I just had my hair done. The price was unbelievably ridiculously high. My hair looks fabulous, sure, but my bank account looks as if a tornado blew through it. It buys into my quandary that the working middle class is getting shafted. Why? Because while we actually have a bit of disposable income, it's not as large as we would like and it's not as disposable either. We aspired to and worked hard for the "nicer things in life", getting educated and putting in the long hours at work, making the usual mistakes with job and clothing choices, setting aside money for mortgages, retirement funds and so on, all in the hopes that there would come a day when we could relax a bit and enjoy it. So what happened?
There is no middle ground, that's what happened. Now, in order to have the level of service and quality that we'd like in clothing stores, preschool education, hair salons, we find ourselves paying for the higher end choices that are out there. The problem is that our income doesn't match those who can access these services/items easily. We don't want to go back to chainstore salons or the lady on the corner looking after our children, but we can barely afford the services/items that we now believe we deserve. Why has no-one jumped on this yet? Why are there no choices in the middle? And if they're out there, why are they so hard to find? Can someone not develop high-end solutions at something more akin to chain store prices? I'd buy them. So would my friends. Also my family. And their friends. And their families. Get it?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Still Got It
My husband had decided to walk home from the train the other night. At the last minute, I thought I'd meet him halfway, so still wearing my workout pants and my hoodie, I headed out. Maybe it was because the night was so crisp and I was walking with a real spring in my step, or maybe I was pulling down too much on my hoodie (hands in pockets) so that my breastal region was a bit more significantly on show than usual, but the most wonderful thing happened.
Now, let me preface this by saying I'm not twenty. Not forty. Hell, I passed 50 already. I could stand to lose a few pounds. My hair was a bit past its regular cut. It was late. No makeup. No fuss, no bother.
A young man, perhaps in his early thirties, was approaching me on his bicycle. (Well, a Maserati would have been nicer but then he wouldn't have had the full picture, would he?) As he came closer, he let out a "uh-huh", not one of those confused ones but a "hmmm, what have we here?" kind of uh-huh. Then, as he went past, he said "Whassup?" I couldn't help it, I started to laugh. And I kept the smile from that laughter all the way up to my husband, who pulled me into a hug and got a bit of uh-huh of his own.
Now, let me preface this by saying I'm not twenty. Not forty. Hell, I passed 50 already. I could stand to lose a few pounds. My hair was a bit past its regular cut. It was late. No makeup. No fuss, no bother.
A young man, perhaps in his early thirties, was approaching me on his bicycle. (Well, a Maserati would have been nicer but then he wouldn't have had the full picture, would he?) As he came closer, he let out a "uh-huh", not one of those confused ones but a "hmmm, what have we here?" kind of uh-huh. Then, as he went past, he said "Whassup?" I couldn't help it, I started to laugh. And I kept the smile from that laughter all the way up to my husband, who pulled me into a hug and got a bit of uh-huh of his own.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Major TV Event?
Riding on the Metro North today, I noticed a poster for "The Starter Wife" (yes, we saw it, so yes, your marketing team put it in a good spot). I took issue with this poster on many levels, although Deb Messing looked fabulous on it.
First, the term "The Starter Wife" is at once scary and ridiculous. Are we to assume that there are women out there who are willing to enter into a marriage for the purpose of marital practice for men? Or, and perhaps more startling, are there men out there who seek out wives with their second already on the horizon? "Yes, you'll do for now but when I'm older and wiser and have achieved a certain level of income and prestige, I'll need something more sophisticated and perhaps better dressed." Not that this hasn't happened since the dawn of time. I'm sure those wives who struggled working two jobs putting their husbands through grad school, law school or medical residencies are nodding emphatically.
So perhaps it's that the implication of this title isn't - well, implied any more. It's there. Solid. Stated. "Starter Wife." Not First Wife, not Only Wife. Starter Wife.
And while that alone could have outraged me enough for my entire ride into the city, I still had to deal with the heading just below the title: Major TV Event. Right. A movie about a women moving on with her life after finding herself in the position of "starter wife" has now become a Major TV Event. Now, I completely support the growth of women at all stages of their lives. God knows, I've been in the position of having to reinvent myself after a divorce. But a Major TV Event? Not only has this story been told before (and I would wager that the First Wives Club might deserve a "major" before this movie does), but I also think we should reserve our Major TV Events for major TV events - wars, floods, tornadoes - any kind of natural disaster, murders, new presidents, Amber alerts. You get the picture.
Overstatement runs rampant in this society. Let's remember that entertaining or not, a movie is a movie is a movie, not a TV event, major or otherwise.
First, the term "The Starter Wife" is at once scary and ridiculous. Are we to assume that there are women out there who are willing to enter into a marriage for the purpose of marital practice for men? Or, and perhaps more startling, are there men out there who seek out wives with their second already on the horizon? "Yes, you'll do for now but when I'm older and wiser and have achieved a certain level of income and prestige, I'll need something more sophisticated and perhaps better dressed." Not that this hasn't happened since the dawn of time. I'm sure those wives who struggled working two jobs putting their husbands through grad school, law school or medical residencies are nodding emphatically.
So perhaps it's that the implication of this title isn't - well, implied any more. It's there. Solid. Stated. "Starter Wife." Not First Wife, not Only Wife. Starter Wife.
And while that alone could have outraged me enough for my entire ride into the city, I still had to deal with the heading just below the title: Major TV Event. Right. A movie about a women moving on with her life after finding herself in the position of "starter wife" has now become a Major TV Event. Now, I completely support the growth of women at all stages of their lives. God knows, I've been in the position of having to reinvent myself after a divorce. But a Major TV Event? Not only has this story been told before (and I would wager that the First Wives Club might deserve a "major" before this movie does), but I also think we should reserve our Major TV Events for major TV events - wars, floods, tornadoes - any kind of natural disaster, murders, new presidents, Amber alerts. You get the picture.
