hoosier80

There are so many shows that do DNA tests, so it's nothing new Nev. I noticed one thing that annoys me with Nev, while watching a mini marathon today. When someone explains why they did this or that, what is supposed to be a serious moment or revelation, Nev will half close his eyes, and do some sort of small shrug, move his eyebrows, almost an eye roll but not really. I see it and I want to reach through the tv and shake him. What's up with the new crime show Nev is promoting/introducing? Branching out in case this show keeps on it's downward spiral?

Took a sick day today as I'm still not feeling great (plus woke up waaay late and wasn't in the mood to chase around and get ready - be behind all day). I go back to sleep and am awakened by phone buzz. Text saying Amazon package delivered. Actually two, right next to my front door. One I'd ordered Friday or Saturday - 3 Stainless Steel hoop earrings - around $6 total. I took a chance. They look to be as nice as any Steel by Design I've gotten. I'll see how they wear, but 3 separate sizes. Other item was a package of 10 eye makeup brushes, rating of 5 stars with several hundred reviews. Not great packaging but I don't care, I have my own case to store them. Really soft and great variety. Ordered those yesterday afternoon. Even with free shipping (which these were for me), not sure how Q meets the speedy deliveries, not the notifications (I get notified with pictures of where the package is). I didn't need either item urgently, but no waiting on when will it come. The other thing is that Amazon offers easy returns - just take in to Kohl's. No screwing around with shipping now. The one return I had for the Q that has been processed, I got back a big $6. So much for the "privilege" of being able to send items back (I think it was Jane T who said that). Yeah, I can send back and you charge me, even if it was free s/h on the way out.

Those are some dreadful "fashion" choices. Holy crap, do they not have a mirror available? I may not look like I'm right off of Park Avenue, but I don't show bulges, wear too tight clothing, nor stuff that looks that damned strange. Never have seen this Cearley person nor do I want to ever see her. SCARY!

Wishing Mary DeAngelis all the best. It hits close to home for me. Years ago, probably at least 10 years (yikes does time fly by!), I could not shake sinus infection for going on 6 months. It'd clear up and I'd feel like I had the flu, then symptoms would come back. I went to my GP for at least 2 to 3 months, as he thought maybe it was viral, and gave me various meds according to protocol. Then he said we need to send you to specialists (actually wanted me to take a leave of absence and stupid me didn't do it). So off to ENT and Allergist I go. ENT was a waste of time, a total jerk. Then the allergist was one of the best doctors ever. Found I did have allergies, then he said you have an enlarged thyroid. My GP had noticed it but thyroid levels through bloodwork was in the normal range. Allergist said I think you need an MRI. Great. Finally sent to a wonderful endocrinologist, and I thought I'd get some pills, maybe say change your diet and be along my way. Nope. Biopsy. Worst procedure I've ever had (but I am very sensitive about anything re my neck - really sensitive). I cried during the procedure and endo was the best. As I sat in waiting room to make another appointment and get paperwork for more bloodwork there, the couches were filled with people who had thyroid cancer or relatives of those who had thyroid cancer. Even though you hear oh it's one of the "better" ones to have of all cancers, it still scares the crap out of you. It's at a 95% cure rate, but that still means 5% do not make it. Then, about a week later I get a call asking if they can send my biopsy results to another lab. Yikes. No, she was doing it for all her patients as the local lab had too many false positives (came out in the news like days later - big to do). Both came back negative, and I made it past the 5 year mark. I now go to GP for management of a thyroid condition via meds. Anytime I hear a story though, I am like wow, I am lucky. I don't care how 'good' the odds are, cancer is a bitch period.

