So... you guys may know me as a cheap-ass... or maybe frugal.
On my days off, I regularly dress down... I mean, really down. I'm renovating my home right now, and I continue to wear the same clothes over and over... sometimes don't wash them for a week. I'm wearing a pair of cut-off work-out pants, and a t-shirt that says California on it that I paid $1 for from the Wall*Mart clearance bin.
I've literally got everything from oil stains, to paint smears, to blots of caulking, to thin set mortar that I've rubbed off on this shirt and pants.
On top of that, my co-workers conned me into not shaving for the entire month of November, so I look scruffy. I also shower at night, so I'm unshaven, hair isn't combed, and I basically look like a homeless person.
In addition, I also drive an old beat up 2002 Ford Explorer Sport w/ 152k miles on the odometer as we speak.
I don't want to get into my finances, but I choose to keep this car because well... it's not broken, and it runs so awesome.
Anyway, it's just really funny to me the reactions I get when I go shopping compared to when I get off from work wearing a suit, and when I go to the store dressed the way I am now.
Going to Home Depot, people follow me around to make sure I'm not stealing, and constantly ask me if I need help... but with a "concerned look," hahaha. When I go in a suit, people say good morning sir, they ask me if I need help in a happy way, and when I say no, they immediately leave, rather than hang around to keep their eye on me.
When I went to Mc.Donalds today (cause I haven't been in like 3 months and I couldn't help myself)... the lady looked at me paying with a credit card, and I heard her say in Spanish "Che..." (to her colleague, which means... "Hey" in Argentine Spanish), and then her boss said... "mira su id," which means in literally sense "Look at his ID." so I handed her the ID. People never check my ID when I'm coming back from work for anything.
Hahah, I didn't really have a point to this, other than the fact that I think it's funny, and I question if maybe I'm allowing myself to go too far down looking dumpy, and if I need to maybe just spend a little bit of money on some cleaner project / home-work clothes.
Maybe a new car. At what point do I have to start taking seriously how dumpy my car is, to my neighbors, and to my daughter who hasn't yet come to the realization that it's embarrassing to be dropped off from school in a dumpy car, hahaha!
Hahah, I didn't really have a point to this, other than the fact that I think it's funny, and I question if maybe I'm allowing myself to go too far down looking dumpy, and if I need to maybe just spend a little bit of money on some cleaner project / home-work clothes.
Maybe a new car. At what point do I have to start taking seriously how dumpy my car is, to my neighbors, and to my daughter who hasn't yet come to the realization that it's embarrassing to be dropped off from school in a dumpy car, hahaha!
As far as the vehicle goes is it at least clean inside and out? Does it leave rust or oil stains?
Otherwise nah. But when I wear clothes like that for yard work, garage work, etc, I do change into clean jeans and T if I go to get parts or lunch, partly so my car seat stays clean and partly to not look too nasty. But its not uncommon for hardware stores and fast food places to see dirty clothed folks, many come during their work shift.
As far as the vehicle goes is it at least clean inside and out? Does it leave rust or oil stains?
Otherwise nah. But when I wear clothes like that for yard work, garage work, etc, I do change into clean jeans and T if I go to get parts or lunch, partly so my car seat stays clean and partly to not look too nasty. But its not uncommon for hardware stores and fast food places to see dirty clothed folks, many come during their work shift.
The car is awesome... that's all I'm going to say.
There's a slight dent on the upper left-corner of the C-pillar, and a slight dent on the front right fender when a piece of lumber fell on it, and the paint is starting to flake off the front bumper. Otherwise, it's in great shape. Paint is otherwise really good... no missing parts, good tires, suspension is totally rebuilt, even replaced the body-mount bushings.
Inside is clean. It's a little worn though.
