smallish rant....

[PrincessFiona]

Why does every one have things done "professionally" these days?? Honestly -- since when did it become too difficult to paint your own nails? Or clean you own house? Or teach your children to swim? Or walk your own dog? Or plant your own garden?

You can even pay people to do your own scrapbooking for you...no really...I know a consultant who has had clients pay her to do their albums!

kris

[Vanquisher]

Okay, I have to admit, I would pay someone to scrapbook for me. I would pay for lawn care. I would pay to have a pedicure. I would pay for housework.

I really don't like to scrapbook, hence I have none. I LOVE looking at them, and I would love having my kids pictures preserved in albums instead of boxes.

I hate doing my lawn and any yardwork for that matter. I just like it to look nice.

I've never had a pedicure, but I hear they are devine.

I hate doing housework and would love to have it done for me.

What is it I like to do?? Come on here and complain. I'll do that for myself! Until I can afford to have people do things for me though, I'll do them myself, or in the case of the scrapbooks, wait until I can afford to pay someone! Ha!

I saw that " too rich to make a decision" thing when I worked at a plant shop in a wealthy area of town. It was really bewildering. I've developed a theory though...

One of the guys who came in a lot was a local interior decorator who came in for floral design for his clients. He told me 90% of them had exactly what he told them to put in their homes, and would call him to come look at gifts they had received to see where they should place them in their homes.

Yea, they couldn't put a potted plant out without direction. Good Maude no, they might commit a major faux pas and put a kitchen orchid inthe dining room.

And that I think is the root of it. They are, or feel like they are, under such pressure to have everything just the way the rules dictate that they are terrified of doing something wrong, especially if its a woman who married into wealth.

So, as we stop trying to keep up with the Joneses and set our sights on the Rockerfellars, we start emulating them in that way as well.

The housecleaning, lawn mowing, and pedicure services are all very appealing to me.
I have someone mow the lawn now every other week (it gets pretty long!) because....we don't have a mower. I figure it's sort of like an extended payment plan on a mower.

[PrincessFiona]

Okay, I have to admit, I would pay someone to scrapbook for me.

I exempt you from my rant, of course!

We pay someone to do the lawn and it has been a Godsend...worth every penny!!! I would pay someone to do the house if it weren't for the fact that...my house is such a mess that I'd be embarassed! We also pay someone weekly to tutor our 9 year old in math. It isn't that I can't DO 4th grade math..it's that I just wasn't very effective at working with her because I became easily frustrated (as did she). She has made great strides since we went outside of the family for that!

kris

The other day the realtor came in while I was cleaning...huge pile of dishes in the sink because I hadn't emptied the dishwasher, all my cleaning rags from the other rooms in a pile waiting to be taken to the laundry, books everywhere from the toddler's morning excusion into the living room, toddler screaming amid a collosal heap of toys in the playroom. I was mortified.

Oh, and I had to grab a robe because I had taken off my shirt so I wouldn't get it dirty. :!

[PrincessFiona]

Oh, and I had to grab a robe because I had taken off my shirt so I wouldn't get it dirty. :!

You WIN! :!

[Sheherezade]

Now I feel bad. Thanks a lot Kelly for making me reveal my true petty feelings! All I want is a pool boy --and I don't even have a pool.

[houseelf]

ohhh...pool boy....

Yes please.

Kelly

[DCJenn]

Kelly-

What happened to Sven? Send him back to Sweden???

Jenn

[Meenah]

Cabana Boy!!!

I don't have a pool but can I still have a cabana boy?

Don't feel bad, Angie. I understood what you are saying. Maybe we can chat about it over a pedicure while our houses are being cleaned. Seriously, I think that what you said about participating in the professional services culture hit the nail on the head.

And I hope I don't ever come across like those plant people....the flora here is something I am unaccustomed to (different zones and such) and I think I ask a lot of dumb questions (judging from responses).

I have an associates in horticulture and I know I'll be asking lots of questions when I move back to Wisconsin...I've never grown anything in zone freezing for 6 months before! :{

[HeartRN]

I love this thread...Here are mine:

1. People who ALWAYS say "I don't mean to interrupt, but..." and proceed to INTERRUPT! This always happens at work, and seems to be with the same people. Why not just say, "Sorry to interrupt" or "Pardon me"?!!!!

2. People who ask how old your child is and then proceed to go on and on about what their child does/doesn't do. This is at the park with perfect strangers! It's not a competition, people!!!! It's the biggest labor of love in the world, called PARENTING! We're all in it together!

3. And the damn people at McDonald's. Just tonight, I ordered two double cheeseburger meals, one plain cheeseburger and the fruit/nut salad. Not only could the dude not figure out my order, when I finally made it to the second guy, he hands me just the salad and says "have a great day". I left with 5 plain cheeseburgers and a blood pressure of 200. My Dad always says, "If you want to know why America is going down the tubes, go to McDonald's and have your order taken!!!" He is RIGHT!

Here's one on the tip jar.....I went to the Farmer's Market today and went to a great bakery/tart place for lunch. Just to clarify, this is a small, locally owned business and the woman who runs it is working the table with what I'm guessing to be her family members. They had a tip jar out! WTH? All you do is point to the baked good you want and she puts it in the bag and you pay her. I think her stuff is reasonably priced for what you get but if she really feels like she needs a tip maybe she should bump up each price by 25 cents. It's not like I tipped a farmer's stand for the bag of carrots I bought -- and those were probably a lot more work to get to the market!