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

[tinkerbell]

Family pet peeve - 

siblings who give me a hard time about frozen dinners, because "everybody knows they're SO high in sodium!"    Both siblings who tell me this have hypertension and are on meds for it.  I do not have any issues with blood pressure.   They are both overweight.  (I am as well, but to a lesser extent) They believe that meals cooked at home are inherently good, and frozen meals  are bad.  One sibling is retired, one works part time.  I work full time.  I will often eat healthy choice or Lean cuisine dinners especially on nights I work late.    The sodium count is about 500-600 mg,, which they think is "so high!  you shouldn't eat that!"   the recommended amount of sodium is 1500-2300 per day, and I am mostly within that limit.  I have no idea what they eat, nor do I care.  I don't even talk to them about diets, but the topic comes up.   I do find that frozen dinners are a good way to manage portion control, as opposed to cooking full meals when there's only 1 or 2 people.  

There is no talking to people who are entrenched in ideas about certain foods being bad or good.  

SO now, if they try to tell me anything about how bad it is that I eat (gasp) frozen dinners, I ask "how's your blood pressure?"  

[ParadoxLost]

I am surrounded by people who launch into speeches mid thought.

I am not a mind reader.  You have to start whatever topic has got you going with something to orient the listener to your subject. 

I especially love it when I get told I'm being rude for interrupting because you can't form a coherent sentence.  I am not going to listen to you wind down after three minutes and then tell you have to start again after explaining WTF your topic is.  I'm going to stop you as soon as it is clear you are unable to use nouns instead of pronouns until you specifically tell me the subject.

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, ParadoxLost said:

I am surrounded by people who launch into speeches mid thought.

I am not a mind reader.  You have to start whatever topic has got you going with something to orient the listener to your subject. 

I especially love it when I get told I'm being rude for interrupting because you can't form a coherent sentence.  I am not going to listen to you wind down after three minutes and then tell you have to start again after explaining WTF your topic is.  I'm going to stop you as soon as it is clear you are unable to use nouns instead of pronouns until you specifically tell me the subject.

Agree that that's rather frustrating but IMO not as frustrating as those who take 20 minutes to say things that can be summed up in 5 minutes (often repeating the very same phrases at least five times). No, your voice is NOT the most important thing going on in the world at this moment!

[MargeGunderson]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

Agree that that's rather frustrating but IMO not as frustrating as those who take 20 minutes to say things that can be summed up in 5 minutes (often repeating the very same phrases at least five times). No, your voice is NOT the most important thing going on in the world at this moment!

Oh, I see you have met my coworker. But don't you dare interrupt one of her monologues, or she will yell "stop" at you. Repeatedly. 

[Jaded]

I'm peeved at the weather changing from day to day. It was in the mid 60's for most of the day and night yesterday. Earlier today it was still pretty warm but really rainy and now it's in the lower 30's. It's getting to be pretty annoying having to switch from the AC to heat and back so often. My sinuses aren't appreciating the constant changes either. What really sucks is if it's cold the night before then it gets warmer once daylight comes in the morning and the heat being on makes me too warm to the point I have nightmares. Whichever I have on be it the AC or the heat they are always set to automatic. I'm also not happy about not being able to find a good deal on an electric blanket this season. When I did find one for a good price the majority of reviews would say how terrible it was.

People who post in neighborhood groups on Nextdoor and Facebook trying to recruit for cryptocurrency stock market like MLMs under the guise that they are offering free finance and budget help are on my shit list too. A couple of us on Nextdoor exposed the lady and what she was up to which she wasn't happy about. She posted a long multi paragraph response foregoing spaces between them which was all that MLM doublespeak making it sound like that any criticism was coming from people who aren't willing to open their minds to new sources for income. One look at her social media accounts makes it crystal clear that she's in deep with the one she was attempting to recruit for. She made a post before the one recruiting people asking about venues and got all these responses giving her actual meeting places and she ends up choosing a ballroom dance school who rents out space to people. I made sure to alert them to what she really wanted to use their space for and said I didn't want their reputation to suffer for hosting something like that.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Jaded

[Blergh]

12 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Oh, I see you have met my coworker. But don't you dare interrupt one of her monologues, or she will yell "stop" at you. Repeatedly. 

You have my sympathy.  That's all I'm saying here! 

[KittyMom4]

13 hours ago, Jaded said:

She posted a long multi paragraph response foregoing spaces between them which was all that MLM doublespeak making it sound like that any criticism was coming from people who aren't willing to open their minds to new sources for income

I have a FB friend who is in an MLM for make-up, she's the nicest lady, but all her posts lately have been about supporting "small businesses" and "empowering women business owners". I personally have never purchased her product because it's too expensive, but that didn't stop her from sending out a FB messenger blast about supporting her to help her small business grow. I deleted the message but wanted to respond with "you are not a small business, you are part of a conglomerate that gives you a portion of your sales and makes you recruit more people into the business in order for you to make more money." I feel bad that she's invested so much time but I'm not going to start purchasing her product out of sympathy. 

