Month: April 2019

Hey, I’m driving here!

Posted on by backuphill

person holding red umbrella walking on street

Photo by Deva Darshan on Pexels.com

I sure hope you aren’t one of these people. I hope you aren’t a rude slow poke.

I’ll venture a guess you have experienced this though…

You enter a parking lot and proceed to look for a parking space. In the time that you are slowly driving around looking for a space, you inevitably encounter people who have exited the store, or perhaps are even headed into the store, and are walking right down the middle of the “road.” Thus, blocking you from moving any further as you wait for them to move.

Sometimes there are multiple people, walking shoulder to shoulder, creating a line across the roadway and preventing you from passing. They are oblivious to others around them, just walking and talking, taking their sweet time as your crawl at a snail’s pace, if you can move at all.

Rude? You bet! Frustrating? Of course. Wanna run over them? OK, keep that one to yourself as sometimes silence is the best policy…

GET.OUT.OF.THE.WAY!

Really, it’s not like I am in a hurry. In most cases, I am patient and can wait. But it is the principle of the thing – let’s not just be concerned with ourselves, shall we?

What are your parking lot pet peeves? Do you have bad habits you are can admit?

There she goes

Posted on by backuphill

silhouette of girl running on the seashore during golden hour

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Strange things have been happening around here. My little one has turned 16 and a new form of freedom is upon us both.

I love it!

I hate it…

It feels very weird. I mean really weird.

Yesterday, after having her license for three whole days, was the first time she got in a car and drove away by herself. There was no one in the car…except her…

After 16 years, it is time to do a little letting go and I have to admit it is scary. I mean, I love watching my daughter grow and mature and become her own person, but inside the pride is mixed with hurt. Not the kind of hurt that is caused by someone that has done something to you, but a hurt that just aches because you know the “little girl” is gone.

It was surreal watching her drive away. Away to a place of her choosing. She has many more destinations ahead of her and I am not going to be able to protect her as she goes.

Man, growing old is tough. These new adventures my daughter is taking me on are tough.

There she goes…

Morning that got away

Posted on by backuphill

grayscale photo of a man in houndstooth print suit jacket wearing a hat

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Traffic accident on the commute.

Nearly late for usual Friday morning meeting.

Email.

More meetings.

Doing my job.

Yeah, the morning got away from me and there is no getting it back, as it is 12:25pm (my time). As such, the post today is 4.5 hours later than normal. So sorry.

AS you can imagine, that’s really annoying and I need to plan farther ahead. It’s just hard to keep up some days. A plate will fall once in a while.

Or a few plates.

How is your day? Have you had one get away from you lately?

Can’t hear you

Posted on by backuphill

fried meat beside sliced lemon and white mustard

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

We are an entertainment society, as in we all want to be entertained all the time. Look at our culture. We carry around computers in our hands that are used for some communication, but mostly for entertainment.

It comes in various forms, but usually there is some kind of entertainment even when you go out to eat. TVs on the wall. Touch pads of some sort on the table. Music playing overhead. A live band. You are likely to find at least one of these forms of entertainment in a dining establishment near you.

The other day I was out to eat at a place and the music was so loud (not a band, just overhead) that I couldn’t talk with the person across the table from me. It felt like we had to shout at each other just to tell the other person we couldn’t hear what they were saying because of the music.

We probably should have left, but instead endured the abuse of our ears while we ate.

Maybe I am just getting old, though I don’t think it is that. I like loud music, but there is a time and place for it. When it comes to being social with others I don’t think music blaring is an appropriate time to give the speakers a workout. Most people like to visit while they eat.

So, is this becoming common practice these days? I noticed a while back while out with my family as well, though it wasn’t as bad as the last place it was still rather annoying.

Friends, what do you know about this? Are you similarly annoyed by the rising volume of music in restaurants?

Fast talker

Posted on by backuphill

person woman smartphone calling

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I have written in the past about a co-worker who talks so fast that she sucks all the air out of the room and doesn’t leave room for anyone else to say anything.

Well, I also have a co-worker that apparently thinks she can read my mind and tries to finish my sentences for me, right or wrong. We can be talking about something and she interrupts to try and say what she thinks I was going to say, only for me to stop and have to redirect her in another direction. She must think she knows everything.

I am pretty sure that means she isn’t really listening, but trying formulate where I am going so she can jump ahead and finish what it is we are working on or trying to troubleshoot.

Irritating. Not to mention it takes more time than necessary because you are always putting her back on the right track.

Tell me something annoying about one of your co-workers. What drives you nuts at work? Let’s commiserate!

Where are the laundry elves?

