I Hate Change...

I know that some people claim they "thrive" on change (Hannah). But I do not. I think it is HIGHLY overrated. I eschew change, I abhor change...I even fear it at times! Granted...some things NEED to change...the presidential administration, my son's underwear, my place on the salary schedule at school. But other things don't need to change and change for change's sake is NOT always good. I don't need to be "shook" up! There are some things that should not change...or that wreak havoc when they do. And remember this is my list...so if you are an agent of change you can just skulk on outta here and come back later when I have changed to a new topic! ;-)

1. Bank accounts...OMG. I just changed banks and it was the most stressful 2 weeks of my life. Things were overlapping, I had 2 banks at once, I was stressing about auto-debits and automatic withdrawals. Then my new checks were printed wrong! So, it's over and it seems to be going along ok now. But seriously, did I need that stress??

2. Rules at work...Most of this is under the category of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." This is especially true with new bosses. Don't come in and change stuff just to leave your mark and make you feel like you are being heard. There is something to be said for history and routine. Does that mean that nothing ever changes? No, of course not. new ways of getting out info or helping people etc...can and SHOULD change. But when breakfast treats were on Tuesdays for 18 years and suddenly they are on Wednesdays, how the hell am I supposed to remember that??????

3. Return policies at stores...WTF is that about? Remember in the olden days when you bought something and then decided it sucked or didn't match or WHATEVER, and you brought it back to the store and they simply gave you your money back? Oh no, that can't happen anymore! You have to have a store credit, or wait for a check in the mail 2 weeks later or bring a sworn affadavit that you bought it and never even touched the seal or got fingerprints on the cover. And don't get me started on how the clerks don't even know how to process a return without it taking 30 minutes...Do you know how much cash Tom and I made on returning wedding gifts? Ahhh, the good old days at Marshall Field's! (Obviously that is its own topic.)

4. Family holiday recipes...You are used to things tasting a certain way. You count on it, you romaticize it as part of your lost childhood. Then suddenly everything gets ordered from FoodStuffs or the real sour cream is replaced with fat free. Screw that. Yes, I'm bitter. Someone get me some real kugel without raisins, and then slowly back away...

5. The interest rate on loans...Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know there is some big huge, fancy schmancy economic reason why this happens. But let's face it, it isn't fair. So there. ;-)

Ok, so I am sure there is more...but I don't want to seem stubborn and narrow ;-). I have a theory about people who claim to love change...generally they are people who are not overly organized. Change does not affect them that much because they don't have much invested in the immediate future...they just drift about and go with it. Is that bad? Well, no...but it's not linear or, or, or...ORGANIZED. It is stressful to not know what to expect. I hate that.

And yes, I realize this all makes me seem very rigid. But tough cookies. If it weren't for organized, stable, consistent people like me the rest of you would still be following the herd and breaking up camp several times a year when the hunting was bad. It is the planners of the world that civilized us, so there.

Today it's fat free sour cream for the kugel...tomorrow, complete anarchy. Discuss.