[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I don't know WHAT the idea was behind it, but the air conditioned and locked boxes protect our mail and keep our medicines from degrading in the heat.

You have no idea where your medicines have been before getting to your air conditioned box. Probably in a truck roasting at 127 degrees coming down I75.
I'm sold on the security of our mail being locked to protect it when we send and recieve it but would never order drugs to be mailed to me.

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Our mail person call us when necessary, delivers packages to our doors, and keeps out of town mail schedules on track. But maybe it's just our loop. BTW, nobody takes their dogs there. Here is a Christmas picture of my cat who doesn't go there either.

Attachment 56749

Just as I was beginning to wonder why I was still reading this post, your baby's picture came up. And now I know! What a cutie!! Glad I didn't miss it!
Merry Christmas!

[simpkinp]

Very cute kitty cat. I personally tip my mail delivery person and appreciate his efforts. He was the first person I met her!

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

You have no idea where your medicines have been before getting to your air conditioned box. Probably in a truck roasting at 127 degrees coming down I75.
I'm sold on the security of our mail being locked to protect it when we send and recieve it but would never order drugs to be mailed to me.

Really? You don't think the drugs that are at the drug store come by truck on I75?

[dotti105]

Honestly, after reading 5 pages of this thread, I remember why I don't spend much time on the forums anymore.

This has been reduced to lots of trivial bickering. The attitude that our postal workers can take minimum wage or move on is a bit out of touch with reality. Many of our residents have forgotten what it was like to struggle to raise a family on minimum wage. Or perhaps never had to do that.

Tips for those who do an excellent job of attending to your personal needs, is always appreciated and often well deserved.

My own opinion is that no one in our country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty, as was mentioned before. When I see posts about these workers not deserving tips for "doing their job" it makes me a bit ill.

Some here are very out of touch with the reality of the shrinking middle class and loss of opportunity to better one's position in the US today. I guess it is easy to have that attitude when we are fortunate enough to be retired, with a pension, and a nice portfolio. But for those of us with kids or grandkids trying to make it in the real world today with out the benefit packages we had and social security being an illusion, I am more than happy to show appreciation to those who I feel deserve it and will greatly appreciate it.

Yep, this is why I don't spend much time here anymore. It raises my blood pressure!

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Honestly, after reading 5 pages of this thread, I remember why I don't spend much time on the forums anymore.

This has been reduced to lots of trivial bickering. The attitude that our postal workers can take minimum wage or move on is a bit out of touch with reality. Many of our residents have forgotten what it was like to struggle to raise a family on minimum wage. Or perhaps never had to do that.

Tips for those who do an excellent job of attending to your personal needs, is always appreciated and often well deserved.

My own opinion is that no one in our country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty, as was mentioned before. When I see posts about these workers not deserving tips for "doing their job" it makes me a bit ill.

Some here are very out of touch with the reality of the shrinking middle class and loss of opportunity to better one's position in the US today. I guess it is easy to have that attitude when we are fortunate enough to be retired, with a pension, and a nice portfolio. But for those of us with kids or grandkids trying to make it in the real world today with out the benefit packages we had and social security being an illusion, I am more than happy to show appreciation to those who I feel deserve it and will greatly appreciate it.

Yep, this is why I don't spend much time here anymore. It raises my blood pressure!

Well said.

[biker1]

This is a bit off topic but you brought it up. You referred to "social security being an illusion". You might wish to research the original intent of social security and what it has morphed into over the decades. Presumably your comment was to suggest that social security won't exist in the future. I doubt that is true. It will undoubtedly continue to morph as demographics and politics change. It is best viewed, in my opinion, as a safety net for the elderly and disabled. I believe it is safe to say that it will continue in at least that role for the foreseeable future, the lack of political will at the moment notwithstanding.

Originally Posted by dotti105

Honestly, after reading 5 pages of this thread, I remember why I don't spend much time on the forums anymore.

This has been reduced to lots of trivial bickering. The attitude that our postal workers can take minimum wage or move on is a bit out of touch with reality. Many of our residents have forgotten what it was like to struggle to raise a family on minimum wage. Or perhaps never had to do that.

Tips for those who do an excellent job of attending to your personal needs, is always appreciated and often well deserved.

My own opinion is that no one in our country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty, as was mentioned before. When I see posts about these workers not deserving tips for "doing their job" it makes me a bit ill.

Some here are very out of touch with the reality of the shrinking middle class and loss of opportunity to better one's position in the US today. I guess it is easy to have that attitude when we are fortunate enough to be retired, with a pension, and a nice portfolio. But for those of us with kids or grandkids trying to make it in the real world today with out the benefit packages we had and social security being an illusion, I am more than happy to show appreciation to those who I feel deserve it and will greatly appreciate it.

Yep, this is why I don't spend much time here anymore. It raises my blood pressure!

[graciegirl]

have yourself a merry little christmas youtube - Bing video

[outlaw]

I tip everyone I come in contact with, even my attorney, who charges lower than the industry standard for legal services. I tip all food servers 50% of the bill. When I get gas, I tip the clerk. Yesterday, I tipped a store clerk that helped me find the men's clothing section. I also try to tip the person collecting store carts in the parking lots. They have such a thankless job. And when the wind is blowing it must be dreadful doing what they do.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by outlaw

I tip everyone I come in contact with, even my attorney, who charges lower than the industry standard for legal services. I tip all food servers 50% of the bill. When I get gas, I tip the clerk. Yesterday, I tipped a store clerk that helped me find the men's clothing section. I also try to tip the person collecting store carts in the parking lots. They have such a thankless job. And when the wind is blowing it must be dreadful doing what they do.

