REPOST FROM 2012: Social Media & How We Lost Our Social Skills

Being in the food service industry has introduced me to a different interaction with people.

When I was sitting behind a desk, in a professional environment, I used the computer to type documents, prepare presentations and converse over email.  I used the telephone to answer questions, have conversations and get information.  I went to meetings to talk and listen to people face-to-face and I actually had real relationships with the people who came into my office to sit down and chat.

Now that I am working with the public in a more relaxed, casual environment, I see who is out there and that most people just don't have the desire to have conversations or even look up from their telephones.  I don't know how many times I approach a table and greet them with a "Hi, how are you today?" only to get them request a water with lemon without even looking me in the eyes.  They are too busy texting or playing games on their phones.  In fact, I waited on one table that consisted of a mother, father and two tweens and every single one of them was playing on their phone at the table.  Come on!!!!  

What is this world coming to when we can't even use our voices or have meaningful conversations with someone anymore?  We rely so much on technology and I only imagine it getting worse in the future.  Don't get me wrong, I love technology and use it on a daily basis.  It does seem that the younger generation (pre-teens, teens, young adults) are not the only culprits, many people in their 40's are teaching this kind of social trend.

I must say, lots of other servers don't like to wait on the "older generation" but I really love it.  These are the people who are grandparents and great grandparents.  They have been around in a world without all of the social media and probably have no desire to ever learn about it.  They have real talks and real stories that they will share with you whenever they feel like it.  They genuinely care when they await your response to "How are you today?"

I had a conversation with my daughter about social media recently and how kids her age are using it to express all of their feelings to the world instead of talking to their parents, writing poetry or even calling up a friend (as I did when I was her age).  If teens have a problem with someone's actions, they take to the Internet or texting to express their feelings instead of going straight to the person and just talking things out.  This leads to so much confusion and many more people's involvement.  I guess I can't limit this behaviour to just teens, I know plenty of marriages that have unfolded over the Internet and Facebook.  It's put right out there for all of us to be a part of and to react to.   

One of the biggest problems I see (and there are many) is that when you rely on written word to get your point across, there is no reflection to hear and no guarantee all of your words will be taken the way that you mean them.  Texts can get lost, sarcasm can be detected (or not detected) and cap locks can accidentally be used when we are not even upset.  Why not just pick up the phone or go hang out and talk things through?

Okay, I am done venting and I am going to step off of my soap box.

Re-Post: I Am A Lane Blocker

As some of you may recall, I recently posted about teamwork and how I love to see people come together for a cause. Today's cause that I am excited to talk about is "lane blocking". What is lane blocking? It's something we all have either done or wished we had done when we get stuck in traffic. Let me paint the picture:

Here you are, tooling along on your way to work, making excellent time, thinking about how you will definitely be there before your boss today. The windows are rolled down, the birds are chirping, the air is crisp and refreshing, today is a good day. All of a sudden, you come to a complete stop. A stop that seems to last a lifetime. You try to see around the gigantic truck in front of you with no luck. You see the people in the lane to your right, flying by, as if they are privileged to not have to get stuck where you are. You think, "I want to be like them, I want to go!" No luck, they are driving as if they are in the Indy 500, not allowing you in, leaving you stuck with exhaust from the truck in front of you. So, you sit, and eventually are able to move forward. As you do this, you realize that your once excited, happy mood has been replaced by an anxious, frustrated one. "I am going to be SO late!", you think. As you move forward, you notice a merge sign up ahead, stating that everyone is merging into your lane. Now, I think you understand where I am going with this, right? The mean people, who flew by with no regard to anyone else, they saw this sign and knew that they would not wait as long as you. They wiggle their way into the front of the line, in front of everyone else who has waited their turn.

I don't know about you, but this really chaps my hide! But wait, there is a happy ending:

Take the above example, except I am the driver, stuck behind the truck. One day, I saw a woman in front of me start to head into that right lane, the one that was going to have to merge. As she attempted her journey, I thought, "Where is she going, doesn't she know that she is going to have to get over? Figures!" But to my surprise, she ended up sitting half way into the next lane, but just enough to ward off any passers. "Wow," I thought, "She is fighting back! She is the protector of all good and is here to help us!" I immediately put my car in the same position and noticed others following suit. At that time, I felt proud to be a part of such teamwork! And today, I was the fearless leader, watching others back me up. What a great feeling! Oh, by the way, I got to work before my boss.

What I Have Learned From Tinder

Okay, so, it's not the Tinder "flame" but I didn't want the photo to be taken down for copyright issues.

