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I save leftovers for making soup. This morning I pulled duck wings, chicken wings from the freezer, and the turkey wings that were in the refrigerator. I like wings. A lot. All were roasted and looking pretty darn wonderful. I used chicken stock for the liquid and had fresh onions, and some barely limp carrots and celery that I never got around to using.
Six hours later and it is the worst pot-o-crud I have ever tasted, and, trust me, I have made some really heinous meals trying to use up leftovers over the eons (an accurate calculation when translated into bad-marriage-years). Such a waste, and I cannot figure out what the problem is with that mess.
That was supposed to be lunch and dinner for the rest of the week. Rambutans are back in season, so I spent my extra grocery money on them, some lychees and a jar of seaweed when I was out yesterday. I guess those are my dinner, along with the leftover liver, until I can thaw some more bits from the freezer.
When people who offer expensive services (most recently dentist) want to do extra services for you tell you that they will "work with you" to let you pay it out. I do not consider suggesting someone go into debt so you can make more a kindness, but rather a cruelty. I tell them that's how I stay afloat, by now adding on debt. They tend to go blank on hearing this, and I'm not trying to educate them, just stand up for myself.
Rain, dammit! For the last two months weather forecasts have mostly predicted rain, and for the last two months we've had clouds, sun, clouds...and one day of real, healthy rain. It was supposed to rain today. But no. Maybe tomorrow, the forecast says. Yeah, sure. I'll believe it when I see it.
People who post things on craigslist or freecycle (using their email) and then say "Call and leave your number I won't answer emails." WTF?
This cough just won't go away, even after 6 weeks. What the F? Tired of waking myself up hacking......I normally get sick...er, almost never.
Pug.....have you see the doctor?
I developed a cough for a very long time, with no other symptoms. Didn't see the doc for it. Its not as bad now, but still around. I use a cpap at night, so I'm thinking its that. I did get a chest xray when it started up, and it was clear. Do you clean your ears too much? There's a nerve in your ear canal that, when irritated, can cause a cough.
I'm getting really tired of seeing people walking like zombies, while glued to their smart phones. I saw 2 people yesterday, where there was traffic, just staring at their phones and not paying any attention to the cars. Saw several younger kids walking with their mom's at the store, staring at their phones.
Zombies!!
I'm getting really tired of seeing people walking like zombies, while glued to their smart phones. I saw 2 people yesterday, where there was traffic, just staring at their phones and not paying any attention to the cars. Saw several younger kids walking with their mom's at the store, staring at their phones.
Zombies!!
If today was described in a book 50 years ago, it would have likely been some dystopian scifi novel.
This cough just won't go away, even after 6 weeks. What the F? Tired of waking myself up hacking......I normally get sick...er, almost never.
Make sure you're hydrated. I've found, for me, coughing and reflux (and then each of those trigger the other) are often just because I'm not hydrating enough.
My garage door locked itself from the inside. OK, I thought, I'll just go around to the gate and let myself in. The gate hadn't been opened in so long that it was blocked by dirt and debris. I managed to get it open a crack. Not good enough. I went to the other side of the garage. I managed to get that side open about three feet, so crawled in and released the door. I was going to do yard work, but wore myself out with the effort. Now I'm waiting for the Ibuprofen to kick in...
Gardenarian
6-23-13, 4:00pm
I started using an electric kettle a few months ago, and love it, so fast and easy.
Well, I was drowsy this morning and filled the electric kettle, then set it on the gas stove and turned it on. Luckily dd smelled the fumes before it completely destroyed the stove.
Aaaargh! Bottom of kettle melted and destroyed, house full of plastic fumes!
I loved that kettle. Dang.
Very peeved this morning:
Responded to a LifeAlert-like alarm from a home nearby. Elderly gent not having a good day at all. His alert company properly contacted our dispatch, we arrived on-scene, helped him out a bit, then tried to use his phone to communicate to medical supervision...
We had to use his house phone because we were in one of our quite-common cell-phone and radio dead spots here.
The line was busy. Because the LifeAlert-like company's product hadn't hung up on the house end - when I talked to them later today they told me they design it so their central office has to release the phone. Manually..... Which they didn't do....
So there we were, no way to communicate, because some twit on the other side of the country forgot to press a button.
A prybar to the Telco junction box, and shorting a pair took care of that. Lucky at least one of us on the call also knows how telephone systems work...
Anyways, their clever "design" could have killed this guy. I'm following up this week, I want heads on pikes on walls.
So there's that.
Our property is like a jungle, and we love it. So many wildlife and birds, flowers, trees. DH has mowed wonderful trails through it all and we take rides in my electric (very quiet) golf cart and enjoy nature.
Well, our neighbor whose woods borders ours started mowing down trails on his side, right next to our property for his motocross motorcycle. I have such evil thoughts towards him. Those things are so danged loud. It will totally ruin our wonderful, quiet appreciation of nature whenever he's out there. He lives in a McMansion that he put up in the property behind us when his grandmother died and he inherited the land. He put up 3 bigs home in a cornfield. Said he wanted very much to not disturb the area's rural nature. Right. Build 3 big houses and then run your damned motorcycles through the beautiful woods. I'm having evil, evil thoughts.
That really sucks, CathyA. I feel for ya...
I am starting to suffer from the inevitable post-vacation let-down...really, another full year before I can take off again (provided I have the funds to do it)?
shadowmoss
6-30-13, 3:33pm
Co-workers who take every. single.comment. I make as an exercise in making an example of how pitiful I am and how awesome the are. I could give a lot of examples, but I'm on the leading edge of a 12 hr shift with them and I'm trying to let it go.
Tomorrow I have my first radiation treatment, and I am scared. Such a two-edged sword. The data is solid: 30% chance of recurrence without it, 5-7% with. And, both the potential physical & emotional impacts of the procedure are simply very upsetting to me. All in my thinking, of course... which I am moving in & out of working with. If you are so moved, please hold me in the Light tomorrow, between 2:30-4:30 Pacific time. Thanks.
gimmethesimplelife
6-30-13, 5:15pm
Co-workers who take every. single.comment. I make as an exercise in making an example of how pitiful I am and how awesome the are. I could give a lot of examples, but I'm on the leading edge of a 12 hr shift with them and I'm trying to let it go.I have worked in situations like this before, too.....In my case, I think my being such an introvert feeds it. This really happened to me a lot in the late 90's during that incredible period of time in which it was an employee's job market. I bounced around a bit from job to job to job and realized that the pattern was following me. What I have done is to go against my grain and make some attempts to get to know others and socialize a bit in the workplace - to a point. I still needs lots of time alone and still work much better alone. I'm not saying this is the case with you, shadowmoss, I'm just passing my experience along. Rob
SteveinMN
7-10-13, 11:27am
The doctor's office. I arrive shortly before 8 am for some lab work. I stand at the HIPAA-regulated privacy spot for a good couple of minutes before the sole receptionist even looks up from what she's doing to acknowledge me -- and that's only to tell me "I'll be right with you". Not "hello", no nod of recognition. It's not like she's on the phone. Or typing away in a chat or transcribing.
It's to be expected here. The entire front-of-house staff just always seems burned out and demoralized. I almost want to get a receptionist's job here so I can write a book about the war zone that this place must be. >8) I've worked as a doctor's receptionist before. I know the job is challenging. But if you don't like dealing with people, find. another. job. Don't be passive-aggressive to customers every d**n day.
Then I get to the lab and find out that, in addition to my fasting blood test, they want a urine sample. Sure wish they'd communicated that tidbit of information when I scheduled the appointment. If I knew, I might not have visited the rest room before the lab appointment. I spent an extra half-hour at the office waiting so I could fulfill that request.
Good thing the back of the house is compassionate and knowledgeable or I'd chuck the place in a minute.
treehugger
7-10-13, 12:55pm
Headaches. So over them. Also peeved by my reaction to chronic pain. At this point I should be able to deal better.
People who allow their children to scream and fuss in libraries. And librarians who are forced to allow them to get away with it.
People who encourage me to go into debt to support their cause, by pressuring me to agree pay out a certain amount every month.
I am angry at the fellow the other day who, at 4pm in the afternoon, ran his car off the road into a tree.
He had some minor abrasions and bruises.
His 5 year old child was in the back seat, in a booster seat, facing forward, and suffered some painful broken bones and internal injuries. Ever hear a kid screaming in pain as you fasten them to the backboard for helicopter airlift? It's not pretty.
The family dog was dead from the impact, having no seat belt.
I got to cut them all out of the car.
He had *no scent of alcohol* on his breath and body. None. We had a paramedic, a doctor, an EMT, and several firefighters who detected no scent at all, and we were looking for it. He did have impaired mentation, which we thought was perhaps from the trauma. We airlifted him too, because of the possibility of spinal/head injuries. At the hospital, his blood alcohol level was > .25...
And get this - we can't get him on drunk driving, because the blood draw was done in the ER, and not by a law enforcement team, and the hospital is in another county, in another jurisdiction, it would be nearly impossible to convict him. So he's driving around here, today, again....
Luckily(?), child protective services is a bit less fussy about process, and the kid is now elsewhere for a bit.
Of course, the kid is all swaddled up in splints and casts at present. And the nice dog is still dead.
I really really hate drunk drivers.
Gardenarian
7-16-13, 12:21pm
Well, I was going to complain about my dogs keeping me up all night barking at skunks, but geez...
Driving drunk with a 5 year old? Hope his license is taken away forever.
I spent 4 hours last night in the dark dealing with another drunk-driver vs. tree. This time blocking the main road down to the main resort on the island.
Today's pet peeve though is the angry tourists last night who were upset with me that:
- The road was blocked
- I couldn't tell them how long it was going to be blocked, it was a crime scene and we were still dealing with injured people and finding ejected people
- There was no other road to take
- Really, I wasn't going to let them "just sneak by", the road around the next corner was strewn with car bits, tree bits, people bits, and emergency response folks working.
I returned the favor by noting the plates of the particularly drunken angry tourists, and calling over to the Sheriff on the radio, I think he did quite a bit of business back up at the top of the hill....
I'm now thinking we just need to ban cars here during the summer season.
Drunk drivers are not just a peeve of mine, I really despise them. Last year I had a client who was actually doing some great work and I offered to stay later and let him return after lunch. He did, smelling of beer. When I mentioned it to him, he told me that he likes a few beers with his lunch. When I said that driving with a couple of beers in you might not be such a great idea, he said he was fine.
We got back into working on his resume and it came out that he was job hunting because he had another drunk driving ticket and lost his CDL license and his regular driver's license. When I expressed dismay that not only had he driven at least three times that day, but that one of them was under the influence, he told me that he had to get around somehow.
I am not the morality cops, but my work does have some mandatory reporting aspects. His behavior did not fall within that criteria, but I ended our session, told him not to drive and that we would provide a phone so that he could contact someone, and I then made a report to the department head. Still pisses me off that he was so cavalier about the whole thing and that so many other drunk drivers feel the same.
My peeve today is temperatures flirting with the hundreds, high humidity and it is preventing me from getting some strenuous stuff done. I am a slacker, so it is irritating that I cannot do this after having convinced myself that it needs to be done.
Salespeople
ok I know they are just doing their job, but......
We met my son's solar car team at one of their stops during the mock race they are running this weekend. It was so cool to see it in action after hearing about it for so long. I really really wanted to follow the caravan up the Lake Michigan coast to their stopping point for the night. It would have been a pretty drive in areas. We could have seen how the whole process works. But my DH said he didn't know where they were going or the route they were taking so we came home instead. grr If it was something he wanted to do he would have figured it out.
Today's peeve - the arsonist infesting our island. He burned down the home of a friend of mine a few weeks ago. This week, he set fire to a lovely historic building that was a restaurant and artists' cooperative. The damage puts 8-9 employees out of work, and wipes out 20-25 local artists, including one painter who had a great gallery there with *years* of output.
And while we were fighting that fire, the arsonist set fire to a historic carriage house/barn down the road, right in the middle of a bunch of occupied vacation cottages, perhaps hoping we would be too busy to deal with that. Luckily, logistics is one of our strong points, and while we were fighting Large Fire #1, we split off a force to fight Fire #2.
I have been having some fun on the late-night fire overwatch in the area, lurking in the woods with my camo and my night vision and my coon hound and my radio. I fear if some of the locals catch the fellow first, they'll re-enact The Wicker Man with him at this point. Me, I'm sort of hoping my hound trees him.
Whoa. Hope you catch him.
Dang, Bae, hope you catch the arsonist.
Yikes, Bae!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-u0CPeaoA53s/UezEbYS7RaI/AAAAAAAAIOA/yWCV7Gin9Tw/s400/fire-06-07-willis-lane-house.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EGuRAsblF1U/UezEbbq0x9I/AAAAAAAAIOE/gNwusKAjRqQ/s440/fire-willis-foam-07-19.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-smuiC7ESRTc/UezEbTUE0MI/AAAAAAAAIN8/zY5hbej7Hmw/s440/fire-olga-440.jpg
Dark now. Time to go hunting....
bae, are you the police force for your island, too? Just curious.
bae, are you the police force for your island, too? Just curious.
