Friday, October 9, 2009

A BLOG RANT

For the most part, I use my blog for posting the art I create in response to the art challenges I so enjoy. From time to time, however, I feel a need to comment on life as it is today. In the Stone Age (when I was a child), the grocer in our little town had shelves stocked with rural necessities from soda crackers to bag balm. It was a folksy little place where the local farmers gathered to visit a bit before heading home from their errands, and the kids could get a towering ice cream cone for a dime. I was thinking of it this week when I was bumbling about in my ex-favorite grocery trying to find the items on my list. The store is being converted from a medium-sized, easy accessible store to one of those mega-stores where I need a golf cart to get from produce to paper products. Nothing is where it used to be, and the layout, I'm convinced, has been planned by a demented chimp on speed. In the good old days, a pound of coffee weighed 16 ounces, and picking up a box of crackers was a simple thing. Now it gives me a horrendous headache. Do I want regular, salt-free or low salt? Extra crispy or regular? Cheddar, ranch or barbeque? Baked or traditional. Low fat or no fat? It's enough to leave hapless shoppers in a corner in the fetal position, whimpering quietly. My friends and I are in our senior years. We wear out quickly. We have decided to lobby for a first aid station somewhere mid-store!

6 comments:

  1. So funny-- and so true. I definitely feel your pain! :]

    Juli/Artist in Residence

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  2. Ah, Bev, I wish you would rant more often because, let's face it, you rant beautifully and, in doing so, you entertain your friends tremendously.
    I couldn't agree with you more about super and mega stores. My pet hate is the super hardware store. Remember those nice old men who knew everything there was to know about hardware and were happy to help? Now there are sullen teenagers whose stock answer is "I dunno".
    At least we can enjoy ranting about it.

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  3. Here Here. A girl after my own heart. I am still trying to find things after my stores second remodel. And you get so much less choice for so much more space. And more junk in the isles to run into. And now it takes forever to get there because the city has the intersection tore up again as well. Where's my tea?

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  4. I know exactly what you mean Bev - the same thing is happening in the UK. Luckily though, most of our enormous supermarkets do have a pharmacy where there is nearly always a seat and a good supply of headache tablets etc.. And did you know, they make a habit of moving things around every so often to confuse us and make us buy different things! And you can bet your bottom dollar if you find something you really like they will stop selling it after a few weeks.
    Now you've started me off too!!!

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  5. GREAT rant, Bev! And oh, so (unfortunately) true!!! And I LOVE Marie's comment about the sullen teenagers and the standard "I dunno" response. The days of putting the customer first are OVER, and it's very sad. Everyone's out to get their greedy little hands in our pockets. AND, when was the last time someone in those megastores nodded their head in greeting and said "Hi" or "Good Morning/Afternoon"! You've touched a universal nerve! Love & Hugs, Terri xoxo

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  6. I got a kick out of this, Bev. The grocery store that I frequent changes everything around several times a year. Just when someone with a bad memory like me gets used to where everything is, they move it all! I have a bad back, and I've gotten to where I eat out most of the time, because a simple little trip to pick up a few things about kills me! I may not be a senior quite yet, but I definitely feel your pain! ~Lori

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