Get Your Own *$#@ Pie!

I was almost steamrolled again today. I was driving home and gave the steamroller a call to thank him for referring some business to me. The next question he asked scared me. "Are you off work Wednesday?" "Yes," I replied hesitantly. "Well, then could you go by X restaurant and pick up the pie I ordered when they open? The line will be really long when I get off work. The pie is already paid for." "What time do they open?" I asked. Why did I even ask?! Why don't I just say no? This is my day off. I already have plans with a friend to meet for lunch and a movie with the kids. I informed the Steamroller of this. He then said he'd find out what time the restaurant opened and would call me back. In the meantime, I decided to just say no. When he called back, he said, "How does 7 a.m. sound?" "7 a.m.! Why can't you pick up the pie yourself?" Silence and then, "Well I'll have to find somewhere to put it at work. I guess I can get it myself." "Bye," I said and hung up. Ummm yeah...it would be a good idea for you to pick it up. Why not go up there and get it before work and take it back home? You don't go to work until 10!!!! I work hard, I raise the kids and I have my own stuff to take care of. Take care of your own business and stop asking me to do it! I've been doing it since I was a kid. Going to the store, doing the laundry...whatever you didn't want to do, the sisters and I were told or asked to do. If we didn't do it, guilt trip deluxe. No wonder I feel guilty for saying no to anyone. I refuse to be steamrolled anymore. I am done being walked on. Hire someone to do your errands or manage your time better and do them yourself. Stop being lazy! Stop being the martyr. Stop acting like I owe you something. I don't owe you anything. I am me and I am OK and I can say no without feeling guilty. I vow not to steamroll my own kids right now. I do not want to make anyone feel like this, ever!

Almost Steamrolled

A certain person in my life who shall be known only as the "Steamroller" almost steamrolled me today. I was at Target doing some light shopping. I had to pick up a couple of birthday gifts and a few essentials like bread and milk. My phone rang as I was getting ready to check out. It was the steamroller. When the steamroller found out where I was, he asked me to pick up some Christmas presents for him. The scary thing is that I actually considered doing it even though I was in the checkout line and ready to roll on to my next errand. I then told the steamroller that I couldn't pick up the gifts. I was already in the checkout line and had other things to do. The audacity of steamrollers never ceases to amaze me. They are constantly trying to get someone else to do their stuff for them. I have a few things to point out:
1. Somehow everyone else in the world manages to get their Christmas shopping done by themselves. Many of us work, have kids, have elderly parents to care for and so on. We shop ourselves. So can you.
2. Two words--online shopping. So you don't want to make time to go to the mall or stores, shop online and have it shipped to your house. Heck, you can even have them gift wrap it for you. (for a price)
3. Mail Order Catalogs - Old fashioned but it still works.
4. Just give cash or gift cards.

Ever Been Steamrolled?

This blog will serve as a place for people to post about the steamrollers in their lives. A steamroller is a person who runs over everyone in his path in order to get what he wants. Steamrollers use different methods like guilt. They are masters of manipulation. There are small steamrollers and giant sized ones. They can be someone in your family or a friend or even a stranger. But, they all have one thing in common. They use people to get what they want. NO MORE STEAMROLLERS!