Just watching Fri-Yay with DV (hate the whole Fri-Yay crap, Q trying too hard to be trendy). Anyhow he had some phone charger for your car that also cuts through the seat belt and glass (last two if you're trapped for whatever reason in your car). He is doing a hard sell on this item, like it's the most innovative thing EVER. Then he says, well you know you're driving along with the kids in the car, then they say oh my electronic device is dying - what do you do? You don't have any device in the car to charge your phone. Say what? I don't have your wonder gizmo, and I charge my phone all the time in my car. It's called a micro cord that you can buy anywhere. I've even gotten simple adapters (thinking of my mom's older car that only has the cigarette lighter type of thing) at the freaking dollar store. I have plugs to plug into the wall using my micro cord. Did you just sell millions of the Halo devices that everyone HAD to have? How in the world can people NOT have a way to charge their phones in the car? Plus, if you have kids that age, you are already prepared if you're going away for hours. They are losing me with the outright malarkey to try and sell stuff. BTW, found a small sewing kit on Amazon (around $6 - lightning deal - not tremendous but good for the price - pins, needles and thread is worth at least that much) containing basic thread colors, scissors, measuring tape, buttons, snaps, hooks. pins, needles - all in a cute zippered case - ordered around 11 am yesterday, delivered by 10 am today. Good luck, Q.

I don't understand why the Q isn't having real clearance pricing. Way back in the retail days, day after Christmas (this is for women's clothing), prices on a lot of stuff would go to 50% off right away. The idea was to move that stuff out ASAP. We'd have some selected tops that were basics;; the winter colors would go on sale, then we'd start getting transition/spring colors in stock. Starting price points weren't as high as the Q's (but this is in the 80's), and we still did deep discounts. Every store would then consolidate their clearance until it'd be shipped out to a designated store. I had to go to one such store where they had found in a basement storage room clothing from several years earlier. We all looked the stuff over, and it was in good shape. Some maybe out of style, but it was divvied up and sent out to all stores in our district. Clearance prices were I think $5 per piece. We sold out of most items within 1 to 2 days. But it had just taken up storage room, which ultimately cost money. With the sale we got a ton of foot traffic and additional sales. I just don't understand why the Q hangs onto old merch as there are storage costs involved (even if they own the storage facilities). Christmas stuff was even discounted 50% at the dollar store last weekend. Are the Q's margins that thin that they can't really do decent discounts?

Reading back a few pages, where it was mentioned the murderer killed the pets, made me flash on a local case. I was reading about how this woman didn't go into work (pharmacist at a local grocery store - where I shop). Co-workers were concerned, had police do a welfare check. She was found deceased - stabbed to death I believe. She also had a small dog, who was all killed. Turns out she'd been the person who waited on me many times, so kind and thoughtful. It was her drug addled son, who came from CA to OH, wanted money, guess she said no, so he killed her and her dog, then took her car. Yeah they caught him in a day or so. I believe he just pled guilty. Adios asshat. Mary Jane Fonder - what a nutbag. I've seen a couple of shows about her. I think she did kill at least her dad or mother, too. Yeah, the preacher was secretly lusting after you. All of the Murder for Hire people - who are shocked that they were caught. You're trusting total strangers in most cases. Then one woman was shocked she was arrested because she watched all of the true crime shows. Uh, most of those shows are about people who were caught for being stupid, leaving a clue or talking too much. Today I was watching a Snapped rerun, where the soon to be ex-wife enlisted her firearms instructor (ex serviceman of some sort who thought he was really a special ops guy - not) to kill her soon to be ex - over custody dispute. This was in Southern CA. Mr. Special Ops wannabe had diarrhea so they have DNA evidence all over. He left a towel with the 'specimen' all over it at the scene. They found other stuff, too that implicated him. He testifies at trial saying he didn't mean to shoot the guy, but if he had, he'd be dead now. Yeah, enjoy that 50 year sentence. The soon to be ex wife got around 30 some years. So much for winning custody. Morons.

I have ITKWD on with Mary D (substituting for DV and his well deserved vacay - sigh). Cast iron pan on now - by Stove. Never heard of it, but I'm not a cast iron aficionado. I thought Le Creuset was THE cast iron to get?? Oh wait, that changes with the day/hour/minute - whatever they have to shill. This pan had a glass top so you could see the food. Revolutionary. Can't you lift the lid off to check periodically with other pans? The OAP said oh you could use this pan over a campfire, then said well not sure if you'd want to take the glass lid out camping. No, I wouldn't. Well I'm off to Amazon to see if the basic cardigan sweater (in camel $20) is back in stock. It's a basic cardigan, no pom pons, no fringe, no cold shoulder, no extra crap I do not want nor need (no arrows pointing to my large behind either - I don't need arrows as anyone can see it way too clearly as is).

