Some day I'll tell you about the time we conned the Vietnamese government into reuniting a teenager with his family in America WITHOUT having to pay the 5000 dollar bribe requested, purely by using a little creativity and office supplies. (and not a lie in it!)
Heheheheh. We wrote one on Vietnamese immigrant culture--a very practical book for those working with refugees here--but I dared not put the funnier stories in it, because most people are still alive, and imagine the blowback!
Possums. Not content with stripping our fruit trees in the summer and using roof and verandah as a gym, last night they invaded chook house and ate the hens’ food. Autumn and the weather is cooling down and food supply is lessening. Today we discovered they had accessed the chook house throught flap, like a cat flap. They ate all the chook food and left them starving. The chooks did not give in without a fight. There were large lumps of possum fur scattered through their shelter. So we have locked the flap and will now have to lock chooks in at noght and out in the morning.
TICtH all of the whinging and whining Australians posting comments on Eurovision news articles (and I consign myself to the infernal regions for reading them...but there are sometimes pearls among the dross). "We waz robbed" is all a great number can say... I dearly love Oz, for all its faults, but we have a sizeable population who assume any loss on our part in any event means it was rigged, and that we should take our bat and ball and go home. Bleh.
You'd think banks would have procedures in place for such eventualities - they can hardly expect the deceased to have obligingly closed their account, just in case!
They do. Counter staff don't always know them. Ring the bank's bereavement service number.
I sometimes think governments employ entire departments just to make their application forms as awkward as possible, possibly to discourage anyone from using them ...
There seems to be a word for this sort of 'government' (I use the term loosely) department - PANARCHY - though Charles Dickens may not have had quite the same sort of ghastliness in mind as described by Piglet: https://panarchy.org/dickens/circumlocution.html
Given that Dickens was writing 160 years ago, progress has not, I think, been exactly impressive...
(I happen to live in Dickens' home town, and find his work - if somewhat prolix - exceedingly up-to-date, and relevant to today's Interesting Times).
Quite right, Mrs S, I really enjoy doing this at my CAB, in fact most of my appointments are helping with Benefit enquiries. I am a real human being, as well as an internet contributor, and of course helping someone in person is preferable, but sometimes there is a long wait for an appointment ar CAB.
Thanks for the offers of help - I was a social worker myself, so know that you need to put in potential buzz words. It's the writing that's the problem. A social worker friend is going to come and write it for me, she'll be more patient than Darllenwr!
Today I supposedly received two packages via FedEx. I only got one of them. Where's the other? Was it stolen from my front door? Was it never delivered, despite FedEx's claim? Was it delivered to the wrong address? Who knows?
I suppose it was stolen, but I've never had a package stolen before, and the other one was there safe and sound. So I am angry. It wasn't anything very valuable, but I did want it.
Do you have a tracking number, or can you get one? With that, you should be able to find out details of where and when it was delivered, if it's stuck in a warehouse somewhere, etc.
Would it be a good idea to put your bank cards in a place where it would require considerable effort to use them? FWIW, I once saw the idea of fending off impulse buys by putting your cards in a tupperware box of water and then sticking it in the freezer. By time you’ve defrosted them, you may have changed your mind about what you were planning to buy.
(Unless you’re rolling in so much cash you don’t know what to do with it, in which case (a) feel free to send me some and (b) go ahead and splurge on that ticket to Iceland)
Today I supposedly received two packages via FedEx. I only got one of them. Where's the other? Was it stolen from my front door? Was it never delivered, despite FedEx's claim? Was it delivered to the wrong address? Who knows?
I suppose it was stolen, but I've never had a package stolen before, and the other one was there safe and sound. So I am angry. It wasn't anything very valuable, but I did want it.
There's a hope it is still on one of their vans. We have had that with mail and supermarket deliveries. Anyone for melted icecream?
And I admit in embarrassment that I found my missing package. It was left in a not-very-obvious spot outside the building door. So I have my sterling silver bangle bracelet after all. Thanks everyone for your sympathy and ideas.
TICTH Mr Lamb--or nearly so. Why the fuck does he have this pattern of waiting until we crawl into bed and then announcing some bloody worrisome thing like "Oh, I had a major fall today. Goodnight" ? And of course he refuses to tell you anything more, like "I tripped" or "it was dark" or "I hit my head". Let's just tell you the frightening bits, the ones that will make you wonder if he's having another stroke, shall we? And then he turns over and snores, while I am left thinking about early widowhood.
And best wishes for Mr LC. And for him to open up. My mother is my Mr LC; she would merrily leave the house, returning hours later to tell us she went off to the hospital as she was in agony. "I'm fine now!", would be the reply. I'm sure Mr LC is lovely, but those types can be infuriating. Best wishes.
The delivery company who did not text me to say when they were coming with my new mattress, and when the manufacturer was contacted, it turned out to be precisely the time slot which would cause most problems.
And then, having reorganised my day so I could get someone to the train and get back before the delivery slot, came half an hour early, spoke to a neighbour and drove off without leaving any message, but recording the failed delivery on their computer system, with the information that the earliest they can repeat the delivery is Monday. Time so far unspecified.
