How do you feel today?

[Orlion]

Tell me about it. Just a couple months ago, I was getting out of my car in front of Halfpriced Books when an older guy comes up and he's trying to "sell newspapers" and what not. He talked about how he found God, but needed some money or change, but because he found God he "wasn't going to break in and steal anything from my car" even though he could. Talk about a weird approach. I told him so, and we had a little laugh about it.

I understand completly. Sometimes you want to help, but many times, you can't right that second. That doesn't make you a horrible person, it makes you normal. People can be very unreasonable sometimes...especially when they're nic-ing. I'll find myself approached several times on campus for a cigarette. Being a non-somker, I always say no, I don't have any. Most are all right with it, but some get very upset.

Anyway, back on topic, you seem to be handling things just fine. You're not letting yourself get pushed around Wish more people would understand that. My roomate (previous, actually, I shall name him here for the first time ever as Jon) has a hard time taking a fast food order back if it is wrong. Thinks it's too "mean" and adds undue stress to the workers, to which I reply that it is their job, that's what they are being paid for. He'll say something about having worked at a restaurant before and how he didn't like jerks to which I'd always remind him that I've worked at the same restaurant, upfront, dealing with the irrate customers while all he had to do was remake some food! I mean, the managers always called me over to deal with the most annoying complaining customers, I think I would know what's too much! AHHHHHHHH!:crazy:

Anyway, before I break into another rant, girl power!

[Cagliostro]

I'm feeling pretty raw about humanity today.
On Sunday, we were visiting my father-in-law in Colorado Springs. I went to pick up the food for our lunch in my wife's car, and there is a notoriously bad roundabout there which my wife's stepmother has warned us about several times. So I pick up the food, and as I am going to the roundabout, I check the sign to make sure I can go all the way around in the manner of a regular roundabout. It looks good, so I enter when there is no traffic going around into the right-hand lane. A car goes into the left lane of the roundabout, speeds up around me and turns right in front of me. As my intention was to continue through the roundabout, and suddenly a car turns in front of me, there is no time for me to react and we collide.
It takes me a few beats to realize I've just been in an accident. My first thoughts are, "oh crap...I'm not in my own car," then I remember we are married, and it is just fine for me to be driving her car. Then I think, "oh crap...I have no idea where her car info/insurance is." I realize we are blocking up much of the intersection, and we didn't hit at any speed, so I pull out of the roundabout to a parking space and the other driver follows.
Where I was picking up the food was literally about 3-4 blocks from the accident, and as I have no idea about what to do in an accident, I ask if she would follow me back to the house so that I can speak with my wife about where the insurance info is after not finding it in the glove box. She agrees to this, and we go over. We exchange info, and she decides to call the cops at this point. I left out that there is very little damage to my wife's car - just above where the wheel is the metal is dented up. The other driver's car passenger side door is scraped up and dented in.
Anyway, so after exchanging info and getting the food inside, we ask her inside. We offer her water, which she accepts, and offer her some of the food we have, which is a huge surplus, which she declines. It becomes more awkward for her as the rest of the family coming shows up for Carla's brother's birthday shindig. The police are not showing up...not showing up. We wait for an agonizing 20 minutes and she calls for the police again. They pretty much say something noncommittal and she sticks around another 5-10 minutes and decides to leave, going on about how nice we have been.
A cop shows up an hour after being called, and says as both parties are not there, he isn't going to take our statement and we can either file it online or at a police station.
We enjoy the party, and then swing by the site of the accident, and I take pictures of the intersection, the damage, the signage showing where it happened, etc. When we got home about 5 hours later, I call our insurance company and file a claim. Then I call her insurance and their claims office is not 24 hour.
I call the next day, and leave my statement for her insurance. Then I get a call later in the day from my insurance asking for the recorded statement. I email off my pictures to our insurance. Someone from our insurance comes out and checks the damage.
A couple days go by and my wife called their insurance company. This was yesterday. They tell her that apparently our stories are not matching, but of course give no details.
I am going to be especially pissed if she is lying to get out of something that was obviously her fault from the beginning. I still don't know that, but if it does come down to my word against hers, that will really upset me. Why can't people be friggin' honest?

[aliantha]

Jenn -- ugh. Belligerant street people are the worst. DC passed a law that panhandlers who do that can be arrested. They can ask, but they can't pester people.

Cag -- That happened to me several years back. I got a little antsy in a turn lane and kissed bumpers with an old van in front of me. We pulled into a parking lot to check the damage -- none to my car but maybe a scratch on theirs, but it was hard to tell as the van had a fair amount of damage already, including a hole all the way through the bumper. The other driver, as I recall, told me not to worry about it, so I didn't even bother calling my insurance company.

Later my insurance agent called me. Said the other driver filed a claim against me due to this accident. I told the agent what had happened, and that I'd not bothered to report it because there was no damage to my car, and in fact the other car had this huge hole in it already and said it was okay. Never heard another word, and I don't think my rates went up.

