This Applies To Everyone But Me

R.a.n.t. of week 01/27/13

I've hinted at this pet-peeve on many occasions. It's when people ignore simple rules. Never mind making their own lane on the free-way, sometimes it's just the simple things that drive me up the wall. I recently had to renew my drivers license and I was in a big hurry. I planned several things for the day including an approaching trip to the dentist, re-signing up for Weight Watchers and making it to the gym. I mention all the other things I planned to illustrate how busy my schedule was. If anyone has ever been to the DMV, you know how long the lines can be. As I and everyone else were waiting patiently in line, some lady simply walks up to the counter and demands to be next. No rhyme, no reason, she just didn't want to wait. It's not like she shouldn't have known, signs were posted all over the place, and how can you miss seeing the queue? Well, maybe she couldn't read or is half-blind. I suspect the former.is one possibility. At first the attendant began dealing with her until someone else in the line mentioned how she had cut everyone else off. Her reply? "I don't have time". No, neither do any of us. At least she was asked to go to the back of the line. The rest of the time she grumbled about wanting to get back home because standing in line was ridiculous. I guess she felt the rules didn't apply to her. Or maybe she felt the rest of us were enjoying our queue session.

Another example of the "simple rules" is part of my continued annoyance with my fitness gym. I won't even talk about when someone steals my soap (another r.a.n.t?), that's just being rude. There are plenty of signs posted to make the experience a more pleasing one; at least one less devoid of chaos. When on the track, slower people (much like cars) should be to the side. No, this doesn't apply to everyone. Some people would rather walk in the centre of the track, and go as slow as possible, slightly weaving left or right. Then there are the couple who walk side by side, blocking the entire track so no one can get through. A few more rules people seem to forget about or act as if they don't apply to them - wiping off equipment when done, disposing of garbage in the bin. How about don't take photos of people. Really? People need to be told this?

How about rules at the grocery store? In a recent r.a.n.t. I talked about people in the speedy zone who like to check out with more items than they are allowed. I'd rehash that here, but you can just read about it HERE. Wow, just looked back at this article. I thought it was going to be a quick, short and simple rant. When I get going, I really get going. Now I feel bad for going over bloggers newly enacted one-paragraph rule. Really, only one paragraph? Surely that rule doesn't apply to me.

What rules do people ignore that really bother you?










* For the record, blogger has NOT enacted a one-paragraph rule. I made that up.

The Evil Book of Face

R.a.n.t. of week 01/20/13

I was talking with a mutual Facebook friend the other day about a post, suddenly another friend came up and mentioned how much they hated Facebook. I tried to ask what their problem was and for the most part they didn't know. The overall gist I think they were trying to make is it's invasive and intrusive. A point was made how they tried it once and got tired of friend requests from people they didn't know. Additionally, they read a story of how everything you post to Facebook is open for the entire world to see, despite your privacy settings. Overall, they didn't see the need for it. Okay, fair enough. But I look at it in a different way. From my perspective it's more of a tool. And like any tool, if you mistreat it, you are prone to get hurt. Imagine you suddenly decide to try juggling and think hammers or chainsaws would be cool to start off with. These tools are not meant to be juggled, so they are likely going to injure a novice juggler. Same thing for Facebook. If you don't want to be intruded, don't put things on Facebook you don't want others to see. Simple enough. Same goes for photos, places you visit or contact information. Personally I don't even put my full information up. Even my home town and current residence I change frequently. For me Facebook is a great way to stay in contact with friends, play games, and share my writing and photography. In fact once I'm done writing this article, I'll be posting to Facebook to share with others. See you there, unless you are going to practice juggling with swords, then I'll see you at St. Luke's.

Posting A Cat

Good morning friend,

where are you at?

I see you've already

posted your cat.

I'm not so good,

my car had a flat.

Oh there you are,

'nother post with a cat.

I was fired today,

how about that?

A third post from you?

It's not even your cat.

Then my house was egged

by that neighbourhood brat.

Yet I see you've found

that grumpy ol' cat.

Tripped in the dark

and I fell down flat.

As you posted a video.

It's a ninja cat!

I'm now ready for bed,

It's time I should scat.

you'll likely stay up
posting Garfield the cat.

J.A. Scott 

Safeguard Your Mind

If we rely on just our thought,
the thinking process won't be kind.
For mental keenness in our life,
we love Jehovah with whole mind.

And help, we must, our fellow man,
when mind is blinded by a veil.
Reasoning from the scriptures,
showing proof. It will never fail.

