Join the Thread Killers Club and Embrace Your Fate!

[northern_sunshine]

I can NOT imagine someone going potty right there during/just after a demo! That's just a little too...errr...TMI!!

 

[amy07]

That is just gross! That should be in the PC Hall of Shame for most disgusting event at a show! How in the world did you handle that?

 

[chefann]

I just ignored her and continued answering the 13 YO's questions. Everyone else acted like it was normal, so I didn't make a big deal of it. But I scrubbed down all of the tools that I took, because she DIDN'T WASH HER HANDS.

Eeeeuuuwwww....

 

[amy07]

Ann, was the same lady that have stuff growing ON her fridge? LOL

 

[katie0128]

Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!Yuck!

 

[rennea]

WOW Ann that one really takes the cake. You are a real trooper to just continue on, I think I would of said something like "oh what the h*ll is going on?"

 

[chefann]

Ann, was the same lady that have stuff growing ON her fridge? LOL

No! There are 2 gross people inviting folks into their homes in SE MI!

This one was someone who I had never met before. She got my name and info from an ad I have running in Coffee News, which is a little paper that you can grab for free at restaurants, etc. I was so happy to have finally gotten something from that, and then it turns out this way. (At least I now have 2 bookings for July - if they each get enough orders to count as shows.)

The mold lady was a former coworker (actual coworker at the time).

 

[katie0128]

Ann, was the same lady that have stuff growing ON her fridge? LOL

Ann - now you need to tell THAT story!

 

[chefann]

That's in some other thread. I did a show for this coworker, let's call her Gayle. Gayle was a VERY LARGE woman, with some, um, personal hygeine issues related to her weight. She booked a show with me about 8 months into my business. We were going to have it in her garage, so we'd be outside, but covered in case of rain. I showed up, and she moved it to the house, where her friend was finishing cleaning up. Gayle had 5 cats, 3 litter boxes, and the house reeked like cat pee. Gayle had some punch mix she wanted to mix up and serve, so I had brought my big QSP. We mixed up a gallon of the punch and when I opened the fridge to put it in to chill, there was mold growing on the inside wall of the fridge! Only a few people showed up, and there was a lot of punch left. Gayle asked if she could just bring the pitcher back to work on Monday (it was a Saturday show). I *cough* lied and told her that I needed it for a family function on Sunday, so we poured the beverage into an empty 2 liter pop bottle.

Good grief- I've had my share of looney bin gross hosts!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That sounds like a good situation to be out of, Rae. I know how "temp" jobs can become semi-permanent (I was at one job through Kelly Services for 3 years, and my current job is basically as a high-tech temp).hmmmm.... my weird show...6 people there, including the host, her boyfriend, her deaf adult daughter, and her 13-year-old friend from the neighborhood. Very small condo/apartment - we were in the living room. Two bookings - the deaf daughter and the 13-year-old (both to be held in the same residence as this one, both in July before the host moves to Grand Rapids - do you want her, Becky?). The host is on oxygen and can't go up and down stairs easily. Her bathroom was upstairs. Halfway through the show (luckily, I did a no-demo show so it was really short!) she decides she has to relieve herself, but doesn't want to go all the way upstairs. So she proceeds to use the potty chair (the kind they sell at a medical supply shop for invalids) that's on the landing of the stairs - which are in the living room! She just kept telling us, "Nobody turn around!" I haven't entered the orders yet - they probably don't add up to $150 yet.

Anne - either you have the utmost respect for my ability to handle difficult situations.....or you just don't like me! This is the 2nd time you've tried to give me a psycho prospective host! (do you remember offering me the Nude Show too?)! If I had to choose, I'd take the nudies over the potty woman though!On another note - can a 13 yr old have a show? If so, I think my nephew could do a pretty good job as a host! Who can say no to him when he asks?

 

[chefann]

She asked, and I said that we'd have to list her mom as the host. I get the impression that she's an unusual child - a lot of adult friends.

The other weird thing about this party, too, was that most of the guests were reluctant to write things down and had me fill out order forms. Like they were trying to hide the fact that they couldn't read and were just looking at the pictures in the catalog.

Becky- I was joking about passing her off to you. I can PM you her name so you can be warned, however.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

She asked, and I said that we'd have to list her mom as the host. I get the impression that she's an unusual child - a lot of adult friends.

The other weird thing about this party, too, was that most of the guests were reluctant to write things down and had me fill out order forms. Like they were trying to hide the fact that they couldn't read and were just looking at the pictures in the catalog.

Becky- I was joking about passing her off to you. I can PM you her name so you can be warned, however.

I knew you were joking!

