'I poisoned my life force, you may experience a little indigestion...'

[marguerite_krux]

So, sapphs andjusthere1971 ...I FINALLY sent out your cards today. As the lady in the post office said, don't think of it as being late, 'It'll be early for next Christmas!'

And if by some colossal misfortune, I managed to mix up your two cards, I will...do nothing useful, just collapse and die of mortification and impotent rage.

My New Year's Resolution is to be more organized about sending cards in 2009. *nods firmly*

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No wonder teens have such a bad name these days. A group of kids spent the whole bus trip to town whingeing about having to pay for adult tickets ($1.80 instead of 90c). Now, the rule is that if you don't have a concession card and you're not in school uniform, you pay the full fare. But for some reason, the driver upholding the regulations was cause for them to snipe at him behind his back, swearing up a storm, calling him a retard and f*ckhead, among other delightful things. He took the high road and ignored them, although I was itching for him to kick them off the bus.

Then two disabled people get on the bus. A group of kids were sitting at the four priority seats marked specifically for those who are in bad shape or are pregnant. The poor guy and woman are standing there, barely able to get down the aisle on their wheely-support thingies, looking like they're going to collapse any minute and the kids are staying put, blithely chatting away. The driver has to ask them to shift seats, and they stand up reluctantly, going on about how, 'I think the bus driver hates young people'. Because it's SO HARD to think of other people's wellbeing and give up your seat to those in need. It wasn't full, there were heaps of empty seats so it wasn't like they'd have to stand the rest of the way into town. Why did they have to be ASKED to move? No wonder kids apparently profile as sociopaths, they have no empathy or remorse, it seems.

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I'm tired of the snide comments on ff.net about people who don't finish their fics. Yeah, okay, a lot of my aggravation stems from the number of unfinished fics on my account, but it's not entirely personal. I've read people saying fics should be deleted if they won't be finished or being rude and pushy in asking for updates. Just appreciate what you got to read, FFS. And why should the author remove their story if they don't think they'll update it again? That's the stupidest suggestion I've heard, to deny other readers the opportunity to enjoy what was written. I've read some incredible fics that weren't finished and although I'm regretful about not getting a resolution, I wouldn't trade the experience of reading it just to erase that regret and wistfulness. [for instance, this awesome BSG fic, Too Much on survival instinct, which I like to revisit now and then]

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I cannot believe the laws in some countries. Adultery is illegal in South Korea, and although it's rare, the courts can throw a person in jail for two years for cheating on their partner. Wtf? Sure, it's an awful thing to do and it can tear families apart and ruin lives, but the law shouldn't play a role in something like that. And people can abuse it just to humiliate their partner and make life difficult for them when the relationship is ending. I am so glad I live in Australia. Life might seem tough at times, but then I look around the globe and think of how much worse it could be. *shudders*

Comments

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

Kids these days are little arseholes with no sense of respect. They drive me nuts. And they move in packs... which can be scary.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

The pack mentality is the problem. One kid being a dumbass is irritating, but manageable. If they have no audience, then there's nothing to prove. But put them in front of their friends, and provide an authority figure to disrespect and gain points for being rude to? They turn into monsters. And there's no appealing to their logic or reason, they'll say the stupidest, horrible, most irrational things just to get a laugh and support from their friends.

I think the parents have a lot to answer for. It's not ENTIRELY their fault, but a lot of the blame is theirs. They think school is where their children learn about values and morals and respect, that the teachers are the ones who should teach them how to behave with class and dignity and maturity. I can't believe some of the parents protesting about making the school year longer so that their kids can be looked after and won't be out on the streets getting into trouble. It's not the school's responsibility to make sure their offspring aren't running wild, FFS.

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

Yep. They're so much worse than my generation was as kids -- you wouldn't believe how much worse. We were so tame. We used to always stand up for older people or pregnant women, etc, on buses. We weren't forced to do it -- we just did out of decency. These days they're all about their rights and nobody else's. It's sickening.

And yes, parents need to answer for things. A lot of people say it's the baby boomer parents who are to blame, but then my mum was one of those, too.

Apparently people of my age are bringing their kids up to be a lot more socially, financially and environmentally aware. Hopefully things will look up when it comes to teenager in a few years because of that.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

These days they're all about their rights and nobody else's.

I know, right? Yes, you can be technically entitled to something but is it so goddamned hard to be a good human being once in a while?

It's not just manners and common decency, though. When I was in Year 7, a lot of the kids were brats but just normal irritating little kids. Nothing you can't deal with. These days, Year 7 kids are running around stabbing or bashing people and filming it for youtube, and just being way more violent and scary than I'd've imagined at that age. [am I confusing the details or did a bunch of kids recently break into someone's house and set their birds on fire?]

Ok, maybe I'm remembering the past through rose-colored glasses, but I'm sure there weren't as many young offenders then.

Hopefully things will look up when it comes to teenager in a few years because of that.

I hope so. Things happen in cycles, right? It's gone about as low and depraved and crazy as it can *fingers crossed* we should be seeing them go the other way and become better, more responsible creatures soon...

[dragonladyk.livejournal.com]

Re: Kids These Days.

First of all, I completely agree. The bulk of children I meet behave in ways my mother (and I'm only 23!) would never have tolerated on the longest day of her life and neither would've my dad. The only proper response for those kids to make to the bus driver/disabled folks was "oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you!" followed by moving pronto.

Of course, I do realize that the fact my parents would have never tolerated that behavior from me is why I don't do it today. Too many parents are leaving the parenting to school teachers or television becuase they're either too busy, too lazy, or too busy having fun to do it themselves. Or they want to be their childrens' bestest friend ever, so the parents themselves never grow up -- much less expecting their children to. They'd rather have the children's first boss or hardass college professor or drill sergeant be the one to drop that little reality check... if it gets dropped at all.

I mean it about my parents. They were a pair of tough cookies. ^^ Strict parents are loved best, which is why I intend to be strict parent to my own kids if/when I have them.

DragonLady

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Ack! Icon love! *stares* I must go and check out all your userpics...

The bulk of children I meet behave in ways my mother (and I'm only 23!) would never have tolerated on the longest day of her life and neither would've my dad.

Lol, I love that we're both 20-ish and bemoaning the state of our youth these days, a conversation that traditionally takes place amongst the older generations. But the main thing I think when I see these kids acting up- other than 'omfg, GO DIE'- is that my parents would kill me before allowing me to get away with that kind of behavior. That's something we both have in common, strict parents who drummed good manners and common courtesy into us. It's instinctual now, I can't help it- not that I'd want to make myself behave otherwise.

I intend to be strict parent to my own kids if/when I have them

Good for you! I think I'll just not have kids at all, though. My parents were really good at maintaining their authority and totally unconcerned about being my best friend. Tough love is their thing. I think I'm too soft and I'd want my kids to love me so I'd cave. Either that or I'd go TOTALLY overboard and overcompensate and they'd hate me- with good reason, lol. Parents need to be tough enough to withstand the childish 'I'll hate you forever' kind of teen dramatics, and I couldn't handle that. Neither can the majority of today's parents, judging by the little monsters they're unleashing on society. >:[

Too many parents are leaving the parenting to school teachers or television becuase they're either too busy, too lazy, or too busy having fun to do it themselves. Or they want to be their childrens' bestest friend ever,

Word. That's exactly what I was trying to say, but more concise and articulate. :D