If you are single and you have a smart phone, you have probably heard of TINDER and you PROBABLY have used the App.  Here is what I have learned while using the "hook up" App (as most people would describe it).

1. You can only use TINDER if you connect it to your Facebook or Instagram accounts.

2. TINDER is not a website, it is an actual App that must be downloaded.

3. You will get NOWHERE unless you post photos of yourself.

4. Said photos can only come from either one (or both) of your shared social media sites described above. 

5. People use a variety of photos to attract a "mate", "B/F", "G/F", "NSA (no strings attached)", "DTF (Down to F****)", "hook up", etc.

6.  Examples of photos:

• Person with a dog/cat
• Person with a child
• Person in a photo with 5 other people
• Person taking a picture in front of a bathroom mirror
• Person taking a picture of themselves laying in bed
• Person with their spouse/significant other
• Person with their spouse/significant other cropped out of photo
• Person's mugshot photo
• Person holding a beer or some other alcohol
• Person lifting weights
• Person making hand signs and wearing gold chains
• A pet - only
• A penis, breasts or other body parts
• Person with their grandparents
• Person who's photo is blurry beyond reason
• Person who is wearing sunglasses
• Person wearing a hat pulled down over their eyes
• A cartoon or crude statement

 7. People all seem to love to hike, hang out and watch Netflix, enjoy their 420 time or they are making up crazy activities that you know that no one has ever done.

8. People are looking for: 

• Someone to hike with
• Someone to "see how things go" with
• Sex
• No strings attached
• Husband and wife are looking for a third for their relationship
• Many are new to the area and want a tour guide
• Did I say sex?
• Someone who works out and is into fitness (code for someone who is not fat and lazy)
• No hook-ups, only looking for their soul-mate

 9. The goal for guys is to quickly get the girl's telephone number so they can text them dirty photos.

10. TINDER is a numbers game and the goal is to swipe left (or push the X) if you don't like the person/photo or swipe right (push the heart) if you do like them.  There is also a SUPER LIKE option, but I am not really sure what difference there is

11. Sometimes you can get to going so fast that you accidentally "NO" someone that you didn't mean to.

12. People will disappear as quickly and easily as they appeared.

13. Most men cannot seem to form sentences.  And if they do, they either only want to talk about themselves or talk about sharing naked photos.

14. GHOSTING is a term used when you meet up with someone, have sex with them, believe you have had a great time and that you have a future with the person and then never hear from them again. 

15. UPDATE: I have also learned that my "husband" is on TINDER - I can't wait for our divorce to be final!!!

TINDER is not for everyone but if you enjoy "playing" the game, it can be quite entertaining.

 
 

 

Review: The Week The Women Went

Have you watched the new Tuesday night, Lifetime reality series, The Week The Women Went?  I have and I think the concept is a GREAT idea.

Lifetime is following the town of Yemassee, South Carolina as they participate in a daring social experiment.  For one week, all of the women, 18 years old and up, will leave the small town and go to a remote location, one which they don't even know about ahead of time.  The thought is that with all of the women gone, the men and children will need to see if they can perform daily tasks and survive without their "women" to take care of them.

The first episode, very dramatically, shows all of the women in town, walking for what seemed like miles, lugging suit cases behind them down a long road.  It was eerie the way they did this.  It almost reminded me of what I imagine the old leper colonies did back in the middle ages.  Although the women are leaving their loved ones behind, most seemed very excited to get away and have "me" time.  And "me" time was exactly what they got as they all left town on a train and later arrived at a beautiful, tropical resort.  It seems all they will have to worry about is which bathing suit to wear and how many fruity drinks they can consume.  However, get a bunch of women together for a long (or even short) period of time and you can only imagine what kind of drama will prevail. 

Yemassee is a small community where everyone knows everyone.  Many of the women featured run businesses and families which will be left behind for their spouses and teen-age children to maintain and run.  From full-time working dads of twins to a 21-year old fire chief who will miss his mom (who hasn't cut the apron strings) and new fiance, there are many challenges ahead for these families.  I found it amusing that several of the dads of young children decided to move in together while the women were gone.  They figured they would do better handling the kids as a team.  Also, a 24-year old Marine is now responsible for his 31-year old girlfriend's teen-age daughters and tween son.  Boy, do they take advantage of him.  His girlfriend is pretty hot, but she may not be hot enough to keep him after all of this.  And who can forget the 4-year old "grown-up" little girl, Ellie Kate, who demands her coffee every morning.  Wow, is she a character.  It will be interesting to see how her dad copes with her precociousness.  This is also the dad who has been put in charge of coordinating a kid's beauty pageant while the women are gone. 