[BookWoman56]

I have unfriended people on FB before when they started doing the MLM posts and messages on an ongoing basis. I use minimal cosmetics, and contrary to the standard sales pitch, using their mascara is not going to fundamentally alter my appearance or change my love life. I do have one friend who got into the MLM stuff, but she had the courtesy to set up a separate group by invitation. If you weren't interested in the cosmetics, you declined the invitation. Period. There was no steady stream in my news feed about the deal of the week. I only check NextDoor maybe once a week or so, and so far I'm not seeing anyone in my area start that nonsense. 

Regarding the people who are annoying for starting to talk without providing context or who take forever to say something that could be said in a few minutes, I have a slight variation of that. A couple of my colleagues have somehow decided that dialogue and monologue are the same thing. One colleague in particular will start off talking and go through 6-7 different points she wants to address, all without pausing so someone can contribute to the conversation. So when she finally does wind down, you have to then go back to the first point that she talked about 10-15 minutes ago. And she's bitched at me and others a couple of times for interrupting her, and when someone does try to jump in, she gets all huffy and says, "Let me finish." I have had to resist the temptation to tell her, "People interrupt you because you never STFU, and they need to point out something related to the topic. For example, you've just spent 5 minutes talking about the challenges of updating document ABC, and I was trying to inform you that per a decision from someone higher up the corporate food chain, document ABC is no longer required. So you've wasted 5 minutes of everybody's time." 

[partofme]

Bikers.  As a pedestrian in nyc, I think they're a safety hazard.

[KittyMom4]

2 hours ago, partofme said:

Bikers.  As a pedestrian in nyc, I think they're a safety hazard.

I'm a runner and used to frequent a hiking trail my town maintains. It's a beautiful path through wooded areas and behind a few subdivisions of homes, parts of it are 3 or 4 people wide and other parts are single file through heavy brush on both sides. I run with my earbuds in because I use an app that tells me my pace and distance as I run. There is music but it is low enough that I can hear my running partner breathing. The trail is shared between bikers, runners, walkers and dog owners, so you have to be respectful of everyone, as I run up behind someone I will shout a greeting so they know I'm there and not startle them (especially if they have dogs). One day I was running with a friend and we were on the wider part of the path as it began to narrow, I slowed to get behind her so we didn't block the path but hadn't moved to the side yet when a man on a bike raced by shouting "share the road!". He was riding his bike way to fast for the trail and hadn't given a warning until he was on top of us. He continued to ride at full speed until we lost sight of him around a bend, we both hoped there was no one ahead in the narrow part because he was going to hit them at full speed. 

[theredhead77]

PULL THE FUCK OVER FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES!  Yes, I am yelling that for the people in the back. 

I was waiting to turn left onto the freeway and saw a fire truck speeding up the exit, lights and sirens going. Our light was red and  there was no way in hell I was moving unless it was out of the way] until I saw what it was going to do. I watch it and the truck turns left, it has room to get around us by going up the opposite lane, and it does, sirens and horns blasting.

This is a huge visibility, wide open intersection and there is no way you can miss this truck coming. Truck turns left onto  the freeway (where we were turning), our light turns green and I wait to give it space. Once it gets several feet onto the on-ramp  I crawl along, making my turn, prepared to stop. Cars in the other lane start going full speed and some jerk is riding my ass and the truck stops on the ramp between the two freeway on-ramps. There are no accidents on there. I get close enough that I stop, waiting to see what it was going to do. Other cars are trying to go around me and cars in the other lane are trying to go around the truck to get on the other freeway. Truck takes off on the other on-ramp and nearly hits an asshole that tried to go around it.

FFS, this whole thing took less than a minute to playout. Treat emergency vehicles like they are going to save your home, your loved one or the loved one of a close friend.

[Spartan Girl]

Other drivers honking at you. I was driving today and I had to change lanes only I couldn't because a bunch of other cars were coming too fast and wouldn't let me in. Yet every time one of them passed they honked at me like it was my fault. I was waiting for one of them to let ME in!

Look, I'm just saying that it's hard to focus, let alone figure out if you did something wrong if some asshole keeps honking at you.

[Katy M]

I've had my current car almost 8 years.  Apparently the other day was the first time I've ever honked the horn, because I was like "really?  that's my horn?  Who's going to hear that?"

Whether it was heard or not, though I think it was justified.  I was second in line at a red light.  Someone from the sidewalk came up to talk to the person in the truck ahead of me.  Light turned green.  Conversation was still continuing.  I waited 5 seconds and really let out a tiny beep of indignation.

