Uphill Battle

I was over at a blog that l follow on a regular basis http://travelswithmiranda.uskeba.ca/, the author Rae has just gone through an experience that l hope never to go through, she was rear ended while travelling in West Virginia with her Class C and toad.  The toad was a write off, and the RV suffered some damage too.

She is heading home to Quebec on a trip planned before the accident, and has just arrived, safe and sound.  She made a comment today about the consideration of other drivers, or shall we say lack of.  And l have to agree with her.

I was driving yesterday, in the Adirondack Region of New York, in my Class B Falcon, traveling from Wilmington to Lake Placid.  The terrain is hilly, and lets face it, my old girl is a wee bit slow on the uphill ride.  I've actually figured out that l can go faster if l am on cruise control (who ever invented cruise, l will forever love you!!!) then if l just jam my foot on the gas peddle.  I pretty much go to a crawl if l am not on cruise when l hit a hill.  I don't know if the Falcon has a guvnor on it restricting it from switching to high gear when not on cruise when climbing a hill, or if it is something else(anyone know - feel free to chime in).

So yesterday l was going 45 MPH uphill in a 50 MPH zone, when l was passed shortly after, which is fine with me.  I understand, l can lumber along and usually just stick at the speed limit.  What l don't understand, is about 150 yards after this guy passed me, he put on his brakes to make a right hand turn.  Really?  You couldn't wait an extra 30 seconds to get there, you had to pass me???

I always get out of the way of traffic behind me if l am going slower then posted speeds, l always stay in the right lane, and l am putting it out there, that if you are stuck behind me and l am going to slow for you, l apologize in advance.  :-)

Meeting the Neighbours

I went out for a walk tonight, checking out the park, and was approached by a couple of different neighbours.  It's amazing how friendly people are in a RV Park setting.  I've lived places in a sticks and bricks home where my neighbours don't come out and introduce themselves, or even say Hi, even when l have lived there for years.

It's such a relaxed atmosphere l love it.  I think being in nature and having a common interest (camping) bonds people and helps them open up and be more 'human'.  And this world could use some more 'human-ness'.

Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder

Beauty  truly is in the eye of the beholder.  I could be hyper-sensitive to all the commercials of the 'must have's' that are continually pounded into peoples heads, as l scale my life down to what l can pack into my van.

This morning on Good Morning America, while l was eating my breakfast at the Comfort Inn in Marshfield l could barely contain my shock that they were doing a feature story on nail polish that cost $5,000. a bottle, it contained actual GOLD in it.  No that price is not a typo,  $60. per nail, each time.

Who would even think of spending money on this?  That is a $720 manicure. WHAT???  Seriously??  And l  to even consider this news-worthy???

Then today on one of my appointments l was in a bike shop.  Not the motorized ones, but the peddle your ass off kind.  There were many for $1,000 and $2,000, l also saw one for $3,300.  That's almost as much as l paid for my van.  Okay, l could see if you were a professional bicycle rider, but the average Joe?

If just seems so....collapsible, this crazy mentality for excess.  As l said earlier, it's probably that l am just hypersensitive to it since l am running in the opposite direction.  Things that make you go......hmmmmmm.

If you live in fear, it's just not living!

I attached these photo's on Facebook today.  I was surprised by some peoples reaction.  Their reaction was fear.  Fear that if they travelled by ship, this might happen to them.

[caption id="attachment_530" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tear in the side of a cruise ship"][/caption]

 

 

I have been on a number of cruises over the years.  I've travelled by plane, train, automobile and by ship.  Never have l felt scared that l may not arrive at my destinations. That perhaps l was taking my life into my own hands.   If anything, l was excited about the possibilities of the trip, not just the destination, but about the journey.

I can't imagine not doing something out of fear.  I won't bungee jump, it's not out of fear, l just have no desire to do it.  Now parachuting out of a plane, l would like to do that.  I think its the view and the floating sensation that attracts me to parachuting.  Bungee is too abrupt for me.

[caption id="attachment_528" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Cruise ship off the coast of Italy"][/caption]

One of my cruises l sat at a table in the dinning room of  a couple that had actually been on a cruise where the ship had sunk.  It was an Asian cruise and many years ago now.  They had a great story, and were very entertaining the whole trip and they were full of life.  It didn't scare them to get back on a ship.  They didn't travel with fear.

