Comments on: The Chump Change Incident http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/ It's about lessons learned... from life! Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:27:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Truth or Consequences | Middle Zone Musings http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2420 Truth or Consequences | Middle Zone Musings Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:01:20 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2420 [...] The Chump Change Incident [...] [...] The Chump Change Incident [...]

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2419 Robert Hruzek Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:33:04 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2419 I know whereof you speak, Jen, believe me! But like Eric said in his comment above, do it early; otherwise it just gets harder. Integrity and honor are hard work to build and they take time - but they're well worth it! I know whereof you speak, Jen, believe me! But like Eric said in his comment above, do it early; otherwise it just gets harder.

Integrity and honor are hard work to build and they take time - but they’re well worth it!

]]> By: jen_chan, writer MemberSpeed.com http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2418 jen_chan, writer MemberSpeed.com Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:19:53 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2418 Something like this happened with me and my guy last night. I did everything that you did in the store. I defended myself vehemently only to realize that I was the one in the wrong. I knew what to do, of course. But apologizing seemed so difficult. It was actually at the top of my tongue but I couldn't say anything and ended up saying something else. In the end, I eventually apologized but that was after a long back and forth deliberation in my head. Pride is such a difficult thing to overcome. It literally is. Something like this happened with me and my guy last night. I did everything that you did in the store. I defended myself vehemently only to realize that I was the one in the wrong. I knew what to do, of course. But apologizing seemed so difficult. It was actually at the top of my tongue but I couldn’t say anything and ended up saying something else. In the end, I eventually apologized but that was after a long back and forth deliberation in my head. Pride is such a difficult thing to overcome. It literally is.

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2416 Robert Hruzek Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:45:32 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2416 <p>Hello, Jackie! Today, I'd do the same thing as you - I couldn't rest until it was made right.</p> <p>And I appreciate the compliment on the language thing. I had a good teacher: watching Scotty in 10,000,000 Star Trek reruns. :-D</p> Hello, Jackie! Today, I’d do the same thing as you - I couldn’t rest until it was made right.

And I appreciate the compliment on the language thing. I had a good teacher: watching Scotty in 10,000,000 Star Trek reruns. :-D

]]> By: jackie cameron http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2410 jackie cameron Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:28:44 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2410 On a similar line to Eric's stolen item . What happens when you discover someone has made a mistake - in your favour. Take a recent experience of a couple of my friends who were out to dinner with another lady. When their bill came it had the meal but no drinks charged - and that included a bottle of wine. My friends insisted they tell the server - the other lady was not keen. She reckoned - and she was probably right - that nobody would notice ( well not til they did a wine inventory at least). We talked about this for ages but all agreed we would have to tell otherwise the taste of the meal would have been soured. Good to see you have learned some of the Scots tongue ( language) Robert. On a similar line to Eric’s stolen item . What happens when you discover someone has made a mistake - in your favour. Take a recent experience of a couple of my friends who were out to dinner with another lady. When their bill came it had the meal but no drinks charged - and that included a bottle of wine. My friends insisted they tell the server - the other lady was not keen. She reckoned - and she was probably right - that nobody would notice ( well not til they did a wine inventory at least). We talked about this for ages but all agreed we would have to tell otherwise the taste of the meal would have been soured.

Good to see you have learned some of the Scots tongue ( language) Robert.

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2415 Robert Hruzek Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:00:34 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2415 <p>Mike, "reality check" is a good descriptive phrase for how I felt when this was over. Thanks for contributing to the conversation, my friend!</p> Mike, “reality check” is a good descriptive phrase for how I felt when this was over. Thanks for contributing to the conversation, my friend!

]]> By: Mike http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2409 Mike Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:45:45 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2409 Life is full of these jerked back to reality moments. The most vivid for me involved a bicycle and gravel. I drive along feeling more and more confident in my abilities as the world’s best bicycle rider, only to hit a small patch of gravel, and control is lost. Its at that exact point in life when all reality as I know it stops. Although for only a brief second in time, it transforms me from a confident Evil Knievel to a quivering little child. Its not a defining moment, but a simple reality check-- Life is full of these jerked back to reality moments.
The most vivid for me involved a bicycle and gravel. I drive along feeling more and more confident in my abilities as the world’s best bicycle rider, only to hit a small patch of gravel, and control is lost.
Its at that exact point in life when all reality as I know it stops. Although for only a brief second in time, it transforms me from a confident Evil Knievel to a quivering little child.
Its not a defining moment, but a simple reality check–

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2414 Robert Hruzek Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:30:02 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2414 <p>Whoa, Glenda - great thought here about the things we do without thinking. That's one of the things that struck me so hard - that I could pop the change in my pocket and have no recollection whatsoever!</p> <p>Speaks volumes about the need to NOTICE what goes on around us and not just function on automatic.</p> <p>I think you're right about remembering it, too.</p> <p>And by the way, I appreciate your stopping by, Glenda!</p> Whoa, Glenda - great thought here about the things we do without thinking. That’s one of the things that struck me so hard - that I could pop the change in my pocket and have no recollection whatsoever!