The Fire Marshal is a law enforcement officer, part of the Washington State Patrol, and works closely with Fire & Rescue. These are crime scenes, under his jurisdiction until he releases them, and he retains us to help with the investigation and secure the sites. (Which is handy, as he pays $25/hour, whereas if the fire watch is for "normal" reasons all we get is coffee and cookies :-) )
We generally have only two sheriff's deputies on-duty, and 70 fire/rescue folks available at the drop of a hat.
Sorry to hear about the arsonist - that's more than a peeve! I hope there's some insurance to cover the losses?
Simpler at Fifty
7-22-13, 7:21pm
Thank you Bae for all you do. I grew up in a small town with a volunteer fire/rescue dept. When the fire alarm sounded, I think they made it to the station in less than 2 minutes. I believe the calls rang on their phones too which was a special ring tone. When I moved to the city I was shocked that people actually got paid full time to be a fireman. I see why that is necessary in large cities but I was pretty naïve back then.
Simpler at Fifty
7-22-13, 7:25pm
IDK if this is really a daily peeve or a rant. In April a friend (S) of ours died from lung cancer. She was 51 and had been married to R for almost 10 years. He took care of her to the end and she died at home. She had a FB page and I happened to find it and he is now posting that he is dating. Posted that he had 2 dates with one woman and her name is x. S had 2 boys and one is married. His wife posted on FB that R should get his own FB page. He claims to be ignorant to knowing how to do that. I find this so tacky and almost unbelievable. I thought he would have more sense than this.
fidgiegirl
7-22-13, 7:28pm
That is super yucky, Simpler at Fifty!!! I hope he figures it out, how unbelievable!!
fidgiegirl
7-25-13, 11:13pm
Peeve of today = fibs. We had a cancellation to our free event, which wouldn't have bothered me at all seeing as we had a bunch of no shows (for free events I actually prefer no shows rather than last-minute cancellations because they are essentially the same thing and then I don't have to read a bunch of e-mails about it), but the woman said she was having child care issues. But she has nooooooo idea that I am FB friends with her FiL and that I know that she took her kids to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa. Just say you're cancelling. No reason needed, and certainly not a lie. Ok, I'm done, and it was a beautiful day so I hope she had fun. :)
Simpler at Fifty
7-26-13, 11:21am
@fidgiegirl kids are 'used' as an excuse a lot. I sat across from a girl at work and several times I heard her tell her husband on the phone 'I will just tell them Meghan is sick and I have to leave, what are they going to ask me to prove it?' Lies are the worst. Saw this on Pinterest recently. "The worst thing about being lied to is knowing you weren't worth the truth".
My DH has no sense of portion control. I had 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. of gr. beef. I was planning on making 2 meals out of it. Chili tonight & something else later in the week. But while I was out grocery shopping he decided to help me out and used ALL of the gr. beef in the chili!!! Grocery money is tight this pay period so I am really bummed about this. If he had decided to grill burgers he would have used all of it. There are only 3 of us here! He would have made those burgers so big I can't hardly take a bite out of it. He just doesn't get it! Now I have to refigure the menu plan. And I really hate menu planning.
But on the bright side I don't have to cook dinner LOL
I hear you, Azure - my DH is the same way. Luckily? it's extremely rare that he gets the urge to cook. You could always add more beans to the chili, or set some of it aside to use over potatoes or something later in the week.
I am getting annoyed that a potential employer is taking forever to respond to my interview. First the contact said he would call me 2 weeks ago. He did, to say there was going to be a delay and that a decision would be made after the 25th. So because they are usually very prompt, and in fact the delay was largely caused by his personal vacation, I expected a phone call Thursday or Friday. No calls. He did say that I would be contacted with the final decision either way. So... wait, wait, wait.
On cooking/meal/portion peeves:
I like to cook complex meals now-and-then. Part of the challenge is getting everything ready at the same time. Often, the dishes are meant to be consumed immediately, and not sit around waiting. I plate in the kitchen, and whisk things out to the table.
And invariably, my DW will spring up from the table, rush into the kitchen, and put the remaining sauces in sauce containers, and the remaining portions into serving dishes, and bring those out to the table. Protesting "you all go ahead, this will just take me a moment..."
Meanwhile, the lovingly-prepared dishes...sit....on the table, and nobody wants to be rude enough to listen to her and dig in like starving wolves.
Plus, the portions I served were the "reasonable" quantity, and the sauces applied in the proper amounts for the dishes.
AAAAAARGHHHHHHH.
There's always time to get up *later* and do all that nonsense.
DOUBLE-AAAAARGHHHH.
I figure after 30+ years, this behaviour isn't going to change though. I've changed my procedures this year to simply not produce any extra portions. Mooo-hwa-ha-ha.
early morning
7-27-13, 10:22pm
bae, that is a most excellent way to deal with the situation!!
LOL Bae! If I want to have any extra portions I have to remove them to the fridge as soon as possible or there won't be any
Dear Mr. Guy-on-the-Exercise-Bike-Next-to-Mine,
Just in case no one ever taught you this in life: When someone is reading a book, and responds to your attempts at conversation with a brief polite nod before returning to her book, that generally means "I don't want to talk about your opinions about Detroit, Anthony Weiner, Hillary Clinton, President Obama, the worthlessness of Congress, or anything else. I just want to read this book I brought." That's what it means. No need to continue to try to make your opinions on the sorry state of the world known to me on a peaceful Sunday morning at the rec center -- though I know you love the sound of your own voice. On the upside, I did pedal faster in an effort to lose the guy, and probably burned more calories than I normally would have.
Extroverts think reading a book is just something you do to pass the time until they come along to chat.
Fast-talking sales people.
Several years ago, I put a new floor into the kitchen -- actually, the floor store did, with their person doing the installation. Well, for the past few years, the floor has been rippling up from one end (it's pretty much a T-shaped floor). The floor itself is not even halfway through its warranty, so I called up the company that I bought it from. In the space of 20 minutes, the guy from the floor store claimed the problem was due to:
- it not being glued down (the floor was designed to be installed "floating", so that shouldn't be it);
- the "crazy weather we've had lately" (the floor has been doing this for at least three years);
- being held down (the vinyl is under a transition strip to the carpet in the next room);
- not being held down -- the baseboard molding there was missing (we removed it from half the kitchen several months ago as part of repainting and have been indecisive on whether to replace the original '70s dark wood with the cherry finish of the refaced cabinets).
He didn't get around to blaming sunspots or Republicans. I get that he doesn't want to do a warranty repair. I understand that the manufacturer of that floor has taken a powder and left the country after merging with another flooring giant, so he has no recourse in replacing the floor ('course, it also means I don't have the warranty I paid for). But the dissembling is just ... well, I sure don't want to have to deal with this guy again for a floor.
To his credit, he did show me how I can fix the problem myself, without his company's $250 repair visit and without replacing the floor. I'm going for it, as soon as I clear another few projects off my to-do list. DW and I have been talking about replacing the floor, and that still may be an esthetic decision. But what it would cost us to do that could be spent in so many better places, IMHO. So I'm lobbying for fixing this floor and moving on with life.
People who are working out so hard(running or biking) they can not smile,nod or muster up a small wave.
adding this was not in reference to puglogic's post >8)
Trying to get in a bunch of laps walking on an inside track with ear buds and music on and having three people interrupt to talk about nothing in particular. I can talk when I am not trying to get a cardio workout. What exactly do they think I am doing, taking a country stroll?
SteveinMN
8-20-13, 10:10pm
People who don't think anyone exists on earth. They were the ones standing in front of me as I was trying to take pictures. Not just a quick stand-up-shoot-sit-down, but milling about, oblivious to the fact that they're not made out of glass. Probably the same people who can't be arsed to get their car quite straight in their parking space, making it difficult for someone to park next to them and get out of their own car. Grrr....
mschrisgo2
8-22-13, 7:17pm
Drivers who swerve into the lane to their Right, before making a Left turn!
I almost got hit by 2 of these today! They were actually significantly into my lane.
I don't know where or how this moronic practice started, but it is reaching epidemic proportions here.
I want them to STOP now!
flowerseverywhere
8-22-13, 8:22pm
people who make blanket statements that may or may not have something to do with you.
Someone was walking by my house as I was riding my bike out of the garage on the way to the library. The dog, on a long retractable leash, lunged barking at me and scared the jeepers out of me. I was shaken and the owner said "I guess you are not a dog person." Duh, of course I am not an attacking dog person. I like dogs. I don't like them chasing me or barking at me when I am riding my bike, which I do over 1,000 miles a year. Amazing how many people can't control their dogs and say "he won't hurt you" or act like you are overreacting. Ask any group of bike riders if they have been chased or bitten and chances are you'll get a lot of yeas.
from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/biteprevention.html
About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year.
Almost one in five of those who are bitten :a total of 885,000: require medical attention for dog bite-related injuries.
In 2006, more than 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.
No it is not me that is a crazy hysterical person, it is you who have not properly trained or leashed your dog.
Thinking that putting my bank account info so that it automatically updates on my new computer by using Quicken 2013 would make my life simpler...NOT! (So far, anyway...). Manually entering and tracking spending the way I always did seems WAY easier.
My insurance company not bothering for a week to respond to 3 different inquiries from my bank for some information they needed to process some paperwork for me. When I personally contacted my insurer their excuse was, "well, we needed to hear from you directly that it was okay to give them that information."
Oh, well in that case, let me introduce you to something we here living in 2013 call the telephone!!
try2bfrugal
9-1-13, 11:31pm
people who make blanket statements that may or may not have something to do with you.
Someone was walking by my house as I was riding my bike out of the garage on the way to the library. The dog, on a long retractable leash, lunged barking at me and scared the jeepers out of me. I was shaken and the owner said "I guess you are not a dog person." Duh, of course I am not an attacking dog person. I like dogs. I don't like them chasing me or barking at me when I am riding my bike, which I do over 1,000 miles a year. Amazing how many people can't control their dogs and say "he won't hurt you" or act like you are overreacting. Ask any group of bike riders if they have been chased or bitten and chances are you'll get a lot of yeas.
A woman brought a very aggressive dog to the dog park today. It was snarling and snapping at the other dogs. DH and some of the other dog owners had to step in and pull the aggressive dog off the other dogs. We ended up leaving as it just wasn't safe for our little guy to stay. The owner of the aggressive dog sat there oblivious, not keeping her dog in check, not apologizing, nothing. She did say the dog had been inside that day. I don't think otherwise well behaved dogs get aggressive like that from being inside for a single day. This dog just wasn't well socialized. We watch our dog really close and if he gets too wound up or plays too rough with smaller dogs he gets a time out or we take him for a walk to calm down.
Ninety-nine percent of the owners at the park are friendly, the dogs are well behaved and the dogs all have a blast running around playing with each other. I just wonder what goes on in the minds of dog owners who think it is okay for their dogs to attack other dogs or people, and how to do they and the dogs get to be like that.
Synapse to synapse
9-3-13, 6:29pm
I'm annoyed at myself for my spending the past few days. :doh:
I think if I take a deep breath, step back, and relax, I can make tomorrow and the rest of this month ok. Actually, no need to wait until tomorrow. Starting now. :)
So annoyed at the rising costs of utilities here. $45/month for water, $75 a month for garbage/sewer, and $241 a month for heating and cooling. We aren't wasteful people at all. We have no other options for these services, and the utility companies know it. The average family in our area earns $30,000 a year. This is just ridiculous.
iris lilies
9-7-13, 1:54pm
My peeve today is this: in articles I read about lifestyle costs, everything is expressed in monthly costs. I can't relate to that. I ALWAYS have to do the math to convert that figure to an annualized cost. Waaaaaaaaaanh, I am such a whiner.
But it annoys me. Why do I think annually and apparently everyone else thinks monthly?
Today I am scoping out health insurance costs on the exchanges. $146 is the number that drove me here to report my peeve. $146. I guess that is monthly. They didn't even qualify it assuming that everyone thinks in "monthly" terms. I am looking for the annual figure of health insurance costs.
I have been spending the past couple of long weekends with my daughter. Lots of fun, no peaving there.
On my way home this afternoon I thought about stopping for fresh vegetables and some nice gooey bread, but decided to come straight home to dig into the freezer full of great food for which I spent a tiny fortune last week. I did shopping for three weeks and bought some really super ingredients for plenty of lovely meals.
I got home and went to take out a package of chicken hind-quarters and everything inside was cool, but soft. The freezer stopped working. I am just sick. Thank goodness for my little garden.
iris lilies
9-9-13, 8:46am
I have been spending the past couple of long weekends with my daughter. Lots of fun, no peaving there.
On my way home this afternoon I thought about stopping for fresh vegetables and some nice gooey bread, but decided to come straight home to dig into the freezer full of great food for which I spent a tiny fortune last week. I did shopping for three weeks and bought some really super ingredients for plenty of lovely meals.
I got home and went to take out a package of chicken hind-quarters and everything inside was cool, but soft. The freezer stopped working. I am just sick. Thank goodness for my little garden.
This isn't a peeve, this is serious. I'm so sorry to hear this!
Gardenarian
9-9-13, 7:58pm
Fleas again. Dang.
Jilly.......if you have renters or home owners insurance, they might cover your loss.
