Trick or.....Whatever

Dear Readers and Followers,

It's very close to Halloween, Hallowe'en, All Hallow's Eve....whatever you want to call it, let's go through a couple ground rules, shall we?

This is (primarily) a children's holiday. The costumes, the scary ghouls, goblins and ghosts and the candy...let's not forget the candy!

SO, here's what I'd like to see but what I'm, sadly, convinced will NOT be the case.

1. This IS a children's holiday but that should mean MORE parental and guardian supervision not less! 
2. If you have a child in your care who is wearing a mask that limits their vision, PAY ATTENTION that the kid isn't haphazardly banging into other people. This means WATCH YOUR D@MN KIDS. Not ignoring your children is particularly important on the one night of the year that you're actually condoning the begging of candy from virtual strangers. Try not to put your child's or mere pedestrians' lives at risk as well.
3. Not EVERYone thinks your costumed child (dog or cat) is the cutest thing in the entire world and, surprisingly, has no interest in standing around while you block everyone's path to take countless pictures.
4. Don't gawk at men dressed as women or women dressed as men. Sometimes, this holiday is the only day of the year that some buttoned up and otherwise shy individuals allow themselves to let their freak-flags fly.
5. Feel free to gawk at tourists who wear no costumes and just stand around gawking at others who do.
6. Please, please, PLEASE don't be the spoil sport who gives toothbrushes and toothpaste to trick-or-treaters. This is a day for hedonism and you don't want to be THAT guy who poops on the party.
7. And PLEASE don't be that kid (or their parent) who rings the doorbell and proclaims, "Trick-or-treat! I have/my Mikey has a peanut allergy!" If your kid has an allergy, don't make it the generous candy-giver's problem. Go through the little tyke's candy when you get home!
8. Above all, be thoughtful, careful, safe and have fun....without pissing anyone else off on your way because no one ever taught you how to behave in public!

Now, of course, I know that my gentle readers and thoughtful followers would NEVER do any of these terrible things. But I also know that we ALL know SOMEONE who would, and does and we can pass this along to them!

Happy Hallowe'en.......Oh, and BOO!

- SSG

Happy Birthday To Me - A Christmas Miracle?

My Dear Friends, Followers and Readers,

Yes, it is my birthday. But I didn't mention it to force fond wishes, cards, large floral tributes or more cake than anyone in his or her right mind would be wise to consume.

No. I mentioned it because of the date. October 17. That's right. October.

Why is that particular month and date being so hard hit by my blog today? Funny you should ask!

No, it's not because I have been so busy and life has been so crazy-making that I haven't put an update on my blog since the last week in September and I'm apologizing to the small (but faithful) group that reads my entries - though I really ought to do just that!

No, it's because it's October. OCTOBER. We are still two weeks premature for Hallowe'en.
I ventured out to shop for a little gift today for a loved one and, what did I see? Hallowe'en decorations? Yes, but those have been up virtually since the fourth of July.

What I saw that kinda spooked me more than the goblins and spooks were CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! You betcha! Christmas. We haven't even been able to go up to strangers' doors and yell "Trick or Treat!" at the top of our lungs when we are being forced to change our tune to our favorite holiday carol.

Now, please don't get me wrong. I love the holiday season as much as the next guy - probably more because I'm in a mixed marriage and I get to celebrate them ALL.
But, didn't we just get done with Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur?!! Those are traditional autumnal celebrations followed by Sukkot - the festival of the HARVEST.

No wise men, no tinsel, no mistletoe.....at least not yet, please. Let us enjoy the fall. The leaves turning. Maybe a little turkey and dressing...A pumpkin pie, or in my case, a modest birthday cake, before the rush of the holidays commences. I promise to celebrate with fervor and optimum excitement!

Not exactly a question of Urban Etiquette, but thanks for letting me vent! After all, I'm old now and it comes so naturally.

- SSG

A Word To The Wise

No matter how far technology has come...

You STILL look, to the rest of the world, as if you're talking loudly to yourself while walking down the street using your tiny little hands-free cellphone device.

Idiot alert!

Just a little something you might want to keep in mind.

AWWWWWW, What a Cute Puppy!!!

Dear Readers, Followers and the Just Plain Curious,

Well, it finally happened a couple months ago.
I'm no sure whether I shared this with you all or not, but three years ago I had  bilateral hip replacement surgery - that's right - bilateral (meaning both at the same time...YIKES) and two years ago another sort of more drastic surgery having to do with the titanium prostheses both getting life-threateningly infected. This second event had me in hospital and rehabilitation for a total of six weeks and the recovery time, well, let's just say it was massive.

YES, I'm getting to the puppy, trust me!

Well, my husband, the ever thoughtful Jae, said to me during my mending period, "You know how you've always wanted a dog? Well, I was thinking, as soon as you're able to bend over to pick up poop off the street, we can start looking for a rescue!"

Our Little Hudson

He even took me to the Javits Convention Center for my birthday in October to an even called Meet The Breeds where there were a lot of different booths with a LOT of different breeds for all of us to meet and get to know. I was in Doggie Heaven!

