Rules!? There ARE no Rules!!

Today's miles: nothing but miles of guilt b/c I wanted to sleep instead of run this morning. Maybe 2 miles later????

There are rules to life. Yes. Believe it or not. There are things you do, and things you don’t do. Since we were kids, there have always been rules. As adults, we still have rules we must follow.

And guess what happens when you don’t follow the rules?  Well, the answer used to be…..consequences.

There are rules to every race. Yes, as silly as it may sound, there are rules. Some do not allow for runners to wear headphones. Why? Because if you are running on a road with cars – you might want to hear them coming (especially in the East TN area where all drivers assume the right-of-way-at-all-times-get-the-hell-out-of-my-way-or-I’ll-run-your-butt-over kind of offensive driving…..it’s obvious they never had Mr. Acuff in Driver’s Ed!). My race coming up on Saturday "Strongly discourages the use of headphones, but will not disqualify anyone." In other words, if you're dumb enough to wear them and get run over by a car....well, survival of the smartest.....

So what happens if you are caught with headphones in a no-headphones-allowed race? Supposedly…. they won’t count your time as official…which is only really important to the fast people. They won't throw you off the race route. But Still! It’s a rule! I’ve never seen this rule enforced. I run with and without headphones on a daily basis. If I’m road running, I will typically have the volume way down or only one ear bud in. But if the race says No Earphones – then I don’t wear them. I guess I’m a not a “Rule Breaker.”

But my question is where have the consequences gone? Why do adults feel that they no longer need to follow the rules? 

Oh, those rules?….they are only for the other people. Special People don’t have to follow rules. And I'm Special....because my parents told me I so!

Most of my experiences with rule breakers or Special People typically occur at airports.

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES. A TSA rule at security checkpoints. Passengers are supposed to take off their shoes and put them on the XRay belt to be scanned. 

• But I’m a White Woman? Why do my shoes have to be scanned?
• But I’m wearing flip flops, can’t you just see my feet? 
• But I’m not wearing socks, my feet will get dirty?!
• But I’m wearing Make-every-hooker-proud-stiletto-lace-up-boots-that-go-up-to-my-butt-crack, it would be a pain to get these off?!

Let’s be clear about this people. There was a guy that had a BOMB in his shoe! The TSA doesn’t want to smell your stank feet. They could care less if your feet get dirty. And Really? Lace-up-stiletto-hooker-boots at the airport? Did you know you were catching a plane this morning when you got ready? (Yes, I did say that out-loud to that woman as she was untying her 3 foot tall boots and making me late for my flight.)

ALL LIQUIDS MUST BE IN A 3OZ OR LESS CONTAINER; AND ALL OF YOUR LIQUIDS MUST FIT IN A ONE-QUART ZIP LOCK BAG - PER PASSENGER - WHICH MUST BE TAKEN OUT FOR INSPECTION. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR PRESCRIPTIONS AND INFANT FORMULA. Another TSA rule. This means you can have multiple liquids – but none of them can be in a container over 3oz; and all of them together must fit in a one-quart zip lock bag. Did the second make any more sense than the first? I restated it because for some reason people just DON’T get this.

• Does a 20oz bottle of water fit in that description?
• Does your 15oz bottle of shampoo fit in that description? 
• Does liquid make-up count as a liquid?
• Does my kids’ sippy cup full of coke count as a liquid?
• Does this 1 gallon bag of liquid crappola count as a one-quart bag? How about if I just divide it up into 4 one-quart bags?

Again, let’s be clear about this people. There was a guy that had EXPLOSIVE liquids on a plane! If you’re thirsty, buy something after security. If you need a 15oz bottle to wash your stank hair for a 2 day trip, get a haircut. Does liquid make-up count as a liquid? (YES I had a lady ask me that in a security line one day. My response: "Did you really just ask me that? Seriously?")

At least the TSA makes people follow rules. Ya know who doesn’t make you follow rules at airports – airlines.

That rule about your carry-on being of a certain size and each passenger is only allowed two carry-ons (one ‘suitcase’ type carry-on and one personal item (laptop bag, briefcase or purse)) is a BUNCH OF CRAP. I’ve seen people bring 5 carry-ons onto a plane. I’ve seen people take full size suitcases on a plane. “Let’s just curb side check it so we don’t have to pay the baggage fee.”

How about you pay a fee for causing this plane to be delayed because you and your 5 full size suitcases can’t find a hole big enough in this plane to put your stuff!

TURN OFF ELECTRONIC DEVICES. Why do people NOT do this? They just put it in standby mode. Why? Why not turn it off? I just don’t get people that leave their stuff on…. If my plane goes down because you couldn’t wait 2 hours to update your FaceBook status, I will haunt your FB friends!

Don’t even get me started about Body Scanners….The TSA does not hire a bunch of perves. They do not want to see your junk. You know what they would've seen???? Remember the guy that had EXPLOSIVES in his UNDERWEAR!?

For some reason I feel like someone from the FBI will be reading this blog tonight....

Gotta run…..