They Seriously Said That?

Lately, I've had a couple of people say things that left me scratching my head.

#1. "Those Should Be Called Wheat Fats

On Thursday, my meeting ran long so I didn't have time to grab lunch until after both cafeterias were closed. That meant I had to go pick up a delectable treat of some sort from the snack stop. I grabbed a tiny chicken salad scoop and some wheat thins. Not the healthiest choice, but not the worst, either.

As I was paying, the guy behind me points at the box. "Those are misnamed. They should be called Wheat Fats, not Wheat Thins because you can't stop eating them and they make you fat."

Bada- bing! 'Cause everyone likes to be told that their food is fattening and nutritionally void. Seriously, the guy looked like he'd never left his parents' basement. I even run into those fellows at work!

I just said, "That's a cheery thought!" and went on my merry way.

#2 -- You Mean You Might Actually Have to Come to Work at 8 a.m.?

I was talking to a co-worker from another department about something that might happen this weekend. She said she could come into the office on Saturday to fix something if it needed fixed. I said there was no need to do anything over the weekend, we could just come in super early on Tuesday.

She said, "Oh, you mean you might actually have to get here at 8 a.m." I said, "No more like 7." Seriously, I don't have to be at work at 8 a.m. I work from 8:30 to 5:30, technically. In actuality, it's more like 8:35 to 6. Those are my hours. Some people work 8 to 5, others 9 to 6. I work 8:30 to 5:30.

Then she said that the other morning she couldn't find anyone and she thought to herself that she'd love to have our hours. I said, "Oh we usually envy you guys because you can leave at 4:30 or 5 every day." Seriously, there have been plenty of times when I've needed something from her or one of her team members at 5:30, and no one was around. Or in the middle of the day, when she out on a smoke break. I've never said a peep to her about it - we can't all work 24/7.

#3 - I Guess I Just Make Too Much Money

Last night, my neighborhood team hosted a watch party for Barack Obama's speech at Buffalo Wild Wings. (AMAZING speech, by the way.) When the team leader and I arrived, there were a few squatters in our section. One was a disturbingly unattractive man wearing an ill-fitting football jersey. He comes to us and says he'll be watching the other candidate next week because he is a reformed Democrat.

So of course, I have to ask what changed his mind. He says that it was because he makes so much money now he doesn't think he should have to be punished for being successful and poor people are lazy. I took a big sip of my beer at that point. I don't think rich people should be punished, but I don't believe they should be the only ones to benefit from the government's policies. Also, CEOs shouldn't make $35 million for running failing companies. I told him a website called ObamaTaxCut.com where you can see exactly how much you'd save if Obama was president. Most people don't realize, they'd do better with Obama's tax plan - 95% of Americans would save money. The rich would pay more because they're getting a ridiculous tax cut under Bush's plan.

He says "Oh I make six figures but not $250,000." You make six figures doing what? Drug dealing? Seriously, I've never met a more unkempt man.

A few minutes later he comes over to say he tried it and he wouldn't get a tax cut. "I guess I just make too much money - ha ha ha," he says. I just wanted to punch him - he's what's wrong with our country. I've talked to people who are working two and three jobs to support their kids and they STILL are one paycheck away from being homeless. And we're supposed to ignore that because they're should find a better job or get more education. It makes me sick. We do better when everyone in our country does well - not just a select few lording it over the peasants.
Some people might not agree with that, but there's never been a bigger case of wealth inequality.