Before I even begin this editorial, let me start by saying two things:
1) I get paid to write these editorials, usually on behalf of the paper, although sometimes the opinions are my own. It's my profession as a journalist.
2) Ranting about something in a general sense is one thing. But targeting a specific business for a completely trivial, easily fixable issue is asinine.
Ok, now that I've got that out of the way for the people who will surely miss the entire message of this editorial, let me begin.
To be frank, I hate the Roses and Raspberries section.
The roses part is always uplifting but the raspberries, more often than not, are petty and ridiculous.
I'm not just talking about the ones that appear in our newspaper, because I usually get to veto the raspberries that are too malicious or completely whacky; I'm actually referring to the Facebook Roses and Raspberries page, of which our paper is not affiliated with.
True, there are many roses given out on this page that are encouraging and often times, very sweet. So kudos to the roses, I always like those ones, even the ones that are overtly schmaltzy.
And yes, sometimes the raspberries are justified, such as raspberries to so-and-so who was arrested for such-and-such.
Or harmless raspberries that touch on a common topic that everyone can relate to, like crappy weather.
But then you get the people who have somehow convinced themselves that it's perfectly alright to rip apart a specific restaurant or business in town for a teeny weeny mistake like a wrong order or discontinuing a certain food item.
A few months ago, someone thanked the administrators of the Facebook Roses and Raspberries group "for keeping the peace and making sure we all act like adults."
Ironic, because last time I checked, when the local drive-thru is a little slower than usual, adults with even an ounce of maturity count to ten and get over it.
Look it people, we've all had shoddy service at restaurants before, have been served food that tasted strange, have been accidentally charged an extra fee for a service or have been served by the world's grumpiest teenager at the grocery store check-out.
If you actually wanted to resolve the issue, wouldn't you go to the source of the problem? Would you not fill out a customer comment card, or let the chef of the restaurant know that you weren't totally satisfied with your meal? Or alert your hairstylist that they mistakenly over-billed you?
Most people with an IQ higher than a coffee table would do this.
And then there's some who completely skip this logical, pragmatic part and speed home, eagle-eyed, steam billowing out of their ears, to hop right onto their computer and pound out a rant on the Internet instead, knowing full well it'll probably do diddly to resolve the issue, but hey, why not rope everyone else into your childish, shortsighted complaint?
"Raspberries to [insert restaurant here] for no longer serving my favourite meal."
Geez, I don't know how you'll ever make it through life after suffering from something so inhumane. I'll keep you in my prayers.
"Raspberries to [insert local coffee shop here, hmm I wonder who it could be] for the really slow drive-thru this morning."
Park your car and go inside. It's nice out. Maybe ask for a little extra sugar in your coffee too this time.
"Raspberries to [insert new restaurant in town] for my [trivial complaint about food]"
How nice of you. Next time you're starting up your own business, I'll make sure to kick you directly in the crotch too.
"Raspberries to [insert business name here] for over-charging me on my bill!"
Unbelievable. You should immediately report this to Amnesty International.
Anyways, those are just some of the complaints I've seen on the Roses and Raspberries Facebook page over the past year.
So that being said, I have a suggestion of hobbies that I think some people should take up, since apparently they're just bored with their lives.
-Bird watching: Our province is home to all sorts of different grassland and wetland birds. Grab your binoculars, even opera glasses, and get out there to take a look. Our local Ducks Unlimited Canada branch would be glad to help you find some good spots.
-Building a ship in a bottle: Sift through the Sarcan depot, grab a bottle and go to town.
-Stamp/coin collecting: A little old-school but still very interesting.
- Knitting/quilting/crocheting: Very therapeutic and relaxing. I'm sure Haus of Stitches won't mind helping you get started with the necessary utensils. If you decide to pick this one, I'd like a pair of mittens please.
-Geocaching- Very fun scavenger hunt using coordinates. Humboldt has many locations. Visit geocaching.com to get started.
-Nature walks- The local trails association has been working tirelessly to fix up trails in our area so people who are walking pressure cookers can go for a hike and blow off some steam.
Those are just some helpful hobbies to get you started. I wish you well next time someone drives through a puddle and splashes your shoe.
The horror.
CM
