Use that cubicle

I was at a donut stop recently and needed to use the washroom. So did ten other women. The washrooms were single cubicles - one for women, one for men. The women's had the line up. The men's was vacant. I went to the head of the line and waved the women to use the men's washroom as well. To my surprise, they all shook their heads and said no. Both washrooms were identical - single user cubicles with a lockable door. The only difference was the sign on the door. So I got my relieve in the men's washroom.

Now, what's with that? Why do women line up instead of use the men's washroom when they don't have to share that washroom with men at the same time?

One Year Early

I received a notice recently for a doctor's appointment for Thursday, October 27, 2005. At first glance, I assumed the appointment was a couple of weeks away. Then I saw it was actually a year away. I verified it with the doctor's office. Yes, the receptionist confirmed - I saw the doctor last year, he said to come back in two years, the office books appointments a year in advance, so she has sent me a notice for an appointment a year away.

Now, thanks. But what's with this: they wait one year to book the appointment, but the appointment isn't for another year. Something about this strikes me as very wrong.

Dogs and buns

How come hog dogs always come in packages of six, but the buns come in packages of eight? What's with that?

Child-proofed pill bottles

Drug manufacturers are so concerned with kids getting into pills that they put child-proof caps on pill bottles for over-the-counter pain killers. Thing is, if you are arthritic, or have a really bad headache and not feeling all that well coordinated, and you reach for that pill bottle, you have a heck of a time getting that pill out!

Why do they put pills for sick people in bottles that only healthy people can get at. What's with that?

Don't try to defray the cost of Medicare

Tonight, my father was shivering, he ran a fever, he rambled incoherently, and he was kind of convulsing. We didn't know if he was reacting to his chemotherapy drugs, to radiation therapy, or to some other drug. He had all of these today. I consulted the oncologists on call at his hospital. They advised me to take him to Emergency.

We drove him to Emergency, which happened to be particularly busy. He needed to lie down because he was in pain and he was tired. The Emergency staff would not give him a stretcher until he was seen by a doctor. The waiting room was crowded, with three occupied stretchers lining the hall way. We found a blocked off entrance way that served as a small room. It was empty. We put a blanket on the ground so he could lie down. A few minutes later, an administrator told us to move him somewhere else because the waiting room was too crowded and she wanted to move the stretchers into the room to clear the hallway. She could not tell us where to lay him down instead.

By this time, my father was asleep. I said to the administrator, If we had called an ambulance to bring him in here, he would be on a stretcher, and you would put him in this room. But because we saved the public health system expense by bringing him in ourselves, you deny him a stretcher, and you want to kick him out while he's sleeping on the ground so you can put people on stretchers in here instead.

I was fuming mad, made a scene, then moved my father to the hallway. He and a stretcher basically swapped places.

What's with that?

Blood - It's in you

I find those commercials for blood donation scary. It's that woman with the hungry voice, pleading, Blood - it's in you to give, and those TV commercials of people with puppy dog eyes claiming they won't live till their next birthday if I don't give them my blood. As if I should feel guilty for having blood in me. What about my next birthday?

I already give in time, energy and money to social and familial causes; don't come after me for my blood too.

Should blood giving be sanctioned like the vampirish, manipulative business it has turned into? I gave blood once a few years ago. Every month since, some guy from the blood bank phones me at work to ask for more. One day, I had a particularly bad day. I dealt with stressful situations and chaotic people, on my feet since 9 AM, had no lunch, and finally found a few minutes to sit around 4 PM. I thought to myself, I can't do this any more. What else do people want from me? Wouldn't you know that's when the agency phoned, wanting my blood! I started laughing hysterically and must have scared him. He offered to take me off his list.

Do we have to act crazy to contain our lives? What's with all the pressure people put on each other? What's with that, eh?

Aah...don't get me wet!

Ever notice when people are swimming, especially in a swimming pool, and it starts to rain. The swimmers scream and run to get out of the rain.

What's with that? They don't want to get wet? It's okay to get wet with pool water but not rain water?

Watering the lawn in the rain

On Roseneath, I have seen this a few times. When it rains, when it pours I might add, I have found our neighbours standing beside their lawns with hose on, watering the lawn.

What's with that? Were they already watering the lawn and didn't notice the rain coming? They must have. Once, I saw a woman with hose in one hand and umbrella in the other. Or did they notice the rain but thought the rain wasn't doing a good job so came out to help?