Don't Be Salty....BE SWEET!

Oh yes, it is that time, where everyone you meet is gruff, stressed out and ready to rip your head off! Trust me, I just went to Best Buy today and for the people there that are just now doing their holiday shopping, everything was not sunshine and rainbows today. People still have a lot to do and not enough time to do it, so the general public would rather punch you in the face rather than smile at you.

Case in point, Saturday AM, I am getting home from getting my lovely Venti Skim Latte from Starbucks (which BTW cost me $54 ($4 for the coffee) due to the parking ticket I got in front of the Dominick's, Merry EFFING Christmas from the City of Chicago. I MEAN REALLY, $50 for an expired meter, OR in my case, no pay at the meter, since I was there for 7 minutes!) So I am a little ticked off anyway, I go to pull into my spot behind my condo and a neighbor is sitting in her Explorer halfway pulled into her spot, just sitting there. So I wait a minute, then give her a little beep-beep and open my car door (cuz I can't pull into my spot). Now, keep in mind it has snowed a BIT, a little slush in the lot. I say "Can you pull forward just a little so I can get my car into my spot?" In a nice friendly, Christmasy tone. "NO, I CAN'T PULL FORWARD, I AM WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO PARK THE CAR!!!!" In a really nasty, bitchy tone. I say "OH....OK..." I then proceed to have to wait until her husband comes out about 3-5 minutes later and she hops out and her husband turns the wheel and pulls forward. Ok, so in the grand scheme of things, it was not a long time to way. But REALLY!!! You live in Chicago and you can't park your vehicle in your spot. Grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula (extra points if you can name the movie)! And then really, did she have to be a total BII-ATCH about her answer? The ladies seriously answer would have "You know what, I am so sorry, but I am little uneasy about pulling the car in, my husband is coming out shortly to pull it in for me." Would that have been SOOO hard?

Anywhoo, here is my point, everyone is so stressed and simply a grouchy pants right now, so ladies seriously, take the higher road, don't be salty...be sweet. Be the classy ladies that you are.
1. Thank those servers at restaurants and people working at retail stores (who are probably taking the brunt of the rude customers).
2. Wish people Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays when you can.
3. Hold the door open for people coming in and out, especially if they have a stroller or packages.
4. Offer your seat on the bus or train to someone.
5. Thank people verbally for gifts (and then be sure to follow up with a written note).

And if you have the means, pay it forward! Donate your time or your money...or your miles. I heard a story the other day of a friend who was talking to another friend that was not coming home for Christmas and had just broken up with a boyfriend. The one friend used some her miles to get the other friend a plane ticket to come home for two weeks. Isn't that nice?

Ladies and gentlemen! Happy Hanukkah (I know it is over, but some of my Jewish friends wait and celebrate it on Christmas anyway), Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, Happy Chinese New Year! I think I got them all (probably missed Muslim, Hinduism and Buddhism). Have a happy, healthy, safe holiday. I am off to Nebraska tomorrow with the fabulous, 15 year old, diabetic princess cat in the seat next me. I should be back before the end of the year. Cheers and CIAO BELLAS!