On Pamphlets and Flyers

Walking is a wonderful and underused means of transportation. Taking a leisurely stroll along the streets, either to reach a destination or just to kill time, is quite enjoyable. However, there are some people that take the pleasure out of this activity. I have already tackled those who walk at the rate of a snail and create congestion. But there is another breed that also affects pedestrians negatively. These are the people that fling their arms out in front of the faces of others with unbound printed works.
For me, few things disrupt my walks more than a series of pamphlets and flyers being shoved in my face. Half of these retarded things are trying to preach some type of religion, and they all use quotes from religious texts to "prove" that you will go to hell if you do not agree with the message on that piece of paper. The rest are for clubs I will never go to, restaurants I will never dine in, sales in stores that I will never shop in, and advertisements for free cell phones given out to a ton of people that already own a cell phone.
One of the most ironic (and therefore humourous) situations is when I see environmental groups actively giving out flyers to everyone. If you observe this for even a short time, you will see that they waste a tremendous amount of paper in order to save the trees. Considering the fact that more than half of all those who receive said flyer immediately discard it, I would say that this method of saving the environment is counterproductive.
There are others that can clearly see when people want to avoid being handed a piece of trash, and yet they insist on forcing it upon those that would rather be left alone. This too is counterproductive. If a person's attitude clearly demonstrates that the flyer will be thrown out anon, then that person should not be handed a flyer. The business, religion, or group of activists will not gain anything from someone (e.g. myself) that refuses to read whatever is handed to him or her.
So for all those who hand out pamphlets and flyers, please stop! And if you choose to continue, at least have the decency to restrain your arm when you see a person that is actively trying to avoid you. We aren't avoiding you because of shyness. We simply don't need to walk around with a useless piece of paper.

Going Gambling? Prepare To Be Inconvenienced

Gambling can be an enjoyable activity every now and again. Although some may have self-control issues, the majority of people that gamble are fairly responsible. The allure of places such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas are well-known, and many movies and television programs use these areas for their uniqueness. Even places such as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are now common destinations for a weekend getaway.
All of this is good and well, except for one problem: gambling requests. It is very rare for someone to set out for one of these destinations with mere wishes of good luck. There is usually at least one person (and sometimes several) that behaves as if you have now become his or her own personal bookie. They will hand you money and make requests to place X amount of money on double zero at roulette, or place this many dollars in such and such slot machine, et cetera. It is absolutely ridiculous.
When someone is going on any type of vacation, nothing should be done to detract from the relaxation that has been rightfully earned. Bogging people down with numerous gambling tasks, forcing them to keep track of how much money was given, how much to bet on each game, which bets should be placed, and making sure that the money must be kept separate from personal funds is very ill-mannered. It is simply terrible that someone can become extremely excited and anxious to go somewhere and in a flash have the whole trip ruined before even arriving. It is granted that bad luck may still impart the same effect, but it is wrong when the culpable party is a friend or relative.
There have been times where I have had to remember gambling instructions from five different people. That was the last time I will ever do such a thing. I placed all of the bets as instructed, and all five people lost. This did not bother me since it was not my money, but I was furious after I returned. The first question one will hear from one of these people upon returning is "Did I win?" There is no concern for how the trip went, if I had a good time, or any of the other courteous inquiries one might expect. The immediate "Did I win?" is the friendliest greeting to be obtained from such a person. But as I am not one for idle pleasantries, even this did not truly bother me. Upon telling everyone that he or she did not win, several exclaimed "I probably won, and you're just keeping it for yourself" or "Oh, you probably didn't even place the bet." These remarks get me pissed. If you're going to act like such a jerk after I inconvenienced myself for your moronic bet, then the next time you give me money I'll throw it right back in your goddamned face!
So if someone you know is off to Vegas or AC, simply wish that person luck. Don't feel like you now have your own personal bookmaker. You should not look at this person as a means to transport your money to the casinos. If you should feel the need to gamble that badly, either buy some scratch off lotto tickets or go to the casino yourself!

On Involuntary Volunteering

Volunteering is something with which many are familiar. To offer oneself for some service or undertaking is common, although the motives may differ from person to person. Some may volunteer merely for charity, while others may volunteer to work through the ranks and obtain a desirable position.
Whatever the reasons may be, one thing is certain. Volunteering should involve offering oneself rather than someone else. As obvious as this may seem, some people have an entirely different concept. There have been far too many occasions in my life whereby another party has "volunteered" me for some task or other. Aside from the fact that offering someone else's services without consent is improper, it is also extremely incourteous to the "volunteered" party and I consider it an outrage.
In the past, my time has been offered to others for tutoring, to show foreigners around, to hang out with those who have no acquaintances in the area, and to meet up with people at some event I happened to be attending. All of these offers have taken place without my consent. It is time for someone to speak out and say "Enough is enough!" No one should have the right to take the time away from someone else.
In this matter, I am understanding. I know why someone would "volunteer" someone else. The reason is simple: he or she wants to be nice and help out. But there is a problem. By extending kindness to one individual, these people are being unkind to someone else. There is a solution, however. If these volunteer mongers would simply call the person that would be of help, these situations could be avoided.
So if you are one of these people that loves to volunteer others, STOP IT! Simply call that person (in private, without the one in need of help in the vicinity). Then ask if the person is willing before mentioning any of this to the one in need of help. One of the questions I hate is "Mr. X needs help in this, and I told him you would help. Is that okay?" At this point it is already too late, and the question is rather rhetorical. So the next time someone needs a volunteer, either volunteer yourself or don't volunteer at all.