Have you heard of Wolfenoot?

Yes, hello, I know, it’s been awhile. But I come baring gifts of knowledge! Entertainment! A new tradition!

It is called Wolfenoot – say “wolf-uh-noot”. Rhymes with suit.

Quite awhile ago I came across a posting on Facebook that made me smile and decide, yep! I’m doing that. Here’s what I read:

My son has invented a holiday called Wolfenoot.

It is when the Spirit of the Wolf brings and hides small gifts around the house for everyone. People who have, have had, or are kind to dogs get better gifts than anyone else.

You eat roast meat (because wolves eat meat) and cake decorated like a full moon.

A holiday to the spirit of wolves that celebrates people who are kind to dogs? I can 100% get behind this. So we will be celebrating Wolfenoot. It’s on the 23rd November if anyone else is moved to celebrate it. 😉 If you do, please post pics, so he can see how his idea has spread.

If you’re posting publicly about it, use #wolfenoot.

This is a 7 year old boy who created a holiday pretty much out of thin air, all because he believed a holiday was needed that celebrates the kindness people have towards dogs. It is ALWAYS on the 23rd of November as and I quote:

…that is the anniversary of “The Great Wolf’s Death”.

There is a whole story there that will be told at a later time by the creator’s mom. And that would be Jax Goss.

Guess what the #Wolfenoot Kid and I have been up to this evening. 😉 pic.twitter.com/kTFmAm865W

— wolfenoot (@realwolfenoot) October 18, 2018

While, possibly like you I saw this and thought it was a much better alternative to the US holiday ‘Black Friday’ — which apparently started last Friday? — this year and on the 23rd of November in the future (unless creator decides otherwise in which I am sure the world will be notified). I didn’t really think that it would become a ‘thing.’

It most certainly has become A THING.

Host a Wolfenoot Part With These Tasty Treats for You and Your Pup! via BuzzFeed (which I have bookmarked for later copying of many of the recipes found there).

Wolfenoot, a 7-tear-old’s made-up holiday, goes viral, launches movement to benefit dogs and wolves via Chicago Tribune. Some tasty recipes there as well.

Seven-Year-Old Boy Invents Wolf Holiday and People Are Already Onboard via Time

Wolfenoot: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know via heavy

Celebrate Wolfenoot, the new wolf holiday via Boing Boing — I know nothing of this site, but they managed to NAIL the image for this article. The wolf’s face says “Wolf-what-now?” as if he’s as surprised and confused as anyone hearing about this for the first time is bound to be. And yes, I did pilfer it to use above.

Little boy creates new dog holiday called Wolfenoot. People can’t wait to celebrate via Kansas City Star

Let’s just say it’s not every day your kid creates a new thing, much less a holiday, that thousands if not millions have embraced and placed on their calendars as a must do.

That moment when your 7 year old makes up a holiday, and people start wanting to actually celebrate it. ❤ #wolfenoot pic.twitter.com/VPg7FGWy7Y

— Jax Goss (@belgatherial) September 27, 2018

Perhaps someday, Wolfenoot will actually be printed on calendars as an observed holiday and there will be a book about the Great Wolf, it’s death and how Wolfenoot came to be…in the fairy tale sense, although one could certainly call it’s creation and phenomenon just that.

A complete list of Wolfenoot related linkage.

Official website: www.wolfenoot.com
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wolfenootmom
Official Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2133001853619644/
Official Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wolfenootcentral
Official Twitter: @realwolfenoot

Wolfeloot (Sanctioned merch) complete list.
Wolfenati Wares  is also legit, and run by someone they trust. (If you want to create wolfenoot stuff for sale/charity fundraising, that’s the place to start, please.)

If you want to support them in turning this into a non-profit, you can do so at www.patreon.com/wolfenootmom (This is still very much a work in progress, but there will be some nifty patron rewards eventually.)

If you need/want to get hold of Jax, please use wolfenootofficial@gmail.com or the contact form on their website. Anything else is very likely to be missed.

Also, please read the FAQs before sending questions: https://wolfenoot.com/wolfenoot-faq/

Until next time, come, join the Wolfenati. Your dog, and your spirit will thank you.

#wolfenoot

Advertisements

The art of the troll

We have all had them, been them and have in many cases laughed our asses off at their pathetic attempts. Some people I will freely admit are really good at the art of the troll, and then there are some people who shouldn’t even try.

