Random Irritations

[Hobbit]

Think I have had it once. Felt absolutely dreadful.

But a few years later I had pneumonia. I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone. Flu was bad. Pneumonia was ten times worse.

Thankfully I’ve not had pneumonia. Seen a couple of friends that have. It looked frightening. The first guy looked like every breath was going to be his last. A friend is just getting over it but it’s further complicated with lung cancer. He’s on permanent oxygen. Just sold all his bowls gear…

 

[Billysboots]

Thankfully I’ve not had pneumonia. Seen a couple of friends that have. It looked frightening. The first guy looked like every breath was going to be his last. A friend is just getting over it but it’s further complicated with lung cancer. He’s on permanent oxygen. Just sold all his bowls gear…

I’d had a collapsed lung about 20 years prior, and the initial symptoms of my pneumonia were very similar - a stabbing pain in my side, accompanied by shortness of breath, but also a raging temperature. And that was just the first few hours. By the following morning I was feeling so bad the good lady called for an ambulance. The delay in getting one out was such that she took me to hospital herself.

Fortunately, my case was mild and confined to one lung. A course of antibiotics put me right. But it absolutely floored me for a couple of weeks, and I still suffered the after effects for several months. The combination of the collapsed lung and pneumonia, along with me being a smoker in my younger years, has all had a long lasting impact. I do a lot of cardiovascular exercise these days, but I need to in order to keep the effects at bay.

 

[Mudball]

Random.. politicians (of all colours) trying to drive a country by looking at quarterly GDP figures and not having a long term plan

 

[nickjdavis]

Watching the football tonight and I noticed when the substitutions happened the transactions were described as "Player OUT" and "Player IN"? Since when did this awful Americanism start pervading our sport? One player is going OFF the field of play and the other player is coming ON to the field of play.

What really concerns me is that I'm not sure this is a new thing...and if its not a new thing, why havent I been suitably irritated previously? Or if I have, why cant I remember being suitably irritated.

 

[Slime]

Random.. politicians (of all colours) trying to drive a country by looking at quarterly GDP figures and not having a long term plan

That's enough for me!

 

[Mudball]

Watching the football tonight and I noticed when the substitutions happened the transactions were described as "Player OUT" and "Player IN"? Since when did this awful Americanism start pervading our sport? One player is going OFF the field of play and the other player is coming ON to the field of play.

What really concerns me is that I'm not sure this is a new thing...and if its not a new thing, why havent I been suitably irritated previously? Or if I have, why cant I remember being suitably irritated.

Cricket… a ‘batsman’ is now a ‘batter’ like baseball or fish & chips

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Cricket… a ‘batsman’ is now a ‘batter’ like baseball or fish & chips

Careful that’ll soon be fish and fries !

 

[Pin-seeker]

Thankfully I’ve not had pneumonia. Seen a couple of friends that have. It looked frightening. The first guy looked like every breath was going to be his last. A friend is just getting over it but it’s further complicated with lung cancer. He’s on permanent oxygen. Just sold all his bowls gear…

My neighbour recently had it.
Big strong bloke,recently ritired from the CID.
He said he honestly thought that was him done.

 

[cliveb]

Thankfully I’ve not had pneumonia. Seen a couple of friends that have. It looked frightening. The first guy looked like every breath was going to be his last.

My mum had double pneumonia when she was 82. Ended up in ICU with a tracheostomy. Genuinely thought she was a gonner.
But she recovered and lived for another 12 years.

 

[D-S]

It’s an old and well trodden path but tipping in the USA.
We have been in San Diego for a few days and are now in Palm Springs for some golf. The difference between the two places is that the default choice for tips when paying by phone has moved from 20% (low 18%, high 22%) to 25% (low 20% high 30%). This is virtually on every transaction from buying a coffee at a counter to waiter/waitress service. You can ‘custom tip’ but you can feel the glare if you select this.
I know it’s what they do etc. etc. but it is none the less a randomly irritating dilemma.

 

[ExRabbit]

It’s an old and well trodden path but tipping in the USA.
We have been in San Diego for a few days and are now in Palm Springs for some golf. The difference between the two places is that the default choice for tips when paying by phone has moved from 20% (low 18%, high 22%) to 25% (low 20% high 30%). This is virtually on every transaction from buying a coffee at a counter to waiter/waitress service. You can ‘custom tip’ but you can feel the glare if you select this.
I know it’s what they do etc. etc. but it is none the less a randomly irritating dilemma.

Another reason why we will probably never bother to go there.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

It’s an old and well trodden path but tipping in the USA.
We have been in San Diego for a few days and are now in Palm Springs for some golf. The difference between the two places is that the default choice for tips when paying by phone has moved from 20% (low 18%, high 22%) to 25% (low 20% high 30%). This is virtually on every transaction from buying a coffee at a counter to waiter/waitress service. You can ‘custom tip’ but you can feel the glare if you select this.
I know it’s what they do etc. etc. but it is none the less a randomly irritating dilemma.