[theredhead77]

Today I saw two separate awful accidents involving cars smashed  head on into walls. I didn't see either happen but my guess with the first one is a truck with a trailer cut off the car that ended up in the wall trying to avoid it.

As I was passing the second accident I let a bus merge in front of me from the closed lane on the right and cars behind me were honking and people were driving up the turn lane then cutting in from the left. Dude, you see the huge accident right in the lane? You see the wide open road just past it? CHILL! 

People need to slow down, use signals, LET PEOPLE MOVE when they use signals and stop being such aggressive drivers. AND WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!!!!!!

Edited January 27, 2019 by theredhead77

[tinkerbell]

3 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Today I saw two separate awful accidents involving cars smashed  head on into walls. I didn't see either happen but my guess with the first one is a truck with a trailer cut off the car that ended up in the wall trying to avoid it.

As I was passing the second accident I let a bus merge in front of me from the closed lane on the right and cars behind me were honking and people were driving up the turn lane then cutting in from the left. Dude, you see the huge accident right in the lane? You see the wide open road just past it? CHILL! 

People need to slow down, use signals, LET PEOPLE MOVE when they use signals and stop being such aggressive drivers. AND WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!!!!!!

Along those lines, its winter, and we're having some severe weather. When theres already some snow on the ground that's half melted, and then the temp goes down to 2 degrees, then it snows more, then you may as well be driving on an ice rink. Only with poor visibility because its STILL SNOWING!

So, yeah, the speed limit is 45 on these streets, and all cars are moving at 20 mph. Theres a reason! That caution light on the dashboard that says LOW TRACTION? that means slow down, or else lose control of your car. Don't tailgate. And please, that little trick you do where you zoom past a line of cars going through the intersection, the second the light turns green, driving in the far right lane that is merging left, so you c an be ahead of everyone ? You're going to get someone killed.

[ratgirlagogo]

Some brilliant person a hundred or more pages back said that the worst thing about winter driving was that it always seemed to be the first day of drivers' ed for people.  Too true.

[auntlada]

9 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Today I saw two separate awful accidents involving cars smashed  head on into walls. I didn't see either happen but my guess with the first one is a truck with a trailer cut off the car that ended up in the wall trying to avoid it.

As I was passing the second accident I let a bus merge in front of me from the closed lane on the right and cars behind me were honking and people were driving up the turn lane then cutting in from the left. Dude, you see the huge accident right in the lane? You see the wide open road just past it? CHILL! 

People need to slow down, use signals, LET PEOPLE MOVE when they use signals and stop being such aggressive drivers. AND WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!!!!!!

Also, if you are at a traffic light and you are turning right, don't stop to let the person turning left go in front of you, especially when there is enough space behind you for the person to turn if you will just go. That happened to me yesterday. I honked loudly, and the person turning right finally turned, but by that time more cars were behind that car so I had to wait until the light was turning red. Since I was in the middle of the intersection, I hurriedly turned, and my son in the backseat said, "Did you just run a red light?" I may have also said something he wasn't supposed to hear. I was hoping he was reading and not paying attention to me.

[TattleTeeny]

You guys, I just learned that Target has phased out its entire Mossimo brand. I am peeved, not because that particular brand is exciting or anything--in fact, it's the opposite (solid basic necessities that are inexpensive). This news I found out while trying like hell to replace some plain black Mossimo leggings that have finally quit (by way of those little wispy light colored threads that show up in "high wear" areas) on me after 10 years! Damn you, Target. 

[theredhead77]

2 minutes ago, TattleTeeny said:

You guys, I just learned that Target has phased out its entire Mossimo brand. I am peeved, not because that particular brand is exciting or anything--in fact, it's the opposite (solid basic necessities that are inexpensive). This news I found out while trying like hell to replace some plain black Mossimo leggings that have finally quit (by way of those little wispy light colored threads that show up in "high wear" areas) on me after 10 years! Damn you, Target. 

On no!!!!!!! They must have replaced it with their A New Day brand. I loved their Xhilaration brand tights and they discontinued those years ago. I feel your pain and am sorry for your loss.

[TattleTeeny]

Oh, hell no--don't even get me started on those fabulous tights! Nooooooooooo! 

I know I sound like a loon, but these are the best leggings and I want the same! They are perfect--not subtly shiny, not see-through, good stretch, soft but cat-hair resistant (!!!), and the waist is just in the right spot to not squeeze one's guts in a very unflattering, uncomfortable way! Also, cheap! Same with the tights. Damn you, Target!

[bilgistic]

This is where I jump in and again bemoan the death of denim for women. I had to buy black pants for my new grocery store job and black jeans are OK as long as they look like pants, i.e., no faded wash. I got some not-denim $17 Levi's skinny (SIGH) "jeans" at Walmart (it killed me to go to Walmart, but I was desperate and I'm poor) and after three wearings, the area where my thighs rub is already worn!

