melissa s.

Here's an article I found interesting, about how automated kiosks and
checkouts effect customer service, and jobs.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/ConsumerActionGuide
/WhereHasAllTheHelpGone.aspx?page=1

I am a person that prefers "self-service" type dealies rather then
having to ask for help. But it kind of bothers me that the only reason
companies do it is because it allows them to downsize staff and save
money... and not in the interest of making the experience better for
their customers.

Maybe greed really does rule the world.

A few days late, i know, but i liked this so I thought i'd share! I
did not right this, by the way.

APRIL 1

No one goes hungry

All people are fed

The oceans are clean

Lake Erie's not dead.

The Irish aren't fighting

The Arabs love Jews

The swords are now plowshares

Now ain't that good news?

The water's delicious

The air is so clear

On top of a mountain

You see to next year.

Couples stay married

Children are jewels

Sure got you going!

APRIL FOOLS!

Everytime I get one, my fortune tells me always really generic and
happy things, such as - "You will find great fortune and happyness"
(How?! I'm sure not on that path right now!!) Why dont I ever get
"bad" fortunes, such as "You will lose something of great value"
(true) or "You will grow up to be crazy and have 100 cats" (Im on my
way!)

The other day I got a fortune that said "You are known to be quick in
action and decisions". Ok. No. I am a slow-poke, I take my sweet old
time doing anything, and I am incredibly indecisive. If I am KNOWN for
being quick in action and decisions, they are definitely asking the
wrong people. But thats it. I have lost ALL HOPE in fortune cookies!

Anyone know who I can write a letter to about this?

So, I have a little tiny thing thats been bugging me:

There are people out there who are willing to plunk 1000+ dollars on
electronics without researching them first. Why does that bug me?
Because its stupid! I most certainly would not buy ANYTHING that is
that expensive without checking out reviews online first. Ever. I even
check out reviews on things under 20 bucks on targets website before
buying a pair of flip flops. (but - im a cheapass)

You wouldnt buy a car without researching it online, would you?
checking out the specs, seeing the bluebook value. Why in the world do
you think buying a TV, computer, home stereo equipment or anything
else like that would be any different? Even going to amazon.com you
can see reviews and comments on almost EVERYTHING you can buy in a
store, since they carry alot of stuff. I dont know, it just baffles me
that people dont consider things that are expensive to be an
investment.

Today, I set up my first ever (fake) tree. Its cute :) I made sure all
my ornaments were plastic so my cats dont make my living room a
complete disaster area (although they are still trying) They seem to
REALLY really like the tree. The also love the crappy foily garland i
have wrapped around the tree. ugh.

I got all my shopping done (didnt wait til the last minute this
year!!) and I'm not cooking a single thing! :-D this year I'm not in
retail, or in a bank thats in a mall, so this has by FAR been the most
relaxing holiday season EVER!

Yeah. Thats me rubbing it in your faces. I paid my dues.

So, today, black friday, I actually braved the crowds and did a little
shopping before work (yuck... i know once this redbull wears off im
going to be snoozing at my desk) I hit up Kohls and Circuit City, and
only bought 2 things (...) I keep telling myself that I went to help
my mom and sister out so I dont feel as bad about it :-P

Anydangway, I was so impressed with how Circuit city handled the
busiest day of the year that I wrote a compliment letter. Enjoy!

p.s. who here is going to bring me another redbull? C'mon,
Philadelphia isnt all THAT far!

I've been noticing alot of people take critism really personally
around here, and some of the dicussions really turn into more of a
personal attack exchange.

Disagreeing is not the same as "Attacking". If you are going to post
your letter publicly on a site that allows comments, then expect
people to disagree with you. Im not saying its acceptable to sling
personal attacks, but all the same, dont make your letters public if
you cant take people disagreeing with you.

Sometimes the complaints and demands are just... ridiculous, and
over-self-entitled. If its going to be posted in a forum that accepts
comments, of course people are going to comment and say so.

