How Do I Maintain A Positive Outlook?

How do I maintain a positive outlook?  This is a question I am frequently asked especially when people learn how much death, destruction, and sickness I see on a first hand basis.  Really, the answer isn't all that difficult, and I hope you will find it helpful regardless of your chosen profession.  The following things help me keep my head up and keep me going forward.  I hope they will help you as well.

Treat others with unconditional positive regard.  This essentially means giving others the respect and dignity that all humans deserve regardless of their race, religion (or lack thereof), gender, sexual orientation, politics, or nation of origin and regardless if they are mentally or physically ill, if they follow societal norms for hygiene and grooming, if they are homeless, etc.  (Yes, I know I sometimes fail in this endeavour, but it isn't for lack of trying.)

Practice random acts of kindness.

Practice random acts of generosity.

Give to charity.

Help the less fortunate.

Stand up for who you are, what you are, and what you believe in.

Be honest. 

Do good work.

Lend a helping hand to a person in need.

Spend time with those about whom you care and who care about you; don't waste time on those who don't.

Do not engage in battles of wits with unarmed people. 

And lastly.........................

Treat others the way you would want them to treat you.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Do People Have No Pride In Themselves Anymore???

You know what I don't understand?  I don't understand why people seem to take no pride in themselves. 

Allow me to elaborate................

This morning, I had blood drawn at a local hospital for a routine physical exam.  While I was waiting to go back to be poked, I was subjected to the following individuals.

A sixty-something woman wearing pink short shorts and a skin tight pink tank top with no bra.  Her hair looked as if it hadn't been washed for several days, and she was wearing flip-flops.  Yeah, that just oozes with class, doesn't it?

A twenty-something female who, for reasons I just can't fathom, apparently decided that the hospital phone in the waiting room was her private line as she spent the entire time making and receiving (yes, receiving) calls on it.  Of course, all of us in the waiting area were subjected to her extremely loud and rude diatribes directed at the person, or persons, on the other end of the line.  She was able to tear herself away from the phone long enough to slurp down about half dozen Cokes in less than an hour.  I mean, I like Coke, but DAMN!!!!!!!  Then, she had the audacity to ask the staff if one of them could go get her a sandwich because her ride was delayed.  Seriously?  How about to trot your sorry self to the cafeteria instead of thinking that hospital property and staff are your personal belongings?

A forty something woman (No, I am not picking on the ladies.  It just happened that the most obnoxious were female today.) who obviously didn't realize that overweight women shouldn't wear tops that are two sizes too small.  (I am a fat boy myself, but I have the common decency to wear my clothes baggy!!!)  As if that weren't bad enough, her shirt had a HUGE stain in the middle of it.  Then, there was her sodding cell phone.  She couldn't possibly have had the foresight to put the bloody thing on vibrate.  Oh, no, far better to have the ring tone volume cranked to ten, and her ring tones were incredibly annoying, including the theme from "Cops".  I've no idea what this person did for a living, but she must have been important since said cell phone rang about every 37 seconds!!!  Of course, she also felt like she needed to scream into her phone.  I really think a lot of these folks could save money on cell phones, if they would just stick their heads out the window and yell..........    In this case, maybe she could use the saving to wash the clothing she already owns and purchase some that fits!!!!

The scary part about this is that there were only five total people, including yours truly here, in the waiting area, so fully sixty percent of the folks there behaved like buffoons.  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.  I guess my point, dear readers, is this.  What ever happened to wearing decent clothing in public?  I mean, you don't have to dress up.  I was wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt, but my clothes were clean, and they matched, and they fit.  How has it become acceptable to wear filthy clothes that don't fit in public places? 

Further, whatever happened to conducting oneself with a bit of dignity and class?  Must you yap nonstop on your cell phone?  Must you think that everyone else is your personal gopher?  Must people act like they are the center of the universe?  It is utterly mind boggling; and I, for one, have had enough of it!!!  Maybe we should all try to see ourselves as others see us.  What do you think, ladies and gentlemen?

