opinion | Piss and Moan

Serial “like”r

Posted on March 24, 2020 by backuphill

close up photo of man wearing black suit jacket doing thumbs up gesture

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

Are you a serial LIKEr?

You’re probably asking, “What does that even mean?”

It’s not a perfect definition though. I think it should be adjusted to mean “people on social media platforms who ‘like’ posts or blogs to generate interest in their own accounts, never actually reading or interacting with the ‘liked’ post or account.”

Does that make more sense?

You have probably noticed it too. People who “like” your blog often but have never left a comment of any sort in the past, nor do they intend to in the future. I am not saying I haven’t been known to leave a like or two without comment, but I try to interact with every blog at some point. It might not be on a regular basis, but leaving a comment now and then (one that actually demonstrates that you read the blog) goes a long way for building loyal readers and followers.

If you just “like” with the hopes that someone visits your blog, well, your “like” is disingenuous and you didn’t really “like” it at all.

Leave a comment. Spark a conversation between you and the blogger, or other readers of the blog. Create some interaction. Then those “likes” at other times might be appropriate and actually considered genuine.

Otherwise you’re just a fake “like”r. Don’t be a fake.

National Treasure

Posted on March 17, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by David Bartus on Pexels.com

Tom Hanks.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now. I mean, this is big news. Top Story stuff right here.

How can our national treasure, Tom Hanks, have COVID-19?

There has to be some conspiracy going on here. Aliens. For sure aliens.

Hear me out here. They could easily land in the Australian outback undetected and bring COVID-19 to Tom and his lovely wife (I assume she is lovely. I haven’t met her, but Tom picked her so there must be something to her. Oh, I haven’t met Tom either. I’m just saying.)

Of course, I am kidding. He’s not our only national treasure…

Betty White! What about Betty White?

Apparently she has checked in and is doing just fine. Whew! National crisis averted.

BUT SERIOUSLY….

While I enjoy both of these actors, can we get away from covering the celebrities? Not to be callous or anything, but I am. I don’t care about their status. They don’t actually warrant “top story” headlines or an international outpouring of love and concern (you can count Kobe in on this if you want too).

They are just people and quite frankly they aren’t people we should care about any more than people in our families or our neighbors. Actually, those last two – family and neighbors – should get more care and concern than celebrities and athletes who have money to take care of themselves just fine.

Your family and neighbors need your care and concern. Pay attention to them. Stop and visit. Say, “Hi!” when you walk by. Shop local and support small business who employ the people you should be caring about.

Put your focus back on the people who actually deserve it.

Expenses and new adulthood

Posted on March 6, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Craig Adderley on Pexels.com

Here’s a TOUGH question for you?

At what point do you have your adult children fend for themselves?

Specifically, a child has graduated from high school almost a year ago and is now 19. Oh, and I’ll add that the child is not currently living in your home. Said child has college expenses covered already (tuition and housing), but has no job.

What do you think?

What do you continue to support/provide and what do you not? What would you consider “extra” versus necessary?

There are some difficult discussions coming up and I am curious how you see this topic. I realize this is a bit of an open ended question and can be taken in a lot of different directions, so I am open to any and all responses.

Domestic

Posted on March 5, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

OK, this is gonna be a rant for those of you who like to indulge in the consumption of an alcoholic beverage called “beer.” If you aren’t one of those people, I guess you can stop reading now (or not even click on the post – it’s fine, whatever…).

I hate to sound like a beer snob here, because I really am not one. BUT, (yes, there’s always a “but” in statements like that) you really don’t have to be a beer snob to understand what I am about to say.

How have domestic brewers stayed in business for so long? Like, really?

While I haven’t consumed piss water, I am pretty sure that is what it would taste like. Domestic beer is weak, it’s nearly clear, and it’s cheap (unless, of course, you are forced to buy it at a sports stadium like I was).

I can’t remember which stadium I was at in Arizona when I was surprised that there were no choices of micro-brewed beer. The other stadiums had them, so what was the deal with this one? Anyway, I was forced to buy something domestic (ok, forced may be a little strong since I could have kept my wallet in my pocket) to go along with my overpriced stadium food.

The experience was not enjoyable. I didn’t like the beer. Water. With a little food coloring in it. Pretty sure that is all it was. And, to top it off, if was $11. WTH?

So, anyone else out there baffled by domestic piss water beer? Anyone care to defend it?

Power(less)

Posted on March 4, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com

Traveling in the electronic age is rather interesting, or frustrating, depending on your point of view and experience.