I think when you can live through moments that are scary, they actually make you stronger and more alive.

 

Monkeys!! Or other choice words......

I'm a little bit frustrated today.  Well, actually it's been a slow burn for quiet a while now.  I think there are people out there that work better with a partner, and people that work better solo.  I am in that solo category.  Not because l am hard to get along with, but because l give it my all, and l get pissed off/disappointed when my partner doesn't.

There is only one person in my three plus experiences in having a business partner that l have ever been happy with.  He was the first partner that l had, and funny enough, he bore the brunt of my parents disapproval.  They thought he was taking advantage of me, and that l was doing most of the work in the business partnership, which was so not true.  We each had our strengths, and they complimented each others.

He was the perfect partner for me, he was a hard worker, smart and forward thinking.

Others since have been more lacks-a-daisy, and end up just pissing me off.  They don't have the same work ethic and then l get resentful.  It's as simple as splitting tips when l was a server or a bartender.  To all the way to now with splitting commissions.   There were few l would choose to work with since, for me, work is work, let's get it done, lets do it now.  All l ask is to pull your weight.  Do your job to the best you can, and put in a full days work.

I am in a  position now, and l am irritated.  I don't trust my partner, l don't think she puts in a full day, l am not in the position to 100% prove it, but l have enough circumstantial evidence that l am certain.  I will never be able to 100% prove it since l am never in the same city as her, and l can't really install 'nanny cams'  :-)

This is probably a big factor in why those nails are looking so tempting to my bright shiny new hammer.

Innocence

I just watched a couple of documentaries on Netflix.  One was Let's Make Money, it's about the banking system, it's lack of regulations, it was really eye opening.  It amazes me how many crooked people exist in this world,  and how they are not stopped.

The other was Maxed Out, about the credit crisis in America. Both movies make you sit up and take note.  Maybe the 1% should have been listen to more, and not dispersed.

I guess l am an innocent when it comes to taking advantage of your fellow man.  It just doesn't sit right with me.

American Airlines

Wow.  I wasn't going to write anything about American Airlines last night when l checked in online.  I can't resist now after my check in at the El Paso airport.  I haven't flown American Airlines in a couple of years.  And l understand that airlines are charging extras (exit seats, checked luggage) where-ever they can get away with it.  But REALLY????

When l checked in last night on-line, l tried changing my seat, since the travel agent that books my ticket at work doesn't always seem to give me a window seat, and of course l prefer that seat,  if l'm tired, l get to lean against the wall and have a snooze, it tends to be better then the head bob for me.  American was very accommodating, if l wanted to up grade to a window or a isle, it would cost me an extra $20. plus change.  Now we are not talking about the emergency exit seat here, just a random window or isle seat.  That was a first, but not enough for me to put it in my blog.

Oh, also, if l wanted to "buy" extra reward miles for this trip l could by 35oo miles for $100 something, or 5000 miles for $152.  Still not enough for me to write about.  I don't know what you can get for those miles, but it seemed pretty dear to me.

What got me was this morning, checking in, on those machines that you HAVE to check in with first, even though you checked in online, and you still have to see an agent at the desk, was all the extra charges.  Again, l was offered to change my seat (for a fee), buy the miles, upgrade to business class (my company doesn't spring for that). On top of all those unbelievable offers, l could pay an extra $9.00 to upgrade my BOARDING position.

Really, pay an extra $9.00 to get on 5 minutes earlier.  Soon we will have to be paying for the 1/2 glass of soda we get, to use the loo or at least the toilet paper to wipe with, pay for every piece of luggage (purse, coat, camera case), checked or not., seat belts.....

It might even come to having to have  quarters just in case the oxygen deploys we might have to feed the machine quarters to get dispensed oxygen, just like a soda machine.

Crazy Christmas

I guess it's easy for me to look at the scene at Wal-Mart with different eyes then what most people are going through right now.

I'm sure this Wal-Mart in El Paso, is the same as any Wal-Mart North America wide. Or any retail store for that matter.  Crazy packed parking lot.  It was packed when l drove by at noon today, and again when l  visited it at 7pm.  It was hard to find a spot, l parked far away, the walk was good because l just went and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant.



