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View Full Version : Just a small rant about a PITA i encoutered today


GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 09:23 AM
Make that a LONG rant

My wife's second job is that of property manager for a series of duplexes, one of which we live in. The home immediately next door was vacated by it's renter just a few days ago and is in the process of a quick turn around.

Her mission, at this point, is to get some fresh carpet into the unit (as it was determined the old carpet was too far gone) install some up to date light fixtures, see that fresh paint got intimate with the walls and last but not least have new kitchen appliances put in as the old ones might have me beat out in the age department.

Today was the day the installers came in to put in the new kitchen appliances, and they were only available to do the work between 8 and 9am.

Today was also a week day, which means wifey-poo takes care of her primary job of doing medicare coding for the home health care sector and would thus, be unable to deal with the situation from several miles away.

It was agreed upon that i would unlock the unit, and leave these gentlemen to their work and go on about my business as usual.

Today, i am off work completely except for a small 30 or 40 minute lunch meeting with an advertising supplier (which i currently have NO intention of purchasing ANY printed media from) so - being an easy day I stayed up half the night playing games etc online and finally went to bed in the wee hours of the morning. i set my alarm for 11am and looked forward to the rare chance to grab a few hours of extra shut eye.

The appliance installers were nice enough to call end inform me that they were 5 minutes away. So, i rolled out of the sack, threw on some trunks, grabbed the keys to the unit and walked over and unlocked it and called them back informing them that it was ready to go.

So i head back into my house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

as i'm pulling the covers up to my little neck the doorbell rings. so i get up and answer it, its the install crew informing me that the door is still locked, so i try the knob and the door opens right up... "haha must have just been a little sticky or something sorry about that." booms the installer and off to work they go.

So i head back into my house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

Not 5 minutes later the doorbell rings. I get up out of the bed and answer it, and again it is the install crew informing me that the vent-hood on the old microwave appears to be hard wired into the house, and as a result there is no plug for the microwave and they need to install a plug blah blah. I inform him that my wife makes those sorts of decisions as she is technically the one managing these properties, im sure thats what she will tell you to do, but i cant approve the work so you'll have to call her and see what she says to do. they call her and get the verbal go ahead.

So i head back into my house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

literally within seconds my phone rings. Its my wife explaining the situation with the plug (as if im not abundantly aware by now) and telling me that it will cost $86 extra to wire an outlet so now i need to write a check and give it to the guy since she is not here to do it. furthermore, as I am unable to write them any checks on behalf of the property owner, i must write a personal check for which we will be reimbursed later. so i get out of bed... search the house for the check book... after 5 minutes of searching I find it (my wife cleaned house so the normal male methods of organization have been completely ref*cked and undone) and i write the installer a check and walk it over to him.

So i head back into the house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

Within minutes, i sh*t you not, my cell phone rings. Its my wife who informs me that she needs me to make sure the installers provide an invoice for the installation of the electrical socket. "Dont you think they would naturally do that?" i ask. "yes," she says "but i already have an invoice for the appliance install, and since they know i already have an invoice i dont think they will make me a revised one showing the extra $86 and thats the only way we'll get reimbursed so just go over there and make sure they create a new one." :cry: So i get up and head over to the unit and tell the installers "When you get done, just make sure provide an updated invoice... and just leave it there on the kitchen counter that way whoever needs it can get it later." (long drawn out polite-speak for "leave it on the counter and we will f*ck with it later, leave me alone")

So i head back into the house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

WITHIN MINUTES, the doorbell rings. So again, i get up and go answer it. it is the installer informing me that they got the plug done, and got the wall mounted microwave and vent hood nearly finished and would be done in a few minutes... also the new invoice is ready, and if i'll just sign the dotted line they will leave it on the kitchen counter. :stare: So i take the pen, scribble down something remotely similar to a wiggly line which means absolutely nothing and give him the clip board back.

So i head back into the house, and ease back into the bed with sleeping in on my mind.

seconds later my cell phone rings. its my wife. sometimes when she calls me, and someone walks into her cube she will have to address them before resuming the call... so naturally i say hello, and hear sudden cubical chatter and assume this is the case.

