"Lazy Days"

Ever notice how lazy we're getting as a society? At first I thought it was just a lack of courtesy but I'm pretty sure it's mostly laziness. Every day it seems it's getting worse. 

As with any societal change, it starts off slowly. It's like watching sand dunes build one grain at a time. At first you don't notice it. Then you're like, "look at that little hill." Then it's a 12 foot dune with more growing around it. Same thing with our bad habits. 

For instance, in the trucking industry today, you non-truckers probably never even noticed how big our parking lots are. That's because we are always in the back, away from you guys. The herd must rest together. 

Here's an experiment for you though. A quick and easy one. Go look at our fuel lanes. About 80 feet in front of the pumps you'll see a yellow line. We call that a "ready line". It's there so that after we get fuel we can pull forward to that line and know that we've left enough space for a truck to get to the fuel island behind us. Then we go inside and get our fuel receipts and do whatever quick business we need to do. It helps with the flow. 

Now, go out there and look to see how many trucks are parked at that line. Then look at how many trucks are parked at the fuel pumps with no one around them. See those trucks? They were too lazy to pull forward. And a LOT of those guys could use that extra 80 feet of walking. 

In fact, of those guys still parked on the fuel line I'll bet a quarter of them are inside either sitting at a table eating or are in there taking a shower. Why? Laziness. That and lack of consideration. 

And it just gets worse. I'm at a truck stop here in Florida where over half the lot is empty spaces. Yet there are trucks lining the driveway and making it difficult to get in. Why? Because they were too lazy to go look for a parking space. Had they driven another 200 feet they'd have had their choice of spots. 

It's not just truckers. It's everyone. Go to your local grocery store or Walmart. See how many carts litter the parking lot? People just can't be bothered to go put them in those little corrals. Too much work. They went to get groceries not cardio. 

I've been to Taco Bell and other fast food places where people just leave their trash on the table and walk out. Those trash cans are conveniently located by the doors but these nasty people just can't be bothered. Did they slip into a food coma before they even left?

Just more and more I look around I see pure laziness. Pajamas to the store?? Seriously? You can't be bothered with putting on your "big person" clothes? You've gotta walk around in slippers and pajamas? Are these people narcoleptic?! Just gotta be prepared for that random nap. Should these people be driving? "What happened? How'd you wreck the car?"

 'I dunno, I was just driving along then BAM! Out like a light. Dreaming about McDonald's and shit.'

We are supposed to be "global leaders". Who are we leading, the dream brigade? C'mon, people, quit being so damn lazy. 

You know what I equate this level of lazy to? Ghetto. To me it's all just ghetto behavior. And it translates over. 

I hear people talking about how they just never get a chance. I call bullshit. Opportunity knocked and you were too lazy to open the damn door. 

I lived in the projects as a kid. I had the same "lack of opportunity" other ghetto kids had. You don't see me walking around town in pajamas leaving my trash on the table at Burger King. 

"I can't get a job." Hell no. Who's gonna hire someone in their pajamas?! I wouldn't hire someone who may fall asleep on the job. Especially not if they're demanding $15 an hour minimum wage. Sorry, Sleeping Not-So-Beauty, I'm gonna go with someone who speaks and acts like they care. 

Yeah, I said speaks but I mean much more than that. For those of you who've been following me for a while know, I also write poetry. Back when I was posting it regularly I was invited to poetry communities and stuff. I saw a few poems that were in text shorthand. Really? You're too lazy to write the actual words out? And they wanted my advice and guidance. "Ok. Learn to spell the words out and try again." 

I tried to be supportive. I tried to be encouraging. But I'm a grammer notsee.  (Sorry, I had to. Yes, I know how both of those words are spelled.) 

Text shorthand is even showing up in school papers and stuff these days. This is the world we live in. If people are too lazy to learn, let's just make the classes easier. Let's encourage lazy and stupid. Way to give Darwin the finger, folks! 

I've done online college classes for about 4 different people. Some of them really applied themselves and just couldn't grasp it. I tried helping them learn. Especially the English, Biology, Introductory Psych and Sociology classes. Why did I do their work if I don't encourage lazy? Good question. With 3 of them it's because I just took over. I made sure they grasped it but they couldn't articulate themselves as well as I. I did the assignments on paper, had them read them and explain to me what I was saying in the papers. They seemed to get it that way. The majority of the time they'd just type up what I'd written. They did the rest of the classes on their own though. I don't mind helping so long as it's just help. And I only helped with the classes I felt were completely unnecessary for the field they were pursuing. I'm not getting the whole degree, I don't want one. I like being "uneducated". 

Oh, I've served time in college classrooms. It's just not for me. I can't just sit there and have some instructor read to me from the book I've got sitting on my desk. I can't be taught; I learn. There's a difference. 

One of the advantages to learning rather than being taught? I draw my own conclusions. I make my own observations. Maybe it really is a laziness thing with me too. I find it's less work to learn on my own than it is to unlearn what's being taught to the rest of the class. (May rant about the education system is a story for another day). 

But I digress. We were going on about laziness, weren't we? It just bothers me. It's one thing to be lazy in your own home but when you leave the house, especially when you're working, take the time to be considerate. Take the time to do things right. It's not hard, folks. Put in a little effort to set a good example. 

And PLEASE, quit walking around in public wearing pajamas and slippers!