They can tell, from the damage to Carla's car, whether the other driver is lying. I don't think you have anything to worry about. <ali said optimistically>

[Cagliostro]

I hope you are right ali. I just don't know what story she is telling - like as if we were in the roundabout and I pulled out into her or something. But Carla keeps telling me to relax until we know for sure that it is something like that.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I wouldn't stress too much about it Cagbro. Insurance adjusters are pretty savvy in most situations and can tell what must have happened by points of impact and angles and types of damages. They can usually even determine speeds based on all that stuff. I had an ok day. Got my stinking planogram done and some other stuff as well. Had nice rides in the gorgeous sunshine with wind whipping through my hair on my fancy scooter. Had some good laughs at work with my crew. Got home and got another phone call from mine and Sorus's ex leader. Counseled him again about personal and work stuff and it was gratifying to have him asking for my approval. He told me a bunch of conversations with folks at his new store and apparently he even quoted me yet again from my hardcore "man up or opt out" lecture I gave him. Told me some stuff he was implementing at the new store and I am actually proud of him for it. I also found it amusing that he told me he knew what I was going to say and that I was right and yet he compulsively needed to hear me say it anyway even though he knew it already and knew he would have to suffer the indignity of me making him say, "You are right." He gave me some detailed run down on the various employees and I ended up telling him, "Look, the store has not been performing for quite some time now and if you need to clean house it's ok to do so, ideally you need to try to find a way to inspire/direct/manage/teach the existing employees but if you need to find better fits for the staff and yourself, that is part of what happens when you are brought in to fix a problematic store. Don't be afraid to trust yourself or to call me if in doubt." He also admitted that he owed me a lot and I told him not to worry because it will come back to me in karma eventually.

[I'm Murrin]

/Yawn

So tired. Must sleep.

[Loredoctor]

Just had a great date this morning, and she asked to see me again (movie). But she finished it with, "I think we'll be great friends." I'm reading that as positive. I felt good, anyway.

[aliantha]

Good for you, Lore!

Magickmaker got invited at the last minute to a bachelorette party tonight, so I have the apartment to myself. So far I have celebrated by eating dinner and finishing a book. Gods, what a party animal I am.

[Orlion]

Sounds like an excellent evening to me, ali!

Congratulations, Lore! Here's to many more dates to come!

That sucks, Cag. I wouldn't worry about it to much as of yet. Insurance companies are pretty insane when they're handling claims. Trying to look into them may cause undue worry!

[Cameraman Jenn]

I had a weird experience when I got home tonight. I was headed to the elevator and a guy I had never seen before was in the hallway coming from the back garbage area of the property and he came right up to me and started hitting on me and getting in my personal space and it had a creepy feel so I asked him if he lived in the building and he said he lived on the 5th floor so I just kinda stayed quiet. He was way too forward telling me he loved my pretty eyes and red hair and asking my name and insisted on shaking my hand and of course he got in the elevator with me and stood uncomfortably close and insisted on holding the elevator gate when I got off on my floor but in such a manner that I had to squeeze past him in a very uncomfortable way. Then I was going to wait to open my door until he left the floor but he kept the elevator open and continued talking to me so I just said, "Bye" and walked to my door to end the conversation. I'm totally not comfortable with him knowing which apartment is mine so I should have walked the opposite way down the hall but I didn't think of it until it was too late. Ugh. I chained the door for the first time in months. I don't like feeling creeped out in my home territory. I feel like I have had my privacy violated a bit. Someone tell me I'm over reacting.

[Orlion]

Hrm...maybe, but you won't know until later encounters (if there are any, here's hoping there isn't). Until then, it's better to be safe then sorry. Seems like you handled the situation as best as you could, and you've taken the proper precautions, so everything will be all right.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I feel like lately I've been a total freak magnet. It's really starting to wear me out. He also caught me as I was coming home so I was already transitioning out of my retail high energy mode into my private downtime mode which is why I feel I may be over reacting by feeling as intensely creeped out as I do. He was creepy though... Ugh. Must... Let.... It.... Go... ok, thinking about something else. I had a good day at work today, long but good. Had to work my charm on a few disgruntled customers and they all left smiling and happy, even the ones I denied returns to. The crew was fun today and the freight shipment was light so I got some stuff finished which was good. Got frustrated with the copy center manager yet again. I have showed her how to do the sales updates about ten freaking times now and so I was receiving the freight truck and asked her to do the next sales update and she mumbled an excuse about having to make a stamp for a customer which takes all of fifteen minutes tops and that includes designing it. Anyway, I make it back up to the front to do the sales update and she admits to me she can't remember how to do it. I was actually a bit angry. She lied on the walkie so our store manager wouldn't realize she just still didn't frigging get it. On top of that she is absolutely USELESS at a lot of stuff not the least of which is multi-tasking. I got stuck up front for a good portion of the day because she can't do a simple job and keep an eye out on the front at the same time. I was running like a maniac doing five things at once and she had another person in her department and STILL she couldn't handle it. Oh well, her incompetence simply serves to make me look all the more fabulous so I guess it's ok in a way. Had a great moment on the register. I was backing up and being silly and joking with customers and my cashier was laughing and as the customers I just helped walked out, she said to me, "You are so crazy, gurl." and I didn't hesitate, I looked at her and put on my most melodramatic insane look and posture and said, "Yes, I am, but you mean in that harmless funny way, not that psychotic scary way, RIGHT? That's what you meant, RIGHT?" then kept the look on my face as she cracked up more and I looked the next customer, made eye contact with the crazy look still on my face and said, "I can help you right here, Sir!" and grinned maniacally. He laughed and said, "Yes, Crazy, I'll take my chances with you." At that point all the remaining customers in line started laughing. My cashier laughed more and then shook her head and said, "Jenn, Jenn Jenn you are too much." My customer told me he liked my style.