Cathy, that is a good idea, but I do not have receipts for any of it. I really should hand on to those.
fidgiegirl
9-10-13, 5:44pm
Work politics. Barf.
early morning
9-10-13, 5:46pm
Be wary of making homeowner/renter claims that are small enough to absorb, even if they hurt - get a few little claims, have one big problem (hail damage to a roof, say) and you're cancelled. Once that happens, it's really hard to get a good price on insurance again. Happened to my cousin. Just sayin'.
That I realized I am 52 and I have let every loved one in my life make choices for me, or I made the choices to fit them.
It is 95 freakin' degrees outside. I thought we were done with all this BS of high temps and humidity. I swear, the older I get, the more this kind of weather becomes almost a phobia for me. I'll do almost anything to avoid it.
I hate the fact that I need to go out and get a greeting card for a sick relative later, and I'm actually *afraid* to go out there and walk around in the heat. Afraid of what, you might ask? Just experiencing this kind of weather drags me down. I hate being sweaty. I feel more depressed than usual.
Yeah, it is like a phobia, isn't it?
http://orcasissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/twintowerwreckage.jpg
Bae, just curious. Did they die while fighting a fire?
Bae, just curious. Did they die while fighting a fire?
That's a piece of the World Trade Center. One of our firefighters drove out to NYC to pick it up and bring it back here a few years ago, where we have set up a memorial at our main station. We had a memorial service there this morning to remember The 343, and the other victims.
iris lilies
9-12-13, 1:00am
That's a piece of the World Trade Center. One of our firefighters drove out to NYC to pick it up and bring it back here a few years ago, where we have set up a memorial at our main station. We had a memorial service there this morning to remember The 343, and the other victims.
This isn't a peeve, it's a big sad thing. Maybe we should have an ongoing thread about large, sad, things that happen.
I don't feel right posting my rant about--well, whatever. It's always some dumb little thing that I quack on about, not in the same league as the 9/11 memorial things.
OK, I'll say it.
September 11, 2001, was an important day in American history. Many lives were lost tragically. I can only imagine the pain of having kissed your loved one goodbye in the morning and never seeing them alive again.
However, in the U.S. each year, ten times as many people die in auto accidents; ten times as many die of suicide; twice that many died fighting the "War on Terror". Each of those deaths left behind bereaved families and dreams cut short. Yet those deaths get nowhere near the news coverage and Facebook posts or tweets and millions of dollars spent on memorials and shrines that September 11 gets. And then there's what our collective reaction to the events back in 2001 have done to our civil liberties and our ability to travel and conduct business freely.
I understand (from having lived there) that the reactions of people in New York, Washington, Boston, and Pennsylvania are somewhat/largely cultural. I understand the particular investment of those families in which individuals died. But I think people wrapping themselves in the flag and in marginally-shared sacrifice for September11thedaythatchangedeverything give it way too much emphasis. Why don't people change their Facebook profile pictures for Pearl Harbor Day? That, too, commemorates an attack on U.S. soil and thousands of lives lost.
July 4, September 17 -- those are days which should define America. I hate to see us define ourselves by 9/11. It's a victim's mentality. America is better than that. Remembering is good. Remembering is important. But for a society to hollow itself with paranoia and false patriotism in the face of much bigger challenges to our way of life ... just seems a terrible waste.
Alright, the Nomex suit is on....
Steve, You articulated my feelings so well. When I see "never forget" on cars with Confederate Flags...well, it just rubs me the wrong way. The pseudo patriotism pushed during the wars made me ill. But, I think we are in the minority . I certainly do not want to dismiss the pain people still feel. It never goes away. But that is true for all tragedies, nationwide or personal.
... false patriotism ...
Alright, the Nomex suit is on....
Steve - that photo I posted is of a memorial, at my fire station. Where I wear a Nomex suit almost every day. It is in memory of firefighters who died trying to help people. False patriotism?
So, ...........
False Patriotism?
Why do you get to define someone else's feelings and emotions? Are your eyes the only ones that see the truth and your views the only ones worthy of respect? Must I, or anyone else, meet your approval on the anniversary of a day that changed our lives?
I don't want to speculate, but I'm guessing you've never taken an oath to protect and defend, to place others safety and security above your own, to remember the face of evil so that you'll recognize it the next time. to honor the victims of that evil. If not, how can you judge what you don't understand?
By what reasoning can you assume anyone's patriotism false?
I knew that post would draw conversation from certain quarters ...
bae, how long has that memorial been at your fire station? Is there a reason a chunk of the World Trade Center figures prominently? Are the losses of those firefighters' lives more worth commemorating than those of any other firefighters'? Why don't I see old guys wearing baseball caps labeled "Remember Seattle's Bravest"? Surely Seattle has lost firefighters in the course of duty. What about them and the losses of their families?
I have no problem commemorating the service of firefighters, police officers, and members of the military. They deserve commemoration. What I'm pointing out is that, for some reason, there are damn few public monuments to firefighters and police officers who've died over the course of the decades but a shower of coverage every September 11th for those specific people. I don't see red/white/blue ribbons on the back of cars and trucks urging us to "never forget" the state troopers who died when drunks ran into their patrol car during a traffic stop. Why does 9/11 get singled out so much? Yes, they were doing their job. So were all the other first responders everywhere, on September 10 and April 23 and December 25. As I said, I deny them nothing. I just want to know why the 9/11 responders seem so ... "anointed".
Alan, I can define patriotism just as ably as you can. Or anyone else can. Patriotism is not reserved for those who have served on front lines. And false patriotism is out there. It's that nonsense about questioning one's devotion to country in not wearing a flag lapel pin. It's implying that those who have not taken oaths to protect and defend are somehow less patriotic than those of us who have. It's in not challenging authority when authority clearly has its own agenda. Is it unpatriotic to suggest that something is afoot when Obama wants to lead a "surgical" strike in Syria despite the reticence of a vast majority of the American people and the international community? Was it unpatriotic to challenge the garbage evidence that Bush 43's regime provided when he wanted to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11? Why is it that it was "patriotic" to go shopping after 9/11 but not to take concrete steps to reduce American dependence on oil from these dictatorships -- like imposing a carbon tax? Why is it still considered unpatriotic to suggest that blank checks written on behalf of armed forces budgets and the shredding of the Constitution by the NSA and FISA could stand a little reasonable examination? Why are people so upset about Snowden but not about the massive amount of spying on American citizens which he exposed and which was categorically denied by those perpetrating it? Why doesn't December 7 get the press every year that 9/11 does? How was that different?
Patriotism is not just "my country, right or wrong" or "if you don't like it, leave". Unfortunately, that's where things have been headed for a long time. That's false patriotism. Putting a "remember our troops" sticker on the back of your single-occupant SUV for your 40-mile commute to work very often (note use of the qualifier) is false patriotism. Flag waving without discussing and embarking on a change of course to fix the problem is just making noise.
So, the term 'false patriotism' is simply projection? That's fine with me if it is, everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and beliefs but I reserve the right to reject the label.
You can feel free to write it off as a peeve, from 'certain quarters'.
bae, how long has that memorial been at your fire station?
Years now. The piece of steel was given to our department by FDNY, and one of our members drove across the country to bring it back here.
Is there a reason a chunk of the World Trade Center figures prominently?
Yes, it is a memorial to those who died in that particular incident. Which was the single highest casualty incident for firefighters in US history. It stands out, both for the statistics, and for the particulars of the day. We still go over some of the lessons learned every week in training. It's...important.
Are the losses of those firefighters' lives more worth commemorating than those of any other firefighters'?
Not particularly. But you make the incorrect assumption that we do not honor those others.
Surely Seattle has lost firefighters in the course of duty. What about them and the losses of their families?
Indeed Seattle has. We talk about them pretty often around the station, several perished in tricky ways that we'd all like to avoid, and their names come up in training. As to their families, you may be unaware of the large behind-the-scenes fraternal efforts that exist for mutual aid....
What I'm pointing out is that, for some reason, there are damn few public monuments to firefighters and police officers who've died over the course of the decades but a shower of coverage every September 11th for those specific people.
The monument I posted a picture of, while technically a "public" monument, is inside our station, built by firefighters, paid for by firefighters, and meant for firefighters and their families. There are several such memorials in our stations. There's a whole hall of them at the state fire academy...
Good day.
My daily peeve is my dwelling on some people who have done horrible things to me decades ago that changed the course of my life, and my letting them do it, and my dwelling on horrible things I've done to others decades ago.
So, the term 'false patriotism' is simply projection? That's fine with me if it is, everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and beliefs but I reserve the right to reject the label.
You can reject mine; I can reject yours. I know I don't see the world the way most people do. I don't let that bother me personally.
As in so many other discussions in public discourse, definitions -- and agreeing to those definitions -- rule the day.
Are the losses of those firefighters' lives more worth commemorating than those of any other firefighters'?Not particularly. But you make the incorrect assumption that we do not honor those others.
Actually, you have made an incorrect assumption. I never said that firefighters do not honor other dead firefighters. I said merely that commemoration of the deaths of the 9/11 firefighters in New York City -- especially in a place untouched in any linear way by the tragedy -- seems to honor their loss more than that of other firefighters who died in smaller numbers or in less noteworthy locations.
Maybe "peeve" is not a good word for my reaction to the hoopla that surrounds 9/11. I don't see networks interrupting their broadcasting each year for a ceremony recounting those killed aboard Navy ships in Pearl Harbor. I don't see cars around here with little ribbon magnets on the back honoring the memory of Twin Cities firefighters and law officers who died in the line of duty. I don't see hats and Facebook memes and tweets and lobbying efforts urging that we never forget the brave men and women who died trying to rescue people in Montreal during the rail-car fire a couple of months ago. Or soldiers who fought in, say, World War II. I don't think any of those people should be forgotten. Their loss is no less than anyone else's. And their losses are our losses.
Yet people who don't think twice about Washington's fallen firefighters -- or even know about them -- will slap a magnet on their car. I just don't think that's right. And, in its own way, it's not very honorable.
Good day to you.
iris lilies
9-12-13, 9:26pm
Steve, the group-think of "we must honor the fallen on such and such a day" turns me off, so in a way I'm one of you. I don't like sentimentality. But I'd bloody well better think about honoring those who risk their lives for the sheeple like me at some point in the year. If I want to do that on September 12, that's ok. So is April 10. Don't tell me when, but I need to set my internal compass to at least have a moment.
This debate reminds me of those who consider themselves better Christians due to a variety of reasons. Those reasons usually include NOT going to church and rejecting the trappings of religion but they consider themselves truly spiritual, knowing the one true way of Jesus. Etc.
In the end, it's all supercilious oneupmanship. No one has the market cornered on patriotism, Christianity, or whatever -ism or -ity. Let people celebrate patriotism as they choose. Let people worship as they choose. It's all good.
iris lilies
9-12-13, 9:30pm
...Maybe "peeve" is not a good word for my reaction to the hoopla that surrounds 9/11. I don't see networks interrupting their broadcasting each year for a ceremony recounting those killed aboard Navy ships in Pearl Harbor.
I wasn't born then. You most certainly was not born then. Haven't you talked to you mom about Pearl Harbor? That was a central event of her life. To me and to 3/4 of the people in this country (or is it 9/10?) we don't remember it.
9/11 commemoration events will die off, count on it. The next generations will have their own clarifying moments in time.
And another point: you are creating a false dichotomy. One can participate in 9/11 events AND ALSO honor fallen cops and firemen, it's not EITHER/OR. We do that here in my urban core neighborhood where we know and trust the cops, and support them every freaking day. I cannot tell you of all of the hours my neighborhood spends working on the police substation, gathering money to stock it for food and drink, organizing potluck police dinners, working with our neighborhood policeman in support and etc. If we don't contribute to the annual Guns Vs Hoses (cops vs firemen athletic event) or visibly support Backstoppers, people look at us cross eyed. I give cash toward the Xmas present of our neighborhood cop because if I didn't I'd feel really stupid.
I will also add that each and every time I drive by a particular commercial building where two firemen died, I think about them. Something about that fire, it's unexpected tragedy, and two very young families left without their fathers really makes me sad.
When we were last in Edinburough, Scotland, there was a fireman death being honored at St. Giles on the Royal Mile. My brother who is in emergency response work (Well, has been in the past) liked seeing how the Scots do this. There were lots of flower arrangements put up around the area.
ApatheticNoMore
9-12-13, 10:04pm
Haven't you talked to you mom about Pearl Harbor? That was a central event of her life. To me and to 3/4 of the people in this country (or is it 9/10?) we don't remember it.
my dad was drafted in the war and seldom mentioned that day. The war was considered overall worthwhile in his story (i have no problem with that at all, but I also have minimal problem with those who raise questions). Still my dad suspected the army exposed him (and his fellow basic trainees) to poisons in basic training - always blamed his on and off coughs and nasal problems as possibly due to that (didn't smoke or anything). My dad had very good friends that were of Japanese ancestry who as little children had been imprisoned with their parents in the internment camps, despite being 3rd generation Americans. I interviewed them. Rememberance? Perhaps .... but sentimental?
