Dear So and So

[jessmarimba]

Please chill with your holier-than-thou arguments. Yes, you save money buying your camping gear, running shoes, and bikes (!) at Wal-mart. However, sometimes quality costs money.

- REI doesn't overprice their gear any more than any other retail outdoor store. Most of their prices are set by the manufacturer, and they can't discount below a certain amount.

- $1,500 really isn't a lot to spend on a good bike. At all. I'm not going to come scrape you off the road when the wal-mart bike crumbles beneath you.

- 26.2 miles at a 10-minute pace is neither as slow or as easy as you think it is. Try it someday.

And...unrelated...yes, the maxwell house coffee that you let burn in the coffee pot for six hours really does taste worse than starbucks.

Sincerely,
Your coworker who hasn't slept through the night in 6 weeks. Stop pushing my buttons.

[tulip]

Dear VW Dealer: You've lost a customer this time. Really, overcharging and not doing the right thing re warranty! This will be my final visit to your shop, except for the next time it rains so you can see for yourselves how my non-sunroof roof leaks inside my car!!! W-A-R-R-A-N-T-Y!!

Dear VW Owner's Club Forum: Thank you so much for providing such great information and advice on this windshield problem and the whole dealer-maintenance thing. From now on, I'll be going to my local mechanic for work on my car. I'll keep the receipts and all records, and save a ton of money, not to mention that the local mechanic is within walking distance of my house. The dealer is 20 miles away, with no way to get home and, today at least, no internet to work from the waiting room. Good thing I insisted on a loaner car!

[tulip]

Dear House,
You are really getting cute with your new paint job! New roof! New HVAC! New plumbing! New electric! New kitchen!

You can stop now. Really.

[bmccasland]

Dear House,
You are really getting cute with your new paint job! New roof! New HVAC! New plumbing! New electric! New kitchen!

You can stop now. Really.

I'm selling mine, after I pay off the electrician....

[Crankin]

Tulip, I could have written that letter. First year in five that we have no "major" project.
Of course, now the driveway needs to be re-paved. It will cost almost as much as the kitchen.

[JennK13]

What part of "please RSVP either way by August 20th" do you not understand? Especially, since you actually WANT to attend. And how is it my fault that you failed to respond even with the reminder I sent out two days before the cut-off date? It's not like I can add you now; after all, it's a Major League Baseball game which required me to order and purchase tickets by a certain date, hence the RSVP date I posted on the invitation.
The fact that there are quite a few of you is seriously disappointing. Though, it doesnt surprise me since none of you can turn in your timesheets or submit staff reports by the deadline, either.
You all suck, and I'll be sure to text you a picture of me with my beer and hotdog from the outfield just so you know what you're missing!

[jessmarimba]

Haha, you guys are doing a Rockies game too? We went about three weeks ago. Fortunately there are only three people in my office so it was really easy to get the RSVPs.

Have fun!!

[JennK13]

Yep! Coors Field has a pretty good deal - getting the rockpile tickets and having their Ball Park picnic in the "Platte River Rendez Vous" Area. 3 people would be a lot easier - I have 53 employees (+1 guest) and about 75 contractors to deal with. It's the employees I have difficulties with...they don't even have to pay - our boss is treating us. I thought it was a pretty simple yes or no question, with 3 weeks to think about it. ARRGGGGG!!!!!!!

[bmccasland]

Dear LtCol J - Thank you for listening at my exit interview. You looked a bit frightened when you said "you've given me a lot to think about." Apparently I solidified the rumors you've been hearing about the moral of the troops. Now will the command leadership actually do something? I hope so, for the sake of my colleagues that I'm leaving behind.

[Blueberry]

Dear World:

I really need a break. In the last month we have had:

A bike crash. DH is thankfully OK, but landed very hard on his head. It was very scary, and a very large bill. His helmet did its job, though.

A petsitter took our doggie for a "walk" and nearly killed him (heat stroke + totally taking the skin off 3 paw pads). 4 nights in the emergency vet and 6 plasma transfusions later, he's still here. She agreed to pay the $6k+ vet bill it took to save him (after pet insurance kicks in), and now appears to be re-thinking that agreement (or at the very least is avoiding us).

One trip for my birthday that had to be cancelled to care for said dog.

2 cars that have needed $1k+ of work.

2 parents who have become extremely needy while totally blowing me off. While said dog was still in the emergency vet, we "had" to drive 7+ hours to celebrate my cousin's July Birthday, my grandmother's late August birthday, and for my grandmother to get a "family photo" for holiday cards. Glad mom showed she appreciated the special trip I made in June to make sure she had her required "party" without which she throws a tantrum by barely calling me.

A job that may or may not be able to pay me this month.

DH's colleague who agreed to take care of helping us with MS ride donations in lieu of additional compensation for him who seems to have forgotten that commitment.

Please, no more. We're done. That's enough for the year.

[emily_in_nc]

Jeez, CA, I am so sorry to hear all these woes! So glad your DH and doggie will probably be okay, but still. No one deserves all that, plus job and family issues as well! You have definitely given at the office this time, and it's time for some GOOD KARMA.

Damn that guilt mothers can lay on us, no matter how old we get! Actually mine was pretty good about not doing that for a long time when I was younger, but as we both get older, it's starting to get worse. Not fun, but I can kind of understand where she's coming from, knowing that she doesn't have forever left. It's sad.

So sorry...
Emily

[Owlie]

Dear BF--
You know I love you, but could you find it within yourself to manage some of the practical things in life? You've been here for...four years and you don't know which shuttle goes where? Or which bus line goes where? And why do I keep having to remind you of our address? And what our rent is? And where to send it? All that is in the lease, which is in the desk. Come on.

[lph]

Dear local kayak forum that I lurk on,

geez, you are such a bunch of selfrighteous uppity geeks. No, kayakers aren't all one big selfless family, out there to meditate in silence, enjoy total simplicity and perceive the oneness of all things, and no, everybody else unlucky enough to not have discovered kayaking is not a bunch of stressed out unhappy ratracers who spend their time shopping before they collapse in front of the tv at night.

Most of you are just like the people you despise, constantly wanting more and better gear. It's fine, it's human nature, but you're no better than the rest so stop going on about it. If you really want to try the simple life, turn off your computer and go out in the woods and pick berries, like the little old ladies I see every weekend. You might notice that there are lots of other people out there, all seeking your precious silence in a much simpler way

[snapdragen]

Hmmm...sounds like some bike geeks I know...


//no one here on TE of course.

[JennK13]

Dear BF--
You know I love you, but could you find it within yourself to manage some of the practical things in life? You've been here for...four years and you don't know which shuttle goes where? Or which bus line goes where? And why do I keep having to remind you of our address? And what our rent is? And where to send it? All that is in the lease, which is in the desk. Come on.

Owlie,
Does my DH have a double life with you????