Help! I Woke Up

I so didn’t want to wake up to this morning’s news, but here I am, and here we are.

Nothing to do but roll with the punches, do the best we can with the cards we’ve been dealt and the chaos and fleecing of America that’s sure to follow.

Waiting to Exhale

Nerves still on edge, I’m afraid to wake up tomorrow morning — learn I can breathe again or if we’re screwed.

I need to drive to Redland today, have my cellphone looked at because it’s been tech heck with not being able to first swipe to accept calls and then, when I changed to tap — which worked for a while, but now doesn't work either and, when a call comes in, the phone goes to some kind of Assistant that reverts the call to text.

Absolute tech heck.

Problem with driving to Redlands is, I can’t trust myself to be around people while nerves are on edge because, if I run into poor service, I can’t promise I’ll be able to maintain. Not turn into a Karen.

I did yesterday — turned into a Karen that is. Asked to speak to the Manager, made a complaint, walked out without picking up a prescription and then Yelped a bad review for the local pharmacy.

Stopping at the pharmacy after yesterday’s workout, I was pleased to see it was a slow day — only three of us in line. I'd be in/out lickety split.

The first customer was at the counter already, picked up his package and walked away. When he walked away the young lady at the counter, instead of taking Customer No. 2, walked away and began a conversation with a coworker about something personal I wish I’d paid attention to or recorded, because she left Customer No. 2 and I hanging for 10 minutes or more.

Customer No. 2 kept turning around, complaining to me, making yak yak yak fingers with her hands to indicate the girls were ignoring us, talking instead.

"I know, I can hear them talking", said I.

When counter girl finally acknowledged Customer No. 2, took care of her pick up order, she repeated the poor lack of customer service process.

Instead of calling me to the counter, she went back to her personal conversation, picked up a few prescription packages, filed them, at  which point I was talking outloud ……… "I can’t believe she’s filing when I’m standing here ... Can she not see me? .... Am I invisible?", I said to myself.

By then, I’d been standing in line on a slow day for at least 20 minutes or more, leaned on the wall for support, thought about taking a chair from another section, dragging it over, waiting it out, but then decided screw it, walked away. But not without stopping to make a complaint with the Manager, who began walking towards the Pharmacy saying "I’ll have a talk with them" (counter girl and the coworker she’d been chatting with, while ignoring customers).

Later that night, I yelped the heck out of that Pharmacy. So, I’d best stay home today, shampoo the carpet or something, keep away from the possibility of running into more idiot people, because I’m all out of suffering poor customer service without making a fuss.

On another note, patio Halloween decorations are back in storage; except, seeing how some had turned their skeletons into lamps, the plan was to order a lighting kit and turn Skelly into a lamp.

Dragging Skelly inside, having researched the process of making a base, running electrical cords through Skelly, yada yada yada, I came to the conclusion too complicated for me, and decided to go another way.

Running the pole of the sun lamp I'd purchased a while back through Skelly's body, I've got a hilarious year-round lamp that makes me smile.

Open up and say Ahhhh

It works.

Low Expectations Part 2

Turns out no one won Tuesday’s Halloween Costume Contest.

I’m told that after Manager had that meltdown, left staff to host in her absence while she locked herself in her office, "crying because no one likes or appreciates her".

She’s not wrong, she's not liked, but there’s a reason for that. A reason or reasons she might want to analyze, instead of crying like a baby for attention.

Now, I don’t know for sure if residents saying Manager was "crying" is meant figuratively or literally. However, I did see she’d locked her office up so tight that I couldn’t see inside when I passed by. So, it’s possible crying is what she was doing in there.

At any rate, I’m told that after that "things got crazy".

When Manager did not return, staff didn’t know what to do. So, the maintenance guys shut down the serving station, told everyone to come take what you want, someone gave a gift to everyone who wore a costume, and the party was over.

No games, no contest, management’s "Spooktacular Day", scheduled from 11am-3pm, was over and done with by 12 noon .... 30 minutes after I myself had exited.