Pop up ads & pop up ad blockers that block so much they really can't be used, >:(
SteveinMN
9-13-13, 10:07am
Originally Posted by SteveinMN
...Maybe "peeve" is not a good word for my reaction to the hoopla that surrounds 9/11. I don't see networks interrupting their broadcasting each year for a ceremony recounting those killed aboard Navy ships in Pearl Harbor.
I wasn't born then. You most certainly was not born then. Haven't you talked to you mom about Pearl Harbor? That was a central event of her life. To me and to 3/4 of the people in this country (or is it 9/10?) we don't remember it.
9/11 commemoration events will die off, count on it. The next generations will have their own clarifying moments in time.
And another point: you are creating a false dichotomy. One can participate in 9/11 events AND ALSO honor fallen cops and firemen, it's not EITHER/OR.
Actually, my mom was 7 when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I was 8 when JFK was shot and I recall nothing of that event other than my mom watching the TV and crying. So I don't know how well my mom recognized Pearl Harbor as an event then. Certainly she remembers WWII rationing and (distant) family members going off to war.
But I think you're right -- in time, September 11 will revert to being the day between the 10th and the 12th. I think that's a good thing. I don't believe that's a day that should define America beyond so many other days in our history.
And I know it's possible to participate in 9/11 events and honor the fallen. Maybe it would be better if the events concentrated less on the myriad (civilian) losses (the squabbling over the WTC memorial was quite unbecoming IMHO) and more on the idea of remembering fallen firefighters and law officers (and even victims of terrorism) no matter the day or the circumstance -- much the way Memorial Day morphed from its origin as a commemoration of Civil War dead.
il, this may scare you :), but I agree with both of your posts here 100%.
I just need to whine here for a moment before I get on with my day, it's those pesky, annoying, chronic albeit relatively minor aches and pains that keep me from feeling as good as I would like. My achy knees, the feeling of being terribly bloated and an allergic reaction to a bee sting from yesterday are bothering me today. Oh yeah, and bad allergies... That is all, thank you for indulging me. I am going to go have a cup of tea, make some art and forget about them as best I can.
Something new I've been noticing from service workers: the standard greetings like "good morning, how are you?" have now been stretched to include things like "do you have anything exciting planned for this weekend?"
I'm getting asked that in different places like the local deli to the bank teller to the chain drop-in haircut place.
Makes me feel put on the spot, like just saying "No" is disappointing to them because they'd rather me tell them something interesting. I know it's petty, but I'm doing errands, not trying to make conversation about my life to amuse someone.
fidgiegirl
9-16-13, 8:05am
I'm with you, Lainey! But I don't feel bad about being standoffish in my response. In 99% of the cases I'm sure they've been trained to ask that and I feel they don't most likely give a crap, anyway. For whatever reason I first noticed this at Potbelly and I still don't like to go there because of it. I like friendly, not trained.
fidgiegirl
9-16-13, 8:07am
Am loving watching your artistic creations on FB, SQ!
Makes me feel put on the spot, like just saying "No" is disappointing to them because they'd rather me tell them something interesting. I know it's petty, but I'm doing errands, not trying to make conversation about my life to amuse someone.
Like Kelli, I'm guessing that it's become an automatic greeting and the folks in stores don't expect a real answer to that question any more than they do to the question "how are you?".
Actually, it might be kind of fun to have some outlandish response ready. Like saying you're going to a coronation. Or that the President is coming over for a beer. Might get a good laugh out of it.
I kind of like when sales people say those things. I was in retail, part time, for a million years (in retail years).
I almost always say something outrageous. I am old and fat and all the rest, so replying that I am participating in a black belt tournament, or sky diving or riding bulls in the rodeo or giving a presentation on the proper mating habits of coatimundi at the governor's mansion please me.
This is more fluid if you are in line and have a chance to think of something. Last week I told the clerk that I was defending my apple bobbing title at the regional conference.
I like involving the President, though.
Once I had a huge bandage on my hand, and when the clerk mentioned it, I told him that I was stabbed in a bar fight.
OMG! I do that at work, to strike up a conversational tone with my customers! Most of the time people are happy to chat but I can see how some people are somewhat taken aback (like today, for instance)! We are strongly encouraged to be super-friendly and helpful; in fact, my job on the deli counter kind of depends on it...I have to say though if I am not in the mood to be sociable (like today) it takes a lot out of me.
@Fidgiegirl- thanks for following Taliswoman on FB! I'm having a lot of fun with it!
Yep, I'm ordinarily polite and friendly enough, but geez. I'm like fidgiegirl - I like friendly, trained, efficient, and timely customer service. If I can get that, I'm happy and I'll be back.
Reminds me of an article I read about a young woman years ago who was tired of strangers telling her to Smile! She decided to start replying "My brother died today." Of course that really threw them for a loop, and she was pretty sure they no longer went around saying that.
Some people are dealing with very serious stuff, so a truthful answer to this query might be that their weekend plans, e.g., are that they are helping their relative re-apply for Soc. Security disability so the relative does not lose their apartment. So now they have to make up something else for their circumstances to not be so depressing.
I guess if I worked in customer service I would take my cue from the customer - if they're there to buy a graduation cake, then by all means it's fun to chat them up about the party plans. But otherwise please don't ask me to entertain you while you're finishing my transaction. Gosh, sounds curmudgenly (sp) but I think that's what us borderline introverts would prefer.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2nvfimt.jpg
ApatheticNoMore
9-17-13, 2:23pm
Took me an hour and 50 minutes to go the bit less than 20 miles to work today. >:( One of those Murphy's law applied to traffic days.
Geez Louise! My DD takes seizure meds. She has PHP, Medicare & Medicaid. She gets 2 different sizes of the one medication because they don't make a big enough tablet for her dosage. Well, she cannot have generics. But every now and then her Medicare RX decides that they will no longer pay for name brand. So DD's house manager calls the drug store to find out why it is being denied. Then she calls the Medicare RX co. who won't talk to her because she is not DD's guardian. Then she calls DD's neurologist to see if they will send the Medicare RX co. a note saying she cannot have generics. The person who does this is not in the office for a week and nobody else can do it. Then the House Mgr. calls me and tries to explain it to me. She is brand new to the position and this is new to her.
I don't quite understand what the problem is so I call the pharmacy who tells me that I have to call DD's DHS caseworker and the DHS caseworker has to do something on her computer files that tells Medicaid to over-ride something so that MedicareRX will pay for it. huh? So I call the Medicare RX co. They won't talk to me either. Thank you HIPPA (or however you abbreviate it). So I have to go find somewhere to fax a copy of the Guardianship papers to MedicareRX. Then I call MedicareRX again. They will talk to me now. But all he keeps saying is that they only pay for 5 mg & 25 mg Lamictal (DD needs 150 & 200 mg) something or other. Or if you use this other Lamictal ds something or other. So I finally got him to say that yes we do need to have the Dr. call them to get the form that they then need to fax to MedicareRX. They can't just fax something without using THE form.
So I waited until today when the person who takes care of this stuff is supposed to be back in the office. Had to leave a message and I can only hope that they will actually call me back to let me know that they are taking care of it.
I think I need a drink
Oh Azure, that is soooooooo frustrating! The ineffiency and ineptitude of *the system*. I think my daughter takes Lamictal too (or some new name-brand drug for her bi-polar that doesn't have a generic out yet), and I know she's had problems with Medicaid about it. Meanwhile, she runs out of meds, which can throw her into a tailspin. Luckily, the clinic she goes to can dole out samples until things get straightened out.
It is snowing.
:0!
(It will happen here soon enough.)
iris lilies
9-29-13, 10:15pm
oy oy oy. Our excellent rice cooker of a dozen years gave up the ghost and I had to shop for a new one. While I don't really mind how much I pay, I'd like to NOT pay for digital crap that I won't use. I wanted a pan that comes out and I wanted the unit to have some heft and solidity. Got the first ting but not really the second thing.
Went to Target and bought one, but not without some angst on my part in trying to match up sample machines with items in boxes with shelf tags. I thought that the unit we picked out was $59 but the cash register said $36 so ummm. I don't feel like I got a bargain, I wanted to see what the $56 unit was like.
We've had 3 rice cookers in our married life and this one that just went bad was by far the longest lasting one. And, it was FAST and it also seems to sense white rice from semi-brown to brown/black rice. I will miss it.
SteveinMN
9-30-13, 10:40am
Just had to scan 21 pages from our 2013 federal and state tax returns -- two-thirds of which have absolutely nothing to do with my personal income -- to send them to the lender refinancing my rental property. This despite signing and sending forms allowing them to request those very same tax forms electronically from TIIC. >:( And sending them, clear-text, in batches lest Yahoo think I'm spamming the world 1.5 Megabytes at a time.
I wouldn't have minded so much if I could have filtered the unnecessary pages. Or if I'd never filled out the permission form in the first place. But that's bureaucracy for ya. As a time-waster, this is right up there with entering dozen-digit account numbers on the phone keypad only to be asked by the representative as soon as you get to speak with them, "Can I have your account number, please?"
One of my most time-honored quotes is, "I waste the most time on anything we're discussng for the third time" (Steve Murphy, President & CEO of Rodale Inc.). If we weren't talking real money here ... but I'm still going to complain about the insecurity of this mechanism.
Woke up sick on my birthday with a whopper of a head cold. After I dragged myself out to dinner with my mom, I feel like ca-ca and am finally admitting that I am sick, not just being lazy. At least I took tomorrow off too, but laying around sick is not what I had in mind for my 52nd birthday.
Excessively-scripted call takers
I was supposed to get a call back this morning from "Jennifer" at T-Mobile re: the interminable saga of getting my phone unlocked. At least that's what I have in my notes from last Monday. The appointed call time came and went. Jennifer wisely has never provided her phone number, so I called T-Mobile.
"My name is [unintelligible]. And who [sic] do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?" The rep recited the T-Mobile's Approved Procedure For How To Unlock A Phone script from the beginning. I broke in to tell her the regular mechanism has not worked, which is how I ended up speaking to Jennifer -- with whom I want to speak again, per our agreement. "We're terribly sorry for your inconvenience and thank you for your patience."
The call-taker claimed she could not contact "Jennifer". I've worked in Telecom around enough call centers to know that's a pile of [redacted]. There always are ways to escalate a call. When I pushed, the agent magically was able to contact "Jennifer" and promised me that she would call me back "in a few minutes".
After 45 minutes of no phone ringing, I called T-Mobile again. "My name is [unintelligible]. And who [sic-squared] do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?" I asked what happened. "We're terribly sorry for your inconvenience and thank you for your patience." The agent "contacted" Jennifer's workgroup and told me that my trouble ticket said she'd call me on Monday. I remember distinctly agreeing to Friday to speed this up a little. Strange Thing #1: There's a date for Monday's call in the ticket, but no time of day. Like I have nothing else to do. Strange Thing #2: If this was in the trouble ticket history (which I know typically cannot be altered after the fact), why was I promised during the first call today a call-back that wasn't going to happen?
That this mess gets pushed another couple of days means little after weeks of working on it. What really bothers me is the genuinely insincere concern expressed while agents recite their scripts and whatever else pops into their heads. The trouble ticket is there to document the problem. For all the verification one has to do before getting to any agent, the least they could do on a call-back is to take a minute to read the freeping history. I'm sure T-Mo wants to "excite" its customers with customer service -- but not this way. >:(
Jennifer/T-Mobile almost pulled this mess out of the fire by allowing me to get a replacement phone which could be unlocked. We've been with them for 12 years, which is generations long in the mobile business. But we can be treated like this for a whole lot less money every month. If what T-Mo has to sell is their customer service, they dropped the ball and then went after it with a spike. If I had a shred of wanting to stay with T-Mobile before, it's really gone now.
Day three, and I'm still sick :( I just had to call in and miss another day of work tomorrow (we're not allowed to work around food when you have a fever, obviously). It's been going up all day, even after taking Ibuprofin a few times.
On the bright side, my awesome ex-MIL left me my annual birthday check, so I am not going to worry about two days of lost wages and I'm not going to use up some of my accrued time off either (I'm saving that for next year's road trip).
fidgiegirl
10-5-13, 7:26pm
How easy would it have been, US Bank, to see that I submitted two humongous payments online within seconds of each other, and instead of telling me to "check with my bank" about why the payment was returned, say to yourself, wow, look at that, a mistake must have happened and I'll offer to refund this customer's "returned payment" fee? Because, um, duh, you KNOW why the payment was returned!! Because it was submitted to you twice!! And now there is no balance on her account except for your fee sitting there! No, let's make her have to push and ask for that. Absolutely ridiculous.
Gardenarian
10-7-13, 5:55pm
So sick, abscessed tooth, haven't eaten for two days, taking Doxycycline. Getting the tooth out at soon as infection is gone. Ouch ouch ouch.
Hope you are finally feeling better, Gardenarian.
How come some businesses make it so dang hard to find their phone numbers!! I had an appt. this morning to donate platelets at the Red Cross. Got almost there and the road was blocked off. One of those barricades & orange cones things with the sign that said road closed local traffic only. But then there was no way for "local traffic only" to get through. Not enough space to get between the barricades & cones. I guess that makes this 2 rants for the price of 1 lol The Red Cross is between 2 one way only roads. I could not figure out how to get there.
