happy thoughts
Jul. 15th, 2010 11:45![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ltgmars1. There was an article below the fold in the South Bend Tribune (the local newspaper) today about a ten-year-old boy who found and returned a wallet with over $1000 in it. He was honored (and received some kind of gift certificate) for his honesty, etc. When I first heard about the story on the radio last night, I thought it was a bit strange for that kind of thing to warrant an honor and press, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to appreciate the story. The kid did the right thing. Even if he wasn't thinking in terms of exactly what it would mean to the other person -- the money happened to be the owner's unemployment check, so it was even more crucial that the money was returned to him -- he did what he should have done so unquestioningly and automatically. And while I'd assume that most people would do what he did (which is why it struck me as funny that it was considered news-worthy), he's a kid.
I remember in third grade a classmate of mine found a paper bag containing around $3000 in the playground, and he turned it in to the principal's office. (Why that kind of thing would be lying around in a Catholic grade school playground is beyond me, but.) Even though I sometimes think of myself as having a really well-calibrated moral compass now, I remember how I felt then: I would have turned it in, but it would have been hard. I would have been exceedingly reluctant. So the fact that this ten-year-old kid finds a wallet and automatically thinks, "Shit, I've got to turn this in!" (or whatever the ten-year-old equivalent is) is really great. And I'm always happy when newspapers print happy news, so it was doubly nice. The Trib does it a lot, which is nice. And very hokey. But I guess that's South Bend for you -- nice and hokey.
Actually, thinking about it, I wonder if it's easier or harder with a smaller amount of money. I've definitely picked up a $1 bill and posted about its being found on the GO! Boards, but that was easy to do because my college was tiny, and it'd be easy to return it. If I'm outside of the Haverbubble and I find a $1 bill, I wouldn't know how to get it back to the person who dropped it, so I'd probably just keep it. Right? But even if I do turn it in to the authorities and it finds its way back to the owner, no one's going to honor me for it, haha.
2. Will texted me yesterday and asked me if it'd be okay for him to drop by early next week, I guess on his way home. Definitely yes, dearest William! Ahh, I've missed my Haverford people. ♥
3. Throwing in some fandom things, because they are also quite happy-making:
a. Kanjani8 is the ultimate fic-writing music. It so fun -- it makes me excited and giddy. And hey, maybe I'll finish this fic today! (Probably not. Dammit.)
b. Today's episode of VS A*ashi is the literally the best thing that's ever happened to me. Thanks again for the warning, Ves -- I nearly slapped my arm against the desk in my excitement, but I was being extra-cautious, so I got away unscathed.
I remember in third grade a classmate of mine found a paper bag containing around $3000 in the playground, and he turned it in to the principal's office. (Why that kind of thing would be lying around in a Catholic grade school playground is beyond me, but.) Even though I sometimes think of myself as having a really well-calibrated moral compass now, I remember how I felt then: I would have turned it in, but it would have been hard. I would have been exceedingly reluctant. So the fact that this ten-year-old kid finds a wallet and automatically thinks, "Shit, I've got to turn this in!" (or whatever the ten-year-old equivalent is) is really great. And I'm always happy when newspapers print happy news, so it was doubly nice. The Trib does it a lot, which is nice. And very hokey. But I guess that's South Bend for you -- nice and hokey.
Actually, thinking about it, I wonder if it's easier or harder with a smaller amount of money. I've definitely picked up a $1 bill and posted about its being found on the GO! Boards, but that was easy to do because my college was tiny, and it'd be easy to return it. If I'm outside of the Haverbubble and I find a $1 bill, I wouldn't know how to get it back to the person who dropped it, so I'd probably just keep it. Right? But even if I do turn it in to the authorities and it finds its way back to the owner, no one's going to honor me for it, haha.
2. Will texted me yesterday and asked me if it'd be okay for him to drop by early next week, I guess on his way home. Definitely yes, dearest William! Ahh, I've missed my Haverford people. ♥
3. Throwing in some fandom things, because they are also quite happy-making:
a. Kanjani8 is the ultimate fic-writing music. It so fun -- it makes me excited and giddy. And hey, maybe I'll finish this fic today! (Probably not. Dammit.)
b. Today's episode of VS A*ashi is the literally the best thing that's ever happened to me. Thanks again for the warning, Ves -- I nearly slapped my arm against the desk in my excitement, but I was being extra-cautious, so I got away unscathed.
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no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 16:11 (UTC)i will ask nicely about why links have not been provided
or VSA excitement shared . . .
. . .
. . .
i want a divorce. and i won't read your fic ever again. part of the proceedings.
also! tell will hello for me.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 16:16 (UTC)Anyway, Nino's an excited little fanboy throughout, and it's quite cute. And Ogu-san's the plus one, which helped me realize how much I actually do like him and have missed him, despite my firm stance that he was kind of useless on Shukudai-kun. IN A FUNNY OLD MAN KIND OF WAY, OF COURSE.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 16:53 (UTC)Is it horrible if I found money I would keep it? if it was a wallet or purse and can be returned to that person then obviously I would hand it in. And if it was in college or somewhere I knew I would ask if anyone had dropped it but if I came across cash just lying in the street I wouldn't know what to do right away and if it's an amount that's relatively small (anything less than 50) so that if someone lost it they probably wouldn't report it... oh I'm feeling like a bad person now.
lol can you write to Kanjani8? I would just end up getting hyper and singing along - I will find it equally hilarious if the fic you write to eito is really dark and angst ridden.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 17:00 (UTC)I think that's the norm, honestly. "Petty change" like that is the kind of thing that people will chalk up as "spilled milk", so maybe they'll double back and check, but if it's not there, they're not going to make a big fuss about it (except, say, to their friends or on Twitter or something, heh). I don't think it makes you a bad person, especially when the logistics of trying to get someone his 37 cents are more troublesome than the money's worth.
Aha, the fic's kind of "slice of life" (or so I hope), so it isn't a diametric opposite of what I'm listening to. Though I have doubled back and replayed "Rolling Coaster" about ten times in a row, so it's not exactly the most productive thing to write to when I have to stop and go back to the song every four minutes.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 23:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-15 23:52 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-16 05:59 (UTC)Another thing I haven't done is consistently watch anything Arashi related (aside from the PVs) since AnS ended. It was my favorite and I suppose I was bitter for quite awhile. Now I think I've just gotten too lazy to download variety shows, ha ha.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-16 12:51 (UTC)And please, please, please watch the latest VS Arashi. It's seriously epic.