I bought it with 32k miles on it back in 2008, and I got it for cheap because someone had apparently thrown up in the back seat, and someone in the front seat. It took a couple of years for that to air out... so other than slight staining in the rear carpet (haha), it's immaculate. I keep it really clean. I even have a weather tech mat in the back for when I get bags of mulch or gravel. As far as clothes though... not me. I don't have time to change... I'm going to keep working. I just put a towel down.
You don't get "as" dirty working on the inside of the house (tile, paint, woodworking) as you do working on a car. If I'm outside and sweaty, I'll change clothes. But if I'm working inside, I never sit down, so my ass is clean, as is my back.
Seats are the cleanest thing in the car, oddly enough.
Yup, bias and bigotry comes in many forms. bonus of looking like a homeless person, the fake needy that hang in front of stores or on a corner never ask for money as my rags look worse than what they have on..
But ya the being followed because they think you are going to shoplift is a pain.. I love when people/employees comment in non English thinking they are being slick, The jaw on the floor is priceless when after they are done having a grand time, I reply using the same non English they happen to be, it's a look of oh, crap..
Wife does get mad at me at times if she is going to home depot with me, wanting me to change into something clean, I reply why the contracters change to go get supplies?
Best was when I went to buy a truck in 04, wasn't planning on stopping at a dealer but they had a nice black flare side 2wd truck with a man pedal.. I got blown off by much of the sales people.. One that helped me was the sales manager that had an ego and because he thought there was no chance of a sale, offered the truck for 13k under what they where asking/sticker. the look of "crap" when I said ok, do you take a check, He said yes but we'd have to wait till it clear I said ok that's fine, he said how will you like to finance the balance, I said the check will be in full. hahahahahaha..
I know there wasn't a 13k margin in that used truck to play with, and the out the door price was 12k under book..
[This message has been edited by E.Furgal (edited 11-10-2017).]
I'm with you guys....most weekends it is old jeans with holes and stains and faded ane tee shirts with paint.
I'm with E. Frugle...Last year the best feeling was buying a new Honda Pilot for the wife on a Saturday dressed in year work clothes when half of the sales staff only asked us "do you know how much that costs" as a leading line. Finally finding a descent sales person agreeing on a price and him asking how we would pay and responding "is a personal check okay"
Both of the cars I drive daily have ~260k miles plus and look okay. I am glad that I don't have a fancy, new or even newer car. I bought a new pair of $12 dollar jeans last night at Costco.. other than socks that may be the only addition to my wardrobe in 2017.
My dream is to be the millionaire next door neighbor that no one knows. I am realistically working towards it! One of my largest theories to enable this and still stay pratical is that my budget to buy tools is unlimited! Good tools will let you do the job cheape than a tradesman and also retain their value, if you need ro want to sell them. Cheap tools are great for the once and done jobs.
I got blown off by much of the sales people.. One that helped me was the sales manager that had an ego and because he thought there was no chance of a sale, offered the truck for 13k under what they where asking/sticker. the look of "crap" when I said ok, do you take a check, He said yes but we'd have to wait till it clear I said ok that's fine, he said how will you like to finance the balance, I said the check will be in full. hahahahahaha..
I know there wasn't a 13k margin in that used truck to play with, and the out the door price was 12k under book..
Oh that's so awesome... almost like stealing.
quote
Originally posted by Hank is Here:
My dream is to be the millionaire next door neighbor that no one knows. I am realistically working towards it! One of my largest theories to enable this and still stay pratical is that my budget to buy tools is unlimited! Good tools will let you do the job cheape than a tradesman and also retain their value, if you need ro want to sell them. Cheap tools are great for the once and done jobs.
Yeah, that is my goal as well. Not really because I want to have a lot of nice stuff, but because I like the financial security and the lack of stress that goes along with it.