So I called information. The first time they gave me 2 numbers. I tried to have them texted to my cell phone but it wouldn't go through. So I called back and the first thing they said was push 1 to have the previous call texted to your phone. Tried again. Nope. Called again. Got a different number. Got the "the red cross is closed today, if you want to donate, blah, blah" message. Called again. Got a different number. Same recording though. Tried again asked if there was a number for the apheresis center. Nope.
So I came home. If the person who called to make or confirm the appt. had mentioned this issue to me I would have been prepared. But nope she didn't. Waste of time & gas money. Lots of frustration.
iris lilies
10-12-13, 1:01pm
The Gardening Diva who is organizing our community garden's fall harvest potluck keeps peppering us all with emails about "whatcha going to bring?"
Hey Diva, I don't know what I will bring. When I decide what to cook, I will cook it and bring it. Then you will find out what that is.
Why does it matter to her? What's she going to do, tell me not to bring something?
iris lilies
10-12-13, 1:04pm
How come some businesses make it so dang hard to find their phone numbers!! I had an appt. this morning to donate platelets at the Red Cross. Got almost there and the road was blocked off...
One of the complicating factors with the Red Cross is that blood appointments are made on the phone on a national office I think. We've gone back and forth trying to get a phone number for the local place where DH donates.
They've finally got so that that are able to call in the evening. They used to call during the day, he was never home, I would take a message, he wouldn't call them back, repeat cycle.
Now they call at night when he's home and he makes the appointment. It was very tiresome there for a while.
When you can, report your problem. They need to know this stuff.
That is aggravating Iris Lilies. The only thing I can say is that sometimes when you have potlucks you often end up lots of deserts and not enough main dishes. that kind of thing.
But I'm with you, I often don't know what I will be bringing until a day or 2 before an event.
iris lilies
10-12-13, 1:12pm
That is aggravating Iris Lilies. The only thing I can say is that sometimes when you have potlucks you often end up lots of deserts and not enough main dishes. that kind of thing.
Oh, I know, but it's one meal in our lives, if we don't eat well, so be it. The average American can afford to drop a meal.
I remember once aboaut 20 years ago I hosted a nieghborhood potluck and one of the neighbors asked me "aren't you going to coordinate food? What if everyone brings pasta salad?" Having the same philosophy then as now, I did not. Guess what, everyone brought pasta salad, haha. But that was fine, it was only one meal in a lifetime of meal (and potlucks.)
SteveinMN
10-12-13, 6:21pm
I remember once aboaut 20 years ago I hosted a nieghborhood potluck and one of the neighbors asked me "aren't you going to coordinate food? What if everyone brings pasta salad?" Having the same philosophy then as now, I did not. Guess what, everyone brought pasta salad, haha. But that was fine, it was only one meal in a lifetime of meal (and potlucks.)
And they never troubled you again to "coordinate" another potluck! :D
iris lilies
10-12-13, 9:36pm
And they never troubled you again to "coordinate" another potluck! :D
oh, you! I thought of it as "the pasta salad tasting" where one could identify the best pasta salad recipes out there.
iris lilies
10-12-13, 9:51pm
Here I am with another peeve.
Went shopping for t-shirts for DH. Hate shopping.
3 employees standing around in JC Penney's quacking on, one saying in a whiney voice "I ask for more hours but..." and I interrupted her because I had to ask where the men's underwear section is. She walked me halfway there, no problem, I could see the display.
DH wears crew neck size Large. Do ya think they had any crew neck size large t-shirts? Do you know how many packages of t shirts there were? I would estimate nearly 100, but none Large, none crew neck. I can't see how this can be true in this day and age of computerized stock control. This is not a weird style or an odd size.
So back I go to find a sales associate. This time two of them are standing around jawing. I interrupt, not shy am I, and I am the customer. So one pleasant young man walked back with me to the t-shirt display to help me look. He pulls off a Large, crew neck package and he said "here, it's just in a different package than the others." I look closely at it and it says "slim fit." This is for hipsters, not for DH who will not like a different kind of fit. I point out the "slim fit" description, the guy shrugs. I say my spiel about being surprised they are out of a standard size and style, he shrugs.
Me--gone.
Hate shopping.
SteveinMN
10-13-13, 12:08pm
oh, you! I thought of it as "the pasta salad tasting" where one could identify the best pasta salad recipes out there.
Actually, I'm not a big fan of coordinating potlucks, either. That's why they're called "potlucks" and not "arranged communal meals". I think it would be fun try lots of variations of an ingredient (though generally I'm not much on pasta salads). We've done somewhat similar themed meals with chili, spaghetti sauces, and local apples.
SteveinMN
10-15-13, 1:25pm
DW got her car back from a recall visit to the dealership. Along with a note that she may receive a call from Kia asking about her visit. In bold letters, highlighted, it reads "Please note: '10' is my ONLY passing grade!"
Well, then, why bother with 10 points? Why not just two? Why not just "Pass" and "Fail", since that is what this is reduced to? VW was no better, except that they worked on a "five-point" scale, but anything less than 5 was "failure". I get that they want customers to be happy and to address issues at the lowest possible point (in this case, the service desk). But this binary rating system enforces the highest marks for anything but the very worst service and implies that nothing about the visit could have been improved. Well, it can always be improved. Hours could be more convenient; they could have swept in like a Wood Brothers pit stop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLA-JDButBU) when my wife drove in; and, if we paid for the visit, the bill could be lower.
Meanwhile, at the end of the quarter, upper management gets a context-less PowerPoint slide that indicates 95% of Kia customers think nothing about their service visit could be better and bonuses are issued all around. Hmmph....
Seizures suck. ER visits suck. Spending 7 1/2 hours in the ER really sucks. I have spent too much time with teenage boys & am too tired to be use more creative language lol Last night was not a good night. However we did not get bad news at the end, so there is that redeeming factor.
DD's hand/wrist suddenly started curling up. Decided to take her to ER to find out what was going on. First we thought, seizure issue. Then stroke then we noticed a bump on her hand and thought broken bones. On the way to the ER DD had a big grand mal seizure. Spent 7 1/2 hours in the ER, x-rays, ct scan, blood work. Waiting. Lots of waiting. DD had another seizure. 3 times we had to say no to either/or iv's and being admitted. The ER looked at me like I was a fool when I said that for DD her seizures are under good control but finally stopped pressing the issue. I wonder what he may have written on her chart.
X-ray clear. YAY! CT scan clear. YAY! Finally a diagnosis - radial nerve palsy. She somehow damaged the radial nerve but we will never know how. Could have slept on it wrong. Could have damaged it during a seizure. There is no treatment. God willing it will clear up over the next week though if the damage is bad enough it may not. I think it is improving a bit already so I have high hopes.
DD was so ready to leave. She kept trying to escape in her wheelchair, even using her damaged hand to push lol Poor thing we kept rolling her back to the room.
But she had another seizure on the way home. Today she is sleeping it off. I WISH they could get her seizures under better control.
I'm on vacation this week (had to take a week or lose it). My coworkers seem to be unable to follow the simple, explicit directions I left on what needed to be done. I'm getting emails and texts at home. I'm actually having to check my work email.
fidgiegirl
10-17-13, 9:35pm
Ick, Azure. Sorry for DD, hope she is feeling better.
Tradd, don't answer! You can be "out of town" even when you're in town. Your vacay.
chrissieq
10-17-13, 10:11pm
DH just told me he was going to go into work instead of taking the 3 days of vacation he had planned because he knows he would spend the whole time working from home. I appreciate that he recognizes that he can't disconnect. Why waste the vacation days when there is not really a vacation. We are going out of town later in the month and I know he will check email and be available by phone but it will not be as constant as when we do "stay-cations".
CeciliaW
10-18-13, 12:44am
Just found out BART is going on strike at midnight. I'm flying in to SF for work tomorrow. I usually take BART from the airport for $8.25. A cab starts at $50 for sitting down. Bad words Bad Words Bad words.
At least the cab drivers will have a good day.
Aaaaaagh!
Just found out BART is going on strike at midnight. I'm flying in to SF for work tomorrow. I usually take BART from the airport for $8.25. A cab starts at $50 for sitting down. Bad words Bad Words Bad words.
At least the cab drivers will have a good day.
Aaaaaagh! I just returned to SoCal from the Bay area (sonoma county) and had to listen to 2 weeks of Bart threatening to go on strike. I am actually surprised they did. Can't imagine the traffic conditions - ugh. Last time I was up there they were closing the Bay Bridge so I high-tailed it south the day before that happened. At least that didn't impact commuter traffic as badly.
iris lilies
10-18-13, 10:29pm
This is funny: the National Republican party has been calling me regularly 1 -2 times a week for the past 5 weeks, and I am not exaggerating, with the same damn call. One guy who is a breathless metrosexual sounding guy asks for me by name and then the call turns over to the robo voice. I hang up when Robo-voice starts. But today I told DH "I am going to listen to this call and take down the specifics" to contact them to complain, and while I was saying this to Dh the "robo" voice stopped his spiel to say--"what? Mrs. Iris, hey ah, what?"
hahahah. I apologized to Robo-guy for hanging up on his 20 times, but honestly, I thought he was a recorded voice every time he called me. I also told him to stop calling me so often, it is ridiculous how many times they have called.
It's funny, I just noticed we're a "peevish" bunch - coming up on 50,000 peeves!! and yes, I've definitely contributed a few.
But is it bad karma for us that our peeves are so much more numerous than our posts in the gratitude topic??
Not that many peeves. That number is the views. Hope that does not make anyone peevishy.:treadmill: (that is me thinking that I am running for safety...)
Not really a peeve but I just wanted to say that Deja's hand is still not working and I am feeling very sad about it. :(
SteveinMN
10-28-13, 12:40pm
Over the last six weeks or so, I've been working on refinancing my rental property. A slipstream refi that would have increased the monthly mortgage maybe 25% but would have cut the term to 20 years at a much lower interest rate than I've been paying. I made it clear to the salesguy that I was not making much income with my business and that I didn't want to bring DW's income into it because of the foreclosure on her record. No problem! says he.
After filling out too much paperwork, it comes down to my not making enough income to refi. WT...??? None of them can recollect what the salescritter said and he apparently is off in greener pastures. They offered to count my rental income (about twice the monthly mortgage cost and below-market at that) and could not find a way to make it work for 20 years -- or even for 30. So I pulled the plug on it and will owe them for the appraisal that was done (which showed the house appreciated about 50% from what I paid for it, so that was at least worthwhile).
I don't get it. Here I am, accidental landlord, bringing in significantly more than goes out, paying the existing mortgage on time every month for five years -- and they can't make it work for me to pay a lower amount over 30 years? I know the days of "liar's loans" and such were too lenient. But not only have they closed the barn door; they've shackled the horses to the building. Ridiculous.
Well, that sucks big time. Really hard to understand how impersonal all of that is. It is not like they just 'met' you.
mschrisgo2
11-1-13, 2:41am
My peeve for the day is the HUGE hoop-la that was made of Halloween this year! There are even orange and black lights on many many houses!! yard decorations, way too many stupid costumes... did I say I hated Halloween to begin with?! It seems like just an excuse to spend money on junk and act stupid.
SteveinMN
11-1-13, 11:11am
It seems like just an excuse to spend money on junk and act stupid.
It's beginning to look a lot like commercial Christmas....
Agreed! I don't need an excuse to spend money on junk and act stupid! http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/standart/dance2.gif http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/standart/yahoo.gif '
(Actually, I don't mind Halloween--except for the little beggars at the door. A lot of people enjoy an excuse to dress up and party.)
Gardenarian
11-4-13, 5:44pm
Tooth extraction + traffic school = not so great weekend :|(
fidgiegirl
11-4-13, 11:22pm
A bit too damn much marriage advice on FB lately. Um, if seven people have already shared the same thing you read, you don't need to share it too. Especially if you're not actually married.
My iPad battery power is sucked down like crazy with the new OS. It's driving me nuts. It's probably increasing my productivity, though. :)
When you agreed in writing in August to speak at an event in November, and I've now contacted you 3x this past week to confirm and finalize details and you have not responded to anything, I'm wondering: did you fall off a roof? or is this the new etiquette of "I'll actually only do it if I feel like at that moment"??
Now I have to take time off to go this person's workplace and hunt them down. Extremely unprofessional on their part.
errk - am editing my post because after a personal visit, all was resolved and event is going forward. Still wish I had been kept apprised of the situation, but now All is Well.
A coworker who sits directly opposite me coughs and hacks every minute or so all day long. I don't know if she's gone to the doctor or has any meds. This has been going on for about two months. It's annoying as hell. Many people I talk to on the phone comment on the coughs they can hear. I'm looking forward to my trip and three days off simply so I don't have to listen.to the cougher.
My iPad battery power is sucked down like crazy with the new OS. It's driving me nuts. It's probably increasing my productivity, though. :)I noticed an extreme battery suck on my iPhone after upgrading to OS7, but didn't notice it on my iPad post upgrade.
It turns out that while I was playing around with the phone's new features, I also installed a couple of new apps which were the real culprit. After removing them, battery life improved greatly.
