A few days ago, I posted an entry about "being nice" (see 06/03/07: "It's Nice To Be Nice") and I hope you don't mind if I go there again so soon. It's just that it's been on my mind a lot lately. And I'd bet, if you read the paper... or watch the news... or subscribe to a CNN podcast... you think about it a lot too. I'd wager that at least once this year you've either said - or at least thought - that "there's a lot of mean spirited people out there these days."
Just in the past two days, I've seen it in spades, and it's unsettling. This morning, we came up the back stairs to our office and Sha-zam... our deck furniture was stolen during the night. One of our RE/MAX offices is blessed to be in Flagler Beach - upper level - with a deck and a great view of the ocean. We had some nice tables and chairs and benches. No more. Some folks think that's "OK"... that it's "No Big Deal." I disagree. Then, yesterday, two teenagers were out in the street screaming at each other and close to slugging it out. Both were shirtless and adorned in that adorable "My Swimsuit Is Halfway Down My Butt For All To See" style. Their language was hideous and both were letting the ethnic slurs fly. I wonder what their Mothers would think?
I pick up the paper this morning and I see that a 24 year old nearly killed another fellow right in front of the Flagler Beach pier yesterday afternoon... in broad daylight. Apparently he knocked him out... and not being satisfied with that, he continued to kick and beat him while he was down. Not good. In my day, if the guy went down, you stopped. Today? You take your cues from the Ultimate Cage Fights and you just keep wailin' away.
The clincher? A lady we had never met walked into our real estate office Tuesday morning and started giving the receptionist a hard time... demanding to see me. Maritssa (my partner) and I went downstairs to see what was going on and were confronted by this very large (maybe 250?), very hostile woman. It seems that she had purchased one of our listings, over a year ago, and was now making a stink over some "condition" issues. The seller had moved to Orlando and washed their hands of it all. (Please note that the house was purchased with an "As Is" contract... and this angry buyer had both a thorough pre-purchase home inspection, as well as a pre-occupancy "walk-through" inspection... all of which met with her approval.) So now a year has passed and she wants to fight. She's yelling and fuming and wagging her finger in Maritssa's face - Fun, yes indeedy. We finally got her to leave, but it sure got the office in a buzz for a while.
Then we get home and decide to watch the NCAA Women's College Softball World Series. I'd seen a couple of the pre-lims, but the championship was between the Tennessee Lady Vols and the reigning Arizona Wildcats. It was an amazingly entertaining three game series, with Tennessee taking the first and Arizona winning the next two for the title. Why am I telling you this? What does this have to do with all the "nasty" stuff, above? Easy... In the heat of battle, under immense pressure, facing intense competition, on National TV... these girls were really... well... NICE. (And guys, by the way, half these girls could be in the Miss America pageant). The losers patiently waited while the winners had their "pile on the pitcher" celebration, then they all high-fived... actually chatted some with each other... and shared a few hugs. Good stuff. Guys need to take a lesson here. Watch the NBA. When a series is won, the winners ignore the losers and the losers stomp off sullenly with a "screw you" look on their face. Sad, sad, sad stuff. Anyway, congratulations to Arizona on their 8th softball title - and to both them and Tennessee - for showing us how to do things right...
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A few days ago, I posted an entry about "being nice" (see 06/03/07: "It's Nice To Be Nice") and I hope you don't mind if I go there again so soon. It's just that it's been on my mind a lot lately. And I'd bet, if you read the paper... or watch the news... or subscribe to a CNN podcast... you think about it a lot too. I'd wager that at least once this year you've either said - or at least thought - that "there's a lot of mean spirited people out there these days."
Just in the past two days, I've seen it in spades, and it's unsettling. This morning, we came up the back stairs to our office and Sha-zam... our deck furniture was stolen during the night. One of our RE/MAX offices is blessed to be in Flagler Beach - upper level - with a deck and a great view of the ocean. We had some nice tables and chairs and benches. No more. Some folks think that's "OK"... that it's "No Big Deal." I disagree. Then, yesterday, two teenagers were out in the street screaming at each other and close to slugging it out. Both were shirtless and adorned in that adorable "My Swimsuit Is Halfway Down My Butt For All To See" style. Their language was hideous and both were letting the ethnic slurs fly. I wonder what their Mothers would think?
I pick up the paper this morning and I see that a 24 year old nearly killed another fellow right in front of the Flagler Beach pier yesterday afternoon... in broad daylight. Apparently he knocked him out... and not being satisfied with that, he continued to kick and beat him while he was down. Not good. In my day, if the guy went down, you stopped. Today? You take your cues from the Ultimate Cage Fights and you just keep wailin' away.
The clincher? A lady we had never met walked into our real estate office Tuesday morning and started giving the receptionist a hard time... demanding to see me. Maritssa (my partner) and I went downstairs to see what was going on and were confronted by this very large (maybe 250?), very hostile woman. It seems that she had purchased one of our listings, over a year ago, and was now making a stink over some "condition" issues. The seller had moved to Orlando and washed their hands of it all. (Please note that the house was purchased with an "As Is" contract... and this angry buyer had both a thorough pre-purchase home inspection, as well as a pre-occupancy "walk-through" inspection... all of which met with her approval.) So now a year has passed and she wants to fight. She's yelling and fuming and wagging her finger in Maritssa's face - Fun, yes indeedy. We finally got her to leave, but it sure got the office in a buzz for a while.
Then we get home and decide to watch the NCAA Women's College Softball World Series. I'd seen a couple of the pre-lims, but the championship was between the Tennessee Lady Vols and the reigning Arizona Wildcats. It was an amazingly entertaining three game series, with Tennessee taking the first and Arizona winning the next two for the title. Why am I telling you this? What does this have to do with all the "nasty" stuff, above? Easy... In the heat of battle, under immense pressure, facing intense competition, on National TV... these girls were really... well... NICE. (And guys, by the way, half these girls could be in the Miss America pageant). The losers patiently waited while the winners had their "pile on the pitcher" celebration, then they all high-fived... actually chatted some with each other... and shared a few hugs. Good stuff. Guys need to take a lesson here. Watch the NBA. When a series is won, the winners ignore the losers and the losers stomp off sullenly with a "screw you" look on their face. Sad, sad, sad stuff. Anyway, congratulations to Arizona on their 8th softball title - and to both them and Tennessee - for showing us how to do things right...
2 comments:
Great blog, thanks for telling me about it when you came in to Cafe Cara, yesterday. Enjoyed reading it, and appreciate your including us in your favorite restaurant section. Hope you keep up the good work, Cara Merz, Cafe Cara
Thank you, Cara, for "stopping by" my Blog. I hope you read it often - like a local editorial. Your grilled sandwiches, cappuccinos, and delicious cakes are a real treat. The smiles you and your husband always wear are infectious. Those of us who work in Flagler Beach sure appreciate it! Frank & Maritssa:-)
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