I've ordered two pairs of Levi's from Target because they were on sale buy-one-get-one-half-off yesterday, but I have very low expectations. I expect them to be the same kind of low-quality sausage casing I'm currently wearing.

There was no real denim to speak of at Walmart. I so miss Old Navy's old line that was 98% cotton denim and 2% spandex for just a bit of stretch. They lasted forever. I lucked out and found some of those blue jeans in a resale shop, but finding totally black jeans in real denim in a thrift shop is virtually impossible.

I can't reconcile spending a lot for pants because I get paid $10.50 an hour and if I buy $30 pants, all I think of is how that's three hours of labor. Yet I know if they wear out soon, I have to buy more...

I'm considering putting iron-on patches in the thigh chub-rub areas of my jeans. I don't need any more pants ripping on me.

[SunnyBeBe]

22 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Other drivers honking at you. I was driving today and I had to change lanes only I couldn't because a bunch of other cars were coming too fast and wouldn't let me in. Yet every time one of them passed they honked at me like it was my fault. I was waiting for one of them to let ME in!

Look, I'm just saying that it's hard to focus, let alone figure out if you did something wrong if some asshole keeps honking at you.

Ignorant drivers are one of my top pet peeves.  Last week I was in the inside lane going the  same speed as a truck who was  beside me in the outside lane.  Up ahead, a car pulled out into  traffic into the outside lane in the same lane as the truck, HOWEVER, he had plenty of time to do so and there was no way that him doing so impeded our speed at all! We didn't even have to hit the brakes  Normal stuff, but, the jerk beside me laid on the horn like he was barely able to stop to avoid hitting the guy.  TOTAL BS!  I'm not sure why that guy make that drama for no reason, but, it was so stupid. So, when you hear an angry horn behind you and wonder what you did wrong....it may be that you did NOTHING wrong, but, that the driver is a jerk with a anger issues.  

[theredhead77]

@bilgistic I've not had an issue finding bootcut and straight leg jeans at Kohl's. They have numerous brands with both cuts available (and usually on sale).

 

 

Edited January 28, 2019 by theredhead77

[bilgistic]

Thanks; I may have to venture out Wednesday because this one pair won't last long. The only thing worse than having to buy clothes is having to actually go buy clothes! I'd rather buy groceries, and I hate buying groceries!

[peacheslatour]

12 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Thanks; I may have to venture out Wednesday because this one pair won't last long. The only thing worse than having to buy clothes is having to actually go buy clothes! I'd rather buy groceries, and I hate buying groceries!

I get all my jeans from Amazon and H&M. Cheap and easy.

[theredhead77]

They're calling for snow, starting at 7am in the "metro Atlanta area". It's supposed to start snowing around 4am in "north Georgia". My office has sent out zero communication about tomorrow, if the office is open or closed, etc... Schools and government offices are being closed. The last time it snowed they sent everyone home too late - it took people hours to get home. 

Now, I can work from home but there is a big leadership meeting tomorrow afternoon that I am supposed to attend. I was planning on working from home until I remembered the meeting. I may skip it and hope they understand that CA girl is not equipped or experienced enough to take the chance.

This is the same office that thinks nothing of closing at noon on "Good Friday" or shuttering completely on Christmas eve. But dangerous weather? You gotta come in!

[peacheslatour]

47 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

They're calling for snow, starting at 7am in the "metro Atlanta area". It's supposed to start snowing around 4am in "north Georgia". My office has sent out zero communication about tomorrow, if the office is open or closed, etc... Schools and government offices are being closed. The last time it snowed they sent everyone home too late - it took people hours to get home. 

Now, I can work from home but there is a big leadership meeting tomorrow afternoon that I am supposed to attend. I was planning on working from home until I remembered the meeting. I may skip it and hope they understand that CA girl is not equipped or experienced enough to take the chance.

This is the same office that thinks nothing of closing at noon on "Good Friday" or shuttering completely on Christmas eve. But dangerous weather? You gotta come in!

Have you texted or emailed any of the other managers? See what the general consensus is and ask if the meeting can be rescheduled.

[theredhead77]

1 minute ago, peacheslatour said:

Have you texted or emailed any of the other managers? See what the general consensus is and ask if the meeting can be rescheduled.

I emailed our VP of finance because I have a working relationship with him. As far as leadership goes I am at the bottom of the food chain in that meeting and won't even have time to present my slides (they're in the appendix after the closing comments). People flew / drove in for this meeting and I doubt they are going to reschedule.  Depending on what you listen to, the snow many not start until 3 or 4pm but the meeting doesn't even start until 1pm and there is a dinner after (when the ice is supposed to form).  I was hoping to meet the leadership of my new area but at the end of the day I'm not putting my life at risk to sit in a meeting that isn't going to involve me - I'm in there as more of a presence than a manager who is presenting.

