experience | Piss and Moan

What’s your take?

Posted on May 19, 2021 by backuphill

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OK, so here’s a different question for you. What would you do if given advice by someone with questionable personal demonstration of advice given?

Let’s say for instance:

Do you take driving advice from someone who has dents and scratches all over their vehicle?
Do you take construction advice from someone who has a house that is falling apart?
Do you take weight management advice from a doctor who has a weight problem themselves?
Do you take cooking advice from someone who can’t find a job in a restaurant?
Do you take fishing suggestions from someone who can’t catch a fish?
Do you take writing advice from someone who can’t write?

I think you get the point.

What do you do with advice from someone who doesn’t seem to put said advice to practice in their own lives?

Do you dismiss the advice outright? Do you take it into account and go your own way? Do you follow it and hope you didn’t get set on the wrong path?

Is there any reason to take advice from someone who appears to not take their own advice?

Drop your thoughts in the comments. I am looking forward to a lively discussion!

Once again

Posted on July 16, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Leonardo Rossatti on Pexels.com

I don’t know why I bother, because I am going to be ignored either way.

Advice.

Why ask for it if you are going to completely ignore it?

Family. I tell ya.

Kids. *shakes head* Damn, kids.

When they ask for advice, they don’t really want advice. They just want validation for their own thoughts and opinions, and if you don’t give them what they want then they discount your advice and do what they wanted to do in the first place.

Gets old, ya know?

Wise counsel

Posted on September 24, 2019 by backuphill

Grinding gears

Yeah, this today.

You know how you give someone advice you know is good advice because it comes from experience and yet they decide to do their own thing because they know better without having any experience (except failure)?

Yeah, grinds my gears.

I have not other words.

Ever find yourself giving wise counsel only to have it completely ignored?

Broken button

Posted on August 7, 2019 by backuphill

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It’s broke. The thing works intermittently so I know it’s there, but today it isn’t working.

My excitement button is broken.

I haven’t the energy to get excited about anything. It’s been this way for a while, but today I realized that it wasn’t something I consciously was aware of. As I look back over that last several weeks, I now see that it’s been broken for a while. I am not sure when it broke. It just is.

Have you ever experienced a time in your life where good things are happening but you just don’t feel any joy around them? Have you ever had a time where life felt like things had evened out but experiences or things just didn’t generate a response like excitement? It’s a weird feeling to think about the things in past that got me excited only to have them happen now and it feels like no big deal.

Am I too tired? Am I too apathetic? Am I too calloused? I am not sure.

Where is the joy? How do I get it back?

Do you have joy? Excitement? What get’s your juices flowing and give you joy or excitement? Drop it in the comments!

I’m not done loving you

Posted on February 8, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by burak kostak on Pexels.com

I am sorry. Your once forgiving ways have slowly diminished over the years and it is time for us to part. The way you met my needs was unparalleled, unselfish. We worked together so well, it was like you were a part of me. I wasn’t done loving you, but I think you were done loving me. I’ll never hold another like I held you. I’ll never watch over another like I have watched over and protected you. I’ll never look at another like I have looked at you. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

Ever had one of those experiences you just wish you could take back? An instance of regret as you dispose of something you have loved for a long time?

Do you have favorite items you just can’t bear to let go of because they are worn out?

I had that experience a few days ago.

My favorite mechanical pencil has finally decided it doesn’t want to hold an eraser. The mechanical part (lead dispenser) works just fine. But the eraser. The eraser kept falling out and I couldn’t patch it any longer to make it stay. As soon as I had to erase something, it would just fall out. I am not perfect, so having the ability to erase is kinda of big deal. So, now, after 10 years of using this pencil I was faced with a choice.

Do I continue to use it and get an eraser that isn’t attached to the pencil? Then I would have to keep track of two things…OR, do I just bite the bullet and toss it – moving on to my next favorite pencil?

If you read the first paragraph, you know the outcome of this love story. It is a sad story.

So, what favorite item did you hate to get rid of but were forced to? Tell me what it was and why in the comments!

Car salesmen are the worst

Posted on September 26, 2018 by backuphill

Photo by Markus Spiske temporausch.com on Pexels.com

OK, I know this is cliche. I know this is a generalization. I know this has been my experience in EVERY car purchase I have ever made, so I am pretty sure others have it as well.

It is universally known that car salesmen are the worst! I am sure every comedian has probably covered this topic so I am not exploring any new ground here, but I am gonna throw in my two cents.

Car salesmen are the vultures of society.

They perch themselves up near the front entrance of the dealership, waiting and watching for any movement on the lot. They respond to email inquiries and bang out phone calls to people who have shown even the remotest interest in one of their cars. When a customer finds it’s way onto the property they flap their wings and decide who gets to approach the potential meal.

They leave the perch and saunter over near the customer trying not to look too eager. They circle, make small talk, and assess the situation. They wait for the customer to show signs of weakness or excitement about a vehicle.

Then they swoop in and land near their prey. As you fight to maintain the upper hand, they wait you out until you finally give in. You offer, they counter. You offer again, they counter again. Then, when you appear weak, another one swoops in to add more pressure. More offers, more pressure. You’re gasping, breathing hard and trying to hang on to the little life you have left, but there are now two vultures waiting, waiting to see last breaths of hesitation escape from your lungs as you agree to the purchase.

Now they feast! There is a flurry of feathers and papers and the next thing you know you are standing in your driveway with keys to a new car and buyers remorse.

Good luck out there!

Nothing reminds you of this fact more than when you begin your new car search. The process is the same on every single lot. Sure, the names of the dealerships change as you shop around and look for the best deal, but the process is the same. The behavior is the same. It is so predictable.