Have you ever wondered what causes us, as human beings, to have such an intense curiosity as to almost cause a car accident in order to slow down and view someone else's unfortunate circumstances?
Let's see what Wiki has to say...
"Rubbernecking describes the act of gawking at something of interest. It is often used to refer to drivers trying to view the carnage resulting from a traffic accident. The term refers to the craning of a person's neck in order to get a better view. Rubbernecking has also been described as a human trait that is associated with morbid curiosity. It can be the cause of traffic jams (sometimes referred to as "Gaper's blocks"), as drivers slow down to see what happened in a crash. It is also a cause of accidents as drivers become distracted and change their rate of travel while other drivers are also distracted. Rubbernecking has also come to be used more generally to describe voyeuristic interest in someone else's "business" or difficulties."
We should all face facts, it's not just when we are our driving along the highway that people feel the need to know....it's really in all aspects of our life. Case in point, how many folks found themselves tuning in to CNN or the weather channel to watch the most recent season of winter storms and the results of all the natural disasters that have occurred recently? No matter what the source of the information happens to be, we all seem to be great big sponges soaking up all these random facts that very often never affect our individual lives.
I will be the first one to admit that for many years, I was completely fascinated with every intriguing detail of a well written true crime novel. For me it was always the whole package, not just the carnage that resulted from the actions of the convicted felons. I found myself following the footsteps of investigators, family members, witnesses and in some instances, depending on the author's chosen style of writing, even the criminals themselves. Most all of it was so far outside of my own personal realm of possibility, that I considered myself a voyeur of sorts, peeking into this world of the unknown. It would not be until years later that the horrifying and often times gruesome reality began to affect me. And, as with everything else that interests me at one time or another in my life, at some point I just grew bored with this type of novel and moved on to other subject matter reading material.
As I've mentioned several times, I don't watch the news...nor do I read the newspaper, other than glancing at the headlines of the Palm Beach Post each day as I walk into the mail room at work. Its such a time consuming effort to either sit with the tv on and/or pick up a paper to catch a glimpse of what is going on in the rest of the world. I find that very little of the information is ever good news, and 99.9% of it never contributes in any way, shape or form to my own life. There are only a few times that anything I read will even bring a smile to my face, and most stories just simply make me sad...and that is not how I want to spend any portion of my day. Believe me, I am aware of plenty of things that occur on this earth, (because nothing ever changes), I manage to not spend my precious time dwelling or focusing on them. Unless of course, I am forced to...ah, yes....that would include the day I spent in court this week on jury duty.
In one word....PAINFUL....but then again, when have I ever been known to describe any situation in only one word...not an easy task for me. Well, here's a few more.....boring.....intrusive....insulting...intimidating...inquisition....uncomfortable...inconvenienced...misleading....exhausting....I could go one, but I will spare you.
Now before you go all "civic duty" on me (as one of my coworkers did-and I almost wanted to knock her upside the head....oops, I mean tell her how I really felt-but instead I held my tongue-why do I do that????), I did sit on a jury for a medical malpractice case, for 10 looooong days. I was the jury foreman (NOT by choice), and unfortunately, due to one of the male members of the jury, it ended in a mistrial. While some (translation=very little) of it was interesting, a good portion of it was extremely repetitive, and looking back, I would have preferred to skip the entire experience. However, I've been thrilled that for the last 10 years, since we moved to Florida, up until last month, I had never received a summons. Well, after this past Monday, I will NEVER respond in person to a jury duty summons EVER again.
I knew that the 30 of us were pulled from the few hundred people in the jury pool for a criminal trial, when I saw police officers in the hallway outside the courtroom. That not only made me very uncomfortable, I was also unsettled after recalling what had occurred 10 years ago. My first clue that the case could get ugly was before I even entered the courtroom and we all witnessed a teenage boy come flying through the doors running in the opposite direction from the sheriff.
