This is a post that I hope most women will be able to relate to. Do you ever notice that in any group of women there's always THAT woman. The one who consistently finds everything offensive, is snobby, and generally just acts like a b*tch?
I'm a part of the local Moms Club chapter and let me tell you, we definitely have THAT woman. Unfortunately, she joined the executive board with me (late - otherwise I wouldn't have joined) and it has just been a nightmare. I can't even breathe without getting a sigh or a snotty remark.
Recently, someone volunteered to take over the newsletter from me. Wonderful, right? Well, to help make the transition easier, I asked that everyone who submits things to the newsletter also CC me for this month. As usual, there weren't any submissions for the around town sections, so I went and looked some things up. I CC'd the ladies responsible for those sections to let them know I had done it. (The deadline has already passed.)
A couple hours later I get a snotty email from THAT woman saying she already turned her stuff in.
I hit reply all and said great, thanks - I didn't see the email, so I didn't know. I refrained from mentioning that she was supposed to CC me too so I know what's going on during the transition time, but whatever.
Deep breaths. 6 more months of being on the board together, then I can say goodbye to ALL of my responsibilities and leave the club. The moms in it just aren't all that nice and we don't go to any events because bringing out 2 kids (3 in April) for an awkward playdate just isn't worth it.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Merry Christmas
I hope everyone had a great holiday. I know my posts have been a little more sporadic than usual, but that's what happens around this time of the year.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that we had a good Christmas. The kids made out like bandits without us "overdoing it" like we did last year. The hubby absolutely spoiled me and I feel bad because I kept his reasonable. I can never win... he always out-buys me. I know that's not what the holidays are about, but man. Just one year I'd like to be the one that gets him just 1 more gift than he gets me or really nails what he's been wanting.
If you're wondering, he got me a new phone. A fancy schmancy new phone. I use Straight Talk (gasp! A pre-pay??) and my phone likes to freeze, not send picture messages, etc. It has pretty much no memory on it and can only hold 1-3 apps. The way that the android system is set up, you can't run 99% of the apps off of a memory card, so while I have a nice 4GB one in there, it's useless. He spent a gross amount of money on a new phone for me, but it's also an android. I'm contemplating doing the iPhone thing instead with a used 4S from Verizon (it's cheaper and I like Apple's interface better than Android's), but I can't get a clear answer as to whether or not it will work with their BYOP program. I know 6 months ago it wouldn't, but it appears that there have been some fairly recent changes to their program. I need an ESN/MEIP number to punch in to see if it'll work and I won't have that until I buy the phone. I don't want to buy the phone until I know if it'll work... see the problem??
A used 4S will save about 50% of the cost of the phone he got me. He says that I can use the savings in that scenario to get a little chest freezer. Oh so tempting as we approach the birth of baby #3... what to do, what to do... I'd do it in a heartbeat if I were 100% sure that it would work. Buying an iPhone 4S from Walmart isn't an option - for a decent sized one it would be too expensive. If I do the iPhone route, it'll be used and I'll be doing the BYOP option.
Ideas? Suggestions? Anyone actually successfully bring an iPhone 4S from Verizon to Straight Talk?
Anyway, I just wanted to say that we had a good Christmas. The kids made out like bandits without us "overdoing it" like we did last year. The hubby absolutely spoiled me and I feel bad because I kept his reasonable. I can never win... he always out-buys me. I know that's not what the holidays are about, but man. Just one year I'd like to be the one that gets him just 1 more gift than he gets me or really nails what he's been wanting.
If you're wondering, he got me a new phone. A fancy schmancy new phone. I use Straight Talk (gasp! A pre-pay??) and my phone likes to freeze, not send picture messages, etc. It has pretty much no memory on it and can only hold 1-3 apps. The way that the android system is set up, you can't run 99% of the apps off of a memory card, so while I have a nice 4GB one in there, it's useless. He spent a gross amount of money on a new phone for me, but it's also an android. I'm contemplating doing the iPhone thing instead with a used 4S from Verizon (it's cheaper and I like Apple's interface better than Android's), but I can't get a clear answer as to whether or not it will work with their BYOP program. I know 6 months ago it wouldn't, but it appears that there have been some fairly recent changes to their program. I need an ESN/MEIP number to punch in to see if it'll work and I won't have that until I buy the phone. I don't want to buy the phone until I know if it'll work... see the problem??
A used 4S will save about 50% of the cost of the phone he got me. He says that I can use the savings in that scenario to get a little chest freezer. Oh so tempting as we approach the birth of baby #3... what to do, what to do... I'd do it in a heartbeat if I were 100% sure that it would work. Buying an iPhone 4S from Walmart isn't an option - for a decent sized one it would be too expensive. If I do the iPhone route, it'll be used and I'll be doing the BYOP option.
