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."

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.

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?

GoldenRivet · 06-07-10, 09:39 AM

a little.

STEED · 06-07-10, 09:40 AM

Goodman, let it all out..

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...

GoldenRivet · 06-07-10, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

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...

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.

Reece · 06-07-10, 09:50 AM

Well you'll appreciate the next sleep period!!

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!

GoldenRivet · 06-07-10, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reece

Well you'll appreciate the next sleep period!!

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!

good thinking.

FIREWALL · 06-07-10, 10:21 AM

What were you thinking John ? Trying to sleep in.

GoldenRivet · 06-07-10, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

John, I'm completely on your side. I was just yanking your chain a little.

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

Jimbuna · 06-07-10, 02:26 PM

You my friend must have the patience of a saint

GoldenRivet · 06-07-10, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

You my friend must have the patience of a saint

maybe i do

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

maybe i do

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

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.

06-07-10, 09:23 AM	#1
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	Just a small rant about a PITA i encoutered today 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 refcked 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 sht 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." 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 fck 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. 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. __________________

06-07-10, 09:36 AM	#2
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	Feel better for that? __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

06-07-10, 09:39 AM	#3
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	a little. __________________

06-07-10, 09:40 AM	#4
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	Goodman, let it all out.. __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

06-07-10, 09:44 AM	#5
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	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... __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

06-07-10, 09:50 AM	#7
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	John, I'm completely on your side. I was just yanking your chain a little. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

06-07-10, 09:50 AM	#8
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,688 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	Well you'll appreciate the next sleep period!! 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! __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

06-07-10, 10:21 AM	#10
FIREWALL Eternal Patrol Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CATALINA IS. SO . CAL USA Posts: 10,108 Downloads: 511 Uploads: 0	What were you thinking John ? Trying to sleep in. __________________ RIP FIREWALL I Play GWX. Silent Hunter Who ???

06-07-10, 02:26 PM	#12
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,473 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	You my friend must have the patience of a saint __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

06-07-10, 04:13 PM	#15
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	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.