Picture: CongerDesign from Pixabay
I DON’T want to talk too soon, but it seems as if winter is finally tapering off. I also don’t mind saying that this year was particularly biting; I really felt the chill.
And for those who’d say that it wasn’t as bad as all that, you probably spent more time outside, in the warm Kimberley sun, than I did, being a deskbound, screen-bound, PC bound grunt. ‘Indoor winter’ this year was brutal!
But now, as Spring draws nearer, we can finally start thinking about buffing up and toning to show off our bikini bodies.
I have to say that, besides being behind a desk for most of the time, I have not, thankfully, added too much blubber to my frame. Maybe that’s because I was disciplined enough to continue my cold shower routine throughout the winter.
Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t solely shower cold. I would shower and clean my grimy body with hot water, but then turn on the icy needles afterwards. Apparently, your body expends energy trying to stay warm in a cold shower, resulting in a small amount of calorie burn and increased metabolism.
Another blubber fighter was the intermittent fasting, which during winter – the comfort food season – is torture. I fell off this wagon more than I fell out of the cold shower cubicle, hence the extra girth around the middle.
Another benefit of intermittent fasting, besides improved health and a leaner frame, is the fact that you cook fewer meals. And why is that good? Because then you use up less food, silly!
Is it only me or has anyone else noticed how we’ve tightened our belts to the last notch and it’s still not enough. The cost of living has just ballooned out of sight; I can no longer keep up financially!
In the past I used to look forward to the end of the month, but these days I am experiencing endless months!
Cooking one less daily meal is not only a health kick, it’s an economic survival trick these days, with groceries being so expensive. The concept of living hand-to-mouth has become a stark reality to many.
But then to make things worse, on top of groceries and foodstuffs being so expensive, customers have the added burden of having to endure poor service at many stores and supermarkets.
I mention this a lot, I know.
But I don’t criticise poor service just to be critical. On the contrary, I am hoping that businesses will take note and upskill their employees, and hopefully by doing this attract more happy, willing feet into their places of business.
How many clients, I wonder, are happy to wait in queues while cashiers are too absorbed in conversation to notice them? I recently paged through a complaints register at a local supermarket, and I was surprised to see all the complaints about tardy cashiers in the few pages I looked at. This cannot be good for business.
Other stores have weary, bored, overburdened young people wilting at their tills, slouched in despair – such posture doesn’t create a positive impression at a place of business, I can assure you.
And then on the other end – the faraway, extreme other end – we have those super-eager, energised staff members whipping through the supermarket aisles at breakneck speed. Yes, I am referring to the young folk doing the shopping for the home deliveries.
I have to say that while I admire their energy and enthusiasm, I fear for older, slower people who could one day be clipped or rammed by these eager shoppers. Just my opinion, but an occasional “excuse me” would work wonders, I believe.
But back to the problem of cashiers, I just need to add that I have had a few unpleasant confrontations with tellers over the years.
Just last month I didn’t know how many benefit points I had on my loyalty card and asked one cashier if she’d be so kind as to check my balance.
So she pushed me over!
And then last Wednesday, with the last few pennies I had over in my wallet, I made a quick trip to the store to buy a few emergency supplies. I bought a light bulb, a dozen eggs, a small bottle of milk and a box of matches.
The young lady at the till scanned the items, asked me if I wanted a shopping bag, and smiled sweetly when I said “No” while stuffing the items into my jacket’s pockets.
“You must be single,” she said, still smiling.
I looked at the items, looked back at her, and was filled with admiration for her deductive skills.
“That’s pretty sharp of you,” I said, adding, “Tell me, how did you figure it out?”
“Oh, it’s easy,” she replied. “You’re bald and ugly.”