There are times that I just want to tell someone off. I want to rant, I want to lecture, I want to berate. But I don't. I suppose that's why I have so many headaches. I usually spend the rest of the day thinking up things that I should have said to these someones. Oh well, I suppose that's what blogging is all about. A form of cathartic release.

We recently moved to Wisconsin. I now have Wisconsin plates on my car. Since we returned to Arizona for the winter, I have noticed a decided lack of respect for my driving skills. I always faced the fact that my gender seems to bring a certain amount of this but I've been experiencing more disrespect since I returned to Arizona in October. My driving skills have not deteriorated in the summer months that I lived in Wisconsin. If I'm driving 50 mph in a 45 mph zone, there is always someone out there who feels that I'm driving too slow as they zip by me going 60 mph. Apparently, no local wants to be seen driving slower then a *shudder* "snowbird". If I need to switch lanes on the highway, there's always that one person who refuses to let me in. They actually seem to speed up so I can't get in. The same holds true for entering the freeway. This has been a truly bizarre experience. I just want to scream! I know where I'm going! I've been driving these Arizona roads for over 25 years. Moving to Wisconsin didn't make my brains leak out.

And then there's today. I went to church early. Not too much traffic so I didn't experience an inordinate amount of rude behavior. I did get a tailgater following me on the way home. Apparently 10 mph over the speed limit isn't fast enough if you have a Wisconsin license plate on your car. Anyway, I stopped at the grocery store after church. Everything was fine until I reached the egg section. The eggs were on sale so I decided to pick up a carton. There was an elderly couple hovering in front of the case choosing a carton of eggs. Some of the eggs were broken so this can take a bit of time. I waited until they were finished and then heard a woman huffing commentary in back of me. I thought she was talking to me so I said, "I beg your pardon?" She repeated herself. "I don't know why they don't shop during the week!" I replied, "Excuse me?" She continued in an annoyed fashion, "Retired people can shop anytime. They should shop during the week when the rest of us have to work." At first I was speechless and then I just bit my tongue. Nothing I could say would have made any difference and making a scene would have only made things worse. The couple she was talking about hadn't even heard what she said. I got my eggs and departed. She wasn't talking about me. She was commenting on the other couple but I'm retired and I was upset by her whole manner. All the way home and even now I wonder if I should have said something. I doubt it would have made a difference. Some people are just going to be rude. I wonder if this gal would like to see a new state law passed? No one who visibly appears to be of retirement age should be allowed to reside in Arizona unless they agree to remain holed up in their homes during any hours that people who appear to be under retirement age are allowed to roam about. Obvious signs that you may be retired are grey hair, shopping with your spouse, driving a car with an out-of-state license plate, and roaming about when "normal" people are working.

Murphyism of the Day

Burke's Rule

Never create a problem for which you do not have the answer.

Corollary

Create problems for which only you have the answer.

Fagin's Rule of Past Prediction

Hindsight is and exact science.