[DrSpaceman73]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

They're calling for snow, starting at 7am in the "metro Atlanta area". It's supposed to start snowing around 4am in "north Georgia". My office has sent out zero communication about tomorrow, if the office is open or closed, etc... Schools and government offices are being closed. The last time it snowed they sent everyone home too late - it took people hours to get home. 

Now, I can work from home but there is a big leadership meeting tomorrow afternoon that I am supposed to attend. I was planning on working from home until I remembered the meeting. I may skip it and hope they understand that CA girl is not equipped or experienced enough to take the chance.

This is the same office that thinks nothing of closing at noon on "Good Friday" or shuttering completely on Christmas eve. But dangerous weather? You gotta come in!

Its just the opposite where I live in Charlotte

They close down ahead of time for even the hint of bad weather. 

An inch of snow that lasts for a day and then melts, school is out for 3 days. 

It rained the other morning.  Literally just rain, nothing bad, roads were just wet.  2 hour school delay. 

I realize its the south and they have no snowplows and deal with it different than where I grew up in Indiana, but still,.....come on, 3 days for an inch of snow that is gone in 24 hours?

[peacheslatour]

13 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Its just the opposite where I live in Charlotte

They close down ahead of time for even the hint of bad weather. 

An inch of snow that lasts for a day and then melts, school is out for 3 days. 

It rained the other morning.  Literally just rain, nothing bad, roads were just wet.  2 hour school delay. 

I realize its the south and they have no snowplows and deal with it different than where I grew up in Indiana, but still,.....come on, 3 days for an inch of snow that is gone in 24 hours?

Seattle is weird like that too. If we get an inch of snow it's SHUT. DOWN. EVERYTHING. The next day it rains and then there is a freeze, black ice and horrible driving conditions and the City is like meh, no biggie.

[AgentRXS]

I am so annoyed that my landlord chopped down a tree that grew the most beautiful pink flowers in the spring in order to build a fence around my side yard. The fence doesnt even serve the purpose of keeping people from parking in the yard during major events---in fact all its going to do is obsure my view. I am devestated. Add on the fact that these guys are hanging around and playing music right outside my window more than they are working and Im majorly pissed. 

Edited January 28, 2019 by AgentRXS

[peacheslatour]

43 minutes ago, AgentRXS said:

I am so annoyed that my landlord chopped down a tree that grew the most beautiful pink flowers in the spring in order to build a fence around my side yard. The fence doesnt even serve the purpose of keeping people from parking in the yard during major events---in fact all its going to do is obsure my view. I am devestated. Add on the fact that these guys are hanging around and playing music right outside my window more than they are working and Im majorly pissed. 

I hate it when that happens. There used to be a whole row of fruit trees across the street from us that got the most beautiful flowers every spring. The home owners chopped them all down and put up a fence of mismatched fence sections (different heights, some had peeling, flaking, faded paint) I could have cried.

[janestclair]

@bilgistic- you can also check Kohl's online for dress pants.  I've gotten pants from there that are dressy looking but as comfortable as yoga pants for $5. If you check the clearance items and they're having a sale, you might luck out.   Jeans are made so crappily anymore.  But those dress pants are still going strong. I think the brand was Apt9.  

Edited January 28, 2019 by janestclair

[ParadoxLost]

7 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

They're calling for snow, starting at 7am in the "metro Atlanta area". It's supposed to start snowing around 4am in "north Georgia". My office has sent out zero communication about tomorrow, if the office is open or closed, etc... Schools and government offices are being closed. The last time it snowed they sent everyone home too late - it took people hours to get home. 

Now, I can work from home but there is a big leadership meeting tomorrow afternoon that I am supposed to attend. I was planning on working from home until I remembered the meeting. I may skip it and hope they understand that CA girl is not equipped or experienced enough to take the chance.

This is the same office that thinks nothing of closing at noon on "Good Friday" or shuttering completely on Christmas eve. But dangerous weather? You gotta come in!

The problem last time wasn't actually that they sent everyone home too late.  It was that they sent everyone home at the same time.  Mostly because they sent the kids to school and the companies closed offices so their parents could go get them or leave to be there when they got home or for "safety" because "GA drivers can't drive in snow".  We like to conveniently forget how many people are transplants from places that have snow so we can go home.

Basically, they took the staged approach everyone takes to get to work in the morning and tossed it out the window and threw all the cars on the road at the same time.  So it was complete gridlock from the volume of cars on the road. And then the ice trucks couldn't ice the road because of all the cars.  Then it snowed a litlle, melted, and refroze.  Then people were trapped in their cars for 24 hrs.  Then they city ended up on the Daily Show with less than 2 inches of snow.