With this knowledge we then have,
how do we show our gratitude?
Amongst ourselves it's paramount,
to have a Christlike attitude.

Reading we know, is not enough.
Meditation is essential.
As we ponder, become absorbed,
advancement reaches full potential.

Let us allow Jehovah God,
to mold our minds, our every thought.
With things serious, righteous, chaste,
the pleasing things that God has taught.

This we do within the family,
husbands, wives and children too.
We can not know the mind of God,
but the mind of Christ we can pursue.

What sort of person ought you to be?
If ready for Jehovah's day?
Keep it close, so close in mind,
it really is the only way.

So let's brace up our minds,
to combat negativity.
Prepared to endure trials,
we pursue theocratic activity.

If we apply what we have learned,
and give it continued review.
We please the God of true Peace
and he will always be with you.

J.A.Scott


This poem was inspired from the following scriptures:
1. Matthew 22:37
2. Acts 17:2-3
3. Romans 15:5
4. 1 Timothy 4:15
5. Philippians 4:8,9
6. 1 Corinthians 2:16
7. 2 Peter 3: 11, 12
8. 1 Peter 1: 13
9. Philippians 4:9

Health Insurance Meeting

R.a.n.t. of week 01/13/13

My company recently had our annual health insurance meeting. At this meeting, we generally go over what has changed between this year and the previous year health insurance. If you are anything like me, the information can be a bit hard to digest at times. Lots of facts and figures are thrown our way and after a while, I'm like, 'HUH'? For an example, here's a paraphrased example of the conversation we had.

"Welcome to the health insurance meeting. Sorry we didn't bring any doughnuts or Suzie's cheesecakes, we didn't think anyone would be interested. There is some black coffee available, hope you don't like sugar or cream. Anyway, let's jump right into the meeting shall we?"

"As you'll notice in the packet we've made available, there are some major and minor changes to the health insurance that were really necessary this year. If you'll open the packet and take out the white noise form, located behind the white noise form, you'll notice the facts and figures of white noise for the year has white noise in the white noise with the necessary white noise. This white noise feature covers white noise but leaves out white noise for when you white noise with the white noise in the white noise of white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white noise white 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Thank you for your attention. See you next year."

The Alarm Clock

R.a.n.t. of week 01/06/13

♫...then put your little hand in mine. There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb.♪
Suddenly it's six o'clock and you have to wake up. Or do you? Different people approach the alarm clock in different fashions. Phil, in the movie 'Groundhog Day' took a novel approadch to his alarm clock. He smashed it to bits. Other people do something a little less destructive. This is where the snooze bar comes in. For many, it's the only viable option. I mean how ridiculous would it be to actually wake up when you planned to wake up? Jim Gaffigan joked how the snooze bar encourages people to make the first decision of the day, a poor decision of the day. Suddenly instead of getting up for the gym, you are snoozing. Then bypass the shower in favour of another snooze. He concluded the joke by mentioning how in extreeme cases, a person may even hit the snooze one last time because they've always wondereed what it would be like to be on welfare.

Of course he had a point, hitting snooze is just delaying the inevitable. Yet maybe that could be a good thing. Let's say you are car-pooling and are being picked up by a coworker who just bought a new car. You are about to step in the car when you realize you already stepped in a 'schnauzer surprise'. Now if you had a 'Life Snooze Bar ©', you could hit the snooze bar and step in the 'surprise' after you get out of the car. Avoiding the embarrassment of holding everyone up as you clean your shoe before getting into the car.

Another interesting use of the 'Life Snooze Bar ©' would be when you have some sort of project at home that really needs to get done. You just don't want to do it so you hit the snooze bar and....... hmmmm. Actually I think there is an invention for this sort of thing, it's called procrastination.

I guess another good use would be when you have your heart broken. When you get tired of the pain you are suffering, hit the snooze bar as often as you like till a more convenient time comes along. Till then you can pretend every thing is okay. I guess in a way, video games and TV kind of do that huh?

Well there must be more uses for the 'Life Snooze Bar ©'. I suppose you are probably expecting me to come up with a few more uses. Okay, that's fine. Hmmmmmmm, I uh...... do have more I can mention. They are.... uhhhhhhh

SNOOZE

Alone

Alone I was,
when I was born.

Alone I am,
my love I mourn.

I walk alone,
I dance alone,
I stand alone,
I die...
alone.

J.A.Scott