Hi,
So, how are things? 🙂The Jones Crew are currently on staycation, although – bless her – the Ever Lovely Mrs J has had to pop into work. This leaves Child 2.0 sleeping in, as all late teens do and should, IMO. Meanwhile, Muggins here is mushing the keyboard and streaming consciousness in an effort to get going….. and breathe; and relax. 😉
With the luck of UK bank holidays, my non-working days, and the Easter school break, we’re having some time off as a family. I think Child 2.0 certainly needed it, as the full term has worn them down. Not because they’re slacking, but quite the opposite; they work so hard. They also passed (well, stormed) their Driving Theory Test, so that’s really good news.
Customer services
I think I had squeezed out all the processing hacks and tweaks I could to make my favourite game keep going. However, it was time to face the truth, in that with the rising tempreatures of summer, a new graphics card is going to be required.
Andie was kind enough to share what his son – also into gaming – had his eye on, and Wee Man kindly shared his ideas that the item I was after would be fine for what I play. Likewise, my work colleagues – younger gentlemen than I were saying that the model I have currently, is quite old; which may explain why it’s struggling…. even with such an old game that I love to modify.
This was a big help, as it seems with anything computery, there’s no limit to the gibberish and/or the price of said items. I had to get the Anxiety Goblin to fetch the smelling salts, after I spotted one graphics card at just over a grand. What’s this for? Rendering The Matrix? 😉
Cue an order and then some slight faffing about with the delivery company delivering, not delivering, etc; and a brief chat with customer services. I think the funny thing about customer services is it’s not the person on the other end’s fault. Does that make sense? I’ve worked in similar industries before and more often than not, it’s the system that’s the problem, not the people. Sure, there are a rare few who -ahem- ‘play the game’ or who can’t be bothered*, but that’s rare, IMO. So it is that I start off on the default mode of Just be Kind.
( * Again, a system issue: if you treat people like crap – see also dehumanising them into resources or commodities; I’ve heard both! 🫨 – they will push back by slacking off, ignoring management, and/or rebelling just to get by. Yes, there’s a few sketchy folk, but I believe that most want to do well. Treat people right and they’ll do right by you 💖)
Reversing the situation in previous jobs, where I’ve had folk get in touch and be, well, snotty or downright angry. That is quite the ’emotional heavy lift’ to A) defuse the situation, B) keep one’s cool, and C) avoid thinking ‘this twit will never be happy‘. I get that sometimes folk are ticked off *and* at the same time, being on the other end of stuff, being Mr (or Mrs) Angry doesn’t help get what you need.
So, now I’ve finished virtue signaling 😜 – or as I’d prefer to say why kindness matters – my new card arrived and I had timely updates on when it may arrive. As the card was a few hundred quid, it needed to be signed for. Now, you may have read of horror stories in the press* where folk have been given an empty box, but as it’s been signed for, the company believe it’s been delivered.
When the delivery person arrived, they spent time asking for the right code, and then asked me to open the packaging to check all was okay. I was quite impressed by this (maybe I’m easily pleased? 😁) given most deliveries are ring the bell and sprint back to the van for the next one. No, this chap took his time and we had a quick chat about things, ‘cos, y’know people are interesting.
Chams
With two days off under my belt, it was a joy not to have to rush around and get an outfit packed. Indeed – and perhaps most unusually – I had my heart set on one of two. My old wrap dress and leggings, or skinnies plus my fox top from Joe Browns. With the weather feeling warm, I thought I’d go for the wrap dress. I think I’ve had this for nearly twenty years. I remember buying it from New Look in Derby ages ago, when I’d managed a day out. Yes, I do need to wear a cami under it ‘cos I’m not the size I was back then. Curse you, middle aged spread! 😜 But it brings me joy when I wear it, so it’s staying.
By an odd turn of Fate, the Ever Lovely Mrs J and Child 2.0 where out Thursday evening. As they headed off, I realised that for the first time in a while, I might get changed at home and drive to Chams. Well, there’s a rare oppurtunity! So, shower, shave, dressed, but no slap ‘cos I knew it would put me behind schedule. Indeed when I rolled up, I was fifteen minutes later than usual and Ann had had to wait in the car park, bless her.
As the evening itself, we had three new folk arrive (luckily at different times) and there was a bit of parking them next to friendly folk while other stuff got done. Including good chat with Joanna and back around to check on how the new folk where getting on. Nicole popped in to say hi as her family were away visiting, so we had a catch up about what’s going on. Val was very much on form comedically and there was much shared laughter.
I’m not quite sure what happened around the time, but we seemed to pack up a little earlier than usual with the tea things. Still, it meant we were not against the clock when it was time to go, and it seemed a number of the group where teaming up to do photos in small groups. Rather lovely to see really.
On the way home, I had a wry smile as Beck’s Loser track belted out the line “forces of evil in a bozo nightmare“. Yeah, but I find Karma has a way of catching up with bozos. Reality bites to use a film title from decades ago. That and the queer community does what it does when faced with adversity: group together, organise, and look out for our own 🏳️🌈 The night was fantastic and it’s a very long weekend here at Jones Towers. Best sign off and get the Hoovering done 😉
L x
Have a lovely staycation, Lynn. Couch potato goblin shows the way!
We all have an old favourite frock and if it works for us then we should wear it often. I’m amazed how some things last for ever and other things, even expensive ones, wear out. My old faithful is 28!
I’m all for letting people sleep the hours that suit their biological clock and this insistence that teens adopt the same timetable that grumpy older people have is unjust. There’s enough medical evidence that teens are naturally active later not earlier in the day so why upper secondary schools and colleges don’t open late morning instead of daybreak is unclear to me. I’m sure teenagers would’ve smashed this system centuries ago … at least, if they’d all got out of bed earlier they would’ve done!
Sue x
Thanks. Very much a case of taking it easy and enjoying the things we love. A good walk with the doggos, something tasty from a local café, maybe an afternoon nap, and then some gaming or a bit of family telly time.
As to outfits that are well loved, oddly enough Ann (at Chams) and I were talking about this. That if you buy regularly – or too much – you don’t get the repeats of things you really like.
There’s a book on teenage brains written by a neuroscientist – also the mother of two boys. She explains when and how the brain develops, including why teens need a lot of sleep.
I think an Americans school did a social experiment, where they let students start the day later. At least, later as in usual UK time, and both grades and behaviour improved.
I feel that school and office hours were settled on, to be in line with factory work. Given people are better rested and perform better when not knackered, I do wonder when decision makers will eventually reduce hours. Quality over quantity.
I have never heard of them getting you to open the packaging before – I guess these days they just can’t trust anyone !
Glad it all got sorted anyway – what card did you get out of interest ? I used to be on top of all the specs but it’s been a while since I bought anything.
Izzy
No, I was surprised too, but in a good way. I had sort of revved myself up to ask, but didn’t need to. The delivery driver also explained the security they have to go though, so I think he was keen to demo this.
I bought an Nvidia card, a mid range one, as that was affordable and friends/family has said it would do what I needed. I’m with you on not being up to speed on such things, so it was a case of listening and asking questions. Very happy with the performance and installation, so good times!