I am so over the wet, rainy weather conditions. I think we missed spring, at least the sunny spring because now if the sun is out, it’s hotter than seven hades and we’re still in the middle of May. But, the rain is so annoying. I can’t ride with my windows or sunroof open. I can’t sit in the yard. I can’t do much of anything. I hate being wet and I hate running to my car to avoid becoming so. Meh, I say.
Anyone else already done with the rain? Does anyone actually enjoy it? I’m sure there are some. I mean, I don’t mind rain but let it do its business and then leave. I believe it’s appropriate that tomorrow is the anniversary ofPeter Gabriel’s So (my favorite album of all time), if for no other reason than the opening tune is about rain (at least in title). Here’s the video since the rain makes me not want to do a lot of writing.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I am standing up at the water’s edge in my dream. I cannot make a single sound as you scream. It can’t be that cold, the ground is still warm to touch. We touch. This place is so quiet, sensing that storm. Red rain is coming down. Red rain. Red rain is pouring down. Pouring down all over me.” – “Red Rain” (Gabriel)
So, Kelly and I recorded The Man Who Ate the Town Podcast today and the entire time I was on eggshells. I was constantly waiting for things to go wrong and somethings did. My workflow is completely out of whack. Things are tough all over, over here.
Protools
High Sierra has completely screwed up everything on my Mac. This is where all the things that I’ve taken up for Mac’s confusion-based existence when people complain about it prove the detractors right and me wrong. The main problem is Protools.
A little background here, I started up my Mac yesterday and went to Chrome. An alert came up and said that Chrome wouldn’t update any longer because the OS on the Mac wasn’t going to be supported any longer. Whoa! I can’t have that (can you hear the sarcasm?)! Okay, so High Sierra has been out for a while, they should have worked out the kinks by now, right? Sure, they should. Well, they may have 10.13.3 but what I downloaded was 10.13.4 and that is a world of hurt.
A lot of stuff in PT (Protools) 12.4, which is the version I was using, wasn’t compatible. What I mean by that is just about everything. So, I go looking all over the web and this update is so new that I can’t find much of anything to help me. I find out that it’s not going to work. So, okay, let me check on updating my version of PT. My sub ran out in 2016 and to update, I had to re-up that subscription. Well, that’s not cheap. $27/month of not cheap.
So, I did that and got PT 12.7. Well, guess what… 12.7 isn’t compatible with High Sierra, either. Well, it is with 10.13.3, but not 10.13.4. I find on the Avid (owners of PT) website that they recommend staying away from the latest release. Well, too late now. I have spent the last two days figuring out workarounds and troubleshooting. It’s been a long road for those two days.
In summary of that, just because I worried that Chrome wouldn’t update, it cost me $300 a year for a sub I didn’t need and two days of work, including money-making jobs. Supposedly, Avid is working on an update. There’s a new version of PT called Protools 2018 and we’ll see if that works. But, what to do in the meantime? Practice on a botched update has become more commonplace for Macs. I hope it doesn’t take too long.
On and to what you came here for. Kelly and I talked our brand new sponsor, Di Lisio’s Italian Restaurant has signed on with us and we’re glad about it. Thank you to Maria and Tony for supporting us. It enabled me to make another purchase which may be my Thursday post, at least for now. We also talked about a few restaurant closings and a few restaurant openings around town. You can read more and hear that HERE.
Okay, back at it tomorrow.
Until then, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Is It Too Early To Upgrade To macOS High Sierra?” – Pro Tools Expert Website
Since Clay Howard is so into this album and I’m a huge fan of Clay Howard and considering that yesterday was the 31st anniversary of its release, Here is The Cult’s “Love Removal Machine” from Electric (1987). Enjoy!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Baby baby baby baby baby I fell from the sky. Yesterday you blew my mind oh yeah. Having trouble with my direction; upside down psychotic reaction. Love removal love removal machine.” – “Love Removal Machine” (Astbury/Duffy)
I found out today that a guy I’m familiar with, have known for a couple of years and has served me many a beverage passed away yesterday/last night. It was so sad to find this out. Was he a friend? Well, yes. Were we close? Not at all, but when you know someone and have conversations with them, or even if you don’t, it’s sad and depressing when something happens to anyone, especially those you know.
