I’ve been asked by the kindly few that have started to read my foray into blogging what exactly a travesty is and why I choose it for my tagline. Reference.com’s dictionary defines it as such:

travesty:

n 1: a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations [syn: farce, farce comedy] 2: a composition that imitates somebody’s style in a humorous way [syn: parody, lampoon, spoof, sendup, mockery, takeoff, burlesque, charade, pasquinade] v : make a parody of

What better definition of life is there? Everywhere I look I see improbable situations that at worst are nothing less than comical. It’s like that old commercial where no matter what the kid looks at, he only sees Tootsie Rolls ™. Wherever I look I see life being played out as a satire.

The juiced up businessman who stresses out about too much work and too little play that I met at the coffee shop. He was getting a triple espresso so that he could go back to work to crank out more hours. What happened to the possibility of a balanced life he so desperately wanted but was so unwilling to strive for?

The businesses so intent on making that little extra money that they refuse to acknowledge that their practices are not allowed. King County turned bottled water into a non-taxable item on January 1, 2004. Out of the 12 times I’ve bought a bottle this year, 8 times I have had to correct the store owner and fight for the fact that I am buying something that is not to be taxed, and I’ll be darned if I’m paying tax on it. In only one case did I have to walk away without my water.

On the same note, the plethora of local business who have recently decided that against their VISA card policies, they will still charge customers for small credit card purchases by either tacking on a fee for those under a certain aount, or disallowing any purchases under a certain amount. BOTH practices are against the rules of VISA’s policies for merchant accounts. Again, a fight for every purchase. I choose not to carry cash, and I get penalized by businesses who say they want my money, but don’t care what kind of service they provide to achieve that end. I know it costs them money for each transaction, but it is their choice to accept VISA or not. I expect that if they do they abide by the rules VISA set out to protect consumers.

And finally, the best example I have seen recently that supports the posit that life is merely a satire being played out before our eyes by a cadre of fools:

The so called eco set that scream to the world that a diffference must be made, and then waste resources themselves. This past Saturday we were treated by Strabucks to see Walt Disney’s newest Imax presentation (Premiering on Earth Day was a great call BTW…) Sacred Planet. It had a great commentary about the way life used to be for tribes and how the planet’s last pristine places are disappearing. Saddening, deeply saddening. But where’s the travesty there you ask? Well, afterwards, we visited the Explore More store at the Pacific Science Center. I found among other Earth Day eco items a book called Chinook Book, put out by King County and full of $5,000 worth of coupons for incredibly eco friendly products and services. I paid my $20 and asked for no bag. The cashier refused and said as long as I was in the store I MUST have a bag. Store policy. HUH? A store full of science and eco freindly items insisting I take a bag I don’t want? As well as the person in front of AND behind me? Now granted, it may cut down on shoplifting (hey, I have to cut some slack here…) but why not put a box outside the store (which is still inside the museum BTW) to collect unwwanted bags so that they can be recycled? It totally shattered my day… I have NEVER been forced to take a bag. Anywhere. Ever. There goes the chance of my buying a membership since I now know where those precious dollars are spent…

There you go; A definiton, some examples, and a heart felt sigh.

At least we do honor some of these folks’ kin with their very own Darwin Awards ceremony…