I look forward to watching this series and I hope you get a chance to watch it too!






 

Procrastination - Should I do that now?

Procrastinate? Who me? Never!!!!

I found this cute chart and had to share it.  It's too funny.

I know we all do it.  I don't think there is anyone around who doesn't.  I seem to do more of it lately, now that I am only working part-time.  When I am not at work, there are a multitude of projects around the house that I should be getting done, but I would much rather do it later.

Things I do to procrastinate:

1. Jump on the computer and visit: Facebook, 2 different email accounts, play Farmville, browse through Pintrest, check out my blog, or download music.

2. Grab my Ipad and play any number of games that are awaiting my turn.  

3. Watch one of the many shows I have DVR'd.

4. Nap.

5. See what the kids are doing.

You get the point.....

How about you?  What do you do to procrastinate?

Movie Review - Horrible Bosses

My fourteen-year old daughter and I decided to go see "Horrible Bosses" this weekend.  Since viewing the movie trailers for the last couple of months, I was really excited to see this movie.  The cast, the previews and the story line all appealed to me.  But, leave it to Hollywood to ruin yet another movie by showing too many good parts in their trailer.  I guess I should not use the word "ruin".  This is harsh.  The movie was still funny, entertaining and I am glad I went.  However, I found that all the really funny parts were shown in the previews.


I was a little worried that my daughter may see and hear too much adult "stuff" but I did not find it to be any more embarrassing than watching some television shows with her.  Other than Jennifer Aniston showing some cleavage and wearing lingerie, there was no nudity.

The cast was great!  Justin Bateman, as always, does a great job at playing the "uptight" friend.  Charlie Day stole the show as the "sex offender" who got his title because he urinated, at night, in a playground, next to a bar.  Through the movie, there are several references to this and I feel he was surprisingly funny, for an actor that I had not seen before.   Jason Sudeikis was funny, but I had a hard time believing that he was such the "ladies man" they made him out to be.  Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and Colin Ferrel were the "Horrible Bosses" and were so believable, I wanted to kill them!  It was awesome seeing hunky Colin Ferrel in such a nerdy role.  Jennifer was such a man-eater and Mr. Spacey always does a good job in whatever he does.  I must also mention Jamie Foxx as Mr. Motherf..... .  He was so funny as the original hitman they hired to wack the bosses.


Overall, this movie is funny and worth seeing.  What did you think?

Hey, are you missing something?

 

I often wonder about the "one shoe" I see laying off to the side of the road or in the middle of the street.  

Why is there just one?

Hey, is someone missing this?

Where was the shoe before it became abandoned?  

Did it's owner just not like that shoe? 

Is someone out there walking around with only one shoe?

It's one of those things that make me go, mmmm........

Are You Ready For A "Hall Pass"?

Went and saw the movie Hall Pass this past weekend with my husband.  I had not laughed that much since seeing "Get Him To The Greek".  This movie was really funny, predictable, but funny!  I liked that there were a lot of parts that relate to real life and that they could make fun of some real serious situations (stalking, infidelity, drug abuse, etc.).

The cast was great, I like Owen Wilson and Christina Applegate - they were funny.  The supporting cast was equally entertaining introducing some unfamiliar actors and actresses.

As I entered the theater, I heard a man, who was seeing the show with a female guest, ask the ticket taker what the movie was about.  I thought, "Really?"  Well, in case you are not aware, it goes something like this:

Middle-aged men are getting bored in their marriages and want to spice things up.  The wives are tired of catching their husband's gawking at other women and feel that they need to let their husbands get it out of their system.  So, the wives give the men a one-week "hall pass" from their marriage.  They can go do whatever (and whomever) they want.  It is not said that the women can do the same thing, but of course, I say, "Hey, if they can play, so can the wives!" and that they do.  The men start to realize that they don't necessarily have the same attraction and stamina they might have had when they were younger.  So, as the week goes by, they are tested and eventually have a few opportunities that don't end up being what they really want after all.  (Go figure, you have something good at home and it takes going out and testing the water to realize this!)  

I think this movie is worth seeing and I will probably view it again when it comes out on DVD.  If you liked "The Hangover" or "Grown-Ups", you will like this.

Tell me what YOU thought...

Funny Movies

I saw a couple funny movies this past month.  

Get Him To The Greek

This movie was so completely funny.  It is raunchy and full of adult humor, so definitely not a movie you want to take the family to.  However, if you get a chance to see it, it's worth the $$ to see.

