The dentist did not have any good news for me today.
He offered 3 plans: A, B and C.
A - 20 grand.
B - 8 grand.
C - unknown but less than A and B.
I can't do plan A in phases, it won't work that way (like doing one tooth at a time).
Plan B can't be done that way, either, it's an implant with 4 teeth attached to it.
Plan C is partials.
These plans do not include the 3 crowns that I need elsewhere in my mouth.
I'm just going to pray over it, that's all I can do. I don't have the kind of money it would cost for A or B and probably not C, either, even with insurance.
So - put it on the prayer list.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
TMI
Abbreviated for: Too Much Information
Mark is going in for surgery (one of my tenants) for the same thing he had to have surgery for a few years back. It's a 2 week recovery in the hospital. So I asked him about it yesterday and he went into full detail about the recovery, passing gas and other - subjects that don't particularly appeal to me at all, and if a person goes on about it long enough, starts to gross me out.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION, thank you. We all know what happens when you sit down on a toilet and we all know that TMI about that particular function is - well it's completely unnecessary.
Anyway, Hump Day is here (and for those that don't know, it is nothing sexual, just the official middle of the work week). It is also the day I find out just how much work I need done on my teeth. I was already told 6 crowns, but that did not include the front teeth. Dentist appointment at 4:00.
Meanwhile, my search for a much closer walk with the Lord continues. When thoughts come in that are of this world, whatever they may be, I reject them. I want my mind focused on the Lord at all times, however much possible that may be. I have taken 2 steps (major steps, I should add) towards the purpose of rejecting the worldly life and all the pleasures and trappings it may have and am continuing on. Our church is doing a 21 day Daniel type of fast starting next week and I am preparing myself to engage in it as well.
It is also time to buy a new Bible. I am still peeved, honestly, about that car wash company taking my Bible and other belongings and simply discarding them (or doing whatever they did with them) in the trash. It's been quite a while, I just read the Bible online at this point, but I find that a paper copy of the Bible, in-hand, is far superior than reading it on a screen on a computer. There are pluses, though, to reading it online, one of which is you can have several different versions of the Bible appearing side by side all at the same time while reading whatever book/chapter/verse you are on.
You may not believe this, but if there is a time when I am about to open the Word and I simply don't really know what I am supposed to read, I have simply opened the thing at random and started reading whatever it came to and have found so very often it to be true that that particular book/chapter I end up in ends up being a living, spoken word from the mouth of the Lord to my inner man and spirit for that time. It's happened so many times that I cannot and won't deny that at least some of that has other origins than mere happenstance.
You cannot do that with an online bible, lol.
So, probably get another New King James version, which is my favorite.
However, looking at the clock? It's time to leave for work!!
G'day.
ben
Mark is going in for surgery (one of my tenants) for the same thing he had to have surgery for a few years back. It's a 2 week recovery in the hospital. So I asked him about it yesterday and he went into full detail about the recovery, passing gas and other - subjects that don't particularly appeal to me at all, and if a person goes on about it long enough, starts to gross me out.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION, thank you. We all know what happens when you sit down on a toilet and we all know that TMI about that particular function is - well it's completely unnecessary.
Anyway, Hump Day is here (and for those that don't know, it is nothing sexual, just the official middle of the work week). It is also the day I find out just how much work I need done on my teeth. I was already told 6 crowns, but that did not include the front teeth. Dentist appointment at 4:00.
Meanwhile, my search for a much closer walk with the Lord continues. When thoughts come in that are of this world, whatever they may be, I reject them. I want my mind focused on the Lord at all times, however much possible that may be. I have taken 2 steps (major steps, I should add) towards the purpose of rejecting the worldly life and all the pleasures and trappings it may have and am continuing on. Our church is doing a 21 day Daniel type of fast starting next week and I am preparing myself to engage in it as well.
It is also time to buy a new Bible. I am still peeved, honestly, about that car wash company taking my Bible and other belongings and simply discarding them (or doing whatever they did with them) in the trash. It's been quite a while, I just read the Bible online at this point, but I find that a paper copy of the Bible, in-hand, is far superior than reading it on a screen on a computer. There are pluses, though, to reading it online, one of which is you can have several different versions of the Bible appearing side by side all at the same time while reading whatever book/chapter/verse you are on.
You may not believe this, but if there is a time when I am about to open the Word and I simply don't really know what I am supposed to read, I have simply opened the thing at random and started reading whatever it came to and have found so very often it to be true that that particular book/chapter I end up in ends up being a living, spoken word from the mouth of the Lord to my inner man and spirit for that time. It's happened so many times that I cannot and won't deny that at least some of that has other origins than mere happenstance.
You cannot do that with an online bible, lol.
So, probably get another New King James version, which is my favorite.
However, looking at the clock? It's time to leave for work!!
G'day.
ben
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Faces From The Past
Seems to be a recurring theme going on lately, faces from the past that is.
A couple showed up at church this morning - people I hadn't seen in a long time, though I think I ran into them once at a Home Depot maybe a few or 3 years ago. Their church had dissolved as of last week but they had been looking for a place for some time now. I was shocked to see them sitting in some chairs after they had come in, one of those double-take moments. I shouldn't have been so shocked, I guess, this church is about a mile away from their house - but to find the church takes a little bit of searching, not on the main surface streets.
I don't know what 2013 has in store for me, but I do know that I have been seeking the Lord in getting the past - in the past. Let things go, forgive others, ask others to forgive me, others that don't want to speak that peace, at the very least, would be rested upon both parties if at all possible. Not to mention changing some things in my personal life that - definitely need some serious adjustment. Already well into that.
Next week, our church starts a 21 day fast. There are, of course, differing types of fasting, I believe most people will opt for a meatless diet. If you happen to like meat, then going 21 days without it is different a form of fasting. However, fasting for the sake of fasting is irrelevant. And certainly not the purpose the church has in mind. Seeking the Lord, with the whole heart, soul and mind. Getting into the Word and finding what the Spirit is speaking to my heart, that will be my focus. For direction, for help, for favor with individuals I need favor with, etc. I haven't fasted in quite a while - well I went without food a few days this week but it wasn't an intentional forsaking of nutrition, I was sick and I simply did not want to eat anything.
Whatever the case, it's a Sunday afternoon, I have spent the weekend doing much of nothing attempting to get as fully recovered from this week's sickness episode as possible. I did take one of the dogs for a walk at the park yesterday - I made it about a mile and ran out of energy and decided not to push it. That and church today besides some cleaning, that's been it.
I'm not really looking forward to a 5 day work week which is en-queue, to be honest, because I am not fully recovered yet and sometimes going 10 to 12 hour days for days in a road can bring a form of "relapse" in the recovery process, especially in my lungs. So, I will simply stand in faith and believe God that I am healed and that the symptoms will not reappear. As for church, a LARGE number of people were out with the same sickness. The pastor shared that he had been to at least half a dozen homes yesterday praying for families that have gotten ill with this nastiness that is going around.
Umm, speaking of work, there isn't a paid holiday off until May, lol. A yearly occurrence. You want time off, you gotta just take floating holidays or vacation time. I will not go 5 months without some days off, at the same time attempting to save my hours up for a 2 week extended period off this year, or possibly just take 3, 1 week vacations. Up to 96 hours as of now. This is the first year with my company that I will start accruing 10 hours of vacation time per month, up from the 6.6 hours you get for the first 6 years of employment with them and also move up to 140 hours of paid vacation, from the 100 I was getting.
Well, enough. Time for a hot tea or coffee.
G'day.
ben
A couple showed up at church this morning - people I hadn't seen in a long time, though I think I ran into them once at a Home Depot maybe a few or 3 years ago. Their church had dissolved as of last week but they had been looking for a place for some time now. I was shocked to see them sitting in some chairs after they had come in, one of those double-take moments. I shouldn't have been so shocked, I guess, this church is about a mile away from their house - but to find the church takes a little bit of searching, not on the main surface streets.
I don't know what 2013 has in store for me, but I do know that I have been seeking the Lord in getting the past - in the past. Let things go, forgive others, ask others to forgive me, others that don't want to speak that peace, at the very least, would be rested upon both parties if at all possible. Not to mention changing some things in my personal life that - definitely need some serious adjustment. Already well into that.
Next week, our church starts a 21 day fast. There are, of course, differing types of fasting, I believe most people will opt for a meatless diet. If you happen to like meat, then going 21 days without it is different a form of fasting. However, fasting for the sake of fasting is irrelevant. And certainly not the purpose the church has in mind. Seeking the Lord, with the whole heart, soul and mind. Getting into the Word and finding what the Spirit is speaking to my heart, that will be my focus. For direction, for help, for favor with individuals I need favor with, etc. I haven't fasted in quite a while - well I went without food a few days this week but it wasn't an intentional forsaking of nutrition, I was sick and I simply did not want to eat anything.
Whatever the case, it's a Sunday afternoon, I have spent the weekend doing much of nothing attempting to get as fully recovered from this week's sickness episode as possible. I did take one of the dogs for a walk at the park yesterday - I made it about a mile and ran out of energy and decided not to push it. That and church today besides some cleaning, that's been it.
I'm not really looking forward to a 5 day work week which is en-queue, to be honest, because I am not fully recovered yet and sometimes going 10 to 12 hour days for days in a road can bring a form of "relapse" in the recovery process, especially in my lungs. So, I will simply stand in faith and believe God that I am healed and that the symptoms will not reappear. As for church, a LARGE number of people were out with the same sickness. The pastor shared that he had been to at least half a dozen homes yesterday praying for families that have gotten ill with this nastiness that is going around.
Umm, speaking of work, there isn't a paid holiday off until May, lol. A yearly occurrence. You want time off, you gotta just take floating holidays or vacation time. I will not go 5 months without some days off, at the same time attempting to save my hours up for a 2 week extended period off this year, or possibly just take 3, 1 week vacations. Up to 96 hours as of now. This is the first year with my company that I will start accruing 10 hours of vacation time per month, up from the 6.6 hours you get for the first 6 years of employment with them and also move up to 140 hours of paid vacation, from the 100 I was getting.