We all spent a good portion of the remainder of that day inside the courtroom and needless to say, it was not a very pleasant experience. At the end of the process, I was very happy to not be chosen (I might have pissed off the judge when I made a few statements about my intense dislike of firearms) to sit on the jury for this trial. Although after being interrogated by the eloquent prosecutor, humble defense attorney, the obnoxious and somewhat bored judge, I felt like I had just been on trial myself. As the convicted felon (repeat offender--surprise, surprise) sat in front of us, we were each questioned individually for hours on end. Let me remind you, I spend 40 hours a week in the circuit civil world, and there is a very definite reason I have never had any desire to be involved in the criminal justice system.
Please do not misunderstand me, I took my previous jury duty very seriously and was saddened for the plaintiff when the mistrial occurred. However, that does not change my opinion regarding the aspects of being personally involved as a juror in a criminal trial. In the same way that I choose to ignore the local news, not any part of me wanted to know what this person had done in his past or what had occurred to bring him before a judge once again. I was fully prepared to allow any of the other potential jurors to take a spot before me, and answered every question honestly and "to the best of my ability" which obviously resulted in the favorable outcome I was hoping for...to spend any additional time or days at the courthouse was certainly not my goal.
It is obvious when being involved in these types of situations, which folks are only too happy to be privy to the details of a plaintiff or defendant's life and would like nothing more than to be picked for a jury, whether criminal in nature or not. I've assisted with selecting a jury on several of our cases and it's really never a pleasant experience for any of the parities involved. To be perfectly honest, I'm not all that fond of the time I'm required to spend in the presence of any judge....which can only mean I must be in the wrong profession!!!!
It is human nature to be curious, however, I consider the options a bit more carefully before putting myself in the uncomfortable position of deciding to look a little closer at the details of the lives of those around me. With plenty in my life still ahead of me to enjoy and experience, there's really no reason, nor do I want to spend any additional time, focusing on much more than that. Since I had two bones in my neck fused together in 2007, I just don't feel the need to stretch it as far as I did in the past...perhaps my rubbernecking days are just about over.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
It's all relative...
At the end of my normally crazy work week, in addition to getting 48 hours off for good behavior, I had a very nice personal reward waiting for me. We had planned on spending Friday evening enjoying a meal at a local restaurant with some overnight guests. My cousin Frank and his wife Kathy were on their way through town and stopped for a very brief visit before jumping on a plane early this morning. Because neither my nor Roger's work schedule allowed for time off during the day, we only had a short 12 hours to spend with them, and we intended to make the most of it. We met as soon as both of us returned home from work, and chatted while getting ready to head out for a great dinner along the shoreline.
The usual catch-up conversation of relatives of our age revolved around the adult children of each family, weddings past as well as future and then of course the upcoming birth of our grandson. We all readily agreed how wonderful this time in our 50's can be as we watch the family begin to grow again, and how much we look forward to seeing everyone married and starting families of their own.
I sometimes stumble over describing our recent numbers...how we've grown from 4 to 6 and how we will very soon be a family of 7. It's not just a simple issue of addition, although I have been known to experience problems with basic arithmetic....it's more than that for me, we were 4 for so much longer than we have been 6 and although the transition was a gradual one, I still sometimes forget, even while viewing photographs of our six smiling faces.
Change, even a gradual one, can sometimes take a bit of time to become accustomed to and the subtle differences we will eventually be required to come to accept....please understand I am no longer in any way, shape or form, referring to our growing family...I'm only discussing me at this point.
In my quest to simplify my morning routine as I prepare for work, I like grabbing the easiest outfit from my closet and just running out the door. For me, that had always been a suit, either jacket and slacks or jacket and skirt. In years gone by, it was the standard dress code for most law firms, and I had a closet full of them. They especially came in handy for court appearances, which have become less of an occurrence during my time with this particular company, until January when we spent 2 days before the judge. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed throwing on a suit and giving little thought to what I would wear to work. Even though during the last month, while being assigned to this off-site project, I've been wearing mostly jeans and comfortable casual clothes, I still held the thought in the back of my mind that I wanted to add more suits to my wardrobe.
I had assessed my clothing budget and decided what would work and how I would go about transitioning back to this old routine of dressing each day. And then came the fun part, going shopping and actually searching for my suits. I had purchased two new ones in January, and was on the look out for 2 more today. I prefer simple designs with clean lines, and a comfortable fit and tend to always gravitate towards Jones New York, Nine West and Calvin Klein. Easy enough...I grabbed 4 suits and headed to the dressing room.
