Complaint Thursdays

[MattPie]

Identity Theft.

 

The previous user of "Glass Case Of Emotion" finally caught up with you and he wants his username back? :)

[Buffalo Wings]

My boss agreed to take on both a college undergrad and a high school student for a few weeks this summer, and both started last week. The undergrad has some prior experience and he'd planned a project for her, so she's pretty self-sufficient. The high school student was a last-minute thing, and it's become clear that he had no idea what to do with her. She's really smart and enthusiastic about what we do, but because of her inexperience she's mostly just observing and shadowing me. And while I'm happy to explain what I'm working on and give her advice about career development stuff, it's really difficult to get my own work done when she's around. Thankfully she's only there from 9-2, but considering I would normally go in around 10-10:30, I feel like I need to go in earlier so she isn't completely on her own. I wish my boss would either take responsibility for her or formally ask me to do it instead of just completely dropping the ball.

 

I've had to do this in the past...especially in a call-center environment where our reviews/bonuses were based on numbers of calls, etc. It sucks because it takes away your time and you lose productivity and then your bosses wonder why you weren't as productive this month.

 

This week's complaint...ear wax. (those with weak stomachs may want to turn away) My right ear had felt like it was clogged with water for the past few weeks, so when I finally went to the doctor on Tuesday, he found dried up ear wax in there...yuck. He attempted a flush with water & hydrogen peroxide, but all he did was irritate the hell out of the ear canal and shave off a few flakes. So, I've been putting in drops since Tuesday afternoon to soften the wax so he can do another flush attempt tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, my ear feels even more clogged, there's an occasional shot of pain, and a constant ringing that one would usually get after they leave a 1987 Metallica concert. To top it off, my co-worker is a soft talker, so I can barely hear him as it is. Now I don't hear him at all.

[biodork]

Identity Theft.

 

Oof... best of luck getting that resolved quickly and with minimal damage.

 

I've had to do this in the past...especially in a call-center environment where our reviews/bonuses were based on numbers of calls, etc. It sucks because it takes away your time and you lose productivity and then your bosses wonder why you weren't as productive this month.

 

This week's complaint...ear wax. (those with weak stomachs may want to turn away) My right ear had felt like it was clogged with water for the past few weeks, so when I finally went to the doctor on Tuesday, he found dried up ear wax in there...yuck. He attempted a flush with water & hydrogen peroxide, but all he did was irritate the hell out of the ear canal and shave off a few flakes. So, I've been putting in drops since Tuesday afternoon to soften the wax so he can do another flush attempt tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, my ear feels even more clogged, there's an occasional shot of pain, and a constant ringing that one would usually get after they leave a 1987 Metallica concert. To top it off, my co-worker is a soft talker, so I can barely hear him as it is. Now I don't hear him at all.

 

I've had the ear wax thing, too, and it sucks. Must be something about the shape of my ear canal because it's always my right ear. The OTC drops do work, but it takes a few days and it feels awful sitting there letting the stuff trickle into your ear and foam for a few minutes. I think the one I've used recently is from Similisan, but there are other brands, too.

[Swedesessed]

The General might be the worst national ad I've ever seen. Does anyone know anyone that has that insurance? The commercials look like a joke.

 

The General is the Gold Standard of Auto Insurance! Who wouldn't trust this face?

 

 

 

:w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

[Guest Sloth]

I'm pretty sure this complaint has been made before, but I'm not scanning 219 pages to find it. Summers in the south are brutal. It is way too hot. In the middle of the day you more or less can't do anything outside. I enjoy running, but people are strongly advised not to run when the heat index is around 100! That means I either run early in the morning or in the evening. The humidity is insane. If I jump in my car at 2 o'clock and immediately put the a/c on full blast, I still manage to break a sweat. I know the freezing winter months in the north are equal to the hot summers in the south, but I'll take the northern climate in a heartbeat. I've experienced plenty of years in both the north and south. Have gone from the winter months in Plattsburgh (low's average around 10 degrees in January) to the summer months in Biloxi, MS (high's just north of 90 degress, not including the insane amount of humidity). Summers in the south are too hot.

