It's not even December 1st and I'm already sick of Christmas music. I'm also already sick of Christmas commercials. We've been bombarded since the day after Halloween with Christmas overexposure and commercialism. I guess that's capitalism.
We've totally overlooked the meaning of Thanksgiving and jumped immediately into the shopping orgy of black Friday, Black Monday, Black Tuesday, Green Wednesday, Red Thursday, Cyber Monday, the day after Cyber Monday, Cyber Monday II, etc.
Yes, the Thanksgiving meal. The annual event where family you can't stand congregate to pretend they like each other and that the family is a big, happy unit that belongs on a Norman Rockwell painting. I guess using the name Norman Rockwell is dated and I should say Facebook or Instagram post.
As much as I love to cook for crowds, Quiet Rage is hanging up her Thanksgiving apron. I'd much rather cook for total strangers than for impolite family ingrates. No, my house is not an on-demand restaurant. Wait. I take that back. Even restaurants require reservations so the kitchen can be staffed accordingly.
What pushed me over the edge this year were family members who showed up, ate, and then left without even saying goodbye nor thank you. Yes, we did have a houseful. There was an additional table set up outside on the back deck to accommodate the overflow. I was out there with other guests when I came inside. I asked, "Where did X and Y go? They didn't even say goodbye?"
Their mother said, "Oh, they left. That's what happens when you have to work the next day."
WTF??? This was about 6:30 PM and the mother was making excuses for her kids' lack of manners. These "kids" are ages 30+. I guess the rudeness apple didn't fall from the tree and the ensuing denial.
It's already planned out, folks. The reservations are made for Thanksgiving 2018 for Quiet Rage to be out of town with my immediate family only.
All of this goes back to a previous post about the holidays. We all demand world peace from our leaders, but we all can't even get together for a holiday meal without wanting to kill each other. Think about that.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
As Souls
We are all as souls. Say that out loud quickly. As souls. Some of us are bigger as souls than others. It's like that joke that has been going around for some time now, "Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an as soul."
There's a lot of truth to that.
As souls, we all have work to do on ourselves. I'm really trying to embrace that each and every living thing has a glowing shard of what of once was the universal collective soul. Like shattered glass shards, the collective universal soul was broken up into kabillions (I know that's not really a word) of bits and each of us has a little shard (not shart) and our purpose is to rejoin the little shards back to the universal God. We are the broken Humpty Dumpty that fell off the wall and we need to be put back together again.
Moral of the story: The next time somebody calls you an "as soul" turn around, give him/her the biggest, warmest smile and thank them.
There's a lot of truth to that.
As souls, we all have work to do on ourselves. I'm really trying to embrace that each and every living thing has a glowing shard of what of once was the universal collective soul. Like shattered glass shards, the collective universal soul was broken up into kabillions (I know that's not really a word) of bits and each of us has a little shard (not shart) and our purpose is to rejoin the little shards back to the universal God. We are the broken Humpty Dumpty that fell off the wall and we need to be put back together again.
Moral of the story: The next time somebody calls you an "as soul" turn around, give him/her the biggest, warmest smile and thank them.
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Rohnert Park Wal-Mart
I have not been to the Rohnert Park Wal-Mart in 22 years. How do I know that? Because I purchased an item of clothing that I wore for a family photograph from there almost exactly 22 years ago to the date. I hate that store with a passion.
Today I returned there after nearly a quarter century as it was rumored they sold pretzel buns. I was not in the mood to make them and as I was going to Costco anyways (which did not have pretzel buns, either) Wal-Mart was just a skip up the street.
Now I remember why I don't shop there.
Walking into the store there was the toothless crack- head gray-haired grandma donning a SF 49'ers jacket with a filthy skirt, rumpled socks, and sandals. She" was conversing with a homeless woman who was camped out at the entrance of Wal-Mart complete with her shopping cart full of goods, tent made out of plastic bags, and just about passed out right there on the cement.
Oh no, people... I have not even made it to the entrance of the store yet.
As I was walking to the entrance of the store there were some people in back of me. All I could hear was, "Horny porn star, coming through!"
I did not hear it just once. It was said repeatedly, "Horny porn star - coming through" I did not turn around to see who the horny porn star was as that would only validate their announcement. I really wanted to laugh, as hearing this at Wal-Mart is so cliché. Once inside the store it looked like something out of a third-world country. I could not wait to get out of there.
No, WalMart did NOT have the pretzel buns I was looking for. That's ok. I was glad. Just less time to get out of there.
Again, I tripped over the homeless meth-head woman camped out in front of the store on the way out. The Horny Porn Star got lost inside the WalMart crowd and I was relieved of the barker. There were aisles of campers, RV's, boats, and other pieces of s*** parked in the WalMart parking lot. It was like a refugee camp. You know what???? It really is. WalMarts are bona fide camping grounds. I bet you did not know that.
They really do cater to the trailer-trash crowd.
