I ran into a really simple, simple sales clerk today. Oh, excuse me, I mean Sales Associate.
Apparently, smarts aren't a job qualification for this position. I took back several pieces of clothing I purchased a week ago to our local Macy's. I had removed the price tags, but left on the manufacturer's tags. I had my sales receipts with me. But, the sales associate couldn't enter the items back into the inventory/point of sales terminal (formerly known as cash registers) without the barcode on the missing price tags.
Now, let me further explain that the sales receipt had descriptive entries that were easy to match up with the items being purchased and now returned.
But no. She couldn't handle the return transaction without the missing price tags. So, now I had to return home to get these price tags and then go back again to the store - which fortunately is not very far away from where I live.
What if I didn't have the price tags any longer? Would I have to keep these items? These were gifts for my daughter's birthday last week. Nobody gives birthday gifts and leaves on the price tags. In fact, this is the reason that Macy's gives gift receipts - which I did not bring along to the store. Guess that makes this entire scenario my fault.
Anyway, I thought I'd capture this incident here so any chance reader would be fore-warned. Macy's sales associates cannot handle returns without price tags even if you have your sales receipts. Perhaps I am unfairly lumping the smarter sales associates in with this more challenged colleague. I'll let you decide that for yourself.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Happy Birthday, Baby Girl
My baby daughter turned 17 yesterday. She is a high school senior, going through the college search adventure. She spent the night before her birthday at one of the colleges she is applying to attend next fall. That visit prompted this post...
Birthdays are frequently not the things that dreams are made of.
When we're kids, we look forward to our special day with an eagerness almost as keen as Christmas morning. When you get to be an adult, you learn that to accept the fact that your anticipation is rarely, if ever, actually met. At 17, my daughter already realizes this. But, she had a legitimate reason this year to expect to have some excitement. She would be sleeping overnight at a college campus the Friday night before her Saturday birthday. She would be attending a college party and meeting some new people - very exciting.
It didn't turn out that way, unfortunately. The coed she was paired with doesn't like to go to parties. Oh, they got invited to 3 that evening, but she chose for them to play games in her dorm room instead. Perhaps this was not her normal behavior. Perhaps she felt an overhelming sense of responsibility to take care of her high school senior charge. My daughter says otherwise, that this was her normal Friday evening habit.
Now, I don't care if my daughter got to party hearty with a bunch of college kids, but I do care that she came home feeling she missed out. I'm sure she didn't miss anything at all. But, she was bored instead of excited by her college overnight visit.
So, I feel kinda bad knowing that this is only the first of many, many more birthday disappointments to come. On the bright side, she got a surprise visit on Saturday from summer friends she works with at camp. That was very nice and they traveled far to see her. I hope she learned that it's the friendships we make and the relationships we grow that make life sweet. There will be more parties... I promise.
Birthdays are frequently not the things that dreams are made of.
When we're kids, we look forward to our special day with an eagerness almost as keen as Christmas morning. When you get to be an adult, you learn that to accept the fact that your anticipation is rarely, if ever, actually met. At 17, my daughter already realizes this. But, she had a legitimate reason this year to expect to have some excitement. She would be sleeping overnight at a college campus the Friday night before her Saturday birthday. She would be attending a college party and meeting some new people - very exciting.
It didn't turn out that way, unfortunately. The coed she was paired with doesn't like to go to parties. Oh, they got invited to 3 that evening, but she chose for them to play games in her dorm room instead. Perhaps this was not her normal behavior. Perhaps she felt an overhelming sense of responsibility to take care of her high school senior charge. My daughter says otherwise, that this was her normal Friday evening habit.
Now, I don't care if my daughter got to party hearty with a bunch of college kids, but I do care that she came home feeling she missed out. I'm sure she didn't miss anything at all. But, she was bored instead of excited by her college overnight visit.
So, I feel kinda bad knowing that this is only the first of many, many more birthday disappointments to come. On the bright side, she got a surprise visit on Saturday from summer friends she works with at camp. That was very nice and they traveled far to see her. I hope she learned that it's the friendships we make and the relationships we grow that make life sweet. There will be more parties... I promise.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Hate is an Ugly Thing
Yesterday, I came face-to-face with ugly hatred - up close and personal.
