What's in a name?

Today is just going to be a mild rant. I am still sick and the mind NEVER seems to fire on all four cylinders ( or maybe I have a six cylinder and that's the problem).

So, to begin, way back in January Doug and I witnessed a car wreck. The guy cited as at fault decided to fight it so we had to be called into court to testify. That is not the point of this story.

Anyway, we had filled out police reports, writing out our full name, address, and what we witnessed. So I was the one who wrote my name out. Me. Not anyone else. So of course I put Dusti. That's my name and how you spell it, after all.

Well, when it came time for me to get my court summons to testify, they had a hard time locating me because they put Dustin on the documents. I said that I clearly was not a Dustin and that it was supposed to be Dusti. Fine. They changed it, no big deal. Clerical error, right?

And of course, I get a bajillion telemarketer  and other harassing phone calls for a Mr. Dusti or Mr. Dustin. Yeah. Sorry wrong number, neither of those names are here at this number. (Hey, if they are not competent enough to get my name right or incapable of actually being intelligent enough to think that maybe I may not be a man, then they don't need to speak to me. what ever you have to say will become important when you get my name and gender right.)

 Well, the other day I call United Water to pay our water bill and the customer service lady is having a tough time locating our account. My name isn't matching up with the address. finally she sees there is one listed under, yep, you guessed it, Dustin. I explain for what feels like the millionth time in my life that my name is Dusti. I was the one who set up the account. (And because this irritating thing happens, oh, so very often, I ALWAYS spell my name out for accounts and documents.)

Yes, I know, it's not that big of a deal. It doesn't do anything but aggravate me, but still, it, well, it aggravates me! Why can't they just accept that I have a more commonly known name for a boy and that it is, in fact, spelled with an "I" at the end. Just an "I". No "N". Please don't assume you know better than me and correct it the way you think it should be. Thank you.

Extreme Couponing

Okay, I am going to step up on my soapbox and let loose my opinion.

Extreme Couponing.

There is a show on TLC about it and many people do it. This is when a person takes a bunch of coupons for one item and "stacks" them with a store offer or another coupon and does this multiple times until they get basically all of their items for free or just a few cents more (heck, even in some cases getting a credit back).

Now, my opinion I am about to give may be in the minority or unpopular, but I think I need say it. First, I am all for saving money. who doesn't like to spend less cash at the grocery line, but when a person is taking a $500 grocery bill, for example, and only paying $5 for it, well, to me that just seems a bit immoral.

Let's look at it this way: It takes the company money to produce their products. Yes, they do price them with a pretty high profit margin, but you also need to factor in that the store adds to that price as well because they need to make money.

But if a person is getting their entire shopping cart for free, then both the store and the company are getting the shaft, to put it mildly.

And guess where they take out that loss?

Good-bye employees! Oh, you want a raise? Yeah, not happening.

And then there is the mass amounts of food these people are, well, let's be honest, hoarding. I am one hundred percent a supporter of having a food storage for a year. We do need to be prepared for whatever may happen; job loss or what have you.

But when a person is making out with over $600 in food and having to only paid $10 for it, and they are doing this EVERY month or more, I think that goes well beyond "being prepared". What are these people doing with the excess amounts of food? Are they donating half of these groceries to food banks and those in need? Most of them probably are not.

And now people are stealing the coupon inserts from newspaper stands, without purchasing the news paper. This is what it's led to.

And finally, pretty soon companies and stores are going to get tired of all of this "extreme couponing" and start to put major limits on things or just stop offering deals all together. Then, that will ruin it for all of the rest of us, who just are happy to save a few dollars.

There is nothing wrong with saving a few, heck, even a few dozen dollars on a few hundred dollar grocery bill. But to be paying 98% less or even getting it with a credit due to you, then we are going well beyond the intention and good grace of the offer.

The economy is bad and it is struggling to get a footing back into the world. And I'm sorry, but these "couponers" are doing anything but helping. Spending money in a prudent manner will stimulate the economy. Not taking money from companies and stores. When you don't spend the money it doesn't help at all for some person to get their pay check.

Okay, so that's my opinion. Sorry if I have offended anyone. I wasn't trying to single anyone out, but rather, hopefully, have a more conscientious outlook on this new trend. Save money, but don't be unethical about it. And if you just must be an "extreme couponer" then please, please, donate your food!

Service and helping others brings greater joy than greed and selfishness.

Okay, off my soapbox.

Where's the Off Switch?

It's one of the seven deadly sins, but to be honest, I envy some people.

Now, it isn't so much for what the have physically or what they look like, but rather what they can do.

Not worry and not stress.

I don't possess such an ability. I think when they were handing out "off" switches for the brain, I must have grabbed the super powered "on" switch instead, because my mind never quits. And let me assure you it doesn't always have to be about things going on right now in my life. Yeah, I have a lot of worries right now and I am exercising my tiny dollop of patience to its full extent, but I can worry about things that happened years ago as well. I am apparently not prejudice towards past events.

And when is the perfect time to do all of this worrying and fretting? Why, in the middle of the night of course!

I struggle with all of my thoughts when trying to go to sleep, which means bedtime is extended to an extra hour or so, that is spent trying to find that dang off switch. Finally I think the battery loses power and I finally fall asleep for a couple of hours.

Cue neighborhood dog, neighbor's noisy junker, our own dog, or my wonderful husband's snoring. Pretty much anything and everything to wake me up.

Okay all of you thoughts and worries, let's all hop in; and yes crowding is permitted and even encouraged. (I don't send out this beacon call, but apparently I picked that up as well without knowing.)

So, now at 4 am, it is prime time to lay awake in the dark and think about all of the things worrying me right now, as well as things that happened 10-15 years ago. Because you know I have so much power to change those events.

Then there is workout time. I have heard this urban myth that it allows one to be able to work off their stress and clear their mind.

Um, yeah, like I said, urban myth.

I workout and I am nearly completely consumed with a cramped mind. The only difference is now I am holding 25 pound weights above myself and trying to stay on count. Not, exactly ideal timing for the mind to be focused on something else. But hey, like I said, I don't have that off switch.

So those are my nights. That is (one) of the reasons I hate working out. I envy the people out there who can flick the imaginary switch at the same time they flick the light switch. I envy those who love working out because they feel recharged and less stressed. But that isn't how my brain works. It is a constant Walmart line of thoughts. I check one out and another is right behind it, each with their own full shopping cart.

Man, could you imagine if I started hearing voices?


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Oh, I'm sorry I missed that. Did you just say something?