Well, it took quite a while to find the wonderful puppy we adopted and have come to love. His name is Hudson and he completes this family of five. Daddy (me), Poppa (Jae), Jack and Sam (our seven year old cats).

Now, you might be wondering, where's the rant? Where's the righteous indignation? Okay, here it is:

I ask you, would you...

• Pick up a stranger's toddler on the street? 

• Make 'kissy' noises so that the child in question will come to you and away from their parent or guardian? 
• Poke repeatedly at a child's face while exclaiming "What a cute baby!"? 

• Give a parent unsolicited advice about how to raise their progeny?

This happens to us ALL the time! You wouldn't think people would be so thoughtless but, guess what! They are!

Now, onward to other annoyances that have pertinent crossover to manners, safety and public health issues:

• I'm a little bit surprised that parents will allow their small children to just go up to strange dogs and pet them - or hit them or pull on their ears or scream at them, etc! I know my dog is friendly and well socialized but not every dog is. This is REALLY dangerous!

• Those expandable leashes are one of the stupidest things ever invented. Most dog owners don't know how to use them correctly and their dogs tend to run amok and tangle up old ladies and other pedestrians. Get a regular lead! You're not cool. 

• Most dogs have their nose to the ground for a goodly amount of the time they are being walked in city neighborhoods. Think again when you decide to just throw litter, cigarette butts, food, etc in the GENERAL direction of a trash receptacle or merely ANYwhere you are. These things can really hurt the constitution of a dog. Think twice.

•  DO NOT FEED dogs or puppies you don't know. An easy and logical premise. Just DON'T.

How intelligent do you have to be to consider the health and welfare and welfare of a pet - even (and probably most importantly) when it's not your own pet??

Please, dear readers, pass on this information to anyone you think of who can benefit from these reminders.

-SSG

Ground Zero Is Not A Theme Park

My dear readers,

I understand that the terrifying events of 9/11 had a huge impact on Americans and even the world, but I have a problem that I just don't understand.
I overheard this conversation the yesterday and it upset me more than I can say:

"What? There are roadblocks and street closings down at Ground Zero?!

I wanted to get a t-shirt!"

My friends, We, New Yorkers, lived through that horrible day and the resulting aftermath of fear, insecurity and stress. Yes, the whole nation was attacked, the whole world frozen, but - and I say this with as much thoughtful consciousness and humility - Ground Zero Is NOT a theme park nor is it a tourist destination for fun and frolic.

 I cannot say this without sounding like an ass and, trust me, I know how I come off. But, folks, you will never know how horrifying it is to see the hawkers and vendors trying to sell tschotchkas and hats and t-shirts where an abomination occurred forcing major changes in so many New Yorkers' lives.

What has this to do with etiquette, you may ask?

Manners and etiquette, as I've mentioned before, are designed, not to handcuff people or make them feel badly about themselves, but to make everyone feel comfortable and good.

Just my opinions, of course, and I welcome any rebuttal or comment at any time.

Meanwhile, my friends, please stay healthy and safe.

- SSG

Good Night, Irene

Hell Dear Readers!
It's been a while since my last posting - wow, that sort of sounds like that old "Bless me Father...." thing.

As some of you might be aware, the East Coast had a bit of a scare over the past weekend regarding Hurricane Irene and its (her?) path heading straight toward New York and environs.
Now, I am all for hurricane preparedness, but when it puts others at risk and makes you look like a jackass then I draw the line. For myself AND others.

So, I am sure you will understand when I regale you with my little tale of bankrupt, classless, rude and downright awful humanity that I witnessed - and yes - got involved in this past weekend.

There is a supermarket in the basement of our building and our neighborhood is a veritable cross section of young, old, rich, struggling polite and, well, not.
I keep a rather well stocked pantry of essentials on a regular basis so I was not really concerned about the possible and impending doom that Irene was promising but I did have occasion to be in the grocery to pick up something I needed to make dinner and do laundry, while walking down the beverage and water aisle I saw something that made my blood boil and run cold at the same time.
There was an eighty-something white haired lady slowly pushing her cart toward the sparsely stocked shelves of bottled water when along came an overly tanned twenty-something girl in her flip-flops, too-tight cut offs, tank top and head phones obviously talking (too loudly, I might add) and pushes past the older woman, rolling her eyes - presumably as a comment on the woman's age and slowness - and grabbing the last of the twelve packs of bottled water toward which the woman was reaching starts to walk away.

I simply couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Well, I decided it was not going to happen in the way this little &8#@% assumed it would and I proceeded to stand directly in her path. After looking up from her cellphone, a bit flustered  as she saw my angry face, she heard me say one word - "NO."
I took the water from her hand and turned around and put it in the lady's cart.
I then turned back to the girl and reiterated my one word comment, "NO." and went about my quest for all fabric bleach.

Had I stayed around to argue the point I'm sure it would have come to fisticuffs and I would have been forced to break my life long commitment to never hit a female.

You think the winds of Irene were strong? I would have smacked that girl into next week! 

God Bless You!

OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE...COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU SNEEZE OR COUGH!!!

Where were you brought up, a barn?!

'Nuff said? GOOD.