Worth the Wait?

My hidden talent may be one we all share. Whenever I approach a toll booth, I manage to select the one with the longest line. The drivers in front of me either ask for directions, pay with a large bill or I encounter the “changing of the guards.” That’s when the toll taker turns off the green light and goes home, leaving me stranded in a closed lane. As soon as I switch lanes, the next shift comes onboard and turns the light from red back to green. Now the first lane is open again! I know toll takers time their shift switches to trap me in their long lines.

Maybe I’m a little impatient, but aren’t we all? We’re certainly not wired for long wait times in our gotta-have-it-now society. Take a look at how some people handle long lines:

                                              http://youtu.be/IpSyZil1SPk

There’s the proof. You don’t have to be grumpy while waiting in line, even if you’re waiting outside in minus two degree (F) temperatures. Of course, it helps if you can wait inside a sauna. The people in the Donald Driver line wanted to be there; they had a choice. We get cranky when we’re forced to stand in line. A lack of control raises our impatience meter.  What are you waiting for and how well are you handling the wait?           

 

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More Than a Cart Decision

I have a hidden talent that doesn’t show up until I enter a grocery store. You see, I have the keen ability to pick the wonkiest shopping cart in the corral.  Once I get fifteen yards inside the store entrance, the nonsense starts. The cart’s wheels wobble in different directions turning the shopping experience into an athletic event as I struggle to steer clear of people and products. On another visit, I might grab a different cart with the wheels that make squeaky, squealing noises causing temporary brain injury. In today’s economy, store managers would much rather generate sales than repair rogue carts. I imagine managers advising complaining customers to simply avoid the wacky carts (as if I could). See if this poor gentleman can sidestep shopping cart wackiness:

                                         http://youtu.be/wUgNfhPd0uQ

Showdowns! That explains why the carts malfunction. I can’t believe those two engaged in a two-minute shopping cart dance and never spoke a word—no communication whatsoever. We’ll make smarter decisions and experience better results when we talk to the right people, especially to those who provide good insight, advice and direction. Who’s your best advisor when you need sound guidance for important decisions?    

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Is This Point of No Return?

Are we at the point of no return? After this week’s heat blast, can ninety-degree temperatures be far away? Think about the parts of the country just weathered ice and snow storms. Was that the norm for the midwest? Perhaps April or May will make history as the craziest Spring on record. 

We are teetering at a point of no return, the point at which anything’s possible. Just when situations seem predictable—things change again. Years ago, certain types of news stores stories were rare. Today we have more of everything—more mass shootings, more political indiscretions, more polar ice caps melting, more somebody (fill in a horrible and bizarre act) somebody. It feels like society’s spiraling out-of-control, but we cruise along as if all’s well. Listen to how we will have further opportunities to change; some scientists call it progress, while others say it’s horrendous.     

 

                                          http://youtu.be/01hbkh4hXEk

 

Everyone wants discoveries to cure diseases and repair or replace failing body parts. It’s interesting how when scientists develop cures and medical advances, somebody always crosses the line and uses the technology to create a horror story. What do you think about transhumanism and its potential impact on society?                

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No Debt Ceiling

They say I owe millions, but I disagree. It’s really about several hundred thousand dollars. I blame my debt on the game our family plays at mealtime. Anyone caught staring is fined, and it’s usually for a couple thousand dollars per offense. Since my mealtime seat faces the window, I can’t help gazing out at the beautiful scenery. Every now and then, I get lost in nature and lost in thought, and that’s when I get fined. I don’t know how this crazy game started, but I do know that I’m not paying!

Debt is a funny thing. It creeps up on you and before you know it—bam!—you’ve got a big problem. Let’s see how these folks handle it.

                                             http://youtu.be/5nJw7f3w7eQ

Married and cooped up with the parents. I’m pretty sure that was not this couple’s plan. How do we get trapped in debt? It can be a fun ride getting there, but once the expenses mount up, somebody has to pay. Given our consumer-driven society, debt can be difficult to avoid. Most of us have some type of debt like a mortgage, a car payment or a credit card. What about non-financial debt? Have you been bailed out of a spot so tight that no amount of money can repay the deed? Is there someone you owe in a big way?          

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