Shelly Don't Play Dat!

In today's world, with today's technology, where people can share 'what's on your mind' with anyone and everyone, from anywhere in the entire world - be it on Twitter, Myspace, Facebook or some other social networking forum. How does it not occur that you should stop and ask yourself 'how will this information be perceived?' before pressing that "Share" button?

And if you post updates that could be construed as insensitive, disrespectful or vulgar. How is it that you're surprised when people respond negatively or remove you from their friends list or, worse yet, you get fired?

If you're on my friends list, there are certain things you should know about me:

First and foremost, I make no pretenses.

You know if I like you and you know if I don't. If you're not sure, neither am I.

I am strong minded and opinionated - and it's okay to disagree with me. I understand that not everyone is going to see things the same way I do. And although I may not necessarily agree with you, I'm completely comfortable with agreeing to disagree.

When I'm right, I'm right and I will remain right until you prove to me that I'm not; at which time I will admit I was wrong and apologize - if necessary.

I know what I like and what I don't. And if you don't want my opinion, don't ask for it.

So, when is enough, enough?

Here's my philosophy:

If I don't like you, I will ignore you - feel free to do the same to me.

If you post about topics that don't really interest me, I'll hide you - feel free to do the same to me.

If your negativity begins to have an impact to my mental well being, I will remove you - feel free to do the same to me.

If I don't want you involved in my life at all, I will remove and/or block you - feel free to do the same to me.

Last night, I came to the conclusion that someone on my friends list was negatively impacting my mental well being. I could have just as easily hidden this person, but after giving way too much thought to some of the comments that were made I decided instead to remove all temptation to respond in kind and deleted her from my list.

Now, at the time, I did not realize how important it was for some to have you remain a "friend", as I would rather you remove me from your list than put on false airs and honestly, unless you're someone whom I stalk regularly (you know who you are), I probably wouldn't even notice if you were no longer in my list.

Well, today I learned just how important that 'friendship' status is to some very sad and lonely people as this was the message I received...

Subject: thanks

"I noticed today that you deleted me from your friends list... Hopefully that was an error but n e way... Thanks A lot!!"

I thought long and hard as to whether or not I would even bother with a response; but taking all things into consideration, I was unable to just let it go. After all, anyone who knows me knows that Shelly don't play dat!

Need My Cootie Shot!

I wouldn't call myself a germaphobe.

Honest, I wouldn't!

If I had to define it, I would say that I have a healthy respect for staying far, far away from anyone carrying contagious diseases.

My policy is: I did not go into the nursing profession and I don't get paid a doctors salary; if you are sick, stay away from me! I don't love you that much and I certainly don't want it!!

Seriously, anyone who has ever thought they were doing the right thing by dragging their sick ass coming into work when they were clearly sick will tell you how I feel about this...

If you are sick - if you even think that you might be contagious - STAY HOME!! The company will still be here when you get better; in the meantime, I don't want your germs and I would appreciate it if you would keep your cooties to yourself!

Don't come around me and, if you do, prepare to be disinfected! I will spray your ass with Lysol in a New York minute!!

So, as you can see, I have a healthy respect for staying clear of people with germs.

People ask me all the time what I do when my children get sick. The answer is, I keep them home from school and quickly take them to the doctor so that they can get well soon. When they are at home, they are in their beds (and yes, sometimes they are in my bed too), getting the necessary amount of rest so that they can hurry up and get well. I usually give them lots of fluids, chicken noodle soup and regular doses of whatever medication the doctor prescribed. When they are well enough to leave their sick bed, their bedding gets stripped and washed in hot water with Lysol and their rooms get disinfected.

As you can see, I'm not such a germaphobe that I can't tend to my children when they're sick. I take care of them and give them love, but I do not hug and kiss all over them. They're sick and while I do love them that much, I still don't want to share. I'm just sayin'. ;)

So, what led to the anxiety attack tonight??? Well, it goes like this:

• Last Monday - Sugar came home from school complaining that she wasn't feeling well.
• Tuesday - she was very sick with a fever.
• I took her to the doctor and she was tested for Strep and the Flu (both negative).
• She was diagnosed as having a sinus infection.
• Wednesday - she was still feverish and started coughing
• Later that day, she started feeling better and she was back in school on Thursday.
• Saturday - Spice started coughing (Sugar was still coughing, but hers was now a dry cough).
• Sunday - Spice is coughing and has a high fever.
• Monday - Spice stays home from school.
• Mr Shell takes Spice to the doctor
• She is diagnosed as having an upper respiratory infection BUT she wants to know who's going to take her to school (this is her first year in school and she doesn't understand that she can't go to school with a fever).
• Today, Spice is back in school
• Right as I get out of my car to head into work, my phone rings
• It's Sugar calling from Middle School to tell me that she doesn't feel good. I ask her what's wrong and she says she feels like she's going to be sick. I gave her some medicine to help with the coughing this morning and she hadn't eaten breakfast so I figure that's probably what is making her feel ill and ask her to try to stick it out.
• This afternoon, when I pick her up, she's still coughing and now she's sneezing too.
• We go pick up Spice.
• We head to Walgreens to get some more cough medicine, since nothing I have seems to be helping.
• Meanwhile, she is sitting in the front seat, coughing and sneezing on me. Seriously!! I am trapped in the car with this girl and her germs, and she for real coughs. on. my. arm.
• I am completely grossed out!!
• And, as if that isn't bad enough, when I get back in the car from purchasing the cough syrup I feel her forehead and she has a fever!!!
• We get home and I take her temperature: 102!

(AND I WAS IN THE CAR WITH HER WHILE SHE WAS COUGHING AND SNEEZING ALL OVER ME!!!)

I looked like Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, riding down the street with my head stuck out the window... Okay, so maybe I am a little bit of a germaphobe after all. :(


PLEASE, PEOPLE!!! The flu season is striking early this year and it's supposed to be a bad one. If you are sick - STAY HOME!!

In the words of my youngest, "I'm for serious!"

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!)