Dogs & Labels

This is a Joe rant:
The two things that people seem to be obsessed with here are: Dogs and Labels.

First dogs, they are very well trained and docile, but their owners drag them around EVERYWHERE. We were at the Rhine Falls last weekend, which has some pretty steep ascents and declines and yet dogs were present everywhere. Does your dog really need to go on a sightseeing tour with you? Perhaps now I am not as shocked that we were only 2 rows away from a dog on the transatlantic flight over here. Also, people are willing to spend some cash on their dogs. Dogs need insurance (ok maybe I understand that), but they also need train passes. Do you actually have to get a passport photo for the little guy? I don't know....

As for the labels, wow. If clothes seem expensive in the States, come on over (but don't plan to buy anything) because once you head back everything will be a bargain - Liz already had me worn down on a few things, but now I probably will "let" her buy anything at home! And the label / image thing is very pointed too, its not just that people have nice things, its that they subtly let you know they have nice things (i.e. we were checking out an apartment with a garage and the guy was like “it’s that parking place over there, where the new Volvo is” – I think that I heard the word new three times in five minutes. It’s class warfare in a different fashion – it’s the same regarding where people live here. All areas around the city are pretty much equal, but Seefeld is the place to be and people let you know that – we still haven’t figured out why. (Insert Liz comment: one of the partners at Joe's work asked him where we were living & Joe told him & the guy responded with, "oh, that's the wrong side of the lake." The wrong side of the lake? It's still gorgeous, safe & in the middle of the city, nothing like our dear east st. louis)

Some of the labels I just don’t understand (we’ll leave that for another post) and I’m sure Liz will soon comment on some people’s fashion sense, even if they did pay a lot of money for what they have on. But that’s my thoughts for now. I bet you can’t wait for my thoughts on politics, taxes, and mandated insurance! Sure to stir some debate!