Monday, April 28, 2008
Cutomer Disservice
I have had text messaging blocked on all of my phones since I got them...so tell me, why do I have to go thru this crap every bill and have to spend 30-50 minutes on the phone with the sprint cust rep to get charges taken off my bill for text messages? huh? so I'm railing at this poor guy today telling him that this is total BS that I have to scrutinize my bill every frikken month to see if they charged me again and then more time on the phone to get the charges removed and still!!! I get charge almost every month! So he's going to make sure they are blocked, take off the charges, and he's going to give me a "inconvenience" credit of $5.00 for all the hassle I've had to put up with...that's $1 for text credit and $4 for my time...bwah!~ I hate cell phone companies almost as much as I hate internet providers and cable companies!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
On Potential vs. Performance
On Potential vs. Performance
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but my son is incredibly bright. I think he is worlds above me in intellect and intelligence. He started kindergarten at age 4 and already met the maximum requirements upon arrival. In first grade they recommended him for the accelerated program and put him in 3rd grade level reading and math. By second grade he was beginning to have social problems because he was so far ahead of his peers that he spent most of his days suffering sheer boredom.
That’s when I finally took the opportunity to home school. Now, I know all the arguments for and against home schooling, but rest assured, I made an educated decision. In the Roseville Public School system, they won’t move students to the gifted program until 4th grade. As my son had spent the majority of his 2nd grade year sitting at a desk in front of the principal’s office, I decided it would be better fro him to NOT learn anything at home, in a loving environment, than to NOT learn anything at school, sitting in a hallway, isolated and alone.
So, during the course of the 6 years that I home schooled my son, he advanced through the basic materials: reading, writing, and math, as well as several other subjects such as: Bible Studies, science, and logic. By the time he would have been in 7th grade, we were working out of college level books. He had difficulty with following through, as I believe he may have a mild form of A.D.D., but I never put pressure on him to work fast, as I felt that mastering the subject matter was significantly more important than finishing it in a timely manner.
Then half way through that 7th grade year, I got a day job. This would not have been a problem for most students, but recall the A.D.D. issue. He couldn’t finish anything unless I was practically sitting on his lap. He spent that half of year slipping into an abyss. I knew I would have to put him into a school, there was no suitable alternative. I tried to leave him with his Grama during the day, but she wasn’t terribly diligent at enforcing the curriculum.
After much research and many tours and interviews, we settled on a Christian school not too far from our town. Upon arrival, I informed each of his instructors that he had been home schooled, and that they should let me know if he seemed to be having any difficulty integrating into the schedule. By the time I showed up for conferences 8 weeks later, most of the teachers had entirely forgotten that I had mentioned he was home schooled. He assimilated very well into the social framework of his class and was able to contribute in his classes very well. I was applauded and congratulated for successfully socializing him in the absence of formal schooling.
He did very well as far as grades go. However, his regulated test scores were never more than average. He was never very good at taking tests; the pressure always upset his constitution. In the beginning of 9th grade, a friend asked permission to buy my son an X-Box for Christmas. I agreed under the condition that he maintains Bs or above. He got his semester report card 5 days before Christmas and he had 4 A’s and 2 B’s. He got his X-Box.
Then he fell in love with a girl, and all bets were off. His grades declined. His attention declined. He became very distant and moody. I became public enemy numeral uno. This went on for the next year and a half. It wasn’t until his unsuccessful courtship of this last girl that he finally snapped out of his distaste for me. We are slowly becoming friends again. He is starting to show signed of maturity. He is starting to make better decisions and looking forward toward a future and has decided that he DOES want to go to college and that maybe he should start doing something about it. He even joined the track team and intends to join the soccer team in the fall.
Now fast forward to last week. I got his 3rd marking period report card for 11th grade. There were 2 F’s and a D- on it. I was so desperate, I grounded him from everything. I took away his cell phone, his iPod and the keyboard to the computer. He isn’t allowed to take my car anywhere and he isn’t allowed to participate in any social functions save school athletic meets and games. I put my foot down. I told him that until he starts performing to his abilities, I’m not providing anything more than food, clothing, and shelter for him.
