Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[Katy M]

23 minutes ago, auntlada said:

I am really tired of people having birthday fundraisers on Facebook. That's great that they want these charities to get money (well, some of them), but I've never given any of these people presents for their birthdays. Why would I start now? We're not that close.

Also, it's tacky to ask people to give you something specific for your birthday, even if it's for a good cause, especially if they haven't asked what you want.

I agree. the only time it didn't bother me was this year when a friend of mine just lost his father who had Alzheimer's asked for a donation to that.  But, if he does it again next year, I'll probably just ignore it.

[theredhead77]

On 12/5/2018 at 1:55 PM, BookWoman56 said:

I hate how the definition of “breaking news” has apparently changed to mean perfectly predictable and expected non-critical events.

Actual snipping from USATODAY as of 3 minutes ago.

[2727]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

When people do a genealogy profile, like 23 and Me, who exactly gets access to this information? I’d be scared that insurance companies would use this type of knowledge to discriminate about which person is going to get what treatment depending on whether or not it would be cost effective. 

23 and Me presents a list of other members in their database with overlapping DNA segments who may be related to you, along with a suggested relationship, eg. 4th-5th cousins. Others can also see your ancestry composition report (23% Southern European, etc.). Nobody can directly access any of your data, including health reports. They just see that you share 1.3% or whatever of the same DNA and send you a DM about it. You can choose to opt out of sharing altogether.

I had it enabled because I thought it was interesting (in a "we're all one family" kind of way) to see how many matches I have -- it's currently at 1,084, with one second cousin. That's just out of however many people are in the 23 and Me database ; imagine what the global number might be!

[bilgistic]

What a month I'm having.

I was on my way to pick up my glasses (I'd had the lenses replaced almost two weeks ago, which I can't afford, but I really can't afford all new glasses) when a guy flagged me down in traffic to tell me I had a flat tire. I turned into the Exxon at the next light and inspected the tire. It looked just really low on air because all my tires have dry-rotted. A wonderful employee gave me quarters for the air pump and I filled up the tires and headed to Walmart...

Which doesn't sell tires (at that location). There's a Firestone in the same center, so I went there. I bought the cheapest tires they have, which were still $300 "on sale". (My car is a 2004 Honda Civic.) Dear god, the anxiety over making a major purchase without any research or coupon...

I sat there and cried. I had to buy a new battery last week. I also had to have the belt in my dryer replaced last week. My hours at work (grocery store) have been cut down to 1-2 days a week (8-16 hours) because "corporate" wants management to cut hours. I'm looking for another part-time job (and still looking for a "real" job, of course) because this isn't sustainable and is frankly bullshit. I've been there nine weeks and they've hired two more people in my department since me, yet they "need to cut hours".

I don't know how I'm going to pay the rest of my bills this month ($600 existing health insurance and new insurance $130 premium for January...and living expenses like utilities and cat food on the credit card I pay in full). I put the tires on a 0% APR credit card that I've been using for medical bills. I think the 0% grace period ends in February; I have the paperwork in my files. I've been paying $100/month on it and keeping up with everything else...until now.

My food stamp application has been denied twice (I had benefits thru 11/30) and I don't know why. I have to call DSS tomorrow.

I'm hoping beyond hope that a full-time job will come through after the beginning of the year. I'm very, very discouraged.

I am very grateful I have a car, a place to live, a dryer with which to dry my clothes (and a washer to wash them), my cats, relative healthfulness, and I'm grateful for some of the less toxic members of my family. I know many, many people don't have what I have. I just feel like I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing (even so says my therapist that I can't afford to see) and getting shit results. I'm just feeling sorry for myself.

[bilgistic]

I also managed to rip not one but two pairs of pants at work. After buying tires, I went to the resale shop to look for jeans, which we can wear at work. I have one pair of jeans, but they almost drag on the ground, so I can't wear them to work; they'd be unsafe.

