CostcoWarrior

Waiting at Red 24 September 2008

Saturday morning we went on a motorcycle ride with 2 other couples from our neighborhood.  We took off in an excited rush, only to be stopped immediately on a left turn at a red light that refused to go green. 

We waited.  Nothing happened.

We leaned right.  Nothing happened.

We leaned left.  Nothing happened.

We contemplated some serious curse words.   Nothing happened.

And then I hopped off the motorcycle, ran across the adjacent lane, hit the pedestrian crosswalk button, then ran back to the bike and climbed back on. 

FINALLY!!  Something happened.  Green is a good color, isn’t it?

It was a fun ride -running from rain clouds, getting turned around in some detoured neighborhoods, and getting spectacular views of the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys.

Being Sold 16 September 2008

This is just a bit of a rant I want to get off my chest and out there into cyberspace…

I’ve decided I don’t like being “sold” anything.  I don’t mind testimonials or rave reviews–those coming from individuals receiving no kick back or reward for their passionate opinions.  These sorts of comments seem to ring true to me–recommendations and advice that come with no pressure or manipulation–you can take it or leave it and it really doesn’t matter to them.

I NEVER FEEL GOOD AFTER I’VE BEEN SOLD SOMETHING.  I feel guilty that maybe I just agreed to quickly.  Or maybe I didn’t think things through on my own.   And of course everything the person is saying SEEMS like a good idea, SEEMS like it’s irrefutable, SEEMS like it would be stupid to say anything in disagreement.  But it all make me FEEL uncomfortable.  A big ball of wriggling mess in the pit of my stomach that threatens to grow and gorge itself on my innards.  A bad taste of bile in the back of my throat that won’t disappear even when I take a drink.  The tettering doubt in my decision to buy or invest in what I’ve been sold.  And the cloud of disappointing remorse that hangs over whatever object I’ve purchased.  I have to re-talk myself into the deal and keep assuring myself that it was a good thing. 

The problem is…I can be sold so easily.  At least that’s what my past proves.  Stupid stuff in split second decisions…some even costing more than $1000.  Why do I do it?  Why do I give in to their tactics?  Why are they so good at getting me to say yes and sign my money away?  Why does it take me forever to forgive myself for being a pushover idiot who is now significantly poorer??

A few months ago, we made an appointment with an AC/Heat company to price out possibly replacing our furnace and adding an AC unit to the house.  Not surprisingly, instead of a technician, they sent a salesman.  He looked in our utility closet for about 15 seconds, probably out of courtesy, and then proceded to sell us the “most applicable” system to our home (that he hadn’t even looked at, remember?).  “It’s $7500, but let me call my partner and see if he still has one of those last season manufacturer’s coupons that will give you $500 off…Oh–he has one left, but he’s going to offer it at an appointment tonight…oh good, he agreed not to mention it at his appointment if I pay for his lunch tomorrow–just looking out for you, it’s not a problem for me, you’re the most important…so you have to make a decision right now in order to get the deal…oh you want to wait and talk about it together?…hmmm…well I can’t promise anything past 6pm tonight, so you have to call me back as soon as you know…”  Why do I have to make a $7000 decision off of just one quote in just 3 hours?  How am I supposed to feel good about that?  Luckily, we said no to that one! 

And what about all the sales jobs that don’t involve money?  Like the movie preview we went to last night where the movie company rep pretty much “sold” us in a begging way on spreading the word on the movie’s moral standings and feel good stature–”If you want to see good movies that don’t tout sex and violence in the theaters, of course you tell everyone you know that they HAVE to see this movie on opening night!”  Gosh.  I haven’t even seen the movie yet!  Just tell me you had a great time making it and hope if we like it we’ll tell people and sit down and turn the movie on and don’t spend 15 minutes after the movie bugging me to agree that it was the best movie I’ve ever seen!

I am going on a DON’T AGREE TO ANYTHING SOMEONE IS SELLING ME KICK (whether it involves money or not).  So, seriously, if you want me to agree to something, leave the sell-tactics in your back pocket.  Just tell me honestly what you think and let me make my own choice and don’t make me feel stupid for the choice I make off your words.  Then all my physical ailments of “being sold” won’t flare up and we can continue to be friends because I still trust that our friendship isn’t based on whether or not I agree with you!

<sigh>

And now I’m done…The End.  Thanks.

We’re Roofing 13 September 2008

It was going to be the dreaded “Actually get to doing something about the dirt humps in front of the house that are passing as flower beds despite the fact that they’re only growing weeds” day.

Fortunately, we’ll have to postpone that activity…again…

Instead, we are going to roof.  My father-in-law said he’d “save” shingles for anyone wanting to nail them in.  Of course, we want to nail some shingles in.  The project unexpectedly got bigger last night, when he realized the plywood in some areas needed to be replaced, so last night we tore the old stuff out and re-plywooded the roof.  Yes.  I just made that word up.  I like it.  It’s descriptive.  It’s re-plywooded.

Today we’re off in our “please get me even more permanently dirty than I already am” clothes with hammers in hand to nail in those shingles.  A bunch of the siblings and grandkids are coming too, so hopefully it will be fun to work our bodies to death in a togetherness sort of way.

The Warrior would also like to add that we’ve been married for only 544,000 minutes.  That’s not even a million yet.

Tips 4 September 2008

There is a million things to do in Cancun, but NOTHING is free. Everyone tells you NOT to drink the water, but we’re not sure if they are trying to keep us safe OR just try to sell overpriced bottle water. ($5 for 1 liter) and it seems like anytime you get help from anybody they turn around and say, “if yoo tfhink I did a good job let me know by giving me a tip. Just put it in my “happy jar”. We live off our tips, if you don’t tip us our families will starve. (how do you think I pay for the millions of text messages I’ve been sending all day long?)”. I can’t help but wonder where all the money goes when you give them $300 for something that should cost half that. If that’s not enough, the urinal cover brand name is “Tipps”. I couldn’t tell if it was a way for the tour company and hospitality industry to promote tipping or just a coincidence.

Our newly discovered Cancun activity is riding the public transportation. This is perhaps the cheapest thrill we’ve found. for only $6.50 Pesos you can ride the bus anywhere it goes. Right after you get on the driver hits the gas and goes flying down the road. It almost feels like a roller coaster the way it zips around the roads. Don’t plan on it stopping at every stop either. You have to watch carefully and make sure you stand and hit the button before he gets to your stop. As soon as the bus driver notices you want to get off he opens the bus doors, while still going full speed. You may think he’s going to pass your stop, but that is NOTHING he can’t solve by stepping harder on the brakes. Every time we get on the bus we know we are in for an adventure. We love the bus!

It all adds to the adventure and builds fun memories.

A snapshot of our trip to Cancun 3 September 2008

We thought you may want to see a sample of some of the things we are enjoying here in Cancun.  Here ya go: