extreme annoyance

Many of us in this crazy economic climate are looking more and more to save a buck, to stretch a buck, to get our monies worth, etc etc.  It's nice to get "2 for 1" or "Buy on get one Free" if we can, at least it's something I like that takes the sting at the check-out.  If I have a coupon handy for $5 off at a hardware store, I'll use it if I need something, if not give it away or just forget about it.  I'm not about to go out and buy something I don't need for $20 to get that $5 off, just to say I did.  How thrifty is that?  Right, not at all!

"Extreme Couponing" and the "Extreme Couponers"can go jump off a cliff.  I haven't been able to pay less then full-price for razors, or my deodorant or dish soap because the shelves were cleared before I could get to the store to pick up these simple, essential items that I don't buy everyday.  Neither my wife nor myself is typically off during a weekday to shop or clip and organize hundreds of coupons.  We go when we have time and/or need food.   
The old "if you take that much food, Billy, you have to eat it!" from Mom, comes to mind.  These people with shelves upon shelves of instant rice, salad dressing, paper towels, my deodorant and dish soap, taking over their children's bedrooms and the garage to store it all.  Is this living successfully or does it really just personify America's gluttony for more, more, more in the form of a plump 30-something house-wife with 2 kids and maybe OCD. 

The idea of "extreme" stuff is what America has become turned-on to. "Extreme Sports", which turned into the "X Games" comes to mind.  The"extreme obesity" of adults and children no-a-days that launched "extreme weight-loss" reality shows.  Hording, a hot topic on the tube, a result of extremes.  People rather seeing seeing their piles rot then give anything away.

When we are finally surrounded by all the cheap and free stuff we can handle, it will collapse, smothering us with the plastic of a thousand Ramen packets. 

P.S. - Yes, I saw the episode where the guy donated the food to his church.  So, OK, one good one in the bunch. 

helping hands

Well, I didn't just "sit there", I indeed got up and got away from the computer and did stuff, then last week happened.  Every evening was filled with something scheduled and by the time I got to sit down I was too tired to get back up.  This computer is still poisoning my productivity, sitting on a warm sofa on a hot evening, sweating.  The house hunt started out well; yep, got a loan so here we go.

Remember that scene in the movie "Labyrinth" where the girl is falling down a shaft of "helping hands"?  Yeah, that's about the feel right now . . . down we go, then stopping to talk to the hands helping us, then down, then stop because we realize some hands further down will reach in our pockets to take our cash, sooo, do we continue down quickly or slow it down?  Life is well personified by that shaft with hands.  Some hands help, others take, other push you on your way, no questions asked, no stopping you, some giving you a high-five, then one flips you off.

OK, so let's see where we're taken.  I'm a bit frustrated, a bit scared, a bit anxious, a bit of everything a guy my age in this situation might have going on inside of him.  Deep breathes and beer for now.