Ah, I should have updated on this. DH bought this through his work program, so I made him call. His update from this morning: dell is doing what i want so far. that machine is under warranty until next feb (hardware-wise, probably a year) and they are going to replace the motherboard, the power supply and the plug for the power supply... free. and they are going to come to our house to do it. i have to wait up to 2 business days to get a call to schedule this, so it'll probably be next week.

Okay, this is the absolute worst.

 

I hate it when I tell a story to someone, like about someone being rude to me or getting over on me or something and they go: "If that was ME, I would have KICKED HIS @SS!." (Or they talk about how they somehow would have reacted in a much more hostile/bad@ss/heroic or even just in some IGNORANT way.

 

 

Here's a prime example. I hate talking about this happening: about 9 months ago I got robbed while walking over a bridge. They got my Android phone, my wallet including plastic, identification and $90 cash. I put up a fight until I got STABBED with a knife and backed down at that point.

 

People were asking me questions, like, "Why do you have a new number?" or "What happened to you?" etc.  I had to explain and of course I got all these responses, like, "Man, if that was ME, I would have kicked their ass!" They would have had to have KILLED me!

 

 

Hell no. DUDE, YOU WOULD HAVE DONE NO SUCH FUC-ING THING!!  Shut. The. Hell. Up.

 

People I've known for years, who I've NEVER known to be controntational, let alone have actually been in a fight, say stuff like that.

Holy sh!t dude! Glad you're okay.

 

If that were me I would've pried the knife out of their hand and stabbed the motherf&cker back.

 

 

If that were me I would've pried the knife out of their hand and stabbed the motherf&cker back.

 

:roll:

 

lol

Okay, this is the absolute worst.

 

I hate it when I tell a story to someone, like about someone being rude to me or getting over on me or something and they go: "If that was ME, I would have KICKED HIS @SS!." (Or they talk about how they somehow would have reacted in a much more hostile/bad@ss/heroic or even just in some IGNORANT way.

 

 

Here's a prime example. I hate talking about this happening: about 9 months ago I got robbed while walking over a bridge. They got my Android phone, my wallet including plastic, identification and $90 cash. I put up a fight until I got STABBED with a knife and backed down at that point.

 

People were asking me questions, like, "Why do you have a new number?" or "What happened to you?" etc.  I had to explain and of course I got all these responses, like, "Man, if that was ME, I would have kicked their ass!" They would have had to have KILLED me!

 

 

Hell no. DUDE, YOU WOULD HAVE DONE NO SUCH FUC-ING THING!!  Shut. The. Hell. Up.

 

People I've known for years, who I've NEVER known to be controntational, let alone have actually been in a fight, say stuff like that.

 

You were stabbed?  Child, you live the most interesting bizarre life for a twenty something.  You life is like a lifetime mini series.

Jeez David, where excatly did this happen?

I hate when people who moved to the south brag about warm weather on Facebook. As if they need to validate their decision to move down there.

 

Okay, you opened your pool in April. Let's hear back from you in August about how fracking awesome the blistering heatwave is.

service/repair guys who whine.

You call 'em because stuff is f*cked up - whadda they expect?

Grocery store express lanes - the 15 items or less isn't the end of it. Your transactions are supposed to be short, simple and quick. If you are making exchanges, taking out loans, bartering - stay outta the damn EXPRESS lane!

Guy in front of me yesterday only had about 12 items but he managed to break it down into 4 separate transactions using ....something besides cash. The chick in front of him only had about 6 items but her transaction required several clerks & assistant managers.

There should be a designated "hopeless" lane.

^I've become a fan of the self-checkout lanes at my local Kroger. There are six of them, and mostly they're only used by people who know what they're doing and the attendant usually is alert and quick to take care of any bottlenecks or problems. The wait usually is short and delays are few.

Still shocked about David's story.  Have to admit I'd wanna put up a fight too, but thinking about the knife thing I'll reconsider.