I was in the check-out line at a local grocery store, waiting for the mother and her 10-ish year old daughter making their payment for their purchases. The mother was showing her daughter how to pay using a credit card, and for this reason it was taking a little longer to complete the transaction.
The woman behind me says "Excuse me," while she tries to reach around me to put her groceries on the check-out conveyor belt - I was standing at the end of the belt unable to move up. I glance over my shoulder and tell her there's no room for me to move up (because of the mother-daughter check-out instruction going on in front of me.)
She then says, a bit louder, "Excuse me" again and I repeat there is no room for me to move up.
Next she pushes her cart into my rear-end, saying more loudly, "Excuse me." I turn around and look directly at her and say, "I said there is no room to move up, so why did you push your cart into me?"
She says she asked me politely and when I didn't comply, she had to make her point. I told her this was no way to act and she went off on me saying...
"Just because you are white doesn't mean you have a right to treat me this way. I may be newer to this country (I think she was African), but I still have rights , even if I am black!)
I could not believe what I was hearing! I pointed my finger right at her and said, "Oh no you don't! That has nothing to do with it. There was no room for me to move up and you had no right to hit me with your cart!!"
She yells back at me, "You think that was a hit! You want me to hit you! I'll show you what I can do to you!"
In the meantime, the check-out clerk and bagger are shrinking down - no help to defuse the situation. She was still yelling at me as I left both the line and the store after paying for my few purchases. (I'd been buying ice cream for a family birthday party I was holding at my home in a couple hours for my daughter and mother-in-law.)
Needless to say, I was shocked by this exchange and I'm stilling reeling today - hence this posting. There have been a huge influx of immigrants into our community over the past 5 years. So many new comers in fact that I sometimes feel out-of-place in the small town I've called home for over 23 years now. I'm sorry to say this episode has only served as an explanation point to that fact. I doubt if I will be going back to shop at that store again for some time to come.
Why?
Because, I don't feel like putting myself into situations where I am abused for no reason. Because, this woman scared me - plain and simple, simple.
I was in the check-out line at a local grocery store, waiting for the mother and her 10-ish year old daughter making their payment for their purchases. The mother was showing her daughter how to pay using a credit card, and for this reason it was taking a little longer to complete the transaction.
The woman behind me says "Excuse me," while she tries to reach around me to put her groceries on the check-out conveyor belt - I was standing at the end of the belt unable to move up. I glance over my shoulder and tell her there's no room for me to move up (because of the mother-daughter check-out instruction going on in front of me.)
She then says, a bit louder, "Excuse me" again and I repeat there is no room for me to move up.
Next she pushes her cart into my rear-end, saying more loudly, "Excuse me." I turn around and look directly at her and say, "I said there is no room to move up, so why did you push your cart into me?"
She says she asked me politely and when I didn't comply, she had to make her point. I told her this was no way to act and she went off on me saying...
"Just because you are white doesn't mean you have a right to treat me this way. I may be newer to this country (I think she was African), but I still have rights , even if I am black!)
I could not believe what I was hearing! I pointed my finger right at her and said, "Oh no you don't! That has nothing to do with it. There was no room for me to move up and you had no right to hit me with your cart!!"
She yells back at me, "You think that was a hit! You want me to hit you! I'll show you what I can do to you!"
In the meantime, the check-out clerk and bagger are shrinking down - no help to defuse the situation. She was still yelling at me as I left both the line and the store after paying for my few purchases. (I'd been buying ice cream for a family birthday party I was holding at my home in a couple hours for my daughter and mother-in-law.)
Needless to say, I was shocked by this exchange and I'm stilling reeling today - hence this posting. There have been a huge influx of immigrants into our community over the past 5 years. So many new comers in fact that I sometimes feel out-of-place in the small town I've called home for over 23 years now. I'm sorry to say this episode has only served as an explanation point to that fact. I doubt if I will be going back to shop at that store again for some time to come.
Why?
Because, I don't feel like putting myself into situations where I am abused for no reason. Because, this woman scared me - plain and simple, simple.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Indian Summer's Night Moves
It's absolutely beautiful here in the Washington DC area this evening. It's Autumn at it's best and I'm hoping we got the best election winners for the future of our country.