Holy Moly!

What an embarrassment.

The Baker says she’s going to ask Activity Director if she could have a talk with Manager about the things she's done that makes residents dislike her (the disrespectful way she talks to people, locking up the refrigerator, denying us access to the kitchen for our own events, yada yada yada).

If Activity Director is foolish enough to accepted that mission, my guess is her days employed here would be numbered. Then Manager would nut up on the resident or residents who'd asked Activity Director to counsel her.

I saw that happen in real time when working in the law department of a municipality.

The City Attorney, for whatever reason, asked for feedback as to how he was doing running the office. Two attorneys took him up on that, brought troubling issues to his attention, whereupon those attorneys were fired shortly thereafter.

There was a bit of a hew and a cry. The City Attorney was asked if the firings were retribution for essentially receiving negative feedback and, of course, he lied and assured that was not the reason.

No one accepted the firings were coincidences, but were powerless to do anything about it, except learn situations like that are traps to be avoided.

Will be interesting to see if history repeat itself should Activity Director choose to accept that mission, falls into the trap.

My little Stalker did a banging job on her Harley costume.

Knock Knock Knock Happy Halloween!!!

My Little Stalker trick or treated me yesterday, showed me the fake stick-on nails she’d be wearing with her Harley Quinn costume at the school's Halloween event.

Asking if she was going to wear multicolored hair, like Harley, she said yes.

Sounds like a very cool costume. A character I might consider doing in future, except I don’t think anyone around here would have a clue as to what character I'd be dressed as.

In fact, when Little Stalker was telling me her character, Grandma Talker asked, "Do you know who that is?" because she herself had not a clue.

Not to be a smarty pants, but "The Joker’s girlfriend", said I, LOL.

So, my cosplaying as Harley would not go over well here.

When at Disneyland, I saw outfits for another character I’d have liked to play, but for the fact no one here would know who that is either.

Jedi

On the 16th of Halloween, Scary Mary asked readers "What’s your favorite Halloween costume?"

I’d commented that I couldn’t remember what costumes I’d worn as a child but that, as an adult, I’d been superheroes, a nun, a tossed salad, Pikachu, a Minion, Michonne from Walking Dead, Wednesday Addams, and this year I planned to be Minnie Mouse.

You’ve seen my latest — Minnie Mouse, and you can see my Wednesday Addams over on my buddy the Catalyst's blog, so today besides being the end of Halloween also being Throwback Thursday, I dug up photos of those past costumes.

I was a nun at the office party in 1976.

In 1978, I was big into Roller Derby, had my own boot skates, wore them to the office, dressed as a Roller Derby Girl, knee pads and all.

I actually worked the whole day at my desk in skates, rolling from office to office as work required.

This next photo is of coworkers and I, heading out to lunch, stopping to show just how brutal those roller derby girls could be .... knocking down opponents, stomping on them.

Being a tossed salad was a fun time.

I was Bat Girl in 2013 and again in 2019.

In 2014, I was Captain America and Wonder Woman a time or two thereafter.

I did a Turkey Trot as a Pilgram.

The Medicare Guy, here at the complex to see a client, put down his clipboard and asked for a photo of my Pickachu character to send to his young daughter, saying that Pokémon character was his daughter's favorite.

I did Walking Dead Michonne from 2014 thru 2016, once with a coworker's son who cosplayed as Rick's son Carl.

Do you still have those costumes, I hear you ask.

Except for the ancient ones — nun, roller derby, tossed salad, and Michonne’s cape, I do still have the making of each costume and can repeat, though I prefer doing costumes I’ve not yet done.

In other news, Talker called yesterday to say that, after I left Tuesday's event, word got around pretty quick about Manager's salty attitude — walking in, walking out, saying "No one appreciates me".

The result being she made a spectacle of herself. A lot of talk went around about Manager's inability to see herself as the problem. Staff is uncomfortable around her, residents hate her, yet she sees herself as a victim — "It's not me, it's them",

I also learned, from Talker, why so few costumes.

