Crappy Customer Service

What's Taking Up Your Head Space?

I have people in my life who love accounting.  These people are not only interested in it, they are fascinated by it.  Can you believe this crap? What is wrong with these weirdos?

I am not sure I'm going to pass Financial Accounting, or do much more than pass it.  The subject is inaccessible to me for some reason.  I feel as though there is a cloud between me and it that rises whenever someone starts to talk about accounting.  Or that someone turns up a white noise machine and I can't make out what's going on.  I am living a nightmare.

Is this what a learning disability feels like?

I have always had trouble learning math.  And no, it's not one of those false gender-bias things - I am actually bad at math.  I squeaked into University by working extra hard in all other subjects to raise my grade average and remove the dent caused by dismal math scores.  I still don't know how I made it through all the chemistry math, or the geometric/trigonometric/blueprint reading math I did in machinist school.

But I did make it.

And I'm still not sure I won't fail Accounting.

Done, Or Giving Up.

December 29 – Defining Moment Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

Skipping this one for redundancy's sake.

December 30 – Gift Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

I told everyone not to get me any emotional gifts this year because last year someone bought me Anxiety. 

As for material gifts, I like my Kobo so far.  Did you know that you can borrow library books for your e-reader?

December 31 – Core Story What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

OK, this is over and done.  These were some weird, repetitive questions.  Signing off for now.  Belated Happy New Year and Decade to you.

And Then?

December 11 – 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

I'm not coming up with ways to eliminate any of this.  I can't be arsed.

1.  More people on my bus.  Guys, they cut back the Commuter routes on the Christmas schedule.  WTF?  Just because Uni is out, no one uses the bus??  Nothing I can do about this one unless I drive to work.

2.  Stress.  Sure, everyone is stressed.  But I've started clenching my teeth in my sleep again and they're starting to chip.  I despise a night guard, it's like sleeping with a puck in your mouth.

3.  Heat.  Why is it 22C in my office?  Doesn't anyone dress for the cold anymore?  I like to be cool. 

4.  Health issues in my family.  People be gettin' old and stuff.  People I like.

5.  Men's socks.  Mr. W has 400 pairs and it's all I can do to keep them washed.

6.  Spitting.  No one should spit ever again, anywhere, for any reason.

7.  Appliances breaking down.  The dishwasher is crying about how it just can't go on.

8.  The Middle East. I can't imagine living in a place where one is expected to hate, hate, hate all day.  That must be tiresome.

9.  The meek.  I'm sick of holding up your end of the conversation and mine.  You should speak up more and say what you think.  Take the risk of looking like a fool.  Open your damn mouth.

10.  Sugar.  My life doesn't need any more sugar.  But I am having trouble cutting back.

11.  TV shows.  I feel like I watch every TV show ever made.  Aren't there better things to do with one's time?

Gettin On Wi It

December 5 - Let Go What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I let go of my old job, obviously.  I had no idea it would be so emotionally difficult, because at the time I had a grievance list a mile long and was clutching my desk so I didn't just walk out every day.  But I loved working for my supervisor, and I enjoyed working with apparel.  I still kinda miss them both.

Part of me is in mourning for the ideal of the job, not the reality of it.  The job I wanted at the Sporting Company doesn't exist anymore, and never will again.  This was confirmed for me when I ran into someone who still works there.  She aired a laundry list of grievances I recognized. 

She also didn't ask me how I was doing because she was tied up with her own devils.  She is of a certain age, but unable to retire from the Sporting Company's pittiful wage (never mind that, there's no retirement planning either).  I'm certain that she also feels her age is a challenge to finding new work.  Her life is tough enough without me being petty or spiteful, even though she was terrible to me at the beginning of my tenure there.  So I let go of that, too.

A Question

Mr. W and I have both been attending a health club since the end of August. We also take our evening meals together. Overall my diet is much healthier than his, since I have no Pepsi habit.

So, is it wrong for me to be a bit cheesed when we weigh ourselves and find that he has lost 11 pounds and I have gained 3? "You're gaining muscle," he says. The universe conspires against me, say I. Who is right?

The Complaint Blog Post

This semester I resent the intrusion of school into the rest of my life. Yes, that is correct, i'm taking ONE course that you could probably sleep through, and I'm finding it an unbearable burden. I whine internally without ceasing about it.

What would I be doing with my Tuesdays without the class? Oh, playing Rock Band or some shit. Vegging in front of the tv or pedaling an ellipse machine. In other words, the things a grownup life of privilege affords you. Not sitting in another fucking class which I have been doing with remarkable regularity since I was four. I have reached my limit...and I must go on.

Can You Put That Out?

Yech, I'm recovering from a summer cold, extended for a week by the presence of BC forest ashes in the lungs last week.  I had pot-smoke-eyes for three days.  I went around with my upper lip coated in lavender-scented body butter to mitigate the smoky smell.

Smoke is, to me, the worst smell out there.  As a small child I drove my Colt Cigarillo-smoking dad right outdoors with my tirades.  I also occasionally suffer from olfactory hallucinations related to mild migraine - and they are always smoke scented. I am the silent Edmontonian who was relieved when the indoor smoking bylaws were passed.

Don't worry, I'm not an anti-smoking nutjob who shouts at people inside the 5m radius...though that is the result of good restraint.  I keep my many arguments & opinions inside my skull.

Or Lose a Tooth

I'm about ready to just walk completely naked through the world. 

Fashion is just awful right now.  Everything looks like it was washed in a mud puddle and dried by hanging it off a car bumper.  The world doesn't make shoes for my feet and I'm ready to give up my half-assed attempt at high heel training because I'm afraid of doing permanent damage.  My eyeballs don't like contacts.  My hair is super scraggly.  I don't know *what* happened to my skin last month but I seem to be consuming myself from the inside out.  What's left that could happen to make me look any worse?

I could rip out an earring.

Is It Wrong...

To be so, so tired of the "bohemian" look jammed down the throats of plus-size women?

To walk a wide berth around loitering groups of surly-looking First Nations teens?

To pay 10¢ extra per bus ride for air conditioning?  (Hypothetically.)

To have this huge summer entertainment extravaganza taking place outside the front door, yet stay indoors for a meal and a nap on my lunch hour?

And Another Thing....

Those of you who collect Shoppers Optimum points pay attention.  They are revamping the program as of July 1st.  On that date, your points will be worth less than they are right now.  Check out the Shopper's Drug Mart link I just posted for details.  Having examined the current program, I will say that you will get quite a bit less in redemption dollars.