With that, I really don’t feel like writing a bunch of stuff. I just want to say one thing. If you are doing drugs – and I don’t mean pot, I mean bad drugs – please reach out to someone. Step out of your circle of enablers and let someone help you. Call me! Contact me! I don’t know what I can do but I can either find help or just be an ear to spill to. It saddens me greatly to think that someone is in a way that they have to turn to opioids or other life-threatening substances. I understand that anything can kill you but when it’s something that is known to kill hundreds or thousands if not tens of thousands of people every day, do what you can to beat that. Fight for your life. If you feel it’s not worth continuing, talk to someone about that. Your life is worth more than you’ll ever know. Every life.
I know I don’t use curse words on this blog as I try to keep it clean for everyone to read so I’m leaving a disclaimer here… watch out.
FUCK DRUGS! FUCK HEROIN! FUCK COCAINE! FUCK THE AVAILABILITY OF IT!
I’ve been lucky and not had to deal with this before. To my knowledge, this is the first person that I’ve known that has gone out this way.
Kirby, you’re on our minds and I’m sorry we let you down. Someone should have stopped it before it happened.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
TIM out…
— “Drugs are the enemies of ambition and hope – and when we fight against drugs we are fighting for the future.” – Bob Riley
Jeez o’Pete!! I don’t care if it’s gun control, mental health, worms in fish or other food, or any other topic on Facebook today…
It is evident that no one can spell, use spellcheck, autocorrect or take time to proofread their posts.
There is no argument that I can take seriously on here because I can’t read any of the posts without getting a headache. The posters’ responses and arguments make not a damned bit of sense.
I’m okay with the abbreviations and all that mess, but dang, y’all!! Get your lack of grammar etiquette under control. Literally, I can’t understand what half of the posters are saying.
I would like to believe that they are, at least, somewhat intelligent. But, reading this crap, it sounds like there are three brain cells in their heads and those three cells are all having a staring contest.
I don’t care what side you’re on when it comes to just about any issue. I will at least listen to your argument, but if you can’t at least make sure the argument is legible and/or decipherable, then get the heck off of your soapbox; you don’t deserve to be heard.
Yes, I’m with the Grammar Police. Yes, I proofread my posts. If I find a mistake, I go back and edit it to correct those mistakes, usually. Some get past me, I get that, but when every. Single. Post these people post makes no sense, it is mind-numbing and no one’s point gets taken into account. If someone has long drawn-out ramblings (on all sides of any argument), it’s already hard enough to follow what 90% are even talking about. Add in the horrible spelling or completely wrong words…? You have yourself a full-blown cluster-mess of baloney. Even if I agree with your stance, you come off as stupid.
Does this make me pretentious? Maybe. Does it just rake every last nerve I have to see people butcher the English language? Yes. Do I hold someone’s ability spell (or at least get close!) against them and their intelligence? Yes. Am I allowed to do that? Yes. Are they allowed to spell incoherently? Yes. But, I reserve my right to think them dumb.
Am I perfect? Am I infallible? Heck no! But, usually, I can get my point across legibly. These aren’t plain mistakes by the posters. These are one of the highest forms of negligence. You want me to listen and understand you? It’s your responsibility to convey the message, not the other way around. My lack of a working attention span notwithstanding, I will soon stop giving a shite about what it is you’re saying. Communicate with me, properly, and I’ll give you a chance. Okay?!?
No wonder we have problems in this country. No one knows how to communicate any longer. Verbally, orally, written or inflection. Pay attention to what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. We could cut, in my estimation, about 40% of the miscommunication in this country if we just paid attention.
