I had to stop looking at HGTV because it made me unhappy with the perfectly satisfactory items I already owned. I noticed a big improvement in my happiness.
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I had to stop looking at HGTV because it made me unhappy with the perfectly satisfactory items I already owned. I noticed a big improvement in my happiness.
I had to call an electrician to deal with a wiring issue in the breaker box. I called a company that's done work for us in the past; competent, fairly priced, etc. This is not a huge national franchise but they're big enough that they pay someone to answer the phone and transfer calls (that seems to be all she does) and they have trucks painted with their logo (not just the generic trades van).
When I called at 9 on Monday I was informed that the people I had to speak with were in a meeting and they'd call me back as soon as the meeting was over. At lunch today I called because I hadn't heard from anyone. The (same) person who answered the phone immediately recalled my name and transferred me to Eric -- well, Eric's voicemail. I left a message, pointedly asking him to let me know if this was not business they wanted and that I would be unavailable to the phone between 1 and 3:30 today.
Eric called at 2 (!) and, of course, left a message. The soonest he can book me in is a week from Thursday. I said yes because I really don't want to wait another half-week or longer to have someone else come out. But it's left a bad taste in my mouth. No apology. No reason for the lack of a call-back.
If you don't do that kind of business anymore (for example, you no longer do residential work), say so. If you don't want the job (too small, too far away, etc.), say so. If you're down 40% of your technical staff and swamped with calls, say so. But do not leave me hanging. You say you'll call? Do it. Even if the news is bad. It does not improve with age.
Agreed Steve. The roofer I used for the past two years said they would get me an estimate and have not. And they were the only company I contacted 3 years ago that actually got back to me.
For a while (around the time of the Great Recession), it wasn't hard to get good tradespeople to your location promptly. Lately it happens all too often.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
What I'm concluding is that business now apparently has improved enough that it's no longer considered necessary to even call back. Which makes me wonder about the plumbing/furnace/whatever companies that advertise so heavily on TV and offer coupons in local "shoppers". I guess they're not too busy for business. >8)
That show drives me crazy. It's fun on the one hand, but so maddening on the other: beautiful vintage woodwork painted over or removed because it's not "modern" enough; whiny millennials insisting their first home have his and her walk-in closets and two sinks in the master bathroom and a big open concept kitchen to entertain in.Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetana3
I really don't see a NEED for two sinks in a bathroom. My DH and I have never had an issue getting ready at the same time. I get dressed while he shaves; he gets dressed while I blow-dry my hair. Are double sinks really NEED-to-have's?
This not calling back thing is one reason why I am glad DH is retired. I hated talking to potential customers, knowing that he wouldn't call many of them back. He didnt need/want the business and apparently that is the standard communication. sorry! . It was extra bad because he worked mostly in our neighborhood and these are people who live near us. ugh. I couldnt really speak for him yet I knew what likely would happen.
Toward the end, I used to tell them "if you dont hear from him in a few days, move on, probably best to find someone else." And then they would ask me who I recommended. double ugh, because I knew those other guys were always busy, too.
One thing I learned about working with someone like DH is that it is a good idea to save all of your fix-it things for one session, and ask him to pencil you in for 2 days or 5 days or whatever.
And if you get a handyman who is good, hang on to him by having him do refular work. These guys like regular customers.
HGTV is nothing but one giant commercial for the real estate and home remodeling industry. Top of my list of pet peeves are the property brothers. Followed closely by Chip and Joanna of Fixer Upper. Flip or Flop is preposterous. You know it’s bad when you ask your wife to change channels to the Hallmark Network. Why does every actress have to have a mole somewhere on her face?
I am pretty much now only watching British shows and I avoid anything on HGTV. It breeds discontent.
So here's my DH vent, but it's really more of a question about his behavior and my reaction to it. So it's a vent about myself, too.
Last night describes a situation that recycles regularly. DH walks in the door just as we finish making dinner. In this case, it's a simple salad (with lots of veggies and protein). BIL says, "Oh, I'm making spaghetti. That's nice.
To be polite, DH offers him salad. He says "Yeah, sure!" Then DH gives his brother ALL the turkey that he had cut up to put in his own salad. I had just come from the store, where I had bought the turkey at HIS request. I don't eat much meat. So I took the plate back and put some of the turkey on DH's plate and he looked back at me with daggers. I know, I know, totally codependent of me, but this drives me nuts. It happens a lot. For some strange reason, DH is compelled to give his brother all the food available. He will insist that BIL take back home all the meat leftovers, while DH takes one or two spoons for himself.
When I b*ch about it, he says, "I don't understand you! You of all people would give anyone the shirt off your back! He's my brother! Can't I not give him as much as he wants?"
