Who needs parenting?

This past weekend I stayed at a hotel while traveling. It's nice, a chance to get away from home and the nightmares of home ownership, otherwise known as 'the money pit'. Generally hotels are quiet and relaxing. You can stretch out in a nice terry cloth robe, watch a nice big screen TV while sipping or guzzling your favorite beverage du jour. It's a carefree night or weekend or however long you plan to stay in this bliss.

Well, I guess my life just doesn't work that way. I shoulda known from the start. When attempting to get into the elevator to head toward my room, 2 rug rats old enough to know better, ran ahead, knocking into me, almost pushing me over. One of their dads made them get out and let me, the older person, get in first. The dad, with puffed up chest, very proudly said that he is trying to teach the kids to respect others, especially older people. Thanks alot. I'm not THAT old. But anyway.

I get to my room and settle in to relax. I suddenly hear something what sounds like thunder rumbling so loud that it is earthquake worthy. Then I hear kids high pitched squeals, screams and laughter. The noise winds up to a feverish pitch and I am wondering what the hell is going on. I figure, aw, it's a one time thing. Forget about it. Go back to guzzling and scratching and leave the kids alone. I'll just let it go. But it got old real damn fast. It became an all night thing. There was a herd of at least 8 kids at a time and sometimes it was 10-15. . . running. Running up and down the hallways. Running up and down the stair wells. Back and forth, back and forth. Running screaming and laughing the whole entire time. And they were L-O-U-D. . . Now I'm wondering, where in the hell were the parents? Where were those 2 dads that said they were trying to teach their kids respect? They were no where to be seen. I kept popping my head out of the door trying to catch one of the little sh*ts by the scruff of the neck, but they were too fast. (Hmm maybe I am old)

The next morning I checked out of the hotel. As I was waiting for the elevator to go back to my room, I overheard one set of parents talking to another group of parents . . . with their kids standing there. . . saying 'I just heard that people complained about us making too much noise last night. Can you believe it!' They were in shock! Disbelief! Mystified! Who would call and complain about their little angels? Well, what I can't believe, is that those parents. . .  and I use that word loosely. . didn't have a clue what was going on all night. And if they did and let it happen, shame on them. As I was recovering from my shock, I heard another set of parents, again in front of a bunch of kids, laughing and slapping each other on the back and fist pumping, while commenting on how a bunch of them went out and got totally sh*tfaced the night before. They started out in a local bar, then brought more booze to their rooms, stayed up all night drinking. . .  and they bragged about who had the most 6 packs. Well there's a way to count how much you've had to drink. Not by the bottle, but by the 6 pack. Geez. . . really. . . way to go folks. Your kids are standing right there . . . watching and listening. du-u-u-h.

Well there ya go. See why kids are like they are today. Oh, and it wasn't just dads. Each dad was accompanied by a mom. The moms were right in there with the drinking and bad behavior. As they say, 'the nut doesn't fall far from the tree'. So I could plainly see what those parents are teaching their kids. To be thoughtless. Don't care about others. Talk about respect if you think that is what the other person wants to hear, but totally disregard it for real. The world is about 'me, me, me and only me' and my wishes. Screw you if you don't like it. I can get as drunk as I want, as belligerent as I want, as stupid and insensitive and loud as I want and you can't do a damn thing about it. It's a free country. So there.

Well, the hotel had so many complaints about this group, that I later learned that they called 'em up and told them that they can NEVER stay there again. Ever. So . . .  screw you drunk, rude parents of the loud, obnoxious bratty kids. So there!

Are YOU a bully?

Bullying is such a big deal in the news these days. Why now? Why all of a sudden?  Because some celebrities get on TV and say it's not cool?? Well, it's not cool and it's nothing new folks. After reconnecting with some old school mates recently, memories came rushing back from kindergarten, middle and high school days . . .  of being bullied and witnessing bullying. 

Bullies are annoying. What they do and how they do it is annoying. Their parents are annoying. The fact that their parents and family allow it, is really annoying. And what's up with that? The 'not my kid' attitude is sad and pathetic. You know what your kids are like. Why defend them? Because it's easier than teaching them a better way I guess. Maybe you are too damned busy trying to find the bottom of the bottle or unload a needle. Maybe you just don't give a damn about your kids and how they grow up. Maybe you're so sour and unhappy that you are afraid that your kids might amount to something and get as far away from you as possible, as soon as they can. And the poor kid who feels like they have no place or no one to turn to for help or support. What happens to them? Talk to anyone that was bullied decades ago and they will either show you their battle scars or brag about how they bullied others. We are what we learn.