Okay, soapbox back under the bed.
Until tomorrow, using spellcheck and Grammarly…
Scorp out!
— “When our spelling is perfect, it’s invisible. But when it’s flawed, it prompts strong negative associations.” – Marilyn vos Savant
So, it’s a whole new year! 2018 in da house! I hope this one is a great one. It seems like they all get harder to be “good ones,” with our aging. But, still, here’s hoping. We went to Willows and had prime rib and salmon and other things, then we came home and fell asleep on the couch until about 11:45pm or so. So we got to watch the ball drop.
Do you remember when you knew who the people performing on NYE was? And Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve was the only show in town for it? Now, some other channels were just doing regular programming but I kept switching back and forth between Ryan Seacrest and CNN’s atrocious pairing of Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. It was awkward and uncomfortable. I love me some Don Lemon, though and he was funny.
Seacrest had, once again, Jenny McCarthy with him and, other than her horrible plastic surgery on her face, was a good co-host. I know her face has nothing to do with her hosting abilities, but it was a distraction. It was like a bloated lipped version of the two models that died with Joker smiles in 1989’s Batman. And, jeez, Ciara was downright horrible. Lucy Hale wasn’t bad as hosting the New Orleans part, but the time delay and the fact that she just couldn’t keep from talking made that whole thing awkward, too. I didn’t at all mind Fitz and the Tantrums or Imagine Dragons. I thought they were great. Mariah Carey got to redeem herself after the last debacle she did for one of these things. But, it was okay. I got to kiss my girl at midnight, so I guess that’s what’s important. And, I got to hug 3B, that was great, too.
But, earlier in the night, with the football games going the way they did, I became the 2017 Willows’ Sweep the Leg Fantasy Football Champion! I finished the regular season with a losing record (6-8), but because I had Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Jacksonville Defense, they all finally decided to turn it on the last part of the season so that led to a few victories which put me ahead of the others in my division. It was nerve-wracking and my stomach was in knots. Ben and Antonio didn’t even play and I knew that Jacksonville was going to have a hard time against division rivals Tennesee. So, I put Matthew Stafford in and Martavis Bryant along with the Steelers defense. Steelers were playing the Browns and it was inevitable that they’d do good against them. Cleveland tried, but the Steelers held them off in the end. Anywhat!
During the regular season, The BCPF ran roughshod all over the whole league. She was 10-0 until someone (that lives in the same house with her) finally beat her. She ended up with a 12-2 regular season record. She won the regular season. The divisions (she and I were in two different divisions; her Willows, me Foothills) were torn up after that and the top eight got to play in the playoffs. I beat the first team, then I beat The BCPF (again) and then I beat the winner of my division for the whole thing. He was predicted to win all the way up until about 10 minutes before he didn’t. He was scary, though. Another accolade that I got was I had the highest point win during the season (202) and The BCPF had the “Most Points For” for the regular season (2051.1). We had fun.
In the TLD league that I run… yeah, let’s not talk about that. I finished first in the “consolation bracket.” Let’s just leave that there…
Congrats to me. The prize was almost $400. I’ll take it!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey
So, I know the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is at times controversial, sometimes political and always polarizing subject. Some think it’s contrived, others a complete waste of time. I have been critical of their inability to nominate qualified artists over some that have been sketchy at best.
Now, I know opinion is a major boiling point in things like this. I don’t like this band so they shouldn’t be in there. How can they say that’s rock and roll!? Where’s KISS!? They let N.W.A. in? Those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the HOF. I was guilty of that, as I’ve said (and said above). But, I have to look beyond my personal tastes (because there’s not account for that I’ve always been told) and look to the importance of the artist.
