Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Carol the Dabbler]

2 hours ago, T.o.b.y said:

... one of the largest companies in the market just announced that it will raise prices for home delivery next year to make the pick up option more attractive.

Which company is that?

[T.o.b.y]

5 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Which company is that?

Hermes. I don't know if they operate in the US. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

No, I don't believe they do. I was just wondering if it might be DHL, which has recently returned to doing business here.

[Arcadia]

Here's what I thought was an odd thing: I thought I'd take advantage of that "ship to the store and pick it up there" option for some of my gifts. But at checkout, I discovered that if I had it shipped to the house, it would get here in a few days; if I had it shipped to the store, it wouldn't arrive until after Christmas. Both options were free shipping, no minimum purchase. So what, pray tell, would be the advantage of having it shipped to the store?

12 hours ago, T.o.b.y said:

Thus packages are often left in easy-to-access areas such as the front steps of apartment buildings or (in my case) on top of our mailbox at the entrance to our development, a mile from our actual house.

Great googly moogly. Even around here, that would invite theft! Although in truth I can't think of any development around here that has that system, even the gated communities allow mail delivery. Interesting. I wonder if population density is a factor? Since around here, there's a post office/Fed Ex/etc. facility every few miles (or so it seems.) And nothing's left in the mailbox except letters. And I'd like to start a new paragraph here, but my Return key has suddenly stopped working. Grrrrrrreat. Laterz.

[Arcadia]

Well, that was weird. When I tried a different thread, my Return key functioned just fine … and now it's working again here. *sigh* Computers. And I've long since forgotten why I wanted a new paragraph in the first place.  

[Pseudonym]

This... is... horrific. It's looks like she's eaten him but he's still alive. 

[Arcadia]

Gross!

Except if she'd eaten him, wouldn't he be in her stomach? (Sorry, literal-minded Friday. )

[Pseudonym]

Ah, but he was! He clawed his way out of there and has now found himself trapped in the rib cage. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

You guys have no sense of poetic imagery.  Or possibly too much. 

Regarding parcel service, it's not that the development doesn't allow home delivery, it's just that the contractors have no incentive to provide it.   They don't leave parcels *in* the mailbox (which would a] be illegal and b] require the extra step of opening the box), they dump it on top. 

[Arcadia]

That's … horrible. What if it rains? (Which is always on my mind because it's raining ALL THE EFFING TIME around here.... )

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yeah, which is why we have a nice roof over our front porch.  Which is where they claimed to have left the parcel.  Unfortunately that vendor -- which I would like to order from again -- only ships via that carrier, presumably because they're cheap (guess why?).  So phooey.

 

[Artemis]

...

Quote

Sometimes I have wild, out-of-the-blue notions, like, “Maybe I should go to medical school.”  And then I spend an entire evening Googling and watching YouTube videos with titles like, “Am I too old for medical school?”

I was on the phone with my dad, and I was telling him about the above ^, and the money that different types of doctors make.  His response was, “Your dream should be to lose some weight, put on some makeup, and find a millionaire to marry.”    And I can’t even tell if he was being serious, because I know some not-so-small part of him actually thinks that.  But even if he wasn’t, and aside from the insult to my appearance... who says that when their daughter talks about being a doctor (even if it’s just a silly passing fantasy)?  

 

[Pseudonym]

Eurgh, that's a shitty response. 

[Arcadia]

Agreed.  

[Carol the Dabbler]

Parents. They don't understand us and we don't understand them.  We might as well have kids!

[Pseudonym]

Eurgh, half of the UKs motorists are expected to be on the motorways today. 😱 Glad I’m not one of them!

[Hikari]

What?!  No rants since Christmas Eve??

I know you all have not suddenly gotten ultra Happy, so what gives?

I've got one for today and it's a Doozy.

Today in NW Ohio, the temperature is about 5 degrees F with windchills approaching -15.  Easily one of, if not THE coldest day of the season so far.