Well, enough. Time for a hot tea or coffee.
G'day.
ben
Friday, January 4, 2013
Another long day at work and didn't help my physical situation - at all.
But now staring the weekend and have plans to do - much of nothing but rest, drink lots of liquids and read the Bible. Oh, a probably go to church on Sunday and get some prayer. I would go tonight for the Friday night prayer thing, but they aren't having it tonight since we had a New Year's Eve celebration on Monday. I think, anyway. Their calendar shows nothing for tonight anyway.
I made no grandiose New Year's resolutions for this year excepting to get closer to God. No working out resolutions, no this that and the other thing, I just want to be closer to the Lord. Which doesn't mean I won't take up working out again, who knows, but I won't resolve such a thing, those kinds of resolutions always seem doomed to imminent failure.
My manager wanted me to go and have some beers with him after work, but I refused. No alcohol, thanks. And I'm not eating much, still, so no desire to go eat, either. I think he went without me.
I turned the radio off in the truck today - when I was driving obviously - and spent the time praying instead. I am by no means stating that I am some super-spiritual person, but as I said, the only resolution I have is to get closer to the heart of the Lord and to hear more of his voice speaking and seek His direction for the rest of my life.
And that's that. It is late (for me and my current condition), going to read, see if there's anything on
TV and then go to bed early.
But now staring the weekend and have plans to do - much of nothing but rest, drink lots of liquids and read the Bible. Oh, a probably go to church on Sunday and get some prayer. I would go tonight for the Friday night prayer thing, but they aren't having it tonight since we had a New Year's Eve celebration on Monday. I think, anyway. Their calendar shows nothing for tonight anyway.
I made no grandiose New Year's resolutions for this year excepting to get closer to God. No working out resolutions, no this that and the other thing, I just want to be closer to the Lord. Which doesn't mean I won't take up working out again, who knows, but I won't resolve such a thing, those kinds of resolutions always seem doomed to imminent failure.
My manager wanted me to go and have some beers with him after work, but I refused. No alcohol, thanks. And I'm not eating much, still, so no desire to go eat, either. I think he went without me.
I turned the radio off in the truck today - when I was driving obviously - and spent the time praying instead. I am by no means stating that I am some super-spiritual person, but as I said, the only resolution I have is to get closer to the heart of the Lord and to hear more of his voice speaking and seek His direction for the rest of my life.
And that's that. It is late (for me and my current condition), going to read, see if there's anything on
TV and then go to bed early.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
I have been sick since New Year's day. I laid in bed that day and then called in sick to work yesterday. I was pretty much informed my help was needed at work today, I showed up and wish I hadn't. It's not my normal bed time right now, but I am so wiped out from a 10-1/2 day's worth of work in a very weak body at this point in time - that I am now going to bed!
ben
ben
Monday, December 31, 2012
Church
I went to church tonight for a New Year's celebration, though admittedly it's still 3 hours before New Year's actually hits and I don't think anyone's staying there THAT long. I was there for 2 hours. I haven't felt so much freedom in such a long time - and yet I also freely admit there is a ways yet to go. But it was a great service and the presence of the Lord was so very much palpable. I am encouraged about the year 2013, not because of the things going on in this world - what is new about that. The world always has garbage going on all over, it is a never-ending story.
No, I am simply talking about my walk with the Lord. I have a number of people now standing in faith with me to overcome, put behind me and move on. This is where the Lord has been leading me in the last year and a half anyway, but now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's growing brighter and brighter as I get beyond obstacles in my life from the past or even the present.
Anyway, I have a temporary tenant in the trailer. I had talked with him at length on the phone and in emails - he is from Georgia and came in on a Greyhound bus earlier today. I went down there and picked him up. I think that, for however long he is here, it will probably work out well just from judging our conversations and his attitude which seems to be very good and - seemingly - has a very strong work ethic. It's so hard to really judge character when attempting to discern if a person is going to make a good fit in the household and what sort of person it is when considering morals and ethics (I would prefer a person with a strong set of those, or at least in the mid-section of it versus somewhat morally obtuse and ethically discerned). Time will tell.
He has a cousin here of which he has already left and gone to spend the night with to bring in the New Year. It may very well happen that he may move in with that cousin. I have no clue and he certainly didn't say anything about that, but I either had a feeling about that or my mind just went down that path along with numerous other in determining what the outcome of this will be. When you start driving your mind through all the potential endings of a situation, it can certainly take you down some interesting paths and vivid places. It won't offend me if he leaves to go live with his cousin, he needed a place to call "home" before coming here and perhaps my place was that pretense - yes I have a place to live so if that doesn't work out then I won't be stranded. Again, I have no knowledge at all that this may be what's happening, but I now recognize that I have that "feeling".
Well, I don't think I'll be staying up another 3 hours until the New Year comes in. Well, I will probably be awakened. If I am up, I will do the age-old car honking thing. The fire station 1 block directly south of me will have it's fire truck horns blaring. People in this neighborhood will be shouting very loudly Happy New Year! and maybe a few other car horns honking. The real noise maker, though, are those fire engine horns and the vast amount of fireworks - done by local residents - that will be going off. No, lol, I don't have a problem with it, just saying that's what happens in my neighborhood.