On my vacation last week, I had the opportunity to visit four different airport concourses. All were Southwest Airlines concourses, but I am not actually sure who is responsible for setting them up. Obviously the airport maintains them (cleaning, etc.), but as far as designing and then implementing the design, as I understand, that is up to the airline.

The interesting thing is that all four airports had vastly different designs and amenities. Seattle’s hub, surprisingly, was the most comfortable and there were AMPLE places to plug in the electronic devices. Between a bar looking setup with plugs to all the chairs having plugs and USB ports, there was no fighting over access. As such, there was no possibility of running short on power, but I was just starting my trip so everything was fully powered already.

San Jose’s Southwest concourse was rather dinky and probably the least comfortable of all four, but again the chairs all had plugs and USB ports available so now finding a place to top off the devices wasn’t difficult. Find an open seat (maybe more difficult since it was a small place) and plug in.

Phoenix’s Southwest concourse was actually comfortable, but access to power was rather sparse. Again, I was fully charged so I didn’t need a place to power-up, but if I had there seemed to be a few “bar” looking places spaced throughout the concourse, but the plugs available at these were limited. The seating had no charging capability at all, at least not at the gate I was at and it didn’t look any different any place else.

Finally, Southwest’s Sacramento concourse was a decent size but again the power options were really limited. Again, there were a few of those “bar” options, but again nothing in the chairs. Fortunately, there wasn’t anything that needed topped off for me at this point in my trip. I was conserving power fairly well.

The return trip home was rather eye-opening. I fully expected that what I had available to me on my trip down would be available to me on the way home. That was not the case. I was a little surprised that the airline didn’t have the same amenities available in all of it’s concourses, at least as far as access to power goes. Yes, I know size of the airport and what other comforts available depend highly on the design of the building, but the easiest and most effective way to offer power options to your flyers is to add the chairs with power access right in them. The last two airports, not so much.

So, if you haven’t flown in a while, be prepared to be “powerless” on some legs of your trip. You may have to supply your own as the battle for outlets continues to increase in our electronics driven lives.

Sponsorship

Posted on March 3, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Sponsorship is a weird thing.

No, I haven’t been sponsored yet, but if you would like to, just leave me a note in the comments and I’ll follow up.

Anyway, on my trip last week I was at the Phoenix Suns game and I noticed in lots of different places that they had things going on around the arena that were sponsored by a college. Northern Arizona University, to be specific.

To be clear, I know nothing about this college. I don’t really care to know anything about this particular school. But, what I do know of colleges in general is that they are expensive – usually for no good reason other than they are trying to make a profit (even the supposed “non-profit” schools).

Therein lies the rub for me.

Sponsorships are usually something that has to be paid up front so you can have your name plastered all over the event, product, or other whatever. So, the way I see it is that this school sponsored events at a professional sports game and arena so that it could be noticed and maybe more students would enroll there. One can only assume at this point then is that the school is jacking up tuition and fees so that it can pay for official sponsorships at high profile locations like professional sports teams and arenas, which by the way don’t really need any help with promotions.

Why is college expensive? One of the many reasons is because of unnecessary crap like this. I highly doubt they can show that promotions at this venue have generated sufficient enrollments to cover the cost of the sponsorship.

Colleges shouldn’t be allowed to do sponsorships, period.

Tell me I’m wrong. Well, try to anyway.

Sit down

Posted on February 28, 2020 by backuphill

man wearing green polo shirt sitting in front of wooden counter

This is not the guy and this is not the bar. But you get the idea. Photo by Daria Sannikova on Pexels.com

Ok, so I missed a day. Yesterday.

I tried really hard to not have something to Piss and Moan about. I almost actually made it the whole day. I mean, really, what could I possibly find to complain about while I am on this vacation? Baseball. Sun. Beer. Best friend. Good food. Can it get better than that? Probably not.

But, the day just wasn’t the same if I didn’t find something…and then it happened. Tonight at dinner. Talk about irritating.

We were at a sports bar and having some food and drinks. There weren’t that many people in the place, maybe 20, so there were lots of empty tables, even empty seats at the bar.

So, we found a table that was up against the wall so we all could see the TVs above the bar. One TV had the opening night of the NFL Combine. One TV had the Houston & Washington spring training baseball game on. The other TV close to the bar had TMZ on (what the hell??).