Ideas? Suggestions? Anyone actually successfully bring an iPhone 4S from Verizon to Straight Talk?
Monday, December 23, 2013
Phil Robertson Controversy
I've been hearing a lot about the controversy surrounding Phil Robertson (the Patriarch on Duck Dynasty if you don't know), and I'm just confused about one thing... what's wrong with what he said?
I've read the interview, which seems to be the dividing factor between the people who are protesting him and the people who are supporting him. Those who took the time to actually read what he said aren't offended, while those who blindly follow the hate-speech being spewed by the NAACP and a small portion of the outspoken members of the LGBT community are up in arms over his racist, homophobic rant.
I'm not sure how it has become offensive to say that you prefer the straight lifestyle. You're not condemning anyone else - in fact, as a Christian he is leaving that one up to God. If Phil Robertson were really as anti-gay as everyone is making him out to be, would he have agreed to sign a contract with a network that has a long history of supporting and promoting alternative lifestyles? Probably not.
In regards to the fools at the NAACP - GO HOME, YOU'RE DRUNK! Talk about reaching. So Phil himself has never witness racism and he has worked along side black people during some of the hardest times in this country and only has good things to say about their attitudes and work ethics. He didn't say anything about Jim Crow laws. All he said was that in the rural town that he lived in, he didn't see racism. Things were good, people worked hard (he was one of them) and they were happy. How is that bad?
I'm going to shock the pants off of everyone, but I've never witnessed a blatant act of racism against blacks either. I'm white and I've lived on both coasts in my lifetime. Granted, I've always lived in pretty small towns, I did go to college in a city and I worked in an inner-city school while I was there. I think the vast majority of people respect one another, but that the media blows any act of racism (or potential racism) out of the water to make it look like we're just 1 incident away from a full on race war. That's really just not the case and kudos to Phil for being brave enough to say it. It doesn't fit with the NAACP's narrative, but the truth almost never does.
I've read the interview, which seems to be the dividing factor between the people who are protesting him and the people who are supporting him. Those who took the time to actually read what he said aren't offended, while those who blindly follow the hate-speech being spewed by the NAACP and a small portion of the outspoken members of the LGBT community are up in arms over his racist, homophobic rant.
I'm not sure how it has become offensive to say that you prefer the straight lifestyle. You're not condemning anyone else - in fact, as a Christian he is leaving that one up to God. If Phil Robertson were really as anti-gay as everyone is making him out to be, would he have agreed to sign a contract with a network that has a long history of supporting and promoting alternative lifestyles? Probably not.
In regards to the fools at the NAACP - GO HOME, YOU'RE DRUNK! Talk about reaching. So Phil himself has never witness racism and he has worked along side black people during some of the hardest times in this country and only has good things to say about their attitudes and work ethics. He didn't say anything about Jim Crow laws. All he said was that in the rural town that he lived in, he didn't see racism. Things were good, people worked hard (he was one of them) and they were happy. How is that bad?
I'm going to shock the pants off of everyone, but I've never witnessed a blatant act of racism against blacks either. I'm white and I've lived on both coasts in my lifetime. Granted, I've always lived in pretty small towns, I did go to college in a city and I worked in an inner-city school while I was there. I think the vast majority of people respect one another, but that the media blows any act of racism (or potential racism) out of the water to make it look like we're just 1 incident away from a full on race war. That's really just not the case and kudos to Phil for being brave enough to say it. It doesn't fit with the NAACP's narrative, but the truth almost never does.
Friday, December 20, 2013
High Deductible Health Plans
My mom recently called me in a panic because she and my father lost their insurance. My dad was covered through his job, but because of a buy-out, the new employer decided to change to a more "cost-effective" insurance option that's becoming increasingly popular because of the ACA and the so called "cadillac tax" that takes effect in 2018. To avoid being taxed because of offering employees health insurance plans that are expensive, more employers are scraping the bottom of the barrel and coming up with bronze-level plans, or high deductible plans.
With these high deductible plans, an employee must meet an out-of-pocket deductible that often falls into the $4,000 - $12,000 range before the insurance kicks in. While they are meeting these high deductibles, they are still paying health insurance premiums.
For an older individual that gets several prescriptions and goes to the doctor frequently, meeting the deductible may be realistic. However, for healthy, young individuals, that's just not going to happen. For many young families, meeting a $6,000 deductible while paying health insurance premiums is more than the family budget can sustain.
