I’ve started out 2008 with a system recharge: business is picking up and so is the cold season. Even though I tend not to go out among the public very often, I still managed to pick up the latest cold virus incarnation. I don’t get discouraged by it, I consider it an opportunity for the immune system to readjust.

So, I’ve been going through this immune tuneup for about 8 days now. It could have been worse. But, I took the Coldeeze lozenges as directed, and popped the decongestants. I had one really crappy day, which didn’t prevent me from putting in a few hours at “work.” As luck would have it, I had several work requests come in at the same time, which was very encouraging and so my mood carried me through what might have been a horrible week. Now I’m left with a very annoying cough, but that, too, shall pass.

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Northern Maine has already had one thaw and we’ve now had a second, our usual January thaw. A little more snow is expected soon, but no big blasts on the near horizon. I ventured out today with my mother to stock up on various necessities. We bravely went to the Super Walmart. I was not surprised at the lack of parking spaces, but at the increase in prices since my last supply run. One good thing about the falling dollar, we’re seeing more Canadian shoppers in our stores. Hey, it’s a good deal for them and for us. A truck parked at Lowe’s was loading a nice stainless steel barbecue grill. The license plates were Canadian. Works out for everybody.

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One observation while out today: some young folks have no sense of consideration for others. I was at Lowe’s to get some softener salt because they’ll carry it out to my car for me - I’ve got a bad back. Okay, so I pull the car up and a young woman brings out the bags in a cart. She sees a young man who apparently works there. She asks for help. He replies, “I’m not working.” He stands there. She doesn’t pursue the issue. He continues to stand there and doesn’t offer a hand out of basic courtesy. What a moron. My mother, who is often referred to as “She, who must be obeyed” said, at a volume that he could hear, “Aren’t there any strong young men to give you a hand?!” I looked over and I know he heard her. He still stood there. What a moron. I ranted in the car on the way to our next stop. “What is wrong with so many young people, they seem to lack any sense of general courtesy - can’t call it common courtesy because it’s certainly not common anymore - and they’re probably the same ones who demonstrate against violence.”

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Later, I went into Staples to see about getting a new task chair. We noticed that there was a mark on one of the display models, a long white squiggle from a permanent marker. A sales person approached to help and SHE asked him about the damaged chair. He reported that it was intentionally damaged by teenagers, he sighed, “yeh, I don’t know what’s wrong, they just have no sense of courtesy.” Hmmm, where have I heard that before?

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