Trying to keep my dollars in the local community, I go to the local sign/banner/printing shop instead of ordering it online. I place the order on Monday, Tuesday spent tweaking it, said it'd be ready Thursday. Called Thursday, said pick it up Friday. Ok, no sweat, made it in time for the Saturday event.
Go in today to pick up the second banner, uhm, they might get to it tomorrow. What??? You've had the order for nearly 2 weeks.
Ask about the quote for the cards and post cards. Haven't gotten to it yet. What??
Told them to never mind the paper order, and that I'd pick up the second banner tomorrow. Want to bet they stay late tonight working on it?
Crappy service. Seriously.
New to the South. I see the native is brown now. The subdivision lots have green grass, a non local planted grass. Goodness changing the grass. Why would they want to mow more, fertilize, water....
I wash, I rinse, I sort, I put plastic bags all together in one, paper, plastic, food clamshells (no food bits), cartons--the egg cartons are separate, in the yard waste toter--glass, tin (flattened when possible)...I just re-read the flyer and they want me to "bundle" cardboard...I have a plastic bag full of refuse lying in my kitchen. I confess I throw most of my food scraps in the garbage. It's just too much. My recycling rant for the year.
I probably just need to vent on this. I was in the local health food type store today, and as I've seen happen occasionally, there is this well dressed lady going from one bulk bin to another taking a few nuts or what ever from the bins and munching them while she shops. Not a very good practice from a sanitary standpoint, but in my opinion it is gross, rude, and above all, poor manners. On this occasion it was so blatant I almost said something and then caught myself.
Am I over focused on this? Should I say something next time or just breath deeply and let it go?
Is this lady doing it on other visits? Does she use the scoop? I'm assuming she doesn't. I saw a woman in Whole Foods once who was piling up on freebies. I think she was homeless.
I think I would say something to the woman who is just taking them out of the bin and eating them. Or maybe you could point out the scoop and the plastic bags to her??
I had not seen this person before. She was picking bits of food out of the scoop, but I still do not like the idea that a strangers fingers are in the scoop that me or some one else is going to use next. This person was not dressed like she was needy, just taking her shopping as an opportunity to graze.
I ran across a guy in our co-op doing something like that and I said to him, "You're supposed to use the scoops." And got a dirty look for it. Who knows what happens when we're not there to see it. So I suppose it's either don't buy bulk or take protective measures....
fidgiegirl
11-8-13, 12:58pm
Boo, more of a daily whine, I got stuck at home with sick pooping dogs. :( I have missed most of a daylong event with a speaker I really wanted to see. The bright spot is that if they seem to have settled down in the next hour or so, I'll go for the second half of the speaker. And if not, well, I guess I get lots of quiet time this weekend. At least it's just some poopies.
puglogic
11-13-13, 11:01am
Wish I didn't feel so let down. When you are looking forward to houseguests you haven't seen in a long time, spend a lot of $$/time making it cozy and clean, and it turns out they just intend to use our house as a sort of "home base" to visit with the people they like more.....well, it feels a little heavy in my throat.
But the sun is shining, the dogs need to be hiked, and life goes on! At least we'll have some nice bedding and furniture to enjoy after they're gone.
SnakeBlitz33
11-13-13, 12:22pm
Cold. Cold sheets, cold tiles, cold doors and cold floors. No winter jacket, heater broken, and end of semester homework piled high.
ApatheticNoMore
11-13-13, 3:53pm
Looks like I might be having to stay up all night once weekly for work now. I am P-ed off. There have already been nights I have had to wake in the middle of the night for work, but it's the regularity of it that's coming that makes it a new low.
I mean when there's a good chance of having to stay up past midnight till 1 or 2 for work AND THEN having to get up at 4:30am or something that same night, yes you can sneak some sleep in here and there, but my sleep is not actually that adaptible, and then I'm expected to go to work persumably at something resembling a normal time the next day as well! Such BS jobs. Tell me again how wonderful work is ... much much more wonderful than bodily needs like sleep, why who needs sleep when the fulfillment of one's soul is at hand ...
Puglogic, that is terrible. In addition to the free hotel thing, are they expecting free meals, too? Fuzzyratsnots.
Jilly, you're so funny :D Not truly terrible as much as just wishing things were different. I doubt they'll even eat here much, probably eat out a lot. And they're not bad people, just have different preferences than I'd hoped. Oh well! It was a great day here, they arrive tomorrow, all will be well.
It could be worse -- I could have to stay up all night like ANM.....sorry ANM :(
I saw the guy in the car behind me texting while driving. I got so mad at him. I kept looking at him and being mad, and almost rear-ended the car in front of me!! See!...........passive texting is dangerous too! :~)
Pug.........you have every right to be p.o.'d/disappointed with those people. Can you short-sheet their bed? :D
Yeah, short sheet them!!!!
Cathy, I think you were a victim of second-hand texting.
I am definitely NOT putting the cushy flannel sheets on. And the Manchego cheese? Mine, all mine.
I am definitely NOT putting the cushy flannel sheets on. And the Manchego cheese? Mine, all mine.
You go girl!
Grumpy pants co-worker. Get to work Monday morning. Say to co-worker How was your weekend? All friendly like Reply - eh, it was a weekend that's all. Sounds innocuous I know but it was the tone. But then 2nd co-worker comes in and ms. grumpy pants says How was your weekend, Br****? all nice like. Today it was just the usual snippy voice.
Last week I got back from vacation and as we're getting our stuff together to start work and I asked her "what's the scoop on black Friday?" And she said didn't you read your schedule? Would it have killed her to say we're opening at 8 pm. That's all I wanted to know. I will check my schedule later. It wasn't there when I punched in, thank you.
Later it was just ms grumpy pants and me working. Now the work we are doing involves 4 clothing racks back to back and side to side so it looks like one long 2-sided rack. She was already working on 1 rack so I started doing the 2nd rack and she jumped all over me. "It's just easier if I do all of this side and you do that side." No we don't "ALWAYS" do it that way. And sometimes we're even nice when we talk about it.
She is the one who once told me and once told my boss while I was standing right there that I, or to the boss "she", needs to step it up. But then she couldn't tell me what I was doing wrong. Well excuse me I have been there 1 year not the 20 years she has been. And BTW, when I got my 1st evaluation my boss said I was doing a lot better than most people were doing after only 1 year.
Whew! I feel better now LOL
Gardenarian
11-26-13, 8:07pm
Just really looking forward to the solstice. Dark at 4:45? Pthhh
I hate firing clients, especially clients who are trying to do something good in the world. But if you ignore my invoices I will quit you, and turn my skills to helping someone ELSE doing something good in the world. Peeved at disrespect in general this morning. Must take out my frustrations shoveling snow.......
Driving...how did this happen to a lady who was biking everywhere for everything just a short time ago. 3,500 miles a month now and 5 states.
I am mad at myself and that is my peeve!
Made arrangements for new handyman to meet at my home at 8 am. Had discussed this by phone, then confirmed it, so two telephone discussions total.
This morning he was a no-show, and when I called, he clearly sounded like I'd woken him up. He apologized so I'm giving him another chance tomorrow morning. Last chance, plus he better be really good.
iris lilies
1-21-14, 9:36pm
Made arrangements for new handyman to meet at my home at 8 am. Had discussed this by phone, then confirmed it, so two telephone discussions total.
This morning he was a no-show, and when I called, he clearly sounded like I'd woken him up. He apologized so I'm giving him another chance tomorrow morning. Last chance, plus he better be really good.
This reminds me--we had our house tuckpointed. The tuckpointer took a long time, yakked on the phone for hours, yakked at me when I would greet him, and seldom worked full days. But the quality of his work was ok.
Long story short, he finished the job in early December before the cold and snow hit. He finished a few days before our neighborhood house tour, and two houses on our block were on the tour. I was relieved that our scaffolding would down by the time of the tour. But nope--he has never come to take it down. We should have withheld $500 from his payment, but I would have hated to do that (had I thought about it) because he's a family guy, Christmas was coming up, I'm sure he doesn't have a ton of money, etc.
So now we are looking at scaffolding for several more weeks. I plan to called him on March 1 and say "On March 15 I'm putting up a "free" notice on Craigslist for this scaffolding. If you want it come and get it before that."
Fortunatley, we really are NOT very picky and besides, there are people in this neighborhood who have scaffolding up for years. I do not exaggerate when I say that the neighborhood record is 25+ years.
That I have been told I am to optimistic. Both my sons, this week told me that. They are tired of hearing my Optimsitc Annie as they call me, responses to everything.
Made arrangements for new handyman to meet at my home at 8 am. Had discussed this by phone, then confirmed it, so two telephone discussions total.
This morning he was a no-show, and when I called, he clearly sounded like I'd woken him up. He apologized so I'm giving him another chance tomorrow morning. Last chance, plus he better be really good.
okay, now I have to retrieve my peeve! Handyman Bill was excellent, and even fixed my wobbly side gate that I hadn't even asked him about because "it bothered him" ha ha. Lesson learned is always give a new person a chance to redeem themselves.
frugal-one
1-26-14, 3:53pm
I am peeved at myself!!!!! Today I went to the local grocery store to stock up before the polar vortex again puts us in the deep freeze. Just before checkout I see this older, stooped over gentlemen with a cart of Campbells soups and Swanson tv dinners. Why didn't I talk to him and ask if I could help him (either make/or show him how to make a few pots of soup) or at least see if he lives close to me so I could check on him. He was totally eating JUNK!!! I would wish someone would do that for my DH if something happened to me. I feel totally bummed!
I am peeved at myself. I didn't do something that I should have done in order to do something someone else wanted me to do and ended up wasting the whole day.aaarrrggghhh!!
SteveinMN
1-27-14, 11:07am
Why didn't I talk to him and ask if I could help him (either make/or show him how to make a few pots of soup) or at least see if he lives close to me so I could check on him. He was totally eating JUNK!!!
I wouldn't be so hard on myself. You had a chance almost-encounter with someone and a lot of the details are missing.
Maybe the guy doesn't give a whit about eating; soup and frozen dinners are a quick easy way to get some variety into a menu. So they're not optimal nutritionally -- it's not like anyone will be able to count how many more years he'd live if he made bone broths and vegetable stews instead of frozen dinners. Maybe he was buying the food for someone else -- maybe even a food shelf so that people working two and three jobs had something better than fast food or nothing to put on their tables.
And I know from dealing with my 80-year-old mother that old age absolutely does not diminish the desire for independence and self-reliance, even if the body or economics betrays that. I could see my mom accepting some help with heavy grocery bags, but I cannot see her accepting a stranger's offer to cook for her or to watch over her during the cold.
Maybe you're right and this guy needs a guardian angel like you think you could be. But maybe he's doing just fine for himself. So don't be too hard on yourself.
iris lilies
1-27-14, 11:42am
Yesterday in the beautiful warm weather, our tuckpointer came to get his scaffolding. We are laughing because it's now set up half a block away. He set it up for his next job, just as DH predicted: we stored it until he needed it.
Gardenarian
1-27-14, 5:22pm
People using expensive Post-it sticky notes instead of little pieces of scrap paper. If you're not sticking it to something, use scrap. grrrr.
Walmart. At least in our area, they run ads comparing their grocery prices to the competition -- they take a "typical" other-store shopper and duplicate her (I've yet to see a guy) grocery list at WM and "surprising" the shopper with the "lower" total. The shopper almost always proclaims how important it is for her family to save money. But then the ad (quickly) scrolls the list of items purchased and they're either items people don't buy that often (Brita water filters?) or heavily-processed packaged goods (among others this week, Tyson frozen breaded chicken fingers). I have yet to see anything as generic as "chicken thighs" or cucumbers or house-brand canned tomatoes (though the list does roll very quickly).
Seems to me if a shopper really wanted to save money, (s)he wouldn't be buying Tyson frozen breaded chicken fingers; (s)he'd buy (even factory-bird) chicken breasts and cut them up and be miles ahead financially and at least a little ahead nutritionally.
When I have a service worker in my home, I'm always surprised at those that seem to freely comment on my things.
Like, hey I see you have a poster from that exhibit, I went to that too, when did you go? or I notice you have woodworking tools all set up - what project are you working on? oh, that lamp is so cute, I used to have one like that.
My preference is for service workers like my plumber - he arrives on time, sets up, gets to work, then finishes it. We are both polite, but I'm paying him to do a job, not to become my new friend. He then can get to his next job, and I can get on with my day. He's never made a single comment on the color of my walls, or a picture frame, or what type of cereal box is on my counter, or anything.
Is this being too peevish to expect not to have to explain about things I happen to have sitting out around my home?
SteveinMN
2-13-14, 10:49am
Is this being too peevish to expect not to have to explain about things I happen to have sitting out around my home?
Not if that’s your preference. But I don't think that preference is universal.
I've had several enjoyable conversations with service people while they were working because they commented on something they saw in the house. I like the idea of putting a genuine human face on an abstract like a plumbing company or window company. Sometimes I've learned something useful -- or they have.
I'd say if that's the way you feel, you need to redirect the conversation politely as soon as it comes up. No tradesperson will come into your house (at least the first time) knowing that you don't care for that level of familiarity.