 

I hate it when you're in an elevator, and two people will carry on a loud conversation...and maybe it's something personal.  By the time you get close the lobby they look at you and laugh and say "Wow you probably think we're the weirdest people." 

 

You really don't know what to say in those moments the door is about to open.  You shake your head in agreement they think you're eavesdropping.  Act confused, they just laugh. 

 

I've found the perfect solution.  Just put on headphones and listen to music in the elevator.  I'll at least greet people when I board, but at least it makes them aware you are not listening, but still polite.  If they don't notice, they'll just look stupid when they try to pull that line at the end of the elevator ride and realize you can't hear a word they are saying.

 

And since 60% of my pet peeves occur in elevators or confined spaces, I'd just like to also say I don't like it when people use freight elevators for passenger use.  Since I have a bicycle, I'm required to use freight elevators, but the door will open and there's some  people who will go down to the service lobby only to exit through the formal lobby where the passenger elevators are.  What makes it more difficult is trying to fit a bike in with other people.  Two bicyclist can fit fine, or a bicyclist with delivery person with a dolly....so it shouldn't be a problem since freight elevators receive less traffic.  Not the case in my building. 

 

I've decided to board the car in these cases in the least graceful way possible.  Struggle with the bike a bit.  Slightly careless maneuvering the greasy and dirty wheels around people in work attire.  'Accidentally' block the laser so it takes the door forever to close.  Basically....pass on the inconvenience to the passengers that are using the wrong elevator and making it difficult for the residents that are required to take freight.

^I've become a fan of the self-checkout lanes at my local Kroger. There are six of them, and mostly they're only used by people who know what they're doing and the attendant usually is alert and quick to take care of any bottlenecks or problems. The wait usually is short and delays are few.

unfortunately in New York it's just the opposite! :x

^I've become a fan of the self-checkout lanes at my local Kroger. There are six of them, and mostly they're only used by people who know what they're doing and the attendant usually is alert and quick to take care of any bottlenecks or problems. The wait usually is short and delays are few.

unfortunately in New York it's just the opposite! :x

Agreed.  Why can't all self serve lines be as easy to use at the CVS machines.  The people who annoy me the most are those at the MTA vending machines or turnstyles.  I find myself saying swipe the card fast for christ sakes far too many times.  A couple of times I've taken the card out of someones hand and swiped it just so I, and those following me, can get onto the platform.

It seems like half times I go through one of those lines I get stuck behind the idiot with a bottle of booze that has to be carded and then wants to try to figure out how to write a check for their damn groceries. I was once behind a lady that tried to pay for more food than I could eat in a month with nickels and dimes.

^I've become a fan of the self-checkout lanes at my local Kroger. There are six of them, and mostly they're only used by people who know what they're doing and the attendant usually is alert and quick to take care of any bottlenecks or problems. The wait usually is short and delays are few.

unfortunately in New York it's just the opposite! :x

Agreed.  Why can't all self serve lines be as easy to use at the CVS machines.  The people who annoy me the most are those at the MTA vending machines or turnstyles.  I find myself saying swipe the card fast for christ sakes far too many times.  A couple of times I've taken the card out of someones hand and swiped it just so I, and those following me, can get onto the platform.

the problem with the CVS machines is that they always malfunction, as it seems half the time half of them are out of service. Also, the processing time on the self-serve scanners appears slower than those used by the cashiers. Or am I imagining that? And never put an umbrella or a newspaper in the shopping bag before paying or you'll get an error message. It's not like I need my hands free to actually make the payment  :wtf:

When your cold really hits you on a Friday!!!!  Hot/cold chills, head feeling like 100lbs..... this sucks.  Add on to that I got my baby girl sick..... it's usually the other way around with my kids.  Matter of fact, I think this is the first time since becoming a Dad that I am the one bringing the germs into the house.

It seems like half times I go through one of those lines I get stuck behind the idiot with a bottle of booze that has to be carded and then wants to try to figure out how to write a check for their damn groceries. I was once behind a lady that tried to pay for more food than I could eat in a month with nickels and dimes.