I do agree that good tools are important, but I've been a big fan of Harbor Freight for a while. I know it sounds bad, but I'm a computer programmer by trade... now all I really do is send e-mails and sit in meetings, which is a waste of my brain. But I save money by renovating my home (wherever I'm living) by myself. I've got a Harbor Freight 2.5hp full sliding Tile Saw (the big one!). I paid $215 bucks for it back in ~2015, and I've already cut and tiled over 2,500 square feet with it. I'm working on this new (used) house now... and it still works as good as the day I bought it. Same with the compound miter saw, or all the other stuff. I also hate that I like Ryobi... but I've basically been buying Ryobi tools... like the brad nailer (makes installing base-board and trim SOOOO easy).
But yeah, it should not be understated how important financial security is.
I've kind of overextended myself in a rush to get this home renovated quickly (that we moved into 6 months ago). I've spent more than I'm comfortable with, so I've just got to slow the spending for a couple of months.
I am a big fan of having nice clothes... but not expensive clothes. For work, (if I'm not wearing a suit), I wear Van Heusen. They have outlet stores where I can literally get really nice "fitted" button down shirts where the inside of the sleeves match the inside of the collar, for anywhere from $12-14 bucks. Slacks are also usually under $20. The shoe store "Bass" has really good dress shoes for cheap too... usually anywhere from 25-45 bucks for really nice shoes. But I have to dress nicely for my job, and you just can't go wrong with those prices.
Also... people trash Sears... but I bought a pair of slip-on dress shoes from Tom McAnne for $12 bucks... most comfortable shoes I've ever had. They also have really nice shirts and ties, and since no one shops there anymore, it's all insanely cheap.
Originally posted by E.Furgal: Wife does get mad at me at times ...
Someone married YOU, ? I got lucky too, . Married 15 years. Scruffy looking as I am. Oh, I will clean up and have been told I clean up nicely. I am not one who likes to primp and odiferous myself.
Great thread.
I too will wear ratty threads/clothes in public. They will be clean but look filthy. I may have a day's growth of facial hair, I don't care. I am not being paid to be a super model.
I embarrass my wife too. I just remind her that they have never failed to take my money. Fact is, I judge who takes my money, who I give it to, by how they treat me looking scruffy. It's easy to kiss the azz of someone who drives up in a Cadillac, wearing an Armani suit (or would that be shoes), and a Rolex watch.
The work I do I am constantly in stained and ratty clothing. I see no reason to toss a shirt that got paint, stain, hydraulic oil, grease, pvc glue or what have you on it while I'm working. If I did that I would go broke buying clothes. Jeans? If they get holes in them, so long as my boxers aren't showing through them really bad, I continue to wear them to. Again, if I replaced them every time they got a hole in the knee, I'd be broke.
I often have to stop by the store to pick up something for our house on the way home. Ratty dirty clothes from working and I don't have any issues with people following me through the store like I'm going to steal something. I go to Home Depot frequently in my "dirty" work clothes and have never been carded. Autozone? Nope, not carded there either. Plumbing supply, tractor parts, lumber, stone and on and on I go to frequently. I buy stuff those places all the time and use the Amex given to me by Nitrous with a girls name on the card. Never any issues those places either.
I'm a friendly guy though who does his best to remember and use the names of the people who help me at stores. A "Thank you" when leaving is nice. A "Thank you Brandon" or walking through the front door and saying "Hi Brandon" when you see them, can really lighten a face up on somebody. I've had people who helped me and it's obvious they are having a bad day. I've used their names when interacting with them for a transaction and it's often pleasant to see how much their mood and facial expressions liven up when someone treats them like a person rather than a money changing machine. Quite a few actually ask me my name, if the see me frequently, so they can greet me and all by my name to.
Maybe that's part of why I don't have trouble with people following me in stores?
That's not to say I am always in grubby clothes. Just Monday through Friday, unless my wife and I are going out to something I need to be dressed nice for I'm going to be in my work clothes. On the weekend when my wife and I do a bunch of errand running, probably stop for lunch or breakfast somewhere, then I am in my nice clothes. Usually nice pants and a nice shirt with my DC skate shoes. When the occasion calls for a button down shirt, slacks and tie... possibly even a suit jacket, then I will wear those. For some reason I've been told I look like a FBI agent when I have a suit on many times over the years. Maybe it's my usually short and neat hair cut along with my smaller lensed sunglasses? It's hard for me to find sunglasses I like because the lenses now more often than not are just to big.
