Common Courtesy

Common courtesy. A simple concept, one that most people learn at some point in their lives, usually when they're younger. But these days, it seems that less and less people know what common courtesy is. Some things that people don't do as common courtesy I can let slide, others I can't. For instance, holding a door open for someone. Now, this may not seem like a big deal to you, but when people constantly do it, or better yet don't do it to you on a daily basis more than once a day, it starts to get to you.

Or here's a better example: I work in a retail store, a small, sometimes struggling, family owned one. Christmas season is our busiest season (as it is for most retail stores), but with only two people working there on most days, things can get pretty harried. So anyway, last Christmas, one of our "good" (it's in quotation marks because it's a matter of opinion) customers calls about a week before Christmas and tells us she needs nine gifts, all under $150.00, AND she wants it's delivered by 4PM. It was 1:30PM when she called. Oh, not to mention she wasn't coming in to pick them out herself, but we had to do it for her. (If you don't think that isn't so bad, let me just add that my boss' 89 year old father was there whom we practically have to babysit, other customers are coming in and out, not to mention a bunch of other things going on, and it's just my boss and me there.) Anyway, we did it, and delivered it a half hour early.

Now, how many of you would have wanted to kill her after? Yeah, well, you'd have to get in line. But that's not my point. My point is, where is the courtesy to call us ahead of time, and not hours before, but days before when she wanted the items? OK, so she may not have been able to come down herself, I can totally understand that. But she can't call us a couple days in advance and tell us what she wants, or even one day in advance? I mean, is it so much to ask for? Does she think we have nothing to do there but sit around and wait for her call? No, we have tons of things to do, and other customers to take of.

That's just one story I could tell. I have many others, but I thought it illustrated my point best. If someone could tell me why people can't hold open the door for others, say thank you when they do, or have the decency to call back to say they don't want a job anymore, I'll be more than happy to listen. Until then, I guess the best I can do is make sure that my children are not those kind of people.

JLo and the Grain

Today my mom, brother, and I went up to Burlington Coat Factory, since both my brother and I needed new winter coats. So I went off on my own to look for a coat while my mom went with my brother. I ended up getting a JLo coat, which actually surprised me, mainly because I tend to go against the grain, and there I was, going with the grain. So I started thinking about that, about why I go against the grain and why others go with it. I realized that it's not so much that I go against it, it's that I buy what I like and if it happens that it's not "in" or "popular" well, so be it. Too bad for everyone else.

But why do people feel the need to go with the grain, be in the "in" crowd? Now, I'm not talking teenagers, I'm talking about pwoplw in their 20s and up. I'd think that by the time they reach their 20s they'd be secure enough in themselves to be themselves and buy what they like. But not everyone is. I don't pretend to know why they still feel the need to buy what is in style or what everyone else has, because I don't. I can speculate, but I really don't know. It's just that my whole JLo coat thing made me wonder. In the meantime though, I am still going to buy what I like, even if no one else is buying it.

Let's Be Friends

Wow, I didn't realize how long it'd been since I posted. Oops, hehe. But I'm doing it now. This week was a crazy week for me . I had two papers due, two quizzes, and a midterm. And of course, me being me, I waited until the last minute to do pretty much all of it. Stupid, I know, but I'm a procrastinator, and as much as I'd love to stop being one, and have tried not to (which I've succeeded at somewhat sometimes), it's not easy. But I'm going to keep working on it. The good news is, only three more weeks of school, then I'm free for six weeks! Woohoo!!!!

In other news, I've decided that Dylan's (the a*&hole who broke my heart) new girlfriend can have him. He's a cruel, heartless bastard and I don't need, nor want, someone like that. She's more than welcome to him. Now, here's my question: If that's the way I feel about him, then why do I still sometimes look at his myspace page? (When I say sometimes, I mean about once a week, which is better than what I used to do.) The funny thing is, I really am fine. Not 100%, but maybe 90%. And then I have to go and look at his myspace page and see pictures of him and his new girlfriend (who btw, he's doing with her the same things he'd do with me, even calling her the same things he called me!), and I feel bad again, I feel hurt again. Yet, sometimes I can't help looking. It's like a compulsion. I'm sure that with time it will lessen to where I won't look at all, but if I don't even like him, why do I feel the need to look?

