I saw an episode of Holmes Inspection (actually, it was a two-parter) about a couple who had a seemingly gorgeous house, but it was terribly inefficient and also their bedroom was not reinforced so it was bound to one day collapse into their kitchen. There were heat and water leaks everywhere, as well as squirrel and mouse droppings throughout their attic, and their electrical panel was older than time itself. So of course, the team went all out and gutted the entire place, even re-shingled their whole roof because it was rotting away in places and the shingle wasn’t manufactured anymore. They built a god damn custom bar that cost about $30,000, just because they felt it would complement the basement, newly finished by the team. Upstairs in their kitchen they had a walk-in pantry built. WALK IN.
I watched as the couple wandered around their home, reno’d to the teats, and did not once say thank you. I guess “Oh my God!” could be construed as thanks to some, but not in my world. Anyway, the point of this story is not that I watch home reno shows and get angry at them as I do with everything else (I do, but I was more waiting for Dexter to become available for us to watch at the time), but rather that there are some things that stick with you, like saying thank you when people have put into your house around a hundred grand of their own money. Sure, the Holmes Empire is strong and I’m positive the money is actually all cable television sponsorship surplus, but really? No ‘thank you’?
I’m from a world (Canada) where we apologize for everything beyond our control and thank people for stepping on our feet with their muddy boots at the mall at Christmas. But so is Mike Holmes, and that was an s-tonne of work to do for a couple of people who I guess decided that it was okay to just look on in sub-awe and accept that they were entitled to everything being handed to them. And I bet he and his team were a little disappointed that they put so much effort into something for essentially an underwhelmed reaction. Unless of course the thank-you came after the cameras stopped rolling, or between takes, in which case, I am A-Hole Supreme.
This post is a metaphor, if I still haven’t laid it out well enough (which is common for me).
Give thanks for what is given to you, because you are entitled to nothing. Thank people. I mean, I guess a smile or a “that’s awesome!” works too, but I am old-fashioned in the way that I WANT THANK YOU NOW. Ahem. We all have a lot to be thankful for, at least those of us who are able to view a blog on the internet. I would want to feel like my efforts (and money spent) are worthwhile, I’m sure you feel the same way, so let’s all work together to appreciate what we have and communicate that appreciation.
Also, Movember is over. Those of you who aren’t child molesters, feel free to shave or trim your pervy ‘staches.
