Okay, but what about MY needs?

[shereads]

Among the offers of help to disaster victims at Craigslist.com is this one from a couple in Britain:

Free London vacation

They are willing to pay airfare and provide accommodations for three months as a guest in their London home.



For three months.



It's a lovely gesture, but won't it just postpone the necessary process of permanently relocating? I mean, at some point this Katrina victim has to come back from London and find a home and a job and stuff.

Whereas I, who already have a home, and avoid going into the office as often as I can get away with, could use a free London vacation, and not suffer the terrible repercussions of postponing the inevitable. My boss wouldn't even know I was missing.

Also, where did all those #@$% contractors come from? The dozens and dozens of roofers, etc., who are offering their help for free, when a Miami homeowner can spend months begging them to accept money just to show up for an estimate?

What about my needs?


EDITED TO ADD: A rat ran across my foot at Home Depot. A car tire blew out on I-95 and people honked their horns at me like it was my fault. I didn't have air conditioning for a week. Or a hair dryer. The cold bubblebaths were no picnic, either.

 

[sweetnpetite]

I know like, when you were a kid, didn't you almost wish you could get really sick so someone would take you do Disney World?

It may be selffish, but let's get real. Why does something monumentally terrible have to happen for anyone to care??? This is why people become hypocondriacs. Because they learn that no one gives a rat's ass unless they are sick and dying.

As unhealthy as you/my 'selfish attitude' might seem, it's no more unhealthy than the sudden push to 'care' about people you don't know, but only when it makes the news.

 

[R. Richard]

Among the offers of help to disaster victims at Craigslist.com is this one from a couple in Britain: They are willing to pay airfare and provide accommodations for three months as a guest in their London home.

It's a lovely gesture, but won't it just postpone the necessary process of permanently relocating? I mean, at some point this Katrina victim has to come back from London and find a home and a job and stuff.

Your posting strikes a chord with me. Some time ago I was working in a place that was obviously in its final death throes. I was hunting a job as hard as I could while most of the people just waited for the axe to fall. Just about the time the axe fell, I was able to get a new job. Shortly thereafter, the axe fell and all of my previous co-workers hit the street at the same time. With that many people on the street at the same time, there was only one job category open and not too many of the younger ladies wanted to stand on a street corner in very skimpy attire.

A vacation is fine, if you have a job [or salary paying non-job] to come back to. Otherwise you are much better off to try to snag something helping to rtebuild the disaster.

 

[sweetnpetite]

I mean hello- people are starved and abused and oppressed and enslaved and raped and murdered and mollested and forced into prostitution and burned up by relatives and mutilated and on and on and on *every single day* but unless it's on at 10 o'clock, most people really *care* about them either. Few people care about the suffering that happens every day.

We really aughta start by caring about each other all the damn time. People that we can help just by giving them a smile or loaning them the damn 5 bucks when they need it, or filling up there gas tank when they take us someplace- and a million other large and small ways that we can care about each other as humans. *before* disaster strikes.

 

[sweetnpetite]

on the other hand, it could be a trap. this 'couple' could be a single guy who's a soul mate to Jeffery Daumer. How do you know?

do you really want a free vacation that bad?

 

[LadyJeanne]

I mean hello- people are starved and abused and oppressed and enslaved and raped and murdered and mollested and forced into prostitution and burned up by relatives and mutilated and on and on and on *every single day* but unless it's on at 10 o'clock, most people don't really *care* about them either.

We really aughta start by caring about each other all the damn time. People that we can help just by giving them a smile or loaning them the damn 5 bucks when they need it, or filling up there gas tank when they take us someplace- and a million other large and small ways that we can care about each other as humans. *before* disaster strikes.

Well, we have a short attention span, and we can't care about everyone else ALL the time. What about MY needs?

 

[sweetnpetite]

Well, we have a short attention span, and we can't care about everyone else ALL the time. What about MY needs?

well, i know we can't care about everything all the time. But we could care about something (there's plenty to care about) or someone besides the latest disater victim. My point is your can't just be a selfish prick all the time and think donationg $100 bucks or whatever to the tsunami releaf (pick disaster of the moment) and that redeams you. Not that everyone who gives is a selfish prick the rest of the time... It's just that people say "my heart goes out to them" but don't notice people all around them who are just as much in need- and sometimes every day, not just in a temporary imergency.

What about that lady with with the hyperactive toddler, or a screaming infant and a hubby always at work and no time to even take a bubble bath? what if someone's heart went out to her, and she got a bit of stress relief instead of ending up on the 9 oclock news doing something drastic.

The fact is, after a major disaster is in the news, agencies often get more donations than they can even use. The rest of the time, they often barely (or don't) have enough to meet need. so actually, a lot of people probably do figure that giving after a disaster is all it takes to redeam there normal I don't give a crap day to day selves.

(Yeah, I know your post was joking. I just took off with it, sorry)

On a joking note what if your s/o gives all kinds of money to disaster releaf, but never tries to give you an orgasm? Is he a caring person or not? Like you said- 'what about my needs?'

 

[rgraham666]

I don't think any of you ladies would need to worry about having your needs met if I was around.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Yay! Defense of selfishness! I love you, sher and sweet!

 

[sweetnpetite]

Yay! Defense of selfishness! I love you, sher and sweet!

When you were a kid, did you ever see those shows where sick kids get to go to disney land or meet there favorite rock star?