First off, what constitutes Rock and Roll? Is it just a genre of music that includes predetermined instruments with or without vocals? Or, does it go beyond that and stretch into attitudes as well? My admitted idol, Gene Simmons, sparked a bit of controversy last year over the inclusion of N.W.A. in the HOF. According to Rolling Stone, Gene said this to Ice Cube: “Respectfully, let me know when Jimi Hendrix gets into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. Then you’ll have a point.” Ice Cube shot back about Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Chubby Checker inventing rock and roll and, from what I can understand, Cube made it about race (but… wasn’t Jimi black?). Gene said in response: “You’ve got Grandmaster Flash in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Run-D.M.C. in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? You’re killing me. That doesn’t mean those aren’t good artists. But they don’t play guitar. They sample and they talk. Not even sing.” I don’t know that I agree with him on that part. Yeah, rap is a different animal altogether but I believe what Cube said in response to that part was all telling: “I respect Gene Simmons, but I think he’s wrong on this because rock & roll is not an instrument and it’s not singing. Rock & roll is a spirit. N.W.A is probably more rock & roll than a lot of the people that he thinks belong there over hip-hop. We had the same spirit as punk rock, the same as the blues.”
I want to focus on six words in that last part. Rock & roll is a spirit.
It took me a long time to realize that. It wasn’t something that I liked, therefore it wasn’t something that needed to be in the Hall of Fame. Well, bullstein on that! Anyone can look at my music reviews on this blog in particular and tell that I am no expert on anything other than my opinion. My backstory and history and the music industry’s backstory and history don’t necessarily run in the same circles. I like what I like and I’m pretty staunch in those things, right or wrong, I’m there. What I like compared to what most others like is hit or miss (usually leaning more toward the “miss”) and certainly my ideas on what something should be is just a personal incantation. It’s not gospel or even informed a lot of the time. That’s one reason why with the Eugeology list, I have tried to pay very close attention, do some research and craft the proper responses and or thoughts for each entry. Rock and roll is a state of mind, or, well, spirit.
This brings us back to the HOF and the inductees for 2018 have been announced. First, let’s see who was actually nominated this year: The Meters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, J. Geils Band, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Link Wray, Moody Blues, Dire Straits, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Depeche Mode, The Zombies, The MC5, The Cars, LL Cool J, Bon Jovi, Nina Simone and Radiohead.
I voted many times (you were allowed one per IP addy, per day) and my votes were always the same with one alternating. I voted for The Cars, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, and Eurythmics. I guess my newfound love for first wave/new wave was showing. However, three of those actually made it in. I wasn’t not for Judas Priest, The Zombies, Kate Bush or MC5 to get in, I would have been fine with them, as well. But, not who I was voting for this time. The final list was as such: Bon Jovi, Nina Simone, Dire Straits, Moody Blues, The Cars and listed as “an early influencer,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe. I hate that title for her, “early influencer.” I’m not a fan of blues and I’ve made no bones about that, but man this lady could wail some serious blues guitar and she sang like nobody’s business. She belted her tunes with major conviction and regardless of whether she was relevant mostly in the 1940s or not, I believe if she’s worthy of being in, she’s worthy of being in. It doesn’t need a special category. At least not in that direction. She deserves to be here because she was influential to many of the top blues musicians, either directly or indirectly. I wanted a few YouTube vids to get myself more acquainted with her style and man, it was pretty great. Yeah, I just said that.
Nina Simone, it’s about danged time. She stood out. There was none like her. She was scary, too. She thought nothing of pointing out someone in the audience that was being an idiot or disruptive and she’d tear you a “new one” anytime she thought you were wronging her. Great musician and great raspy, yet smooth vocals. My first introduction to her was in the film Point of No Return (the Americanized La Femme Nikita) which wasn’t that great of a film but whatever. I also loved her version of “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” (the Jaffa Remix). And, she’s a North Carolina girl! She’s from Tryon, NC.
The Cars were never known for their dynamic stage presence, but they wrote some catchy-arsed tunes. Their first album is darn near perfect start to finish and I really dug Heartbeat City, as well. They were the inspiration for a good many new wave and mainstream artists alike. One of my votes, I am glad they’re getting in. I hate Ben Orr won’t be here to see it.
