Life’s Important Questions

Okay, it’s really poor form of me to put up a bullshit post about the contents of my latest Target receipt and then not update for five days. Sorry about that.

We did not go out of town this weekend after all. Ginny is having some problems with her knee (the one she can stand on) and it’s been locking and slipping and, in general, not holding her upright reliably. The last thing we wanted to do was drive three hours to Richmond and then be stuck there if she had a fall or something. So we didn’t go, and I know she was really disappointed about it. Ginny’s having a really tough time right now.

Since we weren’t out of town on Saturday, we were able to go with the rest of my family to the party for Fallon, the other girl who survived the crash. It was kind of weird. Very bittersweet. All the parents were there and while it was mostly fine, there were some definitely awkward moments too. I think it’s the first time everyone has been together since the wreck.

I think I must have done something on Sunday but I don’t really remember what right now. Oh. I went shopping. And I got a jean skirt and some cargo crop pants, because this workshop I’m going to in New Hampshire next week is casual and I don’t have enough casual summer clothes to get through a week. That’s pretty lame.

And last night I went to the Summer Music Games, which is a DCI (drum corps, for those of you not in the know) competition held here in town. Ginny had wanted to go, and I wasn’t really feeling it, and then it turned out she couldn’t go because of her knee problems, and the high school I’m working with had an extra ticket, and at the last minute I decided to go. It was good, as usual, and it always gives me a little pang and I start missing doing performances and competitions all the time. I really, really, wanted to be in a corps (I’d still love it, but I’ve aged out) but there was always some issue, usually money. So yeah, they were awesome, but I would have had a better time with my sisters. I got Ginny a Cadets tee since she wasn’t able to go.

Here are a few questions I’ve been meaning to toss out in here for some time (and may already have, actually):

  1. Are you supposed to tip when you go to Sonic and they bring the stuff to your car? We’ve asked a lot of people about this and opinions vary. Yes, they bring it to the car, so that’s service, but then it’s not like they come and pick up your trash or refill your drinks or check on you, so what do you do? I’ve only been to Sonic a few times in my life, but I don’t think I’ve ever tipped, so if you’re supposed to, then I feel like a complete ass.

  2. If you have TiVo, do you make the little “bu-BOOP” “BU-boop” noises all the time, or is that just us? We’ve actually gotten so bad about it that when we want the remote holder to fast-forward, we don’t even say “fast-forward” anymore. We just make the noise. “Bu-BOOP!” Like that.

  3. Do any of you actually think that you’re SUPPOSED to just turn your parking lights on (in lieu of full-on headlights) when it’s raining, or when it’s dusk? What is up with those people? Do they think the battery’s going to die if they turn their headlights all the way on? Do they realize that they’re supposed to turn their headlights on so that OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE THEM and won’t plow into them in the midst of a torrential downpour? I get really, really, disproportionately annoyed by parking light people. There’s actually a law in Virginia that says you must turn your headlights all the way on if you are using your windshield wipers. Not like I’ve ever seen or heard of that law being enforced or anything, but it does exist.

Yes. I’m weird. And anal.

11 Replies to “Life’s Important Questions”

  1. Never been to Sonic, and I don't have TiVo, but I do hate parking light people. Of course, I often am one, as most cars seem to make it all too easy to confuse turning on the parking lights with turning on the headlights…

  2. I always tip at Sonic. Braedon has a friend who works there and that's how she makes most of her money. So I do tip them. However, I have a question along the same lines: if you order food to go (i.e. I ordered a platter of deviled eggs and ham sandwiches from the Roanoker for Easter) are you supposed to tip those people? Because I did not do that in that case, and the girl looked pissed. Whatev. Oh, and I don't have TiVo so I don't know about your number two question, and number three? I've seen people that drive around like that and they look like fools. Fools! The end.

  3. yes, if you're not ordering from a counter then you should tip. I've only been to Sonic once but I believe there's a little button there you can press for service -they'll come back to your car if you call them, no?
    “Bu-boop” is ridiculous and you should you delete it from the post before more people see it.
    I'm big on headlights. They should be on all the time. People with bad driving-records should have flashing lights (purple) at the top of their cars and teens should be forced to drive cars surrounded in high-pressure rubber-tubing.

    …and so after the SMG's I went home and watched some recorded TiVo and be-booped past all the stupid ads and then I had some meatloaf and then I changed for bed and chatted with Ginny a little more and then I went to bed.

  4. Actually at my house, i call it buhdoop, buhdoop, buhdoop. But you have to say it progressively faster with each buhdoop. My mom thinks I'm nuts because we'll get to a commercial and I'll buhdoop her, and she doesn't get it.

  5. I wouldn't ever tip if I'm ordering food to go. What, you pay the hostess to hand you a bag? No.And now we know to tip at Sonic. I'll make a note of it. Also, Jon, sometimes we do the “buhdoop” noise too.

  6. Whatever. What about the drive thru at sonic? I'm not tipping in the drive thru at sonic! FORGET IT! I still may not tip the car hops either…. that's thier job… to bring it out. They should just get paid minimum wage and be done with it.

  7. Drive-thru… I think that's, uh, “to go”. That qualifies as single contact, counter service.

    Now, tip jars at donut shops – the people that put those out should be shot.

  8. What also makes the Sonic thing confusing is the fact that you can now use credit/debit cards to pay for your food, but they won't allow tips to be added to the bill. So…If I'm going to Sonic, and am paying via credit/debit, and I have no cash to give the carhop, I'm a total ass for not tipping? I'd like to think not.

    Most Sonics around here will also employ high schoolers trying to raise funds for their booster clubs and/or out-of-town trips…All tips then become donations, all donations are optional, therefore making tips optional (during those times).

    I know I've done nothing to clear any of this up.

  9. I worked at Sonic while I was in highschool. During the lunch rush and dinner rush I made $2.13 an hour. So yes, tips were good. But at the drive through? No way.

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