Can't we all just get along?

Ok, another what is it with people blog.
I was traveling for business the past few days, and I was up in Wichita KS. While here, my flight that was supposed to get me home yesterday at 7:00, was delayed, delayed, then cancelled. So here is where it gets crazy, and before I go into it, please know that I understand there are all sorts of reasons why everyone on that plane needed to be in Dallas last night.
I knew that my flight was delayed before I left where I was, problem is I have to turn in the rental car at the same time still, or be changed a late fee. So I have to go to the Airport three hours earlier than my flight is not supposed to leave to turn this in to avoid a fee.
So while I am sitting at the airport, I find the one place that I can get a sandwich (municipal airport like 10 gates) While heading to the “café” I see that it is overflowing with people. It happens to be the airport bar as well, so everyone has to stay within these roped off areas and are not allowed into the rest of the terminal with their drinks, so I think to myself…hmmm how hungry am I, and which flight are all of these people waiting for?
Turns out the flight that most of them were waiting on announced it was now leaving in 10 minutes.
So I wait the ten minutes, then belly up to the bar to get my sandwich. While doing this, I get caught in the middle of friendly banter with the four guys left in the area and the gal running the café.
So we become what I like to call friendly strangers. They all happened to be on the same flight as me, so we just joked around, and sat until the time our flight was supposed to board. We then walked the 50 feet to the gate, to sit there for about 2 more hours past the delayed time. Eventually they cancelled the flight due to mechanical issues (from a plane that had just landed…did the guys who were on it before know that there was a mechanical issue that would prevent even a take off?)
Anyway, back to the story, it is now about 9:00, and we find out that we need to stay the night, because the next flight to Dallas is in the morning at 6:30. So me and my three stranger buddies start calling all of our hotel contacts (other business frequent travelers) and find that every Hilton, Hampton, Hyatt, Radisson, and so on is completely booked. This is where the what is wrong with people part comes into play.
There are probably 50 passengers who need rooms (hence not from Wichita). Some are royally pissed, some are mildly irritated, and some are like me. The situation sucks, but what choice do you have? Go with the flow, and figure out what you can do to get it resolved.
So a few of the guys that I have been around cannot believe that we will have to stay at a hotel that the Airport deems acceptable. (which turned out to be a little older, but completely fine hotel). So they call and call and yell at these poor hotel people until they find a room somewhere they feel is acceptable.
The other few, are in line with me waiting to get rebooked.
Now comes my flight being canceled dilemma. Butch my dog is in his Kennel in my house. Landon has left a noon that day to go to a gig reliant on me to be home that night to let Butch out of his Kennel. So I call my neighbors, which although we are friendly, and have been over to their house, they have not been to ours, I did not know how comfortable I was asking them if they could please let my dog out, since he is not the nicest dog when it comes to strangers. Not only that, but they have to find the hidden key, go into our house with the key to a blaring house alarm, find the room that the alarm is in, remember the code that I gave them, all the while in the dark in an unfamiliar house, let the dog out without getting bit, and get him back into the house. Kind of a lot to ask someone right. But Once again, not a great situation, but one that has to be handled.
This all gets taken care of without any major hiccups (that I know about!) And I finally get to the hotel about 11:00. They say that since we had such a hard time getting there, that they would pay 5 bucks toward a dinner, and open the kitchen again for us, as well as have breakfast out at 4am instead of 6 since we had to be at the airport so early, as well as have taxi’s and shuttles waiting for us to take us to the airport.
So all in all everyone that is able is trying to make the best out of a rough situation. Yet there are still those few that completely lay into the people trying to help yelling at them like they could fix their situation. Why? Does it make them feel better to yell at a person that is doing their very best completely going out of their way to do so? I really don’t get it. Why cant we all just get along. Deal with what is given to us, and make the most out of it. We were all tired, all had situations that needed to be dealt with. Yet some were kind, others were terribly rude and others just were.

Alone time

Ok. Explain this to me. I have for many years now been pretty much of a loner, and I have not minded one bit just hanging out at home by myself, either reading a book, or watching TV, whatever. But lately, I have craved company. It is weird. I always enjoyed my time to myself, and now I sit around wishing that I could call someone to go do something. Anything. I think I am bored.
I must need more friends…:) But do I really need more, or in a bit am I going to get back to normal, and like having my space back?
I am thinking it must be due to the fact that I used to deal with the public everyday, and not having to talk to anyone, or have anyone bug me was so pleasant. But now that I do not deal with the public, and I am cooped up in a cubicle every day, I crave company, and just to be with other people…the public (ick!)
Hmm. Something to think about.

Truth or Non-Truth

What is it with Trust?
Everyone wants everyone to trust them…
Politicians, Strangers, Family, Friends, Co-Workers,
When is it ok to tell someone to their face the truth? We have become such a society filled with lies and deceit, that telling the truth has become taboo.
Think about it. Let give a very innocent example. Let say that there is a get together at your neighbors house that you are invited to, and go. Now lets say said “party” was not fun at all, and you just did not have the “click” that needs to happen for you to want to be their friend.
Here is what then usually happens. You do not tell your neighbor that you would prefer to keep your relationship on the “neighborly” level, you lie, and say that you had a great time, and “lets do it again sometime!” However, when those times arise, you conveniently always have something else to do, or go, and have another terrible time.
We have been trained to lie to save others feelings. Why? Are people so scared of rejection that they would rather you lie?
Why couldn’t this scenario instead go like this.
After the “party” you are polite, and say. You know, thank you so much for inviting us, good night.
The end. Do not feel obligated to say hey lets do it again, or any such jargon. Especially when you do not mean it.
If asked to come over again, once again, politely say no thank you.
IF you say this enough times, guess what, they will stop asking.
In doing such, you did not tell them that they were not your type of people, or that you were uncomfortable in their home, or their beliefs put you off. You simply thanked them for thinking of you, and then politely turned down their offer.
Now, here comes the part that I think most people have a hard time with…
If I do this, what will they think of me?
Who cares. What do you think of them? There must be a reason why you felt compelled to lie.
So if you do not care for them, why do you care what they think of you?
Perhaps they feel you are a stuck up yahoo, and would never invite you back again anyway!
I just think it is so dumb to lie to people and then in some cases suffer through your lie, like when they ask you to come over again, and because you lied in the first place, you feel obligated to lie again, so you go, and have a miserable time, then lie again…see the cycle. Stupid.
Sorry about this, but I have had this stuck in my craw, not because of my neighbors! But because of the whole presidential debate. I thought it sucked, and since I am a person who currently has no idea who she is going to vote for it really pissed me off and put me in this who don’t lie and cover things up mood.
Tell me what you are really going to try to do, and don’t tell me what you have already done, or what your opponent has not done. UGH.