I've used several different colognes over the years but by far my favorite is Armani Code. Back in my younger days I was Z Cavaricci slacks, Italian loafers and dress shirts all the time. I hated being in anything that wasn't dressy. Now? I like being in clean dressy clothes but I work way to dirty a job to be in them often.
I go to Home Depot frequently in my "dirty" work clothes and have never been carded. Autozone? Nope, not carded there either. Plumbing supply, tractor parts, lumber, stone and on and on I go to frequently. I buy stuff those places all the time and use the Amex given to me by Nitrous with a girls name on the card. Never any issues those places either.
I'm a friendly guy though who does his best to remember and use the names of the people who help me at stores. A "Thank you" when leaving is nice. A "Thank you Brandon" or walking through the front door and saying "Hi Brandon" when you see them, can really lighten a face up on somebody. I've had people who helped me and it's obvious they are having a bad day. I've used their names when interacting with them for a transaction and it's often pleasant to see how much their mood and facial expressions liven up when someone treats them like a person rather than a money changing machine. Quite a few actually ask me my name, if the see me frequently, so they can greet me and all by my name to.
Maybe that's part of why I don't have trouble with people following me in stores?
I'm not bothered by it, I just think it's funny and interesting how people perceive you based on how you're dressed. Which is perfectly normal.
When I left Florida, the people at Home Depot knew my name because I was in there so much having basically renovated my entire house there.
In San Antonio, they are starting to recognize me now... which is sad because it means I'm in there too much.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: ... I just think it's funny and interesting how people perceive you based on how you're dressed. Which is perfectly normal.
That's racist, when you think about it. As Martin Luther King Jr said, ... "judge me not on the quality of my clothes, judge me on my character". It is also said that "clothes don't make the man". My Dad has a big distrust for anyone who wears a suit and tie. It makes sense, a suit and a tie is a costume.
It is normal for people to have preconceived notions. Todd, you were profiled when they followed you around the store. So what ? They learn that you were not the threat they perceived and the next ratty dressed person comes in under less suspicion. I have heard stories of shop lifters using baby strollers to make their unlawful stealing less suspicious.
I don't judge anyone by their appearance, or that of their car or house. Millionaire drug dealers have nice houses/cars I judge them by their actions, though I still have preconceived notions.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: When I left Florida, the people at Home Depot knew my name because I was in there so much having basically renovated my entire house there.
In San Antonio, they are starting to recognize me now... which is sad because it means I'm in there too much.
You need a twelve step program. Home Depot sells twelve step ladders on isle twelve, .
[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 11-11-2017).]
This is a thread that fits my brother& myself perfectly. Few years back after pouring 45yrds of concrete and looking like it, we stopped buy a local Chevy dealer to check out a 3500 HD two tone, custom wheels and leather interior at a cost of $ 74,000. No one came out to see if we needed help so we went in and ask about the truck and the guy ask if we looked at the sticker ( with a smirk on his face). My brother flat out told the guy yes I did and my bank next door to you guys has 4 times that amount in my account just waiting for me to buy a new truck. Will never forget the look on his face and the attitude change after that comeback. He bought the truck 4hrs after negotiations and a trade in for his old ford for 58,800. Last year he bought a 16 Z06 from the same dealer and I was amazed at the treatment we received. It was like we was family even though we looked like bums.