The store was full of shoppers.  The shelves were all messed up and disorganized from being picked over by the desperate shoppers to buy gifts for their loved ones.  Whether it was for gift-giving or guilt-giving, l don't know.  I remember half the stuff l got for Christmas or any gifts l would sooner not received, not to sound ungrateful, but it was usually the wrong color, or style or just something l would never, ever use.

Just as l'm sure some of these gifts people are buying are going to end up hidden in the closet, or maybe best case scenario re-gifted.



Times have changed.  Christmas used to be receiving the necessities like new underwear, socks or pajamas.  The new winter coat or the great bike for the summer.  Now in our society, we seem to gift ourselves these things throughout the year. Making the Christmas gift giving harder, and then we fill up the nicely wrapped boxes with useless items that we have been brainwashed into "needing".

It's Crazy.  Crazy Christmas.

I ended up walking around the store and decided l didn't want to battle the people or the cashier line-ups for the shampoo that l needed.  So l left empty handed, which l probably was the only one tonight.

Leaders Are Followers

The little old lady l met the other day who worked in Parliament said something that has stuck with me.  It's kind of profound, and l haven't heard it before,but it is so true.

Our Leaders Are Followers.  Think about it.  Our leaders don't lead.  They Follow what the masses want them to do.

If the masses squawk loud enough, they will do something about it, until then there is no pro-active leadership in our governments.  Maybe that's what we need.  A government that is run more like a cutting edge business.  Thinking ahead on what the peoples problems and needs are, before  the people realize what they are and protest for them.

Christmas - Keep It Local

With Christmas coming, and so many businesses still struggling in our local economy, let’s be the change.  Let US be the ones to help our fellow people in the community.  By us doing a little thing, we could be the grass roots of change.

How about for Christmas presents, we shopped locally.  And by locally l also mean, made in USA or made in Canada (wherever you live), or services offered by local citizens.

There are so many options, this is just a list l’ve got, l’m sure you could come up with more.

- Give the gift of a message, haircut, manicure, or pedicure – keeping local merchants busy and feel good for the receiver.

- Send a maid to clean your Mom’s house.

- Send  a gift certificate for lawn care, snow plowing, light hanging, driveway sealing.

-Buy crafts made by local artisans, sold at flea markets, farmers market, and church bazars.

-Eat at a local restaurant, enjoy each other’s company, and be “present” with your guest.

-Give a gift card for the local coffee shop, when times are tough, this is a nice little luxury.  Or
a local bakery, fresh made pastries are delicious.

-If they have a pet, how about a gift certificate for the local groomers.

-Plan a family outing and go skiing, bowling, a game of pool, the local arcade, the choices are endless.

Here’s one that our family has done for a couple years, on Christmas Morning we go to a homeless shelter and drop off coats, hats, mitts,
gloves, and blankets, and  a lunch bag with homemade sandwiches, cookies and a piece of fruit.  Then we stay and chat with the group for a while, they are so appreciative of the gifts. There are about 10 family members that do it, it’s a tradition that gives as well as receives.

Forget buying stuff imported from other countries/ economies, let’s support our own.  We can’t wait for the Government to fix our problems; they can’t see the forest because of the trees.

Positive Thinking Positive Doing

While l travel the US l meet a lot of small business owners, and it is really sad how many of them are scared of the economy and the situation in the US right now.

It’s time for the US government to start some positive thinking and speaking.  Their constant bickering and negativity towards each other is passé and hurting the economy.  It’s time to try a more united front.  I’m tired of them, are you?

The world view of the US is starting to go down the toilet. I don’t follow politics that much; it all just seems like incessant noise.  Kind of like a wildly barking dog at 2am.  You try to tune it out.

To have a man who is hoping to get elected for President in a scandal of sexual harassment?  Either he thought he couldn’t be found out, or he doesn’t think what he did was wrong, or it just didn’t happen.  Is it Cain’s version of a Justin Bieber paternity suit?

I think it’s time that everyone STOP watching  the talking heads that are there to ignite the fires and rip the country apart to get the viewers to turn in to their show.  And start writing their government leaders to get to work for the country and not their personal interests.  Stop pointing fingers and just fix it (wait - am l pointing fingers?) .

If l was at work talking about my co-workers as they do, starting rumours, putting my best interest before the company, l would be FIRED!

Okay….l’m off my soap box.