Posted on by backuphill

wooden laundry washing clothes line

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I don’t know about your house, but there definitely are no laundry elves where I live.

Why can’t I just leave and come home to washed, folded, and put away laundry? I mean, seriously, does anyone enjoy doing this chore? If you do, how much does it cost to hire you?

There’s got to be an elf, or gnome, or app for that. Right?

There is no magic and it isn’t fun.

Just get done already.

Cuts so deep

Posted on by backuphill

kitchen knife

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Tip of the iceberg. Tip of the finger.

One you can see, the other I am afraid to look at.

Throbbing.

Intense throbbing after a mishap with a knife. Man they’re sharp. Look at your middle finger, imagine a line about mid fingernail, and then think cut across the line…it didn’t go all the way through. Luckily the nail stopped it to some degree. (sorry if it grosses you out)

Stupid carrot sticks. Healthy eating just isn’t worth this kind of pain.

Does it need stitches? Probably. Will I get them? Probably not.

Rub some dirt in it and put on some duct tape, right? Isn’t that the cure for injuries like this?

I’m gonna stop now, It hurts to type. And BandAids don’t make for easy typing either.

Flakey flakeness

Posted on by backuphill

grey road painting

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

OK, “flakeness” is apparently a word I made up. No matter. It fits the description just fine.

Ever tried to sell something on Facebook Marketplace? Sometimes success. Sometimes utter failure.

I think I have talked about this in the past, but I don’t remember and can’t find the post if I did. But, really people are just flakes. Flakey Flakeness to the core.

How do you say you want to buy something, agree to a time and place, ask to be given advanced notice when you’re almost there, and THEN not show up? Don’t answer any more messages or texts? Really? Damn, people, get it together.

Follow through.

Say what you’ll do and do what you say.

Courtesy. It’s a cool thing we should still expect.

Stop the flakeness already!

 

Follow the instructions they said

Posted on by backuphill

person pointing on white textile

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Follow the instructions.

Generalizing, this is a tough thing for us males to do. We just want to jump right in and make things happen. We know what to do instinctively. Now, that generalization might be true of many men but it is not true of me. I actually like to read the instructions and user manual so I can get the most out of something I just bought.

So, we have replaced a couple appliances in the kitchen recently and two of them arrived yesterday. I was left to replace the microwave after all was said and done (the store wanted $150 for the install). I looked at the instructions and measurements. I looked at the space and did the measurements. It would fit and it would work nicely in the space the old one filled.

Commence the two hour microwave wrestling session. I drilled new holes (because of course the old ones won’t work). I mounted the new bracket. I measured twice and sometimes even three times to make sure everything was going to line up. With some help, because I am not Superman, the microwave was hefted into position. It attached to the bracket just fine, but otherwise wouldn’t fit.

At this point I was wishing I had four arms and was three people. Off the microwave came. I measured some more. No, it is should fit just like it says. I measured again. Yes, it will fit. The microwave was hefted again and set on the bracket. Still no fit (of course, because I didn’t change anything). While while holding it in place I was formulating a plan – the plan was coming together…SHOVE until it fits. This is gonna work.

So, shove I did. No budge. Shove some more. Still no budge. Rest. Shove again, harder. No budge. Shove some more. Still no budge. Let’s try greasing the edge a little to help it along. (yes, I greased an appliance. You read that correctly.) Grease, in the form of Crisco, applied. Shove again. It moved right into place. Excellent. Now to finish the mount by attaching the screws on the top.

The holes don’t line up.

Damn, Koreans. This thing was probably built by North Korea or something…

Pull it back down. Re-drill the holes. I am just gonna guess this time since the template obviously was NO HELP the first time. Shove the microwave into place. The screws match perfectly. Microwave mounted.

The lesson: skip the instructions and template. Just eyeball it and give it a shot.

I guess I should just go with my maleness.

 

Raining on my parade

Posted on by backuphill

road landscape nature forest

Photo by veeterzy on Pexels.com

Not really a parade, per se. Not even a celebration of sorts. But it is raining.

I have been on vacation this week. The kids are on on spring break and since I am no longer a teacher I don’t get a spring break, so I made one and took vacation.

The first several days of my vacation were pretty productive and I have finished a few projects that needed some attention. There are still projects on my list and there are a few things that I am sure will come up as I think of more things to do.

One thing I hadn’t counted on and have never liked – rain on my vacation. Yes, I know it is selfish, but who wants rain on their vacation so their plans get ruined or put on hold? Wouldn’t you rather just have sun and be able to do what you want to do without interference from Mother Nature? No one wants to get rained out.

I guess I’ll have to see what inside projects I can add to the list.

“The sun’ll come out, tomorrow, tomorrow…”