PSA: Help Us Help You

One of the jobs I work requires me to look up people by name, birthday, phone number, etc. It's not a difficult thing to do unless the customer makes it difficult. Which happens more often than one would imagine.

A customer comes to me for service and I immediately look to retrieve their information by asking for a name. First and last and I only use the first three letters of each. So when you arrive and I ask who you're picking up for, "Me" is not going to help me help you. I know you've been to see me before, probably numerous times, so you know the routine. Give me your first and last name, or the name of the person whose product you're getting. "Mary" won't cut it. You're not the only Mary in the world.

But here is where more difficulty appears. I'll ask for a name and get "Caleb Smith" as an answer. Great. I type in the first three letters of each. CAL, SMI. Nobody appears. I ask for a birthday. I get 06,09,2003. Excellent. Oops. Something's wrong. No account appears. I try asking again to confirm the information. Caleb Smith? "Yes." June 9, 2003? "Yes." Nothing comes up. When I explain this to the customer they insist that the information is correct and that they have an order waiting.

Okay, let's try again. Confirm the birthday again. June 6, 2003. "Yes." Spell Smith. I get an eyeroll and a sigh. S-M-I-T-H. Okay, just checking. Spell Caleb. Even bigger eyeroll and sigh. K-H-A-L... WAIT! WHAT? You spell Caleb KHALEB and you're getting annoyed with me for not knowing that? Are you serious? Most everyone else spells Caleb the conventional way. You decided to spell it some unconventional way and expect everyone to know that in advance?

I can't tell you how many people come to me and then get annoyed that I can't spell Annita, or Maygahn, or Kiyleigh or Mikel without assistance. Do us a favor. If the name you're giving me isn't spelled the conventional way, SPELL IT FOR ME so we don't waste each other's time. There is a line building up behind you and the faster I get your information, the faster I can get you through the line and move on to the next customer.

And while we're here, let me just mention to all of you younger people that we older people do, in fact, now that months correlate with numbers. January is one (1), February is (2) and so on down the line. You are allowed to say that your birthday is June 6, 2003 without having to say zero six, zero nine, two zero zero three. I actually had a mid-20s kid begin his birthday with November, then stopped and said 11... So I did point out, politely but firmly, that I do know that months have numbers. His response, "Oh, I wasn't sure." And he was dead serious.

So in the best interest of all of us involved, please spell your name if it has an odd spelling, and say your birthday as if you believe I have a decent level of intelligence. It'll move the process along faster so you can get your order and get back to the phone call that you just couldn't ignore while trying to interact with me.

Until next time...peace to all.

Please Knock First

I have to talk about this because it makes me insane. Public restrooms. The ones that are single use, just one room with a toilet and sink. One person only. Why do people not knock before trying the door? It's basic common courtesy to knock before trying to enter a closed room.

I can't tell you how many times I've been in the restroom at either of my jobs, or just out at a store, and someone has come along and tried to enter, just assuming that nobody was in there. Why are you making that assumption? It's actually quite startling to the person using the facilities to suddenly hear someone trying to enter the bathroom. Thoughts popping up in rapid succession. "Did I lock the door?" "I hope that lock works." "Please don't let that door open." "ACK!!" What the heck, people?

When you are at home and the bathroom door is closed do you just assume nobody is in there and try to open the door? If you do try, is the door locked by the person in there or do you cause an embarrassing situation for both of you? "Oops! Heh heh. Sorry." as you back out while closing the door. Nobody wants to be caught in that position so the proper thing to do is to knock before attempting to open the door. I always knock first, at home and in public. I don't understand why everybody doesn't follow that process. What's so difficult about it?

And if you're in the bathroom and someone does knock, how do you respond? I've just said whatever I could think of on such short notice. "Someone's in here." "Occupied." "Hold on, I wasn't expecting company." Is there a proper way to let someone know the facilities are in use? It's hard to come up with something in that situation, right? I mean, you're not exactly at your best and the person outside knows it. It's actually kind of creepy when you think about it. Especially when you indicate your presence and you know that stranger is now standing outside the door listening to you do your business. Now you have to keep everything quiet because you've lost your privacy. Yikes!

