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...when the Salvation Army bell-ringers are out. Ugh.
I have nothing against the Salvation Army most of the year; I generally approve of them. But from the time the bell-ringers come out until the bells are stuffed back in a closet, I hate them. Sometimes intensely, sometimes with a weary vagueness. I will give no money to a bell-ringer. I will give no money to the organization sponsoring the bell ringers for the duration they are out. They are very lucky that I don't say I will give them no money ever, although I admit, they seldom seem to solicit it outside the holiday season, so maybe it does not matter much.
I'm sorry you think a constant ring-ring of bells is seasonal and a good way to draw attention and get donations. I'm really sorry most ringers follow it, and use cheap shrill bells. But if you think you're getting money for me in response to causing me physical discomfort or even pain, think again.
Those bells are shrill and painful. They're bad enough outside, but on really bad-weather days when the ringer has been allowed to take shelter inside a double-door lobby (happened a couple times last year), they are agonizing. The Fred Meyer's in Newberg is probably off my list to use for the rest of the holiday season, unless I forget. It turns out the acoustics of their outside area is such that an outdoor bell ringer is exquisitely loud and echoing, ie, very painful to me. I went in with my fingers jammed in my ears - and the bell ringer looked right at me, with my face twisted with pain, and kept ringing. I suppose he thought I was just trying to be rude.
I have nothing against the Salvation Army most of the year; I generally approve of them. But from the time the bell-ringers come out until the bells are stuffed back in a closet, I hate them. Sometimes intensely, sometimes with a weary vagueness. I will give no money to a bell-ringer. I will give no money to the organization sponsoring the bell ringers for the duration they are out. They are very lucky that I don't say I will give them no money ever, although I admit, they seldom seem to solicit it outside the holiday season, so maybe it does not matter much.
I'm sorry you think a constant ring-ring of bells is seasonal and a good way to draw attention and get donations. I'm really sorry most ringers follow it, and use cheap shrill bells. But if you think you're getting money for me in response to causing me physical discomfort or even pain, think again.
Those bells are shrill and painful. They're bad enough outside, but on really bad-weather days when the ringer has been allowed to take shelter inside a double-door lobby (happened a couple times last year), they are agonizing. The Fred Meyer's in Newberg is probably off my list to use for the rest of the holiday season, unless I forget. It turns out the acoustics of their outside area is such that an outdoor bell ringer is exquisitely loud and echoing, ie, very painful to me. I went in with my fingers jammed in my ears - and the bell ringer looked right at me, with my face twisted with pain, and kept ringing. I suppose he thought I was just trying to be rude.
