The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I just want to be a worker bee, too. Do my work, go home and don't have to think about the shipment I need to order, or finish processing the shipment that came in, or go to a trade fair or a supplier on my day off, etc.

Yesterday to men came in from the neighbourhood newspaper (one of the free ones) and basically demanded that I tell them why I chose not to take over the store, because they wanted to write an article about it. I told them that since I've been getting enough angry reactions already that I wasn't going to tell them. Just the way they approached me, demanding as if they had every right to know and write about it (not asking me if that was okay with me) just rubbed me the wrong way. If they would have asked nicely I might have, but not this way.

Y'know, seriously, as you're leaving--the store, the area, etc.--just tell them "none of your damn business." That's it.

Enough already. Nobody is "entitled" to know anybody else's personal damn business.

Hitch

[Hitch]

I'm not sure if this has not actually happened before, or not; over 14+ years, my memory dims and all that rot.

But I finally told off someone, yesterday, in an email in which I was simply irate. A prospective client, but I couldn't take it any longer. And the ironic part is, the person at whom I was furious wasn't, in fact the client, it was her book designer.

Long story short, we'd asked this designer for the InDesign package files not less than 10x. Seriously. The last time we asked, so help me God, she comes back with this nonsense--that she's "concerned" about sending us the WIP INDD files, because--wait for it--she's afraid that we'll use the WRONG files come time for production.

That did it. After all the (utterly crappy) work I've seen from this allegedly-experienced designer, I lost it. Folks, she set a trim size for the book that isn't used at Amazon/KDP or Ingram. (6" x 9.25". That's not the right size for no-bleed or WITH bleed, either way.)

Or any other POD printer, in the USA. Wait, there's more. Her page numbers, after the front matter, start with page 1 on the LEFT (along with the first chapter) and continue on. Yup, even numbers on the right and so on. Her running headers say "Chapter 1" on the verso (left) and yup, the same on the recto (right). (Someone at least spelt "foreword" correctly, there's a gift...). Didn't even put the book title as the verso running head and then the Chapter number on the recto. NOPE.

Is the text justified? Nope, it is not. Yes, I know, some of you will like that. But on top of everything else? Sweet Moses on a Pony.

Oh, yes, the Foreword starts on the left-hand page, too. As does the Preface. Interestingly, the Roman numerals ARE on the correct sides--i (one) is a right-hand page. So, they're really on the wrong pages; it's not some other weird glitch.

The "About the Author" page, which has no heading like a Chapter, let's say--does have a running head that says, yup, "about the author."

So, after seeing all this, and keeping my mouth shut (after all, we're meant to simply do the ebooks, right and all these errors won't/shouldn't affect OUR work, and it's not my place to tell authors that their print designer is a bonehead), this woman has the nerve to say we're that incompetent?

I lost it and told them that this was intolerable. I'm sorry, but 8000 eBooks into this, they really think we've never considered this? That we don't take steps to ensure we get the final, ready-for-production file? I mean...

UNFLIPPINGBELIEVABLE.

(BTW, in case anybody cares at all, we pay over $3K/annum, for a system that is a file intake portal, in which customers sign the T&C, fill out other forms for the work, like the POD specifications, and warrant and represent that they've given us the final files [explicitly naming them], OR, upload the finals or have their print designers upload the finals. But, noooooooo, we've never thought about THAT possibility, natch.)

Yup, I lost it and I told them off. Told them clearly, through sarcasm, that I was beyond offended and that they needed to find someone else to do the work. We did work (eBook work) for this client in 2014, but 9 years doesn't get you a pass in callously and stupidly offending people.

Urgh.

(’益’)

Hitch

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

Four of my last five Amazon orders have gone wrong and they make it so hard these days to fix issues. I ended up eating two of the problems; one was a damaged item and the other was a wrong item, but I decided I could live with both instead of engaging in the hassle.

I never thought Amazon had such stellar service back in the days when people raved about it, but lately it's a one-two punch; they can't get it right up front and then they make it very difficult to engage in order to fix it. A lot of the "Help" links end up in dead-ends; you're got to persist. And then the script-reading CS (and I don't blame them) eats up a significant portion of your remaining lifespan.

