After being closed all weekend for a couple of weeks, I have a couple of questions about people.
Is reading comprehension even being TAUGHT anymore?
How stupid CAN people be?
Our sign says, We are now closed saturday and sunday. We do have dogs and cats at Petsmart in Joplin. (then gives address of said Petsmart)
How hard is that sign to comprehend? I don't see how it could be made any simpler. Yet...I've had people come to the door and ask me what that sign means. Well....gee whilikers, I'm not sure...maybe it means we are closed on saturday and sunday?????
Oh yes, one other thing. I am NOT going to open the front door, no matter how much you press your face against the window, or how hard you pinch your kids to make them cry. I am trying to get my job done, so I can go home, rest and relax a bit. That does NOT include giving you a tour of the humane society. Come back when we are open.
(don't) have a nice day.
So apparently some kid (about 4?) was getting a toy from Mom. (I'm assuming the woman with him was mom.)
Kid's monologue..... "Thank you Mommy. You're the best mommy in the world. I love you so much. Thank you for the toy. Now I finally have A toy." Emphasis was definitely on the "A".
Mom was very casual, just "You're welcome. Glad you think so..."
When he put the emphasis on the A, I was so tempted to say "Oh, you poor dear, it's the first toy you've ever had in your life?" But I realize that would have been rude.
Just thought that it was cool he's using being charming and cute to get stuff, rather than whining.
I had some yard sales to get rid of as much stuff as I could. One lady wanted to purchase hubby's computer desk. However, she didn't want to get it right then, she wanted to wait a bit, and get it later. As no one else had been interested in the desk, I agreed to wait, she gave me her name and phone number, I gave her mine, and told her that since I was not living at the house, to leave a message.
So far, so good.
She then proceeded to call nearly every day. (daughter merely told her husband was 'gone' which he is...but then) She needed (in her own mind) to know EVERYTHING. When, how, why, did he have any other family, why aren't THEY helping out, oh...and the details of MY life.
After getting a mobile phone, I shut off the phone at the house. She has called my place of work at least three times, telling them (on the messaging) that my phone is off, she NEEDS my new phone number so she can 'make sure I'm all right' (she already got the desk, so no she doesn't) and generally making a pest of herself.
Since when does making a simple purchase entitle ANYONE to consider themselves 'in charge' of anyone else?
So I'm at Green Apron Coffee, and there is a family with three kids in front of me. I guess the kids got gift cards for Valentines day or such, as they each had their own gift card.
Anyway, the oldest boy (about 8-10 maybe?) tells the barista the letter code for his drink. She repeats it back, worded. He says "Right." in that tone of voice kids have when they're finally proud of adults for getting something. LOL
I have to admit, I never look at my drink after I get it from the barista. I have learned to check the decaf square, as I'm not supposed to be having caffeine, but that's it.
Just thought it was cool that he not only noticed the letters for the drink, but also remembered them and could repeat them back later to a barista. That was pretty cool.
I am going to start looking at the letters on my GAC. Won't guarantee I'll remember them, but I'll start looking at them.
Ok, so we recently had a fundraiser for our little humane society.
Said fundraiser was based on the new Dr. Seuss book, 'What Pet Should I Get' People signed up their kids, paid x amount, got to make a kitten toy, got a copy of the book, there was a face painter, food, and book reading. Now, I don't know how much those books are going for in stores. I do know, his books have shot up in price since his death.
We did get a lot of people into the shelter. That is a plus, they know we are here.
We did get a few adoptions, also a plus. (as long as those animals don't come back....we had one come back from an earlier adoption because the dog they adopted killed their other dog...and they want to sue us)
We had people (mostly kids) opening up every single cage with a kitten, and letting them out. Not good, since I then had to chase down hyper active kittens. What do hyper kittens do, when caught? Scratch and bite. Yeah, we had a few scratches that day. Not all on me.
The dogs fared a bit better, since those kennels are harder to get into. Still, the level of noise didn't help anyone.
On the whole, it was ok....we got people out there, we got people to see our animals.
Financially, I doubt if it was a success. Our board doesn't have the knack of making money on these things. Their last few fundraisers were a dismal failure.
We should put that twelve year old girl on the board, she at least has made us money.
So I saw something today while eating out that seemed like a really bad idea to me. They had these machines at the table where you could call the server, order dessert, or pay your check. I'd seen these once before at an airport restaurant in NYC where you did everything through the machine and the waiters only brought food.