I would expect that it will be pretty clear in the morning whether to go or not.  Ice don't go.  Since all the kids are out of school it will be a basic drive-ability question because everyone who can work from home will and the roads will be empty.

Edited January 29, 2019 by ParadoxLost

[theredhead77]

19 minutes ago, ParadoxLost said:

The problem last time wasn't actually that they sent everyone home too late.

I'm talking about the snow from last year / end of 2017, not the massive ice storm from 5 years ago. I didn't live here for that.  My office closed way too late. Long after other offices were closing. It wasn't at the same time. 

[BookWoman56]

I'm peeved at the weather right now, although I'm not in the area that's about to get hit with extreme cold. But the last few weeks there have been numerous thunderstorms here, resulting in loss of power for anywhere from less than a minute to a couple of hours. I've quit resetting the clock on my stove and microwave until I reach the point where the blinking numbers irritate me  too much. A couple of days ago I woke up to hear my mother complaining that the Keurig wasn't working. There had been a major thunderstorm around 3am, and so I initially figured I just needed to hit the power button. But no, nothing happened when I tried to turn it on; it was completely dead. I was pissed off because although I've been planning to buy a new one with a larger reservoir so as to avoid having to refill it a couple of times a day, I'd figured I could wait a bit and see if the model I want went on sale or something. I plugged my cell phone into its charger, only to have nothing happen. Tried a couple of other outlets, but still nothing. Checked the kitchen and discovered the dishwasher and garbage disposal wouldn't turn on either, and most of the outlets were dead; however, fridge and stove were still on. For a couple of minutes I was seriously pissed off, thinking that not only would I need a new coffee maker, but possibly a new dishwasher and a visit by an electrician to fix whatever wiring problems were causing the outlets to be dead. In theory, the dishwasher and wiring would be covered under my homeowners policy, but that would entail having to file a claim, etc., which I was not looking forward to. Eventually my brain fog cleared enough to realize that the most likely cause of all this was some tripped fuses rather than all this stuff actually having been damaged. Called my son to come over (I have problems opening the fuse box, and he lives in the same neighborhood). Sure enough, his house had the same issues, and he was able to reset my fuses quickly. Everything is back to normal, for now.

But with all the crazy thunderstorms going on in January here, I dread the beginning of the typical spring thunderstorms and so forth. 

@theredhead77, you're doing the right thing. It would be different if you were doing a major presentation yourself, but there's no point in risking your safety for a meeting where your presence is not really required. Personally I find it ridiculous that managers are flying/driving in for an afternoon meeting and then dinner afterward. Unless the underlying reason for the meeting and dinner is for people to socialize face-to-face, a presentation done via business Skype or the equivalent would work just as well and be infinitely cheaper. I'll concede that it can be helpful to meet in person for a week-long planning session or something similar, but business travel for one day seems a bit wasteful to me. Maybe these managers have meetings on subsequent days scheduled, but if by some chance the snow does pile up, they may find themselves unable to return home when originally scheduled. 

[theredhead77]

@BookWoman56 the meeting is longer than an afternoon. They flew in last night and will be here until Wednesday. Part of it is face-to-face with senior leadership and to meet the people taking over some areas. The part I'm included in is tomorrow.

[TattleTeeny]

@bilgistic, have you tried Poshmark/E-Bay/Etsy to find your exact jeans preference? Because they're all basically online flea markets, obviously results vary. But I have had awesome luck in finding some very specific clothing that I regretfully didn't buy at the time or gave away in a sudden clothing purge or just want to replace...my yellow "crime scene" scarf, a certain leopard-print dress that wasn't made anymore (which I posted about in here at some point, I think--I found it!), an H&M safety-pin print dress and a flowery skull-print dress from way back when, not to mention a few pairs of Docs and Jeffrey Campbells for a steal and some Free People super-bell bottoms for so cheap! 

But, perhaps best of all, my favorite flared Levi's from the mid-'90s. My old ones are still here but circling the drain; they're patched to hell (I look like I belong on Spahn Ranch with the Manson Family in them) and feel more like soft pajamas than denim at this point.

ETA: Goodwill also has a website (or an E-Bay profile) from which you can order. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by TattleTeeny

[BookWoman56]

14 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

@BookWoman56 the meeting is longer than an afternoon. They flew in last night and will be here until Wednesday. Part of it is face-to-face with senior leadership and to meet the people taking over some areas. The part I'm included in is tomorrow.

That makes more sense, although I still feel that way too many meetings are held requiring travel that could be done just as effectively via teleconference. Part of that may be my lingering resentment at having been required to travel for business last year, when the stated purpose of the meeting was literally “so all the team can sit in the same area and do your normal work.” I completely fail to see any benefit from that. 

