Highly Sensitive, Are We?

In yet another example of how sensitive we have become, Target store was forced to release an apology after the label on one of their plus-sized dresses described the color as ‘manatee grey’.    How distressing!  How rude! The nerve of them to even associate plus-sizes with a manatee!  One shopper took offense and complained.   She tweeted that it was not fair that standard colors were described as ‘Dark Heather Grey’ while the plus-sizes were ‘Manatee Grey’.

You are kidding me, right?  We have nothing better to do than to dissect and read into everything someone writes, do or say?  Man oh man…Maybe I should complain that some clothing in stores are described as being ‘black’ in color, which I find insulting and racist as I am a black man.  Then I could perhaps have all the offending garments given to me to appease my wrath.

We are so sensitive to everything lately that even our sacred laws are threatened.  Can’t say Merry Christmas or call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree.  Can’t pray in school.  Can’t treat women like…women.  Politically correctness.  What are bunch of whining ninnies we have become!  And, the complainers seem to always win.  When is someone going to take a stand and say enough is enough?  Our poor children…

My take. No apologies.

http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/04/05/Target-issues-apology-for-manatee-label-on-plus-size-dress/2621365160035/

Related articles

• Target Dress Apology: Company Sorry Over ‘Manatee Gray’ Label (theepochtimes.com)
• ‘Manatee gray’ plus-sized dress debacle (newsnet5.com)
• Plus-Size? You Get To Wear ‘Manatee Grey’ At Target! (thegloss.com)

Let’s Talk Turkey – Christmas Reflections

Ok, one holiday down, one more to go.  How are you doing so far?  How was your Christmas?  Were you overwhelmed by everything around you?  Did you stop and consider the real reason for the season?  So many questions.  It is so easy to get lost in all the hoopla surrounding Christmas.  So easy to forget what Christmas really means.

Christmas is almost synonymous with gift giving.  We sometimes feel inadequate if we cannot get a gift for a loved one.  On the flip side, we also feel hard done by if a loved one does not give us a gift.  I am not sure why the gift giving, especially when it’s between people who can afford their own gifts but you know what? I am not knocking it.  I have gotten some darn good items, thanks to this tradition.  It would seem weird if my friends exchanged presents with each other at my birthday party, wouldn’t it?

Shopping is another activity that goes hand in hand with Christmas. Shop till you drop seems to be the acceptable mantra.  Gifts, food for the parties, clothes, boxing day sales, buy buy buy!  Again, I am not sure how this ties in with Christmas but someone is making a killing, don’t look at me.

Even though I partake in all the above mentioned Christmas activities and delight in them, I would have no problem with Christmas being more of a time to focus than to stress out over who gets what and who gives what.  I would enjoy the old-fashioned style of Christmas that you see depicted in stories of old.  Where parents tell their kids stories while they listen in rapture.  I would enjoy a Christmas where we the fortunate ones take the opportunity to get ‘gifts’ for the less fortunate.  I know some of us do include this in our list of ‘things we do at Christmas’ but I would like to see the stress placed on it.  We say ‘Christmas is for children’,  I couldn’t disagree more.  It’s not for Children.  It’s for all of us.  If we consider all of us God’s children, then yes, it is for children.

In case you are wondering, “If you like it that way why don’t you celebrate it that way then?” Well I do.  Kinda.  As a team effort it would be even more special and far reaching.  Just imagine it.

Have a Happy New Year!  And remember, it’s all my takes.

Related articles

• What If Christmas Didn’t Exist? (corynikkel.com)

Don’t be a Christmas grump

This morning, I woke up early.  Too early for a Saturday morning but it wasn’t your ordinary Saturday morning.  This was the last Saturday before Christmas and with only 3 more days to go, I had to make every shopping chance count.  So I went to Costco tire shop to have tires installed on our van and wandered into the store to pick up a few things.  While inside, I was jostled and pushed in every direction but guess what, I didn’t lose my cool.  I kept a positive air about me and went about my business as though I was alone in the store.  I watched and listened to my fellow shoppers as they swore and stalked around the store as if someone was trespassing on their personal property.

