Politics and Preferences

I have noticed something recently and I wonder about it…

I see a lot of cars on the road that have Obama bumper stickers and most of the drivers are not Caucasian.

I used to see a lot of bumper stickers for Hillary that were on cars driven by girls.

I see a lot of SUV’s that have McCain bumper stickers on them.

And, I have several friends of a religious persuasion that bore Romney stickers on their cars for a while.

I wonder if we gravitate toward those we identify with in spite of their credentials? What really determines our political preferences?

I wonder….

- wowf

Olympic Fervor

Did you watch any of the Olympics? I did. All the athletes were truly amazing. The passion that the participants and viewers showed was contagious.

I wonder what would happen if we showed this same passion and fervor toward charitable acts? What if countries competed to see who could out-do the other in taking care of homelessness? Or, what about seeing which country could be first to remedy poverty or hunger in their homeland?

Hmmm….

I guess there would not be as many big name sponsors or televised coverage. Too bad.

- wowf

Ipitome Of Lazy

I went to the mall the other day. As I got out of my car there was a man standing next to his with his car door open, and what in the world was he doing?

As a woman sat in the passenger seat (his wife? girlfriend?) he stood there urinating in the parking lot! He was less than 100 feet from the mall.

I know they have restrooms in the mall…

Gross!

I rushed into the mall, sickened by this display of nonchalance. I made my purchase and headed back out toward my car only to pass “The Whiz” as he came strutting in with this girl on his arm looking proud as a peacock. Eck! You can have him girl.

- wowf

Boys In Men’s Bodies

Have you ever been into a Men’s Room? It’s nasty. Guys are like boys in men’s bodies. TP is everywhere. Writing on the walls. Cigarette burns on the dispensers. It also seems more makes it onto the floor than in the toilet or urinal — it’s like a sprinkler went off in the room.

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen guys walk right out the door with out washing their hands — gross! Come on guys…

Ladies, do not hold a boys hand or eat after him if he has just been to the restroom. Ask him if he washed his hands and if he didn’t — make him go back and do it.

Business Beers

I was in the airport on a return trip. I decided to grab some dinner and knew the fastest way was to sit at the bar instead of waiting for a table to open.

I sat next to a guy who was on his second beer. While I ordered something to drink and eat, he ordered a double margarita.

While I was eating his cell rang and he talked to the person on the other end about his bar tab. He said his company would pick it up.

Wow, I do not know of many companies that have budget lines for Bar Tabs.

- wowf

Scary Airplane Rides

It is a scary thing to be on an airplane trip when all of a sudden you here the flight attendant over the cabin speaker system asking if there is a nurse, doctor, or emergency medical technician on board.

You hope it is not the pilot they need to see.

Scary…

-wowf

Hurry And Wait

Ever notice how much people are in a hurry? I was at an event last night and people were gathered around the doors to the auditorium where the event was going to take place. They were jockying-for-position.

The doors opened. The auditorium was huge — plenty of room for everyone.

The event did not start for another 45 minutes. Hurrying in order to wait. Sounds like the military.

Boy, we all looked pretty silly outside the doors, huh?

-wowf

Christmas Shopping

I was in the Mall yesterday. Lots of people. Lots of people watching people. I did not see many people shopping.

Strange.

I have most of my shopping done. I have only one or two things to get as stocking-stuffers.

I like to give gifts. I like to see people excited about receiving something they did not expect or ask for. I wonder if others feel the same way? Do some people feel obligated to buy gifts for others? Is it truly a gift if one buys it begrudgingly or because they feel they have to?

- wowf

There Is Still Order In The World

I helped set up for a Christmas party last night. When I arrived at the clubhouse, the parking lot was empty except for a few cars. And you know what? The cars were parked in parking spots. They were neatly sitting between the white lines. Why did the drivers park them this way? No one else was in the lot. They could have parked them wherever and however they wanted, but they did not. Why?

Was it because they knew other cars would be coming? There were going to be other cars but not enough to fill even half the lot.

I think, for the most part, there is still an innate order to the world.