To help offset costs, employees are encouraged to set up an HSA account to pay for the deductible. While the money is from pre-tax dollars, it's still shrinking the paycheck while health insurance premiums are still being withdrawn. For many people, meeting the deductible won't ever happen, so the premiums are basically just a waste since they are paying out of pocket for doctor's visits, prescription drugs and other health care costs.
Lets look at a family with young children for example. The family consists of a dad, a mom and two young kids. They get insurance through the dad's employer, who suddenly begins only offering high deductible plans. They previously had an HMO. Under the HMO, they paid $500 per paycheck for health insurance, or $13,000 per year. Under the new high deductible plan, they'll pay $300 per paycheck for a total of $7,800 per year. Unfortunately, their plan has a deductible of $6000 for the family, so they actually need to pay $13,800 before the insurance pays out. That's not any better than the HMO, but now the family tries to avoid seeing the doctor for sick visits in an attempt to save money and as a result, a small condition may blossom into something much worse. A fever in a toddler could wind up being an ear infection that costs them their hearing because the parents tried to wait it out to see if it was worth spending the $185 on an office visit.
You see, if you need to spend several thousand dollars out of pocket before your health insurance kicks in, it's a lot like not having health insurance. Most families won't ever meet the deductibles required for insurance benefits to begin. As a result, people are going to avoid seeing the doctor and seeking treatment until conditions have deteriorated greatly. The people that will suffer the most are children, since young families are often strapped for cash.
As a parent, I can say that when I had my first child I was worried about everything. I brought her in to the doctor over mysterious rashes and fevers that were sometimes serious and sometimes nothing. I had no idea what was from teething and what was a sign of an ear infection and my doctor didn't want to dispense advice over the phone for fear of malpractice. When finances were tight, I was able to justify the $25. I could find places in the budget to make it up. If the cost had been $185, I wouldn't have been able to find places in the budget to make up the difference and I would have really had to think twice about bringing her in, potentially putting her health at risk if it was the time she had an ear infection or the time the rash turned out to be a penicillin allergy.
Back to my parents. My dad is a heart patient. He had 6 bypasses in 2007 and had a valve repaired at the same time. He sees a cardiologist once or twice a year for a check up and takes a host of expensive medications to regular blood pressure and other complications of heart disease. My mom also takes medications and sees the doctor regularly for her conditions. Under their new high deductible plan, those medications won't be covered anymore. Neither will the visits to the doctors until they meet their out of pocket deductible. Furthermore, the premium for their new health insurance won't be significantly less than their old health insurance. The increase in medication costs is greater than the savings on the cost of the plan, which means they'll be paying more.
My mom has already made plans to stop taking non-essential medications, like those for allergies, migraines and basically everything that's not life-threatening. My dad on the other hand will probably have a heart attack if he stops taking his medications. He's not sure how he's going to afford them and he's too young for Medicare. To help make up the cost, they're considering dropping their insurance and taking the penalty. That way, they can negotiate costs with their providers directly and save the money they would spend on premiums to go towards medications and doctors visits.
It's like my mom said, they want to take away all of the benefits of health insurance, but not the cost.
Unfortunately, somehow through all of this, my mom still doesn't see how the changes in their insurance and coverage is a direct result of the ACA. She still maintains that Obama is a great president and she still identifies with the Democratic party. She even tried to blame this one on the Republicans, which I couldn't figure out since Democrats were in charge when this was forced through. The ACA is the main reason I no longer identify with the Democratic party - they really didn't have anyone's best interest at mind when they forced through a huge law like that without thinking of the consequences. It's easy for politicians to play with everyone else's health insurance when they themselves use a different system.
With these high deductible plans, an employee must meet an out-of-pocket deductible that often falls into the $4,000 - $12,000 range before the insurance kicks in. While they are meeting these high deductibles, they are still paying health insurance premiums.
For an older individual that gets several prescriptions and goes to the doctor frequently, meeting the deductible may be realistic. However, for healthy, young individuals, that's just not going to happen. For many young families, meeting a $6,000 deductible while paying health insurance premiums is more than the family budget can sustain.
To help offset costs, employees are encouraged to set up an HSA account to pay for the deductible. While the money is from pre-tax dollars, it's still shrinking the paycheck while health insurance premiums are still being withdrawn. For many people, meeting the deductible won't ever happen, so the premiums are basically just a waste since they are paying out of pocket for doctor's visits, prescription drugs and other health care costs.