 

Oh God, I hate how aenior citizens have to writw checks for eve trything when they run errand at the store.Always holds up the line. "Who do I make this out to?" Jeez....

 

I hate when people who moved to the south brag about warm weather on Facebook. As if they need to validate their decision to move down there.

 

Okay, you opened your pool in April. Let's hear back from you in August about how fracking awesome the blistering heatwave is.

 

:D I've got a friend like that now.  So hungry for attention.  Went to the beach, went on the boat, sunny and 89, blah blah blah. 

It seems like half times I go through one of those lines I get stuck behind the idiot with a bottle of booze that has to be carded and then wants to try to figure out how to write a check for their damn groceries. I was once behind a lady that tried to pay for more food than I could eat in a month with nickels and dimes.

 

Oh God, I hate how aenior citizens have to writw checks for eve trything when they run errand at the store.Always holds up the line. "Who do I make this out to?" Jeez....

 

 

Hey...hey...hey!!!  Watch that, I hope you live long enough to be labeled a "senior citizen"!  Not all of them trust "debit/credit" card transactions or online banking.  My grandfather writes check, my grandmother uses debit cards.

It seems like half times I go through one of those lines I get stuck behind the idiot with a bottle of booze that has to be carded and then wants to try to figure out how to write a check for their damn groceries. I was once behind a lady that tried to pay for more food than I could eat in a month with nickels and dimes.

 

Oh God, I hate how aenior citizens have to writw checks for eve trything when they run errand at the store.Always holds up the line. "Who do I make this out to?" Jeez....

 

 

Just a gol' dang minute, there, whippersnapper! I'm a senior citizen, and for everything except large purchases usually I'm prepared to pay cash at the register. Where I need to write a check, before I get to the register I'll fill out everything except the amount.

 

Oh, God, how I hate how whippersnappers have to pull out a half-dozen almost-maxed out cards for everything and put "this many dollars on this one, and that many dollars on that one," and on and on, and then get on the phone with a representative of the card issuer when one of their cards gets declined. They can tie up a register for twenty minutes trying to pay for $200 worth of frivolous, useless electronic home entertainment.

Oh God, I hate how aenior citizens have to writw checks for eve trything when they run errand at the store.Always holds up the line. "Who do I make this out to?" Jeez....

Just a gol' dang minute, there, whippersnapper! I'm a senior citizen, and for everything except large purchases usually I'm prepared to pay cash at the register. Where I need to write a check, before I get to the register I'll fill out everything except the amount.

Oh, God, how I hate how whippersnappers have to pull out a half-dozen almost-maxed out cards for everything and put "this many dollars on this one, and that many dollars on that one," and on and on, and then get on the phone with a representative of the card issuer when one of their cards gets declined. They can tie up a register for twenty minutes trying to pay for $200 worth of frivolous, useless electronic home entertainment.

Checks have become a real PITA. Those generic check checker devices are lame & take more time than writing the check. I got rejected by one awhile ago. Fortunately I was at a locally owned pharmacy & my check was through a small local bank down the street. The owner called the bank VP (friends) & checked up on me. They accepted the check, but if I hadn't been all local, I would have gone without my dope.

technology - bah!

Based on my trip through the Enormous Albatross supermarket tonight, I agree with Bloomberg. If you're physically wide enough to be in danger of knocking merchandise off both sides of the aisle you DON'T NEED SODA.

Also, the processing time on the self-serve scanners appears slower than those used by the cashiers. Or am I imagining that?

They are! I can usually scan my fuel perks card and the first 3 items and the machine is still trying to greet me. I figure it's that slow for elderly customers who need the 115 decibel beeps and laggy voice commands to understand what's happening.

^You have won.

 

I accept you and the creators of that PSA as world emperor in perpetuity.

People that post shit to social networks and then look at me weird when I recall in conversation a poster on their spouse's office wall that I've never been to that they took a picture of two and a half years ago.