GRRRR
So why does this drive me crazy? A) Because BIL doesn't have the social skills to know when to refuse offers? B) Because it's just weird that DH would not feed himself but give everything to his brother? C) Because I feel he's disrespecting our food budget and the money that goes into it, not to mention the fact that what he gives his BIL I typically have already earmarked for next-day leftovers? D) Because I think any normal person making spaghetti and then being offered salad would say "Gee, I'll bring over the spaghetti and we can all share"?
Don't say, "Just tell him what you've said here" because I have.. over and over. And that adds to the frustration.... D) Do I get mad because I have expressed my desire for him to be generous at a reasonable level, and he blatantly refuses my request and then he makes ME look like a selfish jerk? I told him he needs to see a therapist and work that out, but then I think I do, too. If I can't change his behavior, I need to let it go.
I may have already complained about this in a previous rant, so if I did, I apologize. It's just that it came up again just last night.
That's how I eventually felt about This Old House years ago. It made me think I could be handy too.Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetana3
You know that wine you talked about in the other food thread? Cheers.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
Haha, good one! But unfortunately, that makes it worse. Have you ever started a "discussion" with someone, hoping to correct THEIR behavior, after you've had a glass or two?Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
DH walks in the door just as we finish making dinner. In this case, it's a simple salad (with lots of veggies and protein). BIL says, "Oh, I'm making spaghetti. That's nice. You say "Gee, why don't you bring the spaghetti and we can share?" If it is poor social skills, then offer him the correct response ;)
catherine.......does your DH do this with other people and various things.....always giving away too much?
Alan, anything is possible with over $25,000 in tools. :-) We always used to laugh about the fancy things they used.
I guess I am different. I started taking care of a house at 14, and started watching it back then, as a general, how do things work. What is generally required/safe guidelines, and what are the most COMMON tools used. (back then I only had hand saws and hand tools, not even a drill)Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan
When I quit watching it, is was because I had figured out I was capable of quite a bit, and didn't have the time to watch it.
They were my teachers, as the only figure I really had to "show me stuff" is a cross between Tim Taylor and Red Green.
I especially loved the "special jigs" Norm built. Spent hours building these frameworks for drilling eight holes. I understand the desire for precision, but Norm could have measured four times and cut once in less time than it took to build the special jig (and who verified it was accurate, anyway?).Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetana3
A) No, apparently he doesn't, and, at his age and station in life, he's not likely to pick up on it now. B) Weird, but a dynamic that appears to define explanation and/or categorization. C) DING! D) Smaller ding! But you're not dealing with a "normal" person in BiL. Then there's also the question of whether he can cook well enough to make eating the food he prepares worthwhile.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
I'm not saying this isn't crazy-making, but it seems it's crazy-making only to you. Your efforts to illustrate the situation have not been met with any real understanding on DH's and BiL's part. So unless you can show them why C is a real issue for all of you (or at least you and DH), I (sadly) think your best response is to try to let it go as best you can. Does this change when you guys sell the house and BiL is not such an integral part of your picture?
yes. Yes to all of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
It is the entire systemic problem of entrenched, enabled BIL that makes you crazy. And, it is crazy making!
So, how does your DH accept the fact that his little brother will be living separately from you two now?
I have to say it is kind of cute how your DH always serves little bro, but certainly "cute" in a limited way.
Trigeminal neuralgia, good grief this sucks.
The nonstop smutty slutty talk at work. The de facto group lead and boss's favorite is the main instigator so there's nothing I feel I can do. She also is best friends with the COO's granddaughter. We had no mail yesterday so she had lots of time to do such things as eavesdrop on others' phone conversations with customers and toss out double entendres of the "that's what he said" type, come to near tears because her latest adulterous affair didn't work out the way she wanted, and discuss vibrators at length. It should be busier next week thank goodness.
This week I am officially clear of all responsibility for one plant society, it is dissolved. So being a glutton for punishment, I jumped in to work in several other organizations that vary from very healthy to dysfunctional.
my “healthy” garden club has about $350 in its treasury. I am the new Vice President, The treasurer is very sick. I find that she keeps all of the club’s money in her own persnal checking account, one she shares with her hisband.Her husband and will not let her “put her name” on another checking account. We cant have a club account and have her as treasurer.
Thud.
Not so healthy after all. The risk is that she is permanently sick and we cant get that money out. Fortunately, it is only a tiny bit of money, not enough to keep me up at night. But this situation needs to change.
I had to do a somewhat-similar cleanup in an organization in which I was treasurer. It's hard to help people understand governance, especially when the number of people willing to work in officer's positions is so small (like you could find someone else to be treasurer just because this woman's husband doesn't understand).I hope you can find a workaround for this, IL.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
I got a laugh at this thread yesterday. I was in my friends restaurant and saw a group come in that has some meetings there. They are trying to vote out/eliminate the three boys who run the organization as their schedules are not working well with the group. The group as it appeared, has no authority to the account and left without paying. The whole organization is getting quite disfunctional.