We arrived at work this morning with no running water.  Which means . . .NO coffee and NO use of toilets in the building.  At the moment I'm debating which of these is worse.  Both are bad, and both are symbiotically connected.

I work in a public institution.  Daycares without operational restroom facilities close but never my library!  This has happened before but never when it's this cold.  Things are getting dire here . .gonna have to bundle up soon and brave the frostbite--inducing temps in search of a toilet in another building.  So fun, my life . . !

[Carol the Dabbler]

I once moved into an apartment where the bathroom had just been updated -- but the toilet had not yet been installed.  (Which technically speaking, probably made it illegal for the landlord to rent.)  My roommates and I became very familiar with the pancake restaurant across the street (and ate there fairly often, as a thank-you).  The toilet arrived after a week or two, but in the meantime there was many a night (after the restaurant closed) that I would longingly eye the bathroom sink.  I mean, it all ends up in the same drain, right?  I really couldn't think of any logical reason not to pee in the sink, but somehow never could bring myself to actually do it.

[J.P.]

Oh, Carol, I assumed all the time you are a woman!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hey, my avatar is a *female* mallard!  But just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't pee in a sink -- I could either pee in a jar and then dump it down the drain or else sit right on the sink.  And I was quite desperate enough to do either!

 

[Hikari]

On 1/27/2019 at 11:58 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

Hey, my avatar is a *female* mallard!  But just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't pee in a sink -- I could either pee in a jar and then dump it down the drain or else sit right on the sink.  And I was quite desperate enough to do either!

 

Sitting in the sink would have been awfully athletic for the circumstances.  As to Option A, I've done it.  Needs must.  You just have to be sure to find a large enough container, or the results will not be pretty.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sitting in the sink wouldn't have been any more athletic than sitting on a bathroom vanity (the counter that holds the washbasin), and I've done that any number of times.  My only concern would have been that the structure looked kinda cheap and so might have been too flimsy to hold my weight.

But I fully agree about the jar's diameter being crucial.  Only guys can pee in a bottle!

[T.o.b.y]

On 12/23/2018 at 2:41 PM, Artemis said:

...

I was on the phone with my dad, and I was telling him about the above ^, and the money that different types of doctors make.  His response was, “Your dream should be to lose some weight, put on some makeup, and find a millionaire to marry.”    And I can’t even tell if he was being serious, because I know some not-so-small part of him actually thinks that.  But even if he wasn’t, and aside from the insult to my appearance... who says that when their daughter talks about being a doctor (even if it’s just a silly passing fantasy)?  

 

Actually, a surprising number of people. 

I remember an elderly (but not senile) relative telling 15-year-old me that what really mattered was attracting a rich man and I would have to do a lot of work on my appearance for that. Weight loss was explicitly mentioned as well. 

I was f....ing 15. Not even seriously thinking about romantic relationships yet. 

The same lovely lady kept trying to get me to "admit" I thought this or that slimy male celebrity was cute. It really weirded me out. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 6/10/2018 at 6:49 PM, HerlockSholmes said:

......how do people type on a mobile phone with their thumbs?! Its impossible. The pads are so small! I was on the Metro yesterday typing a short text. The tram was rocking and rolling a bit and it took me ages to text because I kept hitting the wrong keys. Even if I’m sitting at home texting using a stylus I STILL hit the wrong keys. But with thumbs......

This may or may not apply to actual typing, but I've recently discovered a very good reason to "type" with my thumb.  I've been playing solitaire on my cell phone quite a bit lately, tapping and dragging the cards with my forefinger, and found that I was developing something like carpal tunnel syndrome.  So I modified my grip on the phone so that I could use my thumb instead, and the pain completely disappeared in just a few days.     Hopefully I won't develop pain in a different part of my wrist now -- but if so, I suppose I could use finger and thumb on alternate days or something.

[besleybean]

Yeah I am so glad it's not just me with the thumbs thing!

I type on everything like an arthritic penguin!