[theredhead77]

3 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

That makes more sense, although I still feel that way too many meetings are held requiring travel that could be done just as effectively via teleconference. Part of that may be my lingering resentment at having been required to travel for business last year, when the stated purpose of the meeting was literally “so all the team can sit in the same area and do your normal work.” I completely fail to see any benefit from that. 

This meeting is not that sort of meeting. This is a senior leadership meeting / business planning.

 

I did make it in, this afternoon and got to meet the people I needed to meet. Hopefully getting home after the dinner is just as easy.

[ginger90]

On 1/27/2019 at 3:43 PM, bilgistic said:

This is where I jump in and again bemoan the death of denim for women. I had to buy black pants for my new grocery store job and black jeans are OK as long as they look like pants, i.e., no faded wash. I got some not-denim $17 Levi's skinny (SIGH) "jeans" at Walmart (it killed me to go to Walmart, but I was desperate and I'm poor) and after three wearings, the area where my thighs rub is already worn!

I've ordered two pairs of Levi's from Target because they were on sale buy-one-get-one-half-off yesterday, but I have very low expectations. I expect them to be the same kind of low-quality sausage casing I'm currently wearing.

There was no real denim to speak of at Walmart. I so miss Old Navy's old line that was 98% cotton denim and 2% spandex for just a bit of stretch. They lasted forever. I lucked out and found some of those blue jeans in a resale shop, but finding totally black jeans in real denim in a thrift shop is virtually impossible.

I can't reconcile spending a lot for pants because I get paid $10.50 an hour and if I buy $30 pants, all I think of is how that's three hours of labor. Yet I know if they wear out soon, I have to buy more...

I'm considering putting iron-on patches in the thigh chub-rub areas of my jeans. I don't need any more pants ripping on me.

Have you considered black scrub pants? In my experience they wear well. There’s a place here that has used clothing, and I’ve gotten the pants for $3.50. 

[bilgistic]

7 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

@bilgistic, have you tried Poshmark/E-Bay/Etsy to find your exact jeans preference? Because they're all basically online flea markets, obviously results vary. But I have had awesome luck in finding some very specific clothing that I regretfully didn't buy at the time or gave away in a sudden clothing purge or just want to replace...my yellow "crime scene" scarf, a certain leopard-print dress that wasn't made anymore (which I posted about in here at some point, I think--I found it!), an H&M safety-pin print dress and a flowery skull-print dress from way back when, not to mention a few pairs of Docs and Jeffrey Campbells for a steal and some Free People super-bell bottoms for so cheap! 

But, perhaps best of all, my favorite flared Levi's from the mid-'90s. My old ones are still here but circling the drain; they're patched to hell (I look like I belong on Spahn Ranch with the Manson Family in them) and feel more like soft pajamas than denim at this point.

ETA: Goodwill also has a website (or an E-Bay profile) from which you can order. 

I don't even know what kind/brand of black jeans work for me, which the issue. I have one pair of the blue jeans I like (Old Navy, mostly cotton, bootcut), which I lucked into finding at a resale shop last year. At the same store, I found some suitable blue jeans for work at the store that allows blue jeans. They are a decent weight "denim"; one pair is Old Navy and one is Gap. It's just that finding true black (not faded/"black wash") jeans in a decent weight is nearly impossible. I suppose I could try to look on eBay, but the thought of spending time doing that frankly exhausts me. I need not-bootcut for work because shorter/ankle-length/top-of-shoe-length is safe/won't drag on ground/be a tripping hazard. And I'm "plus-sized", which means fewer of anything that is made for my size exists versus "straight-sized" garments. *tears out hair*

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

Have you considered black scrub pants? In my experience they wear well. There’s a place here that has used clothing, and I’ve gotten the pants for $3.50. 

I think we have to wear more "structured" pants than that, if that makes sense. That would be a comfy choice, though!

I really wish employers who pay low wages would be cognizant the burden it puts on employees to find and buy specific clothing for work. I realize this is a complaint as old as time. My older job (of which I get only one day of work a week) seems to be understanding. The new job, not so much. It's a better job for a lot of reasons, but one example of their uniform chicanery is they give you one branded shirt to wear. How much sense does that make for people who work 40 hours a week (I work 24)? You just wear a dirty, smelly shirt until you can do laundry? You get another shirt after 30 days. Well, they didn't have my size, so they've ordered them...and I'm waiting. Meanwhile, I'm getting away with wearing my already-owned collared black shirts even though I am supposed to be wearing white ones. I just can't buy more clothes that I won't wear for any other reason.

Also, you can buy a branded jacket to wear if you are cold (the front end gets kind of chilly), but jackets are otherwise verboten. What?! Everything is a trade-off, I guess.

This ended up being way too much of a work post. Sorry about that.

