Lane closure

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I have said it in the past but I am going to say it again. Sorry if it sounds like I am a broken record, but WADOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) seriously has to do a better job – not just them, but the contractors they hire as well.

It was another painful travel weekend. It think it was three weeks ago I mentioned the reduction of lanes on a major interstate highway (it’s actually I-5, a federal highway) and how badly it affected the traffic on a Friday night. Well, this last Friday was no different. Miles and miles and miles of lane closures and not a soul in sight doing any work! While progress may be getting done, it surely doesn’t appear like it and they are in no hurry to get it done. It’s kind of ridiculous really.

So, yesterday (Sunday for those of you keeping track), a major north/south highway had ALL of the northbound lanes closed. That’s right, I-405 was closed with only one lane (a collector/distributor lane) getting by. That means five lanes diverted to one. To top it off, they didn’t close on-ramps that directly affected that one diverted lane, so merging traffic and diverted traffic had to fight for the same space. Ultimately, that mean five lanes got bottle-necked and didn’t have a steady flow. Kind of a CF if you ask me!

Look, I get that construction needs to get done. I am fully aware of the condition of the roadways. But, let’s be honest here. These days, there is never a good time to close highways and there is never a good time to avoid the hassle.

BUT, what doesn’t appear to be happening is that WADOT isn’t requiring construction crews to complete the work in the fastest time possible (overnight work, 24/7, until it is done). Traffic volumes are much lower at night and it affects for fewer people/travelers when work is done then. And, let’s face it, with the technology that is available these days there is no reason work can’t be done at night.

Get it together WADOT! You are costing people money and time.

Seat for one

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It has been a summer of doing stuff on my own. Mostly traveling to different extended family events in other parts of the state. Back forth I go!

Once again, I am off on my own this weekend. The family is going in many different directions and when the kids get to be of the age where they have cars and jobs, they have to start making choices between participation and doing this “adult-ish.”

So, once again, I have reserved a seat for one at a family gathering.

I am not sure if I am complaining or bragging. Sometimes I wish it wasn’t that way, but at other times I don’t mind it because I don’t have to be accountable to or worry about anyone but me. There is freedom in that. I can eat when I want. I can stop on the way there when I want. I can take my time and get there when I want.

OK, I guess I am not really complaining on this when I look at it that way.


 

Do you value your time alone when you are traveling or would you prefer to do it with others?

Hellofaday

exercise

Yesterday. Yesterday was a hellofaday.

Remember that morning minute I talked about yesterday? Yeah, that one minute was all I got of quiet and calm.

Work was a…b….bear…yeah, that’s it… It was busy as hell and I got absolutely NOTHING I planned to get done, done. Everyone, it seems, needed help for with or for something. The phones were off the hook and meetings popped up outta nowhere.

A co-worker sent me the graphic above. That about sums up my energy at the end of the day.

The busy season has begun.

Relatively needy

adorable animal cat close up

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As you may have read yesterday, there are some relatives staying with us. I have to preface that with the fact that these are in addition to the relatives who have been staying with us in the camper in our yard. So, needless to say, there are quite a few extra people around.

Well, yesterday when I got home, it seemed everyone who doesn’t have permanent residence IN the house needed something. Things they couldn’t take care of themselves or needed assistance with, or even just didn’t take care of themselves even though they caused the issue.

One relative needed help gathering supplies for a campfire in the backyard. Not a hard task, but since I didn’t really want a fire in the backyard pit it was rather irritating. It was just assumed it was OK rather than asking. So as to not make waves, I just did it.

One relative didn’t pick up their crap. So I put it away.

One relative broke a light switch. I went about repairs, only to find that it can’t be fixed and will need to be replaces.

One relative had to tell me, immediately about the day even though she could see that I was busy with other things. She literally followed me around talking while I took care of other stuff.

One relative complained because my face “said I looked like I was irritated.”

All of this was within the first 20 minutes of being home.

I’ll tell you what…some days it just doesn’t pay to go home. Perhaps I’ll not go home for the rest of the week…

Invasion

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Have you ever experienced an invasion?

Not of rodents. Not of insects. Not of a military kind.

But of the family kind?

Relatives have been in town this last week (and one more to go) and it feels a bit like an invasion. Everything in the house has been adjusted for them, the food, the fridge, the sleeping schedule, the bathroom, the furniture, the accommodations, the entertainment, the seemingly openness to communal living…it’s tiring.

It’s an invasion really.

Suddenly life as I have known it is thrown upside down and normal day to day activities take on a new, additional challenge. It’s not good. Really.

I love them. I’ll admit. But they’re tiring. Really tiring. They live life so differently.

