The stress & venting thread ~ for everyone (sidewalk, home, story)

[English Dave]

I've never understood why the people who do such important jobs in our society like
emptying our bins, and picking up litter in the streets have some people looking down
their noses at them. Some people get a very inflated sense of their own importance.
They think because they earn a lot of money that somehow makes them better. Some
of the most useless people in the world get paid very well.

[nomoresnow]

I usually try to be nice to folks, especially if they have a job that isn't one that may not be so pleasant. We have a lady here at the community who cleans the public areas, including restrooms, etc. She always looked so down. I started saying hello whenever I saw her and would get a response. THen, one day, I took the time to stop and talk. She wears a shirt that has her name on it, so I called her by name. After a second or two, she asked my name. Now, every time she sees me she makes a point to say hello and always remembers my name. It's the little things that make folks feel good about themselves.

[njsocks]

When you open the door for people at a store and they don't say THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rude. Rude. Rude! I will sometimes say "you're welcome" back to them! LOL Do they think I'm their personal doorman? LOL

[nomoresnow]

I do that, too, socks. Once, hubby said, "Ummm...she did say thank you!" I just didn't hear it! So I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.

[English Dave]

I was brought up with the saying 'good manners cost nothing'. I'm always polite, and when
I go abroad on holiday, even more so. The English used to have a reputation for good
manners, sadly, in many cases not so today.

[taigagirl]

Originally Posted by English Dave

I've never understood why the people who do such important jobs in our society like
emptying our bins, and picking up litter in the streets have some people looking down
their noses at them. Some people get a very inflated sense of their own importance.
They think because they earn a lot of money that somehow makes them better. Some
of the most useless people in the world get paid very well.

Agree.

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

I usually try to be nice to folks, especially if they have a job that isn't one that may not be so pleasant. We have a lady here at the community who cleans the public areas, including restrooms, etc. She always looked so down. I started saying hello whenever I saw her and would get a response. THen, one day, I took the time to stop and talk. She wears a shirt that has her name on it, so I called her by name. After a second or two, she asked my name. Now, every time she sees me she makes a point to say hello and always remembers my name. It's the little things that make folks feel good about themselves.

Yes, for sure. She is doing an honest day's work for probably very little return. I have a great deal of respect for folks who will take work many people consider undesirable, because they want to provide for themselves. I always try to be friendly to everyone, too. A smile goes along way, and costs nothing.

Originally Posted by njsocks

When you open the door for people at a store and they don't say THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rude. Rude. Rude! I will sometimes say "you're welcome" back to them! LOL Do they think I'm their personal doorman? LOL

Apparently some people do. What gives them this feeling of "special entitlement? Who knows?

Originally Posted by English Dave

I was brought up with the saying 'good manners cost nothing'. I'm always polite, and when
I go abroad on holiday, even more so. The English used to have a reputation for goodmanners, sadly, in many cases not so today.

English Dave, I think bad manners are universal in nature. It's not just in Britain. Americans and Canadians used to be known for being very polite. Common courtesy seems to have disappeared.

[Larksong]

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

I usually try to be nice to folks, especially if they have a job that isn't one that may not be so pleasant. We have a lady here at the community who cleans the public areas, including restrooms, etc. She always looked so down. I started saying hello whenever I saw her and would get a response. THen, one day, I took the time to stop and talk. She wears a shirt that has her name on it, so I called her by name. After a second or two, she asked my name. Now, every time she sees me she makes a point to say hello and always remembers my name. It's the little things that make folks feel good about themselves.

It takes so little to make people feel better about themselves. I don't know why more people can't follow your example NMS.

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

I usually try to be nice to folks, especially if they have a job that isn't one that may not be so pleasant. We have a lady here at the community who cleans the public areas, including restrooms, etc. She always looked so down. I started saying hello whenever I saw her and would get a response. THen, one day, I took the time to stop and talk. She wears a shirt that has her name on it, so I called her by name. After a second or two, she asked my name. Now, every time she sees me she makes a point to say hello and always remembers my name. It's the little things that make folks feel good about themselves.

This is very similar to Rosa who works at the building where Mrs Aks was before she retired. Rosa is a single hard working mother of three. All three kids are on the honor roll at school and never get into trouble. The oldest son is now a working on his aerospace masters degree at the university, the other son is in computer engineering at the same university and the younger girl is in middle school and a straight A student. The two boys received full four year scholarships. How can a cleaning lady like Rosa have such great talented kids? Simple – she’s a great mother who instills hard work ethics, responsibility, and kindness to her kids. She earns very little money at cleaning the office building restrooms and keeps her job because it’s all she can do right now to keep the family together. She is an inspiration and hero for me and Mrs Aks. I wish there were more like her. We’ve adopted her and her family (so to speak) in helping them in whatever ways we can. It never hurts to be kind towards someone else that needs a smile and some understanding.

My only complaint here is how her boss abuses her at work.

[taigagirl]

Originally Posted by AksarbeN

This is very similar to Rosa who works at the building where Mrs Aks was before she retired. Rosa is a single hard working mother of three. All three kids are on the honor roll at school and never get into trouble. The oldest son is now a working on his aerospace masters degree at the university, the other son is in computer engineering at the same university and the younger girl is in middle school and a straight A student. The two boys received full four year scholarships. How can a cleaning lady like Rosa have such great talented kids? Simple – she’s a great mother who instills hard work ethics, responsibility, and kindness to her kids. She earns very little money at cleaning the office building restrooms and keeps her job because it’s all she can do right now to keep the family together. She is an inspiration and hero for me and Mrs Aks. I wish there were more like her. We’ve adopted her and her family (so to speak) in helping them in whatever ways we can. It never hurts to be kind towards someone else that needs a smile and some understanding.

My only complaint here is how her boss abuses her at work.

Don't even get me going. Absolutely no excuse for this idiot. Hopefully bad karma will head his way.

[English Dave]

I remember a guy when I worked for Royal Mail. There was a group of us having a talk
about something or other. One of the people in the discussion was a cleaner. He was
quite an old guy, nice fella. Anyway he gave his opinion, someone said "who cares about
your opinion bog cleaner". Bog being slang for toilets. I was astonished, and I said so. The
person who said this insult ended up becoming a manager!! Luckily bad karma caught up
with him a couple of years later, and he was sacked over an assault. Good riddance I thought at the time.