Today I returned there after nearly a quarter century as it was rumored they sold pretzel buns. I was not in the mood to make them and as I was going to Costco anyways (which did not have pretzel buns, either) Wal-Mart was just a skip up the street.
Now I remember why I don't shop there.
Walking into the store there was the toothless crack- head gray-haired grandma donning a SF 49'ers jacket with a filthy skirt, rumpled socks, and sandals. She" was conversing with a homeless woman who was camped out at the entrance of Wal-Mart complete with her shopping cart full of goods, tent made out of plastic bags, and just about passed out right there on the cement.
Oh no, people... I have not even made it to the entrance of the store yet.
As I was walking to the entrance of the store there were some people in back of me. All I could hear was, "Horny porn star, coming through!"
I did not hear it just once. It was said repeatedly, "Horny porn star - coming through" I did not turn around to see who the horny porn star was as that would only validate their announcement. I really wanted to laugh, as hearing this at Wal-Mart is so cliché. Once inside the store it looked like something out of a third-world country. I could not wait to get out of there.
No, WalMart did NOT have the pretzel buns I was looking for. That's ok. I was glad. Just less time to get out of there.
Again, I tripped over the homeless meth-head woman camped out in front of the store on the way out. The Horny Porn Star got lost inside the WalMart crowd and I was relieved of the barker. There were aisles of campers, RV's, boats, and other pieces of s*** parked in the WalMart parking lot. It was like a refugee camp. You know what???? It really is. WalMarts are bona fide camping grounds. I bet you did not know that.
They really do cater to the trailer-trash crowd.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Affordable Housing - Real Estate Commissions
Here's the real definition of affordable housing: slave quarters. Let's just get that out there in the open, OK? The sooner we realize we need SLAVE QUARTERS the sooner we can get over the euphemism AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I've griped on this subject before. Let's be real. There is no way somebody making $20 an hour can even afford a 2 bedroom apartment in Sonoma County (if they are lucky enough to even find one) unless they live with a bunch of other people. Sorry, but not everybody on earth was lucky enough to inherit something or have wealthy parents.
There are many reasons housing is out of reach. I know my cute crush, Christopher Thornburg, seems to think that building more houses will magically solve our problems; however, at this point he is just a paid puppet telling the business world audience what they want to hear. If not, they would not be paying $75 for a crappy breakfast. If he told the truth we would all shoot ourselves after he spoke.
IMHO opinion, here are the reasons "affordable housing" aka SLAVE QUARTERS will never exist:
1. Nobody sells their house to the lowest bidder;
2. Real estate agents get paid by a percentage. It's in their monetary best self-interest to keep housing prices high. You really think they're working for the buyer? If you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you. Real estate agents want to close the deal at the highest price point you can take;
3. NIMBY's rule. Everybody wants to use modern slaves (cooks, gardeners, etc.) but nobody wants to embrace them into society and have them as a neighbor. It's like enjoying all of our modern conveniences but shove off unpleasant, pollution-inducing production to China where it's not in our immediate vision;
4. Property taxes are determined by the selling cost of a house. I don't care how much Sonoma County says otherwise, it's in their best interests to keep housing costs high as well. Higher the price = higher the property tax. We all know how government employees need to keep the trough full for their obnoxious perks and pensions;
5. Environmentalists. People and business are bad for the environment. The more people, the more demands for resources, the more they pollute, etc.;
6. Sonoma County is a jewel of a place and that's why people want to live here. Why is it special? Because it's not overcrowded (yet) and clean. See reason #5. If we build more it will lose charm. Everybody wants to live here, but it's cost prohibitive because, well, people just ruin things and we really don't want more of them around no matter how we tell the public otherwise;
7. We need to make a decision as to whether we become San Jose North or a resort community like Carmel. Either way, we will still need SLAVE QUARTERS;
8. NOBODY HAS FIGURED A WAY AROUND THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND....not even cutie-pie Christopher Thornburg.
I'm not sitting here thinking I have the answers to all of this. I don't. All I know is that for every finger I point at things I find annoying and wrong, three are pointing back at ME.
I've griped on this subject before. Let's be real. There is no way somebody making $20 an hour can even afford a 2 bedroom apartment in Sonoma County (if they are lucky enough to even find one) unless they live with a bunch of other people. Sorry, but not everybody on earth was lucky enough to inherit something or have wealthy parents.
There are many reasons housing is out of reach. I know my cute crush, Christopher Thornburg, seems to think that building more houses will magically solve our problems; however, at this point he is just a paid puppet telling the business world audience what they want to hear. If not, they would not be paying $75 for a crappy breakfast. If he told the truth we would all shoot ourselves after he spoke.
