In article t>,
says...
>
> "aem" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Doug Kanter wrote:
> >> "aem" > wrote in message
> >> ps.com...
> >>
> >> > The question is, how do you get them to
> >> > wise up? -aem
> >>
> >> The secret is to write about them in places where they will
> >> never notice
> >> your comments. Don't tell the manager that his/her employees
> >> sound like
> >> little robots. Their behavior might be his idea, and you
> >> wouldn't want him
> >> to know it was a dismal failure.
> >
> > I have told the manager more than once about the 'calling by
> > name'
> > issue, as well as about their failure to mark prices
> > completely. I
> > agree with your implied point that talking to them is better
> > than
> > talking here about it. You're wrong, though, if you think
> > we'll get
> > noticeable response either way. -aem
>
> I've been shopping in my Vons store since it opened in 1965.
> Perhaps it's because most of the employees do know me that this
> policy doesn't annoy me. Our store was just remodeled and I
> filled out a comment card soon after the open house. I
> complimented them on the new store and said some nice things
> about the employees but I also listed some things they didn't
> carry that I would like to have. Two days later I received a
> phone call from corporate, then a phone call from the manager of
> my store, and a week after that I received a book of coupons in
> snail mail. I've never had ANY responses from Ralph's or
> Albertson's in spite of filling out comment cards, making
> requests, etc. - Audrey

Don't get me started on Albertsons. They bought the local Shaw's from
Sainsbury, PLC and things went from bad to worse. We jokingly refer to
the Shaw's stores as the Soviet as of late. Selection sucks, products
that were easy on the wallet gone and quite honestly the only reason I
go is because it's close by. Maybe the purchase of Albertsons by
SuperValue and CVS might make things better.

But now I work next door to a Super Stop & Shop. I mean, how ridiculous
is it that at Shaw's you can rarely find more than a tiny little sprig
of rosemary, but at SS&S you can get full on skewers of rosemary, along
with several other things that Soviet's doesn't seem to want to stock.

" > wrote in message
...
> When I reserve a table for 3 at some restaurants, I use either Mr. Strange
> or Mr. Weird. It's cute when they call "Strange party of 3" or "Weird
> party of 3".. or "Swinger party of 2" etc etc..
>
> ==========<snip>

I like that. I like that a lot!

--
Syssi

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>
>> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > In article 9>,
>> > Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is
>> >> enough
>> >> to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to
>> >> occupy
>> >> their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too,
>> >> that
>> >> annoy the hell out of other people.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Wayne Boatwright o¿o
>> >
>> > Yep. ;-)
>> >
>> > Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
>> > If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
>> > doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
>> >
>> > If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
>> > walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
>> > their doctor.
>>
>> Have you seen the movie "True Lies", with Arnold Schwarzenegger? The
>> nasty
>> torure guy comes at him with (IIRC) a syringe and says (with evil guy
>> accent) "Zis is going to hurt!" Maybe you should try that. :-)
>>
>>
>
> <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
> --
> Peace, Om.

Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee Curtis is
very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.

"Syssi" > wrote in message
news:zkMHf.2550$Eq.45@trnddc02...

> And another thing (Boxer dog type snort) since when does R.F.C. get so
> touchy when people sound off about pet peeves? Is everyone on their
> period this week?

I confess: I have PTSS (pre trout season syndrome). It's going to get much
worse before April 1st, when the season opens.

In article >,
T > wrote:

> The problem is that there are some outright butchers out there when it
> comes to inserting a hypodermic needle. Some are so good that you don't
> even know the needle is in, others seem to have trained under Dr.
> Mengele himself.

I won't argue about that... ;-)
I'm pretty good at it after 19 years, but it sometimes depends on how
good your veins are.

After weight lifting for awhile, nobody EVER has trouble finding mine
anymore. <G>
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Dee Randall" > wrote:

> > I think that all of us have things we have to do to keep our job that we
> > hate! Mine is wearing the shitty, ugly-assed "uniform" that they have
> > decreed for the lab.
> >
> > Khaki pants and a maroon polo shirt. I HATE Khaki pants and polo shirts
> > are hotter than hell wearing a lab coat.
> > --
> > Peace, Om.
>
> LOL - I can understand the maroon shirt.
> Dee Dee
>
>

Yeah, but the khaki pants stain........ ;-)

Fortunately, I'm not that big of a klutz.

