Fire Alarms: Are They Really Necessary?

I got to thinking roughly two minutes ago about the usefulness of fire alarms.  Mostly, this thought came to me as I was having a particularly productive night of homework and the fire alarms in my building went off.  During a FREAKING MONSOON!  So naturally, I have to leave the building in the pouring rain only to risk the threat of death by lightning.

Now don't get me wrong, fire alarms are great and save people, but besides that, what's their point?

I mean, there are always those pull stations and you are always tempted to pull them, even though it's a misdemeanor to do so.  BUT THEY ARE SO TEMPTING!!!!  I just want to pull one!  NOW!

Furthermore, why not make fire alarms with a soothing noise.  I personally would respond much better to a fire alarm blaring Enya instead of a loud obnoxious tone.  And what's with the lights?  Must they be so bright?  Can't we have a marquee or something that says, in basic colors, that there is a fire and it is advised that you leave the building?  So much easier, right?!?

Also too, why do the alarms go off in the entire building when there is only one small section on fire.  I don't care that the entire opposite wing is engulfed in flames, MY SIDE IS NOT!  Leave me alone!

That's about it, except to sum it up with a small story about work.

Here I am at the nursing home, loving life with the State Inspectors.  Three...two...one.  FIRE ALARMS.  Nobody, and I mean nobody, has any idea what to do.  All the staff stand there, looking around for the cause of the fire.

Which is better than the other time when a resident pulled the fire alarm.  Oh well, makes sense, gotta start living at some point, why not at 90?

Bus Etiquette Series 4--NEW BUS

So this post has more to do with the bus rather than the etiquette, but whatever.  My whole inspiration for this bus etiquette series has been because there is a new bus that I get to ride from time to time when it's operating!  This is the most exciting thing that has happened in my life in the past month!!!!

I can't really get a picture of the new bus, but trust me...IT IS AWESOME!

And by awesome, I really mean that it's pretty much the same exact thing, except with a bike rack and new seats.  And that new bus smell.  Nothing beats the new bus smell.

Yup, so there's my inspiration.  New buses.  Awesome!

Bus Etiquette Series 3--SOMEONE SIT BY ME!

Now, basically, the whole point of me starting this bus etiquette series thing was so that I could complain.  As you saw in bus etiquette 1, the seating chart for the bus is basically that every single day of the week.  Needless to say, the bus gets crowded, since there is standing room only.  However, without a fail, there is always an empty seat.  Next to me.  That no one takes...

...

...

AM I REALLY THAT HIDEOUS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO SIT BY ME?!?!?!
I mean really!  Who doesn't want to sit by this:

I am clearly on the right.  But really, I don't actually make that face.

I guess usually I'm so deep in thought about the world's problems and how to fix them that I might have a look of pure hatred on my face, but I'm really nice.  I just don't get it.  Perhaps I have an odor.  Perhaps I'm just so cool, that no one on the bus is able to be compared to my sheer awesomeness.  Whatever.  In the future, if you are on the city bus and see that beautiful blonde skeleton sitting by herself, sit by me instead.

I'M SO LONELY!!!

On a side note, my old English teacher is probably cursing the day we met for me using the word "Really" as an intensifier.  But does that really matter now? 

Bus Etiquette Series 2: Manners

As previously stated, I have ridden the bus multiple times.  As such, I am able to bring you this wonderful list of things you should and should NOT do whilst riding the city busing system.

Please DO:
Make Idle Conversation with the Bus Driver about all sorts of unimportant things like the weather, or stupid people.  Sometimes, she'll give you candy.
Pull the string first.  It's such an empowering feeling to make the bus stop.
Pull the sting even if someone has already asked the driver to stop at your stop.  Claim ignorance.
Make more idle conversation with the same people you see on the bus everyday.
Sort your purse/backpack/pockets.  Let everyone guess what's inside.
Leave an empty seat in between each person, unless you are intimate with them or the bus is full.
Have assigned seats and get extremely upset when a newcomer takes yours.  They should know.
Look up when someone new enters the bus in hopes that you know them.

Please DO NOT:
Get on the bus if you are drunk.  Nobody wants to see you passed out across three seats, suddenly wake up and start screaming to see if the bus has stopped.
Have loud conversation across the bus.  Nobody cares about your grandkids anyway.
Cackle.
Let your phone play its annoying ringtone for five minutes before you pick the stupid thing up!
TALK LIKE THIS!  EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU!!!~!!~
talk like this.  no one can hear you
If you are a creepy old man, please don't take pictures of my coworkers on your cellphone.  Not only does it make it awkward that I'm the only one who saw you do it, but it also makes me get uncomfortable images in my head.
Have conversations about things that no one should ever talk about outside of your doctor's office.  I don't care how bad your rash itches.
Eat something grotesque (and possibly still alive) and stink up the whole bus.
Enter the bus if you haven't bathed in over three days.
Listen to your iPod with the music cranked all the way up. The point of headphones is so I don't actually have to hear your crappy music.
If you are the bus driver, don't nearly hit me, act like it's a hassle to pick me up, speed off before I sit down, almost hitting other people even though I asked politely to wait, and then tell me that "It's not your job to wait for people".  You are a damn bus driver!  IT IS YOUR JOB!

Well.  This is just an abbreviated list of things that you should and should not do.  Enjoy.

PS  I have seen all of this whilst riding on the bus.  Now you understand my hate of the world.