Thanks Booney! I laughed so hard at some of those pictures! Just what I needed on a rainy Sunday. Sadly, many members of my family would think the cleaning products would all be appropriate gifts. I got lucky this year - nary a cleaning product as a gift.

Maybe, although I doubt it, the shows with the two and three hosts had sales upticks compared to the solo host shows? So they're going to have multi host shows now, hence the need for more hosts? Or are they throwing stuff at the wall and whatever sticks, that's their new strategy?

Ok, so I ordered two of the XL air fryers at the Black Friday sale price. Mom had said oh she wished she had that 'little oven that Eric showed on tv'. I first thought she'd meant the Cuisinart oven that you can put on the counter, but that had mediocre reviews. Then when she mentioned Eric, I was like oh the air fryer? Yeah. I ordered her one in gray (black was sold out) and one for me in Cinnamon. I have the egg shaped one which is ok, but annoying if you want to do multiple types of food at the same time (one will be too done, while the other not as done). I get a confirmation email for my order. I check a few days later and the gray one is in process while the cinnamon one is backordered. How in the holy hell can it be backordered when I got a confirmation that my sale went through, plus delivery dates (estimates)? I should have cancelled it right then and there. Got the gray one and then the cinnamon one maybe a week later. Ok, it went from backordered to in stock within a week? I guess maybe. I just chocked it up to the crappy Q website. Fast forward to Christmas, Mom had zero clue what the fryer did and did not do, didn't really have room, so I boxed it back up. Yeah, since I believe it was free s/h, I thought it was free on the return. Silly me. I rarely order from the Q, and if I order it's 99.9% something I've gotten before or something that's cheap enough I won't bother to return. I'm returning mine too since I read reviews across the internet with bad to mediocre reviews, plus the warranty is only 60 days - which seems sketchy as hell, and a lot have died on like day 70, etc.). So I get the gray one all ready to go. I'd not opened the cinnamon one. No little envelope on the outside with the return/invoice stuff. I look inside the box. Nothing. Didn't look brand new packed - not bad, but not the brand new. I was like well let me see if it's somehow stuck elsewhere. I go to remove the address label to me. Two labels. The one underneath is a return label. They sent me a return, which I thought would go as an 'as is' product, but charged me the full price (BF price but still that price wasn't for as is). They will be getting a nastygram from me as I refuse to pay full shipping on a return item. Really shady business practices going on there. I then go to the post office. Yeah the post office associates said sure it's free to you, then they zing you on the return. One woman in line said she'd gotten a Christmas gift from the Q, and it was missing parts. Not enough for her to bother with returning, but she wasn't going to be shopping with them again. Lesson learned by me. If it's anything slightly 'iffy' not ordering from the Q.

