@OT I agree, I mean you'd think they'd be grateful for the opportunities they've had to become financially independent in America. I know I constantly appreciate that I was born here, that my great grandparents came here instead of going somewhere else, that my parents worked hard and gave me a good [spoiled] childhood, that I myself was able to utilize capitalist American policies to give myself and my children a good life... That said, I suppose the habit of forgetting to be thankful for what you have is pretty universal in America; and it almost always leads to trouble when the perpetrator acts upon that lapse of honest assessment of the situation at hand. You could equate this to so many things; from kids hating their parents because they don't get that new iPhone when they wanted, to kids getting pregnant and wrecking their lives because they think they're ready emotionally [but are not financially or in their relationship], to cheating on spouses when everything's not perfect, to quitting [or worse stealing/abusing] good jobs because you feel under-appreciated, etc. So many disappointments are tied to selfishness and a lack of consideration of the consequences and effects. I often feel like these kids didn't get the "rash decisions" talk from anyone; statements like "think about what you're doing" and "don't do anything stupid" - but maybe that was just my parents? Am I really so blessed to have my particular parents? My grandparents had a similar mentality, they always said stuff like "hasty judgments begets remorse," "you're gonna find yourself in a zugzwang" (which means you're in a position where there is no "good" decision left for you,) "don't switch horses in the water," and one I think most folks have heard, "don't throw out the baby with the bathwater."
The last full service station in my state stopped offering the service some years ago. It was a Chevron station and I'd drive 15 miles out of my way every week just to fill up there so I didn't have to suffer the smell of it. Sadly I didn't use enough gas to keep the service solvent
My husband and the kids try to fill the cars for me now, they do decent enough job, but I still end up having to do it myself every once in a while - then I feel sick all day. I hate whatever the additive they put in up here over the winter even more than just gas smell. :/