My nephew is in the process of raising money for a mission trip to Louisiana - to work w/ Habitat I think......so I was thinking he could do it as a fundraiser! He loves PC, and has often helped me label and file stuff.

 

[chefann]

I think that's a great idea for your nephew!

 

[jasonmva]

Yeah It's Done!!!!!Well I submitted my paper yesterday. Now the waiting game begins for the grade. Once I got started, everything seemed to just fall into place. I committed myslef to working on a little bit everyday and the end result was 57 pages! (It also helps that I had a 15 page appendix that counted as part of the 40 total page requirement). So school is done until the end of the month and then summer classes start. Thank goodness I will be back in grad school now!

 

[chefann]

YAY! We missed you around here, Jason!

 

[chefann]

And good job on the paper, too.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Good job, Jason!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Wahh, wahh!!!

I was at Freshman/Parent orientation for my son's college for the last 2 days. 2 months and he leaves for school. I cannot believe it is happening so soon!

Graduation is this Friday and family is on their way as I type (should be cleaning...) so the coming week will keep me busy but my baby is leaving!

I was SURE that I was going to be thrilled to empty the nest but now that it's time I am teary already. The orientation had some hard moments in it and I know move-in day will be heart wrenching. I am sure I'll cry all the way home - I already want to. He has said that it's hard for him too. He can't wait to go and is excited to start that phase of his life and I know he won't have trouble meeting friends (he met a lot of them this week!) but he is worried about his new responsibility and being away.

He's never home now and handles most of his own affairs so I don't know what is wrong with us!

 

[chefann]

It's because then it's official - he'll be grown up. He may do all those things now, and never be home, but once he officially leaves for college, there's no turning back. Well, unless he drops out and moves back home.

 

[amy07]

Aw Beth, don't worry so much, you'll still have your kids here to clean up after and fuss at!!










Seriously though, in a way I'm glad mine are so small right now that college is a distant thought (well, except when we make those prepaid tuition payments)

 

[BethCooks4U]

Amy you are so smart to make those payments now! We did not.

When we got married I already had 3 children and zero money and DH hadn't saved a penny. Well we have now raised 5 children and still have zero money. We never did those college savings plans because there wasn't money left after everything we needed to buy and everything they HAD to have. So this time we get zero help (because DH has a good job now - never mind where the money goes each month - and it's not to anything unnecessary I can tell you that!). We were granted loans but that means more money out each month so there'll be another loan next year too. I'll never get that bedroom suite!

As far as DS is concerned, yes, he knows that once he's out of HS he has to be working on his plan into adulthood. College, military or work and that then he is out on his own. There is no turning back. He can make a change or U-turn into another plan but our policy is that the kids can not move back in once they are on their own. We are not a safety net. OF COURSE if any of them had a dire need for a few months we would welcome them and help all we can but they can't be thinking that they have us to fall back on. We may sound mean and maybe even selfish but it has worked well with the other 4. They are self-sufficient and happy with their lives.

I think his concern is that he will be away from all family. He saw his brother move in with an older brother and considered that easier for the brother but feels he doesn't have that. He'll be fine. His 4 best friends and a couple others are all going to the same school with him - different dorms and different classes but they'll be on campus. They all went up to orientation together and he was the only one that went off with kids outside their group and made new friends. He's the only one who actually made conversations with his roommate (they were all given strangers to room with) and they became friends in that short time. He will be fine but that still doesn't make it easy.

 

[raebates]

Yes, Ann, I'm almost skipping to work, knowing that I only have about 3 1/2 weeks left. Yippee!

BTW, the same co-worker got snarky with me today because I wouldn't use my PC information to give her another co-worker's address. Some people!

Well I submitted my paper yesterday. Now the waiting game begins for the grade. Once I got started, everything seemed to just fall into place. I committed myslef to working on a little bit everyday and the end result was 57 pages! (It also helps that I had a 15 page appendix that counted as part of the 40 total page requirement). So school is done until the end of the month and then summer classes start. Thank goodness I will be back in grad school now!

Congratulations! Is is weird to be so proud of someone I've never actually met?

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm off to dinner with DH! It is our 21st wedding anniversary and a few hours from now 3 of our 5 children will be here - the other two get here tomorrow evening! Four of them live 1000 miles from us - traveling from WI to NC. ...Not for us though - #5 is graduating (like you all don't already know that! ).

WHAT A WEEK! College orientation, anniversary, "reunion", High School Graduation and party, Father's Day...

 

[BethCooks4U]

Yes, Ann, I'm almost skipping to work, knowing that I only have about 3 1/2 weeks left. Yippee!