Most people wait for the traffic light to turn green before going. Most people stop at Stop signs before proceeding. Most people drive in their lanes on the highways instead of riding down the breakdown lane or middle of the road.

There is still a sense of order. There is still a sense of respect — by most people.

Of course there are those few that feel they can do whatever they want. I wonder, do they like the consequences of their actions?

-wowf

Illegal Hispanic Workers?

So, I wonder about these men working outside. I have seen many sitting along the curb several miles from my home. They wait for work every day. They wait for someone to pick them up.

Are they legal or illegal? Are they taking work from others? Still, people come and pick them up. Why?

A friend told me he picked up workers like this. He said he used guys like this because they were cheap and very hard working.

What does that say about the rest of us?

- wowf

Judging People

There are a group of guys working outside. They are working on a small business building. Most of them look Hispanic. Are they here legally? I am not being judgmental –  I am just wondering.

We all judge people. We judge them by their looks, their speech, and their belongings.

What a sad world we live in. Who can you trust? I wonder.

- wowf

NextGen Workers

There have been many people coming in and out of Panera today. Many have laptops. This is a microcosm of humanity.

People multi-tasking. People eating, working, talking, and communing.

These are the beginnings of a new generation of workers. Is the business world ready?

- wowf

Music Boy

There is a young boy outside. He is working on a Apple laptop. His iPod ear buds are in. He has his music to listen to.

Is he making music too? Macs are cool like that.
- wowf

Let’s Slow Down

There is a young couple that just came in to the store. They are eating with an elderly couple. The elderly couple is moving very slowly and deliberately. They sit while the young couple gets the food. The older couple eats very slowly.

Eating slow is good for your health.

I wonder what life would be like if we all slowed down a little? What would our health be like?

- wowf

Bragging Rights?

Four girls are talking next to me at Panera. They are discussing drinking habits. One of their friends recently drank a margarita, two beers, and a bottle of wine in one evening. Wow!

I wonder if she made it home okay?

- wowf

Feeding Time At Costco

Have you ever fed fish in a pond? It becomes a frenzy. The fish crowd about and dart around. The big ones roll over the smaller ones vying for the thrown food.

I was at Costco (a discount warehouse) and witnessed a similar sight. When I first entered, the store seemed empty. As I moved back toward the food aisles I witnessed the frenzy. Sampling stations were scattered about the back of the warehouse. Carts and people were packed around these stations. Folks were vying for samples. You could barely get through. Everyone was concerned about themselves. There were several types of moochers I observed:

• Fly By Samplers scooped up tasty treats as they whizzed by with their carts.
• Waiter Darters stood behind the throng and darted their hands in for a quick grab before retreating back several steps to devour their catch.
• Intimidators stood right next to the station and slowly munched their morsels while eyeing passers by.
• Whiner Peeps were the little children that grabbed and pulled at their parents begging for bits of food.

It was hard to get through the throng. It was feeding time at Costco.

- wowf

Watching You Watching Me

I saw another People Watcher this morning. He was sitting at a table by himself with a note pad. He often looked up at people and then returned to his pad. He would scrutinize people in Panera’s — looking them up and down and would then return to his notes.

Is he writing about people too? Is he just doing work and watching people at the same time?

Oh, – I just looked up and found he was looking at me. Wait a minute. He looks familiar.

– 15 minutes later –

Turns out he is an acquaintance. He is also a writer and publisher. Funny world.

- wowf

The Suck Up

I saw a man today. He was a big man. He was a suck up.

While at a conference it is interesting to watch people. Some people try to maneuver closer to the talent. Some have agendas. Some just want to bask in the glow of a “famous person”.

This guy had an agenda. He was too boisterous. He was too accommodating. He schmoozed everyone that was within hand shaking distance. For such a big man, it was obvious he had insecurities. Don’t we all?

He was trying to get close to one of the speakers. The speaker had an entourage. They saw what the Suck Up was trying to do. They were cordial.

The Suck Up spoke to one of the entourage as they made their way toward a backstage door. The last I saw was the speaker and his entourage move through metal double doors as the Suck Up tagged along behind like a dangling appendage.

I wonder what his agenda was?

