I came onto a new pleasure-routine this past year... something I had never really done my whole life... going to the butcher to get my fresh meat on... and I do mean meat...

I recently stumbled into somewhat of a set diet... or a diet that has specific recipes. One in particular, requires a specific amount of ground beef.... since I know the exact amount, I have gotten into the habit of asking the butcher for a half pound of fresh ground, split into two quarter pounds... wrapped separately, but then packaged together in that brown butcher paper....

A fairly boring and unexciting order... but it is precise and the exact right amount... I never really thought about it much, that it was anything out of the ordinary, but every time I get to the butcher's counter, he says, "HEEEYYYYY, it's the double-quarter-ground-beef guy!!"

At first, I was flattered. Flattered to be remembered. So what if I had a stupid nickname.... it is nice to be greeted like family.... well, as close as you can get to family with a butcher....

But then I started to resent it... filling my head with gruff annoyance over my being tagged the "double pack meat guy". Dude, can't you remember my name?? Would it be so hard to just call me by my first name?? If you really want to be friendly, if you're really that excited to see me again, use my NAME!

I think this world would be a much happier place if everyone just said hello and tried to remember first names... the postman... the counter guy at the gym... the firestation guy... the late night girl at the all-night gas station... the check out girl in the grocery store... the bag-boy at the grocery store... the guy I keep walking past on my way to see the nightly sunset show at the beach... the electrician who's had to make three visits this past week to fix and re-fix my heater... the bouncer at that club... the girls falling down those steps... the host at the all-night diner... the girl in the back of that cab...

So many people we come into contact with every day... often again and again... and never take the time to remember their names... or even ask their name in the first place... we've become so impersonal... so faceless... so hardened and callous...

Maybe that will be my new year's resolution... to start being friendlier and really caring about people I meet every day... with at least the effort to get and use their name... to be able to say hello with my head held high! and not stare past them or look away...

So instead of being annoyed, I guess I should be saying thank you... Thank you, "Butcher Man".