When im just staying home for the day or a week, I usually just throw on sweats for a few days, dont shave or comb my hair. Im by myself so whats the point. My funniest story around that is when I was doing custom vans I drove a nearly new 77 Lincoln Town Car. One day I just decided to go to the local Lincoln dealership at lunch to get a new one. I had scruffy hair, old jeans with primer sanding dust, worn out tennis shoes with holes and paint on them...and likely a lot of primer dust on my face and hands. I walked into the showroom and looked around. I could see salesmen were all pushing the newbie salesman my way because they didnt want to waste their time. I was a Lincoln guy back then and I knew exactly what I wanted. When the salesman came over Id already picked out one I liked right on the showroom floor...white with blue leather and matching vinyl top. I just told him Id take this one if he could have it ready to pick up after work at 6pm. I told him what Id pay by check when i came back and he accepted it. Still looking the same but dirtier, the look all the salesmen gave me when I picked it up was almost worth it by itself. They all lost prob a $4000 commission because they didnt want to help the dirtbag. My father in law owned his own small independent oil company in Okla City. He always wore a t-shirt and bib overalls and was about 75 pnds overweight. He drove a new Cadillac.
Is this coming from the same guy that said the poor (based on where they lived) shouldn't have certain luxuries?
......You know, because they were poor.
Are you talking about me? I never said that, not even sure what you mean...
EDIT: Oh, are you talking about where I said it's NOT cool for a person who's entire house, food, etc... is all paid for by the taxpayer (welfare) and then they also get a free smart-phone, internet, computer, DirecTV, etc.? Yeah... I still feel that way. If someone is getting a free house, free food, etc... the last thing I should be paying for is DirecTV and internet as well. In many cases, part of the reason why some of the people are in the situation they're in is because they're irresponsible. It really made me mad to see brand new ultra-modern Luxury apartments... that were all welfare housing, and then they had DirecTV on there, when at the time (this was 10 years ago), I cut the cord because I couldn't afford to pay for full cable TV... yet I'm paying for theirs with my taxpayer money.
[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 11-12-2017).]
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Are you talking about me? I never said that, not even sure what you mean...
EDIT: Oh, are you talking about where I said it's NOT cool for a person who's entire house, food, etc... is all paid for by the taxpayer (welfare) and then they also get a free smart-phone, internet, computer, DirecTV, etc.? Yeah... I still feel that way. If someone is getting a free house, free food, etc... the last thing I should be paying for is DirecTV and internet as well. In many cases, part of the reason why some of the people are in the situation they're in is because they're irresponsible. It really made me mad to see brand new ultra-modern Luxury apartments... that were all welfare housing, and then they had DirecTV on there, when at the time (this was 10 years ago), I cut the cord because I couldn't afford to pay for full cable TV... yet I'm paying for theirs with my taxpayer money.
Right, whereas I was, and still am, upset that you would seem to be so upstanding, yet assume that because they live in a certain place or area that they are taking from you..... Much in the same way that when people see you driving a certain car, dressed a certain way they automatically assume things about you that aren't always true.
Also you assumed that they lived there because they wouldn't work, and there are many people on welfare because they cannot work.
Right, whereas I was, and still am, upset that you would seem to be so upstanding, yet assume that because they live in a certain place or area that they are taking from you..... Much in the same way that when people see you driving a certain car, dressed a certain way they automatically assume things about you that aren't always true.
Also you assumed that they lived there because they wouldn't work, and there are many people on welfare because they cannot work.
Brad
I didn't read that at all. He said people that were living off the tax payer. He did not say he assumed they were. He said people who ACTUALLY were getting free stuff. And I have to agree. Welfare is supposed to be short term until you get on your feet. Not a full time occupation.
Right, whereas I was, and still am, upset that you would seem to be so upstanding, yet assume that because they live in a certain place or area that they are taking from you..... Much in the same way that when people see you driving a certain car, dressed a certain way they automatically assume things about you that aren't always true.
Also you assumed that they lived there because they wouldn't work, and there are many people on welfare because they cannot work.