Case in point; today a user called yikesgirl (quite appropriate to be honest) decided to try their hand at trolling me on one of my posts. Happened to be the post about Amazon and Prime. You may remember it, unless you haven’t gone back in my blog history as this post is from 2015.

They rag on me for not reading the fine print, complaining/pointing out that I put way too much time into the post and apparently their first thought being how a student has so much time on their hands to do such a post and then rags on my degree in anthropology as the apparent answer. With a not-so-grand finale of “please find something more productive with your time.”

I’m sorry, is this like 2009 or something? I haven’t seen this level of pathetic trolling since a Harry Potter forum in 2009.

I am more than sure I don’t have to point out the obvious to anyone who follows this blog. I did in fact approve of the comment and replied to it pointing out the errors of their troll.

1. Blog post was from 2015. It is now 2019 and no one cares.
2. There is no such thing as putting too much effort into anything. Why the fuck would you not put effort into doing something?
3. The blog literally has the word Anthropology in it.
4. Obviously doesn’t know enough about anthropology to ‘have all the answers’ they need just from knowing I’m in anthropology.
5. Just saying “Please do something more productive with your time” smacks of a troll n00b

You can of course go back to the original post from 2015; Why I am Cancelling my Amazon Student Prime Membership and Leaving Amazon Completely and see for yourself the post in question and the troll attempt as well as my reply. I wouldn’t count on any conversation from yikesgirl. Also go have a little fun yourself if you think you’re up to it:

yikesgirl notreallllllle@gmail.com No website 107.15.189.105

ETA January 18: Apparently the troll yikesgirl can’t keep their trolling accounts straight! Got a reply from a whole new account. You really should go check them out. Might just make your day as it did mine! I didn’t get a screenshot of my reply to the top one about taking a class, but you can read it yourself.

Lance redhulk@yahoo.com No website 209.33.202.166

Troll fail take two.

Until next time, know what you are good at and what you are not good at. Feel free to sharpen the not so good at skills and make yourself better, but never ever forget what you are good at needs honing as well.

Bless Their Hearts….

You’ve seen the articles, you’ve read and heard about all the studies done. And you smile to yourself and agree with their findings. They’re known facts. You have seen it with your own eyes. 

Pets help us lower our blood pressure and help us live longer lives. I know it. You know it. But…do they?

I have currently four cats, three dogs and two turtles.

I have been blessed enough with cats who do not feel the need to carelessly knock things off onto the floor and thereby breaking things. They in fact try their hardest NOT to knock things off to the floor. Unless said things are table cloths, all bets are off when it comes to those devils. Of course every once in a while a careless tail flip or trying to get to another place quickly causes something to go tumbling to the floor.

The animals get along with each other more often than not and the dogs have learned that only one of our cats isn’t fully loaded — meaning we adopted our Bombay after some heartless person had his front claws removed. Not that you’d know it by watching him. And he is the only one who is the sweetest to the dogs.

Our youngest pup we got when she was four months old and she was well trained — if I do say so myself — and was an only pup, so she grew up thinking she was a cat. Seriously, I have pictures. The other two dogs we inherited when a close friend passed away over a year ago and they are older gals.

Like all dogs, ours bark when something has caught their attention. They all know that when the words “That’s enough” are uttered — usually yelled gruffly –they are to cease the noise. And they do. I usually let them get out a couple of barks — or a line of hound dog barks in the case of our youngest gal — before calling for a cease and desist. 

But the middle child doesn’t always cease and desist upon command and has a bark that always grate on my early morning nerves. It’s always the same, never changes it and it’s like someone is steadily hammering.

BARK. *pause* BARK. *pause* BARK. *pause* BARK.

And it comes out almost like a tiger chuffing. I hardly ever hear the other two, unless they get excited which always happens when we get home, people they like have arrived or someone knocks on the gate. Any other time it is blessedly quiet.

What the studies and articles don’t ever talk about are the times when they are in face RAISING our blood pressures, creating stress and feel like they are trying to kill us.

Animals under the same roof are like siblings. And they fight, taunt, tease and tattle just like siblings. And like toddlers they will get into things. Things you try your best to keep them from.

