I'm pretty sure I've felt like this...
The Damn Printer Just Won't Work
Showing posts with label things that annoy me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label things that annoy me. Show all posts
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Los Angeles vs My Mood
Ya see, I want to be in a good mood. I really do! And today, I have no serious symptoms of the bug that MetaBoy oh so graciously passed on to me. There's a bit of a sore throat, but no fever, no chills, no headache...two miserable days, and I'm feeling good again. And I got a lot of rest, since I had little energy to do anything other than watch TV with the kids.
But I digress. I woke up smiling with energy to spare. Had a busy day making up for the big load of nothing that I've done all week, including grocery shopping. It's amazing how quickly you can run out of food when you don't buy more. As I said in a recent tweet, we haven't relied on take-out this much since MetaGirl was born. In driving around and getting things done with my positive attitude, it occurred to me: it's hard to stay in a good mood in this city.
Trader Joe's - It's a small store with narrow aisles and a lot of shoppers. Why do people leave their carts in the middle of an aisle, blocking other shoppers, and walk off as if enchanted by elves? Or perhaps they insist on "gently" pushing you as they walk past, despite the fact that you're carrying a baby and you're hardly in anyone's way. Maybe, if you're lucky, that pushy older lady who just had to get in the store right NOW might say "thanks" as she sees the pile of rubble left in her wake. Slight exaggeration? Perhaps. But only slight. This is the last time I go to Trader Joe's in a good mood. I need to be crabby to go there if I'm going to defend us.
Traffic - People don't know / understand / respect traffic laws. I understand getting distracted by a "shiny" and not noticing the light has changed. We've all been there. But don't make a left from the right lane...while crossing 2 lanes of traffic. That is NOT OK.
Home Maintenance - Someone turned the ringer off on the phone. I don't know who did it, and I don't really care. I didn't notice for days since we don't get many calls at home. We only realized it when the answering machine came on this morning despite the lack of rings. I was going to check it, but I forgot. So when the lady called with the estimate I had been expecting for several days, I missed the call. In her message, she said something to the effect of *gee, you're phone and fax machine are the same number. I'm leaving for the day, so I guess I'll have to call you tomorrow to fax you the estimate.*
My reaction:
But I digress. I woke up smiling with energy to spare. Had a busy day making up for the big load of nothing that I've done all week, including grocery shopping. It's amazing how quickly you can run out of food when you don't buy more. As I said in a recent tweet, we haven't relied on take-out this much since MetaGirl was born. In driving around and getting things done with my positive attitude, it occurred to me: it's hard to stay in a good mood in this city.
Trader Joe's - It's a small store with narrow aisles and a lot of shoppers. Why do people leave their carts in the middle of an aisle, blocking other shoppers, and walk off as if enchanted by elves? Or perhaps they insist on "gently" pushing you as they walk past, despite the fact that you're carrying a baby and you're hardly in anyone's way. Maybe, if you're lucky, that pushy older lady who just had to get in the store right NOW might say "thanks" as she sees the pile of rubble left in her wake. Slight exaggeration? Perhaps. But only slight. This is the last time I go to Trader Joe's in a good mood. I need to be crabby to go there if I'm going to defend us.
Traffic - People don't know / understand / respect traffic laws. I understand getting distracted by a "shiny" and not noticing the light has changed. We've all been there. But don't make a left from the right lane...while crossing 2 lanes of traffic. That is NOT OK.
Home Maintenance - Someone turned the ringer off on the phone. I don't know who did it, and I don't really care. I didn't notice for days since we don't get many calls at home. We only realized it when the answering machine came on this morning despite the lack of rings. I was going to check it, but I forgot. So when the lady called with the estimate I had been expecting for several days, I missed the call. In her message, she said something to the effect of *gee, you're phone and fax machine are the same number. I'm leaving for the day, so I guess I'll have to call you tomorrow to fax you the estimate.*
My reaction:
- If you can print out an estimate, you have a computer. Get an email account. Use it.
- If you have an estimate, you have a dollar figure. Don't hang up without giving me some information.
- If you're calling me to tell me essentially...nothing...don't call me.
- When you give me a time frame for service, honor it. If you don't, don't start calling me a week before the bill is "due" to "remind" me.