And that's what fluid resistant lab coats are for.
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> >
> > <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
> > --
> > Peace, Om.
>
> Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee Curtis is
> very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.

Do you _really_ think I don't have a collection of Arnold movies? ;-)
I am into weight lifting.

"True Lies" is one of my personal favorites.

I just want to LOOK like Jamie Lee! <sigh>
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"Syssi" > wrote in message
news:zkMHf.2550$Eq.45@trnddc02...
snip
>
> Meow!!! Humph. Quite frankly, it *is* the little things that bother the
> sh** out of me; moreso than the supposed "big things".
>
> And another thing (Boxer dog type snort) since when does R.F.C. get so
> touchy when people sound off about pet peeves? Is everyone on their
> period this week?
snip> --
> Syssi

No, someone with a pet peeve hit on my pet peeve {
Janet

"Felice Friese" > wrote in message

>
> Hey, folks, it's courtesy! Take it!
>
> Felice

It is NOT courtesy. It is the mandated repeating of a phrase with no
sincerity. Huge difference. Most of the clerks in a position requiring
their use don't even look up at you, they just repeat what they are told to
say. Meaningless drivel.

Thank you for visiting RFC. Have a nice day.

"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...

>
>
> The greeters at stores bother me the most. If they say "How are you?" or
> "Hello" or whateverr,

I read that when people are greeted in the store by an employees, they are
less likely to shoplift and more likely to buy. I don't know if that holds
true for the big box stores, the information I read pertained more to the
smaller stores.

biig wrote:
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>>
>> Agreed. It sounds fake. Keep talking about it here until someone
>> from Vons notices. Do not, under any circumstances write to the
>> company.
>
> What I hate is when you phone a business and the answer "Good
> morning, this is the ABC company. My name is Gertrude. How may I
> direct your call?" By this time I've forgotten what I called
> about...lol....Sharon

When I worked on a *help desk* I had to answer the phone with this whole
spiel stating the company name, the division name, the department name and
my name and ask if they needed help. 90% of the people calling the help
desk worked for the same company I did. I'd met most of the regular callers
personally when they came into town for conferences. They damn well knew
who they were calling, who I was, and why would they call a help desk unless
they needed help? But we had to do it. It was just silly.

Jill

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>
>> >
>> > <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
>> > --
>> > Peace, Om.
>>
>> Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee Curtis
>> is
>> very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.
>
> Do you _really_ think I don't have a collection of Arnold movies? ;-)
> I am into weight lifting.
>
> "True Lies" is one of my personal favorites.
>
> I just want to LOOK like Jamie Lee! <sigh>
> --
> Peace, Om.
>
I crack up over that movie. I'm going to have to run it again soon. (I've
got the collection too.)
Janet

sf wrote:
> On 11 Feb 2006 22:11:03 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>
>> aem wrote about making restaurant reservations:
>>
>> > I usually pick a name that's been in the news and add "doctor."
>>
>> I've never appended "doctor," but once I made a reservation as
>> "Senator Marcus Bibulus."
>> Anybody else do this?
>>
> Not me. Never crossed my mind either.
> I can get a reservation w/o all the hoopla

Exactly. What difference does it make if the reservation is in your own
name? It's not like you gave them your SSN or a credit card number. It's
just a reservation. My last name is difficult to pronounce so I either know
when they call it out and they're stumbling over "Mc-Mc-Mc" they mean me, or
I just make the reservation in the name of Jill.

Jill

biig wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> George wrote:
>>> cathy wrote:
>>>> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me
>>>> off.
>>>>
>>>> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
>>>> They have two store policies that I find irritating and
>>>> hypocritical. The first is, the checker always asks you "do you
>>>> need help out to
>>>> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask
>>>> me that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single
>>>> bag
>>>> of potato chips.
>>>
>>>
>>> I feel the same way about the enforced mandatory happiness at the
>>> big
>>> box home store where they have to greet everyone. I am quite sure
>>> they aren't really all that excited to see me buy a paint brush.
>>>
>> You never know... maybe they think you're going to rush over and
>> paint their house!
>>
>> We've been to a couple of restaurants where, the minute you walk in
>> the door, every single server who isn't currently busy at a table
>> all yell "Hi!" or "Welcome to [restaurant]!" to you at the same
>> time. Now *that* is overkill, IMO.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Would that be Waffle House? lol....Sharon

LOL nope. The one that stands out in my mind is a Italian restaurant in
Olathe, Kansas. I can't remember the name of it. Zee's? Something like
that. The servers who weren't busy were lined up along the line where the
orders are placed, apparently with their eyes glued to the front door. As
the host/hostess was walking us to our table they all yelled a greeting at
us simultaneously.