Our youngest is a beagle mix so she’s got a nose on her that you CANNOT hide anything from. I don’t care how many bags you wrap it in, how much Febreze you use, she knows when there are chicken bones in the garbage. Thankfully she doesn’t get into the garbage to get them, but she does plant her nose on the side and give you puppy dog eyes. But she will find that stray goldfish cracker and she will get to it by any means possible. If that means working her way under a entertainment room chair, so be it. Does she get stuck? Sometimes. Do we have to move so she can get at said treasure so she doesn’t upset the coffee table? Sometimes.

The youngest was taught not to beg and we do not give the dogs human food while we are eating. At all. Ever. If they get human food, it is given to them when no one is eating. The other two were allowed to beg and were given food at the human table while humans are eating and will in fact beg.

I hate it. Middle child breathes on you sometimes while you are eating and it takes a few loud “Go lay down” before she’ll get the hint. But when my mom is there, she has a chihuahua mix that is an honest to god emotional support dog — meaning we don’t just call him one because she wants and does take him everywhere — that she will feed while she’s eating and is always passing human food to.

Problem being that when she does this at our house, middle child is trying to crowd in. I don’t like people giving my dogs people food, and yet sometimes they ignore me and slip them some. When this happens and they don’t do it correctly, there is a dog fight. Thankfully no one has drawn any blood and no vet visits are ever needed — YET.

Our eldest little lady is a full bred Scottish Terrier. And she is stubborn. And sometimes bounces. Like a stiff legged rabbit. For the most part, she’s well behaved, quiet and causes little ruckus. Unless she is trying to put our youngest in line because she has upset her Scottish values. Old ladies will be old ladies. With old bladders that are used to schedules and the freedom to come and go as it’s owner pleases. Which doesn’t happen anymore due to…

The cats are not allowed outside, but our bombay loves the outdoors and will sneak out with the dogs — since he thinks he’s one of them. I am clueless to where he got that idea except perhaps from my in-laws who have dogs and briefly owned him after finding him in the street with no front claws.

When someone carelessly leaves the door open, I get a panic attack if I cannot find one of the cats. It’s almost always the bombay or our blonde boy. Our blonde boy has earned the brat prince title in his name. Lestat barely has one up on him. He’s also the one who will pick on the others every now and again to change things up and raise blood pressure.

His sister by blood is almost a diva. Her and her brother like to get into it at the foot of the bed, usually in the evening when the humans are winding down for a nights rest. But they can usually be found curled up together. They are the youngest. Our bombay is the middle child and our orange tabby is the eldest, of all animals at a whopping 18 years.

I recently lost our 10 year old black and white to kidney disease that struck quickly and left a trail of tears and heartbreak. Our eldest is on a diet to help prevent any kidney problems but I get anxiety when I look over at her sleeping and cannot for the life of me see the fur rise and fall.

The red-eared sliders — the before mentioned turtles — don’t cause much problems. They have free reign of the yard and pool and only cause worry when they can’t be found when they need to be brought in at night. Turtles are really good at hiding. And just keeping them in a tank wasn’t really cutting it. And they learned how to get out of the tank. No matter what.

For all of the studies that tell us that our pets do our health good, remember that there is ALWAYS the other side of that coin. While their actions hopefully won’t ever actually kill us, they raise our blood pressure only to lower it, they stress us out and then calm our nerves. The sight of them creates happy endorphins and fill us with love and joy.

Even when they are trying to eat the flower arrangement. Which will probably make them sick and create some sort of mess on the floor.

Until next time, animals will always be a healing factor to any life. The good does in fact out weigh the bad and we certainly are better off when we share our home and lives with a four legged domesticated creature.

Starbucks is love.

Unless you are a white privilege racist. How many did you discover on Tuesday?

Personally I stayed away from anything that would put me “face to face” with any so not to annoy myself. I do believe my Facebook is pretty cleared out of those types of people, although there are a few who have learned not to show their racist white privilege side.

I suppose the last year has been a double edge sword. On one side we have discovered the true sides of friends and family when it comes to white privilege and racism (although we did get a glimpse of this with Obama- it’s just been turned up a few notches since trump). On the other side trump and everything that has to do with this idiot.

Many of the changes Starbucks has been making recently are good changes. Changes that may other businesses should think about making themselves (then just doing it because it’s the right thing to do, but this is the US after all). Changing the rule about needing to buy something just to sit in the cafe or use the bathrooms is brilliant. I get why the rule existed in the first place, but to be honest, I have spent many hours in Starbucks after buying the cheapest thing on the menu (and then whatever coffee I was jonesing for at the time), and sometimes not even then. It used to be you had to have a code to use their Internet, and it is how the Starbucks in Cuernavaca do it. The password is always on the receipt.