Grown Ups

Another funny movie that Hollywood seems to spoil when they built the trailer.  All the funny scenes were included in the trailer, so there really wasn't any surprises in this movie.  It was definitely geared toward a male audience as there was lots of "T & A".  Never-the-less, the movie was funny and had a lot of serious spots that everyone can relate to.  Might want to see this at the matinee.  

PMS - Or Just A Bad Day?

So.....I am sure that I will be stirring the waters with my topic, but I want to know what you all think.

I am generally a pretty easy going person. I do have my opinions but I get along with everyone. People who know me know that I don't curse, I don't say mean things to people and I am usually fairly happy in appearance. Of course, I can have my complaints now and then, but I laugh them off.

I know people who are complete opposites from what I mentioned above, almost 365 days a year. You can never make them happy, they are upset with the world and carry a super huge chip on their shoulders. That's fine, they are entitled if they feel so inclined.

What I am about to say may surprise you, but once a month, usually only one day, I can be a little moody. I can be sad or a little on edge and I have been known to pick a few fights with the hubby. You might know other women who get this way, heck, you yourself might be this way.

The question of the day is: If women are emotional or have a bad day, why do men always blame it on PMS? When they have a bad day, they can't use that excuse - so why do they feel we are not entitled to have a bad day?

I am just asking.......

Movie Review: Marley & Me

Hang on to your Kleenex! I knew this movie would have a sad ending, but I couldn't help crying during the last twenty minutes. Was it a good movie? Yes, of course! Should everyone see this? Yes - most definitely!!!! The movie, over-all was part comedy, part drama. It was very entertaining.

Marley & Me wasn't just a movie about a cute dog. This movie was about love, life, family, choices, and happiness. The movie follows John & Jenny Grogan, a newly married couple, played by Owen Wilson & Jennifer Aniston. The casting for this movie was great - the two made a very believable couple.

John & Jenny decide to get a puppy, enter Marley. Marley is as adorable as can be, and if you have ever had a puppy, you can relate to all of the wonderful side-effects to taking care of puppy. If Marley isn't chewing the floor, howling at thunderstorms or humping the stuffed animals, he is running off down the beach with everyone chasing him. This dog becomes a lot of work for the newly married couple, who eventually decide to start a family.

Throughout the movie, we learn about the Grogan family and the trials and tribulations of building a solid family and about holding onto your individualty. I related to a lot of this movie, since everyone always looks at the greener grass on the other side and wonders what it would be like. We see this when we observe John's relationship with his successful friend, Sabastian.

John and Jenny build their family and realize that it is all worth it; the screaming kids, the sleepless nights, the chewed up couch and all the joys that family brings. Throughout the movie, Marley ages as does the family. I began to cry as I realized that the dog has been there as a permanante fixture of the family and as he ages, we know the inevitable will soon happen.

Although it has a sad ending, the movie really is wonderful and I hear the book is great too. I hope I did not spoil the movie, but I really enjoyed so many aspects of this that I wanted to share it with you.

Did you see the movie? Could you relate with it? Do you have any CRAZY dog stories? The floor is open.....

Would You Want To Smell Like A Burger?

Have you heard the news? Burger King, the fast food restaurant, is coming out with something other than burgers and fries. They have a new scent, a fragrance that sells for $3.99 on average and can be purchased for your favorite guy. The spray is called FLAME and it lives up to it's name. Not only will your man smell like a flame-broiled hamburger, but it is supposed to have the scent of seduction.

I don't know about you, but smelling cooked meat on a man just doesn't do it for me. How about you? Would you buy it for the love of your life?

Movie Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I had been putting off renting this movie for no particular reason. I finally took the plunge and rented from one of those wonderful Red Box video locations. BTW, how convenient is that?

Anyway, the female lead, Kristen Bell, was in a UPN show that I was sad to see go, Veronica Mars. I really like her. She's quirky, cute, funny and very likable (even as a cheating girlfriend). In a nutshell, Jason Segel plays a guy who was just dumped by his famous girlfriend of 5 years (Bell). We've all been there, dumped that is, and to watch what this poor guy goes through is too funny. This movie has a great cast, almost every single character got a laugh out of me (which is hard to do). I must warn you, some of what caused me to laugh was the reason this movie was rated R. There is full frontal nudity, sexual discussions, and all sorts of inappropriate behavior,which performed by this cast, ends up being hilarious!

I don't want to spoil it, so I am not going to tell you anymore, but if you liked SuperBad, 40 Year-Old Virgin or Old School, you will love this movie.