So, I guess I always knew this as a kid, but as an adult it has been confirmed. .  repeatedly . . . . bullies are extremely insecure people. If you dare stand up for yourself, you will pleasantly find that they will back down. They can't take it. They don't believe that you have the guts to do it. So they bully repeatedly, to beat that insecurity into you, so anytime they need an ego boost they have a proverbial punching bag around. They select their targets because they think that you won't stand up to them. They want to be big shots. Especially in front of others. They want to feel superior. In fact, they need to feel superior to others. So don't let them get away with it. You are valuable. Don't buy into what the bully is trying to get you to believe about yourself. You don't need them for validation.

Parents . .  are you bullies too? I bet you are. Where do you think your kids got that crappy behavior from?? Yes, maybe some from TV, some from video games and movies, ok, but kids model their parents (or other family members) behavior whether they are conscious of it or not. They hear your prejudice talk and think it's ok to repeat. That person is too fat, too ugly, doesn't wear the cool clothes, doesn't drive the right car, doesn't blah, blah, blah. . . Well, in whose eyes? Who says that you have the right to spread that type of evil to the next generation. Check yourself. Keep your negative thoughts to yourself . .  and if you have to blurt them out loud, surely don't speak these evils in front of your kids or grandkids. Let's stop the prejudice and evil. . .  and ultimately the bullying.

Tho I see and hear this kind of stuff all the time, it still shocks me when it happens. Just last week I saw multiple incidents where parents were out in public bullying their own children . . . by grabbing, shaking, yelling, cursing and beating them. Wow. If only those kids could stand up for themselves. I wonder how those kids will interact with others. . . now and as they get older. Well, I think we can figure it out. Now, how do we break the cycle?

Getting back to my school chums. . . I'm happy to report that the kids that I knew were bullied have not let it stop them. Tho the pain has not gone away, nor the memories, it has made them stronger people. They have learned to stand up for themselves with pride and confidence, but wow. . . there must be a better way. . . .

Funnist

I am sick and tired of hearing people who appear to be very intelligent say funnist. Even newscasters and entertainment reporters . . .  and oh yah . . . TEACHERS say funnist.

Funnist is not a word. So stop it. It's annoying. Enough said. . .

Cancer annoys the crap out of me

I hate the word cancer. It's not just annoying. It's down right ugly. The mere mention of the word strikes fear in the minds of anyone that hears it. The fact that cancer even exists . . .  is annoying. 

Don't we all have enough to deal with in this crappy economy? Jobs have dried up, our 401Ks have dried up, food prices and health care costs are on the rise again. Heck, even the United States Post Office is going bankrupt and closing locations. So on top of all that, we have diseases that are rampant. Do we need these diseases to add to the daily stresses of life? I can't pick up a newspaper or turn on a TV program without mention of what to eat, what to apply to our faces, what to smear on our bodies, where not to go, what not to drink, what not to touch, and all just to try to be cancer (or disease) free. And does any that stuff work anyway? Sometimes I wonder if it just makes it all worse.

Who hasn't been touched in by cancer some way? Well, I just learned today that a great friend has cancer and is going through chemo. Geez. I'm not just annoyed. I'm downright p*ssed!

Stop the calls PUH-LEEZ

Solicitation calls really get my blood boiling. It's non stop. It's an invasion. They used to always come at dinner time. During one stretch of time, about 6 months worth, I kept getting at least 7 calls within a 45 minute period. Can you believe it. It's abuse. An assault. I feel like a prisoner in my own home and scared s*less to answer the danged phone. It's all day and all evening, days, weekends, just non stop. The operative word here is STOP!

. . . I get calls for windows, from Friends of Police, for various foundations, for funeral plots, to donate here, to donate there and worse of all and the most egregious . . . from Visa. Rachel, I am sure you're a lovely girl but those calls telling me that I have just one more chance to reduce my percentage rate with your Visa company makes me want to punch you. Right in the face. I have seriously considered cancelling my phone service. But why should I be inconvenienced. That's just ridiculous. Who can get by without a phone. (people on cell phones in public is another topic of conversation. It's annoying. Watch for it) I get those danged calls on my land and cell lines. Arrrrggggg! So that means that I get bombarded 2 times more than everyone else. Great. Thanks. Don't I just feel special. . .

I've tried everything to stop them. I've hit the button to cancel future calls. They still come. I have called my phone company to have the numbers blocked. They still come. I have hit the button to talk to someone. When I ask to be put on a do not call list, they just hang up on me. Un-freakin' believable. You have the nerve to hang up on me! And the calls STILL COME! What will it take to get Rachel out of my life?