I tried on six pairs. Dear god, how I hate skinny jeans! I found one pair I liked. I was trying on the last pair and was squatting to see how they fit when I fell over backwards, making the dressing room door open and rolling out flat onto my back. "Whoops, I fell!" Jesus. At least I had pants on.

[bilgistic]

I just saw that my sister sent me $500 via PayPal. I'm weeping. I am so grateful for her.

[ABay]

I'm so sorry about all you're going through, @bilgistic. FWIW, big virtual hugs.

[theredhead77]

@bilgistic what a month indeed! Hooray for your sister! Kohl's does have non-skinny jeans in a brand called Wallflower. They are stretchy and fairly inexpensive (though when you have no $$ that doesn't matter). Mental note for the future.

If you can't get anywhere with DSS get your state Rep's office involved. When I lost my job a few years ago I applied for SNAP, got the 'interview' email the day after the interview was scheduled for. No one ever answered their phones. I ultimately reached out to my state Reps and got a call from a supervisor the next day, who did the interview over the phone and expedited my application. The Rep may not be the person you voted for, but their office has a whole team dedicated to dealing with shit like this.

[bilgistic]

AUGHHHHHH!!!!!!! I just called DSS and was on hold for 20 minutes. I was down to the next caller in the queue and then got hung up on either by the system or the fucking universe.

I immediately called back and was 15th in line. I don't have the bandwidth for this. I'll have to try again Monday.

Fuck. My. Life.

Edited December 14, 2018 by bilgistic

[Bastet]

17 hours ago, bilgistic said:

My food stamp application has been denied twice (I had benefits thru 11/30) and I don't know why.

I used to - and really ought to get back to doing this - volunteer, through a program run by a local pro bono firm, to represent in administrative hearings those who'd been improperly denied food stamp and/or welfare benefits.  Unfortunately, there are social services workers who don't think of their job as "check to see if this person is eligible for public benefits, and, if so, get them enrolled in the appropriate program(s)" but as "look for any reason an application can be denied."  Which mindset the person reviewing an application has impacts how they interpret the facts at hand, any discrepancies, omissions, or errors, etc.  There are a lot of people improperly denied, yet finally enrolled upon appeal - especially if they have an advocate. 

If you don't get an answer - or believe the answer you get is incorrect - after finally speaking with someone at social services, check with any neighborhood legal services type organizations in your area to see if any of them run a similar program where you could get an attorney or other legal worker to advocate for you.

And you have every right to feel sorry for yourself.  I feel sorry for you with all you're going through, and that's not lessened by the fact there are others who are suffering more.  You have that sense of perspective; you're not disproportionately wailing about minor problems and acting as if they're the worst things that could happen to a person.  Shitty things are happening to you.  You are doing what you're supposed to do, and you just keep getting handed more shit.  I sincerely hope it will stop soon; you're on my mind a lot.

[bilgistic]

Thank y'all for listening (reading). Going on past experience, I'm fairly sure the food stamp issue is that they want employment verification (pay stub copies), but aren't bothering to tell me that, just as they haven't in the past. There's no way to submit that info online; it has to be mailed in. They just deny with no explanation; the only way I know I'm denied is that I see the status online.

Also, they sent the renewal notice in early November, and I applied for renewal and was denied (actually got a letter) because I was "already receiving benefits". Only through the end of the month! It's like the very barest minimum is being done on their end, and it's preposterous. So I've been denied twice since November.

I'll have to reapply. They won't reopen a closed/denied case (again, per my previous experience) and it's just so exhausting.

When people talk about people "ripping off the system" and think it's easy to get benefits, I want to scream at them. They have no idea. I think about how I have a college degree and how navigating "the system" while poor is incredibly complex. I can't imagine how less educationally advantaged people do it.

[Sweedish Fish]

2 hours ago, bilgistic said:

 Going on past experience, I'm fairly sure the food stamp issue is that they want employment verification (pay stub copies), but aren't bothering to tell me that, just as they haven't in the past. There's no way to submit that info online; it has to be mailed in.