So, then the ACT scores come in. The national average is 21. The state average is 23. The kid with more F’s in the last two years than a Dutch phone book scored a 25. A 25!!! His closest chums that score straight A’s all got 27s and 28. He scored a 25 without even blinking! And he got very upset with me because I didn’t’ jump up and down and exclaim how utterly proud I am of him. I already knew he was brilliant; the score did not surprise me. I think it did surprise him, though. I think maybe all these years he didn’t really believe me that he was brilliant. Now maybe he will buckle down and get it together.
A mother can only hope!
Not to toot my own horn or anything, but my son is incredibly bright. I think he is worlds above me in intellect and intelligence. He started kindergarten at age 4 and already met the maximum requirements upon arrival. In first grade they recommended him for the accelerated program and put him in 3rd grade level reading and math. By second grade he was beginning to have social problems because he was so far ahead of his peers that he spent most of his days suffering sheer boredom.
That’s when I finally took the opportunity to home school. Now, I know all the arguments for and against home schooling, but rest assured, I made an educated decision. In the Roseville Public School system, they won’t move students to the gifted program until 4th grade. As my son had spent the majority of his 2nd grade year sitting at a desk in front of the principal’s office, I decided it would be better fro him to NOT learn anything at home, in a loving environment, than to NOT learn anything at school, sitting in a hallway, isolated and alone.
So, during the course of the 6 years that I home schooled my son, he advanced through the basic materials: reading, writing, and math, as well as several other subjects such as: Bible Studies, science, and logic. By the time he would have been in 7th grade, we were working out of college level books. He had difficulty with following through, as I believe he may have a mild form of A.D.D., but I never put pressure on him to work fast, as I felt that mastering the subject matter was significantly more important than finishing it in a timely manner.
Then half way through that 7th grade year, I got a day job. This would not have been a problem for most students, but recall the A.D.D. issue. He couldn’t finish anything unless I was practically sitting on his lap. He spent that half of year slipping into an abyss. I knew I would have to put him into a school, there was no suitable alternative. I tried to leave him with his Grama during the day, but she wasn’t terribly diligent at enforcing the curriculum.
After much research and many tours and interviews, we settled on a Christian school not too far from our town. Upon arrival, I informed each of his instructors that he had been home schooled, and that they should let me know if he seemed to be having any difficulty integrating into the schedule. By the time I showed up for conferences 8 weeks later, most of the teachers had entirely forgotten that I had mentioned he was home schooled. He assimilated very well into the social framework of his class and was able to contribute in his classes very well. I was applauded and congratulated for successfully socializing him in the absence of formal schooling.
He did very well as far as grades go. However, his regulated test scores were never more than average. He was never very good at taking tests; the pressure always upset his constitution. In the beginning of 9th grade, a friend asked permission to buy my son an X-Box for Christmas. I agreed under the condition that he maintains Bs or above. He got his semester report card 5 days before Christmas and he had 4 A’s and 2 B’s. He got his X-Box.
Then he fell in love with a girl, and all bets were off. His grades declined. His attention declined. He became very distant and moody. I became public enemy numeral uno. This went on for the next year and a half. It wasn’t until his unsuccessful courtship of this last girl that he finally snapped out of his distaste for me. We are slowly becoming friends again. He is starting to show signed of maturity. He is starting to make better decisions and looking forward toward a future and has decided that he DOES want to go to college and that maybe he should start doing something about it. He even joined the track team and intends to join the soccer team in the fall.
Now fast forward to last week. I got his 3rd marking period report card for 11th grade. There were 2 F’s and a D- on it. I was so desperate, I grounded him from everything. I took away his cell phone, his iPod and the keyboard to the computer. He isn’t allowed to take my car anywhere and he isn’t allowed to participate in any social functions save school athletic meets and games. I put my foot down. I told him that until he starts performing to his abilities, I’m not providing anything more than food, clothing, and shelter for him.
So, then the ACT scores come in. The national average is 21. The state average is 23. The kid with more F’s in the last two years than a Dutch phone book scored a 25. A 25!!! His closest chums that score straight A’s all got 27s and 28. He scored a 25 without even blinking! And he got very upset with me because I didn’t’ jump up and down and exclaim how utterly proud I am of him. I already knew he was brilliant; the score did not surprise me. I think it did surprise him, though. I think maybe all these years he didn’t really believe me that he was brilliant. Now maybe he will buckle down and get it together.