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Whatever Happened To Decent Customer Service

You know what I don't understand?  I don't understand what happened to decent customer service.  Let me relate a recent experience with you, dear readers.  Please share your thoughts and opinions with me.

A few weeks ago, I was watching a Major League Baseball game on my HD TV when there was a popping sound, followed by sound but no picture.  The set was over five years old, and this was the first trouble I had with it.  Hey, nothing lasts forever, and it was still under an extended service plan that was purchased along with the set at a local Best Buy store.

Problem One:  When Best Buy was contacted, I was informed that it would take two weeks, TWO WEEKS, for a member of their Geek Squad to come by my home to repair the set.  There had been numerous thunderstorms in my part of the US during this time, and everyone is short staffed in this day and age, so I figured it wasn't that big of a deal.  And it would not have been, but............................

Problem Two:  When the Geek Squad "technician" showed up two weeks later, he practically took the set completely apart right there in my living room, only to announce that he didn't have the correct part to repair the set.  He would be back next week with the proper part.  Really?  It took you two weeks to get someone to my place to look at the set, and he doesn't bring parts to cover every possible root cause of the original issue?

Problem Three:  After the Geek Squad tech had already told me when he would return, I start getting phone calls from the Geek Squad to "schedule my part installation".  So....................they want me to schedule something that was already scheduled.  And you wonder why it takes them two weeks to respond to a problem, but I digress.  After fighting my way through the damn computer system for fifteen minutes and then being directed to three different actual humans, I was assured that the gentleman in question would return on the date and time that he and I agreed on.  Wonderful!!!!  Or maybe not.............

Problem Four:  The day and time of the return visit came and went with no Geek Squad person at my door.  Another fifteen minutes of automated system navigation, another four transfers until I get to someone who has a clue what they are doing.  After a ten minute, very heated conversation, I was informed that they didn't have the part in stock, so they never processed the work order.  This is why no one showed up.  Excuse me?????  And no one had the common courtesy to call and tell me this.  After a minor meltdown on my part, they miraculously find a part, and , lo and behold, the guy can stop by the next day.  Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Or maybe not so fantastic....................

Problem Five:  Sure enough, the old boy arrives as scheduled with the part in hand.  But.......  Guess what................  You guessed it.  That part doesn't solve the problem either.  Seriously??  I can take my car to a certified mechanic, he or she can plug it into a diagnostic computer, and we will know the problem within minutes, yet we can't do the same for electronic appliances????  Sodding ridiculous!!!!  So............he'll be back in yet another week.  Are y'all keeping track of this?  We are well over a month trying to resolve this problem at this point.

Problem Six:  The day before the guy is supposed to bring the miracle part that will finally repair the bloody set, Best Buy calls................  They no longer make the replacement part in question, so they are going to just replace the set!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Good Lord!!!!!!!!!  Okay, I don't want to sound like a crybaby here, but we've been jacking with this for over a month, and now you're just going to replace the set.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to figure out the root cause during the first visit and then make the determination to replace the set versus fooling around for a month prior to the fact????? 

So off the Best Buy with the paperwork.  They will deliver the new set and haul off the carcass of the old one two days later.  Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Or not.................

Problem Seven:  Okay this one is minor, but still!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The damn fools bringing the new set show up a half hour early, and then act like they are annoyed because I wasn't prepared for them when they arrived. 

At least the new set works well.................................so far.

Now, I realize I am griping about a television set here when there are so many huge problems facing our country and mankind in general.  I realize that, looking at the big picture, this annoyance means NOTHING.  However, I long for the days when I was made to feel appreciated as a paying customer of retail and other establishments. 

That being said, my advice, my friends, is to avoid Best Buy and the Geek Squad all together.  Has anyone else had any experiences with them, either positive or negative?  Feel free to share.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Why Must We Label People?