- Be thorough. Don't change shower handles without suggesting it might be a good time to change washers. As far as I'm concerned, if that unchanged washer is the cause of a leak, it's you're fault.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Response: No Mo Mama Drama
My buddy, Mama Geek, over at What Works for Us has had a hard week. Think floods and other assorted summer mayhem. I seriously feel for her, and I'll be partaking in dessert on her behalf ;-)
So, my turn to commiserate.
MetaDaddy goes into the closet where the water heater is housed, only to notice a slight bit of water pooled underneath. We couldn't tell if it was a leak or condensation. So, I call the plumber the next day, and he comes out. Leak. Replace. Better still, they no longer make the same version, so we had to buy the fancy new insulated model, which happens to be twice the price. Bye, bye three car payments!
Plumber comes the following day to install the gi-normous thing...upstairs. He and his assistant were seriously struggling. I would have offered to help...but well, I'm no use to anyone these days :-P
Day 3: A little something needed to be readjusted from the installation, so the plumber had to come back the following day.
Plumbing finally all up to snuff. A couple of days later, we find a leak in the bathroom. I'm destined to be best friends with our plumber. Time to call again.
We have top-down-bottom-up blinds in a large window, and they're wonderful. They allow us to pull the blinds all the way up to maximize light and exposure. And for those times when we prefer a bit more privacy, we can pull the blinds partially down and still get warmth and sunshine, along with a pleasant breeze. It's the perfect compromise for us because I prefer sun with privacy, and MetaDaddy prefers all sunshine all the time. I think it's the Irish in him. Have I mentioned that he gets kinda depressed when it rains here? Specifically here in Los Angeles. He could care less if it rains when we're traveling. I think he feels robbed...like "I didn't move half way across the world for rain." Anywho, the only downside to the blinds is that the string that runs through the mechanism works overtime in holding up the full weight of the blinds. And the more it's used, the more likely something will go wrong. Today, one of the strings either broke or untied, or whatever. So we had to take it down, with the aid of a ladder, and we're going to see about getting it fixed. Obviously, I didn't hike up the ladder, but I was totally there for moral support.
That's all for now. I'm hoping that in writing this list, nothing else will magically break. I really can't handle much more right now.
Right, so where's that cake?
So, my turn to commiserate.
MetaDaddy goes into the closet where the water heater is housed, only to notice a slight bit of water pooled underneath. We couldn't tell if it was a leak or condensation. So, I call the plumber the next day, and he comes out. Leak. Replace. Better still, they no longer make the same version, so we had to buy the fancy new insulated model, which happens to be twice the price. Bye, bye three car payments!
Plumber comes the following day to install the gi-normous thing...upstairs. He and his assistant were seriously struggling. I would have offered to help...but well, I'm no use to anyone these days :-P
Day 3: A little something needed to be readjusted from the installation, so the plumber had to come back the following day.
Plumbing finally all up to snuff. A couple of days later, we find a leak in the bathroom. I'm destined to be best friends with our plumber. Time to call again.
We have top-down-bottom-up blinds in a large window, and they're wonderful. They allow us to pull the blinds all the way up to maximize light and exposure. And for those times when we prefer a bit more privacy, we can pull the blinds partially down and still get warmth and sunshine, along with a pleasant breeze. It's the perfect compromise for us because I prefer sun with privacy, and MetaDaddy prefers all sunshine all the time. I think it's the Irish in him. Have I mentioned that he gets kinda depressed when it rains here? Specifically here in Los Angeles. He could care less if it rains when we're traveling. I think he feels robbed...like "I didn't move half way across the world for rain." Anywho, the only downside to the blinds is that the string that runs through the mechanism works overtime in holding up the full weight of the blinds. And the more it's used, the more likely something will go wrong. Today, one of the strings either broke or untied, or whatever. So we had to take it down, with the aid of a ladder, and we're going to see about getting it fixed. Obviously, I didn't hike up the ladder, but I was totally there for moral support.
That's all for now. I'm hoping that in writing this list, nothing else will magically break. I really can't handle much more right now.
Right, so where's that cake?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Things That Annoy Me: Week in Review
- A woman on a non-crowded street coughed on me.
- I saw what looked like the uneaten remains of a cat's dinner.
- We went to the park and MetaBaby touched sand. He looked at his hands in shock and wonder, as if to say "what is this odd substance on my hands and why won't it come off?" Obvious next step: he licked his hand.
- Netflix says there's a "short wait" on Ratatouille. Don't know if this bothers me that much after seeing #2 (above).
