Bumper Stickers: Use With Caution

I was actually taking my oldest to track practice the other day when I saw a bumper sticker. You know the kind... it was a political bumper sticker.... and let's just say the other driver and I did not see eye-to-eye on who we should vote for. Immediately thoughts popped into my head like, "How can people really want to vote for that person?" (I have shared on here before that I actually do follow politics closely so I get a wee bit passionate about the subject.) I actually felt my blood pressure raise up a few notches as a result. So then I did what every person does when they are in this situation... I passed the guy to see if I knew him or not.

Later on as I was driving home I saw more bumper stickers. I saw another political one.... this time it was representing someone that I wouldn't mind voting for. What popped into my head? "Wow, I bet that is a really cool person!"

Then I saw another bumper sticker. I have no idea what this one said because the writing was so small that you would have to get out a magnifying glass to read it. Honestly, if you are designing a bumper sticker wouldn't you go through some quality testing? Like put it on a car and back up 15 feet to see if you can actually read it? Personally, I do not like people that close to my backside to read a bumper sticker with microscopic writing.

Then there are the bumper stickers that are written in some kind of code that 99% of the population doesn't understand. I know this is most likely done intentionally for the 1% who do understand it but it still provides a degree of irritation for those of us who don't.

Then there are the ones that are totally inappropriate. Like I want my children reading things or seeing inappropriate pictures while we are driving. Like the little boy peeing on everything. Do boys really need any encouragement in that area? I have three little ones and one big one so I feel qualified in answering this - No! They don't!

So, as I continued to ponder all of the bumper stickers I had read on my drive I couldn't help but to have a little more respect for the bumper sticker. It was responsible for bringing out many emotions in me.

First there was irritation from the bumper sticker of the guy who doesn't have the same voting views as I do. Then there was the joy from the bumper sticker who I did agree in voting for. Then there is the irritation I felt when I couldn't read the micro-bumper sticker and the inferiority I felt when I couldn't crack the "code" of the secret hand shake club. Then there was the irritation of the inappropriate bumper stickers giving my boys all kinds of new ideas there. Wow! You really have to be careful before you decide on a bumper sticker now don't you!

As for me, you might ask..... Well, I am bumper sticker free. I am just not ready for the bumper sticker commitment. But if I were to choose a bumper sticker, these are a few ideas I came up with....

Source: freewebs.com via Sabrina on Pinterest

This one I thought was hilarious! Yes, we homeschool our children and the #1 criticism we get for homeschooling our children (even though we never really ask these people their opinion - they just offer it up freely) is that they will be "unsocialized" or that that they "won't know the world". Just one point I would like to make here, talk to my children before you label them as "unsocialized". They can carry on a thoughtful conversation with anyone at any time. But this for a whole other blog :-).

Source: cafepress.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

This would be in honor of all of the marathon runners in our life and the 26.2 bumper stickers they proudly sport. I have a deep respect for you all but I am just not there. :-)

Source: goodknits.com via Art,LikeBread on Pinterest

I coudn't resist this one :-)



So, what's on your bumper?