As we got our drinks and perused the menu, we kept hearing this over and
over. It got to be pretty annoying.

Jill

Janet Bostwick wrote:
"There is a large and growing larger portion of our population that has
no
choice about taking go-nowhere jobs that are mind-killing tedious where
they
are subject to constant humiliations whether the humiliation is
inflicted
upon them by stupid company policy or customers. The old folks at
Wal-Mart
aren't there because they need a broader social life, they're there to
pay
for the spouse's oxygen or pills or other life's necessities because
the
retirement they thought they had has dwindled or been snatched away.
People
in their middle years are working these jobs because they have been
laid off
and their skills are not wanted by anyone else. Company pension?
Gone.
Health benefits? Gone. IRA's? Eaten by the stock market. You know
all
those jobs that are supplied by the great entrepreneurship and small
business this country? The majority of that self-employment doesn't
supply
enough income to get you a pot to pee in. Of course the unemployment
numbers are dropping. . .people fall off the lists after the payment
entitlement ends and then they go to low-paying jobs or start a small
business that just barely keeps the wolf from the door. These people
work
really hard for their money. To generalize about them that they are
all low
intelligence and don't understand what is going on is shameful. Many
of
these people had the same hopes and aspirations just a little while ago
that
you do and now all they can look forward to is a constant,
hope-deadening
grind. Give them a break. It's not their fault that some bozo has
decreed
they have to do or say something in order to keep their job. Most of
them
have a hard enough time just getting a 40-hour work week from their
employer, they are not going to jeopardize the job they do have to
ignore
the manager's orders. Say thanks, smile and leave.
Janet "
------------------------------

! Bravo! Janet Bostwick!
(standing applause !)

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >,
>> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>>
>>> >
>>> > <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
>>> > --
>>> > Peace, Om.
>>>
>>> Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee Curtis
>>> is
>>> very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.
>>
>> Do you _really_ think I don't have a collection of Arnold movies? ;-)
>> I am into weight lifting.
>>
>> "True Lies" is one of my personal favorites.
>>
>> I just want to LOOK like Jamie Lee! <sigh>
>> --
>> Peace, Om.
>>
> I crack up over that movie. I'm going to have to run it again soon.
> (I've got the collection too.)
> Janet
>

Just the way Jamie Lee falls over during her strip tease is enough to make
the movie worthwhile. That was every bit as good as some of Chevy Chase's
tumbles when he was roasting Gerald Ford many years ago.

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...

> LOL nope. The one that stands out in my mind is a Italian restaurant in
> Olathe, Kansas. I can't remember the name of it. Zee's? Something like
> that. The servers who weren't busy were lined up along the line where the
> orders are placed, apparently with their eyes glued to the front door. As
> the host/hostess was walking us to our table they all yelled a greeting at
> us simultaneously.
>
> As we got our drinks and perused the menu, we kept hearing this over and
> over. It got to be pretty annoying.
>
> Jill
>
>

My son worked at a small locally owned place where the owner had a policy I
liked. He said that if he heard any server use the word "guys" outside of
the kitchen, the dishwasher would get their tables and they'd take the
dishwasher's job for the night. No tips for the server that night, in other
words. Never mind that the dishwasher (my son) was too filthy to go near
customers. Didn't matter, though. The idea of taking over his job was enough
to stop the "guy" nonsense. You know: Server comes to a table with women
sitting there, and says "Would you guys like to start with something to
drink?"

"T" > wrote in message
. ..
In article >,
says...
> In article 9>,
> Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is
> > enough
> > to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
> > their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
> > annoy the hell out of other people.
> >
> > --
> > Wayne Boatwright o¿o
>
> Yep. ;-)
>
> Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
> If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
> doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
>
> If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
> walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
> their doctor.
>
> Most of the time, we get called back. <G>
>
> You don't want to get stuck with needles, don't go to the hospital.
>

The problem is that there are some outright butchers out there when it
comes to inserting a hypodermic needle. Some are so good that you don't
even know the needle is in, others seem to have trained under Dr.
Mengele himself.