Rae! Are you leaving your job too? Sorry but I haven't been around much lately and I feel like I missed something here!

 

[raebates]

Congratulations just doesn't seem enough to say, Beth.

 

[raebates]

Rae! Are you leaving your job too? Sorry but I haven't been around much lately and I feel like I missed something here!

Yep. Actually I'm ending a temp assignment. If you want the details I gave them here in post #1899.

 

[katie0128]

Yes, Ann, I'm almost skipping to work, knowing that I only have about 3 1/2 weeks left. Yippee!

BTW, the same co-worker got snarky with me today because I wouldn't use my PC information to give her another co-worker's address. Some people!

Just kill her with kindness... it's much more fun to watch annoying people squirm when nothing they say or do bothers you. Does she know you are quiting in July?

 

[chefann]

I really need to step up PC so I can quit my job - I really hate it. And today I was "asked" if I'd go to Cleveland on Friday to do some analysis. When I expressed some concerns about commitments (DH will be out of town so I'll have to feed the birds, and Cleveland is 2.5-3 hours away), I was told "Have a neighbor do it." Then I found out later that it's not just Friday, but a 2-week assignment. (Luckily, that part won't be in Cleveland.) The part that really makes me mad is that they "ask" without really asking. "Do you want to go? Can you help?" But they really mean "You're going and we don't care if it f*ck's your life up." Now I'll be expected to put in 6 hours of driving AND 8 hours of work on Friday!

 

[ChefJeniLobdell]

What a bunch of crap. Good luck on getting the PC business going so you can be full time. I quit working for an insurance company, was able to stay home a couple of years. Now I am working full time again. But guess what, my husband is my boss!! AAAHHH! I guess it isn't so bad, atleast I can tell him to get ****ed and still have a job the next day.

Sorry about your scary show! I don't think I would be able to keep a straight face with the p**ing episode. You are truly a professional!!!

 

[amy07]

ok, so ants are gone - thanks for all the tips........now the newest drama. DS who just turned 4 a few weeks ago, decided tonight that putting a popcorn kernel in his ear was a great experiment! It is in there down deep too! I've already spoken to the on-call pediatric nurse who has assured me that he will be fine until his scheduled check-up in the morning.
Here's the funny part........the on-call nurse told me that this was the 2nd call in less than 5 minutes of a 4yo boy sticking something in his ear! Never a dull moment in our house! And it's only the beginning of summer!

 

[raebates]

Thanks, Katie. I've tried everything from killing her with kindness to limiting my contact with her as much a possible and everything in between. Unfortunately, the only time she considers me to be nice is when I do everything she demands, which has included ordering her lunch and picking out her birthday card to someone else. I often respond, "I'm sorry. That is not an appropriate request." This has gone on long enough that I have also had plenty of time to react in very childish and petty ways. Yesterday I wrote her a note apologizing for my part in our contentious relationship. And, before you ask, she had no reaction at all. As of right now, no one there knows that I'm leaving for good in July.Amy, I'm glad to hear about the ants and also that your 4 year old is all better. Here's to a very uneventful summer.

 

[chefann]

I weasled out of the Cleveland trip. Which is a good thing. Overnight, it morphed from "be there Friday" to "be there all next week." Phew!

Yet another reason to be on the good side of the Admins!

 

[katie0128]

ok, so ants are gone - thanks for all the tips........now the newest drama. DS who just turned 4 a few weeks ago, decided tonight that putting a popcorn kernel in his ear was a great experiment! It is in there down deep too! I've already spoken to the on-call pediatric nurse who has assured me that he will be fine until his scheduled check-up in the morning.
Here's the funny part........the on-call nurse told me that this was the 2nd call in less than 5 minutes of a 4yo boy sticking something in his ear! Never a dull moment in our house! And it's only the beginning of summer!

So did the kernel come out?

 

[chefann]

There's a joke in there about growing an ear of corn....

 

[katie0128]

Ann -

 

[chefann]

My sister had to call the triage nurse at her pediatrician's office because one of her kids shoved a pea up her nose. And they had already been to the office 2 times that week! Once for scheduled checkups, and once for a different crisis.

 

[amy07]

So did the kernel come out?

No! As a matter of fact, we took him to the pediatrician this morning, and apparently it has been there for some time!! The pediatrician's guess is that while he was in the tub last night water may have gotten into his ear, and with the kernel in there it just aggravated it and caused the pain! We have to take him to a ENT to have it removed. And of course they are swamped today, and the only time they could squeeze him in, my oldest has a dentist appt at the same time. So DH & I are doing the conquer & divide. He gets to take the 4yo to the ENT, and I get the dentist with DD in tow! Calgon take me away!!