Speaks volumes about the need to NOTICE what goes on around us and not just function on automatic.

I think you’re right about remembering it, too.

And by the way, I appreciate your stopping by, Glenda!

]]> By: Glenda Watson Hyatt http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2408 Glenda Watson Hyatt Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:19:19 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2408 Great post, Robert. I've had several of those moments with my husband; positive I am right and then realize I'm wrong. I go apologize, otherwise it eats at me. Imagine if you had taken Door #1. It may have been awkward to eat humble pie for that moment, but would you still remember the incident in such vivid detail thirty-five years later. Another interesting point: you don't recall putting the first lot of change in your pocket. How much in life do we do mindlessly, with no thought or recollection? How much of our life are we not present for? Hmmm. Great post, Robert. I’ve had several of those moments with my husband; positive I am right and then realize I’m wrong. I go apologize, otherwise it eats at me.

Imagine if you had taken Door #1. It may have been awkward to eat humble pie for that moment, but would you still remember the incident in such vivid detail thirty-five years later.

Another interesting point: you don’t recall putting the first lot of change in your pocket. How much in life do we do mindlessly, with no thought or recollection? How much of our life are we not present for? Hmmm.

]]> By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2413 Robert Hruzek Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:37:39 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2413 <p>Eric, my friend, you hit the nail right on the head! My thoughts about the difference in how I think about this in different times of my life are pretty much the same.</p> <p>It's important to learn early how integrity makes a difference in our own lives, much less how it affects those around us, don't you think?</p> <p>Oh, and rule of thumb: There's never a need to apologize for a long comment! Thanks for thinking this one through. We all profit when commenters do that.</p> Eric, my friend, you hit the nail right on the head! My thoughts about the difference in how I think about this in different times of my life are pretty much the same.

It’s important to learn early how integrity makes a difference in our own lives, much less how it affects those around us, don’t you think?

Oh, and rule of thumb: There’s never a need to apologize for a long comment! Thanks for thinking this one through. We all profit when commenters do that.

]]> By: Eric Peterson http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2407 Eric Peterson Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:35:14 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/the-chump-change-incident/#comment-2407 Wow! Awesome post Robert. Such a small and somewhat minor mistake that can lead to a huge lesson. First, I have fallen into the "I KNOW I'M RIGHT!" mindset before. Of course, I was wrong!! When I was younger, I was much more ready to keep walking and forget about the incident. However, I have more recently began to realize that accountability for our actions is important, I have started to take a different route. Now, I would turn around, return the change, and not only admit I was wrong, but sincerely apologize for my mistake! Recently, I walked out of a Scheels All Sports store (and into the mall it was attached to) with around a $25.00 item. I made it halfway through the mall when I realized I had "stolen" it. I immediately turned around and started doing the "run-walk" back to the store. I told them what had happened and then paid for it. No one had come looking for me, so it would have been very easy to keep on walkin'. I suppose it not only comes down to accountability, but also integrity! (Sorry for such a long comment)! Wow! Awesome post Robert. Such a small and somewhat minor mistake that can lead to a huge lesson.

First, I have fallen into the “I KNOW I’M RIGHT!” mindset before. Of course, I was wrong!! When I was younger, I was much more ready to keep walking and forget about the incident. However, I have more recently began to realize that accountability for our actions is important, I have started to take a different route. Now, I would turn around, return the change, and not only admit I was wrong, but sincerely apologize for my mistake!

Recently, I walked out of a Scheels All Sports store (and into the mall it was attached to) with around a $25.00 item. I made it halfway through the mall when I realized I had “stolen” it. I immediately turned around and started doing the “run-walk” back to the store. I told them what had happened and then paid for it. No one had come looking for me, so it would have been very easy to keep on walkin’.

I suppose it not only comes down to accountability, but also integrity! (Sorry for such a long comment)!

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