Whatever happened to polite?

I found this blog entry at Ordinary Courage. All I can say is "thank you" to Brene! Thank you for speaking so eloquently to this very real lack of respect that is permeating society today.

Is it really so hard to be polite? To say "thanks" or "you're welcome" or "excuse me"??? She was prompted to write about the rudeness of people on cell phones, how self-absorbed some of these people are, how they ignore everyone around them, how they ignore others and treat them as if they're not even there, how rude and ignorant they are to those who are working for them or doing something for them...

One of my pet peeves, and, yes, it's one of many and it's not going to save the world... one of my pet peeves is when I drive through a tollbooth and I hand that person my hard-earned money (we don't have an EZ-Pass), 9 times out of 10 they don't say thank you. Now I know they're getting paid to be there, and I know that I'm not giving them money out of the kindness of my heart (I sort of have to, if I want to go any further on the road!), but would it kill them to say "thanks" or "have a nice day" - especially when I say (and I don't know why I do this!) thanks to them (for taking my money????)? This will ALWAYS prompt me to make a nasty little comment like, "How RUDE!" as I drive off to finish my trip.

I hope I remember to always be polite and considerate and not take anyone for granted. And please, remind me I said this if you see me treat someone like the dirt on the bottom of my shoe!!!

TEAL - Typo Eradication Advancement League

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-typo-guys-0521may21,0,6902266.story?page=1

Two guys, armed with Sharpies, Wite-Out, chalk and markers, traveling the country, correcting typographical errors.

WHY THE HECK DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS???

Finding typos is my life! I derive such satisfaction, along with my frustration and irritation, from finding typos. DH teases me that I can't read anything without finding something wrong, either a grammatical error or a typo or even an error in content (believe it or not, Dante did not write Paradise Lost!). I've caught the heroine's eyes changing from blue to green (sans contacts!), her name changing from chapter 1 to chapter 3, the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean (which I suppose could technically happen if the story took place in Hawaii, but the heroine was on the beach next to the Pacific Coast Highway in California!), etc.

Typos are all over and no one cares. No one.

It drives me NUTS. So nuts that if I post a blog entry and find a type later on, I'll actually open the entry and correct it. (IF I see it - if you find one, let me know so I can correct it!) When I hit "send" in an email and miss a misspelling or a grammatical error, it's enough to ruin my day. I will beat myself up over it for an hour!

Okay, I have to go!!!

I was reading on a favorite blog of mine that some readers seem to feel that the author's writings are 150% true. Okay. She addressed the fact that she's a writer, that this is her writing blog. Writers don't just write the truth. Sometimes she includes truth, stories from her life, and sometimes they're just writing exercises. If you've read her more than once, you can figure it out quite easily.

My blog is basically an online diary. What I write here happens or happened to me. Yes, I live a boring, quiet, tedious life. You're not going to read about serial killers and wild orgies. You're going to read about the trials and tribulations of adding a second level to our home. You're going to read stories about my college years (stories which are, well, boring, quiet and tedious, but might make for some almost fun reading now, 26+ years later!). You're going to read about things that are going on in my life, in my family's lives (names changed to protect the innocent and the embarrassed!). No lies, no tales, no writing exercises. The actual accounting of these mini episodes of not very much (an homage to Jerry Seinfeld) is my writing exercise. I would like to try to make them a little less boring than they were in real life, but without deceitful embellishment and lies. Let me know if I succeed.

My DSD gave me a little ornament-sized, hand-carved angel for Mother's Day, and mentioned that she thought I might like to keep it on my desk. (http://www.demdaco.com/detail.aspx?ID=10285 This is the one she gave me.) With my renewed determination to stick to my WW diet and exercise at least a bit more than I've been doing, the health and happiness angel is the one for me!

Last night DH had a Board Meeting to attend. (Update: They approved his After-School Program, but didn't hire any instructors or approve the budget. Go figure.) He met me at his sister's house, where we were both invited to dinner. (Thanks, DSIL!) It's our usual Monday night routine, with a twist. Usually we have dinner and go there for dessert, every Monday, without fail, unless derailed by illness or other plans. We watch Dancing with the Stars (well, it's on in the background and we usually wind up transfixed!) and talk. Talking is good. I heard some rather entertaining stories about some non-family members and ex-family members last night. Stories that would curl your hair if I repeated them here, but they are too unique - there would be no way to protect the guilty and I don't want to be responsible for putting these out in cyberspace for all to see and judge. Suffice it to say, there's a really good reason my SIL loves me and hates DH's ex!!! Aside from being a vindictive witch, she's malicious and mean, too.

Okay, I'll tell you the story... There was a girl, long ago, who had a crush on my DH (before he was my DH!) and he really didn't have anything to do with her. Years went by. Eventually he met and married his ex. The ex knew about the crush somehow, or just guessed; the girl was a friend of an in-law. The girl got engaged and then she was dumped. The ex sent a copy of her own wedding invitation to the girl, with a note scrawled on it: "The best girl won."

WHAT???!!! WHY on EARTH would you do ANYTHING so MEAN and ROTTEN???!!! 'Cause she's who she is. That's why. 'Nough said.

And that's a true story. Not part of my immediate life, but once or twice removed. But it does make good reading, I think...