I think they should close the stores more often to talk about pressing issues at the moment whether it be just refreshing the training on how not to be a complete cunt to people to venting the air the baristas have about things. How could that go wrong (yeah, okay so this would have to come with that anything shared, unless against store policy will not get anyone fired because cunts manifest themselves in many different ways)?

I also love the changes they have been making in regards to supporting and helping out their partners (which everyone else knows as employees). Uneducated people still love to rag on the chain for employee themed issues, but usually it’s because they are ignorant to the change and are relying on their memories or rumors they have heard.

And I love the christmas cup outrage that hits every damn year no matter what is on the cup. This year, my suggestion is to have a cup that features the tolerance of EVERY human on the planet. LGBT, race, class, origin, and religion– I mean we already mingle with all types in the cafe whether we know it or not.

Changes I really don’t like that Starbucks has made deal more with their Rewards program. The changes they made now make it where you HAVE to do something RIGHT NOW or you won’t be able to do it at all.

Take the birthday drink/food. I don’t always get to Starbucks on my birthday. In fact I actually cannot remember a time where I did go to Starbucks on my birthday, but now that is the ONLY day I can use my birthday reward. It was until the end of your birthday month, then I think it was until the end of the week. Originally I think you had a year, but I did mange for the most part to get in at least by June to use it, so I’m not 100% sure.

Same goes for any free drinks you earn with stars; although if I’m honest I haven’t dealt with this for awhile now that my stars EXPIRE if I don’t use them or collect them fast enough. I have a gold card which they sent out to me when I became a gold member for the first time by collecting enough stars. Stars that didn’t expire so even as infrequently as I made purchases (or forgot to use my card to do so) I could still collect enough to become a member for those special rewards the gold level gave you. Yes you had to collect a certain number of stars within a given time to be or stay in gold level, but they never expired. They’d disappear once you “use” them.

And any rewards I did manage to earn would stay on the card (or you could print out a ticket) until they were used. Now everything expires so if you don’t use it, you loose it. And with that I ask what is the point for those of us who are not popping in daily to buy Starbucks? I mean I *could* but I don’t think I get anything for popping into International Starbucks. Also the US economy makes it that I really cannot do this, even on a weekly/monthly basis for the most part.

Also the desire to do so just isn’t there anymore. I do still have my Starbucks radar however. I think anyone born in Seattle Washington is born with one.

Until next time, remember that a real patriot is someone who loves their country enough to speak up when they see something that needs to be changed; not someone who blindly assumes that their government knows best and is always right no matter what. Since the US currently disgusts me to the core I consider myself a European born in the US. Because honestly, all my blood is from Europe, I have no native American blood or anything that would firmly tie me to the United States beyond my birth.

Ready Player None.

I saw Ready Player One yesterday. I finished the book a couple of days before I found out there was a movie coming out later that month.
My first gut reaction to people? Skip the movie. Read the book. They are not the same stories. The book is a better story than the movie and is more exciting. If you want to see the movie, I’d read the book first. I wouldn’t want you to ruin the book with the movie.
This really isn’t a simple case of “The book is *always* better than the movie.” this is a case of “The book is a different story than the movie but with the same underlining theme.” It’s like the movie is a fan-fiction of the book. I think that is a good way to explain it.
Movie was entertaining, but a lot of the things that made the book marvelous wasn’t even mentioned in the movie. Movie had it’s moments, not as much nostalgia as Rock of Ages but a few things if you know your 80’s, (you could tell who the 80’s kids were in the audience…mainly hubby and myself) and it’s always interesting to see how the characters look on screen compared to how you saw them in your mind. None of the on-screen characters will be replacing the ones I created in my head like Daniel and Co did for Harry Potter.

The more I think on it, the more I am confident to say that the movie is fan-fiction. Same characters, same theme just a different author. Which is sad since the author of the book, Ernest Cline was part of the script writing team and was a great part of the film production. I guess he was so fanboyish over Spielberg that he forgot what his own story was about.

As it’s very own entity the movie is okay. Needless to say I am quite disappointed in the movie.