You know what I don't understand? I don't understand why so many folks insist on labeling people. Ladies and gentlemen, you know the kind of thing I mean..............

"The queer from ABC Company."

"The rag head across the street."

"That dyke in accounting."

"The spics down the block."

"That fat bastard who works at the hardware store."

"The kike who cuts our grass."

Really, dear readers, this kind of thing really grates on my nerves. Must we address other human beings in such derogatory and disrespectful terms? Can we not celebrate our differences without insulting each other?

Here is an idea. Everyone has a name. Why don't we try using them instead of these inane labels?

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

What Happened To Common Courtesy And Respect?

You know what I don't understand? I don't understand what happened to common courtesy and respect. Is it just me, or are the vast majority of our friends and neighbors terribly self centered anymore? Take these examples under consideration:

• As a student nurse, I have witnessed fellow students talk among themselves, play on their phones, and literally sleep during class lectures. Shouldn't the instructors be respected enough to have their students pay attention during class? I myself teach an occasional EMS class and have been subjected to the same treatment, and I find it personally and professionally offensive. I would expect my nursing instructors share the same opinion.
• During runs with my fire department, I have been verbally accosted by patients and bystanders as have fellow EMTs and police officers. What happened to respecting a badge and respecting public servants?
• Have you noticed how many of our neighbors don't seem to be able to see past the ends of their own noses? It is as if the entire universe is them, their family, and their little world while nothing else matters. Why do we no longer reach out to help our fellow men? Why do we no longer extend a hand to those in need and less fortunate than we? Do we not realize we are all in this together?
• While driving on the highways and byways of North Central Indiana, I have recently seen a person who was driving east move into westbound traffic in order to bypass a work zone, a person intentionally drive in a closed lane, so they could pass those of us with the common sense to move into the lane that was actually open, just so the person could cut into the open lane with about ten feet to spare causing a near collision, and a driver nearly hitting an elderly pedestrian who had the right of way because the driver was too involved in her cell phone conversation to notice the gentleman trying to lawfully cross the street.
• Political and social commentary, especially online, is hateful, vicious, mean spirited, and personally insulting. (Before I am accused of hypocrisy, I myself am guilty of this from time to time, but I am trying to avoid behaving in this way.) What became of thoughtful, civil discourse and debate? As a society, we find Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Keith Olbermann, and Lawrence O'Donnell acceptable? What happened to George Will, David Brooks, Mark Shields, and EJ Dionne?
• We are rude to each other. We treat those with whom we disagree with utter disdain and disrespect. We curse at each other. We degrade each other. We are more concerned with what we have and how we can keep it than we are with uplifting the downtrodden and contributing to the common good.

I don't know, friends and frenemies. I am concerned about the state of our society and of mankind as a whole. I fear if we do not start treating each other with more courtesy, with more respect, with more civility and with more dignity, we will soon destroy each other and ourselves. I am curious as to your thoughts on this matter, dear readers. Please feel free to comment.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Is Your Phone Call THAT Important?

You know what I don't understand? I don't understand the utter lack of etiquette regarding the use of cell phones in public. Within the last month, I have personally observed the following behavior of people using cell phones:

• A student at the college where I attend nursing school yapping on his phone while (ahem) taking care of his business at a urinal.
• A man at a sporting event conducting an extremely loud conversation while sitting in a restroom stall. (Think about the "yuck factor" involved there.)
• A woman engaging in a screaming match in the middle of a major retail outlet.
• Several individuals walking into other people because they were so engrossed in their phones that they couldn't be bother to actually watch where they were walking.
• And don't even get me started on the number of people who weave in and out of traffic while going 10 mph under the speed limit because they are blabbering on their phones rather than paying attention to their driving.

Seriously, people. Is the call you are on so important that you have to subject the rest of us to these types of boorish behaviors? I can honestly say that, at age 43, I have never taken nor received a phone call that was so important that I would have being using a phone in a public restroom!!!!

Think about that the next time you feel you need to use your phone in the presence of others.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.