Today I started my holiday shopping. I was very excited to go to one of my favorite stores Macy's for one of their many sale days.
I was prepared to shop with list in hand and several of their coupons and gift certificates.
I was shopping for our adopt a family and wanted to make each dollar count.
Everything was fine til I got to the long line and noticed that the lady at the register was not one of the regulars but holiday help. She did not know which coupons could be used and was the only one at the register and stopped several times to answer questions on the phone.
Several times she had to get the manager or re ring the sale. She was taking the wind out of my sales waiting for twenty minutes in line. I met several people I had not seen since last year.
Holiday shopping is always a good way to see people you have not seen for quite some time.
I later went to housewares to get blenders for the two mom's.I could not believe you would need a blender for a Christmas gift. All was well the cashiers were the regulars and they knew how the coupons worked and worked quickly and friendly. To my surprise the shoppers were wild I got into what I thought was the line and two woman yelled at me to go to the end of the line I had to look hard to see what they meant since there were four cashiers.
One shopper was kind enough to point out the end of the line. Those woman acted like they would eat their young or me if I did not get into the correct line. Dan one of the sales people that knew me apologised and some more lines were opened.
We are not in December and people are angry already. In another line a woman yelled at the cashier. The woman was using a credit card not the store card which she should have been using to get the price deduction. The clerk was very calm and kind and let the woman get the discount any way. I feel if she did not get her way there would have been a big fight.
I was the next in line and then a woman came from somewhere and she tried to go in front of me and I just smile at her and proceeded to speak kindly to the clerk and handed her my purchases. Luckily I went through this line with out any trouble.
It seems to me that people will be very angry about making holiday purchases this year.
If you are short on money and kindness do not go shopping.
My friend noticed how many clerks I knew in the store and I said its because I always call people by their names and always ask how they are and say thank you and mean it.
My dad would always tell me that people like to be acknowledged and to do so with each meeting and I have and it works well for me. I call them by their names that makes people accountable since you know who they are and that works as well.
Rarely do I have poor service anywhere.
When the lines are long I often go into my comedy routine or chat or hand out my business card and that keeps the natives from attacking.
Keep the true meaning of Christmas in mind when shopping.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Atlantic City
Well my foot is getting better due to my great physical therapist. This past weekend we went to Atlantic City. It is not my old A.C. trip. This time I am not in the V.I.P. line and am made to wait in the line with the rest of the people. Long are the days of being a hotel guest.
No limosenes, V.I.P. check in, special key to the elevator, no V.I.P. lounge, no butler service and no one at the end of the phone calling me by name and asking me what can I do to help.
Yes it is hard to come down and see how the other half live. There are good and bad with both.
When you have money you do not know if people like you for yourself or for the fact that you have money. When you do not have money some people do not have time for you if they think you do not.
I noticed that the majority of the people seemed like they were there to get rich. Most were elderly and still seemed to be trying to make the big dream come true. They seemed tired.
I went to the buffet for lunch and saw that most of the servers were elderly woman and some appeared to be distracted the entire time. I waited ten minutes for her to come back with a coke and she only had two tables.
I also noted several woman who had plastic food containers for food to take with them from the buffet.
Is this what is left for the elderly? Working beyond their years and stealing food to take home??
Atlantic City supposedly is loosing money well if they charged for the buffet by the weight of the plate and not per person they would be better off. If they charged the rich instead giving them so many free gifts that would also help their bottom line.. So many people took two plates of food each time they went to the buffet. As you pass the tables you see so much food wasted by people. I also understand that the hotels can not give food away to shelters. Their is so much waste in this country that I do not understand.
I have learned so much by being the person that has had and not had.
My daughter has asked would I like to be Oprah and I thought about it for awhile and said no because she does not have you and your brother and I feel my children are the greatest gifts I have and no amount of money could duplicate them.
I wish people would acknowledge people for their presence in the world as another human and not so much for color of skin or the amount of money you have or the money they think you have.
I wish the elderly would have a better life in their later years and have enough food. I would not mind having my old V.I.P. privileges back at least a few times a year.
No limosenes, V.I.P. check in, special key to the elevator, no V.I.P. lounge, no butler service and no one at the end of the phone calling me by name and asking me what can I do to help.
Yes it is hard to come down and see how the other half live. There are good and bad with both.
When you have money you do not know if people like you for yourself or for the fact that you have money. When you do not have money some people do not have time for you if they think you do not.
I noticed that the majority of the people seemed like they were there to get rich. Most were elderly and still seemed to be trying to make the big dream come true. They seemed tired.
I went to the buffet for lunch and saw that most of the servers were elderly woman and some appeared to be distracted the entire time. I waited ten minutes for her to come back with a coke and she only had two tables.
I also noted several woman who had plastic food containers for food to take with them from the buffet.
Is this what is left for the elderly? Working beyond their years and stealing food to take home??
Atlantic City supposedly is loosing money well if they charged for the buffet by the weight of the plate and not per person they would be better off. If they charged the rich instead giving them so many free gifts that would also help their bottom line.. So many people took two plates of food each time they went to the buffet. As you pass the tables you see so much food wasted by people. I also understand that the hotels can not give food away to shelters. Their is so much waste in this country that I do not understand.
I have learned so much by being the person that has had and not had.
My daughter has asked would I like to be Oprah and I thought about it for awhile and said no because she does not have you and your brother and I feel my children are the greatest gifts I have and no amount of money could duplicate them.
I wish people would acknowledge people for their presence in the world as another human and not so much for color of skin or the amount of money you have or the money they think you have.
I wish the elderly would have a better life in their later years and have enough food. I would not mind having my old V.I.P. privileges back at least a few times a year.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Obama President Elec
It is truly a new day. I was so happy with this election. I could not believe so many people were so happy with the results. I feel he will do an excellent job.
I wish my dad was here to see this day and inauguration day. My dad new he was running but at the time of his death he did not feel Obama had a chance.
When I saw Obama give his speech I thought back to the days as a child when I saw in Jet magazine the hanging of the black students and one white student in trying to get people registered to vote in the south. I will never forget seeing those men hanging from trees.
I was always afraid when we visited the south that my dad would be hung or we would all be killed.
When we moved to Delaware in 1967 there was a cross burned on our front yard and I later found out that the KKK was strong in Elkton.
As I drove to work the day after election day I was passed by a man driving a white car with two Confederate flags flying from each window.
I have never been able to understand the idea that the color of your skin which we have no control of makes such a big difference to some people.
We are all the same and want the same things in life no matter what color we are and there are so many other truly important things we need to address as people.
I wish my dad was here to see this day and inauguration day. My dad new he was running but at the time of his death he did not feel Obama had a chance.
When I saw Obama give his speech I thought back to the days as a child when I saw in Jet magazine the hanging of the black students and one white student in trying to get people registered to vote in the south. I will never forget seeing those men hanging from trees.
I was always afraid when we visited the south that my dad would be hung or we would all be killed.
When we moved to Delaware in 1967 there was a cross burned on our front yard and I later found out that the KKK was strong in Elkton.
As I drove to work the day after election day I was passed by a man driving a white car with two Confederate flags flying from each window.
I have never been able to understand the idea that the color of your skin which we have no control of makes such a big difference to some people.
We are all the same and want the same things in life no matter what color we are and there are so many other truly important things we need to address as people.
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