IMHO opinion, here are the reasons "affordable housing" aka SLAVE QUARTERS will never exist:
1. Nobody sells their house to the lowest bidder;
2. Real estate agents get paid by a percentage. It's in their monetary best self-interest to keep housing prices high. You really think they're working for the buyer? If you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you. Real estate agents want to close the deal at the highest price point you can take;
3. NIMBY's rule. Everybody wants to use modern slaves (cooks, gardeners, etc.) but nobody wants to embrace them into society and have them as a neighbor. It's like enjoying all of our modern conveniences but shove off unpleasant, pollution-inducing production to China where it's not in our immediate vision;
4. Property taxes are determined by the selling cost of a house. I don't care how much Sonoma County says otherwise, it's in their best interests to keep housing costs high as well. Higher the price = higher the property tax. We all know how government employees need to keep the trough full for their obnoxious perks and pensions;
5. Environmentalists. People and business are bad for the environment. The more people, the more demands for resources, the more they pollute, etc.;
6. Sonoma County is a jewel of a place and that's why people want to live here. Why is it special? Because it's not overcrowded (yet) and clean. See reason #5. If we build more it will lose charm. Everybody wants to live here, but it's cost prohibitive because, well, people just ruin things and we really don't want more of them around no matter how we tell the public otherwise;
7. We need to make a decision as to whether we become San Jose North or a resort community like Carmel. Either way, we will still need SLAVE QUARTERS;
8. NOBODY HAS FIGURED A WAY AROUND THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND....not even cutie-pie Christopher Thornburg.
I'm not sitting here thinking I have the answers to all of this. I don't. All I know is that for every finger I point at things I find annoying and wrong, three are pointing back at ME.
Friday, November 17, 2017
Amazon Prime Account Hack and FEMA Fraud
Blame it on the Equifax security data breach? Blame it on TurboTax and the IRS? Blame it on Anthem Blue Cross? Blame it on Microsoft? I've received so many notices now in regards to my personal identification being compromised it's become just another daily nuisance to deal with. Seriously, I'm spending more and more of my precious time on the phone and writing letters cancelling credit cards, subscriptions, and loans I did not apply for. I've put a stringent freeze on my credit and notified the proper authorities the identity theft, but do you really trust Equifax and the other credit reporting agencies to carry through with freezing my credit when they so sloppily handle it to begin with? I think not.
The onus is on us, the innocent party, to constantly monitor and scrutinize any activity. It's taking up more and more of my time, folks. I've got better things to do than to defend my innocence while the perpetrators attempt to collect cash at my expense (pun intended). Is this what a perfect 850 credit score gets you? Of course. People want to use my credit track record because they trashed theirs.
I received a phone call from somebody claiming they were from FEMA in regards to the disaster claim filed in the North Bay Fires and wanted to schedule a site visit. I know better than to give out any more information over the phone than necessary. We did at one time live in a house that was completely destroyed by the recent fires and a quick internet search discloses that. However, we have not lived in that house for some years now. I asked the person on the phone which address was used to file the claim. They answered with an area in Sonoma County that was not heavily impacted by the fires. Trash the claim. Fraud.
The next day or so I received a letter via snail mail from the Small Business Administration saying that a claim had been filed for a disaster relief loan. Again, fraud. However, dealing with it took up an hour time on hold.
Yesterday I went on my Amazon account to purchase a gift for somebody. The associated email address was one I did not recognize and I could not get into my own account. Somebody hacked my account. After doing some digging with the Amazon fraud department we figured out that it was a student in Texas who wanted my free six-month prime membership and free kindle book downloads. There was no monetary damage done, but somebody was riding on the coattails of my account. The Amazon representative and I had a little fun with the perpetrator. Long story short account access will be cut off once the fraudulent fish bites a big fat worm.
I'm telling you: snail mail and cash are making a comeback. It reminds me of a song lyric by Sting (love him). Never seen a miracle of science that did not go from a blessing to a curse
The onus is on us, the innocent party, to constantly monitor and scrutinize any activity. It's taking up more and more of my time, folks. I've got better things to do than to defend my innocence while the perpetrators attempt to collect cash at my expense (pun intended). Is this what a perfect 850 credit score gets you? Of course. People want to use my credit track record because they trashed theirs.
I received a phone call from somebody claiming they were from FEMA in regards to the disaster claim filed in the North Bay Fires and wanted to schedule a site visit. I know better than to give out any more information over the phone than necessary. We did at one time live in a house that was completely destroyed by the recent fires and a quick internet search discloses that. However, we have not lived in that house for some years now. I asked the person on the phone which address was used to file the claim. They answered with an area in Sonoma County that was not heavily impacted by the fires. Trash the claim. Fraud.
The next day or so I received a letter via snail mail from the Small Business Administration saying that a claim had been filed for a disaster relief loan. Again, fraud. However, dealing with it took up an hour time on hold.
