Having a blog is a great way to define your dreams, think about what is important and figure out the best way to get there.

I know my major goal is to be a SAHM as long as I can, hopefully until my kids are out of the house – I know a tall order but I do believe it is possible.  I think the internet is here to stay and it will create more and more opportunities to work from home.  Ideally I would find a salaried job, not working on commission, the job would have to be flexible and suitable to the mommy lifestyle, leaving me plenty of time to get to track meets and play dress up. 

Talking about obligation in my last post, I got to thinking… when I lived in Japan, a big theme of the culture is giri meaning duty or obligation. It’s one thing I think American culture has little of. That can be bad… it leads to an everyone is out for themselves mentality. It seems like the web is more personal than some real life communities which is interesting. Most people would think that the computer is cold and impersonal, in fact I’ve found the opposite true.

People are now surprised when you help them for no reason. For example, I have an elderly neighbor in her 70′s. I take her at least once a week to the Walmart or to the thrifshop. She has a daughter that takes her out on Saturdays, so she really like that I take her out during the week while her daughter is working. I don’t want anything from this lady but she is incredulous that I would go out of my way to try and help her. I feel a certain responsibility to help the older people around me. Often they are grouchy and moody, so it is not always a pleasant experience but I feel it’s important to teach my kids about duty… after all some day they will take care of ME!

I’m not cheap! But one thing I really can’t stand right now is the tip line when you go to a fast food type place! A lot of the places I frequent now I use a credit card, there is often a line for the tip! At a fast food place or drive-thru!! I feel really bad (not bad enough not to do it!) putting my dash or zero in that line. Take out or drive-thru is a service but it does not warrant a tip. What happenned to wages and salaries? This practice is keeping me out of a lot of places but sometimes it is unavoidable.

It is beyond annoying and awkward to put the customer, who should be valued, in the position of looking cheap for frequenting your business. Sometmes I do put in a little something but it is TOTALLY under obligation! Tips for fast food should be only for a customer that comes in so often that the employees do something special for them. That is not the case most places I go, I understand these people just want to make a living, and I commend and support them, heck, I may even join their ranks, but I do not agree with this practice!

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