So, Happy New Year to everyone.
ben
Another Morning at the Dentist's office
I got rather irritated sitting at the dentist's office, waiting this morning. I showed up early - which I always do in case there are paperwork issues. The appointment was at 8am, I sat in that office for 41 minutes before the dentist finally showed up, no apology and just got right down to business.
I have a habit of leaving doctor's or any other such office if I don't get seen within 30 minutes of the appointed time unless they come along and tell me they are going to be delayed. They offered me no such amenities, which is why I got irritated. It brought back memories of other dentist's offices I have been in the far past - which is the last time I went to one - and them making you wait up to an hour without even giving an explanation, much less an apology.
Well, I was already there, I just swallowed that and then was examined by the dentist, who started reading off the problems in techno lingo to his assistant to write down on a pad. I didn't understand any of it, it was letters and numbers he was using as identifiers.
But he eventually got down to plain, simple talk to me and I was listening with - well I didn't figure I was going to get out of this easy, but it was far more work needing to be done that I had anticipated. I need a total of 6 crowns, 1 root canal and some other procedure. That does not include my front teeth, which are chipped, crowded together and basically a mess. He informed me that if I just let my front teeth go, they will eventually all fall out. Yikes.
I only have myself to blame. I have had dentist insurance for over 7 years and haven't used it. Haven't gone into the dentist because of my disdain for them and their apparent idea that only their time is worth money, yours isn't worth anything and yes, you will wait for that dentist to come into your room, it doesn't matter how long he/she makes you wait and you will like it.
The dentist started telling me that he can't really come to a conclusion on my front teeth until I have casts made of them and then he can look at them, compare them to the x-rays and come up with a plan. Well that's all fine and dandy, I am thinking, but I am not rich. I can only imagine the cost of all of this. Thousands and untold thousands of dollars to get all this stuff fixed, regardless of dental insurance that doesn't usually cover very much, anyway.
But, I've gone this far with it. So, they left the room, telling me they would get me a price and be back shortly. Well at least the insurance covered all of that, no charge to me this morning. They did the casts, filling my mouth with extremely cold gooey substance that gells after a few minutes and then made an appointment for Wednesday - next week. The dentist flatly stated he would have to do his homework. I'm glad he's at least acknowledging he will take the time to come up with a plan, but me? There is NO way I can afford all of this. Maybe spread out over the next several years but it is a foregone conclusion that, at least with the finances I have available currently, it's simply not going to happen anytime soon. It will have to be do one thing here, one thing there as I am able to save up for it and pay for it. It will be do the worst thing first and work backwards down the list.
I'm wondering if it's possible to sign up for another dental insurance plan on my own. My insurance will run out quickly with all of this. If they even cover 50% I would be happy. What do crowns cost nowadays? $800? $1,000? I have no idea. They're not cheap, I know that. So, I shook off the pall that tried to over come me in starting to go through the thought processes of how much this is going to all cost and where I would come up with the money. I will do what I can do and that's that. If I have to have teeth pulled, then pull them. I don't have any pain currently, at least I have that much going for me and they stated there is no bone loss, so that's a good thing as well. But, I am guessing to fix my front lower teeth, one of them will have to be pulled and the rest realigned, if that's possible, to make room and then several crowns.
Well, Happy New Year, lol.
I have a habit of leaving doctor's or any other such office if I don't get seen within 30 minutes of the appointed time unless they come along and tell me they are going to be delayed. They offered me no such amenities, which is why I got irritated. It brought back memories of other dentist's offices I have been in the far past - which is the last time I went to one - and them making you wait up to an hour without even giving an explanation, much less an apology.
Well, I was already there, I just swallowed that and then was examined by the dentist, who started reading off the problems in techno lingo to his assistant to write down on a pad. I didn't understand any of it, it was letters and numbers he was using as identifiers.
But he eventually got down to plain, simple talk to me and I was listening with - well I didn't figure I was going to get out of this easy, but it was far more work needing to be done that I had anticipated. I need a total of 6 crowns, 1 root canal and some other procedure. That does not include my front teeth, which are chipped, crowded together and basically a mess. He informed me that if I just let my front teeth go, they will eventually all fall out. Yikes.
I only have myself to blame. I have had dentist insurance for over 7 years and haven't used it. Haven't gone into the dentist because of my disdain for them and their apparent idea that only their time is worth money, yours isn't worth anything and yes, you will wait for that dentist to come into your room, it doesn't matter how long he/she makes you wait and you will like it.
The dentist started telling me that he can't really come to a conclusion on my front teeth until I have casts made of them and then he can look at them, compare them to the x-rays and come up with a plan. Well that's all fine and dandy, I am thinking, but I am not rich. I can only imagine the cost of all of this. Thousands and untold thousands of dollars to get all this stuff fixed, regardless of dental insurance that doesn't usually cover very much, anyway.