Yesterday I went on my Amazon account to purchase a gift for somebody. The associated email address was one I did not recognize and I could not get into my own account. Somebody hacked my account. After doing some digging with the Amazon fraud department we figured out that it was a student in Texas who wanted my free six-month prime membership and free kindle book downloads. There was no monetary damage done, but somebody was riding on the coattails of my account. The Amazon representative and I had a little fun with the perpetrator. Long story short account access will be cut off once the fraudulent fish bites a big fat worm.
I'm telling you: snail mail and cash are making a comeback. It reminds me of a song lyric by Sting (love him). Never seen a miracle of science that did not go from a blessing to a curse
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Kitchen Ballet
My sister-in-law was over the other day. As always, I was cooking in the kitchen and she was sitting at the counter shooting the breeze with me. She made a comment about the way I move about the kitchen. She said it was like watching kitchen ballet. I glide, slide, spin ever so gracefully putting food together that looks like a dance. I guess I know my kitchen really well. I know where everything is.....and I get uber upset if somebody messes with it. It's my happy space. It makes me happy to make others happy with what I cook.
Next week is Thanksgiving. How many are YOU cooking for? Me? This year about 20 or so. I don't cheat and go to Safeway or order a meal from Raley's. Everything is done the way grandma did it right down to the 75 year-old roaster I use. I do it up Midwest farm-style. No, this is not the time to substitute kale for stuffing nor olive oil for butter. It's one meal a year, folks, so spare me the health food lectures. The old farmers had less health problems than today and they ate lard 365 days a year. Relax. I always think I make plenty of food but when it's all said and done there's really not much left over. I take that as the highest of compliments.
New this year: I'm horrible at baking - especially breads. We've been experiencing an extreme pretzel bun shortage here in Northern California. My son, who is an awesome bread baker, will be giving the pretzel bun baking experience a shot.
Next week is Thanksgiving. How many are YOU cooking for? Me? This year about 20 or so. I don't cheat and go to Safeway or order a meal from Raley's. Everything is done the way grandma did it right down to the 75 year-old roaster I use. I do it up Midwest farm-style. No, this is not the time to substitute kale for stuffing nor olive oil for butter. It's one meal a year, folks, so spare me the health food lectures. The old farmers had less health problems than today and they ate lard 365 days a year. Relax. I always think I make plenty of food but when it's all said and done there's really not much left over. I take that as the highest of compliments.
New this year: I'm horrible at baking - especially breads. We've been experiencing an extreme pretzel bun shortage here in Northern California. My son, who is an awesome bread baker, will be giving the pretzel bun baking experience a shot.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Red Neck Blue Tooth Speaker and Wine Glass
Thinking about you, little brother. In doing so I got out my red neck blue tooth speaker and my red neck wine glass. To make the red neck wine glass complete make SURE you put an ice cube in with that refrigerated grape juice that comes in a box, ok?? Who da thunk the red solo cup would be so iconic of all that is white trash? I LOVE IT!!!!! Let all the uppity-upps hang out in their perfect houses all trying to one up each other on everything. On the contrary to the uppity upps, we all know we are a bunch of sorry *ss losers and just want to have FUN and we can laugh at ourselves. That's why white trash like us always has a house full of people and friends. We're never lonely. Salute!!! Red Solo Cup!! It's so loved that Toby Keith wrote a song about it (below). .......and yes, I would be the Princess Leah at the party.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
For Little Brother
My younger brother is a very jovial, friendly person and everybody loves him, which is a typical trait for the 'baby' of the family. He should have been a comedian. His wife is also a very friendly person and they both like to have a good time. No crime in that. Despite his friendliness he is not afraid to call people on their crap. He's much more diplomatic in doing so than I. He will call people on their crap with a more humorous tone, and I just rip out juggler veins and let people bleed out while I stand on their chests looking down and smirking.
I have not seen my brother and his wife for a while and I miss them. There is a song that reminds me of them and they are NOT afraid to sing it out loud. Here it is
I have not seen my brother and his wife for a while and I miss them. There is a song that reminds me of them and they are NOT afraid to sing it out loud. Here it is
Monday, November 13, 2017
Santa Rosa Afternoon
For the first time since the fire we drove past of the pile of ash that used to be our old house in Coffey Park. I'm not sure if I'm glad I visited the site or not. No trace of my rose bushes I worked so hard to grow and flourish. That was to be expected. The house numbers were miraculously still visible on the curb. A flood of memories came rushing back: moving in, painting and decorating the rooms, getting the nursery ready for baby #2, trick-or-treating with the neighbors, holidays, etc. Oddly enough, the most disturbing thing was seeing the twisted and melted metal that was the shed my husband and brother-in-law put up along side of the house. I had to pause and grieve it. I liken it to seeing the body at a funeral viewing. We all know the person is dead, but somehow seeing it gives a sense of closure and brings up emotions you never knew you had.
