The Daily Peeve / Rant

[SteveinMN]

Steve.......about the handymen..........I think that's what a lot of men do, when they can't hold down a "real" job.......or don't have the skill. I had a handy-man type build a shed for me once. What a mess.

The thing is that I've hired guys who do good work -- they're just lousy businessmen. I haven't written about it here before, but the company we hired to replace our windows is the same: calls/voicemails go unacknowledged or unanswered, the sales rep comes late for appointments, his emails look like garbage. It's an acceptable flaw in someone who is only doing "side jobs". But in someone trying to sell his (her?) proficiency to the public? Either learn how to do it passably well or find someone who can help you. If these guys opened a retail store, it probably would not have a sign outside, the place would be dusty, and the receipts would be printed on torn scraps of cardboard.

Interestingly, the two biggest installation mistakes anyone made in our house came from "captive" techs -- people who worked at (and were paid by) the company that sold us the goods. At least in those cases, the guys were smart enough to align themselves with a company which could handle the marketing and the phones and appointments for them. Too bad they still did questionable work.

[Williamsmith]

THe dreaded Christmas Letter.......

[kib]

THe dreaded Christmas Letter.......

I get one from my first grade teacher, who befriended my mom 46 years ago. I don't even KNOW these super-genius powerhouse millionaire pulitzer prize winners, let alone care.

[profnot]

People who talk with food in their mouths.

Yuck.

I keep switching tables at the Senior Center lunch. I'm almost out of new-to-me tables. I'll have to stop going soon.

[Gardenarian]

My DD has what amounts to a phobia about other people eating.
Drives her nuts when people smack there lips and such.

[kib]

I've been watching The Great British Baking Show, it's a contest. Mary Berry is one of the judges and it's bizarre, she's this lovely steely old lady, perfectly turned out, slender and starched to perfection in her Chanel suits and coiffed hair, the doyenne of baking. Then she takes a bite of something and starts critiquing it. "Unght thuth guh guh phhhtt"; you imagine gnashing teeth and a spray of biscuit crumbs and drool as you listen. Ick.

[sweetana3]

Love that show. Have not noticed any issue with Mary Berry. Now when one of the announcers stuck her elbow in one of the contestants product, I had an issue. e II loved getting some of the episodes online on Youtube I think.

[IshbelRobertson]

Another Great British Institution. Don't you know we breed eccentrics here?

[sweetana3]

ABC has bought the use of the set and Mary Berry is one of the judges for a similiar show with American bakers. They are not nearly as good as the British bakers. They do not have the depth of knowledge and their decorating is pretty poor. The show has the same three elements but is just not quite up to the quality of the original.

[IshbelRobertson]

The BBC seem to make a killing franchising their shows around the globe. The UK's Strictly Come Dancing is now global, under slightly different names. The UK name wouldn't work anywhere else!