Aug 1, 2021
I might’ve mentioned before about a client with ties to Bloomington & Seymour, IN who now owns a company in Washington, DC. I hope not to repeat myself but I received an email from her today that has me thinking how many clients truly become friends. With only that little thread of common ground, we now exchange emails that cover everything from family to business.
The problem here is our correspondence began because she’s a client of my favorite brother — and that is now a slight blip. Here’s just one paragraph of a long email I received today…
“My last Zoom with Scott was fun and, of course, helpful. He mentioned again how great you are and definitely alluded to things running smoothly because of all you do. He also mentioned you were a history buff. What kind of history do you like? I have some pretty cool stuff from when I worked in The West Wing of The White House and from Capitol Hill when I worked there.”
I hate history! I hate old stuff and can’t remember shit if it’s not something I’m currently doing. WHAT WAS HE THINKING?? And, how am I to answer that when I barely know who fought in the Civil War?? My dog knows more about history than I do… and she’s not yet TWO.
Cheryl Vierling was my history teacher in high school and I like her much better now than I did then. I stayed away from history in college. I’m at a loss insofar as how in the world I’m supposed to answer “what kind of history do you like?”
NONE. No… can’t say that.
Instead, since my brother offered that up, I’ll let HIM tell me how to answer it…
Dear MFB (my favorite brother): WTF? Do you know nothing about your baby sister? Since I HATE history more than taking a stick in the eye, please provide a response for me to share.
TIL (Today I Learned): In 2010, Microsoft created a smartphone called the Microsoft Kin. It was so unpopular it was discontinued after just 48 days.
Jul 29, 2021
There are only a couple things I can immediately think of more annoying than a group SPAM message.
The first is when idiots REPLY to them.
It goes like this… SPAMMER sends a group text message from an email account to 20 phone numbers. These numbers are in order — 3333, 3334, 3335, etc. — we’re all just strangers that have been thrown together. The exception here is because Perry and Ben and I have a block of 3 numbers in a row, we get them together.
The messages we receive most often are women seeking pleasure and the request is stated as crudely as you could imagine. That’s annoying… but not as bad as when people reply back to all 20 phone numbers with “what is this?” or “f*&k off!”
Phone: BING! BING! BING!
Watch on Arm: BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!
Replying doesn’t just let the SPAMMER know your number is active, but it also keeps the darned thing going. Instead, simply report and delete.
That’s where it gets tricky… carriers allow you to report by forwarding the message to 7726 (spam) but their text message reply asks for the phone number the SPAM originated from. If it comes from email, you’re to use the number 1410100000. The problem is, you have to actually read how to do this on your carrier’s website. If you’re so dumb you reply, you probably aren’t going to do anything else right moving forward.
The second thing more annoying than a group SPAM message is…
TIL (Today I Learned): The term “crocodile tears” (fake tears void of any real emotion) originated from a 14th-century medieval idea that crocs release real sorrowful tears while they shred their victims. {As an aside, I always thought Jerilyn was special because Mom would tell her she was crying crocodile tears and mine were just regular.}
Jul 8, 2021
My next several days will be crazy. There’s really no other word that will fit yet still describe what’s upcoming. Tomorrow, Mr. Pesky is having back surgery. That means I’ll be wearing my Florence Nightingale hat and spending the night in a hospital. This is AFTER an evening in ER with Mom after a puppy injury — and after a late morning doctor’s visit with her because the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
Going to the ER around here has really, REALLY changed. And… not in a good way. So Mom’s dog jumped on the couch and her toenail caught the fragile skin on the top of her arm. Because she’s on blood thinners, the bleeding simply wouldn’t stop. We headed to the ER.
She was finally seen by a nurse practitioner and another chick. I don’t know what the 2nd chick’s qualifications are but she took charge stating she knew how to wrap the arm so the bleeding would stop. She used a non-stick pad, at least 12, 4×4’s, 1,000 feet of gauze and a 1/2 roll of Coban tape. We didn’t so much as sniff a doctor.
Now imagine that whole thing being blood soaked. It probably weighed 20 pounds and no, I won’t share a photo even though I took one. What kind of care is that? We could have had the same exact outcome with a towel at home. At the doctor’s office yesterday, it took the doctor and a nurse 20-minutes to get all the crap off and cauterize the wound.
Here’s hoping Mom stays injury free in the coming two weeks — about how long I think I’ll be driving back and forth to the Ville to care for the back patient — so my crazy future doesn’t turn into insane. And for the love of all things holy, here’s hoping care is better at Ortho Indy North than it is at Schneck Medical Center’s ER.
Jul 2, 2021
It rained most all day yesterday. Of course, that’s the day planned to get rid of some unwanted items filling up the garage. NaLona and Mr. Pesky arrived early but the rain had already started. By the time we got the truck loaded we looked like drowned rats. I can’t believe I’m even putting this photo out into the world since Carl is the only one that looks halfway normal. (He’s the one that did the least work.)
Three people — all with far less than perfect backs (we’re all back challenged but Carl’s is by far the worst right now) — trying to load up a bulky items was comical. I saw NaLona even wring her shirt out a couple times. How on earth do people accumulate so much junk anyway?
After yesterday’s rain, todays temps couldn’t have been better. Sunny and highs in the mid to upper 70’s — I finished the yard work and am ready for the long weekend ahead. Hoping fireworks in my slice of the planet are on the down low. Not that I don’t like them myself… but my puppers are not fans. 🙂
TIL (Today I Learned): Kellogg pioneered the 6hrs a day, 30hr work week. It produced positive results and was in place until 1980. (What happened… and why can’t we go back to that?)
Jun 10, 2021
The speaking business is always slower in the summer. Companies rarely have big meetings scheduled when their people are busy with graduations, weddings, and vacations. Add to that we’re just starting to recover from the pandemic when it comes to socializing in person. When those things are combined it means I simply don’t have a bajillion work-related things that need my attention.
I’m taking some time off.
- I’m spending some of that time looking for property to downsize. There are very few homes available right now to buy, and I’ve yet to find even one that isn’t already “pending” the day it’s available that even ticks half my “gotta have” boxes.
- I’m doing “home stuff.” You know… things that I didn’t have time for or that I’ve been putting off doing. That includes outside work, home improvements that don’t cost a lot of money, and today I’m going to paint a couple pieces of furniture.
- I’m spending more time with family. It’s a great time to have free time now that COVID restrictions are loosening up.
Yesterday, Ben, Colette and I headed a few miles north to eat at Red Lobster and bug around Target. I’d not been to either of those places since March of last year — and rarely have I ever had time to do that on a week-day before.
At 11 years-old, Coco is one of the 91% of Gen Z’ers who have a mobile phone at an early age. She doesn’t have cell service but does have a camera that she sure LOVES to use. She took photos of the lobsters at the restaurant’s entrance and selfies of the two of us once seated. Then she informed me I needed to turn on a hotspot from my phone so she could send them to me.
In addition to gallery-worthy images of crustaceans waiting to die, I got this…
I’m giving myself a couple more weeks before I start to get bored — but I’m hoping that doesn’t happen at all. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy some time with a stress free schedule. Now to tackle that furniture project…
TIL (Today I Learned): The world’s largest time capsule is located in Seward, Nebraska and will be opened in 2025. I wonder what’s in there! 🙂
