# Holidays Schmolidays, November's Hot Garbage (mini-rant thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 2, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419 "2016-11-02T03:51:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/181 "2016-11-29T18:58:01Z")
No, co-worker, I’m not smiling. I’m _busy_. Now STFU about the expression on my face and leave me alone. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/182 "2016-11-30T00:34:56Z")
Fucking hell, why does stuff always break down during the Christmas shopping season? Last year it was the dishwasher (which required total replacement), and before that it was the water heater (also a total loss). This year one of the vertical cleanout pipes for the drain line from the house failed, having been structurally compromised at some point many years ago. This resulted in water backup into the house (fortunately on laundry day, so it wasn’t as nasty as it could have been) and a pricey hole being dug in my yard. The area rug in my kitchen/dining area got the worst of it, so I got what I thought was a reasonable quote for cleaning it from the local dry cleaners. Turned out that the little twit who gave me the quote didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground – the actual price for cleaning was a couple of hundred dollars higher. :mad: And now, after hours of wasted troubleshooting last night, it looks like I’m going to need a new printer. :smack: At least it looks like Best Buy is still showing sale prices for most printers. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/183 "2016-11-30T02:01:42Z")
Trivial, first world problem, but sometimes I regret stopping into Dunkin for my latte fix. Sometimes it’s completely worth it to spend the extra dollars at the local coffee joint (shop local!-besides the point) just so as not to have to deal with “do you want cream and sugar with that?” every time I order anything coffee related. Um. A mocha latte? Made with milk? With sweetened cocoa in it? ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/184 "2016-11-30T02:52:00Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > So. Over two weeks ago, I signed a contract for new hardwood floors through most of my condo (except bathrooms + kitchen). 10% down of the $13,000 cost. One of their selling points is same week or even next day installation, but I opted for after the Thanksgiving holiday week, to have time to clean out all the bookshelves + closets. > > Friday, they called to verify I was still on for today, and after I gave the ok, they said “Great! Everything’s ready; see you Monday 8-10am. We’ll give a courtesy call to let you know we’re coming.” > > Today, got up early to move the last of the stuff. And waited. And waited. No show, no call. Finally, at noon, I called. Customer service verified today was installation day, read the update and quoth “Well, _that_ makes no sense.” Please hold. And hold. And hold. > > Finally, the installation supervisor comes on the line. Seems that my flooring wasn’t on the truck from Chicago this morning. The status from Chicago indicated it wasn’t in stock, no idea when it would be in stock. He’d sent an email asking what was up. That was the status. > > So, I’d taken three days off work, moved half the house into the basement, and had wasted half a day waiting for them to get off their asses and let me know there was a problem. No, they had no resolution. No, they didn’t know when they would. Yes, I’d have to schedule three _more_ days off at some nebulous time in the future, to get the damn floor in. I mentioned I’d placed the order - _and given them money_ - weeks ago, _and_ they’d verified it on Friday. Oh, yes, that’s true. I mentioned they should have maybe _called me_ to tell me all this crap. Oh, yes, that’s true too. > > So sorry, they’ll let me know when they know more. Fuckers. Once this floor is in, I’m going on a neg review cavalcade. They were going to start installing the same day they brought the wood flooring to your house? Without an acclimation period? Well, it’s probably too late for you to find someone who knows what they are doing, but you should insist that they deliver the product to your home and allow it to acclimate to ensure a decent installation. My mini rant–my grandson stomped on my foot on Thanksgiving and broke my little toe. Since I rarely wear shoes, I break my toes a lot when I kick furniture that jumps out in front of me. But I usually don’t get breaks from being stepped on. I blame my mom’s hardwood floors–which were properly installed after a reasonable acclimation period. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/185 "2016-11-30T12:33:33Z")