Lets look at a family with young children for example. The family consists of a dad, a mom and two young kids. They get insurance through the dad's employer, who suddenly begins only offering high deductible plans. They previously had an HMO. Under the HMO, they paid $500 per paycheck for health insurance, or $13,000 per year. Under the new high deductible plan, they'll pay $300 per paycheck for a total of $7,800 per year. Unfortunately, their plan has a deductible of $6000 for the family, so they actually need to pay $13,800 before the insurance pays out. That's not any better than the HMO, but now the family tries to avoid seeing the doctor for sick visits in an attempt to save money and as a result, a small condition may blossom into something much worse. A fever in a toddler could wind up being an ear infection that costs them their hearing because the parents tried to wait it out to see if it was worth spending the $185 on an office visit.
You see, if you need to spend several thousand dollars out of pocket before your health insurance kicks in, it's a lot like not having health insurance. Most families won't ever meet the deductibles required for insurance benefits to begin. As a result, people are going to avoid seeing the doctor and seeking treatment until conditions have deteriorated greatly. The people that will suffer the most are children, since young families are often strapped for cash.
As a parent, I can say that when I had my first child I was worried about everything. I brought her in to the doctor over mysterious rashes and fevers that were sometimes serious and sometimes nothing. I had no idea what was from teething and what was a sign of an ear infection and my doctor didn't want to dispense advice over the phone for fear of malpractice. When finances were tight, I was able to justify the $25. I could find places in the budget to make it up. If the cost had been $185, I wouldn't have been able to find places in the budget to make up the difference and I would have really had to think twice about bringing her in, potentially putting her health at risk if it was the time she had an ear infection or the time the rash turned out to be a penicillin allergy.
Back to my parents. My dad is a heart patient. He had 6 bypasses in 2007 and had a valve repaired at the same time. He sees a cardiologist once or twice a year for a check up and takes a host of expensive medications to regular blood pressure and other complications of heart disease. My mom also takes medications and sees the doctor regularly for her conditions. Under their new high deductible plan, those medications won't be covered anymore. Neither will the visits to the doctors until they meet their out of pocket deductible. Furthermore, the premium for their new health insurance won't be significantly less than their old health insurance. The increase in medication costs is greater than the savings on the cost of the plan, which means they'll be paying more.
My mom has already made plans to stop taking non-essential medications, like those for allergies, migraines and basically everything that's not life-threatening. My dad on the other hand will probably have a heart attack if he stops taking his medications. He's not sure how he's going to afford them and he's too young for Medicare. To help make up the cost, they're considering dropping their insurance and taking the penalty. That way, they can negotiate costs with their providers directly and save the money they would spend on premiums to go towards medications and doctors visits.
It's like my mom said, they want to take away all of the benefits of health insurance, but not the cost.
Unfortunately, somehow through all of this, my mom still doesn't see how the changes in their insurance and coverage is a direct result of the ACA. She still maintains that Obama is a great president and she still identifies with the Democratic party. She even tried to blame this one on the Republicans, which I couldn't figure out since Democrats were in charge when this was forced through. The ACA is the main reason I no longer identify with the Democratic party - they really didn't have anyone's best interest at mind when they forced through a huge law like that without thinking of the consequences. It's easy for politicians to play with everyone else's health insurance when they themselves use a different system.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
SIL's Baby
I tend to post about things that bother me that I can't bug my husband about. That being said, I have to put a quick post up about my sister-in-law because it's really bothering me.
She has a baby (I guess it's my nephew, though I believe a DNA test would say otherwise since her erm... exploits... are well-known in the family). The baby is 5 months old and it is failing to thrive. I asked her about it a little bit - what exactly was going on and whatnot. She says the baby has horrible reflux that's causing it to not gain weight.
Well, over the course of Thanksgiving and now Christmas, I can say with some certainty that the reflux is not the problem, but rather that its mother is. I have yet to see her give the child a bottle. She was breastfeeding, but that didn't work out with her older 2 kids either because her "milk is bad". Her diet is pretty much crap and that could be why.
Anyway, not giving a baby that's failing to thrive any sort of food in a 3 or 4 hour time period is kind of extreme. At 5 months old, the baby weights 10 or 11 pounds. That's crazy! On top of not feeding the baby, when he started crying hysterically and looking hungry she didn't do anything at all! She just sat across the room and let grandma deal with him. I didn't see a bottle in the diaper bag, so they may not have even had one with them. I'm just amazed that she can think it's ok to not feed a child because of his age, even though he's the size of a much younger baby.
She has a baby (I guess it's my nephew, though I believe a DNA test would say otherwise since her erm... exploits... are well-known in the family). The baby is 5 months old and it is failing to thrive. I asked her about it a little bit - what exactly was going on and whatnot. She says the baby has horrible reflux that's causing it to not gain weight.
