Anti-Green (the new Black)

Let me just start by clarifying.......I am no hippie, tree hugging, granola crunching, Go-Green Nazi (not that there's anything wrong with that if you're reading this and are). HOWEVER, I like to think that I do keep Mother Earth in the back of my mind. Okay, scratch that. I'm terrible at the whole recycle thing (that sounds way worse when typed), but I have started this.......Several months ago, I bought some recycling grocery bags at Sams and I bring those when I go grocery shopping so as not to use the plastic ones. They are rather large, but I have four and don't mind loading them down to keep from using the ones at the grocery store. I have also, in the past year, asked checkout people not to bag up small items that I can carry, just telling them "I don't need a bag for this". I figure these things are the LEAST I can do considering the fact that I drive a Jeep Cherokee. Anyhow, lest we judge.....

What has amazed me is the "backlash" that I have received from people working at the stores while trying these simple recycling tools (to the point of looking at me like I am doing something WRONG. ????). A few scenarios:

1. When I've asked not to bag small items that I can carry, I've had a few people just say "okay", then throw the bags in the trash under the counter. DOH!!! Nice. Throw away that perfectly unused plastic bag because it can't be REUSED with the next customer.

2. The other day at Brookshires I told the lady, "I have my own bags". She says okay and hands them to the bagger guy. As he's bagging he says, "Whoa, these are big". I nod and smile (because what else can you say when John Madden states the obvious. Yes, they are quite big). And as he helps me wheel my cart to my car, he feels the need to add (as he grunts/laughs under his breath)...."Musta takin a LOT of bags to make this one." As if saying, "Stupid lady. You could've just used a bunch of plastic bags instead of using this big one". I promptly replied, "Well, I've reused these bags 50 or 60 times, so I'm PRETTY SURE it's been worth it". Ass (I didn't say this out loud)

And the last........(my personal favorite)

3. We were in Grayton Beach, FL last August on family vacation. One afternoon, my brother and I stepped out to pick up a few things for the house (chips, dip, beer, non caffeinated soft drinks for the pregnant sister....you know, the essentials). Anyway, we get up to the counter at the Totes-em and pay the clerk. Now keep in mind, he and I carried the items up to the counter. We did not require a buggy or even one of those carry-basket-things to get them to the counter. So anyway, we pay the lady and she grabs a plastic bag to start bagging up the items. I said, "Oh, don't worry about it. We don't need a bag. We'll just carry them". The fact that she then looked at me like I had three heads and was speaking Greek, I felt the need to further exlain. "Oh, you know. It's my little contribution to helping Mother Earth". She looks at me in disgust (disgust you say??? Why, yes) and says........"Oh yeah, way to save all those PLASTIC trees." (like I was the idiot) And she didn't stop with that. She repeats this statment, in varying forms, maybe three more times. I was in such complete shock that I just walked out of the store, eyes wide, shaking my head. Yes ME, Queen of No Filter, said nothing back. I was so shocked in the store that I hadn't really realized/heard that she had repeated it three or four times until we got outside and my brother told me. What I wanted to do was go back in the store and say, "NO! NOT SAVING 'PLASTIC TREES' YOU IG-NANT MORON. TRYING TO KEEP FROM USING THOSE PLASTIC BAGS THAT......I don't know......END UP IN THE DUMP AND NEVER BREAK DOWN!!!!". But I didn't.....Because that woman was old and she looked "road hard". And she looked like she might have been in a few fights (and I haven't). AND she looked like she had been working in that Totes-em in Grayton Beach for a while and probably knew people who could kick my ass (in case she couldn't leave her register and do it herself).

Who's pregnant?

We were in Oxford this weekend visiting my mom and enjoying the football festivities. There was a quilt show that my mom was involved with, so when Sara and I got into town we went to pick my mom up there. Some of her quilting friends were there and I think mom enjoyed showing off her (beautiful) daughters. We were introduced to one of her friends and she turns to me and says "So, how is the Rookie doing?" (as she reached for my stomach). Will I go to hell if I forcefully swatted an old lady's hand away? I quickly informed her that the Rookie was "over there", and pointed to my 8 MONTHS PREGNANT, BASKETBALL-CLEARLY-IN-THE-BELLY, SISTER!!!!! I mean, I know I've gained some sympathy weight, but 8 months' of baby worth? Sheesh, these old lady's kill me! If they're not informing me that I'm not married (yes, I know this) or that I should be in school if not married (cause you can either be in school or married), then they're calling me 8-month-prego fat to my face? Can a girl get a break? Just askin'.

The Space Between

I am wondering if this is just me or does anyone else do this? When I pull up to a red light and there cars in line in front of me, I leave enough space so that if I am carjacked I have room to maneuver. Anyone? The sad thing is I do it subconsciously. Is it just that I've lived in Jackson too long?

P.S. I love you......right now

I was watching P.S. I Love You tonight (yes Nik, I finally broke down and actually put the movie in the DVD player). There was this quote, and I literally laughed out loud!

Man: "That's why you're not married. Women act like men and then they complain men don't want them."

Woman: "Oh, is that why? Cause I thought it was something different. I thought it was because I thought I deserved the best. And he's out there...... he's just with all the wrong women....And let me be clear. After centuries of men looking at my tits instead of my eyes, and pinching my ass instead of shaking my hand....I now have the divine right to stare at a man's backside with vulgar, cheap appreciation if I want to!"

Just thought I'd share that with my favorite people. (and by "my favorite people", I mean the people who read my blog) I thought it was funny, but then again, I'm a single woman.

Double Standard

I know, ya'll think I'm gonna talk about the whole "why are guys that sleep with a bunch of girls 'playas', but girls......" da da da, you know the story. No. Not going there. I'm going to throw you a curve ball! (I went out on a date with a minor league umpire a couple of weeks ago. Sorry.) Don't you think it's funny (and by "funny", I mean not in the least funny. Not even a half smile. Like, if funny was a 100 on a scale of 1-100, this would be a -10. Sorry. Tangent) Anyway, don't you think it's "funny" (now that we've defined this) that it's "cute" when a guy expresses his feelings, but "crazy" when a girl does? Okay, what gives? I mean, guys WONDER why a girl gets the wrong impression when he's told her for months how he "needs someone strong like her to ground him". I'm just saying....Nope, not bitter at all.

Life DVR

I have DVR (aka TiVo). I feel like I may have owned this wonderful tool a little too long. Today, I was sitting on the couch watching TV. I happened to look out the window as a car drove by. I only caught the tail end of it, but thought I recognized it. I came about "this close" (picture my thumb and pointer finger ~1/2 mm apart) to pushing rewind on the DVR control so I could see the car again. Is this bad? I must get out more!!!!

To be scared, or not to be scared? That is the question

This is the text I got yesterday from the guy who cuts my yard: "Cut u 2morrow". Should I be worried? He's here now.