Have I mentioned my issue with over-eating, chocolate, cruise food and sitting for extended periods of time....well...you guessed it...my evil ways have finally caught up with me, as well they should have!!! I've been eating like a bored teenager and indulging in one too many loaves of olive bread and I really don't care....WOW....this feeling is just not right (I'm listening to a boat go by on the river and the radio is blasting those lyrics...just thought I'd use them here since they seemed to fit)
My normal size actually DIDN'T fit, and for pretty much the first time in my life, I didn't think twice and just went back to the rack and got the next size. Now before you all breath a sigh of relief, and/or slap me upside the head and try to explain that it is normal as we age to add a few pounds now and then, STOP, because I finally agree that it's OK and I'm gonna go with the flow for once. I'm not going to get on the scale, I'm not going to change my eating habits, I'm not going to search for a new way to drop 5 or 10 lbs...I'm just gonna accept the extra "junk in my trunk" and enjoy the fact that it looks good on me--at least that's what my husband says.
I mean in all honesty, why does it really matter what size I am, the rest of the world doesn't seem to care one way or another....so why do I spend any amount of time contemplating my own girth???? You may even be wondering why you are wasting your time reading my never ending drivel today...and you will probably just want to line me up against the wall and shoot me for even broaching this subject....and I wouldn't even blame you, not one little bit. Have I mentioned I really shouldn't be writing in the state I've been in the last 4 weeks????
Oh what the heck...I'll continue on at the risk of alienating all those who thought they once loved me...because most women of my age don't discuss the size they wear or even their weight for fear of shame and the judgement of others. It must be just about time to load those bullets into the gun you will want to shoot me with...you see....I grew from a 4 to a 6....HORRORS of all HORRORS...stop the presses....the world will now come to an end...I now have jiggly bits, as the Brits are so famous for saying, and I am equally famous for NOT liking such things when I look in the mirror!!! I guess it must be time to get rid of that nasty mirror :)
The good news of the day (other than everyone cheering out there that Joanne is finally becoming "normal"--is that really even possible???), I saved a ton of money on what I like to refer to as WAY over-priced designer labels. Who in their right mind pays full price for anything??? I know I NEVER have. No kidding, these suits have a sticker MSRP of $280 and $240 and I paid (yes, I know--another faux pax--talking about the price of things--people just need to get over that and share news of the great buys they find) $48.99 & $49.99...hey it's my budget folks, take it or leave it.
So after all is said and done...family size is all relative....the size of my bottom is all relative and spending any amount of time with relatives is priceless....that's my story and I'm sticking to it....did I mention that during the acceptance process and to celebrate my "gradual change" I pulled into the drive-thru at Arbys for a Angus Beef sandwich on the way home...another first for me....so in my small little world, as 4 transitions to 6 yet again....it's all relative...
The usual catch-up conversation of relatives of our age revolved around the adult children of each family, weddings past as well as future and then of course the upcoming birth of our grandson. We all readily agreed how wonderful this time in our 50's can be as we watch the family begin to grow again, and how much we look forward to seeing everyone married and starting families of their own.
I sometimes stumble over describing our recent numbers...how we've grown from 4 to 6 and how we will very soon be a family of 7. It's not just a simple issue of addition, although I have been known to experience problems with basic arithmetic....it's more than that for me, we were 4 for so much longer than we have been 6 and although the transition was a gradual one, I still sometimes forget, even while viewing photographs of our six smiling faces.
Change, even a gradual one, can sometimes take a bit of time to become accustomed to and the subtle differences we will eventually be required to come to accept....please understand I am no longer in any way, shape or form, referring to our growing family...I'm only discussing me at this point.
In my quest to simplify my morning routine as I prepare for work, I like grabbing the easiest outfit from my closet and just running out the door. For me, that had always been a suit, either jacket and slacks or jacket and skirt. In years gone by, it was the standard dress code for most law firms, and I had a closet full of them. They especially came in handy for court appearances, which have become less of an occurrence during my time with this particular company, until January when we spent 2 days before the judge. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed throwing on a suit and giving little thought to what I would wear to work. Even though during the last month, while being assigned to this off-site project, I've been wearing mostly jeans and comfortable casual clothes, I still held the thought in the back of my mind that I wanted to add more suits to my wardrobe.
