Culture | Piss and Moan

Guest WiFi – exercise in frustration

Posted on July 2, 2019 by backuphill

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This is a love-hate type relationship.

Have you ever been in a store and unable to get a cell signal? Yeah, it happens more than you think. Have you been in such a store only to find there is no “Guest Wifi” available to you? Irritating. I find this most irritating while shopping at Costco. I mean, come on, it’s a warehouse for crying out-loud. It wouldn’t be that hard to put wifi in the place.

On the other hand, there are those places that have “Guest WiFi” available but it doesn’t work or is slower than molasses (here’s one for you…electronics store Best Buy has spotty guest wifi). I was traveling recently and learned that there was a place nearby (a government agency, actually) that had guest wifi. So, I went to check it out. FULL signal, this is promising! However, no data transferred at all. It was basically the same as when you’re at home and you know the wifi is on and you get a signal but it has to be rebooted so it will allow the transfer of data. So, what was promising became just an exercise in frustration.

So, we are left with the love-hate relationship again. I love stores that make it available, but I hate places that have it and it doesn’t work.

Off the grid

Posted on June 28, 2019 by backuphill

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So I have been camping this week. I am sure it has been relaxing, but I can’t say for sure because I am writing this post ahead of time…like I did for all these posts this week.

When you are “off the grid” there is a certain kind of freedom because you aren’t faced with the rush of trying to keep up on everything that goes on around you. The outside world doesn’t interfere with the “here and now.”

But, there is also a downside to that. Once you have been off the grid for a few days, you start to feel the addiction of the grid. What’s going on? What are others doing? Is the world falling apart without me? It is really tough to unplug and “just be” because the internet and electronics are so imbedded in our lives.

Off the grid vacations are great, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t dread them a little too.

black and white blank challenge connect

Bent but not broken

Posted on June 27, 2019 by backuphill

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Can you believe some people use this as justification for breaking the rules?

Recently someone said, “Well, you never said I couldn’t…” – fill in the blank. They had bent the agreed upon limitation (rule, if you will) so that it could accommodate their desired outcome.

So, if that is the case, unless we explicitly define every possible circumstance then bending the rules is fine. Never mind the intent of the rule, or even the law.

That’s the problem today with society. We will do whatever we can to make things as easy and accommodating to get what we want. We find every way possible to bend the rules, which we know is wrong to do, just so we can get what we want.

Speeding? Oh, well, I was going downhill.

Cheating on a test? Well, is it really cheating if they didn’t say I couldn’t use the book?

Affair? It’s not an affair because we didn’t have sex.

Murder? Oh, well, I didn’t want the as yet to be born baby.

Sick day from work? No, I wasn’t sick but everyone does it. It was for my “mental health,” and go to the beach.

Which, or what, bent rule irritates you the most?

Omission

Posted on June 24, 2019 by backuphill

black and white black and white depressed depression

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What do you consider a lie?

Is consciously leaving out information or details lying? If you only get part of the info, is it really the truth?

If someone repeatedly, or maybe habitually, omits info can you trust them? When do you draw the line?

This is a tricky topic because we all do it to some degree. Sometimes it is not on purpose, but other times it is an outright choice.

I guess the question really comes down to: Are you prepared to stand your ground when you know you are being deceived on purpose or do you just let it slide?

Vacation planning

Posted on June 20, 2019 by backuphill

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There is a reason teachers would rather go to work sick, or skip all professional development. It’s because it is more work than it is worth. Planning takes time and effort and more times than not there is more work to do when you get back. It is just easier to be there than to not be there.

Now that I am not in the classroom, I think I have found the regular working stiff equivalent.

I now understand why Americans would rather work and accrue vacation days rather than actually go on vacation.

Why is using vacation and taking a vacation so much work?

Steps to taking a vacation:

Plan when to go on vacation MONTHS (if not years) in advance.
Save your butt off for vacation (or rack up CC bills while on vacation so you can work your butt off when you return).
Ask for time off and cross your fingers someone didn’t beat you to the dates.
Plan where to go or what to do…this couldn’t probably be 10 mores steps by itself but for demonstration purposes, I’ll keep it at one.
Arrange for pet-sitter/house-sitter/rides to or from airport.
Shop for vacation.
Pack for vacation.
Load up the car.
Worry about forgetting something while you drive away.
Unload the car.
Hustle off to destination.
Unpack when you get to destination.
Do stuff. See stuff. Eat stuff. Drink stuff. Repeat.
Pack to go home.
Load the car.
Worry about forgetting something at the place you just left.
Travel.
Get back home.
Unpack.
Do laundry from vacation (and perhaps a house-sitter).
Catch up on mail.
Catch up on yard work.

Return to work exhausted.

Is vacation really worth the trouble?

Anyone else ever feel like this? Ever needed a vacation from your vacation?

Half truth

Posted on June 19, 2019 by backuphill

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I think I have talked about this before, but I can’t find the past post. I think it had something to do with “omission,” when someone intentionally leaves out part of the truth. I guess that means it is possibly “half the truth.”

But really, do you just get the feeling like you’re being lied to? Like something just isn’t quite right?

I can’t put my finger on it, but I know when I am being lied to. Or, as some would say, just not getting all the truth. Let’s just say too past experiences have developed this sense.

I don’t get this feeling at or from work.

Relationships are hard. Sometimes I just wanna be alone and not deal with it all. If I try to ignore it, will it just go away?

Perhaps I just don’t like people. No, not perhaps. I mostly don’t. like. people.

OK, to be fair, most people. I don’t like most people. There, I said it.

Maybe I am just tired of distrusting people. I would like to trust them, but I am finding the trust is misplaced. So, trust is hard to come by.

The fog of life has got me thinking…

Anyone else have trust issues? Do you find you keep putting in the wrong places or people? What do you do to build it, keep it, etc.?

On the horizon

Posted on June 17, 2019 by backuphill

macro photography of black sunglasses on sand

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The longest week known to man is the week before a vacation.

The days drag.

The nights are filled with planning and preparation.

Vacation is on the horizon but there is so much to do beforehand.

While at work the only thing you can think of is what you would rather be doing during the vacation week to follow.

It’s as if vacation is but a mirage in the desert right now. Is it real? Will it provide relief and rest? Is refreshment ahead?

I can see it. I can almost touch it…and yet the horizon feels so far off.

How do you make it through the week before a vacation? Do you have a strategy to deal with the anticipation and distraction?

Priorities matter

Posted on June 14, 2019 by backuphill

grayscale photo of human lying on ground covered of cardboard box

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If you’re homeless in California, you gotta be wondering what the hell is going on in the state.

If you’re political grandstanding, like California politicians, then you know exactly what is going on.

Fund healthcare for young illegal aliens, but continue to allow your streets to fill up with homeless camps and drug addicts, most of whom are legal citizens.

Yeah, that makes logical sense.

This from a state that was in a budget crisis emergency not too many years back, and one that continues to tax people and businesses right out of the state. Oh, and throw in a possible economic downturn in the near future and you have yourself a situation rife for another budget crisis.

But hey, people in the country illegally make a louder splash in the news politically than doing something about the homeless crisis.

As usual, California has things backwards and priorities in the wrong place.

Not representative

Posted on June 13, 2019 by backuphill

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Recently I was tasked with finding a used car to purchase for my daughter. A process I am not fond of, let alone knowing my daughter is now old enough to be out on the road on her own. Scary times I tell ya!

Anyway, looking for a used car these days is tough. People are shady.

People are shady.

Hundreds of car ads on multiple platforms and driving by, stopping and looking, at cars on the side of the road with signs in them. It is hard to find a quality used car for a decent price. Or, I should say a decent car for an inexpensive price.

I wanted something that I didn’t have to worry about my 16 year old being on the side of the road in the dark somewhere but also knew it wasn’t going to be in perfect condition. The problem is that when you take all that into consideration and then add in a relatively limited budget, well let’s just say an ice cube in hell has a better chance. LOL

People are shady.

I already knew that point, but as I looked at cars online and then would go look at them in person I found a great majority of them were misrepresented in the ad. The body condition was accurately reflected in the photos. The interior was purposely misrepresented for obvious or glaring flaws. The engine leaked oil. The description left out the mile on the vehicle. Windows didn’t work. Mold growing on the interior? Come on.

Anyway, we found a car. I am not sure it was as great a deal as we first thought. New brakes all around after purchase and the key FOB doesn’t work even after the battery replacement. It is even possible the engine was pressure washed to hide a small oil leak.

I didn’t expect perfect, but people are shady.

Have you had similar purchase experiences from buying this online? Got a horror story to share?

Avoid or ignore?

Posted on June 11, 2019 by backuphill

close up photo of woman covering her ears

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No, I am not talking about doing that childhood favorite of skipping down the road obnoxiously swinging your arms, smiling, and just generally being carefree.

I am talking when someone purposely and obviously skips (avoids?) you but manages to respond to everyone else.

I don’t make it habit of leaving comments on other people’s blogs just so to leave a comment. I am selective and I try to put thought into it so that it can generate a conversations. I also make every effort to respond to comments left on my blog as I believe engagement is a good thing (at least when the comment isn’t purposely malicious).

Anyway, I have noticed that certain bloggers out there are really good at leaving a comment, a thank you, a thumbs up, etc. for the people who take time to comment on their blog. I think that is great, especially if there are a lot of comments, because it takes time. Returning the love is a good thing.

However, it also becomes a rather conspicuous omission when they fail to respond as well. As an example, a blog I made a comment to yesterday had 48 comments as of this morning. Now, we know that WordPress (for some reason) counts all comments, including the ones from the author, so really there were fewer than 48 comments from people who read the blog. As I scrolled through this morning to see if I received a comment (maybe I had missed a notification?), I noticed that every single comment the blog received go a response except mine. In some cases, there were multiple responses from the author.

Hmmm, weird.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not butthurt here. I just think it is rather interesting because it is SO OBVIOUS.

What habits of bloggers to you find annoying? Do you have any that you really appreciate?