 

 

 I'm sorry you are going thru all of this.  I am in the middle of this as well.  As far as the employment stubs and mailing them - I got the fax number and email address of the Social Security office and called my previous employer for help with this. 

They can scan them and email to me to forward to them, or they can fax it over to the social service office themselves.

Good luck, hope it works out for you

[theredhead77]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

When people talk about people "ripping off the system" and think it's easy to get benefits, I want to scream at them. They have no idea. I think about how I have a college degree and how navigating "the system" while poor is incredibly complex. I can't imagine how less educationally advantaged people do it.

I had the exact same thoughts when I had my experience. Not only did I have to get my Reps involved to get benefits, I had to get them involved to stop benefits. 

[AgentRXS]

So the newest trend in Florida drivers attempting to look for a holiday payday: Randomly stopping short in the middle of the intersection during a green light. I can't tell you how many times in the past 2 weeks that I've been behind a car slamming on their brakes to almost a full stop just as we pass through the light. It happens in my work truck and personal car.

I hate people.

Edited December 15, 2018 by AgentRXS

[ABay]

There's a lot I love about Amazon but 2 things that really piss me off and they're related. First, why am I seeing commercials on videos when I have Prime? You already have enough of my money. Just show me the fucking video. Second, why are all of my searches full of sponsored shit now? Just show me what I asked for.

[bilgistic]

YES.

[walnutqueen]

8 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

So the newest trend in Florida drivers attempting to look for a holiday payday: Randomly stopping short in the middle of the intersection during a green light. I can't tell you how many times in the past 2 weeks that I've been behind a car slamming on their brakes to almost a full stop just as we pass through the light. It happens in my work truck and personal car.

I hate people.

I was a P.I. back in the 1970s and people were pulling that shite in an attempt to get easy money.  Not on my watch!!!

 

57 minutes ago, ABay said:

There's a lot I love about Amazon but 2 things that really piss me off and they're related. First, why am I seeing commercials on videos when I have Prime? You already have enough of my money. Just show me the fucking video. Second, why are all of my searches full of sponsored shit now? Just show me what I asked for.

I've lived a rather fulfilled life without Amazon (or Facebook, Twitter, social media, cell phone, etc., etc.).  Suck it, Bezos!

[emma675]

Quote

I was a P.I. back in the 1970s and people were pulling that shite in an attempt to get easy money.  Not on my watch!!!

walnutqueen, you fascinate me. I think your life would make a best selling book.

[walnutqueen]

20 minutes ago, emma675 said:

walnutqueen, you fascinate me. I think your life would make a best selling book.

Give me a chance, and I will bore you to tears with my "stories"!  ;-)

 

ETA - I may expound in Chit Chat if I don't succumb to the need for my morning nap first!  :~)

Edited December 15, 2018 by walnutqueen

[Moose135]

21 minutes ago, emma675 said:

walnutqueen, you fascinate me. I think your life would make a best selling book.

But it won't be available through Amazon...

[walnutqueen]

1 hour ago, Moose135 said:

But it won't be available through Amazon...

Oh, SNAP!!!

Quadruple my "LIKE".

[annzeepark914]

Sheesh. I was getting ready to kvetch about people hogging overhead compartments on planes. But then I read the mixed bag of posts on this page & realized my post would be boring. Bilgistic, contact your congressman/woman. They have a caseworker on staff who handles these issues (many decades ago I did that). It's amazing how fast an agency snaps to it when a congressional inquiry arrives in the office. You need someone in your corner and this might be a start. 

[TattleTeeny]

On 12/13/2018 at 5:03 PM, auntlada said:

I am really tired of people having birthday fundraisers on Facebook. That's great that they want these charities to get money (well, some of them), but I've never given any of these people presents for their birthdays. Why would I start now? We're not that close.

Also, it's tacky to ask people to give you something specific for your birthday, even if it's for a good cause, especially if they haven't asked what you want.

