I Ride the Shuttle, and I Say Thanks

Fall semester at WSU started this past Monday.  The first few days were a bit rocky, but I survived my first week back!  Woo Hoot!

One of the things I quickly learned (thanks to a kind man at the Parking Office), is that if you don't get to campus before about 8:45am, there is barely ANY parking until about 2pm.  I was told - in near hushed tones - that instead of wasting my money ($71) on an annual pass I'll rarely be able to use, I should buy the pass to park at the event center (a mile away) because it's cheaper ($28) and there is a FREE shuttle service between that lot and the center of campus and it runs - get this - EVERY.FIVE.MINUTES.  

One thing I HATED about SLCC was parking.  I'd try to get to campus about an hour early, and even then a spot could be hard to come by; my quest often resembling a scene from a scary movie.  Me, on a stakeout, keeping my eyes peeled for that one student emerging from class.  I would follow him or her slowly in my car, hoping to get the spot they'd be vacating.  A few panicked looks over the shoulder and it never failed; they'd soon quicken their stride, eventually sprinting across the parking lot in an attempt to escape the "crazy lady in the Altima".  And, just like that, the trail would go cold.  

I cannot tell you the number of times I was tempted to roll my window down and offer someone a ride to their car, just so I could take their spot.  But, how exactly does one begin such a request.  "Excuse me, I know you don't know me, but are you going to your car right now?  Can I give you a ride?  ..... I've got candy."   "Hello?  Campus Security?"

Needless to say, a free shuttle sounded great!  All in all, from the time I park my car and take the shuttle to the drop point, it's about 10 minutes, which is way better than arriving an hour early and becoming the poster child for Campus Creepers.  

I am grateful for the shuttle, truly, and each day as I make my way toward the front of the bus to get off, I ALWAYS say "thank you" to the driver.  Sometimes a few other students in front of me will say thanks, but not always. 

When I am near the last to exit, I notice a trend, which supports evidence that we (humans) have a Psychosocial need to fit in.  If someone near the front of the bus says, "Thanks/Thank you" to the driver, then most others follow suit.  However, if those in the front of the bus remain silent, it often proves to be a very quiet exodus.  Perhaps one or two say "thanks", but because it's not the "norm", others are less likely to join in.  

Another thing I noticed, from the looks of it, is that those who offer up their words of gratitude freely, are mostly over the age of 25.  I thought about this in relation to Erikson's theory of  Psychosocial Conflict (Identity vs. Confusion, Stage 5).  When we are in our adolescent years, we might begin to "feel confused or insecure about ourselves and how we fit into society."  I wondered three things.  One -  were these students not taught these skills (manners & the confidence to use them) during that critical period?  Two - if this is now the norm, what does our future society look like?  and Three - is this something they will become more comfortable with and more free to express as they grow and mature?

I am sure glad I spent a lot of time and energy teaching my kids manners! 

I don't say "thanks" just to be nice.  I AM grateful for the shuttle.  I am grateful for the time and money it saves me, I am grateful to not have to walk in bad weather, and I am grateful to the driver for getting me to my destination safely!

My name is Emma. I ride the shuttle, and I say Thanks.

Comments That Inspire, Part 1

So - do you ever leave a comment on someone else's post that leads you to think, "hmmm, I could totally blog about this"? Or perhaps you leave a witty comment on someone else's post and you totally crack yourself up over it, and perhaps you're like me and love a wee-bit o' attention and think, "this is too funny not to share!" No? Oh, all righty then... guess it's just me.

I admit, sometimes I just totally crack myself up. Hey - does it matter if I'm the only one laughing? Does it matter that my snorting might even get so loud, the 4LeggedCreature raises just one eyebrow in my direction? Not really, as it usually occurs between the hours of midnight and 2 am.

Ok - with that being said, the next few posts will be based off of comments I have left on YOUR blog posts. Here is the first one for today...

This was in response to Yaya's post (in part) on Thank You notes and how she wrote her granny to thank her for the ear muffs: Click here for entire post



Emmap said...


thank-you notes: you are supposed to thank them for the Past (event/gift/etc.), mention how it will benefit you and somehow tie it to the future. works for personal or business: if you simply say, "thanks for the gift" it doesn't work. Stating "ear muffs" makes it "personal" and stating you plan to use them states the benefits AND ties it to the future all in one. Here's how a business one works:

Thanks so much for agreeing to meet me for lunch today. (thanks for the event). I had the pleasure getting to know you better and learning what I can do to help you achieve your business goals. (mention benefits). I look forward to working with you soon. (tie it to the future).



Dear Ex Husband,

Thank you for the divorce. I have learned and grown so much from this experience. I look forward to what my new-found freedom will bring me.

Sincerely,
Me.

Can you find the three main elements here?

Thank You?

In my industry, saying "thanks" to someone can go along way. Most of the time it occurs by taking clients to lunch, or golfing, or a movie, etc. But, it can also be as simple as a hand-written "thank-you" note.

I sort of miss the days of hand-written notes and letters. I used to write my cousin Cheryle ALL.THE.TIME. and she lived in the next county. I had pen-pals. I would use my baby-sitting money to buy stationery and cute note-cards from the corner drug store when I was a kid.


But the days of hand-written Thank-you's seem to have gone by the way-side; practically obsolete all together. I admit, it has happened to me too. I am just so overwhelmed with everything in my life right now, that a verbal thanks is about all I can manage these days. I just hope that no one is offended that I haven't "properly" thanked them.

Anyway, in thinking about a thank-you I wanted to write someone recently for business, I decided to seek out the help of the Internet, for sample thank-you's in similar situations. Well, I found out that Cyber-Space contains all sorts of sample thank-you notes for almost any situation imaginable. This one, however, takes the cake...

Dear [Law Firm or Attorney's Name],

I want to express my thanks to you for bailing me out of this legal situation. After my DUI conviction, I thought my life was over. Driving under the influence is a serious offense, and one that could have ruined my reputation forever. Your expertise and kindness in handling everything was invaluable. I don't know what I would have done with you. I can now look forward to my future.Thank you so much for your professional and effective help. I won't hesitate to recommend you to anyone who needs assistance with a DUI.

Sincerely,

That last line really gets me...[holds fist to chest]...right here. Yeah, RIGHT! "I won't hesitate to recommend you to anyone who needs assistance with a DUI"??? Just what sort of irresponsible losers are you hanging with anyway???

For that and other sample Thank-You Letters, check out my-thank-you-site