For 3 and a half minutes this back ground chatter continues and i hang up after reaching the maximum of my endurance to listen to this nonsense while waiting to see what she called about. i immediately dial her back to see what honey do item will roll me out of bed yet again for the umpteenth time this morning.

me: "hey"

her: "hey, whats up"

me: "so... you just called?"

her: "i did?"

me: "uh yeah, for three and a half minutes i listened to a bunch of bullsh*t about TPS reports or some nonsense."

her: "Oh... i must have hit a button on accident, sorry about that, didnt mean to call ya! hehehe"

[insert about 8 seconds of silence]

her: "you there?"

me: "Yeah... have a nice day i'll talk to you later."

so i roll out of bed, pat the dog on the head and make myself a cup of coffee... something tells me its going to be a long ass day.

STEED
06-07-10, 09:36 AM
Feel better for that? :DL

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 09:39 AM
a little.:88)

STEED
06-07-10, 09:40 AM
Goodman, let it all out.. :yeah:

Sailor Steve
06-07-10, 09:44 AM
Well, I can understand being tired and all after staying up all night taking care of the important stuff, but most of the installers' behaviour sounds like SOP, so a lot of it is yer own fault...:D

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 09:49 AM
Well, I can understand being tired and all after staying up all night taking care of the important stuff, but most of the installers' behaviour sounds like SOP, so a lot of it is yer own fault...:D

Possibly, but my orders were simple "Unlock the door so they can get in and do the install"

now as you can imagine, my wife handles a series of these sorts of things so many of these installers know her well and understand the arrangements. so they make certain provisions for mailing invoices, e mailing invoices, online billing, pre-pay etc.

in this particular case, Joe Newbie didnt do any of that stuff.

sure, he was following SOP, but the way it worked out my simple orders of "Unlock the door and leave" turned into "Unlock the door, demonstrate the door's operation, relay the message about unexpected electrical work, write them a check, make sure its properly invoiced, sign the dotted line and take one phantom phone call."

i dont blame the installers, or my wife, or anyone else for that matter hahaha

its just one of those "Well... GDSOB" moments

Sailor Steve
06-07-10, 09:50 AM
John, I'm completely on your side. I was just yanking your chain a little. :sunny:

Reece
06-07-10, 09:50 AM
Well you'll appreciate the next sleep period!!:yep: I would have taken the phone off the hook, turned off the mobile and put a "Do not disturb - Night shift worker" sign on the door!:03:

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 09:59 AM
Well you'll appreciate the next sleep period!!:yep: I would have taken the phone off the hook, turned off the mobile and put a "Do not disturb - Night shift worker" sign on the door!:03:

good thinking.:up:

FIREWALL
06-07-10, 10:21 AM
What were you thinking John ? Trying to sleep in. :har:

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 10:28 AM
John, I'm completely on your side. I was just yanking your chain a little. :sunny:

i know... just recognizing the humor of the situation :yeah:

Jimbuna
06-07-10, 02:26 PM
You my friend must have the patience of a saint :D

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 02:45 PM
You my friend must have the patience of a saint :D

maybe i do :06:

though i think i have come to the realization that as a married man... pissing and moaning is futile

Jimbuna
06-07-10, 04:05 PM
maybe i do :06:

though i think i have come to the realization that as a married man... pissing and moaning is futile

Precisely....I was knocked out of bed the other day by someone delivering wooden fencing.

The delivery note had my door number on it but I knew the materials were for my neighbour.

I knocked the bugga out of bed and laughingly suggested he owed me a bottle of wine for disturbing my rest.

He knocked later that evening with a bottle.....and I accepted :DL

Ducimus
06-07-10, 04:13 PM
On days like that, with little sleep, don't have a cup of coffee, have the whole freaking pot. Seriously, it helps if you don't mind "paying rent" every 15-20 minutes.

TarJak
06-07-10, 10:43 PM
Serisously GR, if you were any kind of gamer you wouldn't have gone to bed at all! You should have been up all night and into the morning playing whatever it was (Sims 3 is my guess):O:, and when the install guy came knocking, not heard him because you'd still got your headphones on.

GoldenRivet
06-07-10, 10:55 PM
Lol i dont know... 5am is pretty hard core for this old fart.:haha:

TarJak
06-08-10, 02:35 AM
So you admit you were playing Sims 3.:D

GoldenRivet
06-08-10, 02:43 AM
well to be honest i may as well have been some of the time.

I played a little left for dead 2. and doodled around in google sketchup, chess titans.

Problem is we went to a baseball game Saturday and a couple of my friends stayed over until 5am Sunday morning... so my sleep cycle is all messed up!;)

hate when that happens