True, true, true. One of my last visits, I had a
cute/sweet/darling-warm-snuggly-fuzzy robe on. (They tell you to wear what
you will be comfortable in while you are in the lounge with 2 other
couples.) When I got back to the room, I had bled through the robe and it
was flowing down my hands. Another lady laughed (yes, laughed!) and said
the lab person had done the same thing to her and when I looked, the front
of her scrubs (no nice Laura Ashley fuzzy for her) was covered with blood.
I got myself cleaned up and put on fresh scrubs.
However, there is a fellow here that sometime back took my blood and I
didn't know that he had taken it yet, and when I asked him how he did that,
he said (one word) ZEN. (I know I've told this story many times.)
Dee Dee

"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
...
>>> If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
>> doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
>
> That suggestion wouldn't mean shit to me. I hate all 7 of them
> Actually I don't. They saved my life.
> Michael

LOL. You're allow to hate them, no matter how good they are.
Talk about people that are annoying!
Dee Dee

>
> Exactly. What difference does it make if the reservation is in your own
> name? It's not like you gave them your SSN or a credit card number. It's
> just a reservation. My last name is difficult to pronounce so I either
> know
> when they call it out and they're stumbling over "Mc-Mc-Mc" they mean me,
> or
> I just make the reservation in the name of Jill.
>
> Jill
>
At Panera Bread when you give them a name to pick up your order, DH always
gives his name as "Clint." Tee - hee. I wonder what that fantasy is all
about. DUH!
Dee Dee

> But now I work next door to a Super Stop & Shop. I mean, how ridiculous
> is it that at Shaw's you can rarely find more than a tiny little sprig
> of rosemary, but at SS&S you can get full on skewers of rosemary, along
> with several other things that Soviet's doesn't seem to want to stock.

In CT in all the New Haven area, Shaws was the only place I could find
Cel-Ray soda.
It's a gotta have item for me.
Dee Dee

In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> In article >,
> >> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
> >>
> >>> >
> >>> > <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
> >>> > --
> >>> > Peace, Om.
> >>>
> >>> Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee Curtis
> >>> is
> >>> very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.
> >>
> >> Do you _really_ think I don't have a collection of Arnold movies? ;-)
> >> I am into weight lifting.
> >>
> >> "True Lies" is one of my personal favorites.
> >>
> >> I just want to LOOK like Jamie Lee! <sigh>
> >> --
> >> Peace, Om.
> >>
> > I crack up over that movie. I'm going to have to run it again soon.
> > (I've got the collection too.)
> > Janet
> >
>
> Just the way Jamie Lee falls over during her strip tease is enough to make
> the movie worthwhile. That was every bit as good as some of Chevy Chase's
> tumbles when he was roasting Gerald Ford many years ago.
>
>

<lol> Too true!

Speaking of Chevy Chase, I finally chased down a copy of "Modern
Problems". Great movie!
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan wrote:
> OmManiPadmeOmelet > hitched up their panties and

>>You don't want to get stuck with needles, don't go to the hospital.
>
>
> I think we all hate to get stuck.
>
> Michael
>

I used to be afraid of needles; I have tiny little veins and it's always
a problem. When I had my daughter the hospital insisted on an IV- they
said I was dehydrated (I felt perfectly fine). It took the nurse 4 or 5
time to get a line in. I'm not afraid of needles anymore, heh.


--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

email:
anisaerah at s b c global.net

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

On Sun 12 Feb 2006 08:34:25a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Audrey?

>
> "aem" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Doug Kanter wrote:
>>> "aem" > wrote in message
>>> ps.com...
>>>
>>> > The question is, how do you get them to wise up? -aem
>>>
>>> The secret is to write about them in places where they will
>>> never notice
>>> your comments. Don't tell the manager that his/her employees
>>> sound like
>>> little robots. Their behavior might be his idea, and you
>>> wouldn't want him to know it was a dismal failure.
>>
>> I have told the manager more than once about the 'calling by name'
>> issue, as well as about their failure to mark prices
>> completely. I
>> agree with your implied point that talking to them is better than
>> talking here about it. You're wrong, though, if you think
>> we'll get
>> noticeable response either way. -aem
>
> I've been shopping in my Vons store since it opened in 1965.
> Perhaps it's because most of the employees do know me that this
> policy doesn't annoy me. Our store was just remodeled and I
> filled out a comment card soon after the open house. I
> complimented them on the new store and said some nice things
> about the employees but I also listed some things they didn't
> carry that I would like to have. Two days later I received a
> phone call from corporate, then a phone call from the manager of
> my store, and a week after that I received a book of coupons in
> snail mail. I've never had ANY responses from Ralph's or
> Albertson's in spite of filling out comment cards, making
> requests, etc. - Audrey

