It's going to be a busy summer for Quiet Rage. I'm already starting to feel the pressure of completing projects before taking off to Europe for a bit. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I will still have a houseful in my absence as my "kids" will be home for the summer.
Yes, I still run a boarding house for teens and young adults whose parents went off the deep end and abandoned them for drugs, booze, and new love interests tossing their own offspring aside as if they were nothing more than a temporary obligation to be rid of as soon as possible.
Anyway, I've accumulated quite a base of kids who call me mom. Now I have a new title that I'm not sure if I am ready for -- grandma. No, not a biological grandchild, but the granddaughter of a friend of mine who's family is going though a *really* tough time: divorce, substance abuse, money problems, joblessness, etc.
My "granddaughter" stays with me quite often overnight and she has created her own art space within the house. She comes in and immediately heads to her art desk set up in the front room, gives hugs, plays with the dog and cat, and creates artwork that depicts her observations of the house.
My cork board in the kitchen is now covered with drawings my "granddaughter" created of Quiet Rage cooking various foods with little hearts all around the border. CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Business Partners, Job Interviews, and Resumes
It's been a long day. I'm a little rummy after such a long, tedious day so please forgive me. I've been in the business world for 30 years and there are some confusing trends that I need help with now that I'm on the "senior" side.
Once upon a time, in more defined times, when at cocktail mixers (remember those?) I would get introduced to people who then would want to introduce me to their "partner." Back then, it was automatically assumed that they were business partners and the relationship was platonic. Now when I'm introduced to a "partner" it takes on a whole other meaning. It could mean their same-sex lover, business partner, fleeting opposite sex l'amour du jour, all the above, or any combination thereof.
Help a girl out, would you please? Don't make me guess as I *really* try not to insert foot into mouth. I usually run into this problem at business functions and I don't know your personal life (and I would never ask), and so don't get angry when you are talking about yourself and your business and you say "my partner" and I give you a long pause of a stare with one eyebrow raised in confusion. Partner as in????????? What????? I have too much class to blurt out what I really want to ask, so I do the cocktail conversation mixer dance on landmines being evasive hoping not to offend anybody.
Now onto job interviews and resumes. Today I interviewed an applicant who fished out a resume from his sticker-laden backpack that looked like it belonged to a brooding teenage goth and told me, "I have a resume for you to look at. I did not have time to update it and it's a couple years old."
Hmmmmmm... Strike one.... Handing out a dated resume at an interview and then announcing that he did not have time to update it.
Strike two... His resume listed EXCELLENT TIME MANAGEMENT as his top skill. I'm sorry, but I could not let that slide. As usual, I call people on their bull&*$% and they never like it.
NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't make this stuff up, people.
Once upon a time, in more defined times, when at cocktail mixers (remember those?) I would get introduced to people who then would want to introduce me to their "partner." Back then, it was automatically assumed that they were business partners and the relationship was platonic. Now when I'm introduced to a "partner" it takes on a whole other meaning. It could mean their same-sex lover, business partner, fleeting opposite sex l'amour du jour, all the above, or any combination thereof.
Help a girl out, would you please? Don't make me guess as I *really* try not to insert foot into mouth. I usually run into this problem at business functions and I don't know your personal life (and I would never ask), and so don't get angry when you are talking about yourself and your business and you say "my partner" and I give you a long pause of a stare with one eyebrow raised in confusion. Partner as in????????? What????? I have too much class to blurt out what I really want to ask, so I do the cocktail conversation mixer dance on landmines being evasive hoping not to offend anybody.
Now onto job interviews and resumes. Today I interviewed an applicant who fished out a resume from his sticker-laden backpack that looked like it belonged to a brooding teenage goth and told me, "I have a resume for you to look at. I did not have time to update it and it's a couple years old."
Hmmmmmm... Strike one.... Handing out a dated resume at an interview and then announcing that he did not have time to update it.
Strike two... His resume listed EXCELLENT TIME MANAGEMENT as his top skill. I'm sorry, but I could not let that slide. As usual, I call people on their bull&*$% and they never like it.
NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't make this stuff up, people.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Lawyers and Insurance Companies
I hate lawyers. All they do is complicate things and drive up costs. Lawyers are wrong 50% of the time if their case goes to trial charging you $550 per hour along the way. No wonder you can never get them to shut up or write you a one-page opinion letter. The longer they talk and write, the more they charge you. Lawyers create problems to make you believe they are needed to solve them. You have to keep them on a short leash or they will suck you dry in a heart beat. In the end the final decision is on you, so they don't really have any skin in the final outcome but collect plenty along the way. You have the same odds flipping a coin, but way less expensive. What a racket.
I hate insurance companies. If ever there was an industry that blatantly &*%$ people over, it's the insurance companies. I think of TYD's (one of my Minnesota coven) now deceased father quite a bit lately as I deal with the inner workings of insurance. He never purchased insurance for anything unless absolutely necessary; he only had catastrophic coverage where the premiums are very low, but the deductible high. However, he was covered if a tornado came through and demolished the house. TYD's dad had an investment account to deal with the unforeseen automobile fender benders, minor storm damage, and the like. Once he penciled out the premiums and the hassle of actually collecting from an insurance company should he ever actually need to use the it, he figured he was money ahead if he invested it. He figured why pay all those expensive premiums when they just jack up your rates if you actually use it? Smart man.
I deal with the side of insurance - mostly medical - that the public does not see. I don't care how 'customer friendly' the commercials are where they pretend to care about you. They are out to collect as much as possible in premiums and not pay out while their executives throw lavish parties in exotic locations. I've seen it with my own two eyes. I could not believe the fancy parties insurance companies throw whilst somebody who is suffering greatly is getting their life-saving medication denied because it's 'not part of the plan.'
The only thing I hate more than lawyers and insurance companies are the lawyers for insurance companies.
I hate insurance companies. If ever there was an industry that blatantly &*%$ people over, it's the insurance companies. I think of TYD's (one of my Minnesota coven) now deceased father quite a bit lately as I deal with the inner workings of insurance. He never purchased insurance for anything unless absolutely necessary; he only had catastrophic coverage where the premiums are very low, but the deductible high. However, he was covered if a tornado came through and demolished the house. TYD's dad had an investment account to deal with the unforeseen automobile fender benders, minor storm damage, and the like. Once he penciled out the premiums and the hassle of actually collecting from an insurance company should he ever actually need to use the it, he figured he was money ahead if he invested it. He figured why pay all those expensive premiums when they just jack up your rates if you actually use it? Smart man.
I deal with the side of insurance - mostly medical - that the public does not see. I don't care how 'customer friendly' the commercials are where they pretend to care about you. They are out to collect as much as possible in premiums and not pay out while their executives throw lavish parties in exotic locations. I've seen it with my own two eyes. I could not believe the fancy parties insurance companies throw whilst somebody who is suffering greatly is getting their life-saving medication denied because it's 'not part of the plan.'
The only thing I hate more than lawyers and insurance companies are the lawyers for insurance companies.
Friday, April 8, 2016
a-CHOO!!! Pollen Bombs
I've heard from several sources that Sonoma County, California is one of THE worst places on earth if you suffer from pollen allergies. a-CHOO!!! a-CHOO!!! Sorry, had to sneeze and grab a tissue to dab my watery eyes and runny nose.
I love spring. Pollen bombs dropped on my deck will not dampen my enthusiasm for bringing out the deck furniture and inviting people over for dinner and wine. The back deck has yellow snow that is really from pollen bombs.
I love spring. Pollen bombs dropped on my deck will not dampen my enthusiasm for bringing out the deck furniture and inviting people over for dinner and wine. The back deck has yellow snow that is really from pollen bombs.
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Euphemism
...and to think that at my age I have heard of every euphemism for sex imaginable. It's either that or my internal, giggly 7th grader got the better of me (again).
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Bit the Bullet
I just bit the bullet, my friends, and booked my FIRST CLASS ticket to Europe;) The way things are going I just may, in fact, actually bite bullets as the first stop is Brussels. After departing Belgium it's off to Amsterdam where I will INSIST on taking a side trip to visit grandpa's tomb in Nieuwe Kerk, Delft. The most stressful part of the trip will be fireworks in Paris on Bastille Day. After that I think I will relax and the river cruise from Paris to Normandy will be oh-so-mellow.
Anyway, I'm on my way to see you grandpa. We will have a nice long, silent chat as I feel the need to tell you directly what an asshole you were (oh yes, the family still has stories that are not found in history books). Yes, you were a complete asshole on some fronts. However, you left a legacy that still holds your fighting spirit. I still love ya anyway despite your shortcomings.
A couple images of gramps. It is really eerie how my father looks just like him. One would have thought that the mixing of DNA over the generations would have mutated such a striking resemblance. I love the one where he's giving the finger LOL. The apple did not fall too far from the tree.
Anyway, I'm on my way to see you grandpa. We will have a nice long, silent chat as I feel the need to tell you directly what an asshole you were (oh yes, the family still has stories that are not found in history books). Yes, you were a complete asshole on some fronts. However, you left a legacy that still holds your fighting spirit. I still love ya anyway despite your shortcomings.
A couple images of gramps. It is really eerie how my father looks just like him. One would have thought that the mixing of DNA over the generations would have mutated such a striking resemblance. I love the one where he's giving the finger LOL. The apple did not fall too far from the tree.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Scary Landing - Oakland Airport
They tell me that landing is the most dangerous part of a flight. I believe that to be true, and my experience landing at the Oakland Airport has solidified that belief. Please excuse me while I change my underwear as I, along with everybody else on the flight, shat our pants.
There was a horrific cross wind upon landing and air traffic control had our plane land on a runway that was not intended to accommodate a commercial jet, but for smaller private jets. We landed HARD, we tilted, rocked back and forth, bounced around , and the right wing just about hit the ground and tore off. We ran out of runway space and had to back up and turn around to get to the terminal.
People were crying and screaming. I looked out the window and saw the rows and rows of emergency vehicles. There were rows of fire trucks and ambulances all lit up with their lights flashing and fully manned like they were ready to pounce as they were obviously expecting something *really* bad about to go down.
There was a horrific cross wind upon landing and air traffic control had our plane land on a runway that was not intended to accommodate a commercial jet, but for smaller private jets. We landed HARD, we tilted, rocked back and forth, bounced around , and the right wing just about hit the ground and tore off. We ran out of runway space and had to back up and turn around to get to the terminal.
People were crying and screaming. I looked out the window and saw the rows and rows of emergency vehicles. There were rows of fire trucks and ambulances all lit up with their lights flashing and fully manned like they were ready to pounce as they were obviously expecting something *really* bad about to go down.
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