I'm a registered Independent and I was careful about inspecting issues, examining the messages emitting from radio, TV and the Internet. But, there does seem to be something wonderful about the Fall season right after a Presidential election that I wanted to take notice and make comment.
The 70 degree air around the nation's capital is charged with a hopeful buzz that the new Administration can turn things around. The clear blue day time sky reminds us of the field of blue states on the election coverage channels Tuesday night. The crisp mornings remind us of how sharp the pencil points of new Cabinet and Congress must be when they arrive to work on Day 1. The smell of dry leaves is akin to the smell of old Republicans being whisked away by the winds of change. And the last evening sounds of crickets chirping is like... empty promises made but not kept over the past 8 years.
Oh, I wax poetic tonight, but I'm inspired by the uplifting attitude of our President-Elect as he immediately starting naming members of his new Administration and putting out teasers about his plans to right America's recent course. Like him or not, you probably will agree that Obama's taking charge. That's a good way to begin.
I'm a registered Independent and I was careful about inspecting issues, examining the messages emitting from radio, TV and the Internet. But, there does seem to be something wonderful about the Fall season right after a Presidential election that I wanted to take notice and make comment.
The 70 degree air around the nation's capital is charged with a hopeful buzz that the new Administration can turn things around. The clear blue day time sky reminds us of the field of blue states on the election coverage channels Tuesday night. The crisp mornings remind us of how sharp the pencil points of new Cabinet and Congress must be when they arrive to work on Day 1. The smell of dry leaves is akin to the smell of old Republicans being whisked away by the winds of change. And the last evening sounds of crickets chirping is like... empty promises made but not kept over the past 8 years.
Oh, I wax poetic tonight, but I'm inspired by the uplifting attitude of our President-Elect as he immediately starting naming members of his new Administration and putting out teasers about his plans to right America's recent course. Like him or not, you probably will agree that Obama's taking charge. That's a good way to begin.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Big Night is Finally Here
Tonight feels a lot like Christmas Eve...
It's the same feeling of anticipation like before you open your presents and see what you actually got!
Yes, it's Election Day and the polls are now beginning to close. I've got the TV coverage on and all the speculation is ramped up - to the max. All this drama and swirling has really revved up the nation and captured our national imagination. But what about tomorrow?
Someone has to lose.
And then what will happen? We're told things will never be the same again when November 5 rolls around. That means we have a 50/50 chance of things getting better and also getting worse. I've had very few Christmas' where I got gifts that matched my expectations. Usually it's a lot of build up with minimal payback in return. I truly hope this election doesn't turn out like so many overblown holiday promises.
We'll see... May all your election dreams come true!
It's the same feeling of anticipation like before you open your presents and see what you actually got!
Yes, it's Election Day and the polls are now beginning to close. I've got the TV coverage on and all the speculation is ramped up - to the max. All this drama and swirling has really revved up the nation and captured our national imagination. But what about tomorrow?
Someone has to lose.
And then what will happen? We're told things will never be the same again when November 5 rolls around. That means we have a 50/50 chance of things getting better and also getting worse. I've had very few Christmas' where I got gifts that matched my expectations. Usually it's a lot of build up with minimal payback in return. I truly hope this election doesn't turn out like so many overblown holiday promises.
We'll see... May all your election dreams come true!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Be Careful What You Pray For
(Reprint from Blondesense blog - thanks for sharing... )
Religious Americans are praying and fasting as we move closer to election day. They are praying that Christians will get up off the couch and go out and vote (for McCain/Palin) because they stand for the "sanctity of life.""We have just days to pray that someone who upholds the sanctity of life and marriage between one man and one woman will win," said Pam Olsen, co-pastor with her husband of the International House of Prayer in Tallahassee, Fla.This is going on country wide.
Olsen, who personally supports Republican John McCain, is organizing a marathon of prayer, fasting and Bible reading at the Capitol starting Saturday until the state's polls close.
"The outcome is up to God," she said.
If there really is a "God" up there and he really does value the "sanctity of life" and he really can sway the electorate, which candidate do you think he'd pick? I don't have a clue although I think that the God of Jesus would choose the candidate who is less likely to bomb the shit out of sovereign nations... but then again the Old Testament God would probably choose McCain.
What would an Obama win say to all the religious zealots? Will they be convinced that God chose Obama and leave the presidency in "God's hands" as it were?
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