This may be long. I really should know better by now, but I keep stupidly thinking that the family situation will improve. Not the case, although there were some nice moments, but not nearly enough to make this Christmas a good one. Started out on Tuesday, fog in the area, but the weather guy said it'd burn off by 10 a.m. Fine. I'd been told I had to leave early by Mom as they (she and my brother) were planning on going to a specific church for a priest they love. Leaving at 2 pm for a 4 pm service. Yep, 2 hours early. So I was on the road for real by 8:30 a.m. packing all the presents the night before in the car. Fog wasn't great, but doable on the highways - big old divided highways. No burning off by 10 a.m., fog advisory extended. Great. When I get into the non-divided highway portion where it's in BFE, I can barely see road signs. There are driveways, cross roads (county roads that intersect with this US highway). I was like this is bad, they can go along to the service, I'm not going to be a traffic statistic to meet their deadline. I wanted to pull over into some small town/village's church parking lot, but I couldn't see the drive. I went on about 5 to 6 miles where I knew there was a small truck plaza/gas station/mini mart. I could not see the traffic light at the actual intersection. Made it into the lot, where off to the side state police were doing paperwork for a fender bender. Called Mom and promptly was yelled at - I told you this was a bad travel day! You need to take more time off, you let those people walk all over you (office folks). I tried to explain that I cannot take every holiday off, just because she wants it so! The bad travel stuff was news readers saying it was going to be a busy travel day - which there were so few cars on the road where I was anyhow. Traffic or busy roads wasn't the problem. So I waited it out, with nothing improving much. I decided to get to the next town, 11 miles away, which wasn't awful driving, then made it to Mom's. She was all happy happy. We go to church and the priest is in really bad health. Bad. It was a travesty to have him be the sole priest. Mom loved it. It was all wonderful. I was stopped by some teenager do-gooder asking me had I taken communion. What the hell skippy? I told him I had to go, be gone. It was very weird. Mom and brother are out by the car when I made it through the crowd. Mom all of a sudden starts to go down into a sitting position - very slow motion - where I blocked her from going any further backward, but she just sat on a curb, saying oh I just lost my balance. WTH. It was like she was going to sit in a chair. She was ok. Brother made a joke out of it and she was laughing (had I laughed, the tears would have started). Rest of the night was blah. Brother is basically anti-gift, but caved to Mom because waterworks and pouting won out. So he'd gotten me a gift cards and he had one bag for Mom. I'm like gotta be electronics (I peeked and saw a charger). Sure enough, a cell phone. This is #3 from him - all of the other ones were 'stupid' along with the iPhone I got her - you guessed it, 'stupid'. I was like good luck chuck. I also got her two tables (Amazon) and they were 'stupid'. She bought herself a laptop and it sits gathering dust. I've not shown her enough. I have nothing left to show her; it's dumbed down to enter a pin, click on an icon to get to the internet, and all of her favorites are saved as favorites. She's a technophobe. So I had gotten her a ton of stuff -- sheets, beauty items, clothing items, one gadget for the kitchen she wanted. She'd also said she would've preferred the new air fryers that have the racks that look like a small oven. It was on sale, so I ordered it. HUGE MISTAKE. We opened the big box later, and she asked me so can I fry eggs in it? She thought it was part griddle? She has a collection of small appliances she has never used. I may have used some once or twice. All are scattered around her dining room. For the air fryer, I thought it could go on an auxiliary cart with a butcher block top, but there is no outlet available. I then said she needed to donate some of the small appliances as they are dust catchers. Yeah icy stare. Then I said why don't we store away your Kitchen Aid mixer (not used in over 5 years). Yeah, no. I then said well this was a mistake, stupid, stupid me and boxed it back up. She just saw it was good looking food coming out of it on the demo and had zero clue how it worked. Today I was up earlier, having the kitchen floor, guest bath cleaned, and some laundry done before Mom was up. She'd told me oh she'd been up earlier, with pain (arthritis), and again telling me I don't know what pain is (I have a chronic back injury but that's not painful). I kept up the cleaning, then Mom says I need to go to the store to get over the counter pain pills. Ok, so you want me to go? Nope she wants to look at stuff. I told her I wanted to leave no later than 3 pm. As I'm finally done with cleaning, and ready to step into the shower, couldn't I go check her mail? Mail is in one of those group mailboxes outside. She is obsessed with mail. Obsessed. She has 7 people on her Christmas card list from whom she'd not received a card yet; one was from me. Brother got my card - same city, so that was validation I did send it out. I go to mailbox and should've said nope, no mail. Stupidly, I brought it into her house One was my card, one from an ex-neighbor kid (she was always close with her), and my cousin. Ka-BOOM. Ex-neighbor kid (who is now well over 40 with kids in high school), said she'd stopped sending out holiday cards, but she'd continue to send to Mom. Ok, nice of her. Mom was close to tears saying I bet they're in debt! She is so jealous of this woman - her husband is a CFO, she's a teacher, just got a big new house, trip for anniversary, kids doing well. Her mantra - I bet they're in debt! She'll have to work the rest of her life! This woman loves teaching. Mom cannot understand that one bit. Her goal was to be a housewife, so that should be every woman's dream goal. Cousin had said offhand, years ago, oh maybe I'll visit. Mom took that as oh she's coming to visit. Nah, it was a throwaway comment to appease her. Cousin wrote she's going on an long trip to the far east. So Mom does what she does - she pouted. Might as well forget me like everyone else! I said c'mon we're either going or not going. Venom then directed at me. We get back from the trip, then I start packing up. It's almost 3. Oh can we eat? Sure. Leftovers it is. I continue to pack up and hurry around. I re-arranged the leftovers into more manageable containers, washing the old ones. She gives me the death stare at the washed containers sitting in the drying tray. Oh you want me to put them away? Well I cannot reach. (She reached up to use the container to make the Jello concoction - so not true). Then I hear what did you do with the instructions for xxxx - one of her appliances that has never been used - never used. I didn't move the papers. You had to, you had to......nope, they were in a drawer and I know she put them there. I finally leave and I forgot the box with the damned air fryer. Then she called me again, saying you forgot your bags. WTH. It was ONE gift bag where I'd put stuff for my brother (bought for her to give to him, and I put in gift bag for her). You said you'd take care of it! Nope, never said that at all. I drove back and forth between the box and the bag4 to 5 miles each time. Then on the BFE stretch, a group of about 6 to 8 deer ran in front of me, which I barely missed. I cannot tell you how glad I am that the holidays are over. Epilogue: Mom is not answering my calls (I call to let her know I made it home). I am sure she is pouting; the last trip back to get the bag, she said what did you really get me for Christmas? I said well, you said you wanted that air fryer, but you really didn't. Not my problem, plus I had plenty of other stuff for her. I'm sure it all pales in comparison to the new wonder cell phone. She's only using it to play solitaire, plus to read news/weather updates from a local station. I give it two to three months max before that one is, yes, stupid. Thanks for letting me vent. I think next holiday I will be ill. Something that will not allow me to travel.