- Between making dinner and leftovers, I couldn't justify eating out at all this week. Le sigh.
- No more dinners at Joe's Restaurant in Venice after their Michelin star.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Avoiding Unwanted Calls and Catalogs
Things that annoy me: junk calls and junk mail.
Two things to consider so as to avoid unnecessary excess in your life.
First, the national Do Not Call registry started about 5 years ago to help consumers get off of telemarketer's lists. However, it's not a permanent solution. If you signed up when the program started, your registration might expire soon. To find out, go to the Do Not Call registry to confirm if and when you registered, and consider re-registering to avoid those *pleasant* dinner-time calls starting "Can I speak to the head of your household?"
On a similar note, Green Girl in LA, who now writes for the L.A. Times blog Emerald City, brought catalog relief to my attention. I hate all of the unwanted catalogs I get in the mail. I always mean to call companies and ask them to take me off of their mailing lists, but it doesn't always happen. When I do, it's a chore. Name, zip code, address (exactly as it appears), source code, customer code, blah, blah, blah. They're usually pretty nice about it, as am I, and they tell me I might get a few more catalogs since...whatever. It's all automated. They should be able to update things sooner than a few months.
Given the chore it can be to call some of these catalog companies, some of which have silly hours (e.g., 5PM EST), the online alternative is tempting. You have to give Catalog Choice your information (e.g., name, address, etc.), but they claim they'll remove your name from the mailing list of the company in question. I suspect the information has to be exact since that's the feeling I get whenever I've called, but the website doesn't suggest precision. Though I hate to give out my personal information, I tried it. We'll see what happens.
Two things to consider so as to avoid unnecessary excess in your life.
First, the national Do Not Call registry started about 5 years ago to help consumers get off of telemarketer's lists. However, it's not a permanent solution. If you signed up when the program started, your registration might expire soon. To find out, go to the Do Not Call registry to confirm if and when you registered, and consider re-registering to avoid those *pleasant* dinner-time calls starting "Can I speak to the head of your household?"
On a similar note, Green Girl in LA, who now writes for the L.A. Times blog Emerald City, brought catalog relief to my attention. I hate all of the unwanted catalogs I get in the mail. I always mean to call companies and ask them to take me off of their mailing lists, but it doesn't always happen. When I do, it's a chore. Name, zip code, address (exactly as it appears), source code, customer code, blah, blah, blah. They're usually pretty nice about it, as am I, and they tell me I might get a few more catalogs since...whatever. It's all automated. They should be able to update things sooner than a few months.
Given the chore it can be to call some of these catalog companies, some of which have silly hours (e.g., 5PM EST), the online alternative is tempting. You have to give Catalog Choice your information (e.g., name, address, etc.), but they claim they'll remove your name from the mailing list of the company in question. I suspect the information has to be exact since that's the feeling I get whenever I've called, but the website doesn't suggest precision. Though I hate to give out my personal information, I tried it. We'll see what happens.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
13 Things That Annoy Me
Banner courtesy of Boho Rhap
- People who drive while using their cell phone.
- People who try to cut in front of me at a store or farmers' market because I have a stroller or toddler. DO I LOOK LIKE I'M GOING TO BE OK WITH THAT RIGHT NOW?
- Sneezing.
- People who badly park their ginormous vehicles in 2 spots. In L.A. traffic, you drive 3 MPH; do you really need the Hummer? Really?
- Stumbling over strategically placed pointy little blocks. *le sigh*
- Screwing up a recipe because I wasn't paying enough attention. I know, I know...my fault. But annoying nonetheless.
- Minty Kit Kats contaminating my delicious non-minty Kit Kats. That's OK sweetie; I still love you.
- Having to close our living room windows because the neighbor is smoking.
- Anything that wakes MetaBaby up from his nap before his 2 hours.
- Junk mail.
- Non-delicious desserts (see #65).
- A small pantry.
- People to talk down about UCLA because they attended or prefer USC. Guess what. No one at UCLA cares.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Traffic in America
Averages are so much more succinct when they're spread out over the year. Consider this.
Commuters in Los Angeles experience the worst congestion in America, resulting in an average delay of 72 hours per year. It was followed by Atlanta, San Franscisco, Washington and Dallas.
Personally, having been born and bred here, I'm used to the traffic. I don't like it, but I'm used to it. We're lucky enough to live in Santa Monica which means we're usually driving against traffic, though we're not immune. I know that going anywhere after 3PM is a gamble. And there had better be a really good reason to brave traffic once 5PM rolls around because there is no question as to the severity of traffic. I don't like driving far on Thursdays or Fridays. This is my life.
