The Sage is Always Quiet

Except for the Funeral and Cemetery Scams, Tuesday’s scam workshop wasn’t anything I didn’t already know about.

I don’t answer my cellphone if it’s a number I do not recognize, so that keeps me clear of telemarketing/phone scammers.

I’m not trying to stay young forever and I don’t like pain or needles, so I’m not likely to get caught up in fraudulent Anti-Aging Products or renegade Botox.

As for the Grandparent Scam, I did just recently get a call from granddaughter that she was in a bind and needed money, but I knew for sure it was she, and feel comfortable I’d be wise enough to recognize a voice and/or double check if a scammer posed as a fake family member in need, requesting money be sent via Western Union or MoneyGram. Plus, again, if the number popping up on my phone is not one I recognize, I wouldn’t even take the call.

The Email/Phishing Scams are a tougher trap to stay clear of, but I do try to be careful of where I go online, what I open and keep my virus protection up-to-date.

That Funeral and Cemetery Scam was totally new to me and involves scammers reading obituaries, calling or attending funeral services and taking advantage of the grieving by claiming the deceased had an outstanding debt with them.

Never heard of that one, have you? But, again, I don’t answer the phone when the caller’s number is unknown to me, and I seriously doubt the scammer would leave a message. As to attending the funeral ...  some of the folks in my family are on the rough side, so good luck to the scammer coming in, trying something like that and getting out alive.

All in all, the workshop was okay and could have been better if one of the residents hadn’t had to constantly interject her two cents in with long-winded boring comments.

I kept trying to catch her eye and send her shut up vibes, but she wasn’t positioned to where she could see me.

Her jibber jabber was so distracting and so annoying that I began to loudly sigh.

She paid no mind.

I began thinking it might be a good idea to bang my head on the table to make the pain stop.

She continued interrupting the speaker ever few seconds to tell of her knowledge and experience and what she’s seen, heard, read on that particular scam.

I began chanting “shut up shut up shut up” under my breath and, when I reached the point where I thought I might lose control and yell “SHUT UP” out loud, I decided it best to leave, which is what I did.

Heading back to my unit, I stopped to pick up mail (Damaged mail area still not repaired. Those impacted residents still have to pick up at the post office) and got into a conversation with a neighbor, not present at the workshop. She asked what was discussed, I gave her a recap and said I’d left early because Little Miss Jibber Jabber wouldn’t stop talking.

She immediately knew who I was speaking of, because Jibber Jabber is always getting told in Bingo and in meetings to quiet down, because she not only talks too much, but talks over speakers, talks over the Bingo caller and talks so loudly that others can’t hear.

At any rate, this neighbor thinks Jibber Jabber’s problem is she lives alone and people that live alone, once out, with an opportunity to communicate with others, can’t stop talking.

“I live alone”, said I “And I’m not out here running my mouth just to hear myself talk”.

“Good point”, said she.

Thinking about it later, I remembered years ago hearing a quote, something to the effect that “The sage is always quiet”. Sage being the quiet meditative deep thinkers of the world.

My mom, who never understood me or forgave me for having a personality that reminded her of my father’s side of the family, put my sage like peaceful quiet demeanor in a different context, “Still water runs dirty” she’d say of me.

I’d rather be known as a dirty deep thinker than a jibber jabbering air head.

And speaking of dirty, Stormy Daniels has written a tell-all book. I’m not the least bit interested in reading it, but I ran across an excerpt that describes the Orange Traitor’s very personal body part in terms that made me go “eweee” and think “poor Melania”. I can’t repeat what was said, but if you want to read it, go here.

On tap for today is a manicure/pedicure and tomorrow I’m off to that meditation retreat. I’ll return on Monday, just in time for the Senate Judiciary Hearing. Kavanaugh’s Accuser may or may not testify. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t because I’m still traumatized by what I saw happen to Anita Hill. Either way, I won’t watch because I’m expecting to come back on a high and don’t want the Committee’s ignorance and abuse of the woman to bring me down.

Oh, and by the way, we do have a new Community Manager. I understand her first day in the office was last Friday.

I met her as I was walking out of the workshop. She seems nice, but let’s see how long before Corporate changes that.