I had assessed my clothing budget and decided what would work and how I would go about transitioning back to this old routine of dressing each day. And then came the fun part, going shopping and actually searching for my suits. I had purchased two new ones in January, and was on the look out for 2 more today. I prefer simple designs with clean lines, and a comfortable fit and tend to always gravitate towards Jones New York, Nine West and Calvin Klein. Easy enough...I grabbed 4 suits and headed to the dressing room.
Have I mentioned my issue with over-eating, chocolate, cruise food and sitting for extended periods of time....well...you guessed it...my evil ways have finally caught up with me, as well they should have!!! I've been eating like a bored teenager and indulging in one too many loaves of olive bread and I really don't care....WOW....this feeling is just not right (I'm listening to a boat go by on the river and the radio is blasting those lyrics...just thought I'd use them here since they seemed to fit)
My normal size actually DIDN'T fit, and for pretty much the first time in my life, I didn't think twice and just went back to the rack and got the next size. Now before you all breath a sigh of relief, and/or slap me upside the head and try to explain that it is normal as we age to add a few pounds now and then, STOP, because I finally agree that it's OK and I'm gonna go with the flow for once. I'm not going to get on the scale, I'm not going to change my eating habits, I'm not going to search for a new way to drop 5 or 10 lbs...I'm just gonna accept the extra "junk in my trunk" and enjoy the fact that it looks good on me--at least that's what my husband says.
I mean in all honesty, why does it really matter what size I am, the rest of the world doesn't seem to care one way or another....so why do I spend any amount of time contemplating my own girth???? You may even be wondering why you are wasting your time reading my never ending drivel today...and you will probably just want to line me up against the wall and shoot me for even broaching this subject....and I wouldn't even blame you, not one little bit. Have I mentioned I really shouldn't be writing in the state I've been in the last 4 weeks????
Oh what the heck...I'll continue on at the risk of alienating all those who thought they once loved me...because most women of my age don't discuss the size they wear or even their weight for fear of shame and the judgement of others. It must be just about time to load those bullets into the gun you will want to shoot me with...you see....I grew from a 4 to a 6....HORRORS of all HORRORS...stop the presses....the world will now come to an end...I now have jiggly bits, as the Brits are so famous for saying, and I am equally famous for NOT liking such things when I look in the mirror!!! I guess it must be time to get rid of that nasty mirror :)
The good news of the day (other than everyone cheering out there that Joanne is finally becoming "normal"--is that really even possible???), I saved a ton of money on what I like to refer to as WAY over-priced designer labels. Who in their right mind pays full price for anything??? I know I NEVER have. No kidding, these suits have a sticker MSRP of $280 and $240 and I paid (yes, I know--another faux pax--talking about the price of things--people just need to get over that and share news of the great buys they find) $48.99 & $49.99...hey it's my budget folks, take it or leave it.
So after all is said and done...family size is all relative....the size of my bottom is all relative and spending any amount of time with relatives is priceless....that's my story and I'm sticking to it....did I mention that during the acceptance process and to celebrate my "gradual change" I pulled into the drive-thru at Arbys for a Angus Beef sandwich on the way home...another first for me....so in my small little world, as 4 transitions to 6 yet again....it's all relative...
Thursday, March 3, 2011
And the award goes to....
At this time of the year when all the flashy award shows are being broadcast from LA, I'm reminded of a few superlatives that I encounter during the course of my day....oh, crap...I almost forgot to mention, in case you might miss the innuendo..... this is going to be a rant with a capital "R" capital "A" capital "N" and capital "T"
Continue at your own risk...you've been forewarned.
There is a very specific reason that I've chosen to be absent from this blog...I have not been very good company lately and did not want to spread the "love" too much among family and friends. The old saying "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" is one I highly recommend, and I feel a very reasonable standard to live by...sometimes. There are occasions, however, when even I can't hold my tongue...I bet you are not even a little bit surprised by that statement!?!?