Thanks! He did it again tonight, just as we turned the lights out. We had earlier agreed to take the car in for servicing together, as it has an annoying issue that they've failed to take seriously three times before, instead basically patting Mr Lamb on the head and telling him its the weather or something. We planned to go TOGETHER because under those circs we have to wonder whether they're blowing him off for being an Asian and an immigrant. Mr Lamb knows I'm not an easy early riser at the best of times, and tomorrow morning is dedicated to getting our foreign student's room ready. The car issue has been running since February and is not urgent. So I said next week.
So the lights go out and he says brightly, "Why don't I get up at 7 am and take the car in? I'll just shout "racism" at them a few times, that should work, don't you think? And you can give me the name of the salesman who sold it to us two years ago and I'll bring him in on it if yelling doesn't work. Would you find me that name now?"
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I swear he just likes to watch the adrenaline blast through my veins.
I think the correct answer to "Why don't I get up at 7 am and take the car in? I'll just shout "racism" at them a few times, that should work, don't you think? And you can give me the name of the salesman who sold it to us two years ago and I'll bring him in on it if yelling doesn't work. Would you find me that name now?" asked after lights are out is "NO".
It was indeed. And he didn't actually do it, winess the fact that we've all just woken up now. Which makes me even more pissed at him, as he's clearly trying to wind me up-- on the edge of sleep.
I had my purse stolen on Thursday. No, I am not consigning the thief to Hell. He gets a pass because I was not so careful as I should have been and he just made use of the opportunity. The people with my ire and those when I have tried to sort things out have been incompetent.
First up was are the bartenders in a certain brand of coffee shops who did not know just to pass me a points card and instead insisted I needed to go online. I had been online and knew I needed a new card before I could block my old one.
Second, up is customer services in a certain supermarket chain from which I had ordered a delivery. The ineptitude of this group was staggering. I first rang to change the payment on the order. Then on finding that I was actually going to be out at the time of delivery, I rang again to rearrange. They managed to fully comply with either of these requests. I think they managed to register the new card but not to make it the one for payment. Secondly, they managed to book an order for the new time slot but did not manage to cancel the old order. So this evening I had someone ringing me to say payment had been declined and then I had to say but I am not expecting one and I had already rung to change the payment method.
Having your wallet nicked is a gigantic pain in the arse. As you say, it's not just the theft, but the afterfaff with bank cards and whatnot.
About 25 years ago, I had mine nicked and IIRC it took my bank about six weeks to replace my cheque card. There were a couple of store charge cards as well: one of them was replaced fairly quickly, the other not at all.
When I have an anxiety dream, I can always recognise it in the end because I lose my purse. Clearly that's the worst thing that has ever happened to me... (surely not?)
This is totally unreasonable and self-centred, but TICTH social functions with loud music. Suffice it to say I had to bring one of my kids home after just five minutes as he was hiding in the bogs to escape the racket. Can someone explain to me why people feel the need to fill every space with loud music? It's the same in public spaces - we went to get a Subway at the Trafford Centre Food Court once - we messed the order up because we could hardly hear each other, and then had to find a quiet stairwell to eat under because one of the kids was close to meltdown/shutdown. The reason was the piped music making everyone talk loudly to make themselves heard, so the whole place was deafening. I sent them a FB message asking why they had to do this, when it makes it so difficult for the non-neurotypical, but the bastards didn't even bother to reply.
Morrisons I gather has autism friendly shopping hours at some stupid early hour on a Saturday morning where they don't play piped music. Why not just make it autism friendly (not to mention any sane person who doesn't want someone else's music collection inflicted on them-friendly) all the time and turn it off permanently? No-one needs music to shop by.
And Karl, some churches have sound levels far too high. I have walked out as the volume hurt my head. I bought ear plugs and ostentatiously put them in before noise started. They helped slightly. It was one of the reasons I left.
And Karl, some churches have sound levels far too high. I have walked out as the volume hurt my head. I bought ear plugs and ostentatiously put them in before noise started. They helped slightly. It was one of the reasons I left.
I've brought this up in our church, but have been told several times that nobody else complains. We have a fine singer whose voice can fill the church easily, but she has to hold a mic while she sings, with the result that her voice comes out as a screech. Then I asked if she could be given a mic to make her feel better, but just switch the damn thing off, since everyone can hear her anyway. I earned a pitying look for that. I am the only person whose ears hurt when the band explodes with Hellsong trash music.
You're not the only people whose ears hurt, those who can't tell their ears hurt have already damaged their ears beyond cure. It's in theatres too, musicals are massively too loud. I have earplugs and use them for live music and musicals.
just clarifying my reason for leaving. Not only was sound far too high and hurting my ears, but the powers that be actively encouraged that level. I arrived one morning to find there was to be a pageant of some type. Guys on desk told me that the pastor had set the level and said it was not to be reduced in any circumstances. I walked out and did not return. Yes, I told him why I refused to come back. There were of course other reasons, but that was the immediate one.