You know Quiet Rage. I could not stay in that melancholy mind set and went to the Santa Rosa Mall downtown and it did not take long for me to find something to gripe about. You're shocked, right? LOL
Shopping malls are a dying breed. The gross meccas glorifying consumerism are being replaced by a computer and a delivery truck. It's just too easy to sit at home in pajamas with a cup of coffee and click around than to deal with: traffic, parking, waiting in line, crowds, making a special trip only to find they don't have the size/color you want, etc. It doesn't take a marketing genius to figure that in order to attract what's left of retail shopping it needs to be a PLEASANT and FUN experience.
Neither applied to my visit at the Santa Rosa Mall. There's a reason why I visit that place about once every-other-year.
Parking is a cluster F. Just getting into the garage rivals New York City during rush hour. Yes.... remember to take your stupid ticket upon entering and bring it with you. Once inside the mall the clerks moved at the pace of sloths. Waiting for my single item purchase to be paid for took 35 minutes. OK. I have my single item. I'm outta there. Not so fast. There is no free parking on the weekends for people who want to run in and out to buy something at the mall. The minimum fee is $1. There is only ONE machine for the entire garage to pay for parking. I could not believe it. I had to wait to get my purchase paid for, and now I have to wait to pay for parking. Here's a picture:
Are you KIDDING me?????? Really????? I thought once I waited my turn, which took forever, to pay my lousy $1 that I would be home free. Not so fast. The line of autos trying to exit the garage took another 16 minutes. The whole experience was frustrating beyond belief. No wonder why I avoid the Santa Rosa Mall like the plague.
You know Quiet Rage. I could not stay in that melancholy mind set and went to the Santa Rosa Mall downtown and it did not take long for me to find something to gripe about. You're shocked, right? LOL
Shopping malls are a dying breed. The gross meccas glorifying consumerism are being replaced by a computer and a delivery truck. It's just too easy to sit at home in pajamas with a cup of coffee and click around than to deal with: traffic, parking, waiting in line, crowds, making a special trip only to find they don't have the size/color you want, etc. It doesn't take a marketing genius to figure that in order to attract what's left of retail shopping it needs to be a PLEASANT and FUN experience.
Neither applied to my visit at the Santa Rosa Mall. There's a reason why I visit that place about once every-other-year.
Parking is a cluster F. Just getting into the garage rivals New York City during rush hour. Yes.... remember to take your stupid ticket upon entering and bring it with you. Once inside the mall the clerks moved at the pace of sloths. Waiting for my single item purchase to be paid for took 35 minutes. OK. I have my single item. I'm outta there. Not so fast. There is no free parking on the weekends for people who want to run in and out to buy something at the mall. The minimum fee is $1. There is only ONE machine for the entire garage to pay for parking. I could not believe it. I had to wait to get my purchase paid for, and now I have to wait to pay for parking. Here's a picture:
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Helping Fire Victims
We all want to help the North Bay Fire victims. Concerts and fundraisers are springing up all over the place. Be careful where you send your donations to. All these events claiming to raise money for the victims can be deceiving. Somehow it's always publicized as to how much the charity event raised with cheers and accolades, but never a word about how it's distributed. Some questions to ask:
1. What percentage goes directly to the fire victims;
2. Is there anything taken out of donations for overhead or operating costs;
3. How is the charity finding the people to distribute money to - or how are they finding the charity;
4. Are your donations going to a tax-exempt entity registered with a federal identification number;
5. Who is overseeing the distributions to make sure they're going for the intended purpose;
6. How much is each victim receiving;
7. How do you define a fire victim? Somebody who lost everything? Somebody who lost a motorcycle or a car but not their house? Somebody who lost a pet;
8. What vetting process does the charity use to make sure claims of victimhood are valid;
9. What will be the timeline for distributions to the fire victims? Immediately? Next month? Next year? Will there be one flat distribution or several over time? How do you decide the amount distributed to victims? Does each victim get a pre-determined flat amount? Are they all equal;
10. Will the charity offer up an accounting of where the money went and to whom after funds have been disbursed?
I'd like to see the Press Democrat do a series on how the fire victim donations are really spent and the timeline of giving aid and how that's determined. I'm curious as to how much "donations" are used to shore up somebody else's unrelated financial obligations. I am by no means discouraging generosity. I'm encouraging transparent transactions as to how the funds are spent (or not).
1. What percentage goes directly to the fire victims;
2. Is there anything taken out of donations for overhead or operating costs;
3. How is the charity finding the people to distribute money to - or how are they finding the charity;
4. Are your donations going to a tax-exempt entity registered with a federal identification number;
5. Who is overseeing the distributions to make sure they're going for the intended purpose;
6. How much is each victim receiving;
7. How do you define a fire victim? Somebody who lost everything? Somebody who lost a motorcycle or a car but not their house? Somebody who lost a pet;
8. What vetting process does the charity use to make sure claims of victimhood are valid;
9. What will be the timeline for distributions to the fire victims? Immediately? Next month? Next year? Will there be one flat distribution or several over time? How do you decide the amount distributed to victims? Does each victim get a pre-determined flat amount? Are they all equal;
10. Will the charity offer up an accounting of where the money went and to whom after funds have been disbursed?
I'd like to see the Press Democrat do a series on how the fire victim donations are really spent and the timeline of giving aid and how that's determined. I'm curious as to how much "donations" are used to shore up somebody else's unrelated financial obligations. I am by no means discouraging generosity. I'm encouraging transparent transactions as to how the funds are spent (or not).