Makes me happy not to be part of groups like this.
I know I should not let someone's behavior hurt my feelings. And really, I'm OK. I have this coworker who is just...unfriendly. I've never done anything to her to make her dislike me (that I know of). She was off on Monday and Tuesday, and in today (I'm off today). Yesterday I had to send her a work-related email. I closed it by wishing her a Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Birthday, as her b-day is this weekend. I sort of knew it wouldn't matter to her, but I thought of those sayings like "be kind even if it the other person isn't" "do unto others" etc.
I had to check my email today from home, and there was nothing from her. It would have taken her less than a minute to hit "reply" and say, "Thanks! Hope your holiday is good too."
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She's the kind of person that you give compliments to, and she never, ever gives them back. In five years...
Oh I have the sadz! I was turned down by the St. Louis Art Museum as an exhibitor in their Art in Bloom show. That show has floral designers interpretting art pieces.
I will try again next year and will get better application photos. They ask for three photos of past work. Several of my harden club friends who have been exhibitng for years got into the show. One is not talented. The rest are supremely talented.
It is a long held goal of mine to exhibit in Art in Bloom.
Bummer. Photography is key! Sadly I've known a lot of horrid art that got into shows because they basically lied in their jury photos. They use to start setting up for the Philly flower show https://theflowershow.com/follow-the...er-show-photos after we'd break down from the Buyers Market of American Craft. Oh wow, the flower show was amazing. A good copper artist friend from Hermann, MO use to and may still show there every year.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
:( I'm sorry to hear that, IL. It's tough to get the 'no'. Better luck (there is some luck involved) and pictures next year...Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
Offshored call centers. I called Verizon to cancel HBO and they would not or could not transfer me to the U.S. This simple change took a half hour because they cannot talk to me person to person in a conversational manner. It is me talking to a heavily accented script reader.
Our inability to be content and satisfied.
I suppose that's genetics. The content and satisfied types didn't evolve and are still amoebae.
I get tired of checking in with people, wishing them a good day, sending "get well soon" wishes, giving encouragement, etc., etc..........and nobody does it back to me. :(
the only reason I can think of is I'm just not important to them. I'm talking about immediate family and extended family. This is more of a whine than a rant.
I think it comes from having so much around us all the time. People with far less seem to be able to be happy with so much less. We are like kids in a candy store, then we bitch about the stomach ache.Quote:
Originally Posted by BikingLady
:idea: Discontent as motivation. I love it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
Ugh I hate technology.
Dealing with fallout from two email accounts that AT& T has separated.
I hate them. I hate technology, especially technology that changes.
I imagine they get eaten or starved of resources by the more adaptable amoebae. I don't think natural selection offers an opt-out clause.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
My car is dead.
It was one of those moments when the bad thing happens in about the best possible way, at almost as good a time as you can imagine. (Without veering into the absurd)
But I still need a new car.
Should donations be made to your favorite charity or should I send flowers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicken lady
I got really irritated with the dealership that sold me my last car. They are now using the technology where your phone rings once and then immediately goes to voice mail. It's a local number so you think it's a legit message and this garbage fills up your voice mail box and you have to go in and delete the messages. I called back and first they denied they called. I gave them details and said I wanted to be on the do not call list. The woman then realized what promotion I was calling about and launched into the exact same sales script in the voice mail. I said, "Stop with the script." She did not. I repeated myself. Still she continued spouting it off. I then yelled, STOP and she finally agreed to place me on the do not call list then hung up on me midsentence. I called back and she claimed on a Saturday their busiest day no manager was there, no supervisor was there, no service advisor was there, and none of them had voice mail. So I asked for the salesperson who sold me the car trying to say he said if there was ever an issue call him, but it was hard to get a word in edgewise as she kept talking over me. She said she didn't know who that would be. I told her look in the computer. She refused. I then said let me speak to anyone who is salaried and I finally reported to someone else her outright lies and rude behavior.
Another reason along with their crappy tires I will not buy a Hyundai again, in case you are taking recommendations and anti-recommendations CL.
If we do give up car ownership and move to a driverless car system that eliminates dealerships I will feel a lot of schadenfreude. National chains of driverless car companies can buy directly from manufacturers for their fleets.
Well, if you have enough time you can make anybody miserable. For instance, Hyundai’s have a very generous and lengthy warranty. The service department can get overwhelmed with complaints of mysterious noises. While you are waiting for them to find the rattle in your dashboard, you can be talking loudly to other customers about how crappy the cars are. Which will prompt a customer service representative to pull you aside at which time you could mention to them the annoying calls you are getting and that putting a halt to it would really be appreciated.
The warranty is expired but I like your thinking.