Gen Z Story

 The NY Post published a news item entitled: "Gen Z young people suffer from ‘menu anxiety’ when dining out — with many too scared to order their own meals."

I sat and read over the story.

It would appear that they sit down....gaze over a four-page menu, then get all hyped-up and unable to really select anything.  So they end up asking others at the table to order for them, or getting some advice from the waitress.

I pondered over this.

I grew up in rural Alabama in the 1970s.  When you did get a eating-out opportunity....you typically had a one-page menu, which prominently featured catfish, chicken and some lunchtime roast-beef special.  Three-quarters of the time, you went to the bottom where a hamburger plate was offered up for $2.99 (ice tea was unlimited in those days).

The amount of time you spent gazing at the menu?  Less than 20 seconds.

After that, I went off to the Air Force....where the chow hall typically had four offerings....the grilled ham and cheese sandwich, hamburgers, cheap fish-sticks, or crappy tasting spaghetti and meatballs. You spent less than 3 seconds on menu-gazing.

To some degree, I'm puzzled over this Gen Z crowd. I admit...maybe a four-page menu is a bit difficult to analyze.  Maybe the pricing scheme is such....that you really don't want to spend $26 for a marginalized plate of Lamb (with gravy out of a can). 

But if you have such a problem over lunch or dinner....how does dating go?  Do you gaze over a 8-page list of things NOT to mention prior to the date?  Do you carry a 3 x 5 inch card around to remind you of polite things to say to the gal or guy?  

Life was confusing...even before Gen Z folks came along, but it seems like they've made things twice as confusing with their antics.

Breathing Story

 I sat looking this week over a Daily Mail UK newspiece: "Now scientists say BREATHING is bad for the environment: Gases we exhale contribute to 0.1% of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions.|"

You can read the whole  piece here.

By the end, you are left with two observations.  First, we could be doomed no matter what we do.  Or, we could adapt here and learn to breath less.  

I pondered over the breathing less.  At the Alabama pool where I failed to learn how to swim.....you had training to hold your breath thirty seconds.  This practice might work, and if so....we could lessen the destruction of the planet, by holding our breath on a regular basis. 

If none of this matters, and we are fairly doomed?  Well....then breath on....like you would normally breath.  

Next week?  I expect the next science worry to be excessive farting...causing climate change, and getting people to lessen their farting.