I wrote a complimentary note on the website of a local supermarket chain
about one of their house branded products. Two days later I received a
very nice thank you reply. A few days after that I received a coupon
booklet for their store. Frankly, in today's world, I was surprised that I
received a reply at all.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

jmcquown wrote:
> sf wrote:
> > On 11 Feb 2006 22:11:03 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> >
> >> aem wrote about making restaurant reservations:
> >>
> >> > I usually pick a name that's been in the news and add "doctor."
> >>
> >> I've never appended "doctor," but once I made a reservation as
> >> "Senator Marcus Bibulus."
> >> Anybody else do this?
> >>
> > Not me. Never crossed my mind either.
> > I can get a reservation w/o all the hoopla
>
> Exactly. What difference does it make if the reservation is in your own
> name? It's not like you gave them your SSN or a credit card number. It's
> just a reservation. My last name is difficult to pronounce so I either know
> when they call it out and they're stumbling over "Mc-Mc-Mc" they mean me, or
> I just make the reservation in the name of Jill.
>
It's just for fun. I thought that would be clear from the example
names. From the other responses it's clear I'm not the only one having
fun with it. -aem

On Sun 12 Feb 2006 01:54:40p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it jmcquown?

> sf wrote:
>> On 11 Feb 2006 22:11:03 -0600, Bob Terwilliger wrote:
>>
>>> aem wrote about making restaurant reservations:
>>>
>>> > I usually pick a name that's been in the news and add "doctor."
>>>
>>> I've never appended "doctor," but once I made a reservation as
>>> "Senator Marcus Bibulus."
>>> Anybody else do this?
>>>
>> Not me. Never crossed my mind either.
>> I can get a reservation w/o all the hoopla
>
> Exactly. What difference does it make if the reservation is in your own
> name? It's not like you gave them your SSN or a credit card number.
> It's just a reservation. My last name is difficult to pronounce so I
> either know when they call it out and they're stumbling over "Mc-Mc-Mc"
> they mean me, or I just make the reservation in the name of Jill.

I totally agree. Never crossed my mind to do so either.


--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

Karen wrote:

> The best oysters rockerfeller I ever had was in Mexico City, too!
>
> Karen
>

It's interesting that we had that same experience. My expectations
weren't high when I visited Mexico City as far as food goes.
They surpised me by serving such outstanding food. Their high end
restaurants are as good as any I've been to.

--
Reg

1. I worked at an Apple-Friday-Benne-Houli-Outback place for a while and
the company mandated that the FIRST thing we said to anyone who came in the
door was "What brings you in here today?" I worked at the bar and saw some
of the same customers 6 days a week and I still had to say it.

2. I have a store rebate card from about 10 years ago when I used to buy
for my college fraternity house. I still get amused when the checker says,
"Thank you Mr. Pi." I usually just tell them to call me "Alpha."

3. As far as calls for reservations? I used to say my name was
"communist" - as in "table for 4 ready for the communist party." Oh well, I
am warped.

On 12 Feb 2006 14:19:30 -0800, aem wrote:

> It's just for fun. I thought that would be clear from the example
> names. From the other responses it's clear I'm not the only one having
> fun with it. -aem

Whoda thunk that adults actually think this is funny. It's time to
grow up, kids.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

sf wrote:
> On 12 Feb 2006 14:19:30 -0800, aem wrote:
>
> > It's just for fun. I thought that would be clear from the example
> > names. From the other responses it's clear I'm not the only one having
> > fun with it. -aem
>
> Whoda thunk that adults actually think this is funny. It's time to
> grow up, kids.

