The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I am now truly grateful that I have a choice of grocery stores within a 5 - 10 minute drive of my home!

It's surprising how quickly you learn that "only" 10-15 miles really starts to grate after a while. It doesn't sound like much, but it means that EVERY trip out of the house is a schlep, and you're never gone for "15 minutes." It's unlikely that you can meet anyone, anywhere, in "half an hour."

I knew that we were moving "out there" when we bought the place, of course. I don't do a ton of driving, due to the nature of my biz, and I got rid of my leased office space when, after 3+ years, not a SINGLE person had ever shown up *(see note) for any business reason. I mean, I may take a while to catch on, but...

What I didn't realize was just how vexing it gets, having to sit there and arrangee everything, so, let's say you need your annual blood test. Well, that's 17 miles west; but, hey!, there's a branch of your bank there, too, so you arrange your banking trip; and, wait, if you only go another 4 miles west, you can fit in a quick trip to that grocery, too.

Any single trip out means, basically, that either your afternoon or your morning is just shot. Utterly lost, in terms of other types of productivity. I wish I could figure out a way to SAFELY do dictation or answer emails in the car! (Not a believer in talking+driving.)

Spoiler:

*Note: not counting the schizophrenic guy that had the psychotic break, decided we'd changed "all the words in [his] book" and promptly drove across three states to come find us and "deal with [us]."

Hitch

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by John F

A couple of driving vents...

If you are going to turn, use your signal.

When turning, put on your turn signal sometime before the actual turn.

When making a left turn, don't move all the way over to the right, and vice versa.

My driving rant for today is STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE!!!

I just about got squished when a semi decided to come into my lane on I-5 this morning. I think he couldn't see the lane lines as we were going around a gentle corner, it was raining hard, but who knows. I could see mine. Either he finally looked and saw me or realized how far out of his lane he was and went back after getting about 4 FT into my lane.

It didn't help that when I braked hard I hydroplaned (fortunately away from him). Kinda glad it was a rental although I wouldn't have hydroplaned in my truck.

I did manage to listen to about 8 hours of a book on my trip though, so there's that.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Rant: Apparently people in west Texas don't know what their stores sell. They must be told by Canadians and East coast people. How the heck do they know how we cook? All stores carry different things. This can vary by region or even the neighborhood.

I have also learned that you shouldn't take time to read labels or shop together or take more than a microsecond to grab what you need because someone else might need their pepper that exact second or their world will end.
I don't understand why how others shop bothers you.
If friends want to shop together more power to them, if coworkers want to shop together cool, if a couple wants to have a grocery store date more power to them, if a person wants to get in and out quickly more power to them.
To that person just say excuse me and the group will more than likely either grab what you need or move for you. If the person is rude, then the person can just wait.
Oh and just for your information, the only time I have been hit by a basket, it was a single well dressed woman that was intently focused on her list and not paying attention to where she was going.
No offense intended but some posts here imply a "I am in a hurry so my right to shop trumps another's right to take their time."
What business is it of yours how others shop?

This last part I do not understand.
Are some of you saying that you are so busy that you only have 10 minutes a week to shop?
Then I have a very stupid question.
You are too busy to take the time to buy groceries, yet you have time to spend complaining about other shoppers online. How is this possible?

Every time a new big box opens in Hawaii I have an opportunity to buy snow shovels, tire chains and windshield scrapers.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by wodin

Every time a new big box opens in Hawaii I have an opportunity to buy snow shovels, tire chains and windshield scrapers.

Just what you need for going to the top of Mauna Kea in February. . . .

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Spoiler:

*Note: not counting the schizophrenic guy that had the psychotic break, decided we'd changed "all the words in [his] book" and promptly drove across three states to come find us and "deal with [us]."

Hitch

I think we need to hear about this guy. Really, I do.

(Maybe we already have heard, and I've forgotten .... )

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Just what you need for going to the top of Mauna Kea in February. . . .

Absolutely, and skis and snowboards too.

Seriously though, I once had a snowball fight on Mauna Loa, at the NOAA observatory at the 12,000 foot level.

[Katsunami]

Freck.

I've ordered some empty spice jars. They were hard enough to find to begin with, and I thought I finally struck gold: exactly the right size for my spice rack.

Today the package arrived, and the jars didn't fit. The specs said 5.5cm in diameter. They taper from bottom to top and some idiot measured the thinnest part at the top instead of the widest, wich is 6.4mm. (The opening is 4.8cm, actually.) As the rack is 5.6cm wide, those jars aren't going to work.

So now I have to take time out and pay for an extra bus fare to send the entire package back again because some people can't measure.

[badgoodDeb]

Bummer. They ought to pay the postage, since it's a case of "doesn't match listed specs".

They probably won't, but they clearly should.

[Katsunami]

They pay return postage.

According to Dutch law, they should also pay the postage I've paid to receive the package, but they won't. I could press charges about it, but starting court cases to claim €4.95 is a bit much. I will file a complaint with the consumer authority though, and include a complaint letter in the package.

The reason for ordering the empty spice jars is simple enough...

Supermarket: Rosemary, 20 grams, €2 (10c per gram)
Online: Rosemary, 45 grams, €1.65, or 200 grams for €2,25 (1.125c gram, or almost 1/10th of the price.)

Can't refill the supermarket jars because they don't fit the rack.

[CRussel]

Katsunami:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N0KBXX6
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B010FX1MD0

The second, Ikea ones, should be generally available. But the UK is still in the EU, so either should be possible.

And even the following -- you can toss out the rack and still have the jars.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002FCGMS

[Katsunami]

Found those already. I want some with adjustable dispersion. Thanks for the suggestion though

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I think we need to hear about this guy. Really, I do.

(Maybe we already have heard, and I've forgotten .... )

I'm sure I've told this here. The Satan guy? Anyone remember?

Hitch

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I'm sure I've told this here. The Satan guy? Anyone remember?

Hitch

Doesn't show up for me.

[DiapDealer]

My bank's local branch is shutting down. Now begins the dance of migrating to a new bank in such a way that successfully navigates minimum balances and a host of auto-withdrawals without penalty. I will hate every second of it.

[badgoodDeb]

Could you keep the old bank, and just find a local bank (for a second account) to do stuff you need to do in person?