It was bad enough when I chose "beef" over chicken for my megaGonza burrito especiale at Taco Bell and the clerk informed me they only had steak & chicken - no beef, but when I asked the chick at the meat counter at a Kroger in their hometown of Cincinnati for calf's liver & she had no idea what I was talking about til I ambiguated my query to beef liver.....

well, I just don't know

support your local county fairs folks

I did something I might regret. 

 

I'm tried of people who I thought I could trust coming by my place / visiting over the weekend / stopping by to party etc treating my place like some cheap resort and abusing my trust.  Whether its stealing from me, using my computer to illegally download stuff, leaving my place a mess, or just outright being disrespectful.

 

I moved near the beach and Michigan Ave to fulfill my dream of living in the city, not to be a convenience of others.  After being pushed to the limit this weekend, I terminated my lease and paid the $200 penalty.  I'll be living downtown into next month but after that, I'm moving elsewhere in the city....probably somewhere on the west side.  Part of the reason is to get away from all the noise, but I've grown tired of the list of people calling wanting to stay on weekends.  You can only say no so many times.

Well there's nothing preventing you from moving back to the area in a year or so if you regret the move. I'd get tired of being the crash pad for everyone as well.

I did something I might regret. 

 

I'm tried of people who I thought I could trust coming by my place / visiting over the weekend / stopping by to party etc treating my place like some cheap resort and abusing my trust.  Whether its stealing from me, using my computer to illegally download stuff, leaving my place a mess, or just outright being disrespectful.

 

I moved near the beach and Michigan Ave to fulfill my dream of living in the city, not to be a convenience of others.  After being pushed to the limit this weekend, I terminated my lease and paid the $200 penalty.  I'll be living downtown into next month but after that, I'm moving elsewhere in the city....probably somewhere on the west side.  Part of the reason is to get away from all the noise, but I've grown tired of the list of people calling wanting to stay on weekends.  You can only say no so many times.

 

 

I do not understand, why should you move (and be inconvenienced) instead of just saying, "NO" and meaning it??  Sounds like your "no" was just very convincing.

I did something I might regret. 

 

I'm tried of people who I thought I could trust coming by my place / visiting over the weekend / stopping by to party etc treating my place like some cheap resort and abusing my trust.  Whether its stealing from me, using my computer to illegally download stuff, leaving my place a mess, or just outright being disrespectful.

 

I moved near the beach and Michigan Ave to fulfill my dream of living in the city, not to be a convenience of others.  After being pushed to the limit this weekend, I terminated my lease and paid the $200 penalty.  I'll be living downtown into next month but after that, I'm moving elsewhere in the city....probably somewhere on the west side.  Part of the reason is to get away from all the noise, but I've grown tired of the list of people calling wanting to stay on weekends.  You can only say no so many times.

 

When I was a little kid, my family's first home (built with Dad's own hands) was on one of the northern Indiana lakes. When we lived there not only did we get too many expected guests, but we were afflicted with unexpected weekend invasions by relatives of Dad's with whom my parents hadn't had any other contact in a long time. They'd arrive unannounced for the weekend, a station wagon load of boisterous, rude, oversized people, and use the place as a resort inn and beach pavilion, tracking in sand and hanging wet bathing suits in the bathroom and eating everything Mom could prepare or that they could find in the cupboards and refrigerator while never making any contribution in work, food, or cash. I think that had a lot to do with why my parents sold the place; Dad loved being on the lake where he could fish and putter with boats, but Mom reached her limit playing maid, cook, and hostess for ungrateful boors.

I did something I might regret. 

 

I'm tried of people who I thought I could trust coming by my place / visiting over the weekend / stopping by to party etc treating my place like some cheap resort and abusing my trust.  Whether its stealing from me, using my computer to illegally download stuff, leaving my place a mess, or just outright being disrespectful.

