As I get older I keep learning new things. For instance I recently learned I liked snow days better when I was younger because I didn’t have to leave my house. I have also learned that about 80% of people do not know how to drive at the Hardee’s entrance. Seriously. I nearly get into a wreck every time I come to work because people just pull out whenever they want or block the entire road to get a biscuit. Their biscuits are good, but not worth wrecking over.

I have learned that when you order wings at Zaxby’s they will ask what sauce you want them in. I learned that the hard way by sounding stupid at the drive thru. I ordered the boneless wings meal with a sweet tea and when she read it back I heard, “boneless wings meal something and a sweet tea.” I didn’t know what the middle thing she said was so I said, “No. I said just a boneless wings meal and sweet tea.” She said oh sorry and I heard the exact same thing all over again and I just accepted the fact that I was going to get an extra food I didn’t want. I was surprised to open my bag and see no extra food items and exactly what I ordered. I later looked at my receipt and realized she was saying the type of sauce. “Boneless wings meal, wimpy, and a sweet tea.” I thought the default sauce was mild. Now I know.

I have learned that I don’t ever want to have an inside dog after dog sitting for my sister. I used to always say I wanted a Great Dane or a Shih Tzu, but now I am just wishing that droids like R2D2 were a reality. Companionship without the responsibility of keeping them alive sounds great. I love my sister’s dog, but she literally would whine when she thought I wasn’t giving her an adequate amount of attention and push tennis balls under the couch and force me to get up and get them. No thank you.

I have learned that when my car struggles to turn on when I turn the key that it is probably a problem and that I should tell someone. I learned that when I had ignored it for weeks and went to start my car and it didn’t come on. I had to buy a new battery, so my wallet learned a lesson that day too.

I have learned that most people do not understand the concept of personal space. I have known this for a while, but I recently went to Hobby Lobby and it was packed.

Every aisle I went down someone was invading my space trying to grab something. Have some people not heard of waiting patiently or the words, “excuse me?”

I have also learned that I have sort of a new super power. I can enter a room and have people immediately stop talking out of fear of me writing about it. I’ve even been asked to leave a room. When you see a surgeon do you automatically assume they are going to cut you open? I didn’t think so and I don’t care about your personal life and it probably isn’t newsworthy anyways.

I guess learning never really stops.

Standard reporter Bethany Porter can be reached at 473-2191.