As the title would suggest, this will be a collection of assorted bullshit. Your entertainment value may vary, act accordingly.
First up is a cute little instructional video that I found on the internet. It is quite helpful in defining what exactly constitutes sexual harassment in the workplace. It starts out seeming almost real, but a little too real, sort of like the old energizer commercials where you think it is a spoof but aren’t quite sure. About midway through the video there is no longer any doubt about its intentions, and as such it isn’t really the type of thing you should be watching at work, unless your boss happens to be harassing you, in which case it could be educational for the both of you -providing you don’t get fired-. Linkage here, please enjoy the show.
Secondly I have an observation about human nature and Wal-Mart. The human nature part is in getting a refund for a light bulb that was the wrong size. The bulb cost $5.74, and was six inches too long for my purposes. The correct bulb was $5.64, so only a dime in difference. How long did it take to get the dime back? Just under an hour.
See, the human nature wanted to get my money back since the bulb didn’t fit. But Wal-Mart’s corporate structure has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that they give as few refunds as possible. After all, who in their right mind would stand in line for an hour to get back a dime (that is sort of rhetorical at this point)? I didn’t even care about the dime, I just wanted the other light bulb. I though about just putting the little pink return sticker on the bulb I needed and walking out the door, but can you imagine the embarrassment if they had actually stopped me at the door? It sure would suck to get arrested for shoplifting when I was just trying to get the bulb that fit.
I really should have just bought the other bulb and given up on the refund of the first one. $5.74 is really not all that much money, anyone’s time is worth more than that, that is why we have a minimum wage after all. But you know how it is once you get into that line; either morbid fascination or a need for closure keep you there no matter what. I walked away with my dime and a sense of self-accomplishment. It takes a great man to waste an hour of his life for a dime!
Finally, and somewhat Wal-Mart (or any shopping center) related. Why is it that some people will drive around a parking lot for ten minutes looking for a parking space that is closer to the door? In order for that to make any sense at all I would have to be able to find a space about a half a mile closer to the entrance (I walk about five miles an hour at normal walking pace, which is why my wife and I rarely go shopping together; she has to run to keep up). Are people really that lazy? Again, that is probably rhetorical.
I have my own technique for finding a parking space. I pick the one closest to the cart return. Most people don’t like to park near the cart return for fear of damaging their precious car. My precious car is ten years old and already dented and dinged so I don’t really give a shit. I am also one of the seemingly rare people that actually return the cart to the designated corral before leaving. If I parked closer to the store I would probably have to push the cart all the way back to the entrance before I could leave, parking near the cart return gets me out of there a lot faster. Also, the farther away from the entrance you park the less foot traffic you will have to contend with. Seriously, parking further from the entrance and close to a cart return saves a hell of a lot of time, but don’t tell anyone, I don’t want everyone to know the secret. Of course most people are too lazy to spend the minute to walk to the door anyway so I guess I am in no trouble.