While it's sweet and all, you just can't help but feel jelous. Some people live there whole lives and never go to disney, let alone meet any rock star. no one feels bad for any of them/us.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I know what you mean. And the worst part is that if you dare to be jealous, people will look down their nose at you for it, saying that you should be HAPPY that your life isn't as bad as those kids'.

 

[sweetnpetite]

I know what you mean. And the worst part is that if you dare to be jealous, people will look down their nose at you for it, saying that you should be HAPPY that your life isn't as bad as those kids'.

Yeah, but at the time your thinking bad?! they're at DisneyWorld!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LadyJeanne]

When you were a kid, did you ever see those shows where sick kids get to go to disney land or meet there favorite rock star?

While it's sweet and all, you just can't help but feel jelous. Some people live there whole lives and never go to disney, let alone meet any rock star. no one feels bad for any of them/us.

Ah, yes. This came up in Chicago during the Bulls championship years. The United Center is built in the midst of the worst of Chicago's slums - the kids can see the stadium in their neighborhood but can afford to go to any games. People did feel bad, and I believe the team made efforts to get more neighborhood kids there, but the majority of them never made it in.

 

[sweetnpetite]

how about these reality shows where these poor unfortuante upper middle class women get to go to a spa while the men are forced to take over mammy duty?

You look at there house and think- like they couldn't afford a spa weekend on there own?

Why don't they pick a hairdresser or a woman that supports 2 kids *with no man* by working at K-mart and the dognsuds?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

how about these reality shows where these poor unfortuante upper middle class women get to go to a spa while the men are forced to take over mammy duty?

You look at there house and think- like they couldn't afford a spa weekend on there own?

Why don't they pick a hairdresser or a woman that supports 2 kids *with no man* by working at K-mart and the dognsuds?

...because it would be cruel to give her the opportunity to see what luxury she'll never again experience?

 

[sweetnpetite]

...because it would be cruel to give her the opportunity to see what luxury she'll never again experience?

In this case... no. Yes, in a way. But somethings are worth it just to expereince once.

ON the other hand, did anyone ever think of how cruel the premise for Annie was? Take an orphan to a mansion to live for a couple months and then send her back?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

We must strive to enhance the living standards for ALL our sisters and brothers, comrades!

 

[shereads]

This is why people become hypocondriacs. Because they learn that no one gives a rat's ass unless they are sick and dying.

It's Squeaky Wheel Syndrome, svenska. A case in point: Convention Center versus Superdome.


Convention Center people behaved this way:

- Did as they were told
- Waited for their turn in line
- Waited some more
- Asked NBC, nicely, to bring back help

Result:

- Visit from Harry Connick, Jr.
- When buses finally arrived, guests from a nearby hotel were allowed to cut in line

----


Superdome people behaved this way:

- Did as they were told, but with a clever twist
- When choosing teams, had the foresight to include headline-stealing violent criminals
- Chose the venue with the famous name that others stupidly rejected because the roof might fly away

Result:

Even FEMA knew where they were
Got food and water in under 4 days
Got portable toilets delivered right after they were rescued

By Day 5, even Gandhi would have been glad he'd been recruited by Team Superbowl instead of the pacifists over at the convention center. How many times can you ask the same poor camera crew why nobody is coming?

Crime might not pay, but association with criminals evidently does.

 

[shereads]

I don't think any of you ladies would need to worry about having your needs met if I was around.

You know the trick with the camel and the trampoline? We thought that was a dying art.

 

[shereads]

Yay! Defense of selfishness! I love you, sher and sweet!

Not me. I was just testing the two of you.

 

[CharleyH]

Among the offers of help to disaster victims at Craigslist.com is this one from a couple in Britain:



They are willing to pay airfare and provide accommodations for three months as a guest in their London home.



For three months.



It's a lovely gesture, but won't it just postpone the necessary process of permanently relocating? I mean, at some point this Katrina victim has to come back from London and find a home and a job and stuff.

What about my needs?

LOL - Have you ever considered that their offer might FULFIL your needs? lol Warm bath, (I'd say good food if the offer was from France), and ... LOL a home, and an apparently kinky job!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Not me. I was just testing the two of you.

Sell-out.

 

[Kassiana]

"Blah, blah, blah, YOUR needs." -- Wanda, Fairly Oddparents

 

[oggbashan]

Ah, yes. This came up in Chicago during the Bulls championship years. The United Center is built in the midst of the worst of Chicago's slums - the kids can see the stadium in their neighborhood but can afford to go to any games. People did feel bad, and I believe the team made efforts to get more neighborhood kids there, but the majority of them never made it in.

Many of the UK's football clubs have outreach programmes to get local kids involved in football. They give the kids access to training facilities, have coaching sessions at their grounds, and work with local schools.

Sometimes, very rarely, they identify a talented junior player who can be trained to become a professional. Even if they don't, they give the kids status and self esteem. If a kid can claim 'I trained with the (UK equivalent) of the Chicago Bulls' that gives him a lift out of the gutter. If he can say to the younger neighbourhood kids 'and you can too but it's hard work and you have to earn it' - the impact can spread. Arsenal FC for an example has outreach programmes for boys and girls and can demonstrate that some of the kids get significant benefits even if they remain amateurs.

Even our cricket clubs do it. Anyone who can learn how to play cricket AND understand the rules has a head start when it comes to calculus.

Og

 

[sweetnpetite]

"Blah, blah, blah, YOUR needs." -- Wanda, Fairly Oddparents