My (controlled) rant for the day
Oh, the ranting is flowing freely tonight!! In fact, there are a few different things I could bitch about, and I'm a little torn between which I would most like to share. But in the interest of protecting the well-being of my completely dysfunctional stereo and laptop, we'll go with the topic least likely to involve me throwing something off my balcony. Enter at your own peril.
For anyone who shops at Target, please allow me to share two very simple rules that will make everyone's day safer and less aggravating:
Rule #1: Those red octagons along the driveway in front of the store? The ones that sit on either side of the pedestrian crossings? That have the word "STOP" painted on them in white? Those are known as stop signs. Difficult concept, I know...so let me explain. When you see one, you should apply your foot gently to the brake, and come to at least a rolling stop next to the sign to ensure there are no people in or about to enter that crossing. I know you're in a hurry...we all are. But trust me - the five seconds it takes to stop and let me make it across the driveway is a much smaller headache than the lawsuit I file when your SUV or truck or sportscar runs me over. And I at least know (after too many close calls lately) to watch out for your dumb ass. The five year old kid who can't wait to get inside and see what new toys are on the shelves? He doesn't know to stop to see if some idiot is going to ignore the stop sign. Heaven help you if you hit that kid!
and Rule #2: When you are walking down an aisle inside the store and stop to ponder which brand of dish soap will leave your dishes the cleanest, please don't leave your cart parked in the middle of the aisle. Or if you absolutely insist on doing this, don't even glare at me when I politely ask if I can slide by. Yes, aisles are designed to accommodate the width of two carts...but only if customers are willing to "share the road". Because I can't snap my fingers and shrink my cart. So get a clue, and I won't have to interrupt your train of thought.
Grrr. This isn't too much to ask, is it? I don't think I'm being unreasonable. Or did I just miss the memo that grants us all permission to be stupid?
(Post Script: So I'm browsing the news online, and come across this little tidbit of news:
"GMAC Insurance administered a 20-question test -- similar to a traditional licensing test at the local DMV – to 5,288 drivers and released the results last week. Of those tested, nearly 10% were unable to answer enough questions correctly to achieve a passing score of 70. If the test results are any guide, America's pedestrians are in deep, deep trouble. 20% of drivers do not know that a pedestrian has the right of way at a marked or unmarked crosswalk. 1 in 3 drivers don’t usually stop for pedestrians – even if they’re in a crosswalk or at a yellow light. One-third admit they speed up to make a yellow light even when pedestrians are in the crosswalk."
Yeah, that 20%...all live in Houston, and they all shop at Target!)
Where I am: Home (for a month!)
What I'm re-reading: The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
For anyone who shops at Target, please allow me to share two very simple rules that will make everyone's day safer and less aggravating:
Rule #1: Those red octagons along the driveway in front of the store? The ones that sit on either side of the pedestrian crossings? That have the word "STOP" painted on them in white? Those are known as stop signs. Difficult concept, I know...so let me explain. When you see one, you should apply your foot gently to the brake, and come to at least a rolling stop next to the sign to ensure there are no people in or about to enter that crossing. I know you're in a hurry...we all are. But trust me - the five seconds it takes to stop and let me make it across the driveway is a much smaller headache than the lawsuit I file when your SUV or truck or sportscar runs me over. And I at least know (after too many close calls lately) to watch out for your dumb ass. The five year old kid who can't wait to get inside and see what new toys are on the shelves? He doesn't know to stop to see if some idiot is going to ignore the stop sign. Heaven help you if you hit that kid!
and Rule #2: When you are walking down an aisle inside the store and stop to ponder which brand of dish soap will leave your dishes the cleanest, please don't leave your cart parked in the middle of the aisle. Or if you absolutely insist on doing this, don't even glare at me when I politely ask if I can slide by. Yes, aisles are designed to accommodate the width of two carts...but only if customers are willing to "share the road". Because I can't snap my fingers and shrink my cart. So get a clue, and I won't have to interrupt your train of thought.
Grrr. This isn't too much to ask, is it? I don't think I'm being unreasonable. Or did I just miss the memo that grants us all permission to be stupid?
(Post Script: So I'm browsing the news online, and come across this little tidbit of news:
"GMAC Insurance administered a 20-question test -- similar to a traditional licensing test at the local DMV – to 5,288 drivers and released the results last week. Of those tested, nearly 10% were unable to answer enough questions correctly to achieve a passing score of 70. If the test results are any guide, America's pedestrians are in deep, deep trouble. 20% of drivers do not know that a pedestrian has the right of way at a marked or unmarked crosswalk. 1 in 3 drivers don’t usually stop for pedestrians – even if they’re in a crosswalk or at a yellow light. One-third admit they speed up to make a yellow light even when pedestrians are in the crosswalk."
Yeah, that 20%...all live in Houston, and they all shop at Target!)
Where I am: Home (for a month!)
What I'm re-reading: The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks
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