I’ve been waiting over a month for my homeowners claim to kick in so I can finally get the gaping hole in my kitchen floor repaired (it’s in an alcove and stems from decades-old water damage). Called the contractor. He hasn’t heard anything. Called my agent. He keeps putting me off. I don’t know what else to do. What do people do in situations like this? Just wait and be at the insurance’s mercy? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/186 "2016-11-30T14:54:30Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > I’ve been waiting over a month for my homeowners claim to kick in so I can finally get the gaping hole in my kitchen floor repaired (it’s in an alcove and stems from decades-old water damage). > > Called the contractor. He hasn’t heard anything. > > Called my agent. He keeps putting me off. > > I don’t know what else to do. What do people do in situations like this? Just wait and be at the insurance’s mercy? I would make it my mission in life to be a pain in my agent’s ass until he gets off it and does something or at least explains the delay. Either that or throw him in the hole and seal it up “Cask of Amontillado”-style. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/187 "2016-11-30T15:50:26Z")
> [@stretch](#): > > They were going to start installing the same day they brought the wood flooring to your house? Without an acclimation period? Well, it’s probably too late for you to find someone who knows what they are doing, but you should insist that they deliver the product to your home and allow it to acclimate to ensure a decent installation. They were supposed to bring the flooring over - and then rip out all the carpet, remove the baseboards (for later replacement), etc. It was supposed to be a 3-day job, so there should have been acclimation time. Obv, that didn’t happen. And they _still_ haven’t called me with an update. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/188 "2016-11-30T16:05:18Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > I would make it my mission in life to be a pain in my agent’s ass until he gets off it and does something or at least explains the delay. Either that or throw him in the hole and seal it up “Cask of Amontillado”-style. Oh, I just called the agent again. He said there’s been a delay with the homeowners company, doesn’t know why, and will get on their case immediately. I told him to call me immediately when he hears from them. Let’s see what happens. I confess I haven’t been the best at keeping on the agent’s arse about this so I have nobody to blame but myself. I do know, though, that there’s usually a period of time between when you file the claim and when work starts. When my neighbor’s house sustained major damage during our Snowmageddon a couple of years ago, it was at least 3-4 months between the claim and the work starting. Then again almost everybody had damage during that time, so maybe that was partly the reason for the delay? ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/189 "2016-11-30T16:07:48Z")
Sigh. Co-worker, it is not your music that bothers me. Most of the time I don’t even hear it. It’s the singing along that annoys me. But I shut up about it, because singing means you’re in a good mood, which is not always the case. But just yesterday, you sang along to “Let It Snow” at quite a loud volume … then were upset when it _actually_ began to snow. Make up your mind. Also, maybe singing loudly to the Divinyls is not appropriate at work. We all know they only had one song. Yes, you and I are the only ones here, and yes I do actually like that song. But come on. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/190 "2016-11-30T18:01:55Z")
I retired from my government job at the end of September, after 42 years. Got my first pension cheque a bit early in October, and the next one right on time this week. This is good. Now how about you stop paying my salary every two weeks! I just checked my bank account, and for the fifth payday in a row since I retired, there’s another deposit for two week’s salary from the government pay system. Fuck the new pay system and double-fuck the idiots who laid off all the “surplus” pay clerks before they actually converted systems so they could forecast a budget surplus going into the election! Repaying the extra payments isn’t an issue, but it’s an annoyance, if it isn’t cleared up soon it’s going to screw up my taxes for the year, and it’s holding up some related retirement stuff that I can’t do until this is cleared up. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/191 "2016-12-01T01:04:21Z")
After playing phone tag and leaving a bunch of voice mails, it turns out the the adjuster never turned in his report to the insurance company. Nobody can get a hold of him. If I don’t hear from him by the end of the week, I’m to call the insurance company and have them get on his arse. My agent was surprised, as this particular adjuster had had, up until now, an excellent track record in moving things along. Very strange. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/192 "2016-12-07T03:30:18Z")
Do we actually not have a December mini-rants thread yet? It’s the 6th! Heck, it’s the 7th in some parts of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/193 "2016-12-07T04:06:48Z")
[Found it :).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=812511) ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419/194 "2016-12-07T04:37:38Z")
Thanks, Seanette! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holidays-schmolidays-novembers-hot-garbage-mini-rant-thread/770419.md?page=9)