Brad
But I KNOW they are taking from me. That whole complex was just totally rebuilt. They used to be little Florida-esq cottages. Now, they are ultra-luxury / ultra-modern apartments in down-town Fort Lauderdale. All of them... all 100 or so of the apartments, are 100% full-welfare. It's been so long that I don't even remember what the term was... some kind of HUD term. But something like 70% are full welfare, and the other ~30% are partial (like they only pay 1/4 of what it would cost.
So, off the bat, yes... They ARE taking from me because I pay for that place with my property taxes.
But let's talk about the people who are living there. The information is publicly available. My buddy and I both used to run a website, and I drove down there to do some research on the place for the website. He also pulled information about the location later-on (he still does that), and it's not people with disabilities, or single mothers. It's almost all grown adults who just aren't working. Either they're unemployable because of criminal history, or they really don't WANT to work. In many cases, you have single mothers with grown kids living at home, who are not paying for anything, and yet also leeching off welfare.
Look... it doesn't take a genius to understand how this works. I don't blame them at all, I'd probably be doing it too... but it's the politicians that set this up so they can say... "Look at how great we're being..." the whole aspect of success being how many people you can get into welfare, not how many you can get out of it.
When I was unemployed for three months, and relatively irresponsible (didn't have much savings, etc...) I was getting unemployment compensation. It was just enough to pay my rent. I was desperately looking for a job, but couldn't find one that I liked. I then had the idea that I would go work at Mc.Donalds, and I knew they were hiring, and that I'd get hired.
I found out that if I went to work at Mc.Donalds, any amount of money that I would make, would then be deducted from whatever unemployment compensation I was getting. So... essentially, I would be working for nothing. Why would I bother to work, when I literally could just stay at home and collect that same amount of money and not have to do anything?
Let me be clear... if you're on welfare, as everyone in that complex were, with less than 10% of them having any kind of disabled status, I absolutely will get angry when they start buying luxury items.
Let's look at it from this perspective. Let's say you loan someone $5,000 dollars because they desperately need it for (whatever)... and they're not paying you back on time. You're being OK about it, not hounding them, and maybe you've even come to the acceptance that you just got screwed and will never get it back. And that same person you see is now buying jewelry, iPods, fancy wheels for their car... etc. Would you not be pissed? (Yes, this has happened to me).
It is the SAME thing.
You may know someone, or have a family member who is disabled, or you yourself is disabled... and that's totally different. The people in this community. You see them all hanging around outside on their porch during normal work hours... doing nothing. Able-boded people. The state offers free education to adults... ESL... whatever, free GEDs, there's no excuse. Especially when all the restaurants in the surrounding area have signs saying... "Now Hiring."
Originally posted by cliffw: That's racist, when you think about it. As Martin Luther King Jr said, ... "judge me not on the quality of my clothes, judge me on my character". It is also said that "clothes don't make the man". My Dad has a big distrust for anyone who wears a suit and tie. It makes sense, a suit and a tie is a costume.
I don't judge anyone by their appearance, or that of their car or house. Millionaire drug dealers have nice houses/cars I judge them by their actions, though I still have preconceived notions.
Classist, or clothes-ist maybe
Maybe people have no patience, it takes time to find out character, it is tough to tell someones character by just glancing at them.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 11-13-2017).]
Classic profiling. Not always accurate but, there is a reason it happens.
------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun.... Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
I sincerely hope that life is never discovered on another planet because, sure as hell Progressives and Socialists will want to send them money.
Classic profiling. Not always accurate but, there is a reason it happens.
Oh, yeah... I deserve it too... I bring it upon myself. But I'm not bothered, I actually feel bad that I might be inconveniencing someone at Home Depot that they feel the need to follow me, because I don't want to do that, but I'm not going to "dress up" in the middle of working on a project.
For the dealership stuff... I think a salesman needs to think twice though. I've never bought a car wearing weekend warrior clothes... but if you want to make a sale... consider everyone a closet millionaire! hah.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Oh, yeah... I deserve it too... I bring it upon myself. But I'm not bothered, I actually feel bad that I might be inconveniencing someone at Home Depot that they feel the need to follow me, because I don't want to do that, but I'm not going to "dress up" in the middle of working on a project.