Grow up?! WTF? Adults take/make their fun where they find it,
particularly when it's harmless. You sound like ol' Wayne-O whose
line, "it would never occur to me" (or something close) has to be the
least surprising post of the month. -aem

uz051235198 wrote:
> "cathy" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>


I guess I'm showing my age, but I really believe that mandatory courtesy
is better than no courtesy at all, and being required to perform
specific acts of courtesy often leads to real care and concern when it
is needed.

Being required to treat the customer as a human being reminds the good
clerk that he/she is dealing with real people, not just numbers.

gloria p

On 11 Feb 2006 22:11:03 -0600, "Bob Terwilliger"
> rummaged among random neurons and
opined:

>I've never appended "doctor," but once I made a reservation as "Senator
>Marcus Bibulus." (It was for a wine-tasting dinner, so I thought "bibulus"
>was appropriate.) I've also made reservations for the "Dunwich Group" (an
>allusion to H. P. Lovecraft) and "Captain James Walker" (from the rock opera
>"Tommy.")
>
>Anybody else do this?

The ex's surname is "Schiele" (pronounced "Shee-lee") and I always
used the psuedonym "King" at Asian restaurants :-)

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
AAC(F)BV66.0748.CA

--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "spaminator" with "cox"

cathy wrote:
> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>
> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
> potato chips.
>
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help? And it's an
> insult to the checker - why can't the store trust their employees to
> use common sense - ask the question if there's a =large= order, or the
> customer is elderly and might need the help. Let the employee assess
> the situation. Its not rocket science. I've complained several times
> and have been told "it's company policy".
>
> The second thing that Vons does that ticks me off is this: when you
> pay by debit or credit card, the checker is required to call you by
> name when they hand you the receipt. So you have to wait while they
> stare at the receipt, and try and figure out how to pronounce your
> name. I find this fake "personalization" worse than just a generic
> "ma'am" or "sir". They don't know me from Adam, they are forced to do
> this, and the whole thing is so phony it makes me crazy. Again, I find
> it insulting, and I'm sure there are other people who genuinely don't
> want the checker announcing their name to everyone within earshot.
> Just imagine the reaction if you heard "Thank you, Ms. Longoria" or
> "Thank you, Mr, Laurie".
>

If these are the things that **** you off I think you should count your
blessings, shrug your shoulders, say thanks but no thanks, or respond
in some civil manner, and move on. At least you can take things out by
yourself without assistance. As well as hear the checker say "thank
you". There are lots of people who wish they could do these things or
hear at all.

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>
>> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >> In article >,
>> >> "Doug Kanter" > wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> >
>> >>> > <lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
>> >>> > --
>> >>> > Peace, Om.
>> >>>
>> >>> Good movie, by the way. Even if you don't like Ahhnold, Jamie Lee
>> >>> Curtis
>> >>> is
>> >>> very funny in it, as is Tom Arnold.
>> >>
>> >> Do you _really_ think I don't have a collection of Arnold movies? ;-)
>> >> I am into weight lifting.
>> >>
>> >> "True Lies" is one of my personal favorites.
>> >>
>> >> I just want to LOOK like Jamie Lee! <sigh>
>> >> --
>> >> Peace, Om.
>> >>
>> > I crack up over that movie. I'm going to have to run it again soon.
>> > (I've got the collection too.)
>> > Janet
>> >
>>
>> Just the way Jamie Lee falls over during her strip tease is enough to
>> make
>> the movie worthwhile. That was every bit as good as some of Chevy Chase's
>> tumbles when he was roasting Gerald Ford many years ago.
>>
>>
>
> <lol> Too true!
>
> Speaking of Chevy Chase, I finally chased down a copy of "Modern
> Problems". Great movie!
> --
> Peace, Om.

I hope the chase didn't involve time, effort, money or travel. You could've
had a free trial at Netflix and gotten the movie without leaving the house.