I'm also not sure if most people realize it but single-use bathrooms can be used by anyone, regardless of the fact that they are labeled "Men" and "Women". Nobody else is in there so who cares who's using it? I do it all the time. If someone is in the women's room, I'll use the men's room as long as it's empty. It's not a big deal. It's the same exact room, most of the time. There are some men's rooms that have a urinal also installed but I have no interest there. Some friends and coworkers I have spoken to refuse to use the other bathroom, but I do know others who will use whichever restroom is available since they know they'll be in there alone. Provided the next person who comes along actually knocks first. Hint, hint!

Until next time...peace to all.

Making a Comeback

It's been well over a year since I've been here. I've been busy. Working, working, and more working. Two jobs is a tough gig but someone's gotta do it. Sometimes I feel like all I do is eat, sleep and work. Lots of people do it and it sucks that we have to work so much just to survive. But it is what it is.

On my only day off, Saturday, I sit and relax my happy ass on the sofa and watch movies and color on an app on my phone. It's the best way I know to just reset, rejuvenate, and realign. I try not to think about what's coming in the next week - not work, not bills, not appointments, nothing. Sometimes it's necessary just to keep going. It's actually pretty nice but I often think there are other things I could be doing. More productive things, like cleaning the garage or the basement, or steam cleaning the sofas, or any number of things that need to be done around the house. I just don't have the ambition and don't want to waste my only day off with chores.

But starting next month I'll be granted one Sunday off per month, at my request, because I've missed having two days off in a row. With the extra day off I can spend one doing chores and the other relaxing so I'll get things done that need done, and still have time to do nothing if I so choose. But I know I've also missed being here so I'm going to find a way to get back to my blogging on a regular basis. There are always things I want to talk about but never seem to find the time. I don't even know what inspired me to start today. It must be the universe telling me it's time.

So I just thought I'd come back and do a short "welcome back to me" post to get things going. I know it's not much but it'll do for now. For the rest of today I'm going to watch a few more movies, color a few more pictures, and think about what I'd like to talk about in the future. And I'm going to sit here and breathe, knowing that everything always works out the way it's supposed to.

Until next time...peace to all.

Is It Worth It?

Weed is legal now in a lot of states!! YAY!! You can buy it for recreational use and, in some states, you can even grow it. Everybody is thrilled about it and overly excited for it to become legal so that their fun was no longer forbidden. But you know what? I couldn't care less about it because I don't see the point of it.

I've tried it a few times in the way distant past. Haven't touched it in years because I don't get it. I don't understand why people feel the need to be high all the time. I don't understand what it does for them to cause them to need to feel disconnected. Medical reasons I understand; if it helps, have at it. Recreational use is beyond my comprehension at this point.

I worked in a movie theater recently and saw people who must have hot-boxed their vehicle before they came to see the film. They'd stand at the concession stand swaying in their shoes, unable to even focus on the menu because they couldn't keep their eyes open. Then they'd ask questions with, quite literally, obvious answers because they couldn't comprehend what they were seeing right in front of them. And the stink would linger for what felt like forever after they left, giving me an almost instant headache.

People come to the drive-thru at the pharmacy where I now work for my second job and I pass them off to another employee because I don't want the headache that I know I'll get from the weed stink coming from their vehicle. So not only are people getting high, they're driving under the influence, too. Doesn't make me feel real safe on the roads, especially when I'm driving my garbage truck and smell it coming from passing vehicles.

Yes, I'm a professional driver who put a lot of hard work into getting my CDL and, even if I cared about getting high, I won't risk my license for a little recreational enjoyment. But I see a lot of people who don't seem to care one way or the other. "Weed is legal so it must be okay for me to drive while I'm high." Guess what! It's not! It's still driving while impaired and carries fines and even jail time, depending on the offense. But you don't care about that because you get to use it legally now.

However, even though it's state legal it's not federally legal and anyone with a CDL is still forbidden from using it. Again, you people don't care. I've seen co-workers lose their jobs because they got called in for a random drug test and dropped dirty because of a now-legal drug. Not only did they lose this job but they can't get another driving job because they also lost their license for a year, minimum, according to federal regulations.

Since many companies require a drug test before being hired, I wonder how well they'll do getting another job at all. Okay, okay, there are detox drinks and shit like that that someone can take on the day of a drug test and hope they pass it. Then they do and they get the job, and continue getting high on their off time. A few months later they get called in for a random test and - BAM - another job down the tubes. And that's for anyone, not just drivers.