I can't understand why churches would have bands like that. We were at a theological college convocation once held in a church with a horrendously over-amped band. If I want premature deafness, I'll go to a Status Quo concert ...
One of the problems with my old church was that during the organ voluntary I regularly had to cover my ears so as to hear. Otherwise it was hugely distorted and painful to listen to.
I know I've low noise tolerance, but it's genetic as my Dad and nephew both have it.
Please do not assume that it is just churches with praise bands that cause this discomfort.
Secondly, @Lothlorien, and she did need to be miked and the mic on, but only through the loop system. I am not quite sure how it works but know from feedback that this is what some deaf people require.
I may have mentioned before that my friendly local Tesco (not one of the YUGE ones, but still a fair size - 8 or 10 checkouts, I think) simply does not have piped music - except for the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas!
Comments
Some day I'll tell you about the time we conned the Vietnamese government into reuniting a teenager with his family in America WITHOUT having to pay the 5000 dollar bribe requested, purely by using a little creativity and office supplies. (and not a lie in it!)
But feel free to write a book. I'd pay to support you given your experiences.
I'm sorry, did I miss something? What died?
You've got Trump to deal with... I'm surprised you're all not ga-ga.
TICtH all of the whinging and whining Australians posting comments on Eurovision news articles (and I consign myself to the infernal regions for reading them...but there are sometimes pearls among the dross). "We waz robbed" is all a great number can say... I dearly love Oz, for all its faults, but we have a sizeable population who assume any loss on our part in any event means it was rigged, and that we should take our bat and ball and go home. Bleh.
They do. Counter staff don't always know them. Ring the bank's bereavement service number.
https://panarchy.org/dickens/circumlocution.html
Given that Dickens was writing 160 years ago, progress has not, I think, been exactly impressive...
(I happen to live in Dickens' home town, and find his work - if somewhat prolix - exceedingly up-to-date, and relevant to today's Interesting Times).
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/
I suppose it was stolen, but I've never had a package stolen before, and the other one was there safe and sound. So I am angry. It wasn't anything very valuable, but I did want it.
Hope you can sort it out.
(Unless you’re rolling in so much cash you don’t know what to do with it, in which case (a) feel free to send me some
There's a hope it is still on one of their vans. We have had that with mail and supermarket deliveries. Anyone for melted icecream?
What about your neighbour two streets away, who does have a (convenient-for-leaving-parcels-in) conservatory?
Fuck. fuck. fuck.
And best wishes for Mr LC. And for him to open up. My mother is my Mr LC; she would merrily leave the house, returning hours later to tell us she went off to the hospital as she was in agony. "I'm fine now!", would be the reply. I'm sure Mr LC is lovely, but those types can be infuriating. Best wishes.
So the lights go out and he says brightly, "Why don't I get up at 7 am and take the car in? I'll just shout "racism" at them a few times, that should work, don't you think? And you can give me the name of the salesman who sold it to us two years ago and I'll bring him in on it if yelling doesn't work. Would you find me that name now?"
Fuck, fuck, fuck. I swear he just likes to watch the adrenaline blast through my veins.
First up was are the bartenders in a certain brand of coffee shops who did not know just to pass me a points card and instead insisted I needed to go online. I had been online and knew I needed a new card before I could block my old one.
Second, up is customer services in a certain supermarket chain from which I had ordered a delivery. The ineptitude of this group was staggering. I first rang to change the payment on the order. Then on finding that I was actually going to be out at the time of delivery, I rang again to rearrange. They managed to fully comply with either of these requests. I think they managed to register the new card but not to make it the one for payment. Secondly, they managed to book an order for the new time slot but did not manage to cancel the old order. So this evening I had someone ringing me to say payment had been declined and then I had to say but I am not expecting one and I had already rung to change the payment method.
About 25 years ago, I had mine nicked and IIRC it took my bank about six weeks to replace my cheque card. There were a couple of store charge cards as well: one of them was replaced fairly quickly, the other not at all.
Mrs. S, to whom it happened in Prague Cathedral
Morrisons I gather has autism friendly shopping hours at some stupid early hour on a Saturday morning where they don't play piped music. Why not just make it autism friendly (not to mention any sane person who doesn't want someone else's music collection inflicted on them-friendly) all the time and turn it off permanently? No-one needs music to shop by.
Yeah, I've meandered off-topic. Needed to vent.
I've brought this up in our church, but have been told several times that nobody else complains. We have a fine singer whose voice can fill the church easily, but she has to hold a mic while she sings, with the result that her voice comes out as a screech. Then I asked if she could be given a mic to make her feel better, but just switch the damn thing off, since everyone can hear her anyway. I earned a pitying look for that. I am the only person whose ears hurt when the band explodes with Hellsong trash music.
I know I've low noise tolerance, but it's genetic as my Dad and nephew both have it.
Please do not assume that it is just churches with praise bands that cause this discomfort.
Secondly, @Lothlorien, and she did need to be miked and the mic on, but only through the loop system. I am not quite sure how it works but know from feedback that this is what some deaf people require.