Well, over the course of Thanksgiving and now Christmas, I can say with some certainty that the reflux is not the problem, but rather that its mother is. I have yet to see her give the child a bottle. She was breastfeeding, but that didn't work out with her older 2 kids either because her "milk is bad". Her diet is pretty much crap and that could be why.
Anyway, not giving a baby that's failing to thrive any sort of food in a 3 or 4 hour time period is kind of extreme. At 5 months old, the baby weights 10 or 11 pounds. That's crazy! On top of not feeding the baby, when he started crying hysterically and looking hungry she didn't do anything at all! She just sat across the room and let grandma deal with him. I didn't see a bottle in the diaper bag, so they may not have even had one with them. I'm just amazed that she can think it's ok to not feed a child because of his age, even though he's the size of a much younger baby.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Frustrated with Hubby's Job
I am really frustrated with the hubby's job today. They are displaying a blatant lack of concern for their employee's welfare. Today, it's snowing. This isn't a huge surprise given that we're in New England and it's not a particularly large storm either (6-8 inches), BUT it's the timing that is sucky. The peak of the storm is hitting during the evening rush, when it's dark and below freezing. They expect visibility to suck, and as a precaution, state officials asked employers to let employees leave to be home by 4pm.
Did my husband's job comply? Hell no. Everyone there gets out between 5 and 7, right smack in the middle of the snow storm. That should make for a fun ride home. Furthermore, it's well-known that if an employee does value something (like say their life) above the company, they aren't dedicated enough and they get let go. They basically get bullied into taking stupid and unnecessary risks.
We don't live near his workplace to begin with - it's an hour drive on a good day. Tonight, he may as well not even come home. Local hotels are jacking up their rates and I'm torn between wanting him safe in a hotel w/ no change of clothes and wanting him home. I know he won't stay in a hotel because of the cost and the whole not wanting to be away from his family the whole night thing, so he'll make the ridiculous drive and get in just in time to go to bed, wake up and do it all again tomorrow.
I seriously hate where he works.
Did I mention that these people expect 200% from their employees, but don't give it back in return? They haven't had any sort of company party in years, nobody gets raises because "of the economy" despite the fact that they are busier than ever and this year they reduced the number of yearly vacation days by 4. (Yes, they can do that because they have a use-it-or-lose it system where your time off resets on the first of the year.)
I really want my husband to look for a new job, but he hates interviewing with such a passion that he'd rather work for a bunch of jerks with no shot at going anywhere than go through an interview. If he'd just put in the effort, I'm sure he could find a different job that he hates at a similar pay rate that's WAY closer to home. Wouldn't that be novel? He always seems to have horrific commutes too. We even moved closer to his job and then he got laid off (the company went out of business) and took his current job that was about 30 minutes away. Then they moved and now they are an hour and 10 minutes away. Go figure. :-/
Did my husband's job comply? Hell no. Everyone there gets out between 5 and 7, right smack in the middle of the snow storm. That should make for a fun ride home. Furthermore, it's well-known that if an employee does value something (like say their life) above the company, they aren't dedicated enough and they get let go. They basically get bullied into taking stupid and unnecessary risks.
We don't live near his workplace to begin with - it's an hour drive on a good day. Tonight, he may as well not even come home. Local hotels are jacking up their rates and I'm torn between wanting him safe in a hotel w/ no change of clothes and wanting him home. I know he won't stay in a hotel because of the cost and the whole not wanting to be away from his family the whole night thing, so he'll make the ridiculous drive and get in just in time to go to bed, wake up and do it all again tomorrow.
I seriously hate where he works.
Did I mention that these people expect 200% from their employees, but don't give it back in return? They haven't had any sort of company party in years, nobody gets raises because "of the economy" despite the fact that they are busier than ever and this year they reduced the number of yearly vacation days by 4. (Yes, they can do that because they have a use-it-or-lose it system where your time off resets on the first of the year.)
I really want my husband to look for a new job, but he hates interviewing with such a passion that he'd rather work for a bunch of jerks with no shot at going anywhere than go through an interview. If he'd just put in the effort, I'm sure he could find a different job that he hates at a similar pay rate that's WAY closer to home. Wouldn't that be novel? He always seems to have horrific commutes too. We even moved closer to his job and then he got laid off (the company went out of business) and took his current job that was about 30 minutes away. Then they moved and now they are an hour and 10 minutes away. Go figure. :-/
Friday, December 13, 2013
Kids Eating Habits
My kids have decided to become picky eaters. Once upon a time they would eat whatever you put in front of them, whenever you put it there. Then they discovered that daddy likes to buy snack cakes and an assortment of crap foods.
That's when they became picky. Now, instead of eating the salmon and liking it, they want candy. Cakes. Peanut butter... it's just annoying.
