Minor things that bother you

[bugo]

when you hear the incredible quiet, because even the animals know this is something extremely rare and unique and awe-inspiring

I was in the middle of a forest, and the bugