Making peace with lost time and rising rudeness

By now, you probably know how I feel about wasting time. Those of us who have aged regularly know that there isn’t a whole lot of that commodity left, so it is wise to make the best of what there is.

I think I lost about 12 hours this week trying to solve problems on the computer. For your edification, I did not get them all solved, but I’ll tell you what I learned. There is hardly such a thing as customer service. All companies advertise that you can contact them at any time…I’d like to contact them all at whatever hour they are sound asleep… and they will answer all your questions for you.

Here's how that went: If, after a couple of hours you can finally get a phone number for the company, you get a notice on the computer that you can talk to their experts and get all your problems solved. You do this by paying $1 (reportedly returnable) on your credit card. You then email with an “expert” who does not solve the problem. The next day, you are enrolled in a $35 a month program to help you solve whatever problems you might have in the future.

Another interesting twist (if you know how this works and feel OK about it, let me know) some little companies take your credit card number then give it to Pay Pal who sends you the receipt. I do not want to pay through Pay Pal, but I am getting regular reports from them on what I am spending. 

I know, the wise thing to do would be to stop ordering online. The problem for me is that the things I usually order are things that I can’t find locally, and it truly is easier to order online than to drive to Canton. (I do have to say, I have rarely had trouble with Amazon. I usually get exactly what I want, exactly when they say it will arrive, with everything in good shape.)

Many of the phone clerks have become rude, and seem happy to tell you, “Unfortunately, we are unable to handle that problem, you will have to talk to the company or your bank.” Unfortunately for me, that isn't what I need, and this is causing me to become rude too, something I feel strongly about. 

Rudeness, sanctioned all over the world now, has become a way of life. Having been raised under the “You get more flies with honey than with vinegar” rule, I do not understand why anyone wants to be rude. When did it happen that we decided to no longer set good examples for our children? When did we decide to do away with dignity and meet every situation with vulgar language, name calling and accusations? It begins to feel like power and money are the only things that matter. Stroking inflated egos who do not know that everything can be solved in a gentile way becomes frustrating, and rudeness begins to come easily.

Rule breaking is a big part of that rudeness. I am absolutely amazed at the number of drivers who speed through school or hospital zones at more than 40 MPH. To the young lady who sat on my bumper through the school zone the other day, and honked at me when we were through it, I was deliberately driving the required 20 MPH speed limit, and as someone who believes rules serve a purpose, other than to be broken, I will always obey those laws. I hope you will never hit a child, or even a rabbit or squirrel.

On a nicer note, early winter has taken us by surprise. It was a shock to wake up to temperatures in the twenties, but what a nice invitation to cuddle up with a good book in front of the fireplace and just worry about how you’ll get everything done for the holidays.