But, I've gone this far with it. So, they left the room, telling me they would get me a price and be back shortly. Well at least the insurance covered all of that, no charge to me this morning. They did the casts, filling my mouth with extremely cold gooey substance that gells after a few minutes and then made an appointment for Wednesday - next week. The dentist flatly stated he would have to do his homework. I'm glad he's at least acknowledging he will take the time to come up with a plan, but me? There is NO way I can afford all of this. Maybe spread out over the next several years but it is a foregone conclusion that, at least with the finances I have available currently, it's simply not going to happen anytime soon. It will have to be do one thing here, one thing there as I am able to save up for it and pay for it. It will be do the worst thing first and work backwards down the list.
I'm wondering if it's possible to sign up for another dental insurance plan on my own. My insurance will run out quickly with all of this. If they even cover 50% I would be happy. What do crowns cost nowadays? $800? $1,000? I have no idea. They're not cheap, I know that. So, I shook off the pall that tried to over come me in starting to go through the thought processes of how much this is going to all cost and where I would come up with the money. I will do what I can do and that's that. If I have to have teeth pulled, then pull them. I don't have any pain currently, at least I have that much going for me and they stated there is no bone loss, so that's a good thing as well. But, I am guessing to fix my front lower teeth, one of them will have to be pulled and the rest realigned, if that's possible, to make room and then several crowns.
Well, Happy New Year, lol.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Hmmm. Well, if work stays steady and I continue to get the hours I have been, I should be able to start saving up a good emergency fund. But who knows what's going to happen in 2013 with this fiscal cliff crap and the fact that "lawmakers" - if you can call them that - can't agree on even a stripped down version of a consensus to get something done.
But, I also do not agree that Obama should have unlimited authority to raise the debt ceiling all by himself. That's simply preposterous.
Meanwhile, the gun control argument rages on like never before. Well maybe not like never before, but certainly with as much intensity as it's ever had. I have involved myself in numerous online conversations about that particular issue and I do hear some rather uneducated (in the realm of guns, that is) individuals talking about things they nothing about. I am absolutely no expert in the field of guns, either, but I am learning. It's just one of those things where people decide a thing is bad and so get rid of all of it.
I don't mean these people just want to be rid of large magazines that can hold 30 rounds of ammo, I mean people talking about banning private gun ownership altogether. I think, fortunately, there are too many gun owners in America for that idea to ever catch on to the phase of enacting a change to the Constitution of our land, since that's what that kind of nonsense idea would take.
New tenant is coming on Saturday instead of tomorrow. Which is good, need to prepare for that.
We'll see how that goes. Always a gamble, always a roll of the dice when talking about a new person coming in.
Whatever the case, my 5 days off are officially over and guess what?
It's time to go to work!
ben
But, I also do not agree that Obama should have unlimited authority to raise the debt ceiling all by himself. That's simply preposterous.
Meanwhile, the gun control argument rages on like never before. Well maybe not like never before, but certainly with as much intensity as it's ever had. I have involved myself in numerous online conversations about that particular issue and I do hear some rather uneducated (in the realm of guns, that is) individuals talking about things they nothing about. I am absolutely no expert in the field of guns, either, but I am learning. It's just one of those things where people decide a thing is bad and so get rid of all of it.
I don't mean these people just want to be rid of large magazines that can hold 30 rounds of ammo, I mean people talking about banning private gun ownership altogether. I think, fortunately, there are too many gun owners in America for that idea to ever catch on to the phase of enacting a change to the Constitution of our land, since that's what that kind of nonsense idea would take.
New tenant is coming on Saturday instead of tomorrow. Which is good, need to prepare for that.
We'll see how that goes. Always a gamble, always a roll of the dice when talking about a new person coming in.
Whatever the case, my 5 days off are officially over and guess what?
It's time to go to work!
ben
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
I decided to get in as much as I could by the end of this year at the dentist - way past overdue (by 10 years anyway) to get my mouth x-rayed and find out what might be going on in there. The good news was nothing major. Not even a root canal (I for whatever reason thought I would have at least one of those necessary).
I have been here for 2 hours and 15 minutes (yes, I am keeping track) and now I am waiting for another appointment that they just happened to have opened up by cancellation for some special kind of cleaning. I am just biting the bullet in the patience department and keeping a good attitude - though I admittedly despise waiting in offices and having spent this much time here already, well, I am starving! I haven't eaten anything today and it's already 12:30pm. Prime rib sitting in my refrigerator at home, I can't wait to get out of here and have some french dip style sandwiches with the Au Jus I have left over as well.
Umm, so an incident with a neighborhood kid on my Facebook wall yesterday. He decided to interject himself in a conversation I was having on my wall 2 days ago and started mouthing off to the friend I was talking with (I have known this lady for almost 25 years now). Well, she wasn't taking it and gave him a dose of his own medicine, which he didn't discover on my wall until last night. At that point, I found him publishing extremely foul language in both English and Spanish going against her. I informed him to stop, which he didn't do and I unfriended him.