I really don't want to be one of those parents that hides healthy food in junk food, but if my kids don't snap out of their no-food bender, I'm going to have to. Anyone have something like this happen with their kids?
That's when they became picky. Now, instead of eating the salmon and liking it, they want candy. Cakes. Peanut butter... it's just annoying.
I really don't want to be one of those parents that hides healthy food in junk food, but if my kids don't snap out of their no-food bender, I'm going to have to. Anyone have something like this happen with their kids?
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Pregnancy Journal: Week 21
I'm almost late on posting this, but that's just because things have been hectic around here. I'm at the tale end of week 21 and there's not a whole lot to say. I'm slightly bigger than I was last week, the scale says I've gained about a pound since my last Dr's visit and Christmas is right around the corner. I feel fine aside from sciatica and random bouts of Braxton Hicks.
I guess that's the biggest news this time - the Braxton Hicks. Boy are they painful. They knock the wind out of me and just completely kick my butt for the 30 or so seconds that they last. I'll get a couple in a row and then nothing, so I'm not worried about it. This is earlier than they came with my last pregnancies, but it seems that with each baby they come earlier and earlier. They are a lot more noticable though.
So there ya go - not a lot to write home about this week. :-P
I guess that's the biggest news this time - the Braxton Hicks. Boy are they painful. They knock the wind out of me and just completely kick my butt for the 30 or so seconds that they last. I'll get a couple in a row and then nothing, so I'm not worried about it. This is earlier than they came with my last pregnancies, but it seems that with each baby they come earlier and earlier. They are a lot more noticable though.
So there ya go - not a lot to write home about this week. :-P
Monday, December 9, 2013
Avoid Aeropostale: The Update
I had to post an update on the Aeropostale holiday drama, but I was just too peeved to do it over the weekend.
Just for kicks, I checked the website Sunday morning to see what else they have. I'm at a complete loss as to what to get this teenager kid and his mom is no help at all. Guess what - the hoodies they CLAIMED to be out of were back in stock. At the same price as on Cyber Monday.
Did I order? No. Absolutely not.
I think that's complete BS that they cancel people's orders on the basis that the product is out of stock and then mysteriously put more of the depleted item out for sale. Clearly what is happening is that if you only purchased the bargain items and had the restraint to not pick up anything else along the way, they cancelled your order. The deals were meant to get you in the door to make additional purchases and those who didn't fall prey to the retail mindset were sent cancellation notices.
No thanks. I'd rather not shop at a store like that. Besides, I'd still only order the hoodie and they'd probably cancel my order next week, leaving me in the same lurch that I'm in right now.
Still no refund as of yet.
Just for kicks, I checked the website Sunday morning to see what else they have. I'm at a complete loss as to what to get this teenager kid and his mom is no help at all. Guess what - the hoodies they CLAIMED to be out of were back in stock. At the same price as on Cyber Monday.
Did I order? No. Absolutely not.
I think that's complete BS that they cancel people's orders on the basis that the product is out of stock and then mysteriously put more of the depleted item out for sale. Clearly what is happening is that if you only purchased the bargain items and had the restraint to not pick up anything else along the way, they cancelled your order. The deals were meant to get you in the door to make additional purchases and those who didn't fall prey to the retail mindset were sent cancellation notices.
No thanks. I'd rather not shop at a store like that. Besides, I'd still only order the hoodie and they'd probably cancel my order next week, leaving me in the same lurch that I'm in right now.
Still no refund as of yet.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Avoid Aeropostale
Unfortunately, I have to add a company to my list of banned places to shop. Who ticked me off enough this time to blog about it? Aeropostale.
Bastards.
I shopped at their "too good to be true" Cyber Monday sale and it turns out, it really was too good to be true. I gleefully picked out a $49 zippered hoodie that was marked down to $15 and put it in my cart. Sizes were selling out, but since the boy in question wears his clothes slightly larger than a rapper at a hip-hop parade, I was able to snag an XL. Check, Christmas shopping was done for my FIL's girlfriend's kids.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
On Saturday I got an email letting me know that my order was cancelled. Happy holidays!
I called to find out what the heck could have gone wrong. Well, apparently the item was out of stock when I ordered it and they couldn't tell me until SATURDAY that I couldn't order it. How kind of them. A quick check of my credit card showed that they had the good sense to charge me first. Wonderful! The customer service rep (really, there's no point to having these unskilled high school drop outs on the other end of the line) told me I could go into the store and buy the hoodie, but that it would be whatever the store price was at the time. Wow. Ballsy.
