Shrink-o-Matic

In today's dog eat dog world, I find it a great challenge to have faith in humankind. Everyone seems to be out for themselves; people, in general, seem to have lost all sense of ethics, morals, dignity, and loyalty. And yet, there are those days where you almost think...it hasn't all gone to hell.

I went to Starbucks this afternoon to get a drink...something tart, fruity, and not coffee based. A young man working there recommended the passion-flavored ice tea, which I've never tried at Starbucks. I was thirsty enough to plop down my $3.25 for an untested beverage but, before I could pay, he said, "Nah, don't worry about it. If you like it enough, you can pay for it the next time." I stood there a little confused. Then I was all, "Really?" Nice! You could have blown me over with a feather! How cool was that?

I realize it isn't a huge deal--we all get a freebie perk here and there, but when you have days where you really don't care for people..it's a treat when someone decides to look past your scowl and be kind--just because.

Of course, a Starbucks freebie isn't nearly enough to convince me that people aren't completely selfish and self-absorbed these days but, hey...it turns out I may not be completely convinced that everyone is rotten to the core, either.

Have you ever been seriously impatient with elevators? Why do we get that way? Whether we really want to go somewhere immediately or not, there's a common sense of entitlement when it comes to people and elevators.

This morning, I got on the elevator to visit the Human Resources office. I wasn't in a hurry. No one was waiting for me. I just wanted to pop in to ask a question. But the damnable elevator was not arriving, even though I'd called it maybe...oh, 30 seconds before. How dare it? I called it and it didn't come. The nerve!

After some foot tapping, some button mashing (as if that makes it come down faster, right?), and some sighing and huffing and puffing, the elevator arrived. But that wasn't enough, was it? Once I pressed the elevator floor button, I began pressing the "Close Door" button incessantly. Do you think the door closed? No. What's that button for anyway? To relieve anxiety and give us a sense of control? I honestly think the button does nothing. I've never yet had the door close when I press "Close Door". Is it just me?

Once I got up to the floor (finally!), I wandered about, even stopping briefly at the gift shop to see what's what. Some mad rush I was in, eh? But where does the pressure to "get there NOW" come from with elevators? And don't anyone judge me. I've been on the elevators with some of you, and you're all no better. Yea...you know who are!

I'm getting ridiculous. Getting? I AM ridiculous. I've surpassed ridiculous. I'm so on the other side of ridiculous, I believe I've gone around full circle and come out this side of normal. Where does that leave me? One and a half years have gone by since I've last posted here. Where was I? Was I blog-less all this time? Actually, I've posted blogs through several different services, but I just couldn't really commit to one blogging service. Eventually, I forgot where this particular blog was located, and with a half-hearted attempt to locate it, I gave up soon enough and signed up with some other service. On and on and on. Sounds rather like serial dating, doesn't it?

Actually, commitment phobia is more like it--I can't commit to a blog! I don't know which one I love best, or which one will provide me with ever-lasting happiness, security, comfort, and yet an occasional pleasant surprise or two. What if I make the wrong decision and stick to ONE blog? Will I be happy? Will I miss out on some other blogging opportunity? Is my blogging service the "One" for me, or am I settling? Can I go back to a blog I've left behind for so long and still find enough satisfaction in it to re-ignite the connection? Can it work? Or should I create my own blog on my own website? Is this, perhaps, a case of a Blog Pygmalion and Galatea? How do I find the "perfect" blogging service? The search goes on...