[Buffalo Wings]

I've had the ear wax thing, too, and it sucks. Must be something about the shape of my ear canal because it's always my right ear. The OTC drops do work, but it takes a few days and it feels awful sitting there letting the stuff trickle into your ear and foam for a few minutes. I think the one I've used recently is from Similisan, but there are other brands, too.

 

I'm using Debrox. It's more of a weird, funky feeling for me...I know the stuff is doing its job, but it's like an itch that you shouldn't scratch. I think I get more annoyed that I have to tilt my head to the left for 10 minutes. I wish I could see the doctor in the morning and get this overwith, but I can't go until 1:00 because I committed to volunteer work until noon.

 

I'm pretty sure this complaint has been made before, but I'm not scanning 219 pages to find it. Summers in the south are brutal. It is way too hot. In the middle of the day you more or less can't do anything outside. I enjoy running, but people are strongly advised not to run when the heat index is around 100! That means I either run early in the morning or in the evening. The humidity is insane. If I jump in my car at 2 o'clock and immediately put the a/c on full blast, I still manage to break a sweat. I know the freezing winter months in the north are equal to the hot summers in the south, but I'll take the northern climate in a heartbeat. I've experienced plenty of years in both the north and south. Have gone from the winter months in Plattsburgh (low's average around 10 degrees in January) to the summer months in Biloxi, MS (high's just north of 90 degress, not including the insane amount of humidity). Summers in the south are too hot.

 

A friend of mine once dated a girl who lived in Florida. He couldn't stand it...going from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned office, then do it all in reverse at the end of the day. He's very big into outdoor stuff (hiking, biking, etc), so there's no way he would've survived FL. He lives in Colorado now...and married to a different girl. I've never experienced the southern climate, but my brother - who lives in Texas - said he misses NY and the change of seasons. I imagine that I would, too.

[LGR4GM]

A friend of mine once dated a girl who lived in Florida. He couldn't stand it...going from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned office, then do it all in reverse at the end of the day. He's very big into outdoor stuff (hiking, biking, etc), so there's no way he would've survived FL. He lives in Colorado now...and married to a different girl. I've never experienced the southern climate, but my brother - who lives in Texas - said he misses NY and the change of seasons. I imagine that I would, too.

Thats what I miss most. I am dating a Florida girl myself and she wears sweaters when it gets down to 70's... wait til I bring her to Buffalo in the middle of winter :devil:

[chileanseabass]

Rain... it has rained 12 of the past 14 days.

[darksabre]

Why do random joggers choose to run in the street instead of on the sidewalk? I saw a few of them this morning and I just don't get it. The sidewalk was completely abandoned and in good shape. I can't imagine one surface being much harder than the other and even if it is, the sidewalk must be worth not having to avoid random stones, potholes, and those pesky large deathtraps known as Masshole drivers.

 

Concrete is harder on feet and legs than asphalt. A lot of "in the know" runners won't run on concrete because it causes shin splints. I only run on the sidewalks in my neighborhood because they're blacktop.

[Claude_Verret]

I'm pretty sure this complaint has been made before, but I'm not scanning 219 pages to find it. Summers in the south are brutal. It is way too hot. In the middle of the day you more or less can't do anything outside. I enjoy running, but people are strongly advised not to run when the heat index is around 100! That means I either run early in the morning or in the evening. The humidity is insane. If I jump in my car at 2 o'clock and immediately put the a/c on full blast, I still manage to break a sweat. I know the freezing winter months in the north are equal to the hot summers in the south, but I'll take the northern climate in a heartbeat. I've experienced plenty of years in both the north and south. Have gone from the winter months in Plattsburgh (low's average around 10 degrees in January) to the summer months in Biloxi, MS (high's just north of 90 degress, not including the insane amount of humidity). Summers in the south are too hot.

 

It's bad I agree. But its really only July and August that are absolutely brutal, at least here in NC. The endless winters in WNY are tough to beat on the brutality scale. It's close.

[biodork]

I'm using Debrox. It's more of a weird, funky feeling for me...I know the stuff is doing its job, but it's like an itch that you shouldn't scratch. I think I get more annoyed that I have to tilt my head to the left for 10 minutes. I wish I could see the doctor in the morning and get this overwith, but I can't go until 1:00 because I committed to volunteer work until noon.