 

I moved near the beach and Michigan Ave to fulfill my dream of living in the city, not to be a convenience of others.  After being pushed to the limit this weekend, I terminated my lease and paid the $200 penalty.  I'll be living downtown into next month but after that, I'm moving elsewhere in the city....probably somewhere on the west side.  Part of the reason is to get away from all the noise, but I've grown tired of the list of people calling wanting to stay on weekends.  You can only say no so many times.

 

 

I do not understand, why should you move (and be inconvenienced) instead of just saying, "NO" and meaning it??  Sounds like your "no" was just very convincing.

 

Similar to rob's story, many guests simply came unannounced.  At times, they'd just say, "hey we gotta problem with accommodations, can we crash here tonight?"  Being on Michigan ave, it's so easy for people to "just be walking by in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. 

 

I do have a shortlist of friends that are welcome anytime and these people can just invite themselves.  It's just a lot of friends from back in college that come by on weekends and most often overstay their welcome.

 

Right now I have people trying to convince me to move to Logan Square.

Move to Logan Square.

Right now I have people trying to convince me to move to Logan Square.

 

OK, and what do they get out of it??

I do not understand how people just show up at your homes unannounced??  I wish someone would show up at my house unannounced, better yet I wish someone would show up at my grand parents house unannounced. 

 

I did something I might regret. 

 

I'm tried of people who I thought I could trust coming by my place / visiting over the weekend / stopping by to party etc treating my place like some cheap resort and abusing my trust.  Whether its stealing from me, using my computer to illegally download stuff, leaving my place a mess, or just outright being disrespectful.

 

I moved near the beach and Michigan Ave to fulfill my dream of living in the city, not to be a convenience of others.  After being pushed to the limit this weekend, I terminated my lease and paid the $200 penalty.  I'll be living downtown into next month but after that, I'm moving elsewhere in the city....probably somewhere on the west side.  Part of the reason is to get away from all the noise, but I've grown tired of the list of people calling wanting to stay on weekends.  You can only say no so many times.

 

 

I do not understand, why should you move (and be inconvenienced) instead of just saying, "NO" and meaning it??  Sounds like your "no" was just very convincing.

 

Similar to rob's story, many guests simply came unannounced.  At times, they'd just say, "hey we gotta problem with accommodations, can we crash here tonight?"  Being on Michigan ave, it's so easy for people to "just be walking by in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. 

 

I do have a shortlist of friends that are welcome anytime and these people can just invite themselves.  It's just a lot of friends from back in college that come by on weekends and most often overstay their welcome.

 

Right now I have people trying to convince me to move to Logan Square.

 

I'm calling BS.  This isn't about your friends, this is about you being lax with your home.  Based solely on what you've written, it appears you allowed someone to stay once and you allowed them to abuse that.  So moving location will not stop that, BUT putting some house rules in place will.  What has their problem with "accomodations" got to do with you and the location of your home?  I seems like they didn't have any "accomodations" period and you let them in like stray cats.

 

I love my best friend dearly, I love Thing 1 & 2 like little brothers, my cousin live next door and not one of them would show up at my door unannounced.  Jesus better not show up at my door unannounced.  Grow a pair and put your foot down. If you love your neighborhood and building and lay down some ground rules.

 

Retired boomers on Facebook.

Retired boomers on Facebook.

 

How about retired pre-boomers on facebook? I had an account and deactivated it, but I'm thinking about reactivating it just so I can be an old-fart liberal and annoy the whippersnapper right-wingers and boomer conservatives.  :evil:

Most of the retired pre-boomers I know either aren't on FB or they don't use their accounts very much. So I can't complain about them.

 

Fortunately, the most conservative and religious of my FB friends are pro-gay. And they are few in number. Are you out to your whole family?

Most of the retired pre-boomers I know either aren't on FB or they don't use their accounts very much. So I can't complain about them.

 

Fortunately, the most conservative and religious of my FB friends are pro-gay. And they are few in number. Are you out to your whole family?

 

I'm out to my whole family (what's left of it; my brothers, their kids, my cousins), all my friends, and before I retired I was out at work since 1981. I've spoken about church-related gay issues in front of leadership groups in two major local protestant churches.

