04.25.08
Ponder This.
Ever notice how some people have a lot of “stuff”‘ in the back window of their car? I wonder how many of those people get into accidents when they are backing up or changing lanes because they can’t see.
04.15.08
Don’t Take Your Lunch for Granted
I’m getting cranky in my “old” age. Maybe I’m just noticing inconsistency more these days. I don’t know. I just know I’m annoyed at the stupid political BS that runs rampant in this country.
There was a piece on NPR yesterday, talking about how Bush is sending a bunch of food aid to various developing countries. [I won't get into the fact that it would be better/faster/more efficient to send money rather than ship food.] It’s great that we are trying to be good world citizens (??) and help other countries in their time of need, without starting a war, but I wonder…
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03.23.08
Water, Water, Everywhere…
I’m on the email mailing lists of a number of different charitable organizations, and I receive emails about their activities on a fairly frequent basis. Some of these lists receive postings from other organizations, which is nice, because it allows me to be informed about related work that is going on in other organizations. I received one such email a couple of weeks ago, from a group that is starting up a clean drinking water program for schools in developing nations. “Great idea.” Was my first thought. Drinking water for schools means that an entire community (potentially) has access to clean drinking water. This is such an important thing for everyone - clean water means a reduction in disease, and an increase in crop harvests, and is in general, a critical part of human survival.
Which started me thinking (or rather, made an internal conversation surface again): what about clean drinking water in this country?
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02.27.08
The Library
I went to the library today to pick up a couple of books for the weekend. I’m about to finish the book I’m currently reading, Notes From the Mothership The Naked Invisibles
I walk in, pick out a couple of books, and head to the check out counter. As I’m waiting patiently to check out, a cell phone goes off very loudly. I didn’t have a problem with the fact that the phone rang, stuff happens and people forget to turn their phones off. I’ve forgotten before myself. I can but I DO have a problem with the fact that the woman ANSWERED the phone and proceeded to talk on the phone for several minutes, all the while telling the person on the other end that she was in the library, and she had to get off the phone. SO WHY DID YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE IN THE FIRST PLACE??! Duh. Turn the ringer off or take the phone outside, but don’t answer the phone in an area that is specifically off-limits. Sheesh!
One of the things I love about a library is the quiet that allows time to stand still for a while, while you are picking out your next ticket to another world. We did fine without phones in libraries before… ugh. Nothing is sacred.
On a happier note, I’ve gotten a good bit of reading done in the last couple of months:
- The Sugar Camp Quilt
- Atonement: A Novel
- The United States of Arugula: The Sun Dried, Cold Pressed, Dark Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
- The Birth House
- Ptolemy’s Gate (Bartimaeus Trilogy - Book 3)
02.17.08
Urgh!
I almost hurled when I read this. I’m not sure which is worse, that the animals were treated so horribly, or that the meat went to school kids. Further proof that the meat industry needs to be cleaned up - literally.
10.26.07
UGH!
There are some letters that you should not have to receive on Friday. Included in that list is a letter that we received today, from Bank of America:
Hello, we seem to have misplaced a $925 cash deposit that you made. We’ve subtracted it from your account and we’re not going to do anything until Monday, so you’ll have to wait until at least Tuesday to find out anything about where your money went. We appreciate your business.
Okay, so I’m paraphrasing a bit… up until the last sentence. What the hell is that? We appreciate your business, so we’re going to lose your money. Humph.
I’ve already called the 800 number, and I’m going down to the branch for the few Saturday hours that they have. I need to make some noise, because this is unacceptable. $20? I’m not happy, but I’m not going to waste much energy. $925? You can bet that someone is going to get a piece of my mind.
ETA:
10/28/2007 - I figured out yesterday morning, that the mistake was mine. I also figured out that they did not count the deposit when I made it (I knew there was a reason I don’t usually do deposits via the drive-through.). That bugs me. They should have counted it then - SOP when you take it to the teller IN the bank. If they had told me when I made the deposit that I screwed up, I would have accepted it with no problem. Instead, they take the money out of my account and send me a letter. I’m not okay with that.