That brings me to another topic, one that I've discussed with friends many time. In the frum world, girls and boys don't mix, at least as friends. In fact, according to some, it's a very bad thing for boys and girls to be friends. They date each other for marriage, but that's about the extent of it. If it doesn't work out, no more contact. A friend once told me (and you know who you are :P), that boys and girls can't be friends because in the end, someone ends up getting hurt. Now, I'm not saying that can't or won't ever happen, because it can and will, and even has I'm sure. What I'm saying is if two people like each other, get along well, have fun together, and are honest with each other from the get-go, why not be friends? If they know from the beginning that there won't ever be anything between the two of them for whatever reason, or they're not interested in the other that way, I see no harm in them being friends. In fact, I see no harm in them being friends anyway, but that's just me.

Have a good Shabbos everyone!

My "All About Me" Meme

1. FIRST NAME?
Aviva/Jill
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not my first name because my lovely father liked the name "Jill" and after awhile my mom didn't feel like arguing anymore, so she made my middle name after my great aunt.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
About two weeks ago when I had my heart broken by an a$$hole.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Sometimes. On a good day it's awesome; on a bad day, I wish it were a good day.
5. WHAT HAPPENED TO QUESTION #5?
Maybe it ran away with question #50.
6. KIDS?
Love them, especially when they're not mine. :D Yes, I want them someday, but not today, and not tomorrow, and not even in a year. No way am I ready.
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Hmmmm...Depends on what day it is for me.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
Yes. I have a blog. You're reading it right now. Duh.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Tons. My sense of humor was once called "biting and sarcastic." He was right on the money.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
I think so. Not sure. Lemme check....Yup. Still there.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
I've always wanted to. Never wanted to go skydiving though. Can't figure that one out.
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I don't really have a favorite cereal. I'm not a big breakfast eater. You're lucky if I eat breakfast. But if I had to choose, I'd say Honey Bunches of Oats ("we make a lot of cereal here!").
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope. Why would I? Takes too much time.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Yes.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR ICE CREAM?
Cookies 'n cream!!!!!! Great, now I want some and there's none in my house. Thanks.
16. APPLES OR ORANGES?
Neither. I prefer nectarines, cherries, and strawberries.
17. RED OR PINK?
Pink I guess. I'm sick of red.
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Do I have to choose? Maybe the fact that I prefer to be alone most of the time.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
The me I used to be.
20. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE YEAR IN SCHOOL?
Does it have to be year? Can it be day? My favorite day was graduation. hehe. If I had to pick a year, probably senior year.
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Dark blue jeans (not the 'skinny' jeans, I HATE those) and white shoes. Boring.
22. LAST THING YOU ATE?
Cream of rice cereal.
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The thunder and rain.
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Purple. It's my favorite color.
25. FAVORITE SMELL?
Clean people, clean clothes, and cookies in the oven.
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Abby!!!
27. CENSORED, APPARENTLY
Darn. I hate it when they do that.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yuppers.
29. FAVORITE DRINK?
Snapple.
30. FAVORITE SPORT?
Football, baseball. I miss playing them.:(
31. EYE COLOR?
Light brown.
32. HAT SIZE?
Whatever fits. I can't wait till I'm married and get to wear hats on bad hair days. No taming the hair! Woohoo!!
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes. When I feel like it.
34. FAVORITE FOOD?
Hmmmm...PB&J :D
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING?
Both. I love scary movies, but happy endings are nice too.
36. IS THE SMALLEST NUMBER THAT'S SQUARE AND ALSO TRIANGULAR.
Huh?
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Green, but the collar is crocheted in different shades of green.
38. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Spring or autumn.
39. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hug. There's something about a hug that makes you feel all better, even if you're feeling fine.
40. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Dessert? What's that? I never get dessert unless on holidays, and then it's brownies and ice cream. :)
41. IS THE SMALLEST ODD NUMBER NOT IN THE FORM OF 2x - 3y
Um, ok.
42. I SUPPOSE THIS IS A COOL NUMBER, TOO.
If you say so.
43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
Legacy of Silence by Belva Plain, and Summer of Roses by Luanna Rice.
44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
No mouse pad. I have a laptop.
45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
Uch. I can't remember! I'm totally blanking. Oh, right! Veronica Mars. Good show. :)
46. FAVORITE SOUNDS?
I too am going to steal Scraps answer (sorry Scraps).Definitely laughing and music. But I'm adding rain to it.
47. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Neither really. I've outgrown the Beatles, and I never liked the Rolling Stones to begin with.
48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
Not far enough sometimes.
49. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT?
I can be really really annoying without trying. I have some other ones I'm sure. But I don't feel like thinking too much right now.
50. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S NO NUMBER 50.
That's ok. I'm getting tired of answering questions.

And now I tag Lansi, Abby, and Beans. :D Looking foward to seeing it!