Overstatement runs rampant in this society. Let's remember that entertaining or not, a movie is a movie is a movie, not a TV event, major or otherwise.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Oh, What a Beautiful Morning ...!
I'm going to sound like a Pollyanna here:
I was walking to the physical therapist this morning and had to take a minute to look around and realize that I was in the midst of one of the most beautiful days in months. The sky was that blue that looks fake in calendars but when it's in front of you, is simply astonishing. The trees were covered with pink and white apple blossoms. The breeze was gentle and cool, and for the first time in a long while actually smelled like spring. People in cars at crosswalks stopped to let me by. It was like a walking Walt Disney movie!
I have a friend who uses the word "blessed" the same way we use "socks" or "hello", and on her, it sounds right. For me, "blessed" is a word I seldom use as I tend to sound just a bit precious and forced. And yet, I felt blessed this morning. We might get a few more of these days than we realize and when we do, we rarely remember to delight in them. So for today, I'm spending most of my time outside. Remembering this day. Feeling blessed.
I was walking to the physical therapist this morning and had to take a minute to look around and realize that I was in the midst of one of the most beautiful days in months. The sky was that blue that looks fake in calendars but when it's in front of you, is simply astonishing. The trees were covered with pink and white apple blossoms. The breeze was gentle and cool, and for the first time in a long while actually smelled like spring. People in cars at crosswalks stopped to let me by. It was like a walking Walt Disney movie!
I have a friend who uses the word "blessed" the same way we use "socks" or "hello", and on her, it sounds right. For me, "blessed" is a word I seldom use as I tend to sound just a bit precious and forced. And yet, I felt blessed this morning. We might get a few more of these days than we realize and when we do, we rarely remember to delight in them. So for today, I'm spending most of my time outside. Remembering this day. Feeling blessed.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Rude Service
Today's blog isn't funny. It's funny that it has to be said, but that's it. So here goes ...
In just the space of three hours ...
I had to stand in line with a pile of food items, including ice cream, while the lone checker - at Target! (a place that's always busy) - handled more than seven people because it was 1:36 in the afternoon and all her "colleagues" had gone off somewhere and, as our lone checker said, "I was supposed to go at 1. I'm doing just two more people and that's it, they can go find themselves somewhere else to check out. I have my rights, you know."
I walked up to the lone checkout at Stop & Shop handling express items at 2 p.m. in the afternoon and had to start putting my items on a food ramp that was already covered by the young man (also a checker) who was having a tete-a-tete with his friend, the other checker, while leaning almost full body across the ramp. Both were unapologetic and acted as if I had rudely interrupted their "date."
On my way out of the shopping area, I handed my money and time slip to the parking attendant who processed it, raised the gate and turned to the next person.
....
Now, I understand that these are not the best-paying jobs in the world. I also understand that in the course of a day they have to deal with a wide variety of people, some of who could be less than polite with them.
But this I know to be true: I've worked retail. I've had low-paying jobs. I know what it's like to work from 8 in the morning till 11 at night for five days in a row. I know what it means to travel for two hours to a lousy job that eats up half your travel budget just going to and fro, not to mention daycare fees and the hassle of dropping a child off at daycare on the way there and back.
So here's what I have to say to the managers and owners of these businesses: Stop apologizing for poor service and start fixing it. Train your people. Don't settle for less than the best. If your employees can't manage to be civil and thankful for the business we bring you, then let them go. Those of us who have had to work hard for our money deserve - nay, demand - that we receive the very best treatment from your staff, and at the very least, a thank you when we leave
(p.s. I didn't get one all day, and I'm one of those customers who actually smiles and says thank you myself.). If you wonder why your business is suffering, look no further than the people you employ.
In just the space of three hours ...
I had to stand in line with a pile of food items, including ice cream, while the lone checker - at Target! (a place that's always busy) - handled more than seven people because it was 1:36 in the afternoon and all her "colleagues" had gone off somewhere and, as our lone checker said, "I was supposed to go at 1. I'm doing just two more people and that's it, they can go find themselves somewhere else to check out. I have my rights, you know."
I walked up to the lone checkout at Stop & Shop handling express items at 2 p.m. in the afternoon and had to start putting my items on a food ramp that was already covered by the young man (also a checker) who was having a tete-a-tete with his friend, the other checker, while leaning almost full body across the ramp. Both were unapologetic and acted as if I had rudely interrupted their "date."
On my way out of the shopping area, I handed my money and time slip to the parking attendant who processed it, raised the gate and turned to the next person.
....
Now, I understand that these are not the best-paying jobs in the world. I also understand that in the course of a day they have to deal with a wide variety of people, some of who could be less than polite with them.
But this I know to be true: I've worked retail. I've had low-paying jobs. I know what it's like to work from 8 in the morning till 11 at night for five days in a row. I know what it means to travel for two hours to a lousy job that eats up half your travel budget just going to and fro, not to mention daycare fees and the hassle of dropping a child off at daycare on the way there and back.
So here's what I have to say to the managers and owners of these businesses: Stop apologizing for poor service and start fixing it. Train your people. Don't settle for less than the best. If your employees can't manage to be civil and thankful for the business we bring you, then let them go. Those of us who have had to work hard for our money deserve - nay, demand - that we receive the very best treatment from your staff, and at the very least, a thank you when we leave
(p.s. I didn't get one all day, and I'm one of those customers who actually smiles and says thank you myself.). If you wonder why your business is suffering, look no further than the people you employ.
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