Okay, this is my first post at the Fellowship, so be gentle. I happened upon this note in a bathroom recently and they were posted everywhere (seriously, like 5 or 6 of them). The only problem is that unless you have no personal hygiene and/or a shred of common sense, this note is pretty much useless.
In case you can't read it, here are the big ideas and brilliant ways you can avoid getting the flu.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 15-20 seconds (okay with you so far- good reminder)
- Try to stay in good general health (riiight...)
- Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids,a nd eat nutritious foods (would a diet of twinkies and pepsi qualify?)
- Try to avoid contact with surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus (also to keep from getting Anthrax, stay away from places with Anthrax. Oh and stay away from banks if you want to avoid money and avoid post offices if you want to don't like lines)
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick (translation: no frenching the sickys)
Okay there are a couple suggestions here that are decent reminders, but do we need a list of 5 to make it official or more commanding. The stupid ones make me want to ignore the ones that are actually good.
Have we degraded ourselves so much as a society that we need to remind each other to "stay in general good health" and "avoid contact with sick people." Perhaps the term "no-brainer" no longer applies to anything.
Are these good ideas and I'm making too much of this? Have you seen or received any useless advice lately? Want to add to the list of unspoken rules that apparently need to be spoken?
24 comments:
We live in a society where people take no personal responsibility and instead sue other people for their own lack of common sense.
It's sad that signs like this need to be put up, but if they weren't.. . someone would get sick and sue!
Welcome to FOTTSP... there's no turning back now!
I bought a flat iron with the following instructions:
"Not to be used in the bathtub"
Whew! Good thing I read that one!
In the bathrooms at the place i'm staying there are signs reminding people not to stand on the toilet seats lest they make the seats dirty or fall in.
Welcome to fottsp!
I think the hand washing reminder in the bathroom is appropriate...I see too many people in the LADIES room who splash their finger tips for half a second and then spend 30 seconds drying their hands (so they don't chafe from all that moisture...) If threatening them with the flu helps encourage them to wash their whole hands for twenty seconds, I say go for it...
But the other suggestions....In the bathroom? That last one might be useful at work to encourage people to stay home when sick to avoid infecting others....but as bathroom ettiquette? Ay Caramba!
I am glad that things are carefully labeled. Like not removing tags from pillows and mattresses under penalty of law. I would rip those off as soon as I got home if it weren't for that warning. And then where would I be? On my way to beginning a life of crime, I tell you. It all starts with the mattress tags..
Peter- I hear ya...
Kat- so did you do it or not?
Joanna- that made me laugh! Awesome.
Helen- 1st that's gross women don't wash their hands- sick. 2nd- you can pull the tags off once you get home (I checked into it because I'm that weird and inquisitive) hehe
Are you sure? You are a pastor...you wouldn't lead a lamb astray ...
Well, since it doesn't say to avoid licking public telephones to avoid getting sick I guess we can still do that, right?
Wendy- you're right. I was looking at this all wrong! These are the only guidelines for not getting sick. We must be free to do anything else we want! Hooray! Freeeeeedoooom!
As for me, I find this much more effective. Yeah, call 'em out.
I quit licking phones years ago Wendy, but I have been in some NASTY public restrooms where a don't pee on the floor sign would have been nice!
Jason- it's sad that these signs may be needed by some folks who haven't a clue. I guarantee that some one used a flat iron in the bathtub and didn't live to tell about it.
I for one, am proud to say I have NEVER operated a piece of heavy machinery or equipment after I take my allergy pill because of the warning on the box. I'm like, "No Big AL, today You'll have to drive the back hoe to work- I took a sinus pill." Yes, it's inconvenient that he has to pick me up after work in the backhoe, but it's just not worth the risk of me driving while under the influence.
Candy- I loved the cartoon- could we get one of those alarms installed in restrooms across America? Lets call Obama and see what he can do.
I can't even finish reading all the comments. I'm a germaphobe. You people talking about gross hygiene caused me to get up from my desk, use the Purell and then wipe down my keyboard.
My daughter's elementary school sent home "Flu Guidelines" for this year. In it, it says if you've been around someone exhibiting flu symptoms, they want you to stay home for 24 hours, just to be sure you don't spread it.