But traffic is bad everywhere, and its only getting worse. More people are commuting farther distances on an aging network of highways that aren't built to sustain this level of traffic. And many cities, Los Angeles included, have mediocre public transportation. The whole thing spells disaster.
Happy Driving!
Commuters in Los Angeles experience the worst congestion in America, resulting in an average delay of 72 hours per year. It was followed by Atlanta, San Franscisco, Washington and Dallas.
Personally, having been born and bred here, I'm used to the traffic. I don't like it, but I'm used to it. We're lucky enough to live in Santa Monica which means we're usually driving against traffic, though we're not immune. I know that going anywhere after 3PM is a gamble. And there had better be a really good reason to brave traffic once 5PM rolls around because there is no question as to the severity of traffic. I don't like driving far on Thursdays or Fridays. This is my life.
But traffic is bad everywhere, and its only getting worse. More people are commuting farther distances on an aging network of highways that aren't built to sustain this level of traffic. And many cities, Los Angeles included, have mediocre public transportation. The whole thing spells disaster.
Happy Driving!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
To Laugh or Not to Laugh
Sometimes, my husband reads my posts and laughs. I actually hear a chucke, which is rare unless provoked by Eddie Izzard or intense tickling.
And so the banter begins.
"What? What was funny?"
"Um...all of it."
"Well, you didn't laugh the whole way through, just once in the middle."
"Ya, but it was all funny."
"Come on! Throw me a bone, here!"
And that, my friends, is the sound of me turning into a pleading sack of goo. Dammit. He wins again.
And so the banter begins.
"What? What was funny?"
"Um...all of it."
"Well, you didn't laugh the whole way through, just once in the middle."
"Ya, but it was all funny."
"Come on! Throw me a bone, here!"
And that, my friends, is the sound of me turning into a pleading sack of goo. Dammit. He wins again.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Ways That I'm Dumber Than You
Of all of the things my son's done to me (given me stretch marks, bite marks, scratch marks, etc.), none come close to the plain old dumb things I've done to myself.
Once, before MetaDaddy (then only known as MetaBoyfriend) went on a trip, I tumbled down a few steps. I put on a brave face and said "no, no...I'm fine. Go on your trip." However, the moans of pain led him to think I was fibbing. The GINORMOUS bruise on my rear proved I was fibbing. But, I insisted that he go on the trip. In the end (ha, ha...end), it was just a bruise. He had those steps painted with a rough finish to make them a bit more skid-resistant.
About a year later, I tumbled a few steps again (different set of steps). He got really paranoid about me on steps when I got pregnant, so I stopped wearing socks at home (the cause, I think) and I haven't had a slip again (knock on wood).
Today, I found a new way to injure myself. I'm short, so I need a step ladder to get anything out of the kitchen cupboards. I was rushing around trying to finish something up before putting MetaBaby down for his nap because the noise of the mixer keeps him up. I climb up the ladder, then I climb down. Well, that's how it should have gone. What actually happened was the two-stepped ladder was backwards, so when I "stepped" down from the top step to the first step, there was nothing there. I fell. It could have been worse. MetaBaby was safe, so I didn't have to worry about him. And there were no obstacles or chairs around, so I could have fallen on various different painful things. So in the end, I'm just a bit bruised, highly annoyed, somewhat embarrassed, and thoroughly exhausted.
I will be needing chocolate cake tonight.
Once, before MetaDaddy (then only known as MetaBoyfriend) went on a trip, I tumbled down a few steps. I put on a brave face and said "no, no...I'm fine. Go on your trip." However, the moans of pain led him to think I was fibbing. The GINORMOUS bruise on my rear proved I was fibbing. But, I insisted that he go on the trip. In the end (ha, ha...end), it was just a bruise. He had those steps painted with a rough finish to make them a bit more skid-resistant.
About a year later, I tumbled a few steps again (different set of steps). He got really paranoid about me on steps when I got pregnant, so I stopped wearing socks at home (the cause, I think) and I haven't had a slip again (knock on wood).
