economy
kiosk question queue
There are few things that annoy me quite as much as the five to ten questions on the credit card kiosk at a retailer. I just want it to read my card, spit it out, and let me go on my way. Don’t get me wrong, I have no gripes with the logical and security questions: I don’t mind putting in my pin for debit transactions, and I don’t mind signing for credit ones. However, I do mind being asked if I want cash back, or if have read and accepted the terms and conditions, or if I want to sign up for the retailers credit card for 15% off of my next purchase, and if I’m sure about all of the previous answers I have given. I’ve noticed it takes longer and longer to check out these days, all thanks to the seemingly infinite question queue at the kiosk.
Credit Card Touch Screen Kiosk
Today, however, Target outdid itself. I stopped by to grab a coffee and muffin on my way back from lunch and inserted my debit card to pay for my items. $6.25. Fine. PIN: **** - check. Cash back: ugh, no –check. Am I sure: yes, I’m sure - check. Finally, I looked away from the screen thinking I had completed my transaction since it had seemingly become so routine. The clerk stared at me. I looked back down. She was waiting for me to finish – but I was sure there were no more questions! One final and very perplexing question presented itself on the screen: Are you sure you want to put the entire amount on this card?
Target
Seriously? It’s $6.25! Maybe that was Target’s way of mocking me since I typically spend anywhere between $40 and $200 each time I walk through those inviting red doors. Target is taunting me, saying “seriously, Lindsay? You’re at Target! $6.25? Wow, don’t spend it all in one place…”
The only interesting thing about the new question in the queue is that now I am fully aware that I can buy a lot more stuff at Target, putting 45% of it on my debit card, 50% of it on my credit card, and the remaining 5% on that stack of $5 Target gift cards I get every time I lug the 44.1 pound bag of Purina dog food through the store. I guess the never-ending question queue is helping me find new ways to spend my money, or lack thereof.
procrastination commencement
i’ve recently been on a political tirade because quite frankly, I’m fed up with the government’s uncanny ability to be excessively cavalier and the american people’s inability to take responsibility for their own actions. it’s everyone’s lunch break, and although no one in my department speaks to one another and i, in fact, can hear the mouse clicks of a coworker who is at least 25 feet away from me, i have already picked up on 3 politically based conversations (and likely the only conversations in this area thus far today).
it’s seemingly on everyone’s mind: the economy. it’s aggitating me because it’s holding me back! people are afraid to lose their jobs because they can’t get another one. i commented yesterday to benjamin that i was skeptical about leaving my job because i am too specialized. [i'm itching to leave atlanta, to spread my wings, to start over, and to experience some new people and places (i get like this quite often).] regardless, some claim that job specialization and expertise allows for you to ask for more money, but in turn, also locks you into your current position because you can’t go anywhere else - unless of course you find a need for your specialization elsewhere. cyclically, you can’t find said job because everyone else is too afraid to leave it. ah, the struggles of being “too good” at what you “do.” therefore, there will be no wing spreading (or spreading of anything it seems) for me. no new job, no new city, no purchase of a house (why buy one when i’ll see no equity if i leave it within 5-10 years?), no new jeep wrangler or sexy little roadster. thanks, economy.
that was quite a digression. however, i’m realizing that i am stuck in either CAD, HVACR, experimental methodology, or something of the sort. depressing. business school will help. i’ll get into operations and finally get down to being “qualified” for doing strategic analysis.
last night i faced the facts with daniel, and the fact of the matter is that when we’re around each other, we’re into each other - and when we’re not, well, there’s 1200 miles between us. he asked me why i wasn’t dating anyone else. easy answer: i don’t really want to. i always end up being “too distant” or not wanting to “spend enough time” with unnamed suitors. plus, the only one i was actually really into… i really messed that one up. i’m not used to hearing “no” which makes me want it worse. in turn, i pulled way too many uncharacteristic moves and now have just lost all hope in it. mr. nathan told me that the guy had to be crazy, but i told him that was not in fact true at all, because in his eyes, i’m the crazy one. for the first time in a long time, i am. i freaking hate that. i hate losing. be it what it will, i turned into a total pud and have even been made fun of for it (thanks, jonathan, you’re so sensitive). so, with my hat tipped to daniel (who didn’t actually realize that he almost broke my heart), i’m not dating. the one big compliment from him was that girls like me come along once in a blue moon. they all say that, though. plus, most guys don’t care to know me very well - they’d prefer other things. i guess that speaks volumes.
my dad and i chat it up every day. because of this, he wants to jump on my phone plan since i’ve run up his cell phone bill. oops. it’s nice to be close to him again. it took 2 years, but we’re getting there. he’s very dry humored, and you have to pay attention to pick up on his quips. since my sense of humor is similar, i find the man hilarious. i’m a daddy’s girl.
the last remaining bits of wisdom i have are being surgically removed tomorrow. goodbye, teeth. according to jason, i’m not “evolved” which is why i have all 4 of them in the first place. i’m not looking forward to it, but if you want to be sweet to me, consider yourself educated that i’m on a liquid diet for the next few days, and the way to my heart is through my stomach (and a chocolate milkshake). i’ll be at the K$/JT residence until Friday night. After that, I’ll be in the back of my cul-de-sac.
i better feign some work.
(GOAL!)