Please Place Your Item in the Bag....

Do self service check out lanes really make it convenient for shoppers?

Most of the time when I'm checking out at Bi-Lo, Lowes Food, Harris Teeter or Wal-mart at their self service lane to skip the wait, I end up leaving around the same time as a person in the cashier line. The machines are so sensitive to everything. I hate it when you scan an item and have to let it sit in the bag until you are done. I always end up putting the bag back on the scale because the system will not let you continue scanning the rest of your groceries.

About 50% of the time using the self-service check out line I have to wait for a cashier attendant to come over and override a transaction. 

These machines were put in place to speed up the check out process for shoppers who are buying a few items right? The research and development into these machines are inadequate! You expect the process to take 1-2 minutes and it ends up turning into 5-7 minutes. They need to come up with a new design which will actually speed up the check out process and cut down labor cost. How awesome would it be if they invented a scanner with a conveyor to scan the UPC code and weigh your item as it goes through the scanner? 

This is my same facial expression as I stand in line waiting...

COM'ON PEOPLE!!!

Apple's big move to Verizon and I'm stuck on AT&T's contract

          When I found out 2 weeks ago that the Apple iphone was coming to Verizon in February, I was shocked and angry at the same time. 3 months ago I walked in an AT&T store to get a free upgrade since my contract was over. I ended up leaving with the "NEW" iPhone 4 and a signed 2 year contract with them. With just my luck, Apple decides to do this transition right after my purchase at AT&T. I feel like I always get outdated as soon as I purchase something.Verizon is expected to sell 10 million iphones on February to existing and new customers. I believe this crossover will be viral, and AT&T will lose tons and tons of business.

Coming from a Verizon and AT&T user's standpoint, Verizon signal is way better than AT&T.  My Verizon friends would always get signal everywhere they went. I hate how these wireless phone companies always advertise that they are "the best" ,"the fastest", "most reliable network".  All I know is AT&T better STEP UP THEIR GAME and find another way to draw customers back soon.

"You have to try this... It's the best"

This topic ties to everything out there that gets recommended to us; whether it is a commercial or word of mouth referral from someone we know/ don't know.

Most of the time I get really disappointed when people tell me to try a new restaurant, order this item, taste this drink. They make it seem like it's the best thing in the world, and the way they describe their experience paints a vivid image in my mind of how exactly it looks, taste and feel. I can't help but to take their word for it because I want to experience what they have. And I got to say its a 50/50 chance that it will be the way I projected it to be.

I especially hate watching restaurant commercials on T.V. The food looks so good on picture but once you go to the restaurant to order what you saw on T.V. It turns out to be half the size and less appealing. 

Like this Steak and Seafood entree from a local 5 star restaurant. I have ordered this entree couple of times and it has never looked like this.

Also......

Ever watched a movie because one of your friends told you "you have to go watch it, it is such a good movie!!!" 

And after the movie you thought it was the worse movie ever release in theaters. 

Like this Twilight movie. I'm sorry... but guys do not listen to female referrals on movies like these. I thought it was a waste of money! The story line sucked. Everyone keeps telling me to watch the second one because its better. NO THANK YOU! NEXT PLEASE!

"Your call is very important to us"- The Call center experience

What's your call center experience like?

"Thank for calling (COMPANY), your call is important to us"

"We are experiencing high call volumes"

"The next available representative will be with you shortly"

"The expected wait time is under 5 minutes"

"your call may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance/ training purposes"

I'm sure you have all heard of these lines before. It's like they are always busy when you call and no one is ever available to pick up the phone when you need something. I had quite the experience today calling in to my insurance company to cancel my current policy. I thought this would be a quick process that may take couple of minutes.... but I was wrong. After being on hold for 10 minutes I decide to call back around lunch time because I didn't want to be late for work.  Around 1PM I called back and was place on hold for 12 minutes. After patiently waiting, I finally got a live representative on the line. They took me through their security verification process with date of birth, SSN, address. After the verification process I told the lady I wanted to cancel my policy. She then ask me a series of questions about why I'm canceling it. At this time it was about 20 minutes into the call (almost half my lunch time wasted) She then tells me, "you mind if I place you on hold while I transfer you to our department who handles cancellation?" At this point I was furious! I didn't want to put back on hold again. Thankfully enough she got someone back on the line within a minute or so who then sent me paperwork through my email so I can fax the cancellation forms back.

TOTAL TIME WASTED TO CANCEL INSURANCE POLICY:  about 30 minutes! I wish they would have these forms online on their website!

COM'ON CALL CENTER REPS!!!

We don't want to be place on hold after a hold

Ridiculously Sized Pills

Ever popped open a bottle of vitamins or a bottle of prescribe medicine to find out the pill is about the size your index finger?

Sometimes I wonder why they wouldn't just make 2 seperate pills rather than having 1 giant one. There are safety concerns in swallowing pills this size. I don't know about you guys but I have a difficult time swallowing big pills. I remember being a child and my mom would have to break the pill in half so that I could take it without choking or gagging. 

I was just recently at CVS pharmacy picking up some men's vitamins when I ran into a pill splitter/cutter. Props to whoever invented this because people like myself will definitely use. 

This is what a pill splitter looks like.