Either way this seems like it is going to lead to people giving even less in tips. Because I think that people are less likely to be embarrassed (though some jerks still aren't) if the waiter can't see them.
On the other hand, maybe it makes their job easier by letting them know when a table wants something?
So I'm just wondering what are other people's thoughts.
Dear live trappers....please stop. Thank you. If you must, please call local TNR group who can at least do something about the feral cat population.
Dear customers at burger place. Please to be telling your waiter or waitress WHAT you want on your burger. Preferably while ordering. Telling waiter you want xx burger, which comes with certain things, but you don't WANT certain things...which makes you send burger BACK, and we remake it, wastes time and food. Telling waiter you want xx things on burger, but not yy...makes it easier. Especially if waiter KNOWS what you want, puts order in so we can fulfill it. Asking for this that and the next thing AFTER you get your order, well....I can understand that...but if we are busy (as we were when this lady was asking for five different 'sides' to burger, one at a time) it CAN take a bit of time. Why not ask for all five at the same time? Your waiter does enough walking about.
Coming in five minutes to close, asking for specialty items, and then asking for various and sundry 'extra' sides isn't the way to make anyone happy. Oh...and not tipping your waiter? Yeah, that'll make us happy to see you people again. At least you ate and got out.
Please don't be getting all bent out of shape if you see people behind the counter CLEANING. That IS a huge part of the job, if there is nothing else to do...I'm cleaning so I can get OUT of there at a decent time. After all, the cleaner the place is, and stays, the less 'after closing' cleaning I have to do...and the more 'other cleaning' we can get done. Then, we leave, go home and this tired lady can get some sleep.
This is partly a rant against people in general, and those who call our brand spankin' new Animal Control officer. (which kinda makes them our customers in a roundabout way....cause she is kinda/sorta a co worker)
We don't take in feral cats.
We have no way of taking CARE of feral cats.
I'm not about to put my life, and self at risk taking care of feral cats.
No, I don't care about HOW many ferals are around your property.
Stop feeding them
Call the local TNR group.
Do NOT call Animal Control.
Oh yes, GET RID OF THE DAMNED LIVE TRAPS, STOP TRAPPING THEM.
People decided to start trapping the feral cats and kittens they had been seeing on their property. Once they trapped several of them, they called animal control, who came out, got the kittens, and (of course) brought them to us.
Eight of them
All sick AND feral.
All had to be put down.
Then, another one was brought in the next day, the mama cat. Who was ALSO sick and feral.
I guess we can say, they are out of pain.
Still, is there any wonder that Shelter Vets burn out so quickly? Just think of having to put down over ten animals in just one day. (found out a mama cat and kittens we've been trying to get healthy were also terminally ill)
Oh...and also why so many Animal Control officers burn out as well.
Around this time, our local news people are out and about reporting on various and sundry things. With our local 'dog days of summer' coming up, they, of course, were at the humane societies, including our wee little one. Showing off the dogs and cats (just not us kennel workers) and talking about the extreme needs of donations. Since we ARE totally funded by donations, well...yes, we harp on that subject a LOT.
What are we hoping for? Well, in my case, cat litter. Bags and BAGS of it. (I do prefer the clay non clumping type, that clay clumping can turn to cement) Now, considering I can go through a fifty gallon barrel of the stuff in less than a week, yes, that IS a need. Cleaning supplies are also a need. Paper towels, bleach, dish soap, disinfectant wipes would be great as well, even toilet paper. (for the bathrooms...we humans have to go too)
Food, well, not so much. We get our food direct from the factory, so we do get a discount. Money...yes, send money. (or come out and give it to us)
Other things, mop heads, brooms, old towels, hand towels, wash cloths. Dog and cat toys and treats. Heck...give me some skeins of yarn you're not using and I can make more of those cat mats. (great for the lobby cats, I love yarn with lots of colors)
Of course, getting all this out to the public in 30 seconds or less...most people think of food when thinking about donating to a shelter. Well, yes, we CAN use that. We've got a couple of cat rescue groups that depend on us for any 'spare' food we can give them. (kinda like regifting...redonating?) Some of us take the smaller bags home for our own 'porch' cats. (Sam LOVES friskies)
I'm hoping for a lot of response from all this. We've been in the news a lot lately, between our director retiring, and now this.