FB sucks.  Google+ is where it's at.

^ I, and the two other people I follow, agree with you.

Amazon trying to sell me something that I have for sale myself on Amazon

 

So if I have the lowest price on an item on Amazon, it's trying to get me to buy it from myself.

FB sucks.  Google+ is where it's at.

 

I have a Google+ account, but I'm waiting for more in my network to join.  And even though I've added friends...at least enough to create circles, none of them are using it as much as facebook.  In the end, the service that's least invasive in giving out my information will win.

 

I remember the good old days when you could put anything and everything on facebook and only your closest friends would see that information.  Then they let everyone in.

^ Like me!....I just signed up for FB over the weekend. My fantasy football team is using it as their communications platform this year, so here I am. Wow, things look great back here in 2005! One of the first people to friend me was the girl who was my flower girl at my wedding (who just graduated from high school...god am I getting old). So now all the 'people I may know' are a bunch of high school girls  :-o

 

I want Google + to work. I like they way they've set everything up, with circles, and multiple video conferencing, etc. It's a shame I don't know anyone. That has nothing to do with me being an online hermit. It's Google's fault!

Being without electricity is getting quite old :( AEP needs to hurry the hell up!

^ Like me!....I just signed up for FB over the weekend. My fantasy football team is using it as their communications platform this year, so here I am. Wow, things look great back here in 2005! One of the first people to friend me was the girl who was my flower girl at my wedding (who just graduated from high school...god am I getting old). So now all the 'people I may know' are a bunch of high school girls  :-o

 

 

MySpace is a 2007 time capsule. It's actually quite fascinating. If the servers are still up in 20 years they can almost make it like a "Your life in 2007" novelty page.

Being without electricity is getting quite old :( AEP needs to hurry the hell up!

 

Joy and exultation reign supreme in the Pence household tonight. My power went out a little after 3 pm on Friday. Since then we've had multiple days with temps above 100F, and I've tried to keep the house cool by opening windows at night and then closing up during the day, but our overnight lows sometimes have only gotten down into the low 80s. Gradually the inside temperature crept up to 90F. My rental house next door came back on Monday afternoon, so I ran an extension cord from there to my place so I could keep my refrigerator running and have a fan and a couple of lamps.

 

Late on the day before yesterday I finally got to speak to a live human being at AEP, and he placed a work order. This morning at sunrise I went out to the remains of the fallen hackberry tree that had taken down my wires, rubbed some of its sawdust into my hair, danced seven times around the stump, raised my hands toward heaven, and shouted, "Let There Be LIGHT!" A moment later, a power company truck came around the corner, and half an hour later I had power, lights, and air conditioning. A little while ago, my FIOS came back up.

 

I was beginning to adapt to the heat. Even with inside temps in the high eighties I could sleep in front of a fan and rest well enough, and now I've set my thermostat at 80F instead of the previous 75F, and it feels positively refreshing.

Let me dedicate edition 3000 of my spam-called-posts to you, Rob, and say I am sincerely glad that episode is by and large behind you now.

I hate that awful noise that speakers make when you leave a cell phone near them for a while.

Horsedrawn carriages in downtowns.  I don't understand what couples find so romantic about sitting behind a bag full of 5 hour old festering horse poop and some loud 35 year old girl who wishes she had a pony at the age of 16.

 

When the horse takes a piss, the driver has to stop and wash it down with some disinfectant.  "Oh sorry folks, I have to stop while I clean the pee of the ground.  Sorry if this hose mists a bit, no worries it smells like bathroom cleaner!"

 

I say banish the carriages to more open areas where they'll get a good cross breeze.  The streets of Chicago are not for leisure with large slow vehicles.  They are places for transporting goods, commuting to work, or trips to the store. 

 

And instead of a carriage, why not a horseback ride through the woods?  Yes, that's where horses belong..in open space.  Not the confines of a city in traffic.