 

Yeah, the tickling sensation as the solution trickles down your ear canal is the worst. I try and lay on my side and watch TV so I'm not craning my neck and can be distracted from the tingling. You might not need a doctor, though -- usually after a few days of the drops it'll either fall out (eew) or be "dissolved" by the solution.

[Claude_Verret]

My boss agreed to take on both a college undergrad and a high school student for a few weeks this summer, and both started last week. The undergrad has some prior experience and he'd planned a project for her, so she's pretty self-sufficient. The high school student was a last-minute thing, and it's become clear that he had no idea what to do with her. She's really smart and enthusiastic about what we do, but because of her inexperience she's mostly just observing and shadowing me. And while I'm happy to explain what I'm working on and give her advice about career development stuff, it's really difficult to get my own work done when she's around. Thankfully she's only there from 9-2, but considering I would normally go in around 10-10:30, I feel like I need to go in earlier so she isn't completely on her own. I wish my boss would either take responsibility for her or formally ask me to do it instead of just completely dropping the ball.

 

I used to get put in charge of summer lab interns when I was at UB. My biggest complaint was that my co-workers and I had to tone down our normal adult theme lab banter when they were around.

[shrader]

Concrete is harder on feet and legs than asphalt. A lot of "in the know" runners won't run on concrete because it causes shin splints. I only run on the sidewalks in my neighborhood because they're blacktop.

 

It's going to depend on the neighborhood too. I'm driving through towns where there is far too much traffic for these guys to be running in the street. They're just asking for trouble. The road also has construction going, so cars are being redirected into that shoulder where they're trying to run. Not a smart move on the runner's part.

[...]

Buffalo Industrial Heritage Trail...uhm, what? Really? So we get to celebrate our industrial past, when the area was silly economically strong, people wanted to move here and you had a job for life and *many* options if you didn't like that one? When there were more mom-and-pop businesses than you could possibly count, downtown Buffalo was vibrant and exiting, and the future was wide open?

 

Instead, we now have rusted steel "sculpture" in rock park-lets with ninny little info-plaques on a "clean" miles-long bike trail, half the city is decayed, some suburbs are decayed and some others are decaying, chronic population drain, school closures, and countless business-closures. The only thing certain is that the economy will always be anemic.

 

Oh, but the clean air and dirt is a fabulous trade off. As if the fifty years since wouldn't have made a difference in cleaning up the area regardless, just like other industrial cities (the few that remain in the USA). No, we still would have the dumps and the fall-out from those, but at least there'd be tons of money around to deal with it, as opposed to just putting up barricades and hoping the wind blows the right way.

 

I can't believe people fall for crap like that...celebrate your "industrial heritage" while the soup kitchen is in dire need of volunteers and donations, and the beautiful houses and neighborhoods built with the money from that heritage crumble and are torn down.

 

 

[darksabre]

 

 

It's going to depend on the neighborhood too. I'm driving through towns where there is far too much traffic for these guys to be running in the street. They're just asking for trouble. The road also has construction going, so cars are being redirected into that shoulder where they're trying to run. Not a smart move on the runner's part.

 

Well I would never assert that runners are smart ;)

[biodork]

I used to get put in charge of summer lab interns when I was at UB. My biggest complaint was that my co-workers and I had to tone down our normal adult theme lab banter when they were around.

 

lol there is that, too.

[Guest Sloth]

Concrete is harder on feet and legs than asphalt. A lot of "in the know" runners won't run on concrete because it causes shin splints. I only run on the sidewalks in my neighborhood because they're blacktop.

 

Yep, wish people who don't run or exercise knew that. Hate it when a driver honks their horn and/or yells 'get out of the road!' I just ignore them and continue running. I do give a wave of thanks when a person intentionally slows their car and moves away from the side of the road.

[Buffalo Wings]

Yeah, the tickling sensation as the solution trickles down your ear canal is the worst. I try and lay on my side and watch TV so I'm not craning my neck and can be distracted from the tingling. You might not need a doctor, though -- usually after a few days of the drops it'll either fall out (eew) or be "dissolved" by the solution.