The book is fantastic. You could see the movie then go and read the book and never have a “This is was in the movie, I know what happens next.” moment. Seriously they are that different. There are plenty of “I remember an event similar to this, but this isn’t how it happened.” and “This was in the movie, but that’s not who was doing it.” and so forth.  I will say one thing; the book and the movie have different challenges for the keys.

But that’s pretty much my thoughts on it. If you’re a book  person, grab a copy, it’s been out for quite a while now and I’ve had a copy of my own for almost the same amount of time, but just kept it on the shelf, until the end of February when I was looking for something to read. An actual ink and paper book. Not eInk. And so I grabbed this and read it. Couldn’t/wouldn’t put it down and encouraged my hubby to read it (although he did the eInk version) and he loved it as much as I did. So we both were excited about the movie.

Yes, I watched the trailers. They went quite quickly so I wasn’t quite sure, beyond Wade who I was looking at. And the race scene made me think as well. As a talking point, it can be really fun. I’d defiantly have a Back to the Future DeLorean. There is no question about that. And a Firefly class ship. Probably a few Star Wars class ships as well. I’d also have an Eleanor. This could go on for quite awhile, and that’s not getting to armor or weapons! Or clothes. Or what I’d look, sound and act like.

Don’t let me make any decisions for you. Read the book. Watch the movie. Have your own opinions. It’s really great to be an individual who doesn’t follow any crowd. Try it if you haven’t.

Until next time, I did some staining of the wooden chest of drawers I purchased yesterday and I look like I have been two knuckle deep in some serious gore and forgot to wash my hands. I just love the curious looks from people upon seeing my hands. I could probably say anything to them while gesturing and they’d not hear a word. Unless blood, murder or autopsy come up.

Leave no one Standing.

 

May the odds be ever in your favor, may mischief always be managed and may you always remain angry but never green.

You’re not getting your money or item so f*ck off.

If you are familiar with my last post (go ahead and read it) then you know what the outcome of everything is.

Ebay: 

When I pushed Newegg about it, THEY were able to escalate the problem to ebay who in only 10 minutes they decided my case no longer qualifies for their buyer protection. 10 FUCKING MINUTES.

Oh and Paypal?

And how long did it take for them to come to this decision? Keep in mind I had to go through my mom as it was her paypal we used because she had loaned us the money to begin with so you can add a few minutes to the times if you wish.

21. MINUTES.

It’s good to be a big company who can say fuck you to their customers and not care how many customers they loose because of it because they can afford to loose “a couple” of people. And they always come back. ALWAYS.

Because if you don’t want to share your credit card/bank information when you shop online, where are you going to go to?

Or if you need to send or receive money now and you don’t live in the same city/state/country?

If you want to sell or buy something from other people on the planet, where would you do such a thing?

Or where can you find no longer in production items sometimes at good prices?

Thankfully Newegg isn’t the last and only place to buy electronics.

Until next time, forgive me all of you who have played The Evil Within. And for any artists looking at my 10 minute redo of the image. All rights belong to the people who paid for them and etc. I own nothing, not even those items I paid for or the money I used to purchase them.

How hard is it to get my money back?

When you inform someone that you had not gotten a package due to the address being an old one, they will usually either replace the item and send it to your new address or they refund you the money and that’s the end of it.

Unless you buy from Newegg.

It appears that since the tracking shows that it was delivered to the house, Newegg says that’s enough for them and will not even talk about the situation anymore. Ebay is of no help on this matter so far. Next will be contacting Paypal, but why do I have to go that far to begin with???

A tracking number isn’t actually a good way to determine who gets the package. Yes it does show that it was delivered, but no proof it was delivered to the correct address nor to the person whose name is on the box. Only a signature can do that. Not sure if this is how it would be viewed in a legal venue, but for most it is how it is viewed. USPS Delivery Confirmation is acceptable evidence for proof of delivery by Paypal, GlobalPay, NPC, and many other credit card processors if shipped to the credit card holder’s billing address.

Of course, this was actually shipped by FedEx.

When we went to the old address to talk to the person living there, she told us that she took the package to the USPS office on a certain road a few days prior. So we went to the USPS office in question who then informed us that if they get packages like that they’ll hand them off to FedEx when they show up. So then we talked to FedEx they told us they haven’t gotten anything new on that tracking number. At this point I’m fairly certain the lady kept the item.

So we went to Newegg on ebay and explained it all to them. But according to a person at Newegg, that since the tracking shows it was delivered, then it was delivered to me and if it was coming back to them they’d reject it since we didn’t have permission to send it back.