And now time to clear out inventory of everything that didn't sell before Christmas. Wondering if that's why DV just went on vacation on 12/22 (because they cannot get anything out to shoppers by Christmas now). I know when I worked in retail, managers and 'key personnel' could not have an entire day off (like regular people have Sat/Sun off) from Black Friday through around 12/27-12/28. It was ridiculous, but I bet the big sellers are told you have to be here selling your behind off during this time period (maybe it's in their contracts?). Ordered some stuff from Amazon yesterday; delivered on my porch this morning. Packages are in decorative bags in my car ready for my trip home tomorrow. Already saw the Dollar Tree is promoting Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras on it's website. Of course, all of their Christmas themed stuff is either long gone or will be by 12/26 EOD. It'll be fitness or more electronics for the Q I think.

DV may have been off his game because he's tired of selling the QRAP, and he was clearly in vacation mode. I believe he had said when his mom was on the remote that he was flying out immediately after his last show. He'll probably do part of the time at some tropical location again, and I'm envious of anyone in a warmer climate (even though it got up to a high of 48 here yesterday). I just know some cold and snow is coming soon.

Let's see I've had 4 packages from Amazon in the past two days, last minute items I was like I have to get or stuff I needed. All ordered 1 to 2 days from delivery. Some were to come tomorrow, and I got today. Just ordered 3 more items today, and I have no doubt I'll get those before I go out of town on 12/24. I went into an Ulta store last night after work, and it was a madhouse (they had all OPI at 50% off, but the racks were limited in some shades). After that I was like I'm getting anything else I need from Amazon. I should've probably ordered what I wanted online, but even to pick up orders at the store seemed to be a pain. Some woman was waiting for her order as I checked out. Long line, but I think it was only a 15 to 20 minute wait. What was horrible was parking and traffic. People were NUTS! As for the food items on the Q, how soon until they push for NYE or Valentine's day - or even that snow day that you all know is coming! While they also push the new year, new you crap again. I'm so warped that I when I saw the founder of QVC passed away, I was picturing a slow motion happy dance - or would it be a sorrow dance? The Q is so cheesy and gimmicky, I really wouldn't put anything past them at this point. If they thought the carnival barker style would sell, we'd see DV in a straw hat and cane tomorrow. Edited to add (sorry too long, but I'm on a roll/rant): Fulfillment center is almost done? I couldn't get to the video, got some weird version of the Q site - having issues? Anyhow, you're a retailer. Christmas season is your make or break selling time. Wouldn't you plan to have your new center up and running in time for your main selling season? The before/after of the hair up above. Sigh. The after picture looks like something rom the show Dynasty. What's next, shoulder pads and power suits?