I have to remember....

...that some people just aren't outgoing.  It doesn't make them strange, weird, or serial killers.

Something I realize

I do NOT like the woman I work with, at all and you know what?  That's okay.  She's not my cup of tea.  She comes into work, does her job, doesn't talk to anyone and stays to herself.  That's not my thing but if it works for her, cool.  But the fact that I don't like her doesn't mean that I can't work with her.  It doesn't mean that I have to walk up to her and say, "you suck bitch."  It just is.  I can not like someone and not react.  And that's pretty damn good.

Boundaries

Boundaries are very important.  Without them we'd be like a person with an unlocked door in a bad neighborhood.  I have learned that some people have very high boundaries while others have lower.  Neither is bad or good, it just works for each person.

The woman I work next to has rather high boundaries; higher than mine.  To her, she's here to work.  She doesn't make small talk, she doesn't engage people in conversation.  So for her the boundaries are high and I'm sure that works for her.  Some people really have to be that way because they can get confused.  You know what that looks like, a person you know on the job suddenly wants to be your best friend and wants to hang out with you on the off time.  If you do that, then how do you act?  What if you're a drinker?  What if you embarrass yourself around them?  Will they tell other people at work?  Will they tell the boss?  What if you're the boss?

The thing is, people need human connection, it's nice to be connected to others, however as you get older, you learn that there are some things you can't share with everybody; there are parts of yourself you have to keep buried around some people.  I know a lot of folks in the self-help field say, "you're as sick as your secrets."  True.  But there is a time and a place for everything, including secrets.

I'll try again

let's try this again.  Black Friday sucks!  People need to stop shopping!

The problem with Black Friday is that it works.  People shop.  Today on Fifth Avenue, people were shopping and it wasn't even 7am!  Why when you can go online?  Is it an addiction like crack?  Is it an adrenalin rush?  Maybe.

Why do people do this?  Why do we put ourselves through this every year?  Why do we fall for the stores same old nonsense?  The stores can have great sales because their staff is paid below minimum wage, plus they have to come to work at ungodly hours, and miss their Thanksgivings.  But we sheeple don't think about that.  All we can think of is getting our flat screen TV's for $100.  But you know what?  I don't have a flat screen TV, not one and I'm okay.  I manage to live.

What if you had only an hour to live?  What would be your last thoughts?  Would they be, "Oh, I wish I had taken advantage of that sale?" or would it be, "Gee, I wish I had spent more time with my family/friends/loved ones."

Taxes

People always complain that they don't want to pay taxes.  The reason they complain IMO, is because they think taxes help "other people" or "those people."  Meaning people who don't look like them or live like them.  What they don't get is that all it takes is one turn of bad luck to become one of "those other people."  Life is random.

I work with an introvert

I sit in the office with a woman who is an introvert.  This is something very unusual for me.  My last co-worker was an extrovert and we had a great time.  This woman says "good morning" and that's it.  She rarely talks to people.  When asked to go out to lunch with a group, she either says "no" or reluctantly agrees to go, but sits quietly and doesn't engage. 

At first I thought this was weird.  But then I started talking to people who are introverts.  They told me that introverts become exhausted by too much stimulation, that they get recharged by being quiet and alone.  It's not that introverts aren't nice people (lots of times people think they're snotty, I know I sometimes do), it's that they just get tired by the constant chatter.  The chatter actually makes them feel TIRED.  My mom is this way and I used to think she was weird.  I used to wish I had a more outgoing mother.  I mean who the heck wants to just sit quietly all the time?  EWWW.

However I have learned to deal with this woman.  I have to remember that she's not a snotty bitch.  That all she wants to do is come to work, do her work quietly and go home.  She's not the companion I want, but in life you just have to accept what you got.

This guy gets it

He really gets it
He gets that having a good paying job, health insurance, education, a nice place to live are NOT things a person should get because they're lucky.  They are rights.  He says that the only reason he's in his position is because he's lucky.  Just because a person is lucky doesn't give them the right to walk upon the rights of others.  A civilized society is only so because of the way we treat its weakest members.  On that we fail in the USA.