Anybody having trouble with rude people or is it this week or just this part of the world? So what's with people and why can't people just be nice? Why can't they say thank you and not get bent out of shape over such stupid little things? What happened to good manners and doing nice things without having to pay a price? Maybe I just need to rant. Another good case for homesteading.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 18, 2001

Answers

Cindy, I know what you mean, but it hasn't been just this week. We recently returned from some summer travel to western states to see family, and I'm so happy to be back to my life. There is a serious loss of civility that is rampant everywhere. There's a thread over on CS about this and I have to say, everything they say is true. I saw little girls dressed and acting like hookers, saw reasonably intelligent people littering, cutting others off in waiting lines, yelling obscenities at their children, etc. And sadly, some of these individuals were in my own family. DH and I came home with heavy hearts and a fear that we are doomed to a very nasty world in the next few years. I can't influence others the way I would like, I can only control the few cubic feet I inhabit, but I can live within that space as a good citizen and moral person. I can only hope others will do the same.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), August 18, 2001.

The economy and job troubles currently probally add to it a lot.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair@yahoo.com), August 18, 2001.

It is so strange that you started this thread. I just asked someone yesterday what is going on this week. We had two different homeschool activities this week. At both of them we had people get into arguments. I have been running a homeschool support group for the last 17 years and have NEVER had this happen before. We're generally very nice to each other. Maybe it is just that so much is going on right now, I don't know, but it has been a strange week in this sense.

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), August 18, 2001.

I have felt crabby all week. Not that I've gone off on anyone, but nonetheless, I haven't been feeling all slap happy and tickled pink. Guess I'm lucky in that I know why I feel this way and I know that it will pass and who to lean on even after it passes. As for others, seems there is simply no time to tolerate anyone doing less than exactly what you what them to when you want them to do it. People are so stressed they are screaming at everything to hurry up....including microwaves and computers. Sheesh. Everyone should take a deep breath.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), August 18, 2001.

I was shopping at a drug store in another state the other day and I couldn't believe how awful the cashier was not only to me but to two other customers. I was so taken aback I couldn't think of a response so I just asked for her name which she gave me. I went home and sat for a while thinking about it and decided to call the store manager. I spoke softly and politely and explained how rude her employee had been. I went on to say how I knew, as the manager, she would want to know this. That perhaps the employee was having a bad day and as a good manager perhaps she could speak to her to avoid having this happen to someone else. She did apologize and promised to speak to her. I accepted her apology and said it wasn't my intention to get this person in trouble but to hopefully help. I have no idea how this turned out but have found that speaking softly and politely helps alot. As my mother always said: "It's much easier to go from nice to nasty than nasty to nice." Rarely have I ever gone to nasty.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (Trevilians@mediaone.net), August 20, 2001.

Blame it on the heat, or stress, or work, or the spouse. Any of these can fit the bill. It just seems people can't wait a second or be polite even if their life depends on it anymore. Well there is my 2 cents worth. PS (Does anybody remember if the old typewriters had a cents key, seems to me they did.)

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), August 21, 2001.

PC's also have cents capability. ( just my 2¢ worth) Feel free to copy and paste it Bob! It's a lot easier than going into Microsoft Word, using insert, symbol, normal text and picking it from the grid.

-- rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), August 23, 2001.