Now if you are one of those people who get annoyed and stress out over things they cannot control, please don’t go out to the malls.  You should have made your shopping earlier anyways.  It’s Christmas if you didn’t notice and that means chaos at the stores.  With a capital C.  You do not own the store.  You do not have VIP status.  You are not a star.  Grin and bear it or stay in the safe confines of your home.  Sorry.

Oh, and do not be like that rude woman who saw it fit to cut off everyone in line.  If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen, plain and simple.

And it’s not just my take.

Remember The Soldiers? Or Go Shopping?

November 11 is Remembrance Day (Photo credit: Enokson)

On November 11th, the commonwealth countries will show their respect for the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could enjoy the benefits of living in a free world.   It is recognized as a national holiday here in Canada and up until a few years ago, the entire day was set aside to reflect and remember.

A recent editorial in the local newspaper bore testimony to how even a day such as Remembrance day is no match for commercialization.  The editorial was titled “Sunday shopping affected on Nov. 11″.   Sunday shopping affected?  Affected?  Doesn’t that sound to you as if Remembrance day is intruding on one’s right to shop?  Yes, that’s what I got from that also.

I have always had an issue with the new Sunday shopping laws that now allow stores to opening earlier on Sundays to help those who make shopping their hobby.  Read my blog here.  When a holiday as important as this falls on a Sunday, the least we could do is show some respect and observe it to the fullest.  It’s only one day versus how many days some of these soldiers spent in war zones fighting to make it possible for us to go shopping.

Remembrance day is a great opportunity for us to sit down with our kids and tell them stories about the wars.  Children love shoot em up stories with villains and heroes so we could take advantage of this and spin an interesting story for them.  This way,  the fading memory of our soldiers would never be forgotten when we are gone.

The editorial should have been, ‘Remembrance day halts Sunday shopping’.

Just my take, Lest We Forget.

Related articles

• Vets say bar is ‘sexualizing’ Remembrance Day (lfpress.com)
• Remembrance Day 2014: Calls To Close Shops (news.sky.com)
• Why Wear a Poppy (insidehalton.com)
• Sunday Shopping Affected On Nov. 11
• Shop or Family?

My Directbuy Experience

Yesterday evening my wife and I took the plunge and attended an open house at Directbuy.  Considering we are building a house and would be needing appliances, it was a great idea to see what’s out there to save us some money.

We walked in and were immediately confronted by a throng of smiling, happy and eager sales agents.  They acted like we were long-lost friends that they hadn’t seen in a while.  I immediately felt uncomfortable.  It was like entering your house only to be greeted by a houseful of guests yelling ‘Surprise!’

An elderly gentleman looking very much like an overly enthusiastic Andy Griffith came over to us and said he was basically our chaperone for the evening.  He took us to a table and asked some basic and sometimes silly questions.  ”Do you like to buy things on sale?” “Do you like markups?”  He actually waited for answers too.  After plying us with coffee and water, he ushered us into a room where about five couples were already seated in preparation for the presentation.

The presentation was given by another guy.  It was cheesy to say the least, with some more silly questions and a few videos of members extolling the virtues of having a membership at Directbuy. Their smiles and tones made me want to laugh but I held it in and feigned interest.

An hour later it was over, the presentation that is.  Andy Griffith came back and escorted us from the room and back to our conference table.  He again asked us, ‘So do you like markups?” “Would you shop at a place that didn’t have any markups?” And yes, he again waited for our answers.  After more dallying, he finally came right out and said it.   “You should buy a membership today”.  Just like that.  There was no ‘Would you be interested or go home and think about it, just  ”You should buy a membership today.”  When we nicely declined his generous offer, he took it up and notch and informed us that should we not get it, we would not be allowed access for seven years.  Did I mention it was at a cost of $5290? It would have been $6290 but we were VIP and got $100 off. (In my best infomercial voice:  Act now and save yourself 100 dollars off the cost of a membership!)

After almost three hours, we finally escaped without committing to part with any of our hard-earned cash.

Note: Maybe some of you are members of Directbuy and it’s working for you.  I won’t argue the benefits.  This was just not something we thought would work for us and I was very uncomfortable with their in your face tactics.  Maybe we would have saved a few thousand dollars but would that have covered our membership cost? I didn’t think so.