Holidaze

PHOTO FROM: "CAST AWAY"
C. 2000, DREAMWORKS SKG

Speaking of broken things...many service companies don't give their customers credit for being able to anticipate the holiday rush (they act as if nobody plans for the holidays except them).

This has the effect of favoring poor planners over good ones in many circumstances.

2 days ago I called for an international-light-
parcel-shipper (not FedEx) to pick up a package from my house...and today when the driver arrived, he saw that it didn't have the proper way-bill (or ANY way-bill, for that matter), and could not take the package.

Now...MAYBE...this is NOBODY'S FAULT. I know that many companies host holiday-parties on this particular Friday because they anticipate so much business during the holidays that they take this one because it is the last opportunity they will have to have one.

But as a person with brain-damage, I too have to plan far in advance for the holidays.

But NO GO. My package will be collected later today (I'm told), which is okay with me because I plan ahead.

But I know that for the myriad service-personnel being under the gun to meet artificial deadlines this often means doing things twice, thrice, even four times to stave-off over-stressed bosses AND customers who expect everything to be resolved NOW.

So even though this package will be delayed, I make it a point to let everyone in the loop know that I still appreciate their service, and I know that things are crazy EVERYWHERE.

So my gift to the service-personnel out there is this:
"I understand...it will be OK."

UPDATE SATURDAY 10 AM:
As of 10:00 AM, a driver has not returned to pick up this package. Now the company is going to charge me overnight Saturday rates for a package I have been trying to ship since Thursday.

I wish I had used FedEx now, but unfortunately the Canadian courier who recommended this other US company for the first-leg has a virtual monopoly on that destination.

I will NEVER ship with this company again.

UPDATE SUNDAY 11 PM:
I guess this company thinks it can afford to screw-up, because a courier has NOT shown up, despite repeated assurances from 5 people on the staff that a resolution was imminent 5 days ago for a rush shipment. I guess when they start losing offices at US airports they will wake up.

UPDATE TUESDAY 11 AM:
It has now been almost a full week since I was told be VARIOUS personnel that my package pickup was imminent. No person has ever arrived. Even the confirmation number I was given no longer exists in SOME parts of the company's own tracking-system. And people wonder how terrorists are able to compromise national security...I'm confident that this company could get a fully-ambulatory terrorist's package through without any problems...it's the legitimate medical parcels (like mine) for the disabled that they have trouble with (again I want to reiterate that the company IS NOT Federal Express).

ALMOST FUNCTIONAL = NOT HELPING

I hesitate to remind my readers that I have only one working hand, 1/2 a working leg, and 1000 square feet of living space...
TOTAL.

So how do people show their care? By giving me near-useless TRASH to fill the remainder of that space.

I am going to be buried alive in this material-minded culture, and all the while I am misinterpreted as being "thankless" for "hand-me-down" gifts (=trash).

I think if people actually empathized with the disabled, they would understand why "sweet-nothings" are REALLY the best kind of gift.

In Tune with SOMETHING...

I've only recent seen View Askew's DOGMA.

And I am ever-impressed with Kevin Smith's sensitive, yet completely unassuming take on reality. He's NOT one of the Bad Guys. I don't think.

Some people may be repelled by the humor (it is rated R in the U.S.), but NOTHING is insincere about it...even the casting of singer Alanis Morrisette as the surprisingly fun-loving GOD...it makes ya think. ;)

I could tell you more, but you will no doubt have your own opinions. It made ME laugh ;)

Good work dudes...AND chicks. ;)

Shake it Off

Although my dad is very apologetic about it, in moments of frustration, he was apt to be the source of some extremely useless comments.

One of the most memorable was the quick admonishment to "shake it off."(in the true spirit of a faux First-Responder ) when I would somehow endure some pain, or some childhood disillusionment event.

Although the advise was clearly dismissive, I never really learned what I could "shake off" to make those experiences any less uncomfortable. But I guess that's just part of Growin' Up ;)

I understand the dynamics now, but the word selection has always baffled me.

I guess some mysteries never get unraveled. ;)

Addendum 3:28 PST
I figured it out. I was supposed to "Shake Off" those childhood experiences like an unexpected downpour...Shake those raindrops off my head. Ironic that I wouldn't think of that because the theme from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head) was formerly my favorite song...which I augmented with the altered lyrics: "Because I'm Three"

Addendum 13 November 2007:
Funny how in the 4D character of life, those things NOW really are as raindrops. ;)