Annoying, But Not Worth Dying Over

I know, I know. I shouldn't have honked at the guy who ran the stop sign and forced me to hit the brakes. Especially since I ended up behind him and happened to turn left down the same street so he decided to stop and get out of his car and perhaps confront me about why I was following him except I wasn't following him I was just trying to get to Meijer and I wouldn't have been behind him in the first place if he hadn't run the frickin' stop sign. So I drove right by him and his reflective crossing-guard vest, and why was he wearing a reflective crossing-guard vest at 1 pm anyway? Perhaps he just stopped to get out of his car and explain to me that he ran the stop sign because crossing guards don't have to follow the traffic rules like mere mortals do.

Guess I'll never know.

Meijer

I’m old enough to remember when Meijer’s slogan was “You’re always next in line at Meijer.” My sister told me a hysterical story of shopping there with a friend from college who got a little frustrated waiting in line and started shouting “YOU’RE NEXT IN LINE AT MEIJER!” at the top of his lungs.

He would not survive there today.

Apparently Meijer’s new slogan is “Spend as much time in line as you do shopping” because that is exactly what happened to my daughter and I today. In fact, we may have spent LESS time shopping than we did in line and I’ll even include the wait at the apathetically staffed photo department with the shopping. The woman ahead of us in line was quite peeved at the situation; I heard her say just that into her cell phone about 20 times while we waited, but when it was her turn to check out after spending 25 minutes in line did she have her money or charge card ready? No! She had to go digging through her purse to find it. Preparation, people. Heard of it?

And next time we go I am making my daughter videotape me shopping to see if I, too, turn into a lethargic zombie (as compared to the zombies who energetically pursue the living) the minute I walk through the door like everyone else who shops there. Seriously, you won’t find a more lifeless, slow-moving crowd anywhere. No one is happy to be there. Not even the employees. Though our cashier did rouse herself enough to ask me if I knew that I could get a second bag of oranges free with the one I bought.

I’d like to think it’s the economy, but this store has been this way since 6 months after it opened. I was a frequent customer those first few months but since the zombies have moved in have been going there less and less. It’s too bad; I really enjoy a store where I can buy groceries, a lamp, and a new outfit all under one roof.

Bread

Yesterday I had to park by one of my favorite bread stores – you know, the ones who make everything fresh from stone ground flour and leave out huge slabs for you to try – and there was a van blocking my way as I tried to get into the parking lot. I noticed that the guy in the van was carrying bags into the bread store – and they were from Meijer!

Nothing against Meijer, it’s one of my favorite places to shop (especially at midnight when I’ve been out on the town and NEED Hostess Ding Dongs and new curtains) but they are not especially known for their stone ground flour or other earthy, natural bread stuff that this store claims their bread is made out of.

I can’t get over it. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to buy bread from them again which is really disappointing because I was assigned “bread” to bring to Thanksgiving at my mom’s this year and now I’m going to have to make my own.

Thanks a lot.