Just sharing information about a charity isn't the same as asking for (or expecting) a gift, whether or not you're sharing it on your birthday or any other day. I did it last year for my birthday (and, yay--it raised just about $400 for the nonprofit animal shelter where I volunteer!). Some people donated because they're my friends, some did it in lieu of a present, some in addition to a present, and some because they just wanted to support animals in need even though we aren't regular present exchangers or are not very close; other people probably scrolled right by if they weren't interested, which is fine too--no one was forced into anything. It's just another way to do something charitable.
 

Quote

I am very grateful I have a car, a place to live, a dryer with which to dry my clothes (and a washer to wash them), my cats, relative healthfulness, and I'm grateful for some of the less toxic members of my family. I know many, many people don't have what I have. I just feel like I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing (even so says my therapist that I can't afford to see) and getting shit results. I'm just feeling sorry for myself.

Ugh, bilgistic--yikes, man, that's a lot. I'm sorry; it sucks when so much crap and nonsense happens in such a concentrated clump. I hope that this means you've gotten your "allotted share" of future bad luck out of the way all at once (at least that's what I try to tell myself when the universe pulls a pile-on stunt). And fingers crossed over here for some worthy job opportunities to come along ASAP! (Also, can I add that I love that you cited the washer & dryer in your list! Seriously, even after being in my place since 2012, I don't ever take those for granted after all my many years without them!)

Edited December 16, 2018 by TattleTeeny

[auntlada]

1 hour ago, TattleTeeny said:

Just sharing information about a charity isn't the same as asking for (or expecting) a gift, whether or not you're sharing it on your birthday or any other day. I did it last year for my birthday (and, yay--it raised just about $400 for the nonprofit animal shelter where I volunteer!). Some people donated because they're my friends, some did it in lieu of a present, some in addition to a present, and some because they just wanted to support animals in need even though we aren't regular present exchangers or are not very close; other people probably scrolled right by if they weren't interested, which is fine too--no one was forced into anything. It's just another way to do something charitable.

The people I'm talking about aren't just sharing information, though. They are asking for a gift. The most recent one I saw started with, "For my birthday this year, I'm asking for donations to ...." I'm sure Facebook encourages them to do this, although I've never done it and don't even let Facebook share when my birthday is because I was tired of getting birthday messages from people who otherwise would not know it was my birthday. (I know. I'm a curmudgeon. I have levels of friends, though, and have many friends on Facebook whom I actually know, but with whom I do not actually want to hang out. [That was a tortured construction, and I had to think about the whole who-whom thing.]) I know I'm not being forced to donate, but I still think it's tacky to announce -- even on social media, where apparently anything goes -- what you want people to give you for your birthday, even if it is for a charity.

Now, if you were to post, "For my birthday this year, I'm donating (some amount of money) to (your favorite charity)," and include a link to the charity, I would have no peeve. That's sharing information and not asking people to donate as your birthday gift.

[TattleTeeny]

Ah, I see. I’m going to chalk that up to semantics, ie, the people were not likely outright asking for donations/birthday gifts but didn't quite get the wording right. I don’t remember what I said; I don’t think it was that exactly but I doubt it was that far off either—probably closer to, “if you want to get me something for my birthday, how about a donation to some homeless animals?” Either way, I don’t find anything tacky about it (and luckily neither did the people who helped us pay for a cat’s operation, whoooo!).

However, “levels of friends,” haha—same here! I completely get it! And it brings me to a peeve (though not a huge one, more of an awkward discomfort maybe):

Lower-level friends (that sounds worse than I mean it, I swear) being too familiar because they’re possibly taking cues from mutual higher-level friends. Like, OK, Person A can jokingly call me a tramp because he’s known me since high school, but person I met a month ago through Person A and hung out with 2-3 times since should probably not do that.

[AgentRXS]

Another driving peeve: Its 10 days until Christmas and I am so over seeing those stupid antlers snd red noses on cars. I don't know why they are more frequent this year (maybe standing in solidarity with Rudolph?), but they look dumb as hell and I just want to rip them off the car. Bah humbug says this Grinch(ess?).

