So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Hercule]

Never think that a friend you ask a favor of will actually do what you ask.

 

[Hercule]

Never think that a friend you ask a favor of will actually do what you ask.

Allow me to elaborate: two days ago a friend of the family , a"professional" videographer, agreed to film a project our son is doing. It's a ten minute, one-man show and we simply wanted something we can put on YouTube and link to for those who have helped with the project and (most important of all) family back east. Well, I'm sure you can see where this is gong - so, long story short, we're re filming it ourselves this evening using whatever cameras we can manage.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
In a similar vein ...

It's best not to recommend a friend or associate's services on nothing stronger than that friendship or association. If you don't know that the person is good at his or her work, well, you are hardly in a position to testify to that effect.

I'll spare you all and myself the incidents in my life that clearly illustrate how these sorts of recommendations too often turn out. Just recalling them makes my blood boil.

 

[sheeplady]

I had a friend of a friend in college that needed a job. She was estranged from her family and I felt sorry for her. I struggled in college and my family life wasn't good growing up, so I knew of a temp job and I hooked her up. I had a very stable full time job while in school.

(Her mother had severe mental illness and had tried to kill her and her sister as children. Her father didn't care. Eventually her mother was put in inpatient for tracking down the spouses of the employees of a phone company and threatening to torture and kill them. When I say I felt bad, I had good reason.)

She was a good employee, except she left the job a week early with no notice and basically disappeared, taking some of my boss's Bollywood dvds (she had borrowed) with her. I (as well as my boss and our mutual friends) tried to get in touch with her but it's like she disappeared off the planet. Even her boyfriend had no clue where she was... she cleared out her apartment in the middle of the night and left school.

I always wondered what happened to her. My boss, who didn't know the background was understanding after I told her. I don't know if her mother found her, if she thought her mother was onto her, or if she just flaked or what. When I was younger, I figured she flaked. But now, I think she ran, likely with good reason.

 

[2jakes]

So trivial, yet it ticks me off...

When alligators develop sign-making skills.

 

[sheeplady]

That just makes you run faster.

 

[Fading Fast]

So trivial, yet it ticks me off...

When alligators develop sign-making skills.

Every region has its issues - I'm afraid that if NYC rats get any bigger, there is a good chance one will be able to take me - but I'm glad I don't have to think about this ⇧

 

[LizzieMaine]

God help the fool who goes by there wearing alligator shoes.

 

[Touchofevil]

I had a friend of a friend in college that needed a job. She was estranged from her family and I felt sorry for her. I struggled in college and my family life wasn't good growing up, so I knew of a temp job and I hooked her up. I had a very stable full time job while in school.

(Her mother had severe mental illness and had tried to kill her and her sister as children. Her father didn't care. Eventually her mother was put in inpatient for tracking down the spouses of the employees of a phone company and threatening to torture and kill them. When I say I felt bad, I had good reason.)

She was a good employee, except she left the job a week early with no notice and basically disappeared, taking some of my boss's Bollywood dvds (she had borrowed) with her. I (as well as my boss and our mutual friends) tried to get in touch with her but it's like she disappeared off the planet. Even her boyfriend had no clue where she was... she cleared out her apartment in the middle of the night and left school.

I always wondered what happened to her. My boss, who didn't know the background was understanding after I told her. I don't know if her mother found her, if she thought her mother was onto her, or if she just flaked or what. When I was younger, I figured she flaked. But now, I think she ran, likely with good reason.

That sounds like an episode of 20/20 or Dateline. I am curious as to what happened and how her life played out; hopefully for the better.

 

[GHT]

I'm afraid that if NYC rats get any bigger, there is a good chance one will be able to take me -

If they get any bigger in LA, they won't be able to squeeze through the sewers.

 

[2jakes]

I had a friend of a friend in college that needed a job. She was estranged from her family and I felt sorry for her. I struggled in college and my family life wasn't good growing up, so I knew of a temp job and I hooked her up. I had a very stable full time job while in school.

(Her mother had severe mental illness and had tried to kill her and her sister as children. Her father didn't care. Eventually her mother was put in inpatient for tracking down the spouses of the employees of a phone company and threatening to torture and kill them. When I say I felt bad, I had good reason.)

She was a good employee, except she left the job a week early with no notice and basically disappeared, taking some of my boss's Bollywood dvds (she had borrowed) with her. I (as well as my boss and our mutual friends) tried to get in touch with her but it's like she disappeared off the planet. Even her boyfriend had no clue where she was... she cleared out her apartment in the middle of the night and left school.