I know it’s their customs but I refuse to accept tipping must be compulsory. Tipping should always be optional both in whether you do it and how much you do based on how you feel the service was. I’m certainly not paying 25% more for jut for a coffee !

I’m irritated for you just reading it and realising I have even less desire to go to the States.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I know it’s their customs but I refuse to accept tipping must be compulsory. Tipping should always be optional both in whether you do it and how much you do based on how you feel the service was. I’m certainly not paying 25% more for jut for a coffee !

I’m irritated for you just reading it and realising I have even less desire to go to the States.

My wife knows that I share your view so before our trip a few years ago she told me to look at it a different way. In effect, when you see a price in a cafe or restaurant, add 20%. Don't see the price on its own, see it with +20%. Once you change your way of thinking, it's less painful.

Whether it's right or wrong, the answer is wrong obviously, that's the way it is over there. Taking a one man stand against tipping is pointless and doesn't help the server who needs tips to get a proper wage. It's King Canute stuff.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

My wife knows that I share your view so before our trip a few years ago she told me to look at it a different way. In effect, when you see a price in a cafe or restaurant, add 20%. Don't see the price on its own, see it with +20%. Once you change your way of thinking, it's less painful.

Whether it's right or wrong, the answer is wrong obviously, that's the way it is over there. Taking a one man stand against tipping is pointless and doesn't help the server who needs tips to get a proper wage. It's King Canute stuff.

Oh I never said I’d take a one man stand against it and would likely follow your methodology to do it especially as it’s not the fault of the server. I would pay and leave my tip as I don’t go against the grain of local custom wherever I go in the world. But I still wouldn’t like it , and would moan to the wife everytime on the way out

Though she has no desire to go to America so we should be safe

 

[Orikoru]

My wife knows that I share your view so before our trip a few years ago she told me to look at it a different way. In effect, when you see a price in a cafe or restaurant, add 20%. Don't see the price on its own, see it with +20%. Once you change your way of thinking, it's less painful.

Whether it's right or wrong, the answer is wrong obviously, that's the way it is over there. Taking a one man stand against tipping is pointless and doesn't help the server who needs tips to get a proper wage. It's King Canute stuff.

I still couldn't bring myself to go that far. They'd get a standard 10% from me and that's final.

 

[Hobbit]

Red dust. Yesterday saw a very hazy sun, with a strong breeze from the south, often a precursor to finding things covered in red dust.

We have a large, smoked glass table out on the terrace that shows up dust far too easily. It’s covered. The terrace and surrounding paths need a good sweeping too. Not looked at the cars yet but no doubt they’ll be the same.

 

[PNWokingham]

It’s an old and well trodden path but tipping in the USA.
We have been in San Diego for a few days and are now in Palm Springs for some golf. The difference between the two places is that the default choice for tips when paying by phone has moved from 20% (low 18%, high 22%) to 25% (low 20% high 30%). This is virtually on every transaction from buying a coffee at a counter to waiter/waitress service. You can ‘custom tip’ but you can feel the glare if you select this.
I know it’s what they do etc. etc. but it is none the less a randomly irritating dilemma.

this really irritates me as well. I have only been to the US twice 25 years ago and have not fancied going again - apart from the 3 week honeymoon trip we meticulously planned for May 2020 that didn't happen! We are now going next Oct for a wedding in Richmond, but i am not looking forward to actually being in the US - and the wife will want a couple of days in New York as well. Everything i have heard is that it is expensive everywhere for nearly everything and that there are often taxes and fees that are extra for hotels etc

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Oh I never said I’d take a one man stand against it and would likely follow your methodology to do it especially as it’s not the fault of the server. I would pay and leave my tip as I don’t go against the grain of local custom wherever I go in the world. But I still wouldn’t like it , and would moan to the wife everytime on the way out

Though she has no desire to go to America so we should be safe

I still couldn't bring myself to go that far. They'd get a standard 10% from me and that's final.

Don't get me wrong, it grated with me still. You have to change your mindset though, it is not like anywhere else in the world, probably. The staff are paid poorly, tips are often 90% of their salary. Just see the end price, including tip, being the price. Don't separate things out.

It's backward but is it what it is.

 

[Orikoru]

Don't get me wrong, it grated with me still. You have to change your mindset though, it is not like anywhere else in the world, probably. The staff are paid poorly, tips are often 90% of their salary. Just see the end price, including tip, being the price. Don't separate things out.

It's backward but is it what it is.

No I don't. Americans' wages are not my problem.



I'm unlikely to ever go there anyway!

 

[Bazz]

Don't get me wrong, it grated with me still. You have to change your mindset though, it is not like anywhere else in the world, probably. The staff are paid poorly, tips are often 90% of their salary. Just see the end price, including tip, being the price. Don't separate things out.

It's backward but is it what it is.

We went to Vegas a few years back with a non tipper, not low, just didn't want to tip anything at all. Put a dampener on shared meals. Was alright doing $100 spins on roulette though. I just factor it in like you do, we're off to NYC next summer, so expect to get bent over but I wouldn't let it stop me from seeing some amazing things America has to offer.