It was like those I'd asked why no costume had responded ... "Because of HER!". Many had planned to not attend, but then Talker, and a couple other residents got together, encouraged others to attend, saying that the way our rents had been hiked, we are paying for it. So come just to eat, take food home, leave nothing for Manager to take home for her own use.

Great plan. It worked.

The worms turn.

Low Expectations

Today was management’s Harvest Festival/Costume Contest, described in the flyer as a "Spooktacular Day" from 11am-3pm.

Based on past experiences, I was expecting the festival to be a lot less than spooktacular. So, even though I had a costume prepared, I was leaning towards not being duped yet again into wasting my time with another one of their less than manganous attempts at tossing us residents a bone.

Thinking my time would be better served with catching up on my Creative Memory scrapbooking projects, but curious, I decided to do a drive by. I headed down around 11:05, said a few hellos, took a few photos, snaped a photo of Greedy Grabby at her request, had her take a photo of me, and was back in my unit by 11:25.

The food looked great.

Head Maintenance Man and his new Assistant were behind the kitchen counter and residents lined up to be served piping hot giant pretzels and corn dogs.

On side tables were cupcakes, cookies, popcorn, apple slices, juice, chips, sodas.

It was a great spread ……… unfortunately, nothing my gluten free self could eat, though I was tempted to risk getting sick on one of those giant pretzels.

What tea I caught, just before I left, was about Manager.

While staff was serving, she came in all grumpy like, walked over to the kitchen counter, complained to staff — loud enough that residents heard her, "NOBODY APPRECIATES ME!" Then stormed back to her office.

Guess she wanted us to kiss her substantial arse for throwing us a bone.

That got residents to talking, complaining about how Manager is responsible for the turnover — residents moving in one month, out the next; and that her being mean is why we no longer have a waiting list and now have "now leasing" signs posted all over the front.

At any rate, I did not return for the 12:30 costume contest. So, I have no idea who won, what the prize was — probably gift cards to the market; but very few were in costume during the time I was there.

It’s likely more costumes showed up; but while there, I only saw Di as a Zombie, one of the women who took my seat at bingo dressed as a Witch (go figure), a new resident as ……… I’m not sure, but dressed in a suit, wearing a mask, I'm guessing Phantom of the Opera, Talker wore a monkey mask, Hell on Wheels wore a fancy flowered head thingie, then of course there was Minnie Mouse.

I was undecisive as to wear the ears I’d planned for.

Or the ears the kids gifted me at Disneyland.

I went with the ears I’d planned for.

Minnie’s hands are white gloves that I used a black marker to make the signature three knuckle lines.

I asked two residents, who always wore costumes before, about the lack thereof this year. "Because of HER!" (Manager) they both said.

Interesting that they’d attend, eat the food, but hated Manager so much they drew the line at dressing in costume.

When I asked Dream Lover why no costume, he said "I never wear costumes".

Not true, because he dressed as a Pennywise the scary clown last year, and a Dinosaur the year before.

Whatever.

On the way out, I purposely walked by Manager's office to see if she was sitting there sulking, feeling sorry for her unappreciated self, upset that, for whatever reason, she'd had to throw residents a bone, but saw the blinds drawn so tight, that I couldn't see inside.

I don't think she's comfortable around people enjoying themselves. She a control freak, prefers having people under her thumb — quiet, fearful.

Oh well. Sucks to be her.

And Now This

Long time readers might recall the story of how it was, back in 2017, when I had that weird encounter with the neighbor living in the unit beneath mine.

When the former neighbor of that unit was taken to a care facility, the woman who now occupies the unit (known in the blog as Illusive Unfriendly and sometimes referred to as Creepy Girl downstairs) moved in quick, fast, overnight.

So quick, fast and stealth that it was days before I realized someone was living in the unit, then it was days, maybe even weeks before I actually saw her.

