If you are a fan of Family Guy, then you’ll know what this version of Notes from my noodle is all about.
It’s an edition of What Grinds My Gears.
Today, I was standing in line at Wal-Mart at the pharmacy. All I needed was to pick up a prescription, pay for some things and get out of there. No biggie, right?
Yeah, or not.
The lines are bad enough at this pharmacy. So I’m waiting and minding my own business when a couple gets in line behind me. How do I know that they are a couple, you may ask?
Because they figured it was a good spot to make out in.
And no, they weren’t high school kids.
It’s one thing to snag a smooch in public. It’s another to get all loud with your kissy-kissy crap. Even as another few people got into line after them, they didn’t stop.
Seriously, you’re in Wal-Mart. That’s a place to profess your physicality for one another.
Enough.
***
I really like Twitter.
I use it a bunch, both from my computer and my phone.
Too, I like Foursquare. Though I don’t use it as much as I used to, I do like the app and have fun with it when I remember. I also have Gowalla, though that is used even less frequently than Foursquare.
Further, if you’ve read this blog, you know I geocache. I really enjoy that activity.
OK, but what do all of these things have in common?
As much as I like Foursquare, Gowalla and geocaching, I don’t need to see every single thing another person is doing because they have each program synced up with Twitter. (Or, for that matter, Facebook, but that is much more controllable without deleting someone as a friend).
I was checking Twitter a night or two ago and there was one person I follow who had about 20 consecutive tweets about where he was checking in on Foursquare. This has happened more than once. First of all, there’s no way you can possibly be at all of these places in the span of two minutes. Second, who the hell cares?
Not me.
Unfollow was soon checked.
Several months ago, it was the same thing with geocaching. There’s a way where when you find a cache, it will automatically tweet. Considering one of the people I followed (note: past tense for a reason) was a prolific cacher and this person would have this set up and it would be constantly be “I found the geocache…”
Who cares?
Look, I don’t mind it here and there. I can deal. But if it starts to blow up my Twitter feed, I no longer care about what this person is tweeting. I know some people who tweet when they find good caches or something like that. But every park and grab on a numbers day? Please. If you want it all tweeted (for whatever reason?), get a second account and the people who care can follow. Or, prepare for people you might like etc., to hit the unfollow button.
It just grinds my gears.
***
Anyone who has hunted for a job in the past year or two know what I am going through.
You work on cover letters. Your resume. Your references. You research jobs and send out something you think should get a look.
Then, you never hear anything back.
Ever.
I realize in this job market, it’s tough to personally respond to every person who applies to a job. It’s just not possible. But there’s no reason a form letter can’t be sent out to let people know that they aren’t in the hunt anymore. Even if it’s via e-mail. Just let us know that you aren’t interested anymore.
At the same time…
I applied for a job last Thursday. By Tuesday, I had an e-mail saying I wasn’t in the running for the job anymore. Talk about being quick to dismiss someone, eh?
That was my first experience with the computer making some decisions.Well, first that I know about, anyway.
See, in the workshops I’ve taken lately, I know that many large companies, colleges, and organizations use some filtering systems. Some are a questionnaire, some is a scanning system where a computer looks for certain words in your resume and assign you a score. If you are below a certain score, you’re all done. If you score, you move on. It weeds out bad resumes (which could have happened for me over the past few years as my resume was awful) and finds people who tailor things a little better.
I guess, it’s the job market as it is. There are a lot of people looking for work (with me being one of them). I just hope eventually my resume gets scanned and gets a good score. I just want some interviews (and I realize the process is longer than a week or two with most jobs, so I’m not worried yet) so I can try and sell myself.
But, it would be nice to hear if I’m not one of the people the place is interested in. I spent a lot of time on getting stuff together. A form letter would be fine.
***
I’m in the midst of trying to plan a family reunion. I’m quickly finding out it’s not easy.
The following things are tough to pin down:
- People coming
- Dates
- Things to do
- Food
- Hotels
I realized most of these things when I decided to try and put this together. Alas, the one thing that is grinding my gears here is the hotel situation.
Look, I know that hotels in this area are tough in the summer. We’re close to Cooperstown. There are a ton of youth baseball camps. There’s apparently a softball camp this summer, too. And these run from like May to September.
The hotels know this. And capitalize on it.
Many of the bigger and better places have a two-night minimum on stays during July and August. And the prices, of course, are jacked up (as, I’m sure, it is everywhere during the summer months).
So we’ve been working to try and get hotels blocked off and have been having no success. I’m just hoping people get rooms and don’t get too hosed.
Only time will tell.
I think that’s all that’s grinding my gears. I have a couple of cover letters I need to write, so it’s time to sign off for now.
More later!