Dire Straits. I was never a “fan” per se, but they have some serious moments. Brothers in Arms is a fantastic and powerful album from end-to-end, even if you leave in “Money for Nothin'” and “Walk of Life.” As overplayed as those songs were, they were well written and what guitarist isn’t at least a little bit jealous they didn’t write the opening riff of “Money?” I have to admit I didn’t know what that song was about until about two years ago. It snapped and I was like… wait! It’s about that!? I don’t know what I thought it was about, really. But, it’s a little twinge of jealousy from two working joes that they have to do all this heavy lifting and these “yoyos” playing their guitars get paid for nothing. Not true of course, but we all choose our “work.” Of course, their career is far beyond that album forward and backward. Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist and his work onthe soundtrack for The Princess Bride was quite awesome. I’m glad they got in.
I really know very little of Moody Blues other than that sappy arsed “Nights in White Satin,” “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)” and 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” I know I should know more. I will probably get educated on my lack of knowledge by those who read this blog. I would go as far as saying that I want to know more. I do have The Other Side of Life on vinyl (with the aforementioned “Your Wildest Dreams”). Perhaps that will go on soon. I know it’s a pale representation of the band’s collective work but you gotta start with what you’ve got, right? I guess.
Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi. Hmmm… Okay, I’ll admit it. I like Bon Jovi from New Jersey back. My favorite album from them is the first one, cleverly called Bon Jovi. It was piano/keyboard driven rock and I liked that. “Love Lies” and “Shot Through the Heart” are great. On CD the only one of those in the range I mentioned that I don’t have is 7800° Fahrenheit. I don’t know why, either. I know they get a bad rap when it comes to rock and roll. It was cheesy and hair bandy, sure. But, they sold records and they put on a good show. The songs, as juvenile and over-polished as they sometimes were, were well-written. I can’t complain about them, really. Plus, they outright beat the pants off the other nominees in the fan votes. I mean it wasn’t even close. The fan vote was easily twice as many as the next closest nominee if not three times. It was crazy. I knew they’d not have a problem getting in, so I never voted for them.
Well, that’s my thoughts on this. I will probably get wrung for it, but hey, it’s the way it is. What are your thoughts, Dear Reader? Who do you feel should be in the HOF that isn’t? Of what are your thoughts on the HOF in general? What could be done to make it a more legitimate accolade? Is it already legit? Answer me those things. Thanks in advance.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time. Cause when you’re standing oh so near I kinda lose my mind. It’s not the perfume that you wear. It’s not the ribbons in your hair. And I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time.” – “Just What I Needed” (Ocasek)
Yesterday, about the time I posted the post, word came down that Gronk was suspended for one game. Kind of figured that would be it, okay. Brady is good enough to not have him and still win. He’ll be back just in time to be ticked off when they play the Steelers in Week 15.
But, the game last night pitting the Steelers against our hated rivals the Cincinnati Bengals (or Bungles as I call them) was a doozie. First, in a freak accident and not really any one’s fault, Ryan Shazier, the Steelers defensive leader jammed his neck making a tackle (from behind) and ended up with a spinal “contusion.” They carted him off the field and took him, by ambulance, to the hospital. He’s still there today and probably until tomorrow as they are doing more tests and evaluating him.
The Steelers and Bungles have a violent past, especially recently, and especially because of Vontaze Burfict. He’s a dirty player on the level of Ndamukong Suh. The Bungles also have Adam “Pacman” Jones who is at times a dirty player. He’s certainly an instigator. During the playoffs in 2015, Burfict took aim at Steelers star receiver Antonio Brown and put him out of the game. It was malicious and intended. Burfict was then suspended for the first three games of 2016. That just adds to the dangerous mystique of the rivalry.