As a few of you already know, I am still deeply involved in this big "project" at work, which keeps my mind numbed for 8 hours at a stretch. I am never more happy than when lunch time rolls around and we are let out of the "box" (for lack of a better term) for a brief reprieve before returning to complete our shift after feasting on whatever libations have been set before us. Yes, I've been responsible for feeding my crew lunch on most days, gotta keep the troops happy :) In addition to the cases of water I can be found schlepping to our remote location, others have provided all manner of snacks to include pretzels and chocolate, which I use a strange combination thereof to get myself through the last hour of my day. I wonder if an ever expanding waistline would qualify as a worker's comp issue??? Think I could charge the company on my expense report when I buy the next size of pants??? What....these are valid questions...or maybe not :(
So, we are coming to the end of the 4th week of operation "Boxed In" and yes, I did just make up that title...can't tell you much more because then I'd be out of a job for sure....hmmmm not such a bad idea....wow...I'm really spiraling down the old rabbit hole today. I am frequently asked several questions by my fellow worker bees (the folks that have been "volunteered" by their supervisors to assist our group with this project)...here are just a few:
How long will all of this take?
How many of the **** are there?
What are you going to do with the **** when we are done here?
Why are we ***** all of these?
How long has this been going on?
Are the **** still ***** ?
Please understand these are all very valid questions, and I do my best to answer them to a certain point and with a fair bit of vagueness (is that even a word???), because quite frankly, some of them, I am not in any way, shape of form, in a position to answer at this time.
As much as I would love to be a bit more specific, I'm unable to say much more and I have no idea when I will finally be able to say adieu to this lovely little cement building and return to my comfy little cubicle full time. I do know, I'll be there for a full 8 hours tomorrow and have been allowed a reprieve for Monday because I was the lucky recipient of a Summons for jury duty...how sweet is that...I could get picked to sit on a jury....WOO HOO I know I'm excited. I don't see enough legal mumbo jumbo during my own daily 9-5 each day, so let's just add more on top of the toppling work pile I already wade through.
I digress...I was making a comparison between the awards doled out for best actor, supporting actor and film each year...to the silliest, most unique and least difficult question I am asked each day. Today, not unlike many days of the week, I was asked what I like to refer to as the SQOTD, better known as the Stupidest Question of The Day....and the award goes to....yeah, well I'm not actually going to tell you who asked it...I'm walking a fine line here folks....but I will say....this "someone" is higher up on the food chain than me, and has a habit of also sharing these silly questions with other staff members, not just me!!!!
The reality is, I am not just one of the many worker bees, I'm also in charge of staffing this project and updating the constantly changing schedule of every person who has assisted us during the last month. Filling those daily time slots has caused my knees to scab over, bleed and scab once again, as I beg my co-workers each week to provide us with much needed hours at our off-site location. I thank them all repeatedly and profusely for every single minute they contribute to the effort.
Interestingly enough, how ironic is our timing...this week happens to be yearly incentive award week, when annual salary increases and bonuses are disclosed to employees. Of course, these are completely confidential, and again, I could be dismissed for discussing any details. I will say, my history of compensation from this company has always been a favorable one, although like everything else in this economy, it moves at a snails pace.
So on a day like today, when the foolish questions are flying around at the speed of light, I'm still not sure if I wouldn't be better suited to spend my senior years on a nice quiet island in the Caribbean, with a couple of fishing lessons under my belt, a 500 pound bag of rice and a manageable pup tent pitched under the stars.
I would be remiss if I did not state for clarification purposes, that on most days I am very pleased to be working for a Fortune 500 company that itself has been awarded accolades year after year for many superlatives in the industry. This company, together with 15,000 employees all working together towards a common goal, also continues to contribute to a national solution for protecting the environment for future generations.
Oh, did I forget to mention that today is my 6 year anniversary with the company....not sure if I have over stayed my welcome....or not....and the award for holding on to one's sanity goes to....
Continue at your own risk...you've been forewarned.