So now I'm out $22 (shipping was not free) which may or may not get refunded in the holiday madness and I don't have a hoodie for an excessively picky teenager. Double wonderful! Aren't the holidays grand?!
I'm still shocked that a store as obnoxious as Aeropostale would pull that stunt and then have the kahonies to tell me to go into the store and re-purchase the item that my card had already been charged for at a higher price. Now i get to drive 30-40 minutes (the mall isn't exactly in my backyard), drag 2 little kids and my pregnant behind through said mall and then purchase an overpriced hoodie from a Chinese sweat shop for 3x what I had already bought the same hoodie for on Cyber Monday. How do these fools stay in business!?
I'm just floored right now at their terrible policies that would allow that to happen. If you're going to cancel my order, fine. Cancel it on Monday when I have a shot at getting another Cyber Monday deal. Don't cancel it on Saturday when the sale is already over and then try to talk me into going to the store and spending additional money on it.
Bastards.
Bastards.
I shopped at their "too good to be true" Cyber Monday sale and it turns out, it really was too good to be true. I gleefully picked out a $49 zippered hoodie that was marked down to $15 and put it in my cart. Sizes were selling out, but since the boy in question wears his clothes slightly larger than a rapper at a hip-hop parade, I was able to snag an XL. Check, Christmas shopping was done for my FIL's girlfriend's kids.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
On Saturday I got an email letting me know that my order was cancelled. Happy holidays!
I called to find out what the heck could have gone wrong. Well, apparently the item was out of stock when I ordered it and they couldn't tell me until SATURDAY that I couldn't order it. How kind of them. A quick check of my credit card showed that they had the good sense to charge me first. Wonderful! The customer service rep (really, there's no point to having these unskilled high school drop outs on the other end of the line) told me I could go into the store and buy the hoodie, but that it would be whatever the store price was at the time. Wow. Ballsy.
So now I'm out $22 (shipping was not free) which may or may not get refunded in the holiday madness and I don't have a hoodie for an excessively picky teenager. Double wonderful! Aren't the holidays grand?!
I'm still shocked that a store as obnoxious as Aeropostale would pull that stunt and then have the kahonies to tell me to go into the store and re-purchase the item that my card had already been charged for at a higher price. Now i get to drive 30-40 minutes (the mall isn't exactly in my backyard), drag 2 little kids and my pregnant behind through said mall and then purchase an overpriced hoodie from a Chinese sweat shop for 3x what I had already bought the same hoodie for on Cyber Monday. How do these fools stay in business!?
I'm just floored right now at their terrible policies that would allow that to happen. If you're going to cancel my order, fine. Cancel it on Monday when I have a shot at getting another Cyber Monday deal. Don't cancel it on Saturday when the sale is already over and then try to talk me into going to the store and spending additional money on it.
Bastards.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Why Do I Look at Facebook?
Does anyone else ever look at Facebook and wonder what kinds of idiots they're friends with? Seriously, it seems that every time I log on I find a post that's either poorly written, offensive or politically motivated. There's really no need for that nonsense on Facebook.
The latest post was a link to a blog about Hobby Lobby objecting to the ACA on the grounds of a conscience objection or something along those lines. In case you've been living under a rock, Hobby Lobby has a strong Christian background. They aren't open on Sunday and they haven't made it a secret that they put the morals and principles of their faith first. Part of that strong faith requires them to oppose the portion of Obamacare that would require them to pay for their employee's birth control pills through their health insurance.
The particular blog I read stated that basically because they were choosing to run a business in this country they needed to blindly comply to any law that was thrown their way. If they don't like the law, they can forfeit their business and close the doors.
Um... what?
Hobby Lobby isn't saying their employees can't use birth control, they're simply saying they don't want to pay for it because it violates the principles the company was founded on. As most people know, employer sponsored health insurance is subsidized by the employer. Therefore, everything offered in said health insurance is partially paid for by the employer. That includes birth control pills under the ACA as well as abortions and a slew of other things that various groups may find offensive.
The company isn't saying their employees can't get abortions or use birth control pills, they're just saying that they don't want to pay for it and they don't want to sell the service that covers it (aka the insurance) to their employees. They could offer insurance without those types of coverages and let employees pay for birth control pills or abortions out of pocket, but that's apparently not good enough. No, people are actually up in arms saying the employer HAS to pay for it.
I see something wrong with that. I see something really wrong with the notion that the government can not only tell individuals what they have to buy, but they can also tell employers what they have to buy on behalf of their employees. They don't just have to buy insurance, they have to buy insurance that covers birth control pills and abortions.