Edited December 16, 2018 by AgentRXS

[bilgistic]

I finally picked up my (old) glasses with their new lenses today and I can see! Hopefully my night vision will be improved with them; that's what I had noticed had seriously declined.

I also found a pair of not-completely-horrible skinny jeans (sigh) at the resale shop. There's not a huge selection, so you take what you can get. So I got two pairs (including the pair from the other night) for $27, which would've been the cost of one new pair. Plus, I feel good about reducing, reusing and recycling.

[Bastet]

On 12/15/2018 at 5:42 PM, auntlada said:

The people I'm talking about aren't just sharing information, though. They are asking for a gift. The most recent one I saw started with, "For my birthday this year, I'm asking for donations to ...."

Then, yeah, that's improper; you don't ask for gifts, period.  That it's a charitable donation, though, means I won't classify it as tacky as I would "For my birthday this year, I'm asking for a blender, a pair of jeans, roller skates, and a gift certificate to my favorite restaurant," even though both are blanket announcements of what one would like to receive as a gift.

The Miss Manners column addressed these charitable donation requests (semi-)recently - as expected, they were opposed*, but, then, they are like me and object to gift registries as part of the general rule you don't ask someone to give you a gift, or dictate what it should be, and I think we're the only people in the country who do - but having read that didn't stick in my mind enough to counteract my initial response to reading "I am really tired of people having birthday fundraisers on Facebook" being, "What?  People are asking people to fund their birthday parties?"  I don't use Facebook, so I'm not familiar with this trend; with no example springing immediately to mind, the description - and the general state of online begging in society - made me think of a GoFundMe type thing, with the goal being subsidizing someone's birthday party/trip.

This, though, is something I think - generally; some, I'm sure, are more attention-seeking than altruistic, which is true of any medium - has good intentions but just isn't properly limited in its audience (in other words, suggest the charity donation to anyone who asks what you want for your birthday, or tell your parents or someone equally close who normally gets you a gift "this year, why don't you skip the gift and instead donate to X," rather than inviting your entire social media audience to do so) and thus doesn't rankle me as much as it does you.  Then again, not using Facebook, I'm not actually seeing it happen, so I might well be singing a different tune if I did.

*As I recall, the suggestion was to talk up a charity you support - the work they do, an upcoming event they'd be holding, any personal experiences with them you have, etc. - and say how happy you are to be doing a little bit to help an organization doing so much good with so few resources, and let that encourage people to donate/ask you more.

Edited December 18, 2018 by Bastet

[BookWoman56]

I have friends who will occasionally post on FB regarding a charity they are involved with; one friend in particular is a horse person and often posts links to orgs that are involved in rescuing horses, etc. Those are not connected to her birthday or any other holiday, but just following more or less the  method that @Bastet listed, of talking up a charity and letting that encourage people to donate or ask for more info. But while I think publicly asking for a gift is tacky, at least IMO there are different levels of tackiness. Posting on FB, "For my upcoming  birthday/wedding/ whatever,  I want A, B, and C,"  is extremely tacky in a way that "Hey, if you are thinking about a gift for me, please donate to XYZ charity instead" is not, although I still think that request is better left as a response to someone who asks you what you want as a gift. I personally like gift registries because if I have to get a gift for someone for a wedding, where I may not know the couple that well but know a parent better, I at least am assured if I get something off a gift registry that they won't absolutely hate it.

The one public announcement that gets a complete pass from me on being tacky is for obituaries where it states that in lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to a charity. Technically, the statement implies that a gift is expected and also directs the person reading it to choose a specific gift. But it's not actually the deceased person himself/herself who will benefit from  the request, and it makes sense to take the family's wishes into consideration rather than assuming they want yet another floral arrangement. Ultimately, for me there's a balance between appearing to ask for a gift and being practical enough to recognize that because some people will undoubtedly want to give a gift, it makes sense to give some direction (via a gift registry or whatever) what kind of gift would be welcome. One caveat, though, is that if people use a gift registry, it needs to include a range of prices so that if someone wants to give a gift but has a very small gift budget, there's still something listed that falls within that budget. IOW, don't have a gift registry that consists only of big ticket items. 