A mother can only hope!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A coupla shitty days at the gym
So, a week ago Wed I finished my work out, gathered my shower stuff, and headed to the showers...Now, the showers at Fitness USA are, to put it mildly, generally a mess, so it didn't surprise me to find a crumpled up chunk of brown paper towel sitting on the drain. There have been numerous occasions when I've gone in there only to find orange peels, apple cores, empty shampoo bottles, etc. The women that work out at my gym come from all walks of life, some with less refined manners and culture than others. As much as it miffed me, it didn't surprise me.
So, I usually use the same shower stall as long as it's available. Anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely anal and very regimented. There are certain things, that for me, need to be done in a specific order. Showering is no exception. So after getting my toilet kit and towels properly hung up, adjusting the temp of the water and undonning my swim suit, I stepped into the shower and gently pushed the towel off the drain with the bottom of my flip-flop, so that it wouldn't clog the drain while I showered.
Only, it wasn't a paper towel. Yep, that's right. Someone shit in the shower! Not like a spray of diarrhea that surprised it's issuer. A solid, plum sized, chunk of feces! OMG! I almost vomited! I ran screaming and cursing from the shower, found the bottle of disinfectant and hosed my flip-flop and foot off! WTF? Who the frick craps in the shower and leaves it there? Who the frick craps in the shower? Indignantly, I moved my belongings and tried again...I had to try 3 different showers before I found one with just the right amount of pressure and temperature for my liking, and finished my shower.
When I got back to the locker room, I informed the poor, unfortunate 19 year old attendant that there was poop in the shower. There were several women in the area in assorted stages of dress. We all had quite the laugh speculating how someone could poop in the shower and just leave it. I informed her that this is why it is so important to get a college degree so she could find employment that would NEVER involve cleaning up another person's excrement.
She gathered all of her bio clean-up supplies and headed into the showers to clean it up. She came right back with an astonished look on her face, and announced for those of us in the area that some other poor, unfortunate patron was in the shower and didn't answer when she knocked. Minutes later, and elderly woman walked out and looked at all of us with this pathetic look on her face and announced that she just discovered poop in the stall where she had just completed her shower! The room erupted in earth shattering cackles and squeals as we all had a laugh at her expense.
Fast forward to Friday. I pull up in the gym parking lot and there's a sign on the door informing patrons that the pool is closed. This is not common, but certainly not unheard of. I get to my locker, start to change into my gear, and ask the attendant the reason for the pool closing. You'll never believe this...someone pooped in the pool! Like actually crapped, right there next to the steps! Like, WTF? So, now we have a serial pooper on the loose? I mean, I've seen a lot of disgusting things in my life, but someone is pooping all over the gym?
So, as I'm putting on the last of my gear and putting my bag up, one of the regular patrons that is usually finishing up as I'm getting started, comes and puts the finishing touches on her hair and make-up. She makes a comment about the pool being closed and I say something about how I can't believe someone is pooping all over the gym. She turns to me with this astonished look and inquires as to what I mean. So I give her a brief review of the excitement of Wed and she says, "Oh, well, I just found poop in another one of the showers." I asked if she told the attendant and she said no. So I turn and tell the attendant that the pooper struck again! The room erupted in even louder laughter than on Wed.
And that is my crappy story...
So, I usually use the same shower stall as long as it's available. Anyone who knows me knows that I am extremely anal and very regimented. There are certain things, that for me, need to be done in a specific order. Showering is no exception. So after getting my toilet kit and towels properly hung up, adjusting the temp of the water and undonning my swim suit, I stepped into the shower and gently pushed the towel off the drain with the bottom of my flip-flop, so that it wouldn't clog the drain while I showered.
Only, it wasn't a paper towel. Yep, that's right. Someone shit in the shower! Not like a spray of diarrhea that surprised it's issuer. A solid, plum sized, chunk of feces! OMG! I almost vomited! I ran screaming and cursing from the shower, found the bottle of disinfectant and hosed my flip-flop and foot off! WTF? Who the frick craps in the shower and leaves it there? Who the frick craps in the shower? Indignantly, I moved my belongings and tried again...I had to try 3 different showers before I found one with just the right amount of pressure and temperature for my liking, and finished my shower.