Today, I found a new way to injure myself. I'm short, so I need a step ladder to get anything out of the kitchen cupboards. I was rushing around trying to finish something up before putting MetaBaby down for his nap because the noise of the mixer keeps him up. I climb up the ladder, then I climb down. Well, that's how it should have gone. What actually happened was the two-stepped ladder was backwards, so when I "stepped" down from the top step to the first step, there was nothing there. I fell. It could have been worse. MetaBaby was safe, so I didn't have to worry about him. And there were no obstacles or chairs around, so I could have fallen on various different painful things. So in the end, I'm just a bit bruised, highly annoyed, somewhat embarrassed, and thoroughly exhausted.
I will be needing chocolate cake tonight.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Whats In Your Baby's Shampoo?
The Environmental Working Group previously released their findings on sunscreen, and it was eye opening. We've tossed our ancient sunscreens and bought one of the few effective ones that has the side benefit of being odorless (I can't stand the smell of sunscreen...reminds me of the 80s, and I didn't like the 80s).
Now, they're surveying care providers to babies and kids to get a better understanding of which products they're using:
"Wonder what's in your children's shampoo, diaper cream, lotion, and bubble bath? We're digging in to the safety of children's personal care products this summer to give you our researchers' recommendations on the best children's products on the market, to help fill gaps in a system that doesn't require companies to test products before they're sold. Please help us by filling out a brief survey on the products you use for your children. This data will let us take a detailed look at children's day-to-day exposures, from the chemicals in their baths to the products on their hair and skin and even their bottoms. Thanks for your help!"
They request the following general information on all of the kid/baby products you use:
It didn't take me long to fill out, and I'll be curious to see the results once available.
Via Enviromom
Now, they're surveying care providers to babies and kids to get a better understanding of which products they're using:
"Wonder what's in your children's shampoo, diaper cream, lotion, and bubble bath? We're digging in to the safety of children's personal care products this summer to give you our researchers' recommendations on the best children's products on the market, to help fill gaps in a system that doesn't require companies to test products before they're sold. Please help us by filling out a brief survey on the products you use for your children. This data will let us take a detailed look at children's day-to-day exposures, from the chemicals in their baths to the products on their hair and skin and even their bottoms. Thanks for your help!"
They request the following general information on all of the kid/baby products you use:
- frequency of use
- brand
- product name
- product packaging (i.e., metal, glass, or plastic #1-9)
It didn't take me long to fill out, and I'll be curious to see the results once available.
Via Enviromom
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Carpet Cleaners Crazy Auto Dialer
We've been getting calls from carpet cleaners, but they never leave a company name or contact information. Initially, there was an 800 phone number, which we reported to the FTC, but more often than not it's an unknown number (i.e., no number shows up on the caller ID). When we checked the 800 number online, we found that the number is much hated by many, many people for the same reason we hate it. They shouldn't be calling, they haven't taken our number off their list despite having asked the one time we got through, and they often hide their number and contact information.
Their most recent number is (818) 555-1000, which happens to be the phone number for directory assistance. Not much we can do there.
I don't know how they do business.
Their most recent number is (818) 555-1000, which happens to be the phone number for directory assistance. Not much we can do there.
I don't know how they do business.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Awoken By the Rudeness of Lindsay Lohan
Today, we woke up before our alarm. No, not our wee one. Not a fire truck flying by. We woke up to the pleasant sounds of ghetto birds circling nearby. It's not the first time helicopters have oh-so-rudely interrupted our morning, but when we finally found out what happened, we were just offended.
Lindsey Lohan Arrested for DUI, Cocaine
Apparently, Lindsay was following someone in her car at 1:30AM. The driver of the other car drove to a parking lot near the Santa Monica police station and called the police.
"When police arrived at the scene, they found Lohan and the woman engaged in a "heated argument" and believed Lohan was under the influence. Lohan resisted a field sobriety test, cops searched her and found cocaine."
Why the helicopters? Well, they didn't start hovering until it started getting light out, so we can only assume the reporters and paparzzi were out in droves.
Ugh...
Lindsey Lohan Arrested for DUI, Cocaine
Apparently, Lindsay was following someone in her car at 1:30AM. The driver of the other car drove to a parking lot near the Santa Monica police station and called the police.
"When police arrived at the scene, they found Lohan and the woman engaged in a "heated argument" and believed Lohan was under the influence. Lohan resisted a field sobriety test, cops searched her and found cocaine."
Why the helicopters? Well, they didn't start hovering until it started getting light out, so we can only assume the reporters and paparzzi were out in droves.
Ugh...
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