He then came over to my house with another of his friends and started mouthing off about the woman again. It got worse and worse to the point I told him to leave. He went home (after apparently dumping a soda or something on my car), got on Facebook and posted an entire new post on my wall saying extremely foul things about both her and I. After blocking him, he then went on his brother's account and got on started again. Blocked that as well.
I don't get it. I have treated that kid very nicely for as long as I have lived in that neighborhood, and what do I get in return? He can stay away from my house as far as I'm concerned unless he gives both that lady and I a heartfelt apology (which, from gauging his attitude yesterday, isn't likely to occur anytime soon). His friend was sitting their listening and seeing all of this and was aghast. At least there was someone his age who thought his actions and reactions to be totally off-the-wall. It's just unbelievable to me the way kids act nowadays.
Whatever. Christmas was good. Final day off and then work 2 days and then the weekend. But, I am spending 4 hours of this day off at the dentist. Making the best of it, glad I brought my computer with me.
Nothing much else going on beside potentially a temporary tenant for the trailer, of whom I have had a lot of communication with before deciding to allow him to come and stay for a few months. He may stay longer - but only if he makes a good fit around my place.
Well, hope everyone had a great holiday and some time off!
G'day.
ben
I have been here for 2 hours and 15 minutes (yes, I am keeping track) and now I am waiting for another appointment that they just happened to have opened up by cancellation for some special kind of cleaning. I am just biting the bullet in the patience department and keeping a good attitude - though I admittedly despise waiting in offices and having spent this much time here already, well, I am starving! I haven't eaten anything today and it's already 12:30pm. Prime rib sitting in my refrigerator at home, I can't wait to get out of here and have some french dip style sandwiches with the Au Jus I have left over as well.
Umm, so an incident with a neighborhood kid on my Facebook wall yesterday. He decided to interject himself in a conversation I was having on my wall 2 days ago and started mouthing off to the friend I was talking with (I have known this lady for almost 25 years now). Well, she wasn't taking it and gave him a dose of his own medicine, which he didn't discover on my wall until last night. At that point, I found him publishing extremely foul language in both English and Spanish going against her. I informed him to stop, which he didn't do and I unfriended him.
He then came over to my house with another of his friends and started mouthing off about the woman again. It got worse and worse to the point I told him to leave. He went home (after apparently dumping a soda or something on my car), got on Facebook and posted an entire new post on my wall saying extremely foul things about both her and I. After blocking him, he then went on his brother's account and got on started again. Blocked that as well.
I don't get it. I have treated that kid very nicely for as long as I have lived in that neighborhood, and what do I get in return? He can stay away from my house as far as I'm concerned unless he gives both that lady and I a heartfelt apology (which, from gauging his attitude yesterday, isn't likely to occur anytime soon). His friend was sitting their listening and seeing all of this and was aghast. At least there was someone his age who thought his actions and reactions to be totally off-the-wall. It's just unbelievable to me the way kids act nowadays.
Whatever. Christmas was good. Final day off and then work 2 days and then the weekend. But, I am spending 4 hours of this day off at the dentist. Making the best of it, glad I brought my computer with me.
Nothing much else going on beside potentially a temporary tenant for the trailer, of whom I have had a lot of communication with before deciding to allow him to come and stay for a few months. He may stay longer - but only if he makes a good fit around my place.
Well, hope everyone had a great holiday and some time off!
G'day.
ben
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
Just wanted to wish what few readers I have left a very warm, merry and wonderful Christmas! I wish you all the best!
Monday, December 24, 2012
More Fry's Food Stores Nonsense
I have been subjected to it several times in the past. I was to be subjected to it no more. It's ridiculous, IMO, for a person to stand there, realize they don't have enough money to pay for their food (or forgot their wallet/purse in the car) and then expect the customers behind that person to wait while they take their sweet old time walking out to their car, getting their money and then coming back in.
I have waited as long as 10 minutes for this phenomenon to play itself out and I decided today that it is total BS. When the woman had walked away, I politely asked the cashier if she was going to go ahead and start checking out the next in line, which was me. Note that they had fully 3 lanes of 15 items or less open that had very little traffic and the line I was in, full service, had a large number of people waiting with full baskets and it was the only full service lane available.
The cashier replied no, she was going to wait. Manager, please. I'm sorry, are you asking for a manager? Yes, I am, thank you. The front end manager shows up and gives me a look after finding out what's going on. What are we supposed to do? - while shrugging his shoulders and getting an attitude, an attitude that I didn't have until that kind of treatment started coming my way. You are supposed to move this customer's things out of the way and start checking other customers, that's what. He said nothing to me and went to the cash register, closed out that other customer's ticket and then the cashier, who obviously wasn't happy about what I had asked - reasonably - to do checked me out.
When we were done, I was walking away and felt eyes on my back. I turned my head to see the cashier scowling at me, who quickly turned her head back to the line in front of her. That was enough. I went to the Customer Service desk and asked for the store's GM, who just happened to be there and who showed up rather quickly, I might add. This is a "secondary" Fry's, I only use it when I have other business needing to be taken care of at the part of town - which is 3 miles away from the normal Fry's I go to. He immediately apologized, asked what he could do - of which I said nothing, just deal with this - and we parted ways after he assured me he would be having a conversation with those individuals.