 

[katie0128]

How did he know it had been in there for some time??? Wouldn't you just love to know exactly when your DS did this? And, of course, WHY???? Of course, my 7yo and 3yo DSs would both say, "Just because"...

 

[chefann]

Because there's a hole there and it must be filled....

Does this object fit in this hole? No? How about this one?

 

[amy07]

How did he know it had been in there for some time??? Wouldn't you just love to know exactly when your DS did this? And, of course, WHY???? Of course, my 7yo and 3yo DSs would both say, "Just because"...

I was wondering the same thing - but apparently when the pediatrician used that nice lighted ear thingy he was able to see wax on the kernel. That is just too gross I know, but that's what he said. And luckily, the moisture in his ear has not been enough to make the kernel swell - so yes Ann I guess the joke about corn growing out of your ear has some truth.

Oh, and he didn't do it. A monster did.
guess I will not be getting mother of the year award - and yes I do clean his ears out too. Guess I'm paranoid about actually sticking a q-tip too deep in their ears though - if I had I probably would've known about it sooner. Although I may have made matters worse.

On a lighter note - DH & I had to laugh that maybe that's why it always seemed like he was ignoring us here lately - he really couldn't hear us!

 

[chefann]

I'm getting a funny mental image of a hot-air corn popper shaped like a head, only the popped corn comes out of the ear instead of the mouth.

 

[katie0128]

Submit that for the next season of "American Inventor"...

 

[jasonmva]

I was wondering the same thing - but apparently when the pediatrician used that nice lighted ear thingy he was able to see wax on the kernel.

Is the pediatrician positive it is wax and not butter coating...they look the same ya know

 

[amy07]

ok, you guys, this has taken a serious turn.......please pray for my little guy. He is going to have surgery on Monday to remove this thing from his ear and they will also check for further damage to his ear. I don't have all the details as my husband was on his cell and kept breaking up so I have to wait til he gets home to get all the details. Right now, all I know for sure is that DH has taken him to hospital to do all the preliminary paperwork and is picking up a prescription for him. I'm really hoping it's not as bad as I think, but it scares me that they are going to have to put him to sleep - he just turned 4!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

WOW Amy! I will definitely be praying for him! Who knew it would turn so serious so quickly? Praying peace for you and your little guy - and wisdom and steady hands for the surgeon!

 

[chefann]

OH- I hope it goes well. If it were super serious, they would have gotten him in today, so at least you know it's not life-threatening. I'll say a prayer for the little guy.

Can we nickname him Pop now?

 

[amy07]

yeah, I know that it is not life threatening, but it still scares me that he will be in the hospital and be put to sleep. DH just called and said he seems fine, so I that's a huge relief. I also just talked to my dad and he made me laugh, he wanted to know if he was growing an ear of corn!

 

[raebates]

Perception is everything. Whenever we feel our babies are in danger, our mama bear comes out. You'll all be in my prayers.

 

[katie0128]

Between my two boys, they have had three procedures where anesthesia was needed... 8yo had tubes at 18 mo and an eye exam under anesthesia at 5 yrs; 3 yo had tubes at 18 mo as well and is possibly going to need another ear procedure soon.

Don't feel bad about being scared... It is a scary thing to have your little one put under! But my guess is that it will be a really quick procedure and is probably being done with anesthesia because of his age - he isn't going to sit as still as necessary for the MD to do it in the office.

After DH gets home, let us know about the details. PM me if you want to talk.

 

[amy07]

here's the scoop from DH - and believe it or not it took alot to get the info from him!! Seems having to sign the consent forms with all the possible complications really scared him and he went into what I call the "male shut down mode". You know - where they can't talk about their feelings/emotions. I had to threaten bodily harm if he didn't start talking! So, aside from complications for the anesthesia, the biggest concern is infection deep inside his ear which could lead to hearing loss, as well as loss from any damage from the kernel being in his ear since it is pushed so far in there they cannot determine if damage has been done until after they remove it. And this totallly surprised me - normally it could take a week or more to have had this scheduled at the hospital? WHAT?!?! Again, I know that it is not life threatening, but still - a foreign object in your body is not a good thing!
Oh, and while DS & DH were at the dr's office yesterday - the other little boy that the on-call nurse was talking about came in (atleast I hope it was him, and not another very curious 4yo with an ear fetish). He had a pirates token stuck inside his ear!
Thanks for all your prayers - I know it seems so silly, especially after reading the other thread about Kristi's son, but of course like Rae said, when it's your little cub it makes all the difference in the world!