The Daily Peeve / Rant

[sweetana3]

I had to stop looking at HGTV because it made me unhappy with the perfectly satisfactory items I already owned. I noticed a big improvement in my happiness.

[SteveinMN]

I had to call an electrician to deal with a wiring issue in the breaker box. I called a company that's done work for us in the past; competent, fairly priced, etc. This is not a huge national franchise but they're big enough that they pay someone to answer the phone and transfer calls (that seems to be all she does) and they have trucks painted with their logo (not just the generic trades van).

When I called at 9 on Monday I was informed that the people I had to speak with were in a meeting and they'd call me back as soon as the meeting was over. At lunch today I called because I hadn't heard from anyone. The (same) person who answered the phone immediately recalled my name and transferred me to Eric -- well, Eric's voicemail. I left a message, pointedly asking him to let me know if this was not business they wanted and that I would be unavailable to the phone between 1 and 3:30 today.

Eric called at 2 (!) and, of course, left a message. The soonest he can book me in is a week from Thursday. I said yes because I really don't want to wait another half-week or longer to have someone else come out. But it's left a bad taste in my mouth. No apology. No reason for the lack of a call-back.

If you don't do that kind of business anymore (for example, you no longer do residential work), say so. If you don't want the job (too small, too far away, etc.), say so. If you're down 40% of your technical staff and swamped with calls, say so. But do not leave me hanging. You say you'll call? Do it. Even if the news is bad. It does not improve with age.

[Yppej]

Agreed Steve. The roofer I used for the past two years said they would get me an estimate and have not. And they were the only company I contacted 3 years ago that actually got back to me.

[SteveinMN]

Agreed Steve. The roofer I used for the past two years said they would get me an estimate and have not. And they were the only company I contacted 3 years ago that actually got back to me.

For a while (around the time of the Great Recession), it wasn't hard to get good tradespeople to your location promptly. Lately it happens all too often.

What I'm concluding is that business now apparently has improved enough that it's no longer considered necessary to even call back. Which makes me wonder about the plumbing/furnace/whatever companies that advertise so heavily on TV and offer coupons in local "shoppers". I guess they're not too busy for business.

[catherine]

I had to stop looking at HGTV because it made me unhappy with the perfectly satisfactory items I already owned. I noticed a big improvement in my happiness.

That show drives me crazy. It's fun on the one hand, but so maddening on the other: beautiful vintage woodwork painted over or removed because it's not "modern" enough; whiny millennials insisting their first home have his and her walk-in closets and two sinks in the master bathroom and a big open concept kitchen to entertain in.

I really don't see a NEED for two sinks in a bathroom. My DH and I have never had an issue getting ready at the same time. I get dressed while he shaves; he gets dressed while I blow-dry my hair. Are double sinks really NEED-to-have's?

[iris lilies]

This not calling back thing is one reason why I am glad DH is retired. I hated talking to potential customers, knowing that he wouldn't call many of them back. He didnt need/want the business and apparently that is the standard communication. sorry! . It was extra bad because he worked mostly in our neighborhood and these are people who live near us. ugh. I couldnt really speak for him yet I knew what likely would happen.

Toward the end, I used to tell them "if you dont hear from him in a few days, move on, probably best to find someone else." And then they would ask me who I recommended. double ugh, because I knew those other guys were always busy, too.

One thing I learned about working with someone like DH is that it is a good idea to save all of your fix-it things for one session, and ask him to pencil you in for 2 days or 5 days or whatever.

And if you get a handyman who is good, hang on to him by having him do refular work. These guys like regular customers.

[Williamsmith]

HGTV is nothing but one giant commercial for the real estate and home remodeling industry. Top of my list of pet peeves are the property brothers. Followed closely by Chip and Joanna of Fixer Upper. Flip or Flop is preposterous. You know it’s bad when you ask your wife to change channels to the Hallmark Network. Why does every actress have to have a mole somewhere on her face?

[sweetana3]

I am pretty much now only watching British shows and I avoid anything on HGTV. It breeds discontent.

[catherine]

So here's my DH vent, but it's really more of a question about his behavior and my reaction to it. So it's a vent about myself, too.

Last night describes a situation that recycles regularly. DH walks in the door just as we finish making dinner. In this case, it's a simple salad (with lots of veggies and protein). BIL says, "Oh, I'm making spaghetti. That's nice.

To be polite, DH offers him salad. He says "Yeah, sure!" Then DH gives his brother ALL the turkey that he had cut up to put in his own salad. I had just come from the store, where I had bought the turkey at HIS request. I don't eat much meat. So I took the plate back and put some of the turkey on DH's plate and he looked back at me with daggers. I know, I know, totally codependent of me, but this drives me nuts. It happens a lot. For some strange reason, DH is compelled to give his brother all the food available. He will insist that BIL take back home all the meat leftovers, while DH takes one or two spoons for himself.

When I b*ch about it, he says, "I don't understand you! You of all people would give anyone the shirt off your back! He's my brother! Can't I not give him as much as he wants?"

GRRRR

So why does this drive me crazy? A) Because BIL doesn't have the social skills to know when to refuse offers? B) Because it's just weird that DH would not feed himself but give everything to his brother? C) Because I feel he's disrespecting our food budget and the money that goes into it, not to mention the fact that what he gives his BIL I typically have already earmarked for next-day leftovers? D) Because I think any normal person making spaghetti and then being offered salad would say "Gee, I'll bring over the spaghetti and we can all share"?

Don't say, "Just tell him what you've said here" because I have.. over and over. And that adds to the frustration.... D) Do I get mad because I have expressed my desire for him to be generous at a reasonable level, and he blatantly refuses my request and then he makes ME look like a selfish jerk? I told him he needs to see a therapist and work that out, but then I think I do, too. If I can't change his behavior, I need to let it go.

I may have already complained about this in a previous rant, so if I did, I apologize. It's just that it came up again just last night.

[Alan]

....... I avoid anything on HGTV. It breeds discontent.

That's how I eventually felt about This Old House years ago. It made me think I could be handy too.