Com'on People MAKE SMALLER PILLS!!!

People who make tons of noise while working out

Hey Muscle head, there are 100 other people in this gym working out, we don't want to hear your girly scream while benching 300 lbs or squatting 600 lbs. Keep your groaning and grunting to a minimal tone level, not everyone wants to hear or see how much you can lift. This isn't your personal workout room, please respect others around you as they are trying to concentrate. 

Not to mention the scrawny guy in there who is trying to throw on some muscle thinks it's its intimidating. So next time you are at the gym, remember there are other people in there also.

COM'ON MUSCLE HEADS!!! Show some courtesy!

Children's hand/face print on car windows

Dear kids,

Thank you for making handprints and placing your face on the windows of my car, now I have to grab a bottle of windex and clean your art tracks off. My window isn't a piece of paper for you to practice your finger painting on. Next time please don't touch or get your face near my window.

I use to work at a car wash and one of the most nastiest thing I hate cleaning is the windows inside the car. Cleaning sticky/greasy finger prints and slobber is disgusting!

COM'ON PARENTS... CONTROL YOUR KIDS!

Picking up UPS/USPS/FEDEX package?

Ever see a post it note stuck on your door as you pull up on your driveway?
This is one of the most aggravating thing to deal with when you are expecting a package and you are super excited about receiving that day. I get so impatient when I have to wait another day to get what I want today. 

Wouldn't it be awesome if they would allow you to pick it up that same day the delivery was missed? Most of the time when I read that little post it note,I check the time to see when the mail man came. With my luck it usually always end up being 10-15 minutes before I get home. If only we could track our mail man just like we can track our packages that would be so convenient to know exactly what time they are coming.

This Com'on People moment pops up when I see that posted note stuck on my door.

Com'on MAIL MAN!!!

Picture source: http://www.a-affordabledelivery.com/WD/images/home1_03.jpg?nxg_versionuid=published

Any Road Ragers out there like me?

When it comes to sitting behind a steering wheel of a car, I have very little patient dealing with other automobile operators.

Here is a short list of the things I hate the most about sharing the road with other drivers even though I can sit here and list 1,000 things.

1. I hate slow drivers who coast on the speed lane and will refuse to move to the slower traffic lane. 
2. Drivers who drives exactly at the speed limit or below the speed limit. 
3. Drivers who do not use their turn signals.
4. Those who don't turn right on a red light.
5. People who clean their windshield on the highway- it's like a domino effect!
6. Drivers who talk and text on the phone.

I found a great picture online which pretty much sum up how I feel about these situations.

Just look at her face... It's the Com'on People!!! 
Are you SERIOUS??!?!


picture source:http://churchwhisperer.com/2009/07/14/the-parable-of-the-unmerciful-driver/

Guys and Skinny Jeans

Homosexual...? it's debatable Feminine? I believe so!

Lately I have seen a lot of guys walking around with skinny tight jeans wrapped around their legs. I don't know about you guys, but every time I see skinny jeans on guys it reminds me of some rock bands or skater boys. Seems like this fashion outburst is growing rapidly in the past couple of months. More stores in the mall are carrying skinny fit jeans for guys now. Some slim fit guys can pull them off just fine, others like me could not pull it off without looking weird or feminine.

I don't know what makes guys to wear something like this. It does not look comfortable and not to mention it reveals the physique of the lower body which may not be so pleasant to some viewer's eyes.

When it really boils down to the point though we all want to look good and impress people around us right? Particularly our opposite sex... The LADIES!  I decided to ask a couple of my good female friends about their opinion on this new fashion trend for guys. Some of the answers I got back was "That's so gay", "I don't think its cute or attractive at all", "It only looks good on slim guys" and "It could be sexy if you know what to wear with it" 
The overall feedback from the female's perspective is just to stay away from it.

Seriously though... take a real good look in the fitting room's mirror next time before you decide to shell out cash. This is one of my pet peeves... GUYS WITH TIGHT JEANS IS A NO NO!

COM'ON PEOPLE! 

picture source:http://www.gayonaccident.com/2010/01/15/mens-skinny-jeans/

Yummy Elementary School Pizza..... NOT!!!

I took advantage of the MLK holiday today to have lunch with my nieces at their school. When it comes to school food, it's a hit or miss. Surprisingly enough the food they fed me 15 years ago is still being served to the kids today. There wasn't much of a variety to choose from, so it was either pork chop with rice or rectangular shaped cheese and pepperoni pizza. 
I ordered a slice of pepperoni pizza along with sweet potato fries and green peach jello.

After taking my first bite of the pizza it made me realize that I never did like school food and I was always the kid who wanted to trade my lunch for the brown bag lunch bringers. The pizza was flavorless! It tasted like stale cardboard, the bottom was soft and soggy. I don't think it would have tasted so bad if it had more tomato sauce and if it sat in the oven for a little longer.

Com'on lunch lady you can make it taste better!

Change the toilet paper...

Don't you just hate it when the previous person who used the toilet last did not change out the toilet paper? I ran into this scenario many times where the roll was empty and a refill was no where to be found. It is extremely embarrassing screaming to get someone's attention so they can squeeze you in a new roll at the crack of the door. So the next time you use all the toilet paper...REPLACE IT!

Com'on People!!!