Friday, November 10, 2017
Small Business Survival
A small business has a 20% chance of making it. The most difficult phase is the start-up phase meaning the first five years. If you're planning on going into business for yourself I highly recommend getting together with the SBA (Small Business Administration) as they are a wealth of information. Most of the people are successful businessmen (or women) who have been-there-done-that. Most of the time their services are free as the program is funded by the federal government.
Why do people go into business with the odds so heavily against them? Because they don't have a clue as to what they're really getting into. By the time they figure out what an enormous responsibility it is they have leveraged their homes and any assets they have to finance the business. Trapped.
People don't consider the taxes, insurance, and licensing involved. Just that alone will drive any person over the edge. Ready for your first lawsuit when somebody slips on a banana peel on your floor? Even if you're totally in the clear it will be your time and energy defending the claim which is an enormous time suck -- all the while still trying to run your business.
God forbid if you hire an employee as that presents even more stringent rules and regulations and more filing of paperwork. Do you have your employee handbook ready? Do you have your required Cal-Fed posters up? Do you have your workers' compensation kit in a visible area? Good luck trying to fire anybody - did you clearly document everything and follow protocol from hiring to termination? Ohhhhh, you're smarter than actually hiring an employee and decide to "outsource" everything? Don't like all the employee rules and hire somebody as a 1099 independent contractor? Good luck with that, too. The criteria is now so limited that you better be careful. That trick has been played to death and the IRS knows it.
Wait. I have not even gotten to the part of money yet. Isn't that the reason you want to go into business? Depending on the type of business you're going into will determine where you will need to invest. It varies from business to business. I can tell you that one of the most brutal businesses to get into is the restaurant business. It's extremely competitive and your inventory (food) is perishable.
The part that counts the most that gets the least attention is tracking the money. How much do you have in the bank? How much do you owe? How much do others owe YOU? Are you aware of what your overhead costs are? Is any of that flexible? Do you keep track of your inventory? Are you making a profit after all obligations are paid? Don't think you can hire bookkeeper Jane to do this for you and walk away. Some of the sloppiest books I've seen are from so-called CPA's with years of experience. Be hands on with the money. You would be shocked at how much 'disappears' or becomes unaccounted for.
One more thing: the CUSTOMER. You know, the person you sell your goods or services to? Customers can be a PITA (pain-in-the-a**). They will always be working to get a discount from you. They won't pay you if they owe you money. They will complain and whine about everything so you finally cave and give them something for nothing just to shut them up and avoid a negative review on YELP.
After all this you still want to open up your own business? Great. Just know that it's a huge responsibility and chances are you won't make nearly as much money as you thought you would. Some of you will want to prove me wrong. That's the dangling carrot.
Why do people go into business with the odds so heavily against them? Because they don't have a clue as to what they're really getting into. By the time they figure out what an enormous responsibility it is they have leveraged their homes and any assets they have to finance the business. Trapped.
People don't consider the taxes, insurance, and licensing involved. Just that alone will drive any person over the edge. Ready for your first lawsuit when somebody slips on a banana peel on your floor? Even if you're totally in the clear it will be your time and energy defending the claim which is an enormous time suck -- all the while still trying to run your business.
God forbid if you hire an employee as that presents even more stringent rules and regulations and more filing of paperwork. Do you have your employee handbook ready? Do you have your required Cal-Fed posters up? Do you have your workers' compensation kit in a visible area? Good luck trying to fire anybody - did you clearly document everything and follow protocol from hiring to termination? Ohhhhh, you're smarter than actually hiring an employee and decide to "outsource" everything? Don't like all the employee rules and hire somebody as a 1099 independent contractor? Good luck with that, too. The criteria is now so limited that you better be careful. That trick has been played to death and the IRS knows it.
Wait. I have not even gotten to the part of money yet. Isn't that the reason you want to go into business? Depending on the type of business you're going into will determine where you will need to invest. It varies from business to business. I can tell you that one of the most brutal businesses to get into is the restaurant business. It's extremely competitive and your inventory (food) is perishable.
The part that counts the most that gets the least attention is tracking the money. How much do you have in the bank? How much do you owe? How much do others owe YOU? Are you aware of what your overhead costs are? Is any of that flexible? Do you keep track of your inventory? Are you making a profit after all obligations are paid? Don't think you can hire bookkeeper Jane to do this for you and walk away. Some of the sloppiest books I've seen are from so-called CPA's with years of experience. Be hands on with the money. You would be shocked at how much 'disappears' or becomes unaccounted for.
