On the CD "Big Dog Daddy," Toby Keith sings about gas being "50 cents an gallon. They put it in for you, they pump your tires, check your oil and wash your windows too."
Not anymore. I just paid $3.959 for fuel in Pollock Pines, Calif., and I not only had to pump it, but I had to wash all the butterfly guts off my windshield myself. I heard on the news that gas station owners only makes something like 8 cents per gallon as their share, yet we are paying on average 50-something cents per gallon in taxes. Why doesn't the government drop all the taxes while we try to figure out how we are going to pay the huge prices for fuel? OK, you know I don't cover political things, but it is something to think about.
Confrontation
How about confrontation? How do you handle it? Recently I have had a couple of difficult confrontations and since talking about them, people have shared with me some of their experiences. Here's one: a good friend of mine is getting married. Her first marriage, his second, and she wants her invited guests to let her know with two months notice that they can attend. I thought that was excessive and I said so. The mother of the bride nudged me and said to be quiet. Two months is ridiculous. But, the mom said shhhhh. I can't make plans two months from now - what if I get sick or have to have a medical procedure done, or go on vacation?
What about at work? If you have a boss who checks up on your work and is not happy with your results? What do you do? Do you get mad? Do you say you'll work harder? What if you are accused of something you didn't do? Do you stand your ground? Or do you apologize and hope it all blows over. I am not good at confrontations. I think as a child I didn't have enough of them in my life for me to know how to deal with them. As a 40-plus person, I have learned as an adult that it's most important for me to know that if I am innocent I will stand my ground. If it's shady, I will just apologize. If I am guilty, I admit it.
-- Thank you to those of you who called me about the last couple of articles. Especially the puzzle last week. It was fun, wasn't it? Well, I try to mix it up.
-- Piñon Hills Elementary School Family Literacy Night is tonight for the second-grade class and any of you who may not have been able to attend last night, Julie Allen will be in the school library tonight at 6 p.m. to teach you about her animals and let you pet them.
-- The Ice Cream Social is going to be at Piñon Hills Elementary on May 16 and tickets are available now. Send in your money soon so you don't have to wait in the long line. Your pre-sale tickets are 50 cents each for game tickets and 6 for $5 for raffle tickets. Send your money in to the school, attention Ron Santi. Your tickets will then be waiting for you the night of the event in the will call area.
-- Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.