 

I already have my appointment, so I'll keep it. That junk was so dried and apparently caked onto my canal that about 6-7 tries of the flushing solution would only peel off a tiny bit here & there. I can tell it's loosening up (my 3rd day on this stuff), so I'll bite the bullet one more time tomorrow afternoon with the doc then treat myself to a thick, juicy steak and a Sam Adams or 5.

[biodork]

Just found this nugget in our work e-newsletter:

 

'Take Care of Your Health' initiative announced ahead of open enrollment

 

To avoid paying a $100-per-month surcharge beginning in January, benefits-enrolled employees and their spouse/SSDP will need to complete the simple steps of the Take Care of Your Health initiative.

...

As part of the program, benefits-enrolled employees and their spouse/SSDP will need to complete an online wellness profile and a preventive physical exam certification by Nov. 22, 2013. Employees also will need to complete a basic biometric screening, which includes a full lipid profile, random glucose, body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure check, by Oct. 8, 2013.

 

That's F'd up.

 

Edit: And their FAQ estimates one of the 3 "simple" steps (the wellness profile) should take 20-30 minutes to complete. Are you kidding me?? BS.

Edited July 11, 2013 by biodork

[Claude_Verret]

Just found this nugget in our work e-newsletter:

 

'Take Care of Your Health' initiative announced ahead of open enrollment

 

 

 

That's F'd up.

 

Edit: And their FAQ estimates one of the 3 "simple" steps (the wellness profile) should take 20-30 minutes to complete. Are you kidding me?? BS.

 

That's a similar approach my company has taken to help curb help care costs, except it's not punitive like your employer is doing. All employees are offered the wellness programs and are paid incentives for completing them.

[biodork]

That's a similar approach my company has taken to help curb help care costs, except it's not punitive like your employer is doing. All employees are offered the wellness programs and are paid incentives for completing them.

 

Yeah, ours has done that already in the past (reimbursement for taking certain fitness classes, free screenings, etc), but this is the first they've made a mandatory and very expensive change. Not cool at all.

[Taro T]

I've encountered a new kind of stupid driver this week. I got stuck behind a woman who was turning left this week. Usually you can just go around on the right, but this one decided to loop out to the right so she could make a ridiculously wide turn. Doing this completely blocked off that side of the road.

 

And I've seen a couple people on facebook today praising the Patriots for cutting Hernandez, saying that they're so much better than other teams for doing that right away. Call me crazy, but the whole "well at least we cut our murderer" stance seems like a pretty weak one to be taking right now. They're not suddenly on some moral high ground for making this no brain decision. They just have a huge black eye from this thing and it isn't going away any time soon.

 

Yeah, the 40-whiners should have cut theirs before letting him retire as well. ;)

 

Cheatriot fans are just being Cheatriot fans.

 

 

(Sorry, don't look at this thread too often and just saw this post.)

[Weave]

That's a similar approach my company has taken to help curb help care costs, except it's not punitive like your employer is doing. All employees are offered the wellness programs and are paid incentives for completing them.

 

Don't kid yourself. you've likely got a higher premium as a baseline and are getting a rebate if you buy into the program. Bio's is doing it the other way, lower premium baseline but surcharge if you don't participate.

Edited July 11, 2013 by weave

[Claude_Verret]

 

 

Don't kid yourself. you've likely got a higher premium as a baseline and are getting a rebate if you buy into the program. Bio's is doing it the other way, lower premium baseline but surcharge if you don't participate.

 

Oh I'm aware that its a shell game. I switched to a health fund based plan two years ago, this plan has the lowest premiums by far of those offered and already forces me to be a wise health care consumer. If my family completes all the programs offered I get back incentives equaling almost 50% of my yearly premiums. With the cluster-###### that is health coverage today in this country ill take it.

[LastPommerFan]

Don't kid yourself. you've likely got a higher premium as a baseline and are getting a rebate if you buy into the program. Bio's is doing it the other way, lower premium baseline but surcharge if you don't participate.

 

I'm surprised the universe didn't collapse in on itself when you wrote these words.