[TattleTeeny]

Argh, dress codes! There are also a glut lately of ads for "yoga pants that look like work pants" (which I swear was already a thing back in the '90s when we were not allowed to wear jeans at Barnes & Noble!) but I get the feeling they are not cheap. If you feel like it (and it's not too weird, haha!), PM the details you have; I am always poking around those sites for something or another anyway--at least I'd have a purpose in my prowling!

OH! What about corduroy ones? They often have the cut and features of jeans but are not, so workplaces can't stop you! But, oy, add a lint roller to shopping cart!

Edited January 30, 2019 by TattleTeeny

[emma675]

bilgistic, Amazon has a good variety of black pants, too. I found some true black jeggings for $20 a few weeks ago and they were Prime and free returns.

[PRgal]

So my cousin's wife posted this (annoying) article about how non-Asian westerners don't "get" the whole Marie Kondo thing and that "being neat and tidy" is part of the culture there to ward off spirits.  Ummm, I think many westerners, Asian or not don't get the whole evil spirit thing.  And then it got into a whole ethnic debate. To keep a long story short, he went on to imply that I've been brainwashed by a colonial mindset (my parents are from Hong Kong.  Mom had a convent school education followed by university.  Her Catholic school education likely eased her integration to Canada when she and my dad (Dad didn't go to Catholic school but was educated in English) came in the 70s.  I know people who have been in Canada for decades and STILL have issues with language (which makes integration more difficult)) and that I should try to be more Chinese.  Dude isn't even Asian, let alone, ethnically Chinese.  None of his business.  But I find that this is happening more and more among people from certain backgrounds.  Maybe they feel guilty about what their ancestors did?  Really, dude, my family doesn't care.  Neither do most people they know.  

[DeLurker]

4 hours ago, PRgal said:

I should try to be more Chinese. 

He said this to you?  Because he should try being less of an asshole if he did.

[PRgal]

34 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

He said this to you?  Because he should try being less of an asshole if he did.

Yep.  Said that I have too much of a colonial mindset and that he thought it was "sad" that it was difficult for a regular child (i.e. not wealthy) could have a good education in 1950s and 1960s Hong Kong was at a religious school.  He pretty much implied that my grandparents made a poor choice for sending my mom to a Catholic school - that Catholic school brainwashed her into a more western way of thinking.  As far as I'm concerned, my mom is still (ethnic) Chinese.  And Chinese from Hong Kong isn't Chinese from mainland China.  Or Chinese from Singapore, Taiwan or any other place.  It was none of his business.  This is a guy who is (FB) friends with a woman of Chinese heritage (i.e. my cousin-in-law).  I think we're getting a little too carried away with the whole colonialist apology thing.  

[Blergh]

Here's my Pet Peeve: Folks who think they can tell/guilt others into how they are to distribute their assets  upon their deaths. Long-short is that my mother decided to donate a memento to the place where my late father had worked and one relative actually chewed her out for not keeping it to give to them. Sakes! She's lived many decades and is of far sounder mind than that relative and she doesn't 'owe' any of our family a dime. AFAIC, the memories of her presence and lessons she taught is far more valuable than any material or monetary goods she may have at hand upon her demise! 

[Katy M]

19 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Here's my Pet Peeve: Folks who think they can tell/guilt others into how they are to distribute their assets  upon their deaths. Long-short is that my mother decided to donate a memento to the place where my late father had worked and one relative actually chewed her out for not keeping it to give to them. Sakes! She's lived many decades and is of far sounder mind than that relative and she doesn't 'owe' any of our family a dime. AFAIC, the memories of her presence and lessons she taught is far more valuable than any material or monetary goods she may have at hand upon her demise! 

Worse than that is when people actually have the audacity to contest a will.  It is not your money. It was never your money. You are not entitled to the money of others, dead relative or not. Caveat, there might be sometimes when you are entitles as an agreement was made in caring for an elderly relative, but that's probably not the bulk of will contests. 

I'm not sure if this is true or not, because my grandmother was not the most trustworthy person when it came to telling stories (or hearing what was actually said).  But, she said that one of her nieces called her and told her to make sure she didn't spend all her money so that she could leave her some.  What?  Most people leave the bulk, if not all, of their money to their kids if they have them, not nieces and nephews.  And this particular niece wasn't even all that close to my grandmother.  There were at least 4 nieces I can think of that had closer relationships.  What a nerve.  Which I would say even if they were superclose.  I wouldn't have even thought of saying something like that to my grandmother.  Or my parents.  Much less an aunt if I had one.

[Vixenstud]

A motherfucker that doesn't keep their word!

I get it, life happens....however, with a phone nearby, there is no excuse for not texting or calling a person and letting them know that you can't make it or do something that you said you'd handle previously.

I have no time for people like this.

*stomps off*