I always wondered what happened to her. My boss, who didn't know the background was understanding after I told her. I don't know if her mother found her, if she thought her mother was onto her, or if she just flaked or what. When I was younger, I figured she flaked. But now, I think she ran, likely with good reason.

Ya got me hooked.

You got to tell me what happens next.

Come on now...even if ya have to make it up!

 

[sheeplady]

That sounds like an episode of 20/20 or Dateline. I am curious as to what happened and how her life played out; hopefully for the better.

I have no idea, unfortunately. She spoke once of changing her name, but I'd have no idea what she picked if she did. When I knew her she was untraceable... she didn't have an entry in the university directory and her email wasn't even reverse searchable... which is the highest level of security for that directory I ever saw. Everybody was in the directory (you had to opt OUT) and there was no way to opt out of reverse searching by yourself... you had to go to an office and plead your case, with documentation. I know this based on personal experience of my own.)

 

[2jakes]

I have no idea, unfortunately. She spoke once of changing her name, but I'd have no idea what she picked if she did. When I knew her she was untraceable... she didn't have an entry in the university directory and her email wasn't even reverse searchable... which is the highest level of security for that directory I ever saw. Everybody was in the directory (you had to opt OUT) and there was no way to opt out of reverse searching by yourself... you had to go to an office and plead your case, with documentation. I know this based on personal experience of my own.)

You sure this wasn't a bad dream?

 

[sheeplady]

You sure this wasn't a bad dream?

No, it was very real, unfortunately. Her boyfriend was from the same city as my then boyfriend (now husband).

To be honest, I was always a bit worried about her mental health. She didn't have a good upbringing and had some after effects from it. Her grandmother had also had severe mental illness; I worried for her it might be genetic. She was... flaky but smart and kind. I like to think she made it out scott-free; finished her degree later and is happily married with three kids of her own, living out west someplace. She wanted kids, but was afraid kids would "activate" her mental illness.

I wouldn't have believed any of this if I didn't know some of her friends or hadn't met her boyfriend, etc. The details of the story we were all told might not be true, but I know she never left the campus area (never went home during breaks- I rarely did either), had problems with financial aid (I went with her once to the office), and she was enrolled at the college but untraceable.

Whether her mother tried to kill her and her sister (sisters?) and threatened other people I have no idea. She could have made all that up. But she was consistent and everything she said aligned with what I saw.

 

[sheeplady]

Every region has its issues - I'm afraid that if NYC rats get any bigger, there is a good chance one will be able to take me - but I'm glad I don't have to think about this ⇧

This is why you have a second helping of dessert. Make it harder for them to carry you off!

 

[Touchofevil]

No, it was very real, unfortunately. Her boyfriend was from the same city as my then boyfriend (now husband).

To be honest, I was always a bit worried about her mental health. She didn't have a good upbringing and had some after effects from it. Her grandmother had also had severe mental illness; I worried for her it might be genetic. She was... flaky but smart and kind. I like to think she made it out scott-free; finished her degree later and is happily married with three kids of her own, living out west someplace. She wanted kids, but was afraid kids would "activate" her mental illness.

I wouldn't have believed any of this if I didn't know some of her friends or hadn't met her boyfriend, etc. The details of the story we were all told might not be true, but I know she never left the campus area (never went home during breaks- I rarely did either), had problems with financial aid (I went with her once to the office), and she was enrolled at the college but untraceable.

Whether her mother tried to kill her and her sister (sisters?) and threatened other people I have no idea. She could have made all that up. But she was consistent and everything she said aligned with what I saw.

Really a quite sad story.

 

[sheeplady]

Mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, is beyond challenging. A father's friend in high school had it; he'd linger between perfect clarity (rare) and nonsensical mumbling. Having had a lot of mental illness in my family and having volunteered at the nearby institution; I can fully say that having a loved one in and out (or simply in) of institutional care can be heartbreaking. Some of the things I saw at the institution were... haunting.

I was lucky, despite a strong family history, I passed through my twenties without developing paranoia or schizophrenia. That's apparently when it commonly shows up.

 

[MisterCairo]

People who do not return shopping carts/buggies in mall and plaza parking lots.

"Let's play 'Ding the Other Person's Car'"!

 

[tonyb]

People who do not return shopping carts/buggies in mall and plaza parking lots.

"Let's play 'Ding the Other Person's Car'"!

Yup. We've discussed this some already, but it's an ongoing problem. I often find myself putting the supermarket carts others have left in parking spaces in the cart returns. I'm no model citizen, but for my own sake I try to actually do something about little irritations rather than merely complain about them. Putting the carts where they belong might take a while to catch on, but we gotta start somewhere, and we gotta be persistent.

 

[MisterCairo]

^^^

Put one away last night at a local drug store.