"YAY! I CAN LEGALLY GET HIGH IN MY FREE TIME NOW!" But you're risking your job, possibly your career, and maybe even your driver's license, along with tickets and jail time if you get caught driving while you're high. So let me ask you? Is it worth it? The fun you have while you're high might be great in your opinion, but at what cost?

"It helps me forget my problems," you might say. But the problems are still there when you come back down. "I have anxiety/stress (or whatever other issue you might claim) so it helps with that." There are other ways to combat those problems, too, and I'm not talking about medications. With a little research, I'm sure you can find those measures on your own. Google it.

I'm not lecturing, not condemning, not judging. I'm questioning. I know a lot of people who use weed in some form on a daily basis, and that's their choice. It's also your choice. You do you, but keep it away from me. I simply don't get it and I don't understand why people would risk so much on so little.

Until next time...peace to all.

So Much Anger, All the Time

Well, it feels good to be back after a long hiatus, again. But here I am and I'm going to try, yet again, to be here on a more regular basis. We'll see what happens, I guess. There is just so much going on lately, and so much to say, that it's hard to find time to sit and toss my thoughts out there. I'm going to start making the time, though, because I deserve it. So we'll get right into it now, shall we?

One thing I've noticed over the past however long is the constant anger I see everywhere. From so many people. People who are always griping and complaining and walking around with sour faces and negative attitudes. And, for the life of me, I don't understand why. I probably will never understand either, and there's no use in even trying. I just think it must be so exhausting to walk around so miserable all the time. I don't think I could carry that much negativity and still get through each day.

Before we moved we had several neighbors who were always screaming and yelling over things that seemed trivial. I know why they were angry because I could hear everything they said, all the time. Our next-door neighbor was either screaming inside her home or, if we got lucky, screaming at someone on the phone from the parking lot. It was almost like she needed to show the entire neighborhood that she was angry. In the two years we lived next door to her I never once saw her smile.

I work with people, at two different jobs, who are always angry about their job, or that the local sports team lost a game, or the weather is not to their liking. Customers are always complaining that we didn't serve them properly, regardless of which job I'm at. They complain because their trash wasn't dumped properly or their prescription wasn't filled on time. And it's not just complaining, there is anger behind it. I don't get it.

There are thousands of videos online posted by people who are angry that things aren't the way they think everything ought to be. If it isn't their way, it's wrong and that makes them angry. People disagree with them and they get offended and angry. They don't like what their elected officials are doing and that makes them angry. Policies at work changed and they get angry. It doesn't matter what it is, they get angry over it.

Their neighbor drives an ugly car, anger. Their kid didn't get invited to a birthday party, anger. Their favorite restaurant closed, anger. Prices at the supermarket went up, anger. Someone's talking too loudly, anger. They hit every stoplight on the way to work, anger. A coworker got a raise and they didn't, anger. So. Much. Anger.

Why? What's the point of all the anger? What good does it do? Does it change anything? Maybe, but probably not. So why not express the feelings once and then let the issue go? Constant anger causes physical problems - heart conditions, raised blood pressure, digestive issues, muscle aches, and more. It also causes stress in the household because most often people take their anger out on those closest to them which only causes more anger from those around them. It's an unending cycle.

I'm not saying I don't get angry, because I do. I don't, however, hold onto it. There is no reason for me to because it doesn't do me any good physically, mentally or emotionally. I don't want to be angry all the time because I would prefer to focus on the positive things going on around me. I choose to not focus on what displeases me, and I choose to not make angry people around me the focus of my day. If something makes me angry, I voice it and move on because, most times, there isn't anything I can do to change or fix the issue anyway. If I can, I do; if I can't, I let it go.

It's just really sad to think that so many people feel the need to focus so much on their anger. If they really think about it, is the anger worth it? Will it make everything all better? Will it even matter a month, a year, or ten years from now? Is the issue really that big in the grand scheme of life? If it is to you, so be it. Just know that the only one you're hurting is yourself, but that's your choice, I guess. I'm just going to sit over here and stay out of your way.

Until next time...peace to all.

 

Cancel Culture, Stop Minding My Business

Years ago if people had a problem with something going on in the world they would voice their opinion and perhaps protest - peacefully. Maybe changes would be made, maybe they wouldn't. But people dealt with it and moved on with their lives. Today, with the advancement of technology and social media, it's so very different that it makes me not want to leave my house. This whole "Cancel Culture" crap is nothing but groups of people minding everyone else's business and it needs to stop.