So if a kid at the school has the flu, they send the whole school home for 24 hours? And so on when the next kid gets it?
Also, the economy is taking its toll, so the school no longer fills the soap dispensers. They don't have hot water in the bathrooms either. I had a mild chest pain when my daughter told me that. I bought her a vat of hand sanitizer and put it in her backpack. I told her to use it after every potty break.
When there is a flu outbreak in my town, we'll know who to thank. The school who took soap and hot water out.
Good job Jason! Since you're "published" here, a book deal can't be far behind. That's how we all got ours.
Marni - Shhhhhh! You're the only one I got a book deal for. Hee!
Dude. I'm the opposite of whatever a germaphobe is. Yes, I try to keep all clean and pretty smelling...and attempt (notice: attempt!) to keep my kids clean. But germs don't bother me. I worked with children in poverty, many of whom did not know the first thing about personal hygiene. Some of them didn't HAVE running water or functional plumbing at their houses, so that makes hygiene difficult. So if someone wants to post a silly sign, hey, SOMEbody might learn something and that's fine with me! I just hope they can read it...
Sorry, Jason, don't want to be the downer, but there are people who do need this, sadly enough! I don't know if they frequent that particular bathroom, though. ;)
BTW, we always taught the kids to sing the ABC song while washing their hands to make sure they washed long enough. Maybe you should suggest that to the ladies you see in te restroom, Helen??
Beth- I just list off my bills that we owe:
Car payment, truck payment, Harley payment, Insurance on the car, insurance on the truck, insurance on the Harley, Jon's tuition,phone bill, light bill, water bill, stiletto bill, satellite dish bill, medical bills, property taxes, etc.
After about 15 minutes, the line behind me has grown so large that I must cut it off...but my hands are ALWAYS germ-free!
Beth, I actually do that myself outloud when I see a lady not washing her hands long enough, hoping she will ask me what I am doing...No, I didn't start outloud and that's why she won't finish washing her hands...I just start trying to lead by example when I see someone who didn't...
A B C D E F G....
Beth- it's one thing to be in a poverty-stricken country where you aren't able to exercise the hygiene. It's another thing to be in an office building with a hundred other professionals on the same floor. I admitted the "washing your hands thoroughly" was a good reminder though. It was the "try to stay in good general health" that made me involuntarily raise an eyebrow.
Not to be argumentative of course (but you got my debate juices flowing). I just think there's a huge different between the people you describe and the professionals in this building. Just sayin'
Marni- I'm no germaphobe, but I ain't a friend either. I'm not as concerned with the germs as I am being dirty- kills me...
Dang it! That's why I keep getting anthrax. (Note to self: stay away from places with anthrax.)
I'm here to help, Matt.
hold on, do they have public phones still?
Ahhhh, Jason, but these poverty stricken children lived in the U.S...but there still is a big difference between that and where you work, I'm sure! I just like to do my part to make sure we don't make assumptions that everyone's basic needs are met and that what some people think is common sense type of stuff really is not for many people. ;) I'll stop debating now.
But I came up with a reason for the sign! I'm thinking HR or some department made "health education of the employees" or some nonsense one of their goals to accomplish for the year and this dumb sign lets them check off the goal! Hmmm?
First, I was totally going to suggest to Helen that she start singing the ABC song, then I read that she already did. I think I'll start that.
Second, I always wash my hands. BUT I'm the opposite of a germaphobe too. I grew up spending Saturdays on horseback. Then I went on mission trips where we peed in a cornfield.
I survived all of that, so I decided to be clean but I just can't make myself care that much anymore.
(I wonder how many of you will hug me if we ever meet IRL now.) ;)
Funny, funny stuff! I love your sense of humor. Wanna see mine?
www.heavenlyhumor.blogspot.com
Hope to see you there!
Beth- you got me! Had to say I made the assumption this was outside the US. Touche!
Steph- maybe we'll just salute each other if we meet in person.
Nick- I think the last public phones are a part of an exhibit in the Smithsonian.
Deborah Ann- thanks and I'll check it out!
Jason,
Then you really shouldn't lick the exhibits. That gets the curator's really angry ... um not that I know that from personal experience or anything.
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