Giving thanks in November

It is currently a Facebook trend to post daily statuses on what you are thankful for through the month of November. Aww, how creative! Yeah, not so much. I've seen some about how thankful they are for such great friends from all backgrounds, thankful for a husband, etc.

Puke.

Ok, people, I'm gonna put a list together of some of the things we're all (or most of us) thankful for, but won't end up on Facebook.

1. I'm thankful for the ability to block calls/texts from certain numbers on my phone. I don't really want to continue talking to jerks, or guys I felt guilt-tripped into giving my real number.

2. I'm thankful for the microwave. Seriously, you can't make diddly squat without one anymore! Leftovers? Oh, yeah, just stick them in the toaster. Um..no.

3. I'm thankful for not having to live with a roommate anymore. FREEDOM RULES!!

4. I'm thankful for Forever 21 having cute cheap clothes. Those of us who want to look good on a budget depend on them!

5. I'm thankful for Beringer White Zinfandel. It goes with pretty much anything, and it's crisp and just slightly sweet.

6. I'm thankful for Avril Lavigne for inspiring my Halloween costume. Too bad no one remembers her old school look. Come on, who else wears a tie like that??

7. I'm thankful for 409. Without my beloved all-purpose cleaner, I would still have black stains on my microfiber couch.

8. I'm thankful for sleeping in for the past week. Much needed rest!

9. I'm thankful for having so many different shades of red lipstick to choose from.

10. I'm thankful for Facebook. Without it, how else would I know if someone liked something I said?

There you go. 10 things I'm thankful for, that you are most likely thankful for as well.

Gratefully yours,

~K

The New Boy - Old Boy Phenomenon

Perhaps there's a different name for it, but I'll call it the "New Boy - Old Boy Phenomenon" or NBOBP for short.

I'm sure for most females who have dated around a bit, they are familiar with the concept: As soon as you start dating or talking to a new guy, suddenly a guy you had dated previously contacts you in some way.

Is he aware of this new guy? Maybe not. Somehow, there's a little tiny chip built into heterosexual males (sorry, these are the only specimens that have been examined) to alert them when a female is connecting with a new male. Once triggered, they feel the obligation to text, call, email, or Facebook said female so that she is still aware of their existence.

It amazes me that I just wrote a post about how my ex's best friend unfriended me on Facebook, and early this morning he randomly decides to comment on my Facebook status. Was it due to the blog? Was it that little chip alerting him to the fact that I've been talking with some other guys?

It will perhaps remain an unsolved mystery.

The next guy's pre-ex girlfriend,

~K

Facebook Friend Etiquette: Friends of your ex

So a few moments ago, I was playing around on Facebook. I had noticed that my friend number had gone down by 1 or 2, but that happens on occasion. Then I went to type in my friend Liz's name to post something on her wall. That's when I realized...there was another Liz that was suddenly not showing up in the list of options.

I actually typed in her full name, and none of those smiling faces belonged to the girl I was looking for. To further check what happened, I went to my ex's profile (yes, we're still FB friends). There she was.

My ex's best friend un-friended me. Such drama! Such scorn! Such...well, I guess we don't really talk or anything, so I guess it doesn't matter.

So for those of you who have experienced this, what do you do with all of those "friends" that you've made through your now-ex after the breakup? Do you just leave them there? Do you remove them? Do you ::gasp:: block them? I've just kinda left them all there, not really thinking much of it.

Is it sad that you've lost one of your pseudo-friends?



I guess. But at least no real friends were compromised.

Your friend,

~K

The joys of being a CSR: part 2

So if you read my previous post on the topic, you know that one of my recent experiences with a certain customer was quite interesting. Well, I responded by letting him know UPS hadn't updated the information, and asked if he would like a reshipment or refund. This was his response.

"My Dear K,


What's up G?! Thanks for writing me back and thanks for doing it with such enthusiasm! I know you did not particularly ask for this assignment and for that I must apologize. However, now is a big opportunity for you to step up and make a difference not only in my life but the millions and millions of people affected by this situation. I know, it's a lot to take in... I'll give you a second to take a deep breath and let the gravity of the situation set in....


Good. Now that we are both on the same page it is time to discuss this issue of whether I ask for a refund or for a reshipment of my order. You can understand the position this puts me in. Part of me would like to receive a refund and spend my money elsewhere but there is still a desire for me to actually have the products I ordered. This reminds me of a childhood memory where I was faced with a very similar situation. You see K, when I was the ripe old age of 6 maybe 7, I was quite the backyard Wiffle Ball star of my neighborhood. I believe on this particular day it was Game 5 of our neighborhood World Series and I was glad to be in my backyard and have home field advantage. It was just before the 7th inning stretch and things were really starting to heat up, not only on the field but also in my Incredible Hulk underwear. What I didn't tell you was that I had a terrible addiction to chocolate milk back then and nothing got my poop reactor working overtime like drinking a tall glass of the hard stuff and then hustling around the bases in the warm August sun.