Another order gone wrong and that's aside from two missed delivery dates. Third time lucky, apparently!

This was clearly a return and either the prior purchaser returned it because it was defective or he swapped out a more desirable element for a less desirable one from an earlier order. (It's coffee pods; supposed to be six different types but it's five different with one duplicate.) I'd have preferred it as described but I also don't care enough to go through the hassle of returning.

[ownedbycats]

I have an Amazon package being delivered on Monday by Intelcom. Which has a reputation of basically never delivering on time. Sigh.

[pdurrant]

I wanted another folding bench. I bought from Amazon rather than ebay, because I thought the descriptions, and especially the weight, would be more accurate.

I bought this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08BRC44QT

It looks remarkably similar to one we've had for years, which weighs just under 4kg. So I thought "Weight: 2.2kg" was because of advances in material and design over the part 15-20 years.

It arrived. Just under 6kg! Back it went...

[EDIT: Just noticed it also states "0.66 Kilograms" Why don't people check this kind of data!]

[issybird]

I've been kvetching about Amazon a lot lately, but it's been mostly in the rueful, "well, what I you expect", "more fool me" mode, but now I'm irate.

My subscribe and save is closing tomorrow and I've been watching it, since one item isn't showing a price at all, nor is it available as a regular purchase. I want it, but I'll also only pay so much -- especially since I can easily pick it up at Rite Aid. I got taken by a similar situation once before; rather than just canceling (as has happened with other items and which would be fine), Amazon comes up with a third-party seller who charges an astronomical sum. That $7 tube of toothpaste still rankles. Still, I figured I'd keep an eye on it and if there's no price by tomorrow, I'll cancel.

But. The other item I want (as opposed to the three make-weight items) was a good price a few hours ago and now has jumped $10! At what point can I feel as if I've locked in a price? Does this mean I have to be watching at 2:59 AM EDT to make sure there are no literal last minute changes before I'm committed? Unfortunately, I don't have a fall-back purveyor for this as with the other, but there's a limit to how much I'll pay.

This is... dishonest. Not just sloppy, as with most of the other issues I have, but dishonest. And for both items; not saying what it's going to cost at all for the one when I have to commit and engaging in price roulette for the other.

I'm going to play this one out, but this is the end of S&S for me. It wouldn't take slipping many price adjustments past the goalpost to wipe out any putative savings. Well, it'll cost them. I'll go back to ordering last-minute, at will and making full use of prime shipping. And prime is very likely the next thing to go.

[Rumpelteazer]

On Wednesday my father is signing the papers to complete the sale of the house. It should have been signed last Wednesday but the solicitor wasn't able to finish all the preparations on time.

This Wednesday it's also 10 years ago that the fire broke out, which set off the whole Family Thing (which was resolved two years and one week ago).

Not sure how I feel about this coincidence, but I do know that if my uncle knew how much my father is selling the house for he would have an aneurysm.

[neil_swann80]

Hay-fever turned into an awful allergic sinusitis. I hate feeling bunged up... my sleep suffers as I can't lie flat without feeling like I'm suffocating and perpetually panic-waking.

A lack of sleep makes me feel hungover now, without the fun bit before.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

On Wednesday my father is signing the papers to complete the sale of the house. It should have been signed last Wednesday but the solicitor wasn't able to finish all the preparations on time.

This Wednesday it's also 10 years ago that the fire broke out, which set off the whole Family Thing (which was resolved two years and one week ago).

Not sure how I feel about this coincidence, but I do know that if my uncle knew how much my father is selling the house for he would have an aneurysm.

Wow, Rumple--

Has it really been two years and a week, since The Family Thing was resolved? Hell, it feels like it's still out there, lurking. How time flies, and all that.

And isn't it nice that your Uncle does not know? :-)

Hitch

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Wow, Rumple--

Has it really been two years and a week, since The Family Thing was resolved? Hell, it feels like it's still out there, lurking. How time flies, and all that.