When I got back to the locker room, I informed the poor, unfortunate 19 year old attendant that there was poop in the shower. There were several women in the area in assorted stages of dress. We all had quite the laugh speculating how someone could poop in the shower and just leave it. I informed her that this is why it is so important to get a college degree so she could find employment that would NEVER involve cleaning up another person's excrement.
She gathered all of her bio clean-up supplies and headed into the showers to clean it up. She came right back with an astonished look on her face, and announced for those of us in the area that some other poor, unfortunate patron was in the shower and didn't answer when she knocked. Minutes later, and elderly woman walked out and looked at all of us with this pathetic look on her face and announced that she just discovered poop in the stall where she had just completed her shower! The room erupted in earth shattering cackles and squeals as we all had a laugh at her expense.
Fast forward to Friday. I pull up in the gym parking lot and there's a sign on the door informing patrons that the pool is closed. This is not common, but certainly not unheard of. I get to my locker, start to change into my gear, and ask the attendant the reason for the pool closing. You'll never believe this...someone pooped in the pool! Like actually crapped, right there next to the steps! Like, WTF? So, now we have a serial pooper on the loose? I mean, I've seen a lot of disgusting things in my life, but someone is pooping all over the gym?
So, as I'm putting on the last of my gear and putting my bag up, one of the regular patrons that is usually finishing up as I'm getting started, comes and puts the finishing touches on her hair and make-up. She makes a comment about the pool being closed and I say something about how I can't believe someone is pooping all over the gym. She turns to me with this astonished look and inquires as to what I mean. So I give her a brief review of the excitement of Wed and she says, "Oh, well, I just found poop in another one of the showers." I asked if she told the attendant and she said no. So I turn and tell the attendant that the pooper struck again! The room erupted in even louder laughter than on Wed.
And that is my crappy story...
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Leagle Eagles, confidential surveys and other such corporate non-sense
Bah! I defy anyone to prove to me that these stupid corporate compliance programs serve any purpose other than creating work for some jack-ass that had nothing better to do and giving the company another bullet point to stick on there "oh, look what we've done" bull$hit metrics...
Every year we have to do these stupid things, generally the same ones each time...they're pathetically dry, although they are supposed to be designed to be hip and urban. The quickest way thru them is to skip to the questions and answer them til you get a pass. Some genius decided that wasn't good enough, there was no way to determine that the person using the tool was ACTUALLY reading the material, so now you can't advance thru the material until you've accomplished some sort of verification to show you actually looked at each page...blah, blah, blah
You know what I do? I click the crap out of my mouse til I get thru it. I defiantly refuse to read thru ANY of it...Stick it to the MAN!
Then, to make things worse, they publish the required modules in the spring and give you until the end of summer to complete them, only then the site publishes the requirements and then says you have to finish them by the end of the week!
WTF?
And don't get me started on confidential surveys...they are supposed to be confidential and they are supposed to be optional, so how come my boss has asked me 4 times over the last 2 days if I've finished it or not? Why is the front office tracking who's completed it and who hasn't? Why are they now issuing edicts that we MUST be 100% compliant by the end of the week?
Jackasses! They've got too little to do, then on top of it, they expect us to drop everything to do these things...
WTF?
Every year we have to do these stupid things, generally the same ones each time...they're pathetically dry, although they are supposed to be designed to be hip and urban. The quickest way thru them is to skip to the questions and answer them til you get a pass. Some genius decided that wasn't good enough, there was no way to determine that the person using the tool was ACTUALLY reading the material, so now you can't advance thru the material until you've accomplished some sort of verification to show you actually looked at each page...blah, blah, blah
You know what I do? I click the crap out of my mouse til I get thru it. I defiantly refuse to read thru ANY of it...Stick it to the MAN!
Then, to make things worse, they publish the required modules in the spring and give you until the end of summer to complete them, only then the site publishes the requirements and then says you have to finish them by the end of the week!
WTF?
And don't get me started on confidential surveys...they are supposed to be confidential and they are supposed to be optional, so how come my boss has asked me 4 times over the last 2 days if I've finished it or not? Why is the front office tracking who's completed it and who hasn't? Why are they now issuing edicts that we MUST be 100% compliant by the end of the week?
Jackasses! They've got too little to do, then on top of it, they expect us to drop everything to do these things...
WTF?
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