fashion unfairness

This morning on GMA (Good Morning America), the fashion topic was the oversized bags that women carry and the potential shoulder and back problems resulting from carrying these oversized purses or handbags. Why do they carry these giant bags? Mainly because that’s the fashion trend. If Hollywood carries something and deems it cool, so must the average Jill. That got me thinking about the unfairness of genders and fashion.

First, let’s look at purses. Why do women carry purses, especially these oversized ones that can cause a variety of issues? When interviewed, some women pulled out everything but their bathroom sink – make-up bags, massive wallets, checkbooks, paperwork, books, lunch (someone had a ziploc bag of broccoli soup), various kids things, photos, all sorts of hair products (some even full-sized), etc. Good grief! I have a smaller gym bag!

Historically, men carried purses. A man’s purse consisted of a leather drawstring pouch to carry coins, and was often looped through men’s girdles or belts for safety. Not until much later did women begin carrying bags, and then still for practical purposes. Now women carry handbags like they won’t be home for days. Plus they complain about all the stuff their lugging and how heavy it is! My theory: the bigger the bag, the more crap you’ll find to stuff in it. So, just buy a small bag and make the kids put their stuff in a kid-sized backpack. A small wallet with money, driver’s license, and insurance card; a small antibacterial hand sanitizer; a small pack of tissues; a pen; a few coupons – that’s all in my purse. What more do I need? If I'm going out of town, I have a suitcase (on wheels).

But men, what do they have? Wallets - a wallet in their back pocket - that's it. So simple and practical. Do they feel the need to carry an extra pair of socks "just in case"? No. Of course, the fashion industry preys on women, convincing them they need the latest trend. I say take a stand, carry a smaller purse or go all out and don't even carry a purse. Why do you need a $500+ handbag anyway that looks like you live out of it? Unless it can do alot more other than carry my wallet, I have better things to do with $500 and I won't look like a bag lady.

Much more on this topic later...

brainwashing, conspiracies, and UPS Trucks

An unmarked white, UPS-like truck pulls up outside with only a blue stripe down the side. Across the top, right about the windows, 5 red safety lights in a one-three-one pattern, although the fifth one is missing. It has the look of having been painted, as if white was not the original color. Rust adorns the driver's side top mirror. The dual windows show a small red plastic cup nestled in a cup holder, and blue notebook placed just outside the driver's reach on the passenger side. This truck only includes a driver's seat in blue plastic covering. The driver, looking remarkably like Kevin James from the King of Queens, emerges wearing a non-descript navy jacket with a white patch on the pocket, a white button-down shirt (untucked) navy pants, and black sneakers carrying his black baseball hat.. From the third floor, I watch as he enters the building, exiting my view. Moments later, he reappears, walks north toward the second building, and enters. His cargo and purpose, unknown.

In today's society of bombings, shootings, and just all-outcraziness, I have to wonder his purpose. Could this person and truck be up to no good? He parked (versus ramming his vehicle into the building), but maybe that's part of the ploy Or have I read too many David Baldacci books? Maybe I've just watched the news too much, and now I see conspiracy and doom behind every door. Maybe the news in brainwashing us to believe in water on Mars, global warming, and the Middle East. Maybe I have imagined the whie, unmarked UPS-like truck parked below. Heck, maybe I'm not even at work, but dreaming, or worse, in some kind of experimentally induced coma and all of this is simply a delusion. Maybe I don't even exist, but am simply a figment of someone else's imagination. In that case, I think I'll sign off and go to lunch. Ciao!

pet peeves & driving

Driving home yesterday evening, a car pulled out in front of me. Why is that a pet peeve? Because I was in the center lane, so this car completely missed the right lane & pulled directly into the center lane, in front of me, causing me to have to suddenly brake. Luckily, no one was immediately behind me. I started wondering why people can't pull out in the lane nearest them. If your entering traffic from the right side (on a multi-lane road), then pull into the right lane. Why is that such a difficult concept? I also wondered why people are in such a hurry that they could endanger not only their lives, but the lives of other drivers. Come on. In the evening, I am just as anxious as the next person to get as far away from work as possible, but not at the expense of other people (or at minimum, my car). After having my car in the shop for a week and a half from another hurried person rear-ending me, I can honestly say I fully support taking time and enjoying the drive. This time of year it's especially great (if you get off the highways and interstates). Last night, I took a new route home just because I wanted to see where that road ended. Sure, it put me out above where I live, but the time difference wasn't that great - plus I got to see an area I had never seen. And this time of year browsing neighborhoods is especially rewarding - I got to see all sorts of houses decorated in many different fashions (although some people need to learn that less can be more). I even saw one house that had their lights as a giant smiley face.

This got me thinking about other driving pet peeves that range from just nuisance to life endangering risks.

• Driving with your turn signal on for miles. Okay, this can happen to the best of us, but come on people, pay attention. After 5 miles, figure it out.


• Not using a turn signal. I don't know where you're going. So if you don't indicate your lane change or exit, I can't adjust my speed accordingly.


• Driving too slow. I'm all for obeying speed limits, but on a major highway or especially the interstate, slow drivers can be more dangerous that fast ones, especially when they drive in the middle or left lanes.


• Driving at a reasonable speed, but not passing (i.e., going the same speed as the car to your right). Alright already, just press the gas down a little more and pass the other car, then get back over to the slow lane to decrease your speed.


• Tailgating. Numero uno reason why my car spent the past week and a half in the shop. And a new police device that looks like a radar detector is actually a distance detector. Police in your area may be cracking down on tailgaters soon. My advice, don't do it. It causes unnecessary road rage and serves no purpose.


• Changing lanes when there's barely a car length between the two cars in the lane. Arg, I don't know how many times another car has forced me to tailgate because they assume the space I've left between me and the car in front of me is an invitation for them to get over.


• Constantly changing lanes, especially in traffic. The only rational I can assume is that the driver assumes it will get ahead of others and therefore will get to his destination sooner. If you're in that much of a hurry, leave earlier or accept being late.

I’m sure there are more, but these top my list. Bad drivers exist everywhere, but the south has more than it’s fair share. I blame it on NASCAR.