One more thing: the CUSTOMER. You know, the person you sell your goods or services to? Customers can be a PITA (pain-in-the-a**). They will always be working to get a discount from you. They won't pay you if they owe you money. They will complain and whine about everything so you finally cave and give them something for nothing just to shut them up and avoid a negative review on YELP.
After all this you still want to open up your own business? Great. Just know that it's a huge responsibility and chances are you won't make nearly as much money as you thought you would. Some of you will want to prove me wrong. That's the dangling carrot.
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Washington
I'm going to Washington. Depending on where that is depends on where you are geographically. If you say you're going to Washington in the western part of the U.S. people assume you're going to Washington (the state). If you say you're going to Washington in the eastern part of the United States people assume Washington D.C.
There's a portion of the country in-between that is confused by Washington. When people say Washington it's followed by a question of D.C. or state? This throws off people from the east or west as they never put that possibility together.
It's kind of like Indians. People from India are Indians. We refer to Native Americans as Indians. The question gets asked when somebody identifies themselves as being Indian -- does that mean casino or gas station?
Settle down all you uptight PC doo-gooders and have a sense of humor.
There's a portion of the country in-between that is confused by Washington. When people say Washington it's followed by a question of D.C. or state? This throws off people from the east or west as they never put that possibility together.
It's kind of like Indians. People from India are Indians. We refer to Native Americans as Indians. The question gets asked when somebody identifies themselves as being Indian -- does that mean casino or gas station?
Settle down all you uptight PC doo-gooders and have a sense of humor.
Monday, November 6, 2017
Retar
No, that's not a type for retard. It's retar. I'll explain why in just a moment.
I was at a gathering yesterday. It was kind of an awkward gathering because the dynamics were weird. The conversation was not flowing naturally. Looking for a conversation topic that would not ignite WWIII nor cause any other family hostility that does not need to be inflamed, I started talking about growing up in the 1970's. Think about it. We played with: toxic waste (slime), had lead paint, did not wear helmets, played outside unsupervised, ate chemicals (McDonald's and other fast food), did not wear seatbelts....you get the hint.
That got the conversation going and people started to loosen up a bit. We all started to laugh at all the not-so-PC things that happened in the 1970's that would not happen today. One guy in the group, who has always been kind of a goof-ball, chimed in. He said, "When I was a kid growing up in San Francisco we would pick the tar out of the cracks in the road and chew on them."
Really???? He ate TAR???
I could not help but call him a RETAR.
I was at a gathering yesterday. It was kind of an awkward gathering because the dynamics were weird. The conversation was not flowing naturally. Looking for a conversation topic that would not ignite WWIII nor cause any other family hostility that does not need to be inflamed, I started talking about growing up in the 1970's. Think about it. We played with: toxic waste (slime), had lead paint, did not wear helmets, played outside unsupervised, ate chemicals (McDonald's and other fast food), did not wear seatbelts....you get the hint.
That got the conversation going and people started to loosen up a bit. We all started to laugh at all the not-so-PC things that happened in the 1970's that would not happen today. One guy in the group, who has always been kind of a goof-ball, chimed in. He said, "When I was a kid growing up in San Francisco we would pick the tar out of the cracks in the road and chew on them."
Really???? He ate TAR???
I could not help but call him a RETAR.
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Liars
There is only one thing I hate more than liars - liars who lie when caught lying. Well, what should I really expect from a habitual liar...the truth??? I have more respect for liars who man-up when caught. Actually, I forgive them if they ask that of me. Until then? Get out of my sight.
(heavy sigh) When will the guys I work with figure out that they can't bullshit me? See, I have a fresh batch now that I am dealing with. They are all newbies and think they know everything. Youth and arrogance prevail their thinking. They also want to dismiss me because I'm a woman. Little did they know that I eat people like them for breakfast.
This ain't my first rodeo.
About a year or so ago the guys I interact with at work had a huge shake up and the whole department changed personnel (all guys). The "lead" guy, knowing that I'm a tough customer, kept trying to persuade me to trust him. He went on and on for months telling me he did not have a hidden agenda and that everything he does is for the betterment of the industry...why don't I just openly TRUST him? It bothered him so much that he went around to others in my industry whining that I don't trust him. Red flag. When somebody brings that much attention to "trust" that means they're not trustworthy. In my line of work, and I should say in my personal life as well, my trust is very difficult to win over. If I do end up trusting somebody and they violate that trust - it's over.
When that happens you will be sorry you ever met me.
Long story short I caught the guy who was so concerned about my trusting him in a lie. When I confronted him he lied again. He tried to turn the tables on me, but I don't buy that distraction. That pissed him off even more. He went crying and whining to the president of the company (for lack of a better description of the position).