The problem here is that most people won't say anything, so when the "odd one out" does speak up, they give you an attitude both in their tones and their stance/look. When I got home, I decided to call corporate and ask them if they have a policy on such things, they do on most every thing else. The lady I was speaking with said no, no official policy but at the same time, that cashier should not have made everyone wait, especially considering it was the only full service lane available. Thank you. I'm not an unreasonable person, but I think a person who forgets their money should realize that they are going to have to go through the waiting process again, it's not going to be a 30 second wait, it has taken as long as 10 minutes for people to go get their money and that's just plain unacceptable.
That was the store at 24th Street & Baseline, now moving on to my experience at the store at 48th Street and Baseline, which occurred yesterday.
I wanted to buy a bottle of liquor for someone for Christmas. Crown Royale to be precise. They did not have it on the shelf, instead they have a sign saying it's available at the Customer Service desk. Upon going to the Customer Service desk and finding a lot of people in line there to do money orders and such, well, I wasn't going to wait that long and then have to go wait in line again to check out with the thing I was buying. So, I walked up to the front end manager and asked him about getting a bottle for me. I didn't think it unreasonable to ask for someone to go get it versus having to wait 15 to 20 minutes (customer service at that Fry's takes a long time, especially if there's a long line there) at that line and then having to wait in yet another line to check out.
He was having nothing to do with it. He told me I could get in line and that the cashier could go get it for me. ???? This guy was standing there, doing absolutely nothing. I just walked off and got into line, screw the whiskey, I'll find something else. But, the man kept staring at me - that feeling of having eyes on you again. So, after a while of this, I finally said "thanks for all the help you gave me!". But, that was also enough. I simply don't put up with attitudes from people working at grocery stores where I have spent unbelievable amounts of money over the past 8 or 9 years at that specific store.
When I got my items checked out, I called for the store's general manager. It took her a while to get up there, but upon hearing my statement, she immediately apologized, went to the customer service desk, got the bottle and had me check out at an unopened lane. I didn't ask her to get the bottle, I didn't want it at that point, but she insisted. I simply informed her that that man - the manager - is completely and totally useless. Why couldn't HE have done the same thing you just did? She was all over that, yes, I completely agree, was her reply and a statement that she was going to have a conversation with him about it.
I could see if that manager had been busy or something, but seriously, that man was standing there, doing absolutely NOTHING at all. Unbelievable. The state of customer service in this day and age at many places is absolutely abysmal. I do not believe my requests were out of line, unreasonable or otherwise undo-able.
Well whatever. I bought a lot of that food today for a family of 8 that was going to go without a Christmas dinner. I do this every year, buy a holiday meal for a family to cook. They are coming over right now to pick up the food. No, the bottle of Crown Royale is not for them, lol. I also got gift cards for tenants since they have posted cards on the tree addressed to me and others in the house - couldn't be a Scrooge and not give something back, lol.
It's a cool 59 degrees outside right now - that at noon thirty. It finally feels like winter : ) I was concerned to find a very large Plecostomus in my pond. I had thought they had all died out last winter and I didn't buy anymore because they can't handle the cold and up and die. How that one survived, I have no idea. He's about 11 inches long. Which reminds me that I am going to place an ad on Craigslist and see if anyone wants him. I would rather give him away, free, than see his dead body floating around the top of the pond.
I decided to go ahead and make a dentist appointment before the end of the year so I could get the free x-rays/exam done and find out how bad the damage is. I have pain coming from one tooth, dunno. It's been a loooooong time since I've been to a dentist. Stories that go along with the reason why I don't go to dentists would take too long/too much writing. But I can't let it go forever, especially when low level pain starts coming here and there. Next thing you know, you have a full fledged toothache and there is no point in procrastinating. If I get in there now, at least I can take advantage of this year's worth of limit on my insurance then pick it up again in January if necessary (I'm guessing 90% chance it will definitely have to be picked up in January). This doesn't include 2 chipped teeth and a tooth with the crown missing - it came off 3 months after I paid a good deal of money to have it put on there. Hmm, might have been 6 months. Whatever it was, definitely not long enough to say, gee, I got my money's worth out of THAT little deal.
That's it. As much as I don't want to, I am going to have to go out there and clean out one of the pond filters today. I don't much care to deal with the ponds when it's cold outside, but, it has to be done.
Merry Christmas Eve Day!
ben
I have waited as long as 10 minutes for this phenomenon to play itself out and I decided today that it is total BS. When the woman had walked away, I politely asked the cashier if she was going to go ahead and start checking out the next in line, which was me. Note that they had fully 3 lanes of 15 items or less open that had very little traffic and the line I was in, full service, had a large number of people waiting with full baskets and it was the only full service lane available.
The cashier replied no, she was going to wait. Manager, please. I'm sorry, are you asking for a manager? Yes, I am, thank you. The front end manager shows up and gives me a look after finding out what's going on. What are we supposed to do? - while shrugging his shoulders and getting an attitude, an attitude that I didn't have until that kind of treatment started coming my way. You are supposed to move this customer's things out of the way and start checking other customers, that's what. He said nothing to me and went to the cash register, closed out that other customer's ticket and then the cashier, who obviously wasn't happy about what I had asked - reasonably - to do checked me out.