[ETA]Many companies try hard to "personalize" their service in the belief that having a positive friendly relationship with a customer will help retain that customer. I certainly find genuine enthusiasm based on questions about a hobby, etc., more less ingratiating than the forced, "I'm Jason and I'll be your waiter this evening." or "Thank you for calling ______. We really appreciate your business. What is that 17-digit account number you punched into your phone 15 minutes ago?"
Is this being too peevish to expect not to have to explain about things I happen to have sitting out around my home?
I like to do business with someone who shows a bit of personality and is a real human rather than just doing another job for another check. Showing an interest in something we might have in common or things around the house is one way that could happen, but a little bit goes a long way with me. Unless we are soul mates or something I'd just as soon get through a couple of short friendly exchanges and get to work.
I've had a couple of service folks get into their relationship problems with family, friends, wives, or girlfriends. That is ground I really have NO desire to visit. Also, per Steve's remarks, I had several places come out to give an estimate to install air conditioning upgrade my electric a few years ago. They got into that comment or complement on certain aspects of my home so often I started to wonder it was part of their training or method of operation to win business.
Rogar,
I've had this too lately. One commented on their financial problems, another said they wished they could retire because this work is too physically demanding. My last one blurted out she has a major health issue she's battling. They all have my sympathies, truly, but I'm not their friend or even acquaintance. I'm a customer. These are things they need to be discussing with close friends and family. I don't want our interactions to be robotic, but I think the etiquette calls for casual, superficial conversation.
Maybe it's because I'm a middle-aged woman living alone that I'm sensitive to strangers, especially males, being nosy about my home environment. I've had more than one say, "do you live here alone"? or "is this where you keep all your tools"? geez.
onlinemoniker
2-13-14, 9:29pm
I am a middle aged woman living alone and when the service guys come by to fix something I kind of feel like it's my duty to entertain them by talking to them about their lives. How many other calls today? How long have you worked for ___? What else do you fix? Is this a problem you see often? Etc.
I got this characteristic from my mother. She was very gregarious with total strangers. I don't feel like I'm pushy or nosy, just interested. Not that I really am interested. I'm just trying to be nice. I don't know if they like me and try harder. But usually they're really friendly in return.
SteveinMN
2-14-14, 10:34am
I'm a customer. These are things they need to be discussing with close friends and family. I don't want our interactions to be robotic, but I think the etiquette calls for casual, superficial conversation.
As much as I enjoy the conversations I have, I would not enjoy discussing health issues or "how much I hate this job". Yes, there needs to be boundaries on topics.
iris lilies
2-14-14, 11:55am
Rogar,
I've had this too lately. One commented on their financial problems, another said they wished they could retire because this work is too physically demanding. My last one blurted out she has a major health issue she's battling. They all have my sympathies, truly, but I'm not their friend or even acquaintance. I'm a customer. These are things they need to be discussing with close friends and family. I don't want our interactions to be robotic, but I think the etiquette calls for casual, superficial conversation.
Maybe it's because I'm a middle-aged woman living alone that I'm sensitive to strangers, especially males, being nosy about my home environment. I've had more than one say, "do you live here alone"? or "is this where you keep all your tools"? geez.
These are entirely reasonable concerns.
It got so that I hated to make eye contact with our tuckpointer because he would put down his tool and start yakking.That was merely annoying, but a stranger making inquiries about your living arrangement is a cause for concern. Of course it's entirely likely that don't intend anything by it, but how gauche of them and naive.
It was cool to see how professional my friend was about cleaning our house. There were things he didn't talk about until I brought them up in group casual, social conversation (like the horrific habits of our dogs or our always-filthy compost bucket by the sink). It's not a secret, but he understood the sensitive nature of working inside someone's home.
DH, while a kind-of chatterbox, zips his lips when he's got info about our friends. He works around our neighborhood and he knows who is getting their house ready to sell due to moving or divorce or they are fixing up a mother-in-law apt for someone to come in and live, or someone's child has moved back home due to problems, etc. He doesn't talk about that until it's public and he keeps confidential info confidential. But OTOH he's pretty chatty and I would find that strange if I didn't know how to turn it off. He runs around working like a busy bee but when the job is over, he will stand and yak for too long.
So this segues into not exactly a peeve but a comment on the difference of humans: I have what is probably a "short inner timer" for ending casual conversations. There are very few people with whom I wish to stand around and talk to in, say, the grocery store. I am there to get groceries. DH is different. When he runs into someone we know at the grocery store he will plant himself in one spot and yak. He is not a stream of consciousness yakker, he asks questions and listens and etc. It just as though he has no "inner timer" or else it is set for a very long timer. Perhaps he feels it impolite to end the conversation, I don't know, have never been able to figure it out. It is always the other person who ends the conversation in these situations. DH will stand in the spot, silently, but will never end the conversation. It's just very interesting.
That said, I am fine with casual chat if the purpose of the event is casual chat. We go to parties where the purpose is "to be social" so I can do that for hours, it's fine. I guess my "inner timer" isn't operating then.
iris lilies
2-14-14, 7:59pm
I am adding another peeve, clearly against the rules to peeve more than 1X daily, but I don't' care.
Why won't this lily seller act like a business? Do they want to sell me lilies? Then return my call or my email. Communicate for god's sake. Each year we have this problem, I badger them to verify that they received our order. I order for our Lily Society's sale and there is no room for error in a dropped order, I must have confirmation from her that she received our order. She doesn't respond. I call and leave message since they never answer the phone, no response. I email and call the same day--sometimes, she will respond to that.
When we owed her $1,000+ and she would not send an invoice I badgered her every two weeks for an invoice, no response. Finally, months later, she said that she had fired her bookkeeper who claimed to have sent out all invoices. But this lily business has been run this way for years. I realize that they are farmers and hybridizers and only secondarily wholesalers, but pleeeeease.
fidgiegirl
2-21-14, 12:18pm
Needing patience but finding none. :(
A pothole ate my front passenger tire this morning at 5:45 am on the way to work. The roads are absolutely atrocious around here! Ironically, a guy I work with at Whole Foods who lives in my neighborhood hit the same pothole on the way to work this morning and blew out TWO tires! AAA Michigan was so busy this morning it took being on hold for one hour to just to request roadside assistance and it took another 1.75 hours of waiting for the tow truck. These poor guys are being kept so busy around here this crazy winter!
"I can totally understand your concern, ha ha." 1. I don't care if you understand my concern, what I care about is whether you can fix my problem. 2. I know you're scripted to say this, and that makes it even worse. Do I need to outline my concern anyway? You've taken away my ability to comfortably express my concern without feeling like a redundant fool by saying you already know about it, and I don't like that. And do you actually understand my concern? Do you have a clue about my concern? Could you care less about my concern? Somehow I doubt it. Have you just co-opted a formerly reassuring phrase and made it completely meaningless in an attempt to shorten my part of this interaction after I've spent 20 minutes listening to Barry Manilow interspersed with encouragement to fix my concern online (which I certainly would prefer if it were an option, obviously I can't do that if I've actually bothered to call you) ? Oh Mandy, honestly.
>:(
Gardenarian
2-24-14, 8:55pm
My dog had to have 6 teeth pulled :(
iris lilies
2-24-14, 9:07pm
"I can totally understand your concern, ha ha." 1. I don't care if you understand my concern, what I care about is whether you can fix my problem. 2. I know you're scripted to say this, and that makes it even worse. Do I need to outline my concern anyway? You've taken away my ability to comfortably express my concern without feeling like a redundant fool by saying you already know about it, and I don't like that. And do you actually understand my concern? Do you have a clue about my concern? Could you care less about my concern? Somehow I doubt it. Have you just co-opted a formerly reassuring phrase and made it completely meaningless in an attempt to shorten my part of this interaction after I've spent 20 minutes listening to Barry Manilow interspersed with encouragement to fix my concern online (which I certainly would prefer if it were an option, obviously I can't do that if I've actually bothered to call you) ? Oh Mandy, honestly.
>:(
I completely understand your concern. And sympathize. :)
iris lilies
2-24-14, 9:12pm
My dog had to have 6 teeth pulled :(
That's a lot of teeth gone! I am home today after taking a dog for emergency surgery, he's got stones in his bladder and urethea. Now he is uncomfortable and hurting, poor baby. And I was thinking about dental surgery because the last time I had major surgery with a dog was about 2007 with $1800 in teeth removal. She went to the dental specialist in town because I was easily swayed by the other specialist's insistence that this was something serious. She did later died, in 2009, of something in her cranium, so perhaps the teeth problem was the harbinger of it.
We just had another tooth surgery last month not so severe, with around 3 teeth removed from our youngest Frenchie.
Gardenarian
2-25-14, 2:21pm
So sorry about your dog, iris lilies. I have gazehounds and they are notorious for their weak teeth (and dislike of brushing :)
Quick peeve: people who track slush/gravel/salt into the lobby of my apartment building. The door mat is there for a reason, people! It's not too hard to stamp your feet a few times, and makes the job of the superintendent much easier. There, I feel better now....
Teacher Terry
2-26-14, 7:41pm
Maltese are the same. We have spent a fortune in dentals. One dog is toothless and the other 2 have 12 & 14 teeth left & I think they start with about 42. Vets on the West Coast make a fortune.
Medical costs.
yes ...Medical costs :D http://watchfree.me/20/w.png
Both myself and the guy I work with that got flat tires on the way to work last week due to the giant hidden pothole, got a negative point on our attendance log at Whole Foods because we were late that day ~ SERIOUSLY??????!!!!!! We are allowed 6 points within a six month period before you get fired....I am not in danger of getting fired or anything but to me something like this is totally out of one's control and I don't feel like I should have been penalized. I did make it to work, albeit 3 hours late but if I known I was going to get a point anyway I should have just turned around and gone home and enjoyed the day off. Sheesh!
Is it too much to ask a co-worker to respond within 24 hours to an email asking a direct question? I had to escalate it to her boss, which I don't like doing, but I could not afford to be kept in the dark about the status.
Cmon people, it takes like 2 minutes to type "yes, I can work on that and get you the data Thursday." After escalating to her boss, she emailed me apologizing saying she meant to discuss my request with "her team" before getting back to me. Okay, fine, but clue me in too so we all know what's happening. Hit reply to my emails, it's simple!!
onlinemoniker
3-5-14, 9:42pm
Ok, I have this adorable pair of navy, cap-toe flats. They are the cutest blue shoes I own (other pair is only quasi-cute.)
The problem is the are size 7 (my size) but the fit like a size 5 narrow (little girls.) Seriously these shoes are like an iron maiden--for my feet!
I keep wearing and wearing them thinking I'll break them in but it never gets any better. Every time I wear them, I complain vociferously to anyone willing to listen--and many unwilling.
Finally, a couple weeks ago I bought a $23 pair of shoe stretchers on Amazon. Then, I applied the pressure. For one whole week! (Instructions say 48 hours.) Every other day I went in and ratcheted up the pressure another notch. I thought by the time I took out the stretchers they would be swimming on my feet. Not so. They were better but they were still crushing my toes flat.
Today I decided to wear the shoes again, knowing they were only somewhat improved but by the time I put them on this morning, they had returned to their original size! But I wore them anyway (what's one more day? And they are so cute.) By the end of the day I was limping so bad my knee is throbbing because apparently I changed my gait to minimize the crushing pressure.
Tonight I put them in the box to take to Goodwill (again.) This time they're not coming back out.
Gardenarian
3-6-14, 7:49pm
non-stop airplane noise. grrrr.
follow the dang flight path, pilots!
Gardenarian
3-22-14, 1:35pm
The dark side of AirBnB. >:(
My last renters left my cabin in disarray - moved all the furniture, broke a curtain rod, messed with the ceiling fan so it's all wobbly (there is a label to use the wall switch!) put a bunch of semi-clean dishes in the cupboards, left a window propped open with a book (one of MY books, apparently they couldn't figure out how to use a window.)
The fan is what I'm most concerned about. Idiots. I wasn't surprised to find two near-empty wine bottles in the fridge with corks floating inside them.
And what is irritating is that I can't really say that none of this was due to normal wear and tear. Some people just wear and tear a whole lot more than others. As dd says, the amount of stupid ....
I hope you leave a report on them as renters. I know you use to be able to do that, haven't used AirBnB in a few years but had great experience everytime...even when I had to drive the owner to the ER at 3 in the morning once.
Gardenarian
3-24-14, 2:12pm
I'm going to deduct the money for repair from the security deposit and am composing a politely negative review.
No one should have to put up with these monkeys.
fidgiegirl
3-24-14, 2:44pm
Good for you, Gardenarian! You will make the Air BNB community better with your honesty.
Simpler at Fifty
3-26-14, 4:39pm
My peeve for the day is that DH was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and it was missed on a CT scan in 2009. It is not curable from what we have read. We did enjoy the last 5 years not knowing so that is a positive. We actually have enjoyed the last 12 years since we met. :)Trying to stay positive after reading the CT report that lists tumor after tumor. My eyes are almost swollen shut and my nose is red from sobbing but he wants chicken noodle soup for dinner and I am heading out to get some. Last night the oncall doc said 'nothing to worry about' after the rad called him at 8pm with the results of the ct and today his GP painted a different picture. We slept good last night thinking it was nothing.
rosarugosa
3-26-14, 5:14pm
Oh Simpler, I am sending you and your DH all the positive vibes and virtual hugs I can summon!
frugal-one
3-26-14, 5:27pm
So sorry to hear your news! Wishing you both the best!!! Read an article today in the WI State Journal about ct scans that may be of interest to you!