The only bright spot in this invasion? They’ll leave.

This invasion will end and they’ll go home. Far, far away.

The normal (whatever that is) life will return.


 

Anyone else not really enjoy house guests? Family or other?

FREEZE!

cookies on square white ceramic plate

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Me: Freeze, Dirt Bag!

Daughter: Dad!

Me: I said freeze! Now, put down my chocolate chip cookie and step away.

Daughter: Dad, it’s just a cookie. Lighten up.

Me: No, it is NOT just a cookie. It is MY cookie and you are not authorized to touch it, let alone eat it.

Daughter: Dad…

Me: You are seriously jeopardizing my ability to love you right now. Drop it!

Daughter: I swear your old age is making you crazy…

Anyone else like chocolate chip cookies as much as me?

Anyone else not like sharing them?

Anyone else feel like your job as a dad is to eat all the chocolate chip cookies before you have to share with the kids? Yeah, me too.

I swear if I have to share another cookie with my kids…

IT department

close up photo of gray typewriter

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Chris in IT called yesterday.

From another state. With an accent from a foreign country. Weird, I thought IT was just down the hall…

Anyway, he called to tell me that my computer had a virus and it wasn’t operating at it’s best capability.

I told him I didn’t know that my typewriter could get a virus but was wondering if that is why the “B” key was sticking so badly. I let him know that it would just write an upper case “B” all the way across the page and sometimes I had to take the paper out before it would start the next line.

He said that my typewriter could get a virus…and then hung up. He hung up! That isn’t very good IT service.

Do people really fall for this crap? I supposed people probably do since we keep hearing about it.

Well, Chris from IT, see if you can figure out how to hack my typewriter.


 

How do you like to mess with these fraud calls or telemarketers? What’s your favorite tactic?

Read the fine print

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Actually, the print isn’t really even that fine. It is in BOLD, and in CAPS.

Anyone else out there notice this trend?

So, once in a while I come across stuff in the house or garage that is still in good shape and would likely be useful to someone else. It could be worth a little cash, so I have tried selling this stuff on OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace. I have even tried Craigslist. I am not trying to make bank and if it doesn’t sell within the first couple weeks of being posted it usually ends up getting donated to one of the thrift stores in the local area.

BUT, there seems to be a trend of people who don’t really read the description and only look a the price. Here’s the scenario I encounter all too often: I have an item marked “Price is firm” and yet I get low-ball offers that no one in their right mind would accept. Do people really believe items are priced with no prior research? I know what it is worth and I have researched it so it isn’t the highest priced item. I want it to sell! But I am also not going to necessarily give it away either (unless it is truly something that can be donated).

The other trend is that people don’t actually READ the description. An item I have posted right now has been inquired about at least 30 times. It always starts with the “Is it still available?” question. I always follow up with confirmation that it is indeed available but ask if they read the description. Shortly thereafter they respond that they are no longer interested. Obvious proof they haven’t read the description, which clearly states in caps that the tool is NOT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONAL. It needs repair, but it is beyond my capabilities. It is nearly new (as far as use goes) so someone could get some value out of it. However, people are just wasting my time by not actually reading the description and just clicking a button. They are totally distracted by the price.

Anyway, it’s kind of frustrating. But, actually, it doesn’t surprise me anymore. People only see what they want to see.


 

Have you experienced something similar?

Can’t get no service

hotel sign neon letters

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Hotel restaurant – you are the weakest link.

Last year, the food took a long time and the missed one order for someone in the party. Didn’t even get the order put into the kitchen. So someone didn’t even get to eat.

This year, the waitress took forever. The orders came out wrong. Some people had to wait to order after others had already ordered. The kitchen was taking forever and people who were already done had to wait 30 minutes for their bill.

Um, can you say fail? What’s worse it that for two years in a row it has been poor service. Glad I didn’t choose to eat here, but I feel bad for my co-workers did.

The rooms are OK, but the service in parts of the hotel leave a bit to be desired.

Elevated

gold colored chandelier

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I don’t know what it is about me. Do I look like I really like elevators?

I don’t know why this is, but every time I have traveled for work in the last three years and stayed in a hotel I have been in the room directly across from the elevator.

If you have traveled much, you know that is an issue because people getting off the elevator generally aren’t quiet. They are loud and noisy in the elevator and as they get off the elevator. They typically quiet down as they turn the corner to head down the hallway to their rooms. As such, anyone in the room closest to the elevator gets the brunt of “offload” or “load” noise.

It’s irritating, really.

It definitely doesn’t elevate my stay.


 

What about staying in a hotel annoys you?