Edited December 16, 2018 by BookWoman56

[JTMacc99]

20 hours ago, ABay said:

There's a lot I love about Amazon but 2 things that really piss me off and they're related. First, why am I seeing commercials on videos when I have Prime? You already have enough of my money. Just show me the fucking video. 

Making TV shows is extraordinarily expensive. If they didn’t show advertisements, they would need to take more of our money directly from us to cover the cost. 

And sponsored searches help pay for the endless amount of free two day shipping I use.  It’s not like UPS didn’t charge Amazon $700 for the 87 packages I got this year. 

Prime is an amazing deal in my favor which saves me money and time many times over the investment. I can’t bring myself to get annoyed by the fact that the entire top row of lightning cables are “sponsored”. I’ve learned to scroll down to the second line. 

(Sorry. One of my rare non-driving pet peeves is getting mad at businesses for doing business. I HATE pushing through rate increases to my customers; I’m a customer too. But the four major broadcast networks have increased their fees per subscriber 25% per year COMPOUNDING for many years in a row now. $15 of my cable bill this year goes directly to abc, nbc, cbs and fox. Imagine how much that would be if they didn’t also have the advertising revenue stream.)

Edited December 16, 2018 by JTMacc99

[TattleTeeny]

I don't know how cable companies work, but a peeve I have with them is the fee I have to pay for sports channels, which I don't watch; the fact that it's a separate fee seems to me that those channels should also be optional. But it's mandatory! I'd really rather have it just mixed in there so I have no idea (sort of like the fees for buying concert tickets; if I didn't see them listed, I probably wouldn't be so annoyed--just pretend they're part of the ticket price! And why is there a fee for me to print out my own ticket anyway?).

Edited December 16, 2018 by TattleTeeny

[theredhead77]

15 hours ago, auntlada said:

The people I'm talking about aren't just sharing information, though. They are asking for a gift. The most recent one I saw started with, "For my birthday this year, I'm asking for donations to ...." I'm sure Facebook encourages them to do this

Facebook does prompt for it around your birthday it and provides the verbiage template to use.

[theredhead77]

3 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

And sponsored searches help pay for the endless amount of free two day shipping I use.  It’s not like UPS didn’t charge Amazon $700 for the 87 packages I got this year.

I have a love/hate relationship with Amazon. I love Amazon for personal use (and their original programming) but I work in eCommerce and hear a constant stream of complaints from our sales force that customers don't want to pay shipping or they are paying too much in shipping. 

1) Our shipping charges are fair. It's a flat rate based upon order value, not weight. We also have exceptions for extremely light, and extremely heavy packages

2) Amazon and other online companies that offer free shipping build the cost of the shipping into the back-end of the item

3) Amazon Prime is a subscription service

This should be in the work rant thread but since we're talking about fees, etc... I'm ranting here as it is a peeve.

[bilgistic]

Because the universe is still out to get me, I fell on the little divider between the parking lot where we park for work and the road between the store and the lot. I slipped on wet leaves and landed on my ass in red mud...in my "new" jeans. I swear to god I have the worst luck in the world. My ass is CAKED with mud. I tied an apron around my backside and that's how I've been working (apron on the front and back). Starting out the day like that sent my anxiety is through the roof and the loud-ass baker is working, which makes everyone else loud and further compounds my anxiety. I took a xanax and it's not doing much. I just want to go home and go to bed.

I do have the interview with the pet store tomorrow at 11. I'll probably fall face-first in dogshit in the parking lot.

[ABay]

Sweet Fanny Moses, @bilgistic! Now think very carefully: Have you recently crossed a gypsy? Violated a tomb in the Valley of the Kings? Removed a tiki idol from Hawaii? 