For every "terminal" disease, there are survivors--so don't let the medical community point their voodoo bone of death at you, Simpler. I wish you both the best.
rosarugosa
3-26-14, 5:53pm
Hey Frugal-one, could you possibly post a link ? Unfortunately, ct scans and cancer are concerns in our lives as well, and I'm interested in becoming more knowledgeable about ct scans. DH is on a quarterly ct scan protocol, and we're a little creeped out by all that radiation exposure.
Teacher Terry
3-26-14, 7:52pm
Sending lots of light and positive energy your way. I have a friend that was told with stage 4 ovarian cancer she had 6 months to live-that was 13 years ago:~)
Yes, that's more than a "Peeve", Simpler at Fifty! Please take care and let us know how things are going.
Gardenarian
3-26-14, 8:34pm
Simpler at Fifty, I'm so sorry to hear this news. You sound like you have a wonderful marriage.
new2oregon
3-26-14, 9:13pm
Simpler at fifty, wishing the best for you.
frugal-one
3-27-14, 8:56pm
Hey Frugal-one, could you possibly post a link ? Unfortunately, ct scans and cancer are concerns in our lives as well, and I'm interested in becoming more knowledgeable about ct scans. DH is on a quarterly ct scan protocol, and we're a little creeped out by all that radiation exposure.
Sorry.. can't find the article on line.
My wee peeve of the day: a roomie peeve. As you may know, DS, DDIL and 1 week old DGS are living with us. I was surprised DIL even wanted to live with us (or at least thought it was the best option for them at the time) because she is a clean freak, to the point of being OCD, and my housekeeping is far from slovenly, but I would call it "relaxed."
Anyway, that's not even the reason for the daily peeve because I think we both accept that this is an Odd Couple situation and we're making the best of it--each compromising to meet in the middle.
My wee peeve is, ever since the baby has been home the house has been a 1700 sq. ft. incubator. 74 is what they keep it. 74! Who keeps their house at 74?? Even when I was in my childhood home in the 60s when we thought fossil fuel was endless, 72 was the maximum.
It's bad enough during the day, but if we put the thermostat down to 68 or even 70 in the evening before we go to bed--they'll come down and put it back up to 74. They split the utilities with us so I don't have the right to complain, and if the baby weren't brand new, I would simply tell them we are too uncomfortable sleeping in the heat--which is true. We have the heat cranking and the fan on by our bed. It's insane.
That's my Sunday peeve.
shadowmoss
3-30-14, 7:49am
Can you get a smaller portable heater for their room? An oil-filled one is safe, even for a room with a baby. Meets everyone's needs? They just need to put on sweaters when they come into the rest of the house.
Ah, Spring--when the neighbors take turns with their fume-spewing yard-maintenance machines. But I got smart today--and left when one of them cut loose with his droning mower. Apparently he then took a break, and resumed his droning just after I returned. I should move to the desert. Or a high rise. This goes on from Spring until late fall. Even multiple layers of earplugs don't work.
Gardenarian
4-8-14, 3:32pm
Ah, Spring--when the neighbors take turns with their fume-spewing yard-maintenance machines. But I got smart today--and left when one of them cut loose with his droning mower. Apparently he then took a break, and resumed his droning just after I returned. I should move to the desert. Or a high rise. This goes on from Spring until late fall. Even multiple layers of earplugs don't work.
Those blowers drive me mad. I can see needing them for certain purposes, but most of the time - geez, get a broom.
My dog has cancer. He'll be okay, but it still stinks.
My neighbor uses his leaf blower to remove a light layer of snow all winter long - year long, no escape from the noise!!
It's your house catherine. Tell them to wear more clothes (sweaters, etc.), or sleep with more blankets.
If you feel you can't complain because they are paying for half of the utilities......then adjust theirs a little bit down.
I'm afraid I wouldn't be so accommodating. They are staying in your house, out of a generosity on your part. Don't be afraid to speak out.
And babies don't need that much heat either.
Gardenarian
4-29-14, 2:56pm
First cold since last winter. I'm glad I haven't had more, but, yuck :-/
Gardenarian
5-5-14, 4:42pm
I feel sad that this forum seems to be dying.
Teacher Terry
5-5-14, 5:04pm
I have noticed that there is a lot less posting then when I joined. I really enjoy this forum.
Some kind of freak show is happening in my area. People on bicycles, dressed in black pants with white or black shirts, and with small backpacks, are riding around. Now that is ok EXCEPT that these IDIOTS do not know how to ride a bicycle. They are riding on the left side of the road and come darting out into my lane when I am driving an automobile, you know, one of those things that weigh thousands of pounds that will smash the cyclist in an instant if I do not see the IDIOT cyclist. Or else they are darting around from sidewalk to road, to sidewalk to left side of road.
W...T...F..
These are adult white people of both genders and they are not young. Something is up. I would have thought "Mormon youth" except that they are not youthful.
rodeosweetheart
5-5-14, 10:19pm
Is this just today or all the time?
Some kind of freak show is happening in my area. People on bicycles, dressed in black pants with white or black shirts, and with small backpacks, are riding around. Now that is ok EXCEPT that these IDIOTS do not know how to ride a bicycle. They are riding on the left side of the road and come darting out into my lane when I am driving an automobile, you know, one of those things that weigh thousands of pounds that will smash the cyclist in an instant if I do not see the IDIOT cyclist. Or else they are darting around from sidewalk to road, to sidewalk to left side of road.
W...T...F..
These are adult white people of both genders and they are not young. Something is up. I would have thought "Mormon youth" except that they are not youthful.
Bad drivers of any ilk or type are frustrating. I have a laundry list of things that I find annoying as a cycling commuter, but I try not to "dart".;)
iris lilies
5-5-14, 11:28pm
Is this just today or all the time?
It's a new thing, 3 of them on Saturday and 1 of them today. They are dressed like servers at restaurants.
It's a new thing, 3 of them on Saturday and 1 of them today. They are dressed like servers at restaurants.
My guess is that they're missionaries of some kind.
A bit too damn much marriage advice on FB lately. Um, if seven people have already shared the same thing you read, you don't need to share it too. Especially if you're not actually married.
I've enjoyed Facebook a lot more since I discovered the little down arrow next to the post which sometimes offers me the chance to block all from whatever website the poster copied their crap from. So now I still see friends posts, but the one who was blowing the place up about GMOs, now I only see her "real" posts, not copies from the site she frequents. Likewise politics and religion which used to be banned from polite conversation are now banned from my view of Facebook.
Why does the mom have to plan and work so hard for mother's day?
Because she (or they or the culture) expects it to be a certain way. If the mom does nothing, it's pot luck as to what the kids will come up with. I always preferred the pot luck, but many don't.
ApatheticNoMore
6-5-14, 3:38am
Looking at the daily frugals thread, I realized that why I don't have many no spend days is I fall into "latte habits" (I guess I'm peeved at myself - although it's kinda whatever), the one I'm in now is decaf tea (that I'm sure has a small amount of caf). And I realized this (one of the coffee chains) at least online seems to sell it in bags and I could save about $1.30 a day buying it that way (since I always have cream or half and half around anyway). When I was a serious caffeine consumer I fell into an actual latte habit with literal lattes. But now I've fallen into this because it has a very manageable amount of caffeine (yea I know what it's like for me to consume more caffeine and it's not good - in fact none at all might be best but it's so tempting :)) - and well when the coffee chain is on the lower floor of your work building - that's how easy it is to get a "latte habit"!
So that and sometimes picking up some lunch at TJs before work if I've been too overwhelmed (tired/moody) to prepare any is mostly why I do spend most days. And I buy gas for the car when needed, occasionally I order something online but infrequently, and weekly groceries. Honestly most days I'm too tired to really shop. My shoes are definitely getting holes and instead of buying new shoes I put "buy new shoes" on a personal paper spend/wish list I'm keeping. I go through life in a state of too exhausted to even be a good consumer - and do much of anything else - I don't have that much occasion to post to the chores I got done today threads either as I'm too tired. And that I am peeved at. But live closer to work (or vice versa) is all I've got as a solution to that, I'm out of options. They expect (paid) overtime of us sometimes but go bonkers if we leave early.
I've enjoyed Facebook a lot more since I discovered the little down arrow next to the post which sometimes offers me the chance to block all from whatever website the poster copied their crap from. So now I still see friends posts, but the one who was blowing the place up about GMOs, now I only see her "real" posts, not copies from the site she frequents. Likewise politics and religion which used to be banned from polite conversation are now banned from my view of Facebook.
Reader99 - thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have 2 avid (almost rabid) dog rescuers in my bunch from 2 different areas of the country... I am so grateful for the awesome work they do to save innocent animals...
but I already have a wonderful rescue dog and do NOT need to see every cat & dog in shelters in 2 different tri-state areas.
The level of posts they crank out is astounding -- I didn't want to block them all the way and miss out on stuff I do want to know.
Gardenarian
6-5-14, 12:17pm
Got in a car accident!!
Rear-ended - luckily no one was hurt and the damage is fixable.
I've got this awful little Kia rental while my car is being repaired - really makes me appreciate my Scion!
I sure was shaky for the whole day after it happened. Still a little shaky today, actually.
Glad to hear that everyone is fine.
I'll tell you what---one thing that really irritates, irks & annoys me is when someone posts something ridiculous on a serious thread like this, and they think they are funny, when all they are is a Troll.>:(
iris lilies
6-6-14, 11:31am
Is that directed to me?
I think it's more along the lines of Packy making fun of Packy.
ApatheticNoMore
6-6-14, 11:37am
Is that directed to me?
Oh don't listen to them as they really appear to be more trollish than whoever they are referring to. THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS THREAD. Something like "my mom died today" is not really a peeve (although it may be the best thread available so whatever). "Traffic was bad today" is a peeve. "Work is out of pens again" is a peeve. Serious? Not really.
Is that directed to me?No.
Reader99: Another heartfelt thanks on the FB tip. I knew I could block game updates, but didn't realize I could block all kinds of stuff shared from annoying and inflammatory religious and political sites.
Red Dirt. It sticks to the dogs paws and then ends up in tracks on the wood floors. I miss black dirt and gravel.
Gardenarian......just read about your accident. I'm glad you're okay!
fidgiegirl
6-11-14, 11:12am
Verizon, for allowing my DSiL to order a new phone without being able to tell them which of the five numbers on the family plan was hers, and DSiL, for not knowing her own phone number!!! So now my DH's phone isn't working and he has to spend his time on the phone with Verizon to straighten it out. And we had to deliver her damn phone to her because they shipped it to our house. This is what happens when I surrender control of things. :~) I know, working on it . . . because not everything can be controlled. But man, you'd think 40-something year old people could figure these things out.
Lambs Ear in garden is today's peeve. I have realized it is overtaking my garden and must be removed.
Major peeve: Hackers.
http://www.remove-pcvirus.com/remove-cryptowall/
I was unfortunate enough to get the Crypto Wall virus, which infiltrates your computer and encrypts all of your files. It's called "ransomware" (as in malware) where they demand $500 from you to de-encypt your files. My PC help was able to remove the virus, but unable to restore the files.
Fortunately I have hardly anything on this PC that I don't already have a hard copy of, but I'm posting this as a cautionary tale for others. And I'm also pretty sure there's a special place in he&L for hackers generally ...>:(
ToomuchStuff
6-21-14, 12:30am
Selfish people that don't listen.
(the people that caused me to work overtime, on a day when I needed to leave early for a funeral, came in) Relived missing the thing and felt my blood pressure rising and wanting to choke the ....... out of the other person with keys who just left after telling them it was fine to come in and stay late.
fidgiegirl
6-28-14, 11:15pm
Peeved at myself for getting involved with my father-in-law and him upgrading his phone on our phone plan. He had already done it and then I told him about a deal and he returned it and they screwed it up at the cell phone stupid kiosk store he uses in the mall. And peeved at the jerk store that screwed up his upgrade and also did not fully inform an 80 year old man about what he was getting when he picked out an iPhone. :/ Should have kept my mouth shut!!! And I knew it, but I said something anyway! Why is that even though I work so hard on trusting my gut I still ignore it when it is speaking loud and clear?
That I have a fear of dogs, oxymoron as I have three big dogs. That is my peeve.
I fear confrontation. New neighbors large dog and mine were fighting through fence, stupid me got between them. I now have a very large bite bruise on my thigh. Yes after the life if fear of bites.....it was mine that bit me.
Mine is tiny. Housework. I usually do not mind it all that much, especially when a little effort leaves everything shiny, but lately even the smallest task seems to be too much work for too little benefit. You should be able to clean something once and Bob's your uncle.
Jilly, I'm thinking along those lines lately too. I used to think hiring household help meant you were lazy and/or entitled, but after almost 5 decades of cleaning house I could use a break, and those housekeeping ads are looking more alluring every day.
Drivers: a shopping center parking lot is not a freeway
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