Year: 2014

Thoughts About Gun Control

Curmudgeon

I Beleve in gun control. If I can’t control my gun how else am I gonna hit what I’m aiming at?

Recent legislation in Georgia has brought about many fears of running gun battles in the streets. The Safe Carry Protections Act, which was nicknamed by opponents as the ‘guns everywhere bill’, went into effect on July 1, 2014. There are many provisions but the bottom line is people who have valid concealed carry permits can carry their gun into public places like bars, churches, schools and parts of airports. These places retain the right to refuse to let guns in if the choose. Similar laws have recently been passed recently in several other states.

I can’t see this as anything but a good thing. We already have criminals carrying guns wherever they want. We already have people getting hit by stray bullets in the cross fire. Three children in my city have been hit this year, one fatally, and it’s only July. So why not loosen up the laws and give the law abiding folks a even chance.

In the areas where these laws have been passed, the street were not immediately transformed into Dodge City with Marshall Dillon taking down the bounty hunters who think they have a mission. In fact just the opposite. No one noticed a change in downtown Atlanta when the new law went into effect. Several years ago in another city there was even a thwarted robbery at a drugstore because of a similar law. The only reason that guy got in trouble was he was concealing his weapon and he was therefore charged with a misdemeanor.

In other places, where guns have been a part of the culture for almost 200 years, they become a marketing device. There’s a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado (what better place?) where the servers all carry guns and the customers are encouraged to do the same. The place hasn’t been robbed yet. I think the sign posted in the dining room sums it up the best:

Please keep all weapons holstered unless need arises. In such case, judicious marksmanship is appreciated.

This sounds like the simple philosophy that should allay any concerns of non-gun-toting bystanders. Just keep your gun in your holster until you have to use it. And when you feel threatened, don’t miss what you’re aiming at. Even Duke Wayne would go along with that thought.

Gardening by the Yard

Curmudgeon

How much responsibility does one spouse have concerning the other’s hobby? Well, I suppose it depends on the hobby.

Among her many hobbies my wife has a flower garden. But I don’t know if that describes it. It’s more like a collection of colorful plants, many in pots, many in the ground. The grandkids call in grandma’s maze. I call it the Land of the Lost.

My idea of yard is a nicely trimmed lawn with no weeds. In our case, about a third of the backyard has grass which edges directly up to the garden. This makes it impossible to use any kind of weed treatment without hitting plants meant for growing in the garden. Mowing is difficult but not impossible if you have the correct philosophy.

Over the past years, I’ve drilled drainage holes and moved pots to their summer locations. I’ve dug holes to drop the plant in and even leveled and landscaped the area around the potting bench. Someday I’ll tell the story of the greenhouse kit I assembled. When she leaves for a couple of days, I water daily. On hot, sunny afternoons I even set out misting hoses. And above all I never ask how much money has been spent on garden supplies. That way lies madness.

But all of the obligatory assistance aside, isn’t it her hobby? I hate yard work. As far as I’m concerned the only reason we have a yard is because it came with the house. So I try not to feel guilty when she spends the entire day in the hot sun deadheading. She must enjoy it or she wouldn’t have planted all that flora, right?

“Say sweetie, those flowers next to you over in sun look gorgeous. Can I bring you another glass of lemonade? Just a thought.”

Don’t Hate Me Just Because You’re Beautiful

Curmudgeon

I was running errands today. First stop was the grocery store. After picking up my milk and cookies, I got in the checkout line. The checker was this incredibly beautiful, young blond girl.

She was totaling up groceries for a customer ahead of me who was wearing (in my mind) a ridiculous cowboy hat and obviously flirting with her. Well, she was having nothing of it. She went about her business barely even looking the man in eye.

When my order came up, she again barely looked up from her register and made no small talk. In keeping with the mood I said barely more than answering whether I wanted paper or plastic.

I then realized she probably lives in constant exasperation regarding the men that try to flirt or even just get a smile out of her. It must be a strange kind of curse being attractive because it brings constant attention that a person doesn’t want. As a defense mechanism they learn to ignore people even who are just trying to be friendly. I wonder if this makes it even more difficult to develop your own friendly personality.

Now, contrast this with the barista I encountered during my later stop at the coffee shop. She was an attractive brunette, only slightly above average. While I waited for my order, we not only discussed the hot weather but how it affected the shop’s sales. And I gave her a good tip.

Maybe grocery checkout folks should work for tips too. It’s a thought.