Author: elsims

The other night I was driving home going through a construction zone. The speed was 50 mph and we were going that or a little over. This car behind me is so far in my butt and I was starting to get annoyed. For one, we are in a construction zone. For two, there are cars in front of me and I can only go as fast as they go. Needless to say, I lost my cool and beeped at him and flicked him off when he was finally able to get around me. Dick! Now I am a pretty aggressive driver but I know when to relax and go with the flow. If all lanes are going the same speed, I just chill and wait for my opening. I don’t ride ass trying to make people do the speed that I want. I try to keep my road rage in check, but obviously I had a moment.

I live about 18 minutes away from my job and it is actually better to take the street than the expressway. I dislike street driving because it requires too much attention. Expressway driving you can relax a little and enjoy the ride. No stop lights, stop signs or people making sudden turns, without their blinkers of course. I have compiled a list of my top 10 Road Rage Issues that I encounter regularly.

1. When someone pulls out of a side street and get in my lane even though the other lane was empty.
2. When you are at a light and you let a car out and they do not give you the hand. What? Manners people.
3. When you are getting on the expressway and the car in the lane closest to you does not move into the other lane to allow you a smooth transition on to the highway. Especially if there is no one in the other lane. Really!?!
4. When you are the person that allows someone a smooth transition by getting into the other lane and your exit is coming up and they don’t allow you to get back over. I guess that is why people in issue 3 don’t do it. Lol
5. When someone is driving in the fast/passing lane and they are steadily getting passed. Get your ass out of the fast lane!
6. When you are driving on the expressway and the person in front of you decides to clean their windshield. Now your windshield is splattered with water and you can’t see. You now have to be like the dick in front of you and use your wipers and fluid. Smh
7. When you pull up to a four way stop and everyone is just sitting there like who’s turn is it to go. Uh…mine.
8. When the driver in front of you is going slow but when the light turns yellow, they speed up and run through it while you are stuck sitting at the light.
9. Drivers that sit at lights when the sign does not say no turn on red.
10. When it is a two lane turn and the car in the other lane turns in your lane. And then you have to lay on the horn and dodge their car at the same time.

These are just the top ten. I could go on and on. People can’t drive. And some days, I may even do a few of these things. But I do try to be a considerate driver. Are there ones that I didn’t list that is one of your road rage issues? Please share. For you to be able to make a comment, click on the Title of post and it will take you to the page with a comment box.

I’m not sure of how many people think about this but I still want to talk about it. I was in the store today to purchase a few items. Toilet paper was on my list. I don’t have a memebership to Costco or Sam’s because it’s just me and I cannot see the value added from owning one. I buy my items at a regular retail store. When I went to get the toilet paper I was disturbed. There was not a package of toilet paper that was just a regular roll or a double roll. All of the packages of the brand I buy was in mega roll form. I don’t believe in that. There is no way in hell that a pack of 6 rolls of toilet paper would last me as long as a pack of 24 single rolls! And what toilet paper holder can hold a roll of paper that is said to contain 4 rolls? Not mine. At one point when I went into the store I had the option of buying at least a double roll package of 12 equals 24, which I have always been leery about. Now this option is no longer available. What the hell?

I have notice over the years manufacturers reducing size of containers but still charging the same price. Or worst more. Lol. Most of these items are essential and we have no other choice but to buy them. Obviously toilet paper is a necessity. Therefore, I feel like we as consumers are getting ripped off. I can’t stop saying this, but there is no in hell way that there is 24 rolls of toilet paper in just 6 rolls. I understand that some people may want less toilet paper rolls hogging up their storage or linen closets. For me, I prefer single rolls or at most double rolls. I’ll find the space for them.

So after standing in the aisle for a good 3-5 minutes, I decided to switch brands. I wasnt going to say which brand but why not. I normally purchase Charmin but I have switched to Cottonelle for now. At this time they are still supplying a 12 rolls equals 24 rolls package. I’m sure that will probably change soon. Smh. And when it does I won’t know what brand to buy. I’m not strictly a label shopper but some brands I feel are better for me. When it comes to toilet paper, I haven’t found a store brand that compares. Now with paper towels, Target’s Up and Up brand can get my dollar any day.

What products have you noticed that seem like they are ripping you off? Did you switch or continued to stay with that brand? Do you know of any store brands that are better and more cost effective than the brand names? Please share.

This past weekend I attended a family reunion. It was my mother’s great grandmother’s side of the family. I knew no one there. Never even heard of them until I was recruited to work on the committee for the reunion, from the only relative that I did know. Lol. These are my observations from the event.

Family reunions are a lot like being on a cruise. You see the same people every day, whether it’s at breakfast, lunch or dinner. You begin to recognize people’s faces but may not know their names. You say “Hi” and are really friendly, you talk a little about self and they share information about where they are from. You laugh and develop some sort of camaraderie. The cruise ends and you don’t see any of those people again. In the case of family reunions, you may see those people again at the next one.

I guess what I am trying to say is that family reunions are kinda impersonal. We as people tend to gravitate towards the family we already know and are friendly to the family that we do not know. We discuss how we are related and introduce our families to each. But we don’t really take the opportunity to get to know each other or exchange information to stay in contact after the event. We don’t remember each other’s name from one day to the next. I am not criticizing anyone. I know I am guilty of this the most. What are we to do to deepen these connections and really get to know each other? I can’t say that I know but I will definitely put serious thought to my observations.

One reason I feel family reunions are necessary, from my perspective, is because you have the opportunity to meet your distance male relatives. I am so worried now. This side of my family happens to be very large. There was a fair amount of people in attendance but a good portion of the family did not attend. Which means that I have male cousins out here that I do not know. And for anyone who has ever dated their cousin, you would know what I mean right now. I can say, at this point in my life, that I have not dated one of my cousins that I know of. And if I did, yuck! Lol. Now I am saying some of this jokingly but seriously though, this is a real possibility.

It may seem that I am negative about family reunions but I am not. They make it possible to learn more about yourself and how we are all connected. I happen to experience syncope occasionally and so does my mom. I found out that it is actually common in my family. Reunions allow you the opportunity to know your family history, possible health issues and individual relatives. Even though I may not remember the majority of people’s names, I will remember their faces. I will see them out and know that they are mine. For all those who attended the reunion, it was great to meet you. To those who pulled me out of my shell and included me, I thank you. For those who were unable to make it for whatever reason, I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you at the next reunion.