Returning from the market, I one day saw a woman sweeping up leaves in front of that unit, made the assumption it was she, took the opportunity to say hello, welcome her to the quad.

The encounter went like this ………

"Hi, are you the new neighbor?"

"Yes" she replied without looking up to make eye contact.

"I’m your upstairs neighbor, my name is Shirley".

Still looking away, she began laughing.

Puzzled, I just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"A lot of Shirley’s" says she seemingly to herself.

"Oh. Have you met other residents named Shirley?"

"No. I just know a lot of Shirleys".

"You won’t have a hard time remembering my name then."

Silence, still evasive – turned away, avoiding eye contact.

She hadn’t given me her name, so I asked, "What’s your name?"

If she said, I didn't hear her it, so I just left it at "Well, welcome."

Silence.

My instincts were telling me to run, but instead, I pushed on, "Have you met any of the other neighbors in this building?"

"I don’t socialize. I don’t even go to the Day Room (meaning the Community Room). I don’t like to be around people."

"We’re pretty nice here."

Whereupon, she finally turned in my direction, looked me dead in my eyes and cold as ice punched out, "I … DON'T … LIKE … PEOPLE! … I'LL … SPEAK … BUT … THAT'S … IT!!"

A little frightened by the dark energy she was displaying, I said "Okay then", and fled up the stairs.

It irked me to no end that after chasing me away with "I DON’T LIKE PEOPLE" it became obvious her dislike of people did not include male residents. I concluded she didn’t like people who had innies, just liked those with outies …… if you know what I mean.

But if that’s how she wanted it, so be it.

I’ve stayed out of her way since, and because she came across as cra cra, I’d pass her on the walkway, tell myself she doesn’t exist and was able to walk by her stone faced, my eyes dead, as though she really wasn’t there.

And so it went for four years until she resurfaced in 2021, showed just how cra cra she was by complaining to the office, on more than one occasion, that I was disturbing her peace by bouncing a ball 3:30 A.M.

Trust me …… the only thing I’m doing at that hour is sleeping, and the ball she accused me of bouncing in actuality was someone doing laundry at that ungodly hour, churning sounds coming from the machines.

Her bedroom is right next to the Laundry Room and she couldn’t tell the difference between noise coming from right next to her, attributing it instead to my bouncing a ball upstairs?

I was beginning to take it personal, thinking she was having an issue with me in particular. Perhaps upset because instead of trying to win her over, play nice, I’d ignored her for so long. I also told Next Door Neighbor perhaps her issue with me was jealousy because "she’s young and ugly, I’m old and pretty".

Why I referred to her as "young" will become clear as you read on, and though she has no problem attracting the outies, I think she'd unattractive.

At any rate, that was that until this Saturday when I went to the Laundry Room, walked in, saw her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) folding clothes on a corner table.

I think I might have instinctively forgotten who I was talking to and said, "Hello".

I don’t recall if she said "Hello" back, but when I subsequently got back to acting as though she did not exist, went about my business of putting clothes in one of the washers, she suddenly spoke up. Said that machine wasn’t working, and went on to say how she’d tried and failed to get what money she’d put in the machine back.

Next thing I know, she’s talking to me like we’re old friends. Actually, spilled some tea about TinTin.

It was old tea having to do with that rumor of TinTin bringing bugs with her, saying her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) boyfriend on the property (Big Friendly Guy) had told her this, that, the other.

Old tea that she had probably been itching to tell someone, but at least she was being friendly.

Seeing an opening, I asked her name. This time she told me and added, "I know your name is Shirley".

Did she remember from years before when I told her my name, or has she and her boyfriend been talking about me and he stood up for me, told her I'm not a threat, too old for her to be jealous of? Who knows.

Whatever her issue ─ not liking me personally, not liking people with innies, and taking seven years to tell me her name, her issue has nothing to do with her being of old age as she was given some kind of special dispensation, was allowed to move in at not yet 50. She was in her 40’s and may still not yet meet the age requirement for this complex.

And now this …………