And then again, I often wonder who the moron is that made it ok for us to be assaulted this way. It's not just annoying, but a safety hazard as well. How many times I have had to run to grab the phone thinking it was an urgent call. You never know. But no, just a solicitation. I could have fallen and broken a leg or my neck even. I could have fallen down the stairs and been laying for days all twisted up just waiting to be rescued . . . or buried. How many times has something on a hot stove almost been tipped or spilled trying to get to that damned ringing phone only to hear Rachel's voice on the other end. Grrrr.

There must be a way to end these calls. Instead of picketing wall street, let's picket these horrid, obnoxious companies that call relentlessly. . . Who is with me? Oh, I have another idea, maybe we should bombard you with calls every day dear Rachel. Let's see how YOU like it.

Christmas in October, bah humbug!

By mid afternoon today I was feeling pretty peppy. I thought 'Wow. What a great day, nothing annoying me. (it doesn't happen often) Life is good'. I was in the car listening to some favorite tunes, on my way to making a purchase or two. Ouch. My head hurts. I can't figure out why but quickly realize that it started a few minutes after my entrance into the first store. Oh now I get it. It's blaring Christmas music that seems to accompany some cheap, plastic, twinkling, candy cane topped house and a train with a loud whistle circling endlessly. The sound is filling the whole huge store! Oh, and to make matters worse, shoppers were bombarded with horrid muzak too. It was the most atrocious out of date rock-n-roll that was crappy the first time around. Both sets of music were at the same high volume so they fought for hearing space in my head. . . and neither won. My head just throbbed till I thought my eyeballs would pop out. I almost wished they had just to relieve the pressure. Ohhh my heeaaaaad. It was everywhere I turned. . . I just couldn't escape it.

Guess what corporate retail companies. . . I think more people are like me than not. If you make my shopping experience pleasurable, I promise to stay longer and spend money I don't have, buying crap I don't need. Instead you get worse every year. You start earlier, and earlier, the sounds get louder and louder and fight for attention. I just leave. . no purchases, no useless crap to have to explain away or stick in the garbage or a garage sale next year. Hmmm. There is something to be said about online shopping. And the good news, I can do it in my jammies with my belly hanging out and a beer in my hand. Ya, that sounds good.

Now, I don't think I'm a big scrooge or anything but geez, it's not even Halloween and stores are playing Christmas music already. Holy Crap! Really. Let's just make us so sick of Christmas and suck every last ounce of fun out of it so by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, we want to just vomit at the sound of the word Christmas. Maybe even slap some kids for their wide eyed exuberance and expectation of fun, merriment and gifts. Or how about strangle the store greeters when they look at the floor or some passerby like they don't even care and mumble 'Merry Christmas. . . blah blah blah is on special in aisle 2'. Sheeesh. Can't we get through one holiday before the next one is jammed down our throats?

Customer Service is Dead @ PF Changs

If you are looking for a dining experience filled with enough indifference and bad service to make you want to scream and/or pull your hair out, then I highly recommend PF Changs. A group of buddies and I decided to go there for dinner. We piled in and waited for service. It took a while, but finally a short round of drinks was ordered then the food. All seemed fine. But alas. It was not. What a fiasco. Geez.

I have food issues. Like a lot of food allergies. When I order I am not rude, demanding or fussy. I speak to servers with a pleasant tone and always try to find something to order that will create the least amount of angst for all involved. It's tricky though. The slightest mistake could land me in bed. . or worse for 4 or 5 months. Yah, really. It's happened too many times. And let me tell you, 4 months of constant coughing and vomiting just isn't the party that it sounds like. (All of you Kleenex stock holders can thank me).

So I asked the server about 2 potential dishes that looked safe and she says that the 'kitchen' will print out a list of ingredients for me. Great. I have had other restaurants do that for me. Smart. Who knows better than me what I can or can't have. So I proceed to wait. . .  and wait. .  . and wait. Then she comes back and says that before I can have the list I have to write out a list of the food offenders. Really, geez. That's lame. This is like a test at school or something. And, it seems pretty pointless and a big fat time waster. But alas, to get that golden printout I must comply. Oh, ya, then I was told that I could not see the ingredients, that the 'kitchen' will decide what I can have. Hmmm. I smell a problem.

Next she shows back up to inform me that there is only one dish I can have. Now mind you, the 2 dishes I inquired about were virtually the same except that one had a sauce, red pepper and peanuts. They were both stir fried with sauteed tofu. Otherwise they were identical.