Last night, when Le’Veon Bell was catching a pass and making a Steelers first down, Steelers rookie sensation Juju Smith-Shuster made a peelback block (where the player goes back toward his own end zone and makes a blindside block on a “defenseless” defensive player – I know there’s a better definition of that, but that’s what I got) on Burfict and it nearly knocked him out. Okay, so, I have to admit a part of me thought that was pretty bad-arsed. But, truly, I don’t want anyone hurt like that. The worst part of it wasn’t that he made the hit. The worst part was afterward when he stepped over Burfict, straddled him and looked at him like he’d just proven a point. That’s called taunting and is not good. Any other time I’d probably be okay with it, but this is after Shazier went down and the whole team was down and jittery. Good block but unnecessarily violent and absolutely ridiculous on the taunt. Now, I admire and am fond of the fire the kid has but you could really tell, by the look on his face, that he felt bad for it afterward. But, in the moment? Nah.
Later in the game, as Antonio Brown made his tie-setting TD catch, Bungles DB George Iloka squares up and delivers a helmet-to-helmet shot to Brown but Brown held on. The Steelers went on to win the game 23-20, staying atop the playoff picture leading into two important games. The Ratbirds (Ravens) come to town next week (when both Gronk and Juju are both suspended) and then the Patriots come in the following week. So, it’s important the guys in black and yellow keep their heads and buckle down! Hopefully, Ryan Shazier isn’t lost for the rest of the season. Really, as much as I don’t like a lot of teams and players, I don’t want them hurt like that, especially not from a Steeler’s moment of mental weakness. So, all of you stop making stupid mistakes and just play the game. Be safe, y’all! Thanks for indulging my sports rants two days in a row!
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “You are suspended for the dangerous and unsportsmanlike acts you committed during the fourth quarter of last night’s game. Specifically, with 7:10 remaining, on a passing play to a running back, you lined up a defender and delivered a violent and unnecessary blindside shot to his head and neck area. You then ‘celebrated’ the play by standing over him and taunting him. The contact you made with your opponent placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury and could have been avoided. Your conduct following the hit fell far below the high standards of sportsmanship expected of an NFL player.” – Jon Runyan, NFL Vice President of Football Operations to Juju Smith-Shuster
So, today, I was on the phone with a good friend of mine. He’s been in the news a little bit the last couple of days and not for good reasons, and truly, not for the worst of reasons. But, he certainly is in a weird spot where the truth and perception start disagreeing with each other.
I will go ahead and warn you this may be a little vague as the particulars are not important, just the message.
I admit that I was one to talk about the situation a little on Saturday when someone told me about it. The sitch was pertinent to me on a personal level and on two professional levels. A place near and dear to me is “closing down,” I heard. I can’t say I didn’t see it coming but I hadn’t talked to the owner in a few months.
I had a long discussion with them this morning and the paper (doing like it does) quoted him correctly but nitpicked the rest of the story and even went to a competing establishment (the owners are friends) and asked people that don’t even live in Winston-Salem about the developments.
As it turns out, the paper basically got it wrong. Again, the quote was right but then the rest of it was ripped apart and made into whatever the “journalist” needed the readers to see. The whole “if it bleeds” thing. Now, I’m not exactly faulting the paper because that’s what they do. I’m a media outlet, to some extent, and I want to make things sound good or more readable. Do I change things? No. I write what I think or know. Am I always right? Not even half the time, at least that I’m told. But, like with this blog and The Less Desirables and The Man Who Ate the Town, especially, I make no qualms about telling the listener or reader to take it as my “view and/or opinion.” Find out the facts for yourself. Go to the source, ask them questions, try the food yourself, try the beer yourself. Again, find out the truth.
I’m not going to go into the “whos or whats.” I would probably mess them up, anyway. But I will say that if you read the paper this weekend, and have any knowledge of what we have in this town, then you know what I’m talking about. It’s also all over Facebook. While some of that is true, the particulars aren’t necessarily. The moral of the story is: don’t believe everything you read. The truth will clear itself up in the upcoming weeks as we’ll have the only person with the truth and knowledge on TLD to talk about it. From there you’ll get it straight from the “horse’s” mouth.
