.
My mother (my nephew’s grandmother) then began to create shadow puppets to entertain him while his dinner was almost ready. A fair amount of them ended up looking like a crane game machine claw, but the effort and energy were there. I then thought I’d give shadow puppetry a shot. I was able to create a snake with great ease. And, although it took a minute, my bunny rabbit was rather convincing. I finally created an animal that has a very big mouth and, as far I’m concerned, doesn’t exist. I made sounds that this fictional animal might make. And finally, this shadowy figure began to work its way closer and closer to my nephew, until it ultimately started to “eat” my nephew. He giggled with excitement as he covered this animal with his napkin, only to find the animal magically on top of the napkin.
Well dinner was served at last. My nephew’s dinner of pasta and bread and butter was served on a Spongebob Squarepants plate, and set onto his placemat. Unbeknownst to the food, the unnamed shadow creature was still lurking. It slowly worked its way toward the delicious looking dinner and pounced! Now we all know that this was merely my hand’s shadow, but my nephew was having no part of it. He yelled, “No! That’s my food!”
It’s in times like this that I miss the innocence of childhood. One moment this imaginary shadow creature was a playmate, and the next it was fighting my nephew for his food.
Since the mission of my blog is to focus on our sensibility as humans, here is my question: When in our development of sensibility did playing pretend go from being fun to being weird?
I love to play pretend. Whether it’s in the form of shadow puppets, pretending to be a brave knight in battle with my nephew, telling him a story with funny voices, or even being on stage (where I'm truly at home,) playing pretend is the best. Have you played pretend lately?
Until next time.
kp
7.14.2010
Utter Senselessness
Recently I had a rather terrifying experience. As I was home alone, my doorbell rang. I did not recognize the man at my door, but spoke with him anyway. I only opened my big front door and spoke with him through our storm door. I won’t go into the long details of the story, but the important details of the story will not be left out...
The man, who I pegged to be at least 30 years old, claimed to be a local college freshman. He told me that his first college assignment was to meet neighbors to get over his fear of talking to strangers. After a lot of filler, he asked to come inside to talk. Not really knowing what to do, I simply pointed to our No Solicitors Please sign and said (albeit awkwardly,) “Uh, umm, no, no thank you.” This man then decided to start calling me a name which I find to be one of the ugliest, most derogatory words that some people choose to keep in their vocabulary. (I won’t even write it here, that’s how offensive it is.) I then shut all of the doors and locked each lock, and told the man (through the window) that he needed to get off of my property and that I was calling the police.
There are so many senseless things in this, that I can’t even breathe...
First of all - This man was coming to my house most likely to steal things. He went to my neighbors’ door and told them he had to meet his neighbors in order to win free books from Borders. Clearly this man’s motives were not the best.
Second - The sign on our door says “No Solicitors Please.” The “No Solicitors” part means that if you are soliciting something, say your neighbors’ time, then we unfortunately do not welcome you to our house. The “Please” part means we’re nice about it. Unless you call me names...then I call the police.
Third - His vocabulary. If this man had any extensive vocabulary, he would have been able to convince me that he legitimately needed to talk with me, and he would have been able to come up with a more intellectual name to call me. But alas his vocabulary was limited. All the more reason I should call the police. Especially if he is about to start college.
Fourth - Joking aside, this man was just out right offensive and senseless. I wished that I’d never have to call the police on any body; that would mean that we’ve all come to at least a moderate level of sensibility. Unfortunately this is not the case.
While I am sure that you, reader, will not go into the world trying to get into people’s houses, I just hope that this story will help you to be more aware of your surroundings, of the people you don’t know, and of the presence of senseless people.
Until next time
kp
The man, who I pegged to be at least 30 years old, claimed to be a local college freshman. He told me that his first college assignment was to meet neighbors to get over his fear of talking to strangers. After a lot of filler, he asked to come inside to talk. Not really knowing what to do, I simply pointed to our No Solicitors Please sign and said (albeit awkwardly,) “Uh, umm, no, no thank you.” This man then decided to start calling me a name which I find to be one of the ugliest, most derogatory words that some people choose to keep in their vocabulary. (I won’t even write it here, that’s how offensive it is.) I then shut all of the doors and locked each lock, and told the man (through the window) that he needed to get off of my property and that I was calling the police.
There are so many senseless things in this, that I can’t even breathe...
First of all - This man was coming to my house most likely to steal things. He went to my neighbors’ door and told them he had to meet his neighbors in order to win free books from Borders. Clearly this man’s motives were not the best.
Second - The sign on our door says “No Solicitors Please.” The “No Solicitors” part means that if you are soliciting something, say your neighbors’ time, then we unfortunately do not welcome you to our house. The “Please” part means we’re nice about it. Unless you call me names...then I call the police.
Third - His vocabulary. If this man had any extensive vocabulary, he would have been able to convince me that he legitimately needed to talk with me, and he would have been able to come up with a more intellectual name to call me. But alas his vocabulary was limited. All the more reason I should call the police. Especially if he is about to start college.
Fourth - Joking aside, this man was just out right offensive and senseless. I wished that I’d never have to call the police on any body; that would mean that we’ve all come to at least a moderate level of sensibility. Unfortunately this is not the case.
While I am sure that you, reader, will not go into the world trying to get into people’s houses, I just hope that this story will help you to be more aware of your surroundings, of the people you don’t know, and of the presence of senseless people.
Until next time
kp
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