Since I walk almost everywhere, I observe quite a lot in this city. Some things are amusing, some things are annoying and others yet are infuriating. I figure I can make at least semi-regular posts sharing these things I notice.

Here is my commentary from this past week, most of which probably classify as mild annoyances:

1. To the guy who tied his beautiful (but clearly agitated and whining for you) Alaskan Malamute to a pole outside the bar, during happy hour (read: rush hour for foot traffic), so you could go in for a drink… what the hell were you thinking? You are just plain wrong for doing that, and I don’t care how judgmental that makes me out to be.

2. To the lady who approached me on the metro selling bootleg DVDs at the super cheap price of seven for $20… Even if I was interested in purchasing badly pilfered movies, do you think anyone has time to select seven movies during their train ride? I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be rushed in making my choice.

3. To the DC metro system… why, oh why, do you insist on performing track maintenance that requires trains to share the same track on a weekend night of a baseball game?!

4. To the DC cops ticketing jaywalkers… is it really necessary to ticket those who are obviously crossing when there are NO oncoming cars? I mean, seriously. I’m all for ticketing those who are playing chicken with the vehicles, but if a perfectly abled human can cross quickly and safely against the light - why shouldn’t they be able to?

I picked up a few groceries for the weekend on my walk home from work yesterday.  While standing in a line to check out, my gaze wandered around as it usually does… assessing my surroundings, people watching, etc.  I happened to glance up at the aisle number I was standing in, after which my eyes traveled along the rest of the numbers. There were 14 aisles, four of which were closed, the ten others open for operation and all full of other shoppers stocking up for the weekend, too.

Nothing interesting so far, I know.  I’m getting to my point, I promise.

After a few seconds, I noticed a sign angled to stick out for easy view from the aisle number next to me. The sign was a circle, designed with cool greens and eye catching yellow print and along the perimeter read: Smiles for All. A Family Friend Aisle.

I scanned the rows again and noticed only one other aisle had the same sign.

So, I guess this means two aisles in this grocery store are geared to families with children, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out just how the cashiers are trained for such a thing.

Are they trained to smile at your children and say hello? Are they trained to not let that smile waver, even if those lovely brats are grabbing at the packs of gum and chocolates across from the conveyor belt and whining for their mommies to buy them candy? Do they give free candy if their moms actually don’t give in to the kid’s tantrums? Will they make balloon animals?

And what about all those other cashiers? Are they actually allowed to wear that unfriendly snarl or blank stare, while dragging your items across the price scanner and bagging your groceries improperly? You know… mixing canned goods with bread?

I can easily see those being assigned to the ‘family friendly’ aisles for their shift being teased by their co-workers… it’s gotta be a rough job. Maybe those who are assigned aisle four and eleven should be paid more.

The people you want, don’t want you… and the people you don’t want, want you.

Age old saying, right?

Well, that’s the kind of irony I can do without, thank you very much. :bored: