Seminole heights blog going to the crapper?

I've been reading over on the Seminole Heights blog lately about the blogman proposing to do away with anonymous commentatin'. Needless to say the suggestion was met with quite mixed reviews. Early on, I realized that I wasn't allowing anonymous comments and decided to open it up. So far I've noticed no increase in the number of comments, heck I don't get many to start with so why limit even a single one.
The Seminole Heights blog however has quite the reader base because for most of it's life it's been a fine resource for local events and commentary. It truly had the pulse of the neighborhood at it's heart. Quite honestly, from what I've been reading over the past coupla years, I don't see things changing all that much. Most of the anonymous crap has been just that...crap.
What I find quite humorous are the remarks by what I had thought were otherwise smart folks. It ain't censorship, it ain't Big Brother, it ain't nothing like that at all. Guess what people, its the Internet, if "they" want to know who ya are, they already know. Now, the only argument I can say has merit is that it is just one more account we got to remember the log in for. In this day and age, I agree that we got too many damn usernames, passwords, PIN's, phone numbers, emails, you name it. But for that arguement I gotta say, so what, if you want to have a part in the neighborhood, it's a small price to pay, it's sorta like votin', or going to local government meetings,it takes a bit of effort,so what. As for the spam remark, I been bloggin' myself for a few months now, got my email address posted up there for the world to see, and so far, I ain't seen a single piece of spam. Call me lucky I guess.
I bet all these yahoos that say well, I aint gonna read the blog no more, are the same one's that say I ain't registerin' to vote because I don't want to get called for jury duty. Well now, we all know that don't hold water.
Anyhow, I've been reading that there blog for a while and it seems to me ever since they announced the departure of the blogman, things started to slide. I ain't saying one caused the other, but just from my perspective that's a good place to mark the time. So what happened?
I don't have an answer, but it's probably been a few things. The blogman did have a way of catalyzing neighborhood issues with his rhetoric, and he had a quirky eye for local happenings, both public events and day-to-day local flavor. That seems to have become rarer and rarer in the postings. The comments on the otherhand have gotten more and more immature. I would like to think that they're the result of a couple of bored teenagers in the neighborhood with nothing better to do. But knowing some of my neighbors, I have to suspect some of them are from folks old enough to be adults, but not acting like them. People emboldened by the fact that they never have to answer for their words. What I gotta wonder is, if their wife or husband, or sons or daughters, or mothers or fathers knew what they were doing, how would the relatives feel. I can only imagine a feeling of overwhelming shame would be what they felt. I mean, dear lord, the poop comments? That sort of thing was funny when we were 12.
Well, blogman, I hope you stick to your guns and follow through with your no-anonymous comments. Best of luck to you.

What is the point?

This one ain't so much about being grumpy, but just a bit of wonderin'. The past few years this phenomenon I'm gonna mention has grown to be just a bit farcical. I have a few friends and family members that even on up into our golden ages has insisted on exchanging gifts for the holiday. That in and of itself isn't the pointless part, as most folks, myself included, get some enjoyment out of giving. The silly part is what started as a while back as a single exchange has become a veritable pandemic of swapping gift cards. A thoughtful gift is one thing, but I don't really see most of these folks often enough to have any idea on what they need or want, nor they me. Additionally,when you get to be my age, you don't need any more stuff anyways. SO we have fallen into this giving each other $20 gift cards to some restaurant, or the movies. We might as well be handing each other a $20 bill. It's just silly. Besides I for one think that gift cards are no better than giving cash, which is just tacky. So finally this year I finally put my foot down. Supposedly, we're all in agreement that we just exchange christmas cards and well wishes. The thought is still there, and that's what counts right? It will be interesting to see if anyone caves.

I may be Grumpy but I ain't no Grinch

Well folks, I know my postin's been a bit lackadaisical of late. I have to admit with all it's troubles and frustrations, the holiday season always livens up the spirit and a lightens the soul, at least for me. I will be travelling some this year so I wanted to make sure that I took the chance to wish everyone Merry Christmas! Call it whatever you want, but I'll be saying Merry Christmas thank you very much.
I normally respond to comments in the proper area, but someone commented on the Furniture sales and since it's been a while I wanted to make sure that I addressed it and it didn't fade into the sunset. Seems the fella or madam was a furniture salesman and took issue with my post. I'll let y'all read that one, but in rebuttal I will say that most of what he or she said just propped up what I said. I ain't looking to waste your time so leave me the hell alone. I don't go buying any real piece of furniture on a whim, I "test drive" a couch just like I would a car. He or she also admitted they lie to "get us excited" about a piece. Blow that one out your piehole. I aint saying that all of y'all are bad, but leave me be, if you approach me when I enter, give me your name or card, and let me alone to browse, you can bet that I will look you up when I have questions or wish to purchase, but if you shark me, I will find someone else even if I have to go to another store or come back another day.
Glad I ain't buying a couch for Christmas. Unless my butt smells like cinamon and evergreen, this puppy still has a few miles on it.

Let me stick that cellphone up your rear since your head is already there.

OK, I was at a business dinner last night with a co-worker. Towards the end of the meal her phone rings. Now, not so long ago, I bit the bullet and got myself one of those, but a cardinal rule I've set myself is to not answer the phone in a restaurant if I'm with someone and to only answer it long enough to tell a person I will call them back out of respect for other diners. Well I guess I didn't send out the memo. My associate commences to chattering away. It was a small restaurant mind you, and my acquaintance is by no means a small woman, and quite boisterous to boot. Trying to be diplomatic, I finalize the bill and provoke payment from her, "hint hint" let's go. No joy. 15 minutes or so, I can feel the ire rising from the other patrons, so I get her attention, "ready to go?" Eye contact but no acknowledgment. So I excuse myself, "I will be outside," attempting to distance myself, hoping to imply "Take note, I am not with this woman and take no responsibility for her actions" Still nothing but loud yapping and guffaws ring out for another 15 or so minutes before she realizes I'm not coming back, I suppose. Through the glass in the front I can see other customers getting ever more frustrated as she drowns out their conversation. Finally she gets up, and just as she walks out the door she ends the conversation, a quick, oh sorry, that was my sister. Now this wasn't an apology or an acknowledgment of the rude behavior, but just a trite pardon me. How can this woman find her behavior acceptable? She has just made an unpleasant evening for a group of people and kept me prisoner for an additional 30 minutes of my life because there were some final details that needed to be taken care of before I could depart. I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt like shoving that phone where the sun don't shine. "Can you hear me now?"

Holiday hell in a handbasket

Well look here, a fella goes away for a few days to visit kin for some turkey and dressing and long winded catching up and I come back to all sorts of hullabaloo in the neighborhood. Not to mention some tales of holiday headaches.
First off, the wench that hit the pedestrian over near the elementary school. While this here's a sad story for the guy and his family, it really is a surprise it hasn't happened sooner. The lack of sidewalks in Tampa, particularly Seminole Heights, makes it a pretty scary place to walk. On top of that you throw in people speeding down residential streets and yacking on their cellphones and its just a matter of time. I hope the man pulls through, but I guess it ain't looking too good for him. Why in hell is everyone in such a damn hurry to speed through streets that are barely wide enough for two cars and kids play? The standard the city keeps for traffic calming is asinine. Speed humps can't be that expensive.
Ya got bikes being stolen. No surprise there with Hillsborough High so close and all the riffraff that walk down to the projects near Lake and Central.
Now on to my holiday stuff. What is it with people who think checking into a hotel is carte blanche for throwing out their manners? We stayed at a pretty upscale hotel for the past week and the place had kids running amok. The exercise room had a half dozen of the little monkeys in it almost the whole time. Hows a fella supposed to get his cardio workout? And up and down the stairs sheesh, in my day my pappy woulda tanned my hide if I had even once let a door slam in a motel. Where's the consideration?
This holiday, the topic of charities came up a few times. Old Grumpy has a pretty generous heart, but I gotta tell you. It's so hard to not be suspicious when it comes to giving to charities. An acquaintance told us of a coworker who bragged last Christmas that his kids were signed up with 4 different organizations and received all sorts of stuff. The fella wasn't poor, but was raking it in by bilking the system. I like to think there's a extra special place in Hell for assholes like that, but you just gotta feel like there's a whole lot of that going on.
Well, it's good to be back. Happy holidays.