Did you see this movie? What did you think?

I am a Lane Blocker

As some of you may recall, I recently posted about teamwork and how I love to see people come together for a cause. Today's cause that I am excited to talk about is "lane blocking". What is lane blocking? It's something we all have either done or wished we had done when we get stuck in traffic. Let me paint the picture:

Here you are, tooling along on your way to work, making excellent time, thinking about how you will definitely be there before your boss today. The windows are rolled down, the birds are chirping, the air is crisp and refreshing, today is a good day. All of a sudden, you come to a complete stop. A stop that seems to last a lifetime. You try to see around the gigantic truck in front of you with no luck. You see the people in the lane to your right, flying by, as if they are privileged to not have to get stuck where you are. You think, "I want to be like them, I want to go!" No luck, they are driving as if they are in the Indy 500, not allowing you in, leaving you stuck with exhaust from the truck in front of you. So, you sit, and eventually are able to move forward. As you do this, you realize that your once excited, happy mood has been replaced by an anxious, frustrated one. "I am going to be SO late!", you think. As you move forward, you notice a merge sign up ahead, stating that everyone is merging into your lane. Now, I think you understand where I am going with this, right? The mean people, who flew by with no regard to anyone else, they saw this sign and knew that they would not wait as long as you. They wiggle their way into the front of the line, in front of everyone else who has waited their turn.

I don't know about you, but this really chaps my hide! But wait, there is a happy ending:

Take the above example, except I am the driver, stuck behind the truck. One day, I saw a woman in front of me start to head into that right lane, the one that was going to have to merge. As she attempted her journey, I thought, "Where is she going, doesn't she know that she is going to have to get over? Figures!" But to my surprise, she ended up sitting half way into the next lane, but just enough to ward off any passers. "Wow," I thought, "She is fighting back! She is the protector of all good and is here to help us!" I immediately put my car in the same position and noticed others following suit. At that time, I felt proud to be a part of such teamwork! And today, I was the fearless leader, watching others back me up. What a great feeling! Oh, by the way, I got to work before my boss.

Balance Is Not What It Used To Be

When I was a kid, I was able to climb trees, ride my bicycle with no hands, and I was hell on wheels when it came to rollerskating. Somewhere along the way, I lost my great sense of balance. Is it that "old age" thing creeping up on me? No, make it stop!

I decided last night that it would be a good idea to put on my in line skates and get some exercise. Dan immediately was worried. He kept asking me if I thought it was a good idea. "What, do you think I am going to fall or something" I asked. He just looked concerned and made sure that I wore my wrist guards. He suggested letting me wear his motorcycle helmet, but I declined.

Once I stood up and attempted to move toward the front door, Dan was sure I shouldn't go. Secretly, I was having my doubts too. Standing on those wheels in the center of my foot was not very comfortable and my feet were really wobbly. I put on a brave front and took off out the door, holding onto the car for dear life as I headed down the driveway.

"This is crazy," I thought. "I almost skated professionally as a kid, this should not be that hard!" I said my good-bye to Dan and headed down the street. I was glad he did not watch me, I felt pretty juvenile.

I started getting some momentum and headed to the end of the block. Along the way I hit a rock and almost fell, but I recovered and hoped no one was watching how silly I looked. I needed to stop several times since my ankles were not used to such torture! The trip back was not as bad as the going and I made it safe and sound to the house. I stumbled inside and threw myself to the floor in exhaustion.

I vowed I would make this attempt again, as I was not going to let "old age" win!!!!!

The White, Construction Hat

Have you ever had a day where something small and insignificant keeps popping up? Maybe a particular word that seems to be used in excess by everyone you talk to? How about a song? Don't you sometimes hear a song from the past that you haven't heard for years and then all of a sudden, you hear it 2-3 times in one day?

Yesterday, I was driving along the 303 highway and saw a white, construction hat. You know, one of those hard hats that people wear when they are working a construction job? I saw it just laying on the side of the road, next to a field, all alone. My mind started thinking about why someone would forget the hat. Didn't they notice that it fell to the ground from their head? Why wouldn't they pick it up? The likely hood is that it fell from their work truck, just tumbled out as if to say, "I am gonna stay here! See ya around." I realized I was done thinking about the stupid, white hat. Until.....later in the day.

I was driving along the I-17 freeway, and what did I see? A white, construction hat! Was it the same hat? Did it get up and find it's way across town? What's with this hat? It's one of those things that makes you go, "Hmmmmmm....."