WHAT. THE. FUCK???

Newegg rejects packages that are sent back to them??? What horseshit is this? So who is going to get my $250 item? It certainly isn’t me. After looking at the Policy & Agreement page, I found nothing about misdeliveries. I will admit, I don’t quite understand the Risk of Loss part as it’s not terribly clear. I then decided to escalate this to ebay since it had been three days since I opened the issue.

If you have ever had to do this on ebay you’re probably familiar with the resolution center and how after three days if the seller and you can’t agree on a solution, ebay will gladly step in and help. They can only do that however, if you select to have the issue escalated. Which means clicking on a button that let’s them know. Which requires a button to be there to click. WHICH. I. DON’T. HAVE.

Seems like if you are a big enough company, you don’t have to worry about customers escalating any problems they may have with you up to ebay.

I don’t know about you, but I have noticed that ebay has been restricting things for some sellers across the site. For example, if you are a certain star seller you no longer have to worry about negative feedback (as buyers can no longer leave you any; it is either good or neutral feedback only) and now apparently not having any issues brought up against you should a problem arise.

I have actually reduced my ebay usage because of that. The last thing I ordered off of ebay was a digital item and I had no problems.  I only ordered 6 times from ebay in 2017. 5 times in 2016. I am actually looking more to Amazon now then ebay when it comes to low prices; with exception of hard to find older items (think My Little Ponies any year before 2009, or any other old not yet redone by an unimaginative group; and then usually poorly corporate america).

Hopefully Paypal isn’t going to be the same. As it wasn’t sent by USPS, I am wondering if the rules will be any different. I just want my damn money back or the item I ordered!

Until this is settled, and let’s be honest, done so to MY satisfaction, I’m not buying anything from Newegg and would greatly suggest you not buy things from them as well.

And to be completely honest, I really do think the lady kept the item as something would have been seen at least through FedEx about it and there has been nothing. Pretty sure she’s kept other items that were accidentally sent to the old address. Can’t prove it, but from the few places I know sent stuff there, none of them have gotten anything back. Wish I could prove it as this family made my mother-in-law’s life a living hell the last month she was there.

Until next time, it’s good practice to make a list of online businesses you buy from on a regular basis so if you move, you know who needs your current address. Instead of waiting until you get a shipped notification on something to see it wasn’t delivered to your new address and having to go through the hassle and headache of either tracking down the package, rerouting the package (I had to do that with UPS and managed to get it to my local UPS so I could pick it up there, wish we had done that for FedEx) or getting the package resent/refunded.

Much makes sense to me now.

Like many out there, yesterday I gave up two and a half hours of work to go see a movie. Granted I didn’t have to give up so much time, but I did it nonetheless.

And I am sure you know what movie it is I’m talking about.

And I hope you understand what is coming next.

But before I share my thoughts and feelings, I’m just going to say that if you were [insert any emotion here] about Star Wars The Force Awakens ignore it, trust me and go see The Last Jedi.

JUST TRUST ME ON THIS ONE.

So without further ado…..

There’s a word for that.

There is a name. A phrase. A moniker. I know it and I’m not really bothered by it. I however do find it a little funny. Maybe just the universe looking at me and going “Take that then!”

If you’re familiar with this blog you’ll roll your eyes in the moment and possibly even use one of those phrases, monikers or names if not all of the above.

Despite all things I managed to land myself in a work from home job as a CSA (Customer Service Agent) at least for the holidays.

For Amazon.

Yep. Go ahead and read that again if you wish. It’s not going to change. This doesn’t mean all is forgiven just because they’re giving me money to sit at home in my pjs (or less if you want to imagine that one next time you’re on the like with a csa and are upset at them). But I did figure you would all enjoy this little twisted universal role that is being played out at the moment.

And for anyone who might not be familiar with why this is a thing, read this and then this. And this too I suppose, but it’s not really all that relevant.

Don’t even start thinking I’m going on the inside to fix anything. I’m way too far down the pecking order/totem pole/directory to be able to do anything like that. And currently I’m not even helping out the customers who order things, but rather the drivers who deliver the packages the customer’s order.

Oh, didn’t you know that Amazon has their own drivers now? At least in most areas they do and not just the Flex areas (where you can get groceries, or order of food delivered from a grocery/restaurant) but others as well.