I remember it clearly. I was on deck with one out and it was at this time that I had to make a critical decision. I could either A, run over to the hedges by the back door, pop a squat and make it back just in time to hit the go ahead double into the gap OR I could go with option B and try to hold back the flood gates until the next inning but I would risk destroying my underwear and self esteem on a hard slide into 2nd base... After carefully weighing the pros and cons I went with option A. To this day I think I made the right call but what I failed to realize at the time was that my father had been standing in the kitchen window and witnessed the entire horrifying deuce dropping. He was not pleased. He laid into me so bad with his belt that not only was I unable to finish out the wiffle ball game but I was forever cursed with a fear of belts which now explains my elastic dress pants.


I guess what I'm trying to say K is that I'm afraid to make the wrong decision here. I think the best thing to do in this case would be for me to go with option A and B. I would like you to go ahead a process a reshipment of my order but I would also like a refund. And... if you would be a little lamb and throw in one of those alligator skin covers for my iPad I would be forever grateful. I'm glad we were able to work this out K, you're not only a good person.... you are now my friend.


Respectfully,
Stupid Customer"

Dude. Seriously? If he wanted to write a novel, send it to a publisher, not customer service. And no, we did not give him all his heart desired. He received a refund.

The best part of all this? His email address is the same one he uses on Facebook, meaning I could see what he looked like, know his wife's name, and now know where he works. Besides having his home phone number and address.

Wanna go psycho on me? Two can play that game! ...but I won't.

Just a girl doing her job,

~K

Here We Go Again

So I've told you all about B, the most recent guy. Well, this is the message that I received from him today on Facebook:

Hey, so I've been thinking lately about you and I. To be honest I'm not really feeling a strong connection between us. It sucks because you are an amazing girl and a LOT of fun to hang out with. I know any guy would be very lucky to have you. I just think its fair to tell you this so I'm not wasting your time at all. If you still want to be friends then that would be awesome, but if not I completely understand. Also, sorry I sent this to you on facebook, I didn't really know how to say it in person. Let me know what you think whenever you get a chance, talk to you later.

Sigh. The old "it's not you, it's me" line, brought to you by Facebook!

Oh well. If the feeling isn't there, I'm not gonna push it. I did tell him I intend to get my Freaks & Geeks collection.

Alone again,

~K

Stagnancy

Sometimes in my life, I get so caught up in the cycle of life. Day after day I find myself going to the same places, doing the same things, and never stopping to enjoy the life that keeps speeding by. Once in this rut, it is such a tricky thing to get out. I've done it before, and I sincerely hope that I can do it again.

Just a few short months away, I will have been on this earth and out of the womb for a quarter of a century. Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, it isn't that long, but it sure seems like a lot of time to have so little accomplished. Every passing moment reminds me of the things that I still have yet to do. My passport remains empty, and I have the last name that I've always had.

Facebook constantly reminds me of all the fabulous things that those around me are doing. I suppose that it's only makes sense to highlight all of the wonderful things you do for the world to see, rather than the dull day-to-day activities (though some people post those, too).

I want to do so much, but I hate facing my own disappointment when I don't make my goals. While the lack of a degree may not change the way my family and friends see me, I see it as a failure. Meeting up with old friends or out-of-town family members and one of the first topics of discussion is the love life. In my case, it is a lack of one. One boyfriend in my entire life, with the relationship only lasting 5 months, seems a bit sad. I've dated on and off since, but it's mostly off. At 24, I still have no idea of "what I want to be when I grow up."

As my life changes, it also stays very much the same. The seasons change around me as I stay still.

Right now I need a jump start.

~K

Google and McQueen

I simply cannot keep track of all of the different social networking sites that are up-and-coming all the time. It seems that foursquare has taken off, and now we have another Google entity vying for attention. Google Buzz seems to be a bit Twitter, and a bit Facebook. Yet, this is not the only network-y tool that Google has marketed. It seems like just yesterday that Facebook statuses were all screaming out for invitations to try Google Wave. Just a bit further back, one of my friends tried to entice me into joining orkut, Google's main social networking site. Note to Google: too much already!

In other news, Alexander McQueen was found dead in what seems to be a suicide. The fashion world will be a bit lonelier today.

Those are my thoughts and tidbits for today, folks!

~K