Shhhh. Do it quietly. They will know. God will know. We don't need to know.

[MelZ]

Does anyone else think this is a 21st century version of Dickens "A Christmas Carol"?

all that's missing is tiny Tim

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Most of us here started out with very little, and many could not afford to go to college even after winning scholarships. Many worked very hard to arrive here and sacrificed and saved. We haven't forgotten how hard life is and many started out poor, if not hungry but didn't realize it until much later, because all were struggling coming out of the depression. Many had few clothes and many were hand sewn, we haven't forgotten that. Or that our shoes were resoled and some didn't have cars. Many are still very careful with money. A lot of us have passed down all of the lessons we learned to do without, save, wait until you can pay for it and work hard and judging from the many friends I keep up with on Facebook, those children and grandchildren, most of them listened, because they do have jobs and they are doing the same as their parents and grandparents. I feel that we are first and foremost responsible for ourselves, our families and those we know well who need our financial support. That doesn't mean that tipping well is not part of most of our lives. Along with appreciation and quietly helping without fanfare or direction.

I can afford it but I don't have my nails done. I could afford it but don't have my house cleaned. Old habits die hard. And I cringe when I see people ask for handouts for themselves on this forum. Proud and old and stubborn, that is me.

As well as blind. Those born before 1950 have seen the American dream come to full fruition in their lifetime and have ridden the wave all the way to retirement concluding with a well funded defined benefit plan, enormous home equity, corporate & public funded medical benefits AND these very same people were able to sock away a tidy savings WITHOUT needing to have their spouse work outside the home so they could raise their children the proper way instead of having to pay strangers to do it for them. Save me the I grew up poor in the depression speech, heard it a thousand times. Try raising a young family with your spouse HAVING to work because you're spending more then half of your monthly income on a high interest mortgage and high taxes because real estate prices more then quadrupled within a 15 year span driven by the baby boomer housing rush. I feel very fortunate to have bought my first house when I was 25 years old. Today young families are lucky just to be able to afford a house and if they do its not until they are in their thirties or forties. Today young people can expect to change jobs more then 7 times, yesteryear's generation stayed on with just one. Today's employers offer no pension, low wages and marginal medical with the employee having to pay half the cost AND not covering the spouse. May I add these ARE college graduates burdened with enormous student loan debt. Those needing day care for their children are consuming 20% of their take home income doing so. This new generation has a very bleak retirement future indeed because they know they won't be able to.
If people WANT to tip, let them and don't put them down for wanting to. If they want to think of themselves as silent hero's, let them, it's their prerogative to do so.

[Cedwards38]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Honestly, after reading 5 pages of this thread, I remember why I don't spend much time on the forums anymore.

This has been reduced to lots of trivial bickering. The attitude that our postal workers can take minimum wage or move on is a bit out of touch with reality. Many of our residents have forgotten what it was like to struggle to raise a family on minimum wage. Or perhaps never had to do that.

Tips for those who do an excellent job of attending to your personal needs, is always appreciated and often well deserved.

My own opinion is that no one in our country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty, as was mentioned before. When I see posts about these workers not deserving tips for "doing their job" it makes me a bit ill.

Some here are very out of touch with the reality of the shrinking middle class and loss of opportunity to better one's position in the US today. I guess it is easy to have that attitude when we are fortunate enough to be retired, with a pension, and a nice portfolio. But for those of us with kids or grandkids trying to make it in the real world today with out the benefit packages we had and social security being an illusion, I am more than happy to show appreciation to those who I feel deserve it and will greatly appreciate it.

Yep, this is why I don't spend much time here anymore. It raises my blood pressure!

Good points!

And, I might add, how is a minimum wage worker receiving a tip for "doing their job" any different from the hefty company bonuses that many of you used to receive for "doing your job?"

[justjim]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Honestly, after reading 5 pages of this thread, I remember why I don't spend much time on the forums anymore.

This has been reduced to lots of trivial bickering. The attitude that our postal workers can take minimum wage or move on is a bit out of touch with reality. Many of our residents have forgotten what it was like to struggle to raise a family on minimum wage. Or perhaps never had to do that.

Tips for those who do an excellent job of attending to your personal needs, is always appreciated and often well deserved.

My own opinion is that no one in our country who works 40 hrs a week should live in poverty, as was mentioned before. When I see posts about these workers not deserving tips for "doing their job" it makes me a bit ill.

Some here are very out of touch with the reality of the shrinking middle class and loss of opportunity to better one's position in the US today. I guess it is easy to have that attitude when we are fortunate enough to be retired, with a pension, and a nice portfolio. But for those of us with kids or grandkids trying to make it in the real world today with out the benefit packages we had and social security being an illusion, I am more than happy to show appreciation to those who I feel deserve it and will greatly appreciate it.

Yep, this is why I don't spend much time here anymore. It raises my blood pressure!

Well said and spot on and amen. Most of us are very fortunate. The 0ne and two percent have been gaining income and the middle class has been shrinking. It's just a fact and not really a political statement one way or the other either.

Many think one political party are all rich but there are more millionaires in the U.S. Senate on the other side that are actually millionaires.

Many of us started out very poor and worked hard, took advantage of opportunities, and are fortunate to spend our "twilight years" in The Villages. My last word on "tipping"---just let your conscience be your guide and be thankful to be an American!

[graciegirl]

...youtube carol of the bells - Bing video