I do my own thing. I have my own beliefs. I taught my children to think for themselves and to question authority when needed. I've never tried to force my opinions or beliefs onto anyone else, not even my kids. They've always been allowed to make their own choices, unless it was harmful to them or someone else. Now, however, there seems to be a whole lot of individuals and groups of people - mostly Gen Zers and Millennials - who have decided that their opinions are the only ones that matter, and that they know what's best for everybody. I call bullshit!

I'm always being shown videos on social media of people who voice their opinion about a particular subject, regardless of what it may be, and they are adamant that what they think about the subject is the only way to think about it. People respond to the videos voicing their own opinions - some agree and some don't. There are constant vile arguments that take place in the comments regarding whose opinion is the "correct" one and someone, whether the person/group who made the video or a person responding, usually ends up getting banned or suspended just for speaking up about a topic.

My question is this. What gives any of you the right to think you can dictate what the rest of us ought to or ought not be doing or thinking at any given time? Who made you the end-all-be-all of any particular topic of discussion, or of any social issue that might be taking place at the time? And why are you creating issues where there wasn't an issue to begin with?

It doesn't matter where I look - any social media platform, out in public, at my kids' schools - there are individuals, and groups banding together, to put a stop to things they think are the most important and that they believe are harmful to everyone else in the world. Why? When did it become your place to tell us all how to live, what to think, who to believe, and what or who to support or not support?

Don't watch movies with this actor in them because he believes "this" about politics and "our group" thinks it's wrong of him so everybody has to ignore him or, in other words, cancel him. Don't buy this product because the co-creator voiced her opinion on social media and "our" group says she's whatever-phobic and you have to listen to us and cancel her and any products made by, or on behalf of, her.

Don't talk about your preferred religion because it doesn't match "my" beliefs so you need to be cancelled and banned from society and all social media platforms. Don't allow your kids to read these books because "we" have deemed them harmful to their young minds and because "we" said so it must be true, so now the books are being cancelled from any schools and curriculum. Don't attend these concerts because the band's music is disturbing and vile because "our group" says so, so we need to cancel them, too.

Are you fucking kidding me? Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, has a right to their own opinion without it being stepped on by some individual, or by some group, who thinks they are always right and everyone else is always wrong. And just because someone disagrees with you DOES NOT make them whatever -phobic. That's complete bullshit! It just means they have a different opinion. Get over it and move on with your life.

I don't generally mind anyone's business but my own but I did mention to my son a few weeks ago that he might need to follow me around from now on. I'm at a point in my life where I can't take this crap anymore. If I'm in public and I hear someone yelling at someone else because of a difference of opinion - phobic this or phobic that - I can't say I won't jump in and tell accuser off. My son will need to clamp his hand over my mouth and carry me away.

Now you might be saying "That's not minding your own business", and you'd be right. But when I can't go shopping without hearing someone get loud and mouthy because they feel the need to tell someone else that they are wrong for thinking the way they do, the opinionated, mouthy person made it my business, and everyone else's, when they started screaming for all to hear. I have a right to speak up and tell them to shut up at that point.

Many people that I know are actually afraid to speak up these days because they never know who will be standing close by and get "offended" by something that's said, something that probably wasn't even meant for their ears. My own kids have told me that they generally stay out of conversations with classmates because everyone seems to get offended these days over the dumbest shit. That's pretty sad, when you think about it. Not being able to speak up because someone else might cry about it because their sensitive feelings got hurt. Suck it up, Buttercup. Not everyone believes the way you do, and that's okay.

I have always told my kids that there are three kinds of business: your business, the universe's (or God's - however you choose to think about it) business, and other people's business. If you're anywhere other than your own business, you're in the wrong place. So Cancel Culture, why don't you go back to minding your own business and leave the rest of us to live in peace. The world would be a much more pleasant place if you would stop telling the rest of us what to think, how to act, what to believe, what to read, what to watch, who to vote for, what to buy, and anything else you can think of. I'll do me, and you do you, then we'll all be happy.

Until next time...peace to all.

Appreciation Would Be Appreciated

 I've been a garbage truck driver for about a year and a half now and I can tell you that, for all the hard work we drivers and our throwers put in, the lack of customer appreciation sucks. It doesn't matter the weather, we're out there. If it's 100℉ with high humidity or -25℉ in a blizzard, or anywhere in between, it doesn't matter, we're out collecting garbage and a lot of you people don't appreciate it.