For the dealership stuff... I think a salesman needs to think twice though. I've never bought a car wearing weekend warrior clothes... but if you want to make a sale... consider everyone a closet millionaire! hah.
I'm not suggesting anything about you personally but, I do recognize the need to profile. It's not always by the way someone is dressed but, also involves their behaviors. People wearing baggy clothes with large pockets get watched more. It's much harder to steal things when you're wearing tight clothes as an example. ------------------ Ron
Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun.... Open your frigg'n minds, think about all the other tools that can be made into WMDs.
I sincerely hope that life is never discovered on another planet because, sure as hell Progressives and Socialists will want to send them money.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 11-13-2017).]
I'm not suggesting anything about you personally but, I do recognize the need to profile. It's not always by the way someone is dressed but, also involves their behaviors. People wearing baggy clothes with large pockets get watched more. It's much harder to steal things when you're wearing tight clothes as an example.
Sure! Totally understand. In my case (Home Depot), I'm wearing shorts and t-shirt... can barely keep my wallet in the shorts because they're so worn out.
Only time it ever really annoyed me, was when I went on a business trip and decided to stop by a Dick's Sporting Goods that had a big shoe sale.
I had happened to pack my brand new bright neon green running shoes and I wanted to break them in (as a runner). I happened to wear them when I went into the store, and bought a cheap pair of shoes that I wanted to use for when working on the house (that had good support, but were also running shoes).
When I went up to the counter, the lady kept commenting on my shoes as if to suggest maybe I had just put them on and was stealing them. Sigh...
I mean, this is nothing that bothers me, I mean... it never even really occurs to me. I only posted this because I had just gotten back from Home Depot earlier and thought it would be a good post to share... hah.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Sure! Totally understand. In my case (Home Depot), I'm wearing shorts and t-shirt... can barely keep my wallet in the shorts because they're so worn out.
Only time it ever really annoyed me, was when I went on a business trip and decided to stop by a Dick's Sporting Goods that had a big shoe sale.
I had happened to pack my brand new bright neon green running shoes and I wanted to break them in (as a runner). I happened to wear them when I went into the store, and bought a cheap pair of shoes that I wanted to use for when working on the house (that had good support, but were also running shoes).
When I went up to the counter, the lady kept commenting on my shoes as if to suggest maybe I had just put them on and was stealing them. Sigh...
I mean, this is nothing that bothers me, I mean... it never even really occurs to me. I only posted this because I had just gotten back from Home Depot earlier and thought it would be a good post to share... hah.
Oh, I understand. That's one of the reason I dress down when going to certain Fiero and Valkyrie events. Good looking older men with such sexy machines are much more susceptible to sexual harassment by the ladies present. So, I dress down.
Oh, I understand. That's one of the reason I dress down when going to certain Fiero and Valkyrie events. Good looking older men with such sexy machines are much more susceptible to sexual harassment by the ladies present. So, I dress down.
It's not irony... it's exactly the very point I was trying to make. I was just showing how in many cases, welfare can fail us because it saves us often from having to make really hard decisions. It's EXACTLY the point I was trying to make. There should be a clear distinction between people who CANNOT work, and those who simply choose not to. In my case, I lost my job, and wanted to find a job that was as-good or better than the one I had before. I ended up finding one after 3 months, but never the less... I refused to take a lesser job because it would mean that I'd lose my unemployment compensation... and therefore would have to work to make the same money that I was otherwise getting from unemployment.
If it makes you feel better though, in the state of Florida, unemployment compensation is paid for (where possible) by the company that laid you off. So at least in my case, it didn't affect the taxpayer. But that doesn't change the fact that I was in the wrong.
? I got lucky too, 
. Married 15 years. Scruffy looking as I am. Oh, I will clean up and have been told I clean up nicely. I am not one who likes to primp and odiferous myself.
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