On another note, I got pulled over by the cops this morning on my way to work while riding my scooter. The cop who was driving and responsible for pulling me over is a regular whom I have chatted with at the cafe but I don't remember his name. His partner's name is Kevin since Kevin and I were introduced and the officer who's name I can't remember did remember my name. I wasn't doing anything illegal but the officer recognized me from the cafe and stopped me to beg/admonish/lecture me about wearing a helmet. It was very sweet and I know I should wear one but I still haven't picked my bike helmet up from Heatherly. I guess I should just order a new one. Sigh... It was funny though. Part of his spiel included the quote, "The last thing I want to do during my shift is scrape your smashed noggin off some a-hole's bmw windshield, got it Jenn?" I said, "Yes Sir, I get it but it's gonna have to wait until next payday since I spent all my spare cash plus some I can't spare on plane tickets for my Dad's 70 birthday bash back east so please don't arrest me for two weeks." He laughed and told me to be extra careful so I promised I would. Granted he can't arrest me because again, I am not doing anything illegal since the scooter is classified as a bike by CA DMV standards and I am over 16 so no helmet laws apply but I have to respect the fact that he took time to care about me personally. I'll shop around and find something cool. The helmets I have here are motorcycle and they are just so awkward and sucky on visibility that I refuse on the scooter. Moped, yes, helmet all the way, but those helmets just don't fly well on the scooter. Anyway, I have probably bored you people enough, thanks for listening. Love you guys!

[Orlion]

You kinda remind me of my GM back in my Tim Horton's days...at least the massive amounts of multi-tasking whilst dealing with incompetant assistant managers and supervisors (I, however, was never incompetant ). Of course, the main difference was that he's actually crazy in a psychotic way... never wanted to get on his bad side. Still, I didn't notice it as much, seeing how there was a recovering heroin addict as "baker" that was infinitely more crazy then the GM.

Oh, and while you're at it, you should get some elbow and knee pads with that helmet

[danlo]

I'd tell the apt. manager about that guy, carry some pepper spray and talk to your immediate neighbors about the incident, just to cover your ass.

[I'm Murrin]

I think I may have lost whatever respect I had for Waterstones as a seller of science fiction. They've had a redesign, and as part of it the Newcastle store has rearranged its sections. They've moved the SFF section and graphic novels into the basement - with the childrens' books.

[aliantha]

Only kids buy manga, huh, Murrin? That's certainly frustrating.

Jenn, I saw your post last night, but I couldn't post to reassure you because I was as creeped out by the guy's behavior as you were. Always trust your gut, honey -- which I know you know to do, so I am resolutely *not worried* about you.

[Cagliostro]

I think I may have lost whatever respect I had for Waterstones as a seller of science fiction. They've had a redesign, and as part of it the Newcastle store has rearranged its sections. They've moved the SFF section and graphic novels into the basement - with the childrens' books.

No, you've got it all wrong. That's so the pervy children watchers can stalk them in the basement and shop for tentacle rape manga at the same time.

[I'm Murrin]

I don't think I saw the manga section, actually. They'd expanded their comics and graphic novels quite a bit in the last couple years, but now it's back down to one small standalone shelf.

[Loredoctor]

I think I may have lost whatever respect I had for Waterstones as a seller of science fiction. They've had a redesign, and as part of it the Newcastle store has rearranged its sections. They've moved the SFF section and graphic novels into the basement - with the childrens' books.

They have done that with one of their London stores.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I'm tired and I'm gonna be even more so tomorrow. I worked the 8:30 to five shift today, didn't actually clock out until quarter to six, then I had time to kill then be back at the store for a manager's meeting at nine. I called mine and Sorus's ex boss and told him, "I don't care if you already have plans with one of your tarts, you are coming to get me and entertaining me between my work shift and the meeting. He laughed and promptly cancelled his plans with a tart. He ended up taking me out for dinner. I had lightly seared ahi tuna over greens with soy ginger dressing. He had the lightly seared ahi dinner plate. It was delicious. We yammered about all sorts of stuff and it was a nice break. Then I went back to work for the meeting which turned out to only be three out of the five of us department/assistant managers and the store manager. We talked about the coming week since Tina the SM is going on vacation. I just got home about twenty minutes ago and then tomorrow I have to be up and ready to be picked up at 5:15 to go back to work for a store meeting and then a full shift of work. Ugh. Oh well, I then have two days off so I just have to suffer through tomorrow. I know I should be in bed but I always need some down time after I get home or else I just toss and turn all night.