There were surprisingly few suggestions for New Year’s Resolutions for others, but the ones we got were on the money.
A hot button? Shopping lines when there’s a ‘slow payer” in front of you, described in detail by Marilu. I won’t summarize it here – go read her comment, it’s a thing of beauty. Thanks, Marilu!!
Regular commenter Vendetta Y adds her usual astute observation….
Hello!? You are just now starting to WRITE A CHECK!? You didn’t know you were shopping?
-Vendetta Y
…not to mention who the hell writes a physical check these days!!??? And with what…a quill pen? I’m so worked up on her behalf I need a dark room and a cool cloth on my forehead.
Speaking of courtesy in public (or the lack of it), Beatrice points out another person in need of some home training.
Please don’t put your winter coat on the seat next to or in front of you when a room is filling up.
-Beatrice
And last but not least, an impassioned plea from Jacqueline:
To the individuals who send me emails: Please proofread what you have typed before hitting “Send” and stop wasting my time trying to figure out what you were trying to say! (I am not referring to minor typos!)
-Jacqueline
We’ll keep the comments open for a while so everyone who went out of town for New Years can add their resolutions for fellow passengers…like keep your feet off the armrest of the person in front of you, and eat your smelly lunch before you board.
Meanwhile, Happy New Year! The original column is below. Thanks for reading!
ORIGINAL Column:
If you accept Festivus as an end of year holiday on December 23 (and plenty of people do, believe it or not), you might as well get in on it with the airing of grievances. I like to think of them as New Year’s Resolutions for other people.
For fellow Gym rats:
I don’t work out at your bar, don’t socialize in my gym. Save the chitchat on the machines for a time when someone isn’t waiting on you to finish your workout and move on.
Don’t use the rest between reps to check your emails or sit vacantly, contemplating the folly of a misspent life. Get off the damned Nautilius and let someone else work in with you!
To the people on the Supermarket Cashier line:
Hey, person in front of me! You know at some point you must pay for your purchases, so don’t act like it’s a big surprise! Save everyone some time and have your cash or card in your hand; don’t wait till the last minute to dig through your wallet or purse.
To the person behind me: I promise you, the line will not move any faster if you cram up against me with your cart (or worse, your body) as we wait for the cashier. Stop breathing down my neck.
To callers:
Don’t call me before 9 am or after 10 pm. I always think it’s because someone has died. It’s annoying to find that you just want to tell me about a cute video.
I could go on all day…but what about you? What New Year’s Resolutions do you want for other people – no names, please, but let ‘er rip! Share your thoughts in the comments!
And Happy New Year!
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