There is a very specific reason that I've chosen to be absent from this blog...I have not been very good company lately and did not want to spread the "love" too much among family and friends. The old saying "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" is one I highly recommend, and I feel a very reasonable standard to live by...sometimes. There are occasions, however, when even I can't hold my tongue...I bet you are not even a little bit surprised by that statement!?!?
As a few of you already know, I am still deeply involved in this big "project" at work, which keeps my mind numbed for 8 hours at a stretch. I am never more happy than when lunch time rolls around and we are let out of the "box" (for lack of a better term) for a brief reprieve before returning to complete our shift after feasting on whatever libations have been set before us. Yes, I've been responsible for feeding my crew lunch on most days, gotta keep the troops happy :) In addition to the cases of water I can be found schlepping to our remote location, others have provided all manner of snacks to include pretzels and chocolate, which I use a strange combination thereof to get myself through the last hour of my day. I wonder if an ever expanding waistline would qualify as a worker's comp issue??? Think I could charge the company on my expense report when I buy the next size of pants??? What....these are valid questions...or maybe not :(
So, we are coming to the end of the 4th week of operation "Boxed In" and yes, I did just make up that title...can't tell you much more because then I'd be out of a job for sure....hmmmm not such a bad idea....wow...I'm really spiraling down the old rabbit hole today. I am frequently asked several questions by my fellow worker bees (the folks that have been "volunteered" by their supervisors to assist our group with this project)...here are just a few:
How long will all of this take?
How many of the **** are there?
What are you going to do with the **** when we are done here?
Why are we ***** all of these?
How long has this been going on?
Are the **** still ***** ?
Please understand these are all very valid questions, and I do my best to answer them to a certain point and with a fair bit of vagueness (is that even a word???), because quite frankly, some of them, I am not in any way, shape of form, in a position to answer at this time.
As much as I would love to be a bit more specific, I'm unable to say much more and I have no idea when I will finally be able to say adieu to this lovely little cement building and return to my comfy little cubicle full time. I do know, I'll be there for a full 8 hours tomorrow and have been allowed a reprieve for Monday because I was the lucky recipient of a Summons for jury duty...how sweet is that...I could get picked to sit on a jury....WOO HOO I know I'm excited. I don't see enough legal mumbo jumbo during my own daily 9-5 each day, so let's just add more on top of the toppling work pile I already wade through.
I digress...I was making a comparison between the awards doled out for best actor, supporting actor and film each year...to the silliest, most unique and least difficult question I am asked each day. Today, not unlike many days of the week, I was asked what I like to refer to as the SQOTD, better known as the Stupidest Question of The Day....and the award goes to....yeah, well I'm not actually going to tell you who asked it...I'm walking a fine line here folks....but I will say....this "someone" is higher up on the food chain than me, and has a habit of also sharing these silly questions with other staff members, not just me!!!!
The reality is, I am not just one of the many worker bees, I'm also in charge of staffing this project and updating the constantly changing schedule of every person who has assisted us during the last month. Filling those daily time slots has caused my knees to scab over, bleed and scab once again, as I beg my co-workers each week to provide us with much needed hours at our off-site location. I thank them all repeatedly and profusely for every single minute they contribute to the effort.
Interestingly enough, how ironic is our timing...this week happens to be yearly incentive award week, when annual salary increases and bonuses are disclosed to employees. Of course, these are completely confidential, and again, I could be dismissed for discussing any details. I will say, my history of compensation from this company has always been a favorable one, although like everything else in this economy, it moves at a snails pace.
So on a day like today, when the foolish questions are flying around at the speed of light, I'm still not sure if I wouldn't be better suited to spend my senior years on a nice quiet island in the Caribbean, with a couple of fishing lessons under my belt, a 500 pound bag of rice and a manageable pup tent pitched under the stars.
I would be remiss if I did not state for clarification purposes, that on most days I am very pleased to be working for a Fortune 500 company that itself has been awarded accolades year after year for many superlatives in the industry. This company, together with 15,000 employees all working together towards a common goal, also continues to contribute to a national solution for protecting the environment for future generations.
Oh, did I forget to mention that today is my 6 year anniversary with the company....not sure if I have over stayed my welcome....or not....and the award for holding on to one's sanity goes to....
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