Nuisance neighbor

Posted on by backuphill

black mole in black soil

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Well, the nuisance neighbor is at it again. No, I don’t mean the guy that lives next door. He actually is a pretty good guy. I mean the neighbor that moved into the yard. No, I don’t mean the family of trailer dwellers in the yard.

I mean the neighbor who digs holes throughout the yard and leaves mounds of fresh dirt behind as evidence that my efforts to exterminate him (or her; or them) are failing.

Yes, there is at least one but probably more like a family of moles living in the yard and they are popping up all over the place despite my best efforts to trap and kill them INHUMANELY.

I may have to resort to nuking the yard.

Perhaps the US Government would be interested in testing the next big nuke in my yard? I know that sounds drastic, but I am not even sure if that would take care of the little diggers. Pests.

These things are making me a grumpy(er) old man…

Got any yard problems or pests you’d like to go nuclear on?

Omission

Posted on by backuphill

black and white black and white depressed depression

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

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?

Drawn and quartered

Posted on by backuphill

the greek statues

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

There are very few things in life that seem to warrant the old punishment of “Drawn and Quartered.” It used to be reserved for high treason, but it isn’t used anymore. Something about cruel and unusual…whatever…

I have determined, and I am sure many of you will agree, that this punishment should now be returned to service, not to be used for high treason but for something much worse.

Being the creator of spam.

In EVERY single form it exists.

We are all aware of the spam we get in our email. We are also all now very aware of those auto-dialers that create spam phone calls. Spam on social media is now a thing too. Here’s one you may or may not be aware of…

Have you checked your blog comments section for spam? Good grief. There is a lot of crap in that file. Thank goodness it gets filtered! But good grief, how do you get like entire Wikipedia science articles spliced into 18 different comments? Yeah, spam. Lots of it. It seems this is all hidden behind “proxy” type addresses, so it is easy to quickly decide it is spam and delete but the fact that you have to do it at all is really annoying.

So, I submit to you all that we bring this medieval punishment of “drawn and quartering” back for a 21st century crime. It might not stop the behavior as a deterrent, but it would be totally satisfying to see the spam creator suffer a just punishment.

Just saying.

#endspam

Who’s with me here? Do you agree? Do you have a better suggestion?

Vacation planning

Posted on by backuphill

action blur car child

Photo by Nubia Navarro (nubikini) on Pexels.com

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:

  1. Plan when to go on vacation MONTHS (if not years) in advance.
  2. Save your butt off for vacation (or rack up CC bills while on vacation so you can work your butt off when you return).
  3. Ask for time off and cross your fingers someone didn’t beat you to the dates.
  4. 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.
  5. Arrange for pet-sitter/house-sitter/rides to or from airport.
  6. Shop for vacation.
  7. Pack for vacation.
  8. Load up the car.
  9. Worry about forgetting something while you drive away.
  10. Unload the car.
  11. Hustle off to destination.
  12. Unpack when you get to destination.
  13. Do stuff. See stuff. Eat stuff. Drink stuff. Repeat.
  14. Pack to go home.
  15. Load the car.
  16. Worry about forgetting something at the place you just left.
  17. Travel.
  18. Get back home.
  19. Unpack.
  20. Do laundry from vacation (and perhaps a house-sitter).
  21. Catch up on mail.
  22. 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 by backuphill

gray dock

Photo by Suena Bennett on Pexels.com

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.?

 

 

Do your job

Posted on by backuphill

man sitting on black leather padded chair

Photo by Jason Appleton on Pexels.com

The job I have is to help people with the software they use every day. I help them extract data from the software and help then fix issues when it doesn’t work correctly.

What I don’t like doing is their jobs for them.

We often get requests that are a are a regular function of their job, something they should know how to do after years of working at the job. Yes, there are those who are new to the position so I can understand asking for help at that point.

However, there are lots of people who call us on a regular basis to help them get data from the system they should have learned how to do by now. They just refuse to figure it out.

“Oh, it’s just easier if you do it.” 

“I know it is accurate when you do it.” Um, no, not necessarily. It’s your data. We don’t know if it is accurate. We just tell you what we see.

“It takes too much time to learn this stuff.”

Good grief…just freaking do your job.

Anyone else out there tired of doing someone else’s job? What is it and why do you do it?

On the horizon

Posted on by backuphill

macro photography of black sunglasses on sand

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

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 by backuphill

grayscale photo of human lying on ground covered of cardboard box

Photo by THE COLLAB. on Pexels.com

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 by backuphill

black framed wing mirror

Photo by Lukas Kloeppel on Pexels.com

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?

Voluntold

Posted on by backuphill

photography of a person pointing on something

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

I think there is a little bit of this in everyone.

You have something planned for the day, either at work or in your personal life. You have things ready to go and then all of the sudden you find your plans have changed.

Not because you want them too, but because you have been “voluntold.” Maybe you have heard of it. Maybe you have been the unwilling victim.

The boss. The wife. The parents. Maybe you missed a meeting. Maybe you were selected because of your “qualifications.” Maybe you’re just unlucky.

I am sure you have run into it at least once.

No one likes it.

And yet, we all have maybe done it to someone at the same time. Ah, sweet revenge…