Sure, we have some customers who are more than happy to leave us cold water or sodas on hot days, and a few who give us tips at holiday time but a simple thank you would be awesome occasionally. Especially given what we have to collect from the general public. I have five different routes a week and it doesn't matter what kind of neighborhood the route is in, way too many of you people are just plain gross.

Don't get me wrong, I like my job. The pay is good and we get benefits. My thrower is a great guy and we have a lot of fun out on route. I get out and help him, too. He'll put a cart on the tipper and I'll bag out another to speed things up a bit. Or I'll dump the smaller cans and pick up extra bags and cardboard. But the crap, sometimes literally, that we come in contact with would make some people's skin crawl.

We don't understand why it's so difficult for some people to bag their trash. Like, put it in actual garbage bags. Why is it necessary to just dump your household garbage directly into your collection cart? Do you not use bags inside the house? I can't imagine what your kitchen garbage pail looks like since you don't use bags. Not only is it disgusting to have to dump that but if the cart is broken and won't fit on the tipper we have to scoop the garbage into the truck hopper by hand until the cart is light enough to actually lift and dump.

Then there are the people who do bag their garbage but don't tie the bags and then toss them in the cart upside down. Why? Tie the bags, people. It's easier for us to dump it or bag it out if we need to, and it keeps your cart clean. Dirty carts end up with bugs in them in the summertime and sticky the rest of the time. Then loose crap gets stuck to the bottom of the cart and you complain because we didn't completely empty the cart. We're not going to clean your cart for you, that's your job.

There are also the people who toss dog crap straight from their yard into the carts, or dump used cat litter in there. I guess you don't realize that the tipper tosses the trash with force and that stuff flies through the air. We are human beings and don't like getting hit with dog shit and dirty cat litter. Would you? I doubt it. We've also found dead animals loose in the carts, and have also had people pee and crap in their carts. That is just plain disgusting on every level.

On top of all of that, a great many of our customers couldn't care less about our health and safety. On hot or rainy days we do our best to make our pickups as quickly as possible but sometimes we need a break to cool off or wait for a storm to pass. On snowy or icy days there are going to be stops we can't make because customers live on a road that hasn't been plowed or treated and is all ice, or they live on a downhill cul-de-sac where I need to back up. I'm not backing a 50K pound truck downhill on ice or snow. It's dangerous and could cause us to get hurt or damage your property if the truck slides.

Yet you call the office because you got missed that day. No amount of explaining will appease you because "I pay for a service". Yes, you do, but, again, we are human beings and we deserve a little respect. If we had to bypass you this week we'll be back around in a day or two when the roads are clear. If we can't do that, we'll definitely get you next week and pick up everything from the missed week then, as well as the current week.

Not only do you call to complain if we didn't do your pickup because of extenuating circumstances - extreme weather, construction closing your road, emergency vehicles blocking our way to your home, etc. - but you'll lie when you forget to put your cart out on trash day. We're onto you, though. See, our policy is that the carts have to be curbside by 6:00am, or the night before, whichever you prefer. None of us start our routes before 6:00am so when we drive by your house at 6:35am and the cart is up by the garage, I snap a picture of it on my tablet. Then I mark the stop "Not Out". So when you call the office and claim you were missed the customer service ladies can honestly say that we were there at 6:35am but the cart was not curbside by the attached picture. No discount for you. Just be honest, people, and say you forgot. There's no shame in that.

So a few words of advice. Please don't yell at us because your cart has crap stuck to the bottom of the inside because you don't bag your garbage, or throw loose trash in there. Clean the cart. Don't bitch at us because you're garbage wasn't picked up the previous week, just ask us what happened and we'll tell you. Don't threaten to switch companies because we're having a blizzard with sub-zero temperatures and our bosses have decided that it's too cold and dangerous for us to be out driving around in it. Don't put out more than we're allowed to pick up and get angry with us because we can't take it all, there are rules for a reason. And for Pete's sake, stop saying we're "just garbage men/women". We're providing you with a service and we deserve the same respect you want for yourselves. If you see us at your house, simply smile and say, "Thanks for all you do, I really appreciate it." It goes a long way with brightening our day.

Until next time...peace to all.