So silly me. I asked I could just have my #1 choice with out the sauce since that seemed to be the problem. I was told emphatically no BUT she would have the chef add the red peppers and peanuts to my dish since I had to take the second choice. Now you may be wondering why they couldn't make dish #1 but with out the sauce. I wondered too and asked but I was told no, had to be the other dish with the addition of the 2 different ingredients. Doh! Ok, whatever. By now, my tablemates have stopped talking and were wondering what the heck was going on. Guess what. .  me too! And I'm gettin' pretty irritated.

So ok. I've calmed down. I'm happy with the way she has offered to make a wonderful, tasty meal that won't make me sick. On fact, thrilled. Then my food comes. It's bone dry and impossible to swallow. Oh yah, it was sans tofu and had green pepper not red. . . and just a couple of peanuts which were actually cashews. I hate cashews. When I called our server over and asked what happened to the tofu she snottily replied that I wrote it on my offender list. Umm. No. I didn't. She continue to argue the fact. I think I would know. So 2 more staff members show up and there is a big caucus at my side trying to figure out what to do about it. Hey, I have an idea. How about bringing me the freakin' tofu like the menu says. Toward the end of my meal I was brought a tray of silken tofu, cold, not sauteed and cubed right out of the package and tossed on a plate. Gosh. Now my irritation level is rising again and I'm just about to my limit. 

Let me say, I do like silken tofu but the consistency is not for stir frying or sauteing. And besides, it wasn't. And I get it now. PF Changs really doesn't want a customer like me. If I have the to audacity to ask that something be made other than as stated on the menu, well I can just march my butt out and into some other restaurant better equipped to handle problem customers. I get it, I get it, I get it. I am not welcome here.

You probably think that I am over reacting. Keep reading.

Then I notice the slightly disheveled manager start at the first table by the door and do a 'verbal drive by' to each table asking 'is everything ok'. But before anyone at any table could answer, he was already at the next table. Grrr.  And he was so busy looking at the floor trying not to stumble that he never looked anyone in the eye. You see, they turned the lights down so low that we all commented that we could barely see our food in front of us.

I see fain customer service and think, no shock. This place doesn't seem to be particularly well run and worse yet, they don't seem to care.

So we made it through the meal and decide it's time to go. Then the bill comes. Uhh ohh. . . The nice server actually had the balls to charge me extra for the items that she offered to add. Say WHAT? Crap. Do I say anything or do anything or just pay the bill and go?

Call me a woos. I paid my bill and made a vow to never go back. I have since learned that this lack of service is quite normal for this restaurant. 

You may be asking geez what's the big deal. Well I can live with a modified meal, but don't just spew words at the customer without ever intending to honor them. A person with food issues is already at a disadvantage and uncomfortable, don't make it worse. And had I been told there was an extra charge for the food additions, I would have been good with that. But I was not told or asked if it was ok. And let's face it, there is a level of expectation of good service when entering a restaurant, every restaurant.

Dear Server. Because I know that you have to work a bit harder for me so I don't get sick, I always over tip. You lost out. Your attitude was crappy. The eye rolling and sighs under your breath were caught not just by me but others at my table. Let's face it, your customer service sucks. Be thankful that you have a job in this economy. There are lots of people itching to take that job and will do a much better job. You seem to be one step closer to making someones dream come true.

Dear PF Changs, Lily's Seafood always gets it right. Take a lesson.

An All New Low

Yep, this is the reason I started this blog. Stuff just annoys me and I have to say something.
I was in a public place tonight. It was crowded with professionals dressed every which way from grubby faded and torn jeans to sparkly cocktail attire. . . and that's men and women!


The shocking incident was done by a woman in her late 50's. Maybe I am being generous and maybe she was actually in her 60's, but let's go with 50's. Either way, she should have known better. She was nicely dressed, very clean and crisp stylish clothing. I happened to turn my head because something caught my eye. I turned to look and I see her digging in her nose with her little finger. Yep, digging! Really going at it. She obviously found something of interest because she was at it for a while. That's not the shocking part. 


After finding a gem up there, she looked at it and stuck it right in her mouth! How disgusting! Isn't that something we try to stop our children from doing when they are 5 years old?? Didn't her parents know that she mined for boogars? Where were they when she was a kid? AND is this generational? Kids learn by modeling their parents. Did she allow her children to carry on the family trait? Did she raise a brood of boogar-eaters? Disgusting!
I have seen a lot of strange things in my life. This was a first.