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
— “When fake news is repeated, it becomes difficult for the public to discern what’s real.” – Jimmy Gomez (D – CA)
So, I’m researching a few things, something that could potentially be a side-gig for me or The BCPF, a few other things. In the research, there was a Facebook post about this particular service. It was about an online grocery shopping and delivery app. Now, I love Facebook. I spend a lot of time on there for the various businesses that I have or just to observe my friends’ activities, lives and happenings. But, one thing I’ve noticed is that people just have a hard time minding their own business.
It’s either someone wanting to call someone out for something they did or they have to judge someone because they don’t agree with them or they are complaining about something that is irrelevant just to hear (or see) themselves blabbing. The other part is people just not minding their own business. Doing “As Ardmore Turns” week in and week out (even when I do an “encore” episode) has really shown the dark side of social media or online forums. Most of it is someone bitching about something that is truly none of their business. I can’t believe that this person parks on theirlawn instead of their driveway. I think there should be a law! Notice I highlighted “their.” It has nothing to do with them. They don’t like the way it looks but they’re not paying the mortgage, rent or fees for that property. It has nothing to do with them but because they don’t like it they want “justice” for it. It doesn’t work that way.
Another thing I see, I am a senior writer at TripAdvisor. I like TripAdvisor although review sites like that get a bad rep. And, I know and understand why. Because it’s rife with idiocy and people who don’t know the difference between criticism and a critique. A critique is supposed to be constructive and helpful for people on both sides of the review to either address a concern or offer a reasonable explanation as to why things weren’t as good as it should have been, or (gasp!) everything was awesome and they wan to tell about it. An example of an idiotic review: I didn’t like this resort. It rained the whole time we were there. We’ll not go back. When I write for TripAdvisor, Yelp!, a blog post for a restaurant, a review for a product, etc., if I have a complaint, I try to offer the reasons why I had the problem, plus, offer solutions that would have made my experience more positive. I don’t expect anyone to bend over backward, I just feel they should know if a customer isn’t satisfied.
In regard to my first subject, there was this online shopping and delivery service for groceries. You’d think that people would comment about whether or not they like the service for what it is and how it operates. You’d think. No. At least half of the responses I read before my head started hurting was judgmental a-holes who only had negative things to say about anyone who would use it. Get off your lazy a** and take it to the store and do it yourself. Or, another could be: Aw h*** naw, I want to touch my fruits and vegetables and don’t want strangers picking out my meat. And, yet another: this service is awful, the store was out of what I ordered (that was the best, yet).
First off, it’s none of your beeswax as to why someone may use this service. What about elderly folks that can’t drive and don’t want to constantly bother their loved ones? What about disabled or folk with mental disorders or whatever? Perhaps you’ve worked 13 hours that day and don’t feel like going to the store if you don’t have to? What if you want to spend time with your kids without them running around in a grocery store? Or best yet, what if they just want to be lazy? Stop putting people down when you don’t know the whole story, or better yet, mind your own F***ING business!
On the subject of someone else picking out your produce or meat products for you, do you really think these people are just randomly picking stuff willy-nilly? They’re trained to pick these things. Plus, once they’re trained on what to look for, they’re trained to pick as if they were picking for themselves. They’re not just picking a red bell pepper at random. I know this because I looked into the job. I don’t know that I’ll do it, I just wanted to see.
And, if the store is out of what you order, what control does the shopper have over that? NONE! STFU!
Now, I understand that I’m mouthing off and complaining just as I’m conveying from others. The difference is this is my blog where I voice my opinions. My opinions on MY page. Not a public forum where people just want to vomit opinions without any reasoning or logic, mostly just for their own egos. Some may not realize they’re doing that, and to you I say, think about what you’re saying when you’re saying it. For those who are just a-holes, STOP IT!! If you can’t be productive, just STFU!