- wowf

What We Teach Our Kids

“Hey grandpa, nice example. Are you trying to raise another generation of liars and pick-pockets?” I thought to myself.

We have an annual garage sale. Well, it typically is an annual event. We missed last year. So, except for last year, we have one every year.

We usually start around 8:00am. We put 9:00am on the signs knowing that people come an hour earlier trying to get the “good deals” and “pick of the litter”. I cover the things in the garage that are not for sale with sheets. One person always wears the money pouch.

Things are usually very busy up until lunch time. Then we usually find ourselves closing down around 3:00pm.

On the afternoon of this one garage sale it was a slow time. The sun was hot so we were sitting in the shade of the garage. A family pulled up and got out of the car. By the looks of them, there was a mom, grandma and grandpa, and two children. As they were looking over the material another lone lady came walking up and started looking at the clothes we had out.

One of the children, a girl, asked if we had a bathroom. Typically we do not let people in the house. She implied this was an emergency. One of us always goes in to show the way and then hangs around so that they can be escorted back out.

Unfortunately, this leaves only one person outside to watch the tables. Was this on purpose?

The other child was whining at his momma for a toy. Very distracting.

A few minutes later, the little girl was escorted out of the house. She joined her family. Her momma had a few things in her hands including the toy for junior. Grandpa had a couple pieces from the jewelry table in his hand. They both walked up to our “check out” table.

As we were tabulating the total, the lone woman approached Grandpa.

“You’re gonna pay for the other stuff too, right?” she asked the startled man.

Grandpa stammered something incoherent.

“The stuff in your pocket,” the lone woman said.

Sheepishly, Grandpa reached into his pocket and pulled out two necklaces from our jewelry table. He mumbled something and laid them on the table.

Honestly, I was shocked. Momma, Grandma, and the kids seemed nonplussed.

We added the total. Momma pulled out a wad of cash, paid us and the family beat a hasty retreat back to the car. We and the lone woman watched them drive away.

“It’s hard to have a garage sale these days,” said the woman. “I was watching him and saw him put the necklaces into this pocket.”

We all stood there for a moment.

“Hmph. What are we teaching our kids nowadays?” she asked. She paid for a few items and then left, wishing us a prosperous day.

Hmm, what are we teaching our kids? It would not surprise me if Grandpa was coaching his grand kids not to get caught.

Sad.

- wowf

There Was No Shame

I cannot believe the audacity of some people.

I was at an amusement park. I was waiting on family members. They had gone to the Restroom.

I waited inside a gift shop. It was on the end of a row of shops. The front and side were open to all walk-in traffic. The register was located in the middle of the store toward the back. The store was cluttered with large and small racks and large and small bins.

As far as I could tell, there was only one person attending the entire store. The girl was at the register with a customer. I waited by several of the bins near the outside.

Four boys walked up to the store and started to mill around. By their behavior and body language, I could see something was not right.

I looked toward the register. The girl on duty was oblivious to the people on the fringe of her store.

I looked back to the boys. With darting glances within and without the store, it was obvious they noticed the same.

I knew they planned on stealing merchandise. What was I to do? What if they got violent? It could be four against one.

I decided to wait and see if my suspicions were confirmed and then act.

Suddenly, one boy grabbed an action figure and tossed it to one of his mates. The catcher quickly snatched the figure under his wind breaker and the group promptly proceeded out of the store.

Time to act.

The only way to deal with this was to draw as much attention as possible to the four boys. I whistled as loud as I could. (Which I understand is pretty loud. Whenever I have done it at events the people around me have ask that I not whistle any more.) The boys pulled up short. People inside and out looked in our direction. I looked at the boy with the stolen figure.

“Put that back!” I shouted loud enough for those around me to hear.

The catcher walked back nonchalantly and dropped the toy in the bin. He glanced back over his shoulder at me as the pack moved away in search of easier pickings. There was no shame in his eyes.

I walked to the register and informed the attendant that she had almost been robbed. She too seemed nonchalant. I suggested they have several employees on duty toward the outer parts of the store to help with customers and to deter thieves. She said she would mention it to her supervisor.

What is the world coming to?

- wowf