On 12 Feb 2006 15:58:34 -0800, aem wrote:

>
> sf wrote:
> > On 12 Feb 2006 14:19:30 -0800, aem wrote:
> >
> > > It's just for fun. I thought that would be clear from the example
> > > names. From the other responses it's clear I'm not the only one having
> > > fun with it. -aem
> >
> > Whoda thunk that adults actually think this is funny. It's time to
> > grow up, kids.
>
> Grow up?! WTF? Adults take/make their fun where they find it,
> particularly when it's harmless. You sound like ol' Wayne-O whose
> line, "it would never occur to me" (or something close) has to be the
> least surprising post of the month. -aem

It's childish and stupid.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

sf wrote:
> On 12 Feb 2006 15:58:34 -0800, aem wrote:
>
>
>>
>> sf wrote:
>> > On 12 Feb 2006 14:19:30 -0800, aem wrote:
>> >
>> > > It's just for fun. I thought that would be clear from the example
>> > > names. From the other responses it's clear I'm not the only one having
>> > > fun with it. -aem
>> >
>> > Whoda thunk that adults actually think this is funny. It's time to
>> > grow up, kids.
>>
>> Grow up?! WTF? Adults take/make their fun where they find it,
>> particularly when it's harmless. You sound like ol' Wayne-O whose
>> line, "it would never occur to me" (or something close) has to be the
>> least surprising post of the month. -aem
>
>
> It's childish and stupid.



You said that like it's a bad thing. What's your point?
(hint: you're not our mother)

Best regards,
Bob

George wrote:

> I feel the same way about the enforced mandatory happiness at the big box
> home store where they have to greet everyone. I am quite sure they aren't
> really all that excited to see me buy a paint brush.

Ever go to a sushi restaurant?

Bob

nancree wrote:

>Janet Bostwick wrote:
>"There is a large and growing larger portion of our population that has
>no
>choice about taking go-nowhere jobs that are mind-killing tedious where
>they
>are subject to constant humiliations whether the humiliation is
>inflicted
>upon them by stupid company policy or customers. The old folks at
>Wal-Mart
>aren't there because they need a broader social life, they're there to
>pay
>for the spouse's oxygen or pills or other life's necessities because
>the
>retirement they thought they had has dwindled or been snatched away.
>People
>in their middle years are working these jobs because they have been
>laid off
>and their skills are not wanted by anyone else. Company pension?
>Gone.
>Health benefits? Gone. IRA's? Eaten by the stock market. You know
>all
>those jobs that are supplied by the great entrepreneurship and small
>business this country? The majority of that self-employment doesn't
>supply
>enough income to get you a pot to pee in. Of course the unemployment
>numbers are dropping. . .people fall off the lists after the payment
>entitlement ends and then they go to low-paying jobs or start a small
>business that just barely keeps the wolf from the door. These people
>work
>really hard for their money. To generalize about them that they are
>all low
>intelligence and don't understand what is going on is shameful. Many
>of
>these people had the same hopes and aspirations just a little while ago
>that
>you do and now all they can look forward to is a constant,
>hope-deadening
>grind. Give them a break. It's not their fault that some bozo has
>decreed
>they have to do or say something in order to keep their job. Most of
>them
>have a hard enough time just getting a 40-hour work week from their
>employer, they are not going to jeopardize the job they do have to
>ignore
>the manager's orders. Say thanks, smile and leave.
>Janet "
>------------------------------
>
>! Bravo! Janet Bostwick!
>(standing applause !)
>
>
>
Have you read "Nickled and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich (think that's
the correct spelling)? And the *******s are trying to make industrial
relations like that here.

Christine

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 19:36:28 -0600, zxcvbob wrote:

> sf wrote:
> >
> > It's childish and stupid.
>
>
>
> You said that like it's a bad thing. What's your point?
> (hint: you're not our mother)
>
My point is it's in the same league as answering your work phone with
"City morgue., you stab 'em we slab 'em." I'll leave it up to you to
connect the dots.
--

Practice safe eating. Always use condiments.

cathy wrote:
> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>
> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
> potato chips.
>
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help?
> Cathy
(snipped much)

Uhm, I don't look decrepit. I'm certainly not old. I'm 41 with a very
serious illness, and sometimes, even if it's a gallon of milk, I'm very
grateful when someone carries this to my car. People who ask me if I
need help are very well received, even if I just bought a tooth brush
and some crisps.

To be insulted by someone thanking you and using your name to do so is a
call back to the days of the mom and pop shops. And, if you do shop
there over and over, chances are they won't have to look at your card to
say hello to you. When I lived in Pasadena, I shopped Vons, and it was
nice after driving the hellish 210 or 405 or 705, to come home, get
groceries and be thought of as a person instead of a member of the
driving flock.

I hope you don't take any offense in what I write, I'm just pointing out
other's feel differently.


CJ, Who uses a wheelchair or a cane at least every day.