And isn't it nice that your Uncle does not know? :-)

Hitch

It does seem like just last week, doesn't it. But I disagree. I think the Uncle should know. AFTER the sale is final, of course. :evil grin:

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by CRussel

It does seem like just last week, doesn't it. But I disagree. I think the Uncle should know. AFTER the sale is final, of course. :evil grin:

Ah, Charlie:

I love the way your mind works! (And yes, it does seem like yesterday!) I second Charlie's motion!

Today's rantiness:

Suddenly, here in the USA, ever since the White House in their infinite wisdom (cough, choke, politicians) issued a statement that "Covid is over," all the doctors have gone no-Telemed.

Why? Seriously, why the hell not? My husband's doctor, who is not exactly a fan of following the herd, is doing Telemed through the fall, because he can't find people to work at his second office (which is the one "near" us, by which I mean only about 18 miles each way).

I called my husband's other doc (specialist) today, and they acted like I'd suggested feeding him arsenic when I suggested a Telemed. All they're doing is monitoring his test results--and we know far too well exactly what the results are to say, so we'll know well before them if there's a problem.

I called MY doc today, as I have an app't tomorrow, and requested a Telemed-(ever since the bloody Cellulitis that the Shingles caused, my feet swell up like flipping canned hams, and I have no shoes to fit!!), and again, they acted like I was requesting that they hand me the Holy Grail. I mean, it's getting hot here and it's not like I can walk on asphalt bare-footed.

WHAT IS THE ****ING PROBLEM? None of these--none--are urgent care; they're not for changing circumstances; it's ridiculous. It's a power and control thing, and it's pissing me right off. It's the whole "we are making you jump through hoops, just because we can." So that you know Who's The Boss.

For ****'s sake, we hire THEM. They don't pay us.

Hitch

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I have an Amazon package being delivered on Monday by Intelcom. Which has a reputation of basically never delivering on time. Sigh.

The delivery service that used to deliver Benji's (our pug) food would not always do it on time when we needed it. So my wife told them that unless they got the food here on time, we'd cancel. They switched to a reliable delivery service and all is well.

With Amazon, we frequently get the delivery a day early if it's not due the next day. This happens even if I specified the delivery date because I know I'll be home to receive it.

[ownedbycats]

Surprisingly, the Intelcom delivery went well. They emailed me with an option to add instructions and they followed them.

I wonder if all the issues I've heard about them are more localized to 'there's not enough drivers in this specific region so they're overwhelmed'.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

On Wednesday my father is signing the papers to complete the sale of the house. It should have been signed last Wednesday but the solicitor wasn't able to finish all the preparations on time.

This Wednesday it's also 10 years ago that the fire broke out, which set off the whole Family Thing (which was resolved two years and one week ago).

Not sure how I feel about this coincidence, but I do know that if my uncle knew how much my father is selling the house for he would have an aneurysm.

When my parents sold the family home, it was a weird feeling. I was there to do a walk through and seeing the house empty was just a really odd feeling.

[Rumpelteazer]

I was wrong, it wasn't two years ago, but three. It still feels like yesterday and I'm still nervous about my uncle causing drama. But the paper signing was suddenly today (we got a phone call this morning if that was okay), so the deed is done.

I have no doubt my uncle will know it's sold/being sold. My aunt still has the occasional contact with my uncle's children. I don't know if my father has told her for how much, but if she knows, she won't be able to keep her mouth shut.

What even better karma is that when we last met up with my cousins they were fairly sure that my uncle has alzheimer's, just like my grandmother had. Which he found annoying and an embarrassment. Whilst he was her curator he only visited her once a year (when his girlfriend made him), maybe twice (if he needed to "borrow" something, my grandparents wine collection had disappeared by the time my grandmother moved to a care home). Is is bad to not mind it if at least some of his kids will treat him like he treated my grandmother?

Edit to add:
The new owner has already promised us a tour when he's finished renovating the place. I'm really curious to see what he will will do with it (business downstairs and probably apartments upstairs). This place deserves some love after over a hundred years of my family not really taking care of it.