I know that in the blog I wrote a few days ago, I said it would probably end my blogs for the month, which I also know has not changed. (Happy Birthday to my nephew!) However, if you’re new to my blogs (never read me when I was at Xanga), you should know I “live Improv” beyond the point I get sick of sayin’ it, so you can’t really trust anything I say regarding the future.
One thing I can almost-guarantee nobody else has read is a piece I wrote years ago called, “What Gets Me Is…”. I originally planned it to be a series, perhaps published/printed in either the local Tribune or the school paper. However, I believe I only ever wrote the first one, & I have the only printed copies of that in a folder in my bedroom closet.
Even so, recently, I thought of a few new subjects I want to cover in that sort of piece. Therefore, I now present to you…
“What Gets Me Is…”, Version 2.0 - Issue 1
Part 1: “The Concentration”
Let me start by getting a few things out of the way. When I write about “the concentration”, I am not referring to “concentration camps”, or anything regarding the Nazis or the Holocaust. I also am not referring to Dr. Phil & the millions of others out there who seem to focus on males being the physical/sexual abusers of their girlfriends/wives.
Hypothetical Situation That Really Happened #1: A few days ago, I was walking around a store at the local Mall “complex”. At the time, I was a legal adult citizen of this state with legally-achieved “disposable” income. Walking through this store, I noticed a bunch of clothes hanging. Above them was a sign, saying the store was having a sale with big discounts on their “maternity” clothing.
In my entire life, I can guarantee you I have had no need for “maternity” clothes. (Perhaps my sister… But with her birthday over a month ago, & Christmas a few months ahead, that sale would have done me no good this month.) I also don’t frankly care one bit about wearing clothes to give me a certain “look” or do anything else to attract any sort of potential romantic relationship.
All that being said, I spend a lot of time at the Mall stores & other local shopping areas. Looking at stores specifically based around maternity (saw one at this same Mall closing yesterday) & others based around either women or guys whose lives seem to hover around attempting to attract these women, I want to walk up to a Customer Service desk, & quote “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back”, asking, “When’s gonna be my time?!”
Part 2: “When Trash Is Trash”
The thing I remember I was going to do when I originally began this series years ago is mainly look at not everything that “gets me”, but largely popular ideas & phrases & the like. With that original intent in mind, I have the one for this “Issue”: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
Now I’m not about to lie; I get the basic idea of that, & it could be largely true. For instance, my Mom loves both dropping things off at the local Goodwill stores, & buying things from these same stores. (Especially around times like now, when she is doing a play locally, & needs something for her costume.) Also, within walking distance of where I type this is an old store where, at least once a month, they have sales put on by the Easter Seals Society, where the place is filled with things (mostly, I think, picked-up by people given that task) no longer needed by the original owner that others can now purchase and use. (This is where my Mom gets a ton of toys & things for when my nephews stop by.)
But here’s the “thing” for me… I am not against the idea of someone else being able to use something I have later (though they often actually can’t, as I hold onto it, still having use for it myself). Also, I’d be lying if I didn’t mention the large number of CDs & DVDs I have I bought at Buybacks (originally called CD Warehouse) that had all been owned by someone else previously.
Even so, living where I do, I see two sides of this. One is the fake fireplace in the lobby. There, people place all sorts of food, drink, & clothes, available for nothing on a “first come, first serve” basis. However, when I make my regular walking trips to the local Mall, I am sure to pass at least 1 (if not 2) giant, blue Dumpsters. At least once a week, Mom or I has a garbage bag to take to one of them, filled with things (mainly pop cans, in my case) that we once had obvious uses for, but haven’t needed now, in some cases for days. If indeed “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, how have I lived here 6 years now, & never seen a single person taking anything out of one of those Dumpsters?!
OK… Think that’s all I wanted to write for this one. (Actually, I know I had some more ideas, but they’re just not “coming down the pike” at the moment.)
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