Sunday, November 9, 2008

Recent Musings

I don't think I've got enough for a complete entry, so I'm going to combine a few recent thoughts and observations into one random post. These items are in no way connected, so please enjoy.

The other day I was leaving work; this typically happy time was cut short when I heard a familiar ringing bell. That's right, The Salvation Army has already set up their bell and bucket outside of Kroger. It's bad enough that all the stores start putting out all their Christmas merchandise before Halloween is even over. Is it too much to ask that we celebrate one holiday at a time?

Don't get me wrong, I've got no beef with the Salvation Army. I think what they do it great. And with the way the economy is going, I'm not surprised to see them out so soon...I wouldn't be surprised if those bells and buckets actually stuck around through the new year! But as anyone who works in a retail environment can tell you, passing the bell-ringers day in and day out can get tiresome. Passing the bucket without donating leaves anyone with a certain amount of guilt--now imagine doing that twice a day, every day. What's even worse is that the person almost always tells you to have a nice day, God bless you, or something to that effect. And it's not even like it's the same person ringing the bell every day. If it was, they would be able to recognize employees or people who had already donated. One of many problems with working at a grocery store is that they'll let almost anyone set up shop outside of the store. If I had a nickel for every time I'd passed scouts and other non-profit organizations on my way to work...well, I'd have enough money to buy stuff from all of them. I'm sure I'm over-reacting, but I can't help it. And there's nothing I can do about it.

My next point is more a source of amusement than a complaint. It's been really frustrating to read/listen to people who are certain that the free world as we know it will come to an end now that Obama is President. It's not only frustrating because I am and always have been an Obama supporter, but because the suspicions are unfounded. The other day, while perusing Facebook flair, I stumbled across a few buttons with declarations about moving to Canada since the USA is clearly going to Hell now that we have a Democratic president.

As long as there have been elections, there have been people claiming to move to Canada should the "other guy" win. This has always puzzled me. I determined that if John McCain had won, I was going to form the "Keep John McCain Alive Foundation." Our one purpose would be to keep John McCain alive, thereby keeping Sarah Palin away from the Presidency. I believe I've mentioned this plan before. However, if the efforts of the Foundation and myself failed, I would go to Mexico. It's warmer, I know the language, and the dollar is still strong there.

I'm getting sidetracked. What's so hilarious about all these ultra-conservatives vowing to leave the States for our designated driver to the North (Canada) is that Canada is more liberal than America. They have abolished the death penalty, legalized gay marriage and have national health care. This is why it's important to do your research, people. Now that I think about it, there are a lot of countries more liberal than the US--the more developed countries at least. I mean, just look at Europe. The point is I think people would be hard-pressed to find what Ned Flanders refers to as the, "magical land of yesteryear that only exists in the minds of Republicans."
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And finally, my most recent discovery is that ponies are not baby horses, as I have believed my entire life. I really thought that's what the deal was. Apparently, ponies are an entirely different thing. I'll probably still call baby horses ponies, though. But I also call all dogs "puppies," no matter how old they are. Force of habit, I suppose.

1 comment:

Gina said...

Here's a useless point to ponder that has nothing to do with anything you wrote (though, sort of, about the illogical Canada argument). Anyway, I had to get two of my friends to explain ultra conservative logic to me. I was confused because an argument I keep hearing against gay marriage is "next thing you know, we'll let people marry their dogs." My confusion was this: in a union between a person and a dog, one party is a human being with basic civil liberties and the other is a dog. In the analogy of the gay marriage, which ones is the person and which one is the dog?, I asked myself. Well, then my friends explained to me that 'the gays' have the same rights as the dog from that viewpoint...then it made sense. It doesn't have to be person and dog, it can be dog and dog according to this logic. It doesn't matter. The point was that apparently "the gays" don't deserve the same rights. And you know what? I didn't get mad (like I should--I just got real sad. Sad that people believe that and disappointed in myself for not realizing the true point of the argument. I'm naive enough to think that all people think that all other people are...people. What's worse...I'd rather have this naivety than the hatred that illogical right-wingers have.

And, on top of all of it, I'm going to have to move way the hell to Ireland to get away from this, since all the ill-researched right wingers will be invading Canada...

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