Is it an Americanism? I’ve heard this phrase on a regular basis for at least 10-15 years, so I’m a bit surprised that it’s unknown to multiple people in this thread.
I’m in America, and I had to look it up.
I came back to this thread because I wanted to ask the OP a question: what if you weren’t blind? Is that what’s keeping you from figuring out an equitable arrangement?
“If things were different,” Pooh said, “nothing would be the same.”
If I weren’t blind, I wouldn’t have the problem. That said, I will concede that my handicap has caused me to be resistant (and sometimes resentful) about excepting help. it would be very easy to let people do every little thing for me, but that seems like surrender to me. It feels like a step towards death.
Yeah, it’s a completely normal phrase, in my estimation, and around for at least a decade or decade and a half. My wife has somebody that I refer to as her “work husband.” It’s basically a close co-worker.
As to the OP, shit, if she offered, I’d accept in a heartbeat. If someone wants to be nice to me, let them be nice to me. I’ve done similar with no expectations of repayment.
I’m an American and I’ve never heard the phrase outside of StR’s posts. Even after looking it up, it’s such an incomprehensible concept that it’s sorta hard to believe it’s common enough to deserve a name. Maybe it’s industry dependent.
I heard it used (and used it myself) at a job I had in 1993. It’s not new.
Fuck, it was mentioned last week or the week before on the morning radio show on the way to work. It’s not obscure.
I’m sure it’s not, but it’s also easy to not encounter (and obviously I’m not the only one in this thread). A quick search of the SDMB reveals a handful of uses (going back to 2001), but almost all of them by StR.
It is not my fault if none of you hosers our beloved by your coworkers. You wouldn’t have these problems if you would just make more chess pies and bring them to work.
If you’re curious about its history and usage here’s a Wikipedia page on it. It actually seems the concept goes back quite a bit.
Kaylasmom was once a regular rider on our county’s paratransit service, and they do have an algorithm for determining the consequences of habitual no-shows and late cancellations. MATAPlus probably has one too (although damned if I could find it online).
For reference, a late cancellation counts as a no-show, and it’s anything that gets called in with less than a one-hour notice.
Anyway, in California, Lorita was entitled to bring along a Personal Care Attendant (PCA), as long as she specified that she would be accompanied when she book the ride. And there would be no extra charge for the PCA. Maybe agree to accept the ride from your friend in exchange for her accepting a ride from you now and then (if MATAPlus does that sort of thing).
MATA Plus definitely allows for PCA’s. but I can’t see inflicting it on my work wife or anybody else I care for They are too unreliable.
You don’t have to be the only altruist. If someone who cares about you wants to deliver you from the tender mercies of MATA Plus, you shouldn’t dismiss the offer out of hand.
Oh, I decided to take her up on it, which is why I am home at 5 PM rather than the usual seven. I just meant in my last post that it would be hugely inconvenient for her to ride with me and probably not worth the effort. But as others have suggested, we are treating it as a carpool where I pay half of her gas. She comes ahead financially, I don’t feel like a charity case, and my child care expenses go down. Everybody wins.
Well, not the babysitter.
I’m glad to hear it! It really does sound like a great arrangement for all concerned. It’s eco-friendly too!