However that being said and all, I still had a HELL of a time getting started with this job. And for once it isn’t really entirely Amazon’s fault.

Appling and getting the job was no problem. Easy actually and I suspect so since they are looking for the extra help for the holidays. I had to go back up to the US in order to do a I9 form (this shows proof I am who I say I am and can work in the US) which with a little shuffling wasn’t too terrible either. I’d go up, do the form, wait for the equipment to arrive then come back home, do training and then work.

Universe is wearing a shit eating grin at all of that nonsense!

Getting to the US wasn’t a problem. I flew straight to El Paso Texas instead of the normal fly to Juarez and walk across the border way we usually go. I’m a little white female. I shouldn’t have to explain to you that going to El Paso would allow me to not spend too much time alone and therefore less likely to get harassed by anyone of any sex, religion, race or ethnicity on the planet. You know. Besides the Immigration officers who are generally awesome people anyway.

I got to take off my shoes for the first time ever when going through security (nope, I don’t go through US security often at all) and I even got to snag an Einstein Bro Bagel and a good cup of Starbucks coffee before hopping my next plane in Houston Texas. Oh, and Hi Houston, you were a wee bit warm!

Didn’t even have a problem getting my bag or meeting up with mom in law. The ride back to her house was uneventful.

In fact, everything that happened up to October 05 was pretty normal and boring. I drove, did the I9, got Starbucks. Normal. Boring.

Then UPS arrives with my equipment for my job and even that went okay for the most part. Obviously as they were sending a laptop and some sensitive materials I had to sign for it which I was expecting and reason I was waiting around for it.

The UPS driver set the small rectangular package on the ground while I signed my name strangely on his electronic device then he picked it up and handed to me and hot footed his ass out of there. Which by the way, is ALWAYS a sign that something is about to go topsy turvy on you. ALWAYS.

With the package in one hand I place my other under the corner and walk into the house and as the fingers of my left hand is playing with that corner they discover a hole. I flip the package over and of course it’s not a small hole. it’s a relatively large hole. I can stick more than one finger in this hole.

This is a hole I have pictures of because I just KNEW I was going to be missing SOMETHING important from that package. And I was. Something that I needed just to sign into the device!

I make calls, send emails, ask on Quora just for an answer. I was suppose to get the equipment a week before I was due to start training. I started training October 9. A week is still 7 days.

First day of training comes and I do not have the tool I need to log into my device but of course I’m calling in to the conference and have already contacted my Team Manager about the situation. Since there was nothing I could do, after roll call I could hang up and do whatever. I wasn’t the only one however who was having problems. Some others too had lost one of the tools in the mail as I did (although I’m starting to wonder if they were even packed to be honest) so I don’t feel too left out I suppose is the appropriate state of mind.

The next day I still hadn’t gotten my tool. In fact I won’t get it until that Friday. My Team Manager has decided that I’ll just start the training with the group after hers but I still get paid for that one Monday as I was there.

Tool comes in. I get to train. Long story short but not short enough, an at most week long trip turned into a month. Hubby ended coming up for the last week as Mominlaw was in the process of moving, which really didn’t effect my training or starting on the phone at all. I did however have a major panic attack when I first started on the phone but took a pill that made me too tired to have a panic attack and I have been fine ever since.

I’ve already gotten my first full pay check (by full I mean working full time for two weeks) and do not mind the job all that much. It can be a bit boring at times as there has been some pauses between calls.  But it’s pretty easy.

Of course I say that before the SEASON kicks in. Before people go crazy with stress and all those silly notions that they’re the only people on the planet that matter. Hopefully they’ll keep me on drivers as I’m going to pretend they’re not going to flip their lids as bad as purchasing customers will. But they have their own set of stresses as well.

That is what I have been up to for the last month. Travelled back to the US on September 28th then back here on Halloween. I am very glad to have my fur babies (furbies…can’t really call them that as there are some who are all too aware of the toy of the same name but it really fits) around me again, but I discovered that I’m not entirely happy with the house we’re in and so am actively looking for a new place to rent.

It’s amazing what you discover about where you live when you’ve been gone from it for so long.

Until next time, remember that should you have to call into customer service for any reason and any business, the person you get on the phone is no way connected to your problem. They are just learning about it and although they can tell you’re upset or distressed over the issue, you are going to get further by showing some kindness instead of trying to force an issue. Just think of how YOU would react to how you’re acting and adjust your attitude accordingly.