No, I do not work outside the home. But I do a heck of a lot on the inside – besides the kids, the husband, the house, and the pets, I also write. A lot. And of course, handle 75% of the “other things” like bill-paying, doctor appointments, endless paperwork, shopping, etc.

I have, over the course of my life, naturally worked outside my home. I’ve held a myriad of jobs, sometimes more than one at a time, averaging probably 45 hours a week over a period of 25 years or thereabouts.

My husband works over 50 hours a week, outside the home; his chosen field is retail. He’s very, very good at what he does, and he’s very, very conscientious.

Sometimes it drives me nuts. Like today.

He gets one day off a week. The rest of the days he’s working anywhere from 8-10 hours a day, starting at 6:00 a.m. So on Sundays he should not, in my book, have to go to the store or even think about the store.

Typically there are a few phone calls, just to check on things. Sometimes there’s a small crisis that can be handled by phone. Sometimes, like today, he has to go in.

Part of the problem, of course, is that he thinks others can’t handle what he does. Part of it, too, is some really ridiculous company policy.

I really do try not to complain – but I think it’s silly when people just blow off work and don’t show up, or make up a problem just to be able to leave early. Do they not realize they’re completely expendable? That we’re in a recession (at the very least) and they should be grateful they even have a job to go to?

Seriously, what the heck is wrong with the world? Guys like my husband have to pick up the slack, yet they still get screwed by the system; even by their employers who know they can get away with it. And what does the government do? Like someone said, they aren’t in place to actually help, only to appear to help. For example, like the new “stimulus” plan where my hardworking husband will see maybe an extra $10 a week on his check.

Whoopee. Yeah, that makes up for it.

Okay, odd title, but whatever – it works.

Of course you’ve noticed how some people are always late. Or maybe you’re one of them yourself. How late is too late? What’s the protocol for lateness? What, you say – you mean I should strive to be on time? Really?

There are different degrees of lateness, or I suppose I should say “tardiness” but that kind of sounds like missing the school bell.

Let’s say you’re invited for dinner at 6:00; you arrive home at 5:30 and should be walking out the door in about 15 minutes, tops, to avoid arriving after the meal is supposed to be served. Instead, you decide that other things are more important and so you dawdle around, or can’t find your shoes, or can’t make up your mind which shirt to wear.

What to do? Get your fanny in gear! You agreed to six, your host is probably planning on your arrival a few minutes early, even, because you’d rather take off your coat and greet folks before sitting down to eat.

Have some consideration for heaven’s sake! Are you so important that everyone should have to wait for you? Not to mention possibly a ruined dinner – for everyone else too?

If you’ve pulled this stunt a time or two, your host is probably not going to wait the third or fourth time. And you have no right to be annoyed – although your host probably does.

What if you call and say you’ll pick up your friend in an hour? And then call two hours later to say you’re still coming, and will call, but STILL don’t show up for another hour? I think your friend probably will decide to make other plans.

Or you might just be late for a meeting, maybe just a few minutes. The proper thing, of course, is to call and give everyone the head’s up; or slip in quietly, unless you are the one who called the meeting.

Sometimes, as we all know, things come up: the baby is being uncooperative, or traffic is heavier than usual; maybe you had car trouble or were running late from another appointment. So sure, it happens. But habitual lateness is simply rude.

What that tells others is that you think YOU are more important, that YOUR time is more important, than anything else. It also says you are disorganized and flaky, that you are incapable of using your time wisely and scheduling yourself. In a word, habitual lateness says that you are not very trustworthy, or even proficient at managing your life.