When we were done, I was walking away and felt eyes on my back. I turned my head to see the cashier scowling at me, who quickly turned her head back to the line in front of her. That was enough. I went to the Customer Service desk and asked for the store's GM, who just happened to be there and who showed up rather quickly, I might add. This is a "secondary" Fry's, I only use it when I have other business needing to be taken care of at the part of town - which is 3 miles away from the normal Fry's I go to. He immediately apologized, asked what he could do - of which I said nothing, just deal with this - and we parted ways after he assured me he would be having a conversation with those individuals.
The problem here is that most people won't say anything, so when the "odd one out" does speak up, they give you an attitude both in their tones and their stance/look. When I got home, I decided to call corporate and ask them if they have a policy on such things, they do on most every thing else. The lady I was speaking with said no, no official policy but at the same time, that cashier should not have made everyone wait, especially considering it was the only full service lane available. Thank you. I'm not an unreasonable person, but I think a person who forgets their money should realize that they are going to have to go through the waiting process again, it's not going to be a 30 second wait, it has taken as long as 10 minutes for people to go get their money and that's just plain unacceptable.
That was the store at 24th Street & Baseline, now moving on to my experience at the store at 48th Street and Baseline, which occurred yesterday.
I wanted to buy a bottle of liquor for someone for Christmas. Crown Royale to be precise. They did not have it on the shelf, instead they have a sign saying it's available at the Customer Service desk. Upon going to the Customer Service desk and finding a lot of people in line there to do money orders and such, well, I wasn't going to wait that long and then have to go wait in line again to check out with the thing I was buying. So, I walked up to the front end manager and asked him about getting a bottle for me. I didn't think it unreasonable to ask for someone to go get it versus having to wait 15 to 20 minutes (customer service at that Fry's takes a long time, especially if there's a long line there) at that line and then having to wait in yet another line to check out.
He was having nothing to do with it. He told me I could get in line and that the cashier could go get it for me. ???? This guy was standing there, doing absolutely nothing. I just walked off and got into line, screw the whiskey, I'll find something else. But, the man kept staring at me - that feeling of having eyes on you again. So, after a while of this, I finally said "thanks for all the help you gave me!". But, that was also enough. I simply don't put up with attitudes from people working at grocery stores where I have spent unbelievable amounts of money over the past 8 or 9 years at that specific store.
When I got my items checked out, I called for the store's general manager. It took her a while to get up there, but upon hearing my statement, she immediately apologized, went to the customer service desk, got the bottle and had me check out at an unopened lane. I didn't ask her to get the bottle, I didn't want it at that point, but she insisted. I simply informed her that that man - the manager - is completely and totally useless. Why couldn't HE have done the same thing you just did? She was all over that, yes, I completely agree, was her reply and a statement that she was going to have a conversation with him about it.
I could see if that manager had been busy or something, but seriously, that man was standing there, doing absolutely NOTHING at all. Unbelievable. The state of customer service in this day and age at many places is absolutely abysmal. I do not believe my requests were out of line, unreasonable or otherwise undo-able.
Well whatever. I bought a lot of that food today for a family of 8 that was going to go without a Christmas dinner. I do this every year, buy a holiday meal for a family to cook. They are coming over right now to pick up the food. No, the bottle of Crown Royale is not for them, lol. I also got gift cards for tenants since they have posted cards on the tree addressed to me and others in the house - couldn't be a Scrooge and not give something back, lol.
It's a cool 59 degrees outside right now - that at noon thirty. It finally feels like winter : ) I was concerned to find a very large Plecostomus in my pond. I had thought they had all died out last winter and I didn't buy anymore because they can't handle the cold and up and die. How that one survived, I have no idea. He's about 11 inches long. Which reminds me that I am going to place an ad on Craigslist and see if anyone wants him. I would rather give him away, free, than see his dead body floating around the top of the pond.
I decided to go ahead and make a dentist appointment before the end of the year so I could get the free x-rays/exam done and find out how bad the damage is. I have pain coming from one tooth, dunno. It's been a loooooong time since I've been to a dentist. Stories that go along with the reason why I don't go to dentists would take too long/too much writing. But I can't let it go forever, especially when low level pain starts coming here and there. Next thing you know, you have a full fledged toothache and there is no point in procrastinating. If I get in there now, at least I can take advantage of this year's worth of limit on my insurance then pick it up again in January if necessary (I'm guessing 90% chance it will definitely have to be picked up in January). This doesn't include 2 chipped teeth and a tooth with the crown missing - it came off 3 months after I paid a good deal of money to have it put on there. Hmm, might have been 6 months. Whatever it was, definitely not long enough to say, gee, I got my money's worth out of THAT little deal.
That's it. As much as I don't want to, I am going to have to go out there and clean out one of the pond filters today. I don't much care to deal with the ponds when it's cold outside, but, it has to be done.
Merry Christmas Eve Day!
ben
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