I'm sure everyone that works at Hobby Lobby knew they were a fairly religious company when they took the job. They CHOSE to work at Hobby Lobby and they CHOSE to accept employment at a company that's well-known for their religious beliefs. The people arguing that Hobby Lobby should get with the program or leave could also argue that the employees of Hobby Lobby should get with the program or leave. It's a 2 way street.
The latest post was a link to a blog about Hobby Lobby objecting to the ACA on the grounds of a conscience objection or something along those lines. In case you've been living under a rock, Hobby Lobby has a strong Christian background. They aren't open on Sunday and they haven't made it a secret that they put the morals and principles of their faith first. Part of that strong faith requires them to oppose the portion of Obamacare that would require them to pay for their employee's birth control pills through their health insurance.
The particular blog I read stated that basically because they were choosing to run a business in this country they needed to blindly comply to any law that was thrown their way. If they don't like the law, they can forfeit their business and close the doors.
Um... what?
Hobby Lobby isn't saying their employees can't use birth control, they're simply saying they don't want to pay for it because it violates the principles the company was founded on. As most people know, employer sponsored health insurance is subsidized by the employer. Therefore, everything offered in said health insurance is partially paid for by the employer. That includes birth control pills under the ACA as well as abortions and a slew of other things that various groups may find offensive.
The company isn't saying their employees can't get abortions or use birth control pills, they're just saying that they don't want to pay for it and they don't want to sell the service that covers it (aka the insurance) to their employees. They could offer insurance without those types of coverages and let employees pay for birth control pills or abortions out of pocket, but that's apparently not good enough. No, people are actually up in arms saying the employer HAS to pay for it.
I see something wrong with that. I see something really wrong with the notion that the government can not only tell individuals what they have to buy, but they can also tell employers what they have to buy on behalf of their employees. They don't just have to buy insurance, they have to buy insurance that covers birth control pills and abortions.
I'm sure everyone that works at Hobby Lobby knew they were a fairly religious company when they took the job. They CHOSE to work at Hobby Lobby and they CHOSE to accept employment at a company that's well-known for their religious beliefs. The people arguing that Hobby Lobby should get with the program or leave could also argue that the employees of Hobby Lobby should get with the program or leave. It's a 2 way street.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Pregnancy Journal: Week 20
Wait... what?! Where has the first half of my pregnancy gone?!?! I can't believe I'm officially halfway - though realistically I probably hit that marker last week judging by previous pregnancies.
As far as I know I'm at about the same weight I was at last week, which keeps my total just under 10 pounds. I have one of those older scales with the little arm that swings around and points to a number to indicate your weight. It's not the most accurate, but it gives you a general idea.
However, in terms of looks, you can tell that I'm pregnant when I'm wearing thinner clothing or more form-fitting outfits. In bulkier items like coats and sweaters, I still just look questionably fat. That's amazing given that this is my 3rd pregnancy. I think I'm about the same size-wise this time as I was with my first. I thought you were supposed to show sooner in subsequent pregnancies, what happened to that?! Not that I wish I were bigger or anything, but I'm a little surprised how long it's taking. I got a bunch of maternity clothes this time (though truthfully I hate 50% of them now because they are too clingy) and I was all set to be a house by 2 months in. It was downright surprising when that didn't happen.
So, that's the update. I don't see the Dr. again until mid-December... I was hoping to put it off until January, but she was more comfortable doing 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks. BOO! :-(
On the bright side, I have something to look forward to after the holidays as the hubby thinks that's when we'll really buckle down about decorating the baby's room. I just need him to paint and I'll take care of the rest. ;-)
As far as I know I'm at about the same weight I was at last week, which keeps my total just under 10 pounds. I have one of those older scales with the little arm that swings around and points to a number to indicate your weight. It's not the most accurate, but it gives you a general idea.
However, in terms of looks, you can tell that I'm pregnant when I'm wearing thinner clothing or more form-fitting outfits. In bulkier items like coats and sweaters, I still just look questionably fat. That's amazing given that this is my 3rd pregnancy. I think I'm about the same size-wise this time as I was with my first. I thought you were supposed to show sooner in subsequent pregnancies, what happened to that?! Not that I wish I were bigger or anything, but I'm a little surprised how long it's taking. I got a bunch of maternity clothes this time (though truthfully I hate 50% of them now because they are too clingy) and I was all set to be a house by 2 months in. It was downright surprising when that didn't happen.
So, that's the update. I don't see the Dr. again until mid-December... I was hoping to put it off until January, but she was more comfortable doing 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks. BOO! :-(
On the bright side, I have something to look forward to after the holidays as the hubby thinks that's when we'll really buckle down about decorating the baby's room. I just need him to paint and I'll take care of the rest. ;-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)