Here we go...

I've finally wandered into the world of blogging, and if you're reading these words, you've found me, so welcome! WIth at least a gazillion other blogs out there you could be reading, thanks for deciding to spend some time with me. Or maybe you're just waiting for the clothes to dry and need a distraction for the next 8 minutes that your quarter just gave you. Whatever.

It's kind of like that 12-step saying that goes something like, "It doesn't matter how you got here, you're here!" Sure. So here you are and here I am and yaddayadda.

But since I was thinking...let me say a few things. After all, that's what blogging is all about: me saying things for you to read, and that's why I chose the title I did. We are a pretty self-serving community nowadays and want what we want and now, OK? Did you hear a "please" or a "thank you" in there? No, since manners and politeness have taken a noticeable holiday, or haven't y'all noticed? Boy, I sure have. So let's just have a little chat about that, shall we?

As I've gotten older I've also gotten a lot less patient with quite a few things. Waiting in lines for more than 10 minutes unless I've found someone interesting to talk to, barking dogs in my neighborhood (especially at 6:00 in the freakin' morning), waiting for Jell-o to set and bad manners. Just to name a few. There's more, trust me. I love getting older, I really do, but sometimes these days I just wanna smack some people, ya know?

So along with having less patience, of course it's 108 degrees every day now (for those of you outside of Arizona, I'm not exaggerating that temperature), my car's air conditioner burned up like our paychecks do every two weeks, and some people are just downright snotty. Though I am driving a German-made cooking appliance (check out the in-car cooking experiment done the other day at the University of Arizona by some employees to see just how hot their cars get sitting in the sun these days; it was in the Region section of the 6/28 Arizona Daily Star newspaper, complete with photos of dishes on the dash and the after-baking tasting), and arrive at any destination hot, sticky and feeling like I just piggy-backed a jet, I'm still in a good mood, friendly, smiling and nice, dammit.

But it seems like every other store employee I come across isn't. Not even close. What's up with the bad service out there, people? Do ya really hate your jobs? Well, OK, then get one you will like, and since people seem to be so annoying to you, perhaps you'd like a nice job working in some remote, rural location driving one of those garbage trucks where you don't even get out to pick up the cans - robot arms do all the work. You won't even have to accidentally run into some friendly homeowner who's out in the driveway in their jammies picking up the paper, waving and smiling at you, coffee cup in hand.

I'm the nice customer. So, hey, with all the not-so-nice customers out there, you, Mr. or Ms. Crankypants Cashier, might just wanna be nice to me! I'm always gonna be the nice one unless I give you a few chances to smile or at least act like you're moderately happy and you persist in being a sullen, eye-rolling adolescent, no matter your actual age. Then I'll nicely, but firmly, remind you what Customer Service is really all about: me, the customer. And I'll still be smiling, but you'll get the message clearly enough.

So, let's all be nicer to each other, OK? It's really easy, actually, to put a smile on your face and say something pleasant to another person in your travels today. You never know who's having a much worse day than you and could use a friendly smile. You also could wind up with a free meal or pack of Post-it notes or something if you smile at the right person! You just never know how far a little niceness can travel.

Like the proverbial pebble's ripples on the pond, you could make a butterfly's wings...no wait, that's not how it goes...OK, just be nice, alright already? It makes a difference for both you and me!

Stay cool wherever you are and check back for more of what I've been thinking!