Penske Trucks Blow People’s Minds

“There is nothing more provocative than minding your own business.” ~ William S. Burroughs

Apartment complexes are starting to become a fascinating hobby. Especially the one that I reside in.

Early this morning there was a Penske moving truck in the parking lot.

Neighbors were amazed at the presence of the vehicle. I personally did not see it though. I guess it was on the other side of the property from where I am.

I did hear about it over today’s episode of morning coffee. It seemed as if nobody could figure out why the moving truck was in the parking lot at all. Nor could they figure out who it belonged to.

They failed to remember that they live in an apartment complex. A place of residence. A place where people actually come and go.

I believe that where I live, could be the exception for a majority of its residents as they are elderly and they have made their own decision to live here for the rest of their days.

That could be why they get all worked up whenever they see someone in the actual and physical process of moving their stuff out.

From what I was told, people flocked around the moving truck this morning as if they were holding a vigil for the truck gods. But they just could not figure out on their own WHO exactly was leaving.

Later on during morning coffee, a gentleman walked in to get his own cup of java. He stood back with a proud smile on his face and sheepishly announced, “I’m moving.”

Well, that answered that question!

And it should have sufficed. But you know what? This is SGC. It is never going to be enough.

I bet the guy felt like he was holding a press conference as everyone moved from where they were seated and crowded around him. Flooding his attention with more questions.

Where are you going?
When are you leaving?
Why are you leaving?
What are you going to do when you get there?
Who do you know that lives there?

Geez people. Calm the piss down!!

But the man was kind enough to go through the questions one by one and answer with them with brief responses.

He said that he was moving to Michigan.

Annnnnnd…. round TWO began!

Round two really didn’t have much in the way of asking newer questions. Just the same questions over again. This time around, asked with more curiosity and enthusiasm.

He got to the point where he stopped answering questions. And I cannot say that I blame him.

When the Q&A session was done, next came the input.

“It’s freaking cold in Michigan!”

Ummm… yeah, it is. Most of the time. Especially during winter.

But there they all stood. Eager and willing to inform him of the obvious.

After he had enough of the lecture, he spoke up and said that he had lived in Michigan for twenty years before moving to Texas.

The moment he said that, I tuned out mentally from the ongoing conversation. But it did seem as if everything wrapped up at that point. After all, if he had been there for that long … I don’t think that these Texas born citizens could offer any further knowledge that he didn’t already know.

Since I tuned out, I cannot even say for sure that anyone had wished him well as he said that he was leaving in about a week’s time. Poor guy.

Usually from what I have experienced with other people in the past who have moved out. They’ve either found a better living condition OR they had made the decision to go be with or around family. And that’s exactly what this gentleman’s plan was.

Not that it is truly any of our business. But SGC seems to think so!

And with each person that moves out, we know that in a few weeks that someone else will be moving in. The turn around rate is crazy!

Most of us get to the point where we start to see a stranger walking around on the property and don’t even give them the benefit of the doubt that they could be a new neighbor and instead, they hound them like private investigators. But that is for another blog post.

I am slowly and surely beginning to understand why more than 50% of the residents who move from SGC, do so at night. And why even a higher percentage of them don’t bother with farewells.

I would hate to see what they would do or not do if/when I leave SGC.

At least it killed the monotony of a typical Friday morning.

Vexing Advertisements

“Life is as tedious as twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.”~ William Shakespeare

As of lately, I have been noticing this bombardment of television advertisements for online dating sites. More specifically, match.com.

It is one of the more popular and well known websites for singles who are looking for dating and relationships.

But this commercial has annoyed me since the first time I noticed one of the actresses giving a “testimonial” to the website.

She says something similar to the following:

“I’m not looking to date a bunch of guys. Just the right ones.” 

Simply annoying. After all, the whole construct of dating is to FIND the right one. Whether or not a person does when they date is clearly a personal choice.

I am not a member of match.com and I probably never will be. I’ve only signed up for ONE dating website that was supposed to be FREE, but really wasn’t. And truthfully, I didn’t find anyone that caught my eye.

But I am going to safely assume that match.com takes you through a journey of your likes/dislikes and then “matches” you up with someone that has given the same answers as you, believing you are a good fit.

It is a business and they do what they do. But still, if you are “dating all the right ones” then what in the world is the point to continue to use an online dating service? If you found the right one based on your matches, isn’t that enough? Why would you continue to date if you have “found the right one”?

Stupid.

I’m not saying that people who use these websites are lame, but what I am saying is that this commercial that I see over and over and over again… IS lame. Or am I wrong?

Yes, match.com is a business. And they do what they do and offer the possibility of dating and relationships. And I know that sometimes things work out in the end and two people who have found each other have fallen in love and get married and have their happily ever after. Most certainly, match.com has its own ways of measuring their business with success. And that’s fine. I believe that they say 1 in 5 find matches that they are happy with. Sounds like pretty good odds, right?? I just think that the marketing tool on television is a little FUBAR. Just the one commercial.

Naturally, match.com will want to continue in gaining business by having people join the website. I have no idea just how many have joined, neither do I know how many couples have successfully found one another and it lead to a happy life of marriage. I am sure that it has happened. I won’t dare say that it hasn’t because that is not something that I know.

It is my personal opinion that the woman that they’ve probably hired to give that kind of statement, honestly isn’t all that attractive physically. I know that they try to make things full of glamour and what not. That’s the point. Attract as many potential members as possible.

But its a little nuts to have someone say, “I don’t wanna date guys, just the right ones.”

Dating has come a long way. Most certainly things have changed from what I believed worked in the world.

I was sharing a story with someone just yesterday about how a few years ago,  I would go to the club and when I found some woman that I thought was attractive, I would buy them a drink. I would tell the waitress that I wanted to buy them a drink, and I would watch from beginning to end. From the pick up at the bar all the way to the delivery of the drink to the woman. Anticipating that the woman would at least sit next to me and have a conversation. THAT NEVER HAPPENED. 

But that’s how I thought it worked. Geez, how wrong was I? To me, that was money well wasted. And after a few times of that happening, I quit doing it and saved my money in the long run.

Whether or not online dating works, is not the subject for this blog post. It’s the fact that I’ve lost count at how many times I’ve rolled my eyes into the back of my head hearing this stupid commercial. And for those who are successful at it? Congratulations.