You know who I'm talking about. Theres one in every group, a person
that has to "One Up" every story you tell. For those who don't know
one, a one upper ALWAYS has a story to top yours when you are
complaining about something. For example:


Me: Ugh, traffic was really bad this morning
One upper: Oh yeah? thats nothing, I sat in traffic for 3 hours once.

(you got in a fender bender)
Me: Ugh, i got in a fender bender this morning
One Upper: Yeah? well my last fender bender costed me 3000 dollars and
it was soo much worse!

Maybe those are poor examples, but really. You know what im talking
about. If your sick, they were sicker. If you are broke, they were/are
broker. Ugh. Everything is just so much more dire and dramatic with
them. Every time I listen to a One-Upper I just want to tear my ears
off my head, hand it to them, and say "THERE! TRY TO ONE UP THAT
@!^#@!!!"

Yep! In two weeks I'm movin outta this crap-pile and getting a nicer
apartment. (maybe. you never really know how nice a place is until you
live there for a little bit.) My only concern is I have 2 young
kitties, and I'm scared that they will have trouble adjusting. (mainly
im scared that they will pee everywhere or try to bolt out of the
door) Any cat lovers out there have any good tips?

Either way, wish me luck!

And I have internet connection again!

Just for those who are concerned. :-P

Well, just got back from fun in the sun. Now, instead of being whiter
then sand, I am redder then a lobster! Seriously, my sunburn is so bad
that my feet and knees (which are badly burnt) are swollen! I tried
that spray sunblock... didnt think i had to rub it in... and.... now i
just have stripes of white! its horrible.

The water was cold, but that didn't stop me. And my sandcastle was
awesome!

Well, I'm off to the beach for a nice relaxing weekend. I gots my SPF
30, my bathing suit, and my sandcastle paraphernalia all packed up and
ready to go! Yes, im 23 (in a month!) and I plan on making the best
sandcastle on the east coast. And maybe I'll get some color in my
skin. Right now I'm whiter then the sand. (although thats not hard
with Jersey sand, no offense New Jersey-ians) I'm practically
reflective. You might want to wear shades around me.

I want a drink with an umbrella in it. But I probably need to go
somewhere tropical for that.

Yesterday, as I was waltzing through Wawa on my break, I noticed a new
bag of Doritos. Normally I don't eat Doritos, or a lot of junk food
for that matter, but this bag in particular intrigued me. It was
Doritos X-13D Flavor Experiment. The white panel read "This is the
X-13D Flavor Experiment. Objective: Taste and name Doritos flavor
X-13D." Not that I was at all interested in the prize of a years
supply of Doritos, but I had to know. (anyone who knows me knows that
"Having to know" is my downfall!) Part of me said "Don't buy these,
its just a cheap marketing ploy to get you to buy them." But the other
part said "Ooh new flavor Doritos! What if they are awesome! I have to
know!" My curiosity got the better of me, and I bought them. Once in
my car, I gleefully ripped open the bag, excited at my new purchase. I
smelled the contents of the bag. Kind of reminded me of cocktail
sauce. Now I was REALLY intrigued. What could they possibly taste like
with a smell like that? So I grabbed a chip and bit into it.

Flavor? VOMIT! Seriously, these chips were so nasty. They tasted like
old rotten fish. I was so disgusted I couldn't even finish the chip I
bit into! How did they manage to capture the flavor of rotten fish?
How is that even possible? I was so disgusted, I couldn't even bring
myself to touch the bag again to throw them away!

So I research them a little bit on the internet. I had to know what
other people were saying about this abomination to all snack food.
Apparently most people think they taste like hamburgers, and a few
people agree with me that they taste like fish. Talk about polar
opposite flavors! How is that possible? Beef and fish are not even
similar! Especially ROTTEN fish. So has anyone who might be reading
this happen to try this awful concoction of flavor yet? What do you
think, beef or fish?