[bilgistic]

I must've done something to anger someone with supernatural influence, but I don't know how, what or when I did it.

I managed to get mud not only on my jeans, but also the bottom of my shirt, my jacket, my purse (actually a small messenger bag) and my tote bag--everything on my person. And it's North Carolina red mud; I could've made pottery or bricks with it.

 

I rinsed the mud off my jeans in the tub with the shower attachment. I ran out of laundry detergent yesterday OF COURSE, but I found a sample of Woolite Dark I had and added Oxy-Clean.

I got most of it out. It's still on my work shirt in a few spots, but I don't care about that. The faintest hint of red can be seen inside my jeans. I'm not drying them so they'll hopefully get less stained the more I wash them. The mud stained my Fruit of the Looms through my jeans! My jacket, purse and bag came clean, but then, they are black and very utilitarian.

[DeLurker]

@bilgistic - sending you gentle, non-creepy virtual hugs and good thoughts.

[ABay]

We should get a petition going or something to make "bilgistic" a unit of measurement. "My weekend was bad, but it wasn't bilgistic bad." "On a scale of one to bilgistic, how much does that sprained thumb hurt?" "This movie sucks! I give it 3 bilgistics."

[Moose135]

5 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I do have the interview with the pet store tomorrow at 11. I'll probably fall face-first in dogshit in the parking lot.

Knock 'em dead, Kiddo!

[ABay]

Maybe we can all take a few seconds at 11 a.m. Eastern to send good thoughts @bilgistic?

[Mindthinkr]

37 minutes ago, ABay said:

Maybe we can all take a few seconds at 11 a.m. Eastern to send good thoughts @bilgistic?

I’m in. It’s time for the tides to turn for her. Fingers crossed she gets a job where she makes money, isn’t stressed and feels valued.

Peeve: Went on Amazon. I can’t get shipping any sooner than January 2nd. Now I have to physically go out and fight the crowds. Grrr. 

[DeLurker]

Holiday Shopping Parking Lots and dumb ass parents - I had to go out yesterday because I am somehow missing an essential box of my tree decorations and couldn't even put up the second/third rate ornaments I did have because they were completely without hooks (and my box of extra hooks is with the essential box).  So the kids and I head to World Market which is in what passes as a downtown area - that means that spread out over a decent area there's a major mall, an upscale outdoor mall, several retail shopping centers (each with a major anchor), movie theaters and a crapton of restaurants.  The city planners apparently forbid grid patterned parking lots so all parking areas have funny curves and angle (which is a separate peeve).

So DA Parental Unit 1 have decided to ride their bikes to the busiest shopping area at the busiest time of year with their two kids that are still single digits.  One of them is still pretty shaky on a two wheeler, so I'm guessing the training wheels were recently ditched. Neither of the kids are big enough to be easily visible in a parking lot - especially one filled with trucks and SUVs.  I see DA dad with child 1 traversing the parking lot and so I wait at the 4 way stop so they can safely cross.  Because of the stupid angles and shrubbery, I don't see DA mom and child 2 until I am almost ready to go because they are riding so slow (because child 2 is the shaky one). 

Because I have just pulled into the parking lot, the cars behind me are backing up into the main road and they have no idea why I am not going.  A driver at the four way to my right sees them and waits for them to turtle across too.  A driver coming from my left doesn't see them and almost mows down DA dad & child 1.

After we manage to park & leave that plaza without taking any lives, we stop by Pier 1 to look for a new ornament or two (the kids pick one or two out every year).  This is also in a busy plaza - Pier 1, Whole Foods, a number of restaurants and specialty shops,....  When we are leaving, right by the exit from the parking lot a young family with a truck backed into the end space is loading up - there's the parental units, 2 young boys (both under 4) and a baby in a stroller.  Because they are backed in and all hanging around the truck bed, there is a sidewalk, a small strip of green space and then an actual road.  Neither of the boys are particularly close to their parents and just kind of randomly moving around as small children are prone to do.    I don't go right away because I have nightmares about small children darting in front of cars or falling in front of cars.  Neither parent bothers to corral their children despite being so close to a road leading into a busy shopping center nor near an exit.

Ornament Purchases:  My daughter bought a wooden ornament of a duck in a boat (row boat?  canoe?) and a radish ornament because they made her laugh.  My son chose more traditional ornaments - a glass angel and a pair of christmas trees.  I chose a solid wood ornament with a bird on it.

[emma675]

You got this, bilgistic!!

[bilgistic]

15 hours ago, Moose135 said:

Knock 'em dead, Kiddo!

 

3 hours ago, ABay said:

Maybe we can all take a few seconds at 11 a.m. Eastern to send good thoughts @bilgistic?

 

1 hour ago, emma675 said:

You got this, bilgistic!!

Thanks, y'all! I guess it went OK. Who ever knows with these things? I managed to not fall or have any other catastrophe on the way to the store.

It would be at least 30 hours a week (as opposed to the 8-16 I'm getting now...grumble) and eligibility for benefits at that level (if TPTB don't succeed at dismantling the ACA). I would be able to get cat food AT COST(!!!), which would save me SO MUCH MONEY. My precious little sensitive baby's special non-allergenic food currently costs me $225 a month(!!!!!!!).

The store manager has to talk with the regional manager and then they'll make a decision. The possibility of meeting visiting doggies every day sounds like good times.

[Bastet]

Fingers crossed, @bilgistic.  (I was unable to join in the group sending of vibes, but that's only 8:00 a.m. here, so I was blissfully asleep.)  I'll take the fact you didn't wind up falling face first in dog shit on the way to the interview as a good sign.

I hope you were able to impart your knowledge of feline nutritional needs, which likely exceeds that of most candidates for the job, and the fact you could make good suggestions to customers - which could mean they leave having spent more than they'd planned to coming in - will make the employer see you as the right person for the job.

I'm going to head out in a couple of hours to finally do my Christmas gift shopping, so I'm sure I'll come back loaded with peeves. 

[bilgistic]

I did give the rundown of my dearly departed Bilgisticat's conditions and my struggles to find food and meds that worked for him, along with Little Girl's need for food that doesn't trigger her allergies. I mentioned how much I understand that the pet food industry is very political (and fraught with misinformation), and that I'd learned a great deal about nutrition and could recommend "better" food for customers.

I just vacuumed for the first time in...a while. I took the hose to the cat tree and the window seat. So, so much cat fur.

Would anyone like to mop for me? I haven't done that in...an even longer while.

[theredhead77]

@bilgistic - that's awesome!

I strongly suggest, if you haven't already, send a thank you note or thank you email to the store manager. With how rare they are in the corporate world, they have to be even rarer in the retail world.

[annzeepark914]

On 12/16/2018 at 8:12 PM, ABay said:

We should get a petition going or something to make "bilgistic" a unit of measurement. "My weekend was bad, but it wasn't bilgistic bad." "On a scale of one to bilgistic, how much does that sprained thumb hurt?" "This movie sucks! I give it 3 bilgistics."

Back in the early days of various forums on the Internet (around 1996+) at the figure skating forum called SkateFans, someone began to describe different skaters (who weren't appealing enough to the broadcaster) as getting "chacked".  It was a term she created based on Michael Chack not getting his program shown even though there really was plenty of time, but the broadcaster decided to show a taped program from another skating discipline. 

[Moose135]

10 hours ago, bilgistic said:

The possibility of meeting visiting doggies every day sounds like good times.

I would love a job which included that!

[theredhead77]

Christmas is NOT a secular holiday.  I'm beyond over Christmas music everywhere, Christmas TV specials taking over the networks, everything closing down for the day and people insisting that everyone can celebrate it.

Yeah, I'll wish you a Merry Christmas but fuck the rest of this noise. Over it.