June Rants

[fidgiegirl]

Well, I was trying to avoid being the one to start the rant thread a few days ago when I had a now-forgotten rant.

But now another has reared its head.

It seems like it's impossible to take personal financial responsibility. You can be perfect with money, have emergency funds in place, pay off everything, have health insurance, etc. Then you get sick (Amator's thread) or your HOA basically screws up and takes you down with it while everyone else walks away (my close friend) and you are just as bad or worse off than everyone who didn't give a hoot in the first place.

It kinda just seems like what's the point, anyway? It's all luck, so just go live it up. The ones who are responsible and the ones who aren't are all gonna end up in the same situation anyway.

And it makes a person scared because you never know if you'll be the next.

Clearly, bitter about money and responsibility and the greater society/economy today.

[Stella]

I totally understand how you feel!

[Stella]

Uff da! What a morning. Cheyenne woke me up in the middle of the night because she was sick, which would have been fine but this morning she and I were both overtired and she was acting like a surly teenager. I sent her seven year old butt back to bed, and while I was dealing with that, Bella decided to give two-year old James cereal with milk. And black olives. In the living room. On the carpeted floor. I caught them just as the cat was about to share his bowl and cleaned it all up.

The baby Travis needed to be fed and Bella and James went to play with the sandbox and water table. Oh, and the hose, which they lost control of and instead of watering the plants, shot water in through the patio doors and watered the living room couch. I put Travis down and let Cheyenne out of her room and tried to get the breakfast dishes done while Bella cleaned up the water mess. James decided to practice jumping off the coffee table, apparently hurting himself because he said "ouch" and cried a little, but then did it three more times until he figured out how to do it without getting hurt. It's a little known fact that toddler boy heads are actually made of rock. It's the only explanation I can find that explains the presence of fully grown men in the world.

So my lovely plan to make playdough and pita pizzas went out the window and I heated up the corndogs my mom had bought, set out the blueberries and made some popcorn for lunch. Apparently Bella has different ideas than I do about food pairings, so the ketchup ended up on the popcorn, which I think is gross, but the rest of the kids liked.

Needless to say, Mommy is enforcing quiet time for everyone this afternoon. Travis and James are in bed and the girls are looking at books and virtually dissecting animals on the iPad in their room. Mostly I have a lot of fun with my kids, but somedays, and today is definitely one of them, I feel very outnumbered.

[treehugger]

The leftovers I had in the fridge at work, that I was going to eat for lunch today, walked off. Grrr. I never buy lunch. These leftovers were from a company lunch on yesterday (I was training); I ate half and was planning to eat the rest today.

I didn't have anything else to eat (I usually keep snacks in my drawer but am out), so I decided I had to go buy something. It was 1:30 by this time, so I figured it wouldn't be too crowded downtown. Wrong! It took me 30 minutes there and back, and I was so starving and cranky (some one stole my food, after all!) when I got back to my desk, that I ate the whole thing when I had been intending to save half for tomorrow. Grrrr. $7 wasted!

Kara

[iris lily]

I find the combo of popcorn and ketchup to be appetizing, one of these days I'll try it.

[treehugger]

Wow, no one has need to rant since 6/15 and it was me. And here I am again. Hmmm, what does that say about me??

Anyway, I need to rant about inexperienced phlebotomists! I mean, I know everyone needs to start somewhere, but please, not on me!

Donated blood last night after work, just like I do every 8 weeks. I could tell the RN was new at the whole process with how nervous and disorganized she was during the pre-draw history taking. That was cool, but when I saw that she was the same one who was going to actually take my blood, my heart sank. I just knew she would have trouble. She was so hesitant and tentative (and I swear, I made sure to be friendly and kind and not show that I echoed her non-confidence in herself).

Well, it hurt. A lot. And it doesn't usually hurt at all. It also took about 3 times as long as normal; she had to get two different people to come help her; she kept blaming it on my "small veins" which I don't have; and in the end, she couldn't even get a full pint from me. Today, my arm is very sore (again, doesn't usually hurt at all). Sigh.

If I ever get her again, I will politely ask for a different phlebotomist.

Kara

[Dhiana]

The Grocery Gauntlet = Whenever I try to get to the door of my grocery store I have to pass quite a few people attempting to collect signatures for a cause or food for the local soup kitchen or kids selling who knows what for fundraising. UGH!!!

Sadly I support many of the causes being presented in these Grocery Gauntlets but that is NOT the time, nor the place I want to get the schpiel. Yes, I support more money for school's xyz programs so give me a business card/small piece of paper with a website w/more information. Maybe have a letter to my congress critter ready to go on the website so all I have to do is print, sign & mail it. Or email it to the correct point of contacts to help make it happen.
At least put the website addy of your cause on the back of that clipboard everyone uses. While I don't have time to hear the information at least I'll know where to find the information.

Want me to buy something for the soup kitchen? Then hand me a list of most needed items...If you have 20 items, divide the list into 5 or 6 reasonable items to choose from, print it on a business card sized piece of paper and I'll probably buy some of each. On my way out I can just drop it into the bucket. I just don't have the time to hear the whole who, what, where, whens of it all on my way into the grocery store. Print your web address on the same piece of paper as the mini grocery list. I'll be happy to read the latest info from your website.

I was a Girl Scout for 12 years and LOVE thin mints but I don't care how cute your little brownie is when you shove her in front of me so hard that I almost trip over her on the way into the store!! That's just not nice to either of us. I'd love to buy a whole case of thin mints but not like that :(

Same thing if you are in front of the CVS/Rite Aid whatever store.

Or on the street corner. I'm your captive audience only until that sign says "walk" again. Say your piece in that space of time or you've lost me.

Just a few marketing tips for those who create this Gauntlet :)