Well, you give somebody enough rope they hang themselves. The idiot (guy who is begging for my trust) left evidence of his untrustworthiness in a string of emails that ended up in my email inbox from the president of the company (from forwarding to too many people and forgetting to eliminate email addresses from previous recipients). The president had clear evidence of the lies that were trying to be sold to me as truth.
Today, Saturday, early in the morning the president of the company calls my cell phone. The president was also wondering why I had such a hard time "trusting" the guy begging for my trust. After the evidence via email proved his untrustworthiness, the president's message on my cell phone was very sheepish - he was at a loss for words and admitted it.
DON'T FUCK WITH ME UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(heavy sigh) When will the guys I work with figure out that they can't bullshit me? See, I have a fresh batch now that I am dealing with. They are all newbies and think they know everything. Youth and arrogance prevail their thinking. They also want to dismiss me because I'm a woman. Little did they know that I eat people like them for breakfast.
This ain't my first rodeo.
About a year or so ago the guys I interact with at work had a huge shake up and the whole department changed personnel (all guys). The "lead" guy, knowing that I'm a tough customer, kept trying to persuade me to trust him. He went on and on for months telling me he did not have a hidden agenda and that everything he does is for the betterment of the industry...why don't I just openly TRUST him? It bothered him so much that he went around to others in my industry whining that I don't trust him. Red flag. When somebody brings that much attention to "trust" that means they're not trustworthy. In my line of work, and I should say in my personal life as well, my trust is very difficult to win over. If I do end up trusting somebody and they violate that trust - it's over.
When that happens you will be sorry you ever met me.
Long story short I caught the guy who was so concerned about my trusting him in a lie. When I confronted him he lied again. He tried to turn the tables on me, but I don't buy that distraction. That pissed him off even more. He went crying and whining to the president of the company (for lack of a better description of the position).
Well, you give somebody enough rope they hang themselves. The idiot (guy who is begging for my trust) left evidence of his untrustworthiness in a string of emails that ended up in my email inbox from the president of the company (from forwarding to too many people and forgetting to eliminate email addresses from previous recipients). The president had clear evidence of the lies that were trying to be sold to me as truth.
Today, Saturday, early in the morning the president of the company calls my cell phone. The president was also wondering why I had such a hard time "trusting" the guy begging for my trust. After the evidence via email proved his untrustworthiness, the president's message on my cell phone was very sheepish - he was at a loss for words and admitted it.
DON'T FUCK WITH ME UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, November 3, 2017
Wendy
Sorry, but that name has always had a slightly negative association in my mind. Shortly before I was born, my aunt lost a baby girl that they had named Wendy. I became a symbol of what they lost being born just a couple weeks later and I always felt the sad energy. I remember going to the cemetery and seeing her grave. She was a stillborn.
There was a Wendy who lived up the street from us growing up. She was the sister of a *very* good childhood friend of mine. She could be a "B" at times, but I'm sure having her pesky little sister and friend around was annoying. Wendy was the same age as my older brother and went all through school together. In about 7th grade or so I think my brother had a crush on Wendy. The feelings weren't reciprocal. I remember once he figured that out he would find ways to criticize Wendy. At the conclusion of each school year he would bring home his yearbook and find every picture of Wendy. He would then point out to me, "Look. Wendy has her mouth open in every picture."
I don't dare guess what was going through my brother's head when he made that comment, but for me it was an everlasting impression. Wendy = big mouth open. I began to notice the other girls named Wendy in my school. Yup... there's a trend. Every Wendy had a big mouth that tended to be open more than shut.
I don't know of any California gals named Wendy. I wonder if that impression holds true out here. What made me even think about it was the song by the Association (who I saw live one time in Tahoe - another story). I realize the song is titled "Windy" and not "Wendy" but try to explain that to a seven-year-old. I heard the song on the radio driving my car and all the memories just started flooding back. I would like to meet a California Wendy just to see;)
There was a Wendy who lived up the street from us growing up. She was the sister of a *very* good childhood friend of mine. She could be a "B" at times, but I'm sure having her pesky little sister and friend around was annoying. Wendy was the same age as my older brother and went all through school together. In about 7th grade or so I think my brother had a crush on Wendy. The feelings weren't reciprocal. I remember once he figured that out he would find ways to criticize Wendy. At the conclusion of each school year he would bring home his yearbook and find every picture of Wendy. He would then point out to me, "Look. Wendy has her mouth open in every picture."
I don't dare guess what was going through my brother's head when he made that comment, but for me it was an everlasting impression. Wendy = big mouth open. I began to notice the other girls named Wendy in my school. Yup... there's a trend. Every Wendy had a big mouth that tended to be open more than shut.
I don't know of any California gals named Wendy. I wonder if that impression holds true out here. What made me even think about it was the song by the Association (who I saw live one time in Tahoe - another story). I realize the song is titled "Windy" and not "Wendy" but try to explain that to a seven-year-old. I heard the song on the radio driving my car and all the memories just started flooding back. I would like to meet a California Wendy just to see;)
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