Paper or Plastic?

The family and I took our weekly trip to the grocery yesterday evening and as the cashier asked if I preferred Paper or Plastic, I was reminded of a recent conversation that Mom and I had about an article she read on Paper vs. Plastic. Did you know that it takes a paper bag many, many years to disintegrate and that plastic does not compost and will stay in tact for thousands of years?!?!? Did you also know that a paper bag, if packed properly, can hold the same amount of items as four plastic bags?!?!?

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I am “pro-paper” or “pro-plastic” because there are many sides to this debate and both sides have some valid points. This is a family blog, not a debate forum for paper vs. plastic, and I made what I considered to be the most echo friendly choice with the facts I had at the time.

So, I think about the question and our conversation, then I quietly respond (as if there is a wrong answer) “paper please”. I guess they are not used to that response, because I had to repeat myself twice – then she had to repeat it again to the sacker. Maybe there really was a wrong answer and I lost points for saying paper?!?!? Do you loose cool points if you want paper instead of plastic?? Hmm….something for me to check into…would hate to be loosing cool points. Ha!

Although my logic isn’t the same as others in the question of paper vs. plastic, this grocery trip has given me a few more reasons to feel good about my decision for requesting paper:

The paper bags were much easier to fit in the trunk of the car, they don’t slide all over the place and items don’t fall out whenever you turn a corner (as a side note, I will admit that the paper bags aren’t as easy to bring into the house as the plastic ones), and last but not least Drake and Spice had so much fun playing with the empty bags - and it’s actually safe for them to play with the paper bags.

Drake ran in the kitchen, grabbed a bag and took off to tear it up, just incase someone may have wanted to stop him. Maybe I should have stopped him but my thinking is this: If a paper bag keeps him from chewing on my furniture, our shoes, their toys, our clothes, or our arms and legs then let him chew the bag… Go for it! It’s not hurting anything and the mess can be picked up.

Spice found two small sized paper bags and created herself some boots. She’s so entertaining!

So there you have yet another side to this ongoing debate…

What decision will you make the next time you’re asked the inevitable question? Will it be an informed choice? Will it be the best ecological choice? OR Will it be a choice based on family entertainment?

Do you believe??

It's late, and I really should be in the bed; but the strangest thing just happened and I just HAD to share it with someone...

Earlier tonight I was walking out of my bedroom and tripped on my babies shoes. My husband laughed b/c he had done the same thing - why he didn't pick them up when he did it is beyond me - I digress... I picked the shoes up and put them on a bench in my hallway, then I came back in the den and watched Haunted Evidence while playing on the computer.

* Note that I sit in a chair that faces the hallway and I can clearly see if anyone walks past.

It's now time to go to bed so I turn all the lights off and head towards the bedroom. When I get to the hallway I look down to see the very shoes that I had put on the bench are now place neatly in the middle of the floor - several feet away from the bench.

Everyone in the house is asleep and no one has gotten up....so I ask you, how did those shoes get from the bench to the middle of the floor???

A little history: I have lived in this house for about 9 years and I've never had any experiences. That is UNTIL my baby girl (now three) was born. Every since she was born she's been sleeping in my bedroom (I know, I know, BAD habit!) and occasionally I see something - kind of like a shadow - that looks like a girl darting from the kitchen door into the hallway. One night I saw it so clearly that I actually called out to my oldest daughter (now ten) but when she didn't answer I got up to see what she was doing - upset that she was ignoring me when I just saw her run past - to my surprise, she didn't answer because she was in the tub and couldn't hear me.....
I'm getting ready to go to bed now (It's really going to freak me out if those shoes have moved again) but that was just too weird not to share...I would love to hear your thoughts...

Customer Service Tips

Mom and I went shopping this weekend and the customer service left something to be desired - which brings me to today's topic - Customer Service.

Having worked for years in the customer service industry AND being a customer myself, I have a few opinions on this subject.

First let me start off by saying that I believe it should be mandatory for everyone to work in customer service for a minimum of 1 year. Maybe then people would learn how to be more respectful of each other.

We live in a society where no one seems to care about anyone else, other than themselves. People have what I refer to as a "Me First" attitude. Unfortunately, this isn't a requirement so let me give you a few guidelines to make your experience more pleasant.


Customer Tips:

1. Put the cell phone down!


2. If you don't know them, they don't know you! When a clerk asks for your identification it's for YOUR protection..If you've ever had your identity stolen you would be more gracious towards people who care enough to check.


3. Wait your turn! You can't be in THAT big of a hurry and if you are, then you should have left the house earlier.


4. They can't read your mind. If you would like something a specific way, you have to open your mouth and let them know.


5. Keep your personal beliefs and opinions to yourself. Just because someone is the same as you does not mean they share your views.


6. If a clerk has to tell you no, it's because of a guideline that they have been instructed to follow. (It's not personal)


7. Treat your clerk with respect - it's not easy dealing with people's attitudes all day long.


8. If you're sick, STAY HOME! We don't want your germs.


9. Don't lie! Just because someone isn't able to do what you want them to does NOT mean they were rude or that they were discriminating against you.


10. Contrary to popular belief, you are NOT always right!


Customer Service Tips:

1. Put the customer first, if it weren't for them you wouldn't have a job!


2. Leave your personal problems at home.


3. Treat each customer with respect.


4. Wait on your customers in the order they arrived. There is nothing more frustrating than waiting patiently to be waited on, only for someone to jump in front of you. There is a polite way to let that "rude" customer know that someone else was there first.


5. SMILE - it isn't going to kill you.


6. If you don't want to be there - QUIT!


7. Give the customer your undivided attention. You can talk to your co-workers later.


8. Don't eat, drink, or smack your gum in front of customers.


9. Act like you care (even if you don't) - It's not going to kill you to be sociable for 5 minutes.


10. Don't apply for the job if you don't like people (ALL PEOPLE!)