How much toilet paper do you use?

This probably belongs in the TMI or WTF category, but that's what this blog is about, my mindless ramblings - and I think people will agree this is definitely mindless. :)

I like to not be wasteful of anything. Water, paper towels, electricity, even toilet paper, I like to use the minimum possible to get the job done. After seeing people in the bathroom grab a huge handful of paper towels to dry their hands off when probably half of those never got wet and were just wasted, I got to wondering about toilet paper - do people grab a TON of it like they do paper towels or just the right amount?

Do people grab one sheet? A set amount of sheets? A length that looks good? Pull off half the roll? Do they wrap it up in a ball? Fold it? Crumple it up? And how many times do you pull off a sheet/section? Once? Twice? Thrice? More? Of course all that got me to thinking what I do.

I realized I probably use more than I need. That's because I pull off enough to make sure it covers my hand cause I don't want my hand to get any on it (ewww!). (of course I do wash my hands, but still, eww!) And I do three or less wipes. I've decided while I don't really waste that much, I should try and use less.

We just bought some cool toilet paper for our kids. It has pictures of a puppy and paw prints on it. There will be several sheets of paw prints, then a puppy, several paw prints, then a puppy. The purpose is to teach them how much toilet paper to use - tear right after the puppy so you only have paw prints and a puppy. I looked at how much that is and it's a good amount, not too little, not too much. I think it's an excellent idea.

So, how much do you use?

People carrying "Repent or else!" signs

I'm having fun watching Mardi Gras on a live video stream from nola.com. Lots of people who look like they are having fun, some dressed normally, some very creatively. And there are a few carrying signs with the usual religious stuff on them, "Stop now! Repent! Save your lives or forever burn in hell!"

I am most definitely a religious person, but I just have to wonder about these people. Do they really think someone is going to read their sign and go, "Wow! He is so right! I DO need to stop everything I'm doing right now and change my life so I won't go to hell!" I mean what's the purpose of holding a sign like this? Most people are just going to ignore it, some might even laugh at it. I'm sure it makes them feel good, that they are doing something to stop the downward spiral into damnation and all that, but really, do they ever change anyones life? Does anyone really take them seriously?

Bathroom stuff..

When guys go into a public bathroom and stand at the urinal to pee, why do they always spit into the urinal too? I've never found the need to do this, yet I see guys doing it all the time. No, I don't watch other guys pee, just notice it when someone is next to me.

And what's up with washing hands? Guys will turn the water on, run their hands under quickly, then turn it off, grab about 10 paper towels to dry their barely wet hands and quickly exit. If you're going to wash your hands, then WASH them! Put some soap on them! And why waste so many paper towels? Probably half of those weren't even wet! Take one, dry off as much as you can, take another and finish, and if you need use a 3rd. I can almost always get my hands dry with two paper towels. Just bugs me to see people 1. not wash right and 2. waste so much. I want to grab a big hack paddle and tell them, "Go back and do it right or bend over." hehe

And why does the ladies bathroom where I work have music playing and we don't? I'll bet it's because the ladies keep it down low and on a nice station where if us guys had music, it would be loud and some good hard rock. No dainty, frilling music for us! ARR ARR ARR! [that's supposed to be a Tim Allen grunt]

The Color of People

Have you ever noticed people including race or color in conversation? For example, if someone was in a bar and some guy was being a jerk, I've noticed if the person recounting the experience is white and the jerk was white, they'll say, "There was this guy who was such a jerk." But if the jerk was black, they'll say, "There was the black guy who was such a jerk." Or "There was this mexican/latino/hispanic guy who was such a jerk." Yet these same people will say they are not racists, and for the most part aren't.

So what does it matter what color/race the person was? Why can't we just say, "This guy was such a jerk." Now if you are describing someone to the police, yes, race and color are important. But if it's just recounting something where some guy was a jerk, do race and color matter?

What also bothers me about this is when they are saying this around young kids. These kids are learning racism. True it's a quite mild, but it's still racism. They will grow up with a slanted look towards people who aren't like them.

Now I will say I have seen groups of blacks/hispanics/asians/etc perpetuating the stereotype by their actions and looks, but I also see whites doing the same things, it's not just non-whites. I'm not saying everyone should be boring, tie-wearing cogs, just if you don't want people to look down on you or think bad of you, don't act like jerks. And saying Nigga, Nigger, etc, isn't cool, it's just stupid.

Anyhow, I've just found it interesting how white people who say they are no WAY racist find they have to say, "This black guy" instead of just "This guy". Yes, I have found myself doing this and now try not to do it, unless the color/race is important to the story. And no, I'm not perfect, just trying to get along with others more.