The Internet has changed things. When I think about it, I’m thunderstruck. The following observations are only the tip of the iceberg: There are “stores” that aren’t brick and mortar. They exist only in cyber space. Even known companies offer catalogues and encourage ordering online along with help lines and customer service. We can find [...]
Archive for the ‘The Economy’ Category
Our Changing World
Posted in "Growing up", Politics, Shopping, Technology, The Economy on February 3, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Customer Service is Dead
Posted in Just Life (or "Idiot File for the Unknown", Kvetching and Whining, Outdoors, Ranching/Farming/Rural Concerns, Technology, The Economy on December 1, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Customer Service is Dead We’ve all been disappointed and frustrated for years now by the misnomer “customer service”. Once upon a time, in a land, far, far away from our present reality, a regular person could place a phone call to any reputable company, reach and converse with another regular person in customer service and [...]
Poor Pitiful Piano
Posted in "Growing up", Children, cooking/food, Education, Ethics, Just Life (or "Idiot File for the Unknown", Music/ Piano, Shopping, The Economy, vintage on November 30, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Poor Pitiful Piano As a kid, my parents arranged obligatory piano lessons. Mrs. Lang suffered me for four years. I learned the basics during lessons at her home, for which I’m grateful. I was never an inspired, intuitive musician, and it didn’t come easy. When God doled out my talents, he was generous with creativity [...]
Never Trust Anyone Over Sixty
Posted in "Growing up", Children, Education, Ethics, Politics, The Economy on May 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I beg friends and family to avoid sending me email forwards (unless they’re indisputably stellar). People become offended by this. Some stop communicating with me entirely, and some do become more discriminating, which I appreciate. A few forwards find their way through. Occasionally I’m very glad (but usually not). I’m now making these same folks [...]
What Are the Odds?
Posted in Just Life (or "Idiot File for the Unknown", Kvetching and Whining, Outdoors, Ranching/Farming/Rural Concerns, Shopping, The Economy, Weather on May 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It seems things go smoothly for a while only to yield to a spate of bad luck. Spring was percolating along just fine for a while. Plenty of places have had much-needed rain, but we haven’t. So the pricey grass seed we planted in a field (third try) didn’t come up. Every time we plant [...]
Too Complicated
Posted in Kvetching and Whining, Shopping, The Economy on December 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Things have become way too complicated. Without going into much detail, think for a moment how difficult it is these days to compare the coverage for things like health and car insurance. Just that little introduction probably caused all you gentle readers to cringe. What about the various pros, cons, deals, discounts, refunds and [...]
Rich in What Matters
Posted in Kvetching and Whining, Politics, Ranching/Farming/Rural Concerns, Shopping, The Economy on April 15, 2010 | 2 Comments »
A word of advice to my wealthy friends and relatives: I seem to be surrounded by both dear friends and relatives who have done quite well for themselves financially. Good for you! Some inherited it. Some married it. Some divorced it (and got half). And some worked very, very hard for it, and still are [...]
Past Complaints
Posted in Gardening, Just Life (or "Idiot File for the Unknown", Kvetching and Whining, Like the "Olden Days", Outdoors, Pets/ Animals, Politics, Ranching/Farming/Rural Concerns, The Economy on March 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Well, If That Just Don’t Beat All Know how when you’re expecting company and have so many things to do— all kinds of random stuff falls from the sky onto your head? I suppose it only seems that way. Truth be told, “the sky is always falling”. We might tend to notice it more when [...]
Whining About Health Insurance—Three Years Ago!
Posted in Health, Kvetching and Whining, The Economy on March 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I wrote the following about three years ago, long before Zack became ill and also before we were forced for a second time to change health insurance plans (as he became disabled, left his employment, and had no choice but to accept the plan offered by his state retirement. Shopping around for health insurance wasn’t [...]