We ordered our food and because watching the various TVs and then this guy comes in and takes a chair at the bar in front of the TV with the combine on it…which is the seat right in front of us…and then he doesn’t even sit down, he stands instead of using the chair. So, he blocks the view of the TV completely.

Dude, sit your ass down! No, better yet, find a different seat. There are a hundred other chairs in this place and you have to sit right in front of the TV, in front of us, so we can’t see it? Can we say someone was a little just into himself and oblivious to anyone else in the world?

Rude, dude, rude.

Walk-in

Posted on February 19, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Wish me luck. I’ll probably need it.

I am headed to the walk-in clinic early this afternoon to see if there is anything they can do about the sinuses and deep lung coughing. Sleep last night was tough to come by and with a vacation coming in less than a week I am looking to kick this thing rather quickly.

Why do I need luck? Have you been to a walk-in? LOL

It takes a demonstration of extreme patience and tolerance.

It takes forever (typically) to get seen by a doc and, when you actually do see a doc it typically isn’t even a doc but a PA (physician’s assistant). I have found that care is a little suspect at that point. Plus, add in that a walk-in generally tries to rush you out once you’re in (it seems to take forever to see anyone and then once you do, you wonder why it took so long based on how long you actually got to see someone).

So, I am going to be brave and endure with the hope of some relief.

Group texts

Posted on February 18, 2020 by backuphill

photo of man in white dress shirt holding phone near window

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I bet you cringed when you read the headline. I know I do. Or, maybe your eyes rolled violently to the back of your head. I know mine do.

I think it is safe to say group texts are the bane of texting. A necessary evil, if you will.

I am sure you can see where this is heading…I hate group texts! I really really really do.

So much so, that my family knows not to include me in a group texts unless it is absolutely necessary – like getting bad news to a large group of people quickly necessary.

The problem is, I keep getting included in groups I really don’t need to be a part of. Actually, I probably do need to be a part of them but the group then gets abused by people talking about other things I don’t need or want to know about. Suddenly the conversation goes from necessary to drivel and my phone is exploding for no good reason other than people like to hear themselves talk.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a good way to remove yourself from the group text (like an actual text conversation) unless it is through some kind of social media app. You are stuck…listening to your text alert go off endlessly…as people have a conversation about nothing….until finally you BEG the person who added you to the conversation to please remove you from it.

Not to be rude or anything, but would you please delete my contact info from your phone…forever?

Other than scolding everyone to stop using the group text message for side conversations and everyone finally agreeing to stop, how do you curb this extreme annoyance?

What do other people think? Should group texts be outlawed? When are they acceptable?

Need to know

Posted on February 11, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

“You’re on a need to know basis, and you don’t need to know.”

The above phrase gets tossed around a lot, but there are actual times when it applies. Yesterday, I ran into an instance from my employer that seems to fit this to a T.

The admin assistance to our department director came around with a new form to fill out. It supposedly is something that we have filled out previously and supposedly only has one line changed on the whole document. The supposed change is “to comply with federal grant requirements.” The added line really isn’t the issue for me though.

The document is basically a “driver screening” risk management form. I get that in order for me to drive a company vehicle, they have to ask certain questions and it is expected that I report certain details should circumstances require the necessity to do so. That isn’t really an issue for me. I understand the necessity of such a screening. HOWEVER…

The document goes on to ask about information that I believe is totally unnecessary and, quite frankly, a violation of my privacy by asking about my personal vehicle. As in, should I drive my personal vehicle during work hours and on work time. The document is asking for the kind of vehicle I drive and license plate (why would it matter what vehicle I drive if it is my vehicle?), what insurance company I use and the policy number (with specific amounts of coverage); it requires to inform my employer if I drop expected level of insurance to a lower level, and expects me to waive all rights as an employee if on company time and there is an accident in my personal vehicle.

Does this sound invasive? Is this typical? Do you willingly give your employer information they don’t really need?

Yes, there is travel required as part of my job. Yes, I do prefer to drive my personal vehicle instead of the crappy company cars. But, the requirements of this document are “part of my continued employment” with the company, as though the document and my driving my vehicle have anything to do with my job performance and skills as a trainer and software analyst.

A big part of me bristles as this whole thing. I can accept that my employer needs to know certain things about me, but I don’t accept that they need to know everything about me.

I partially joked with a co-worker who was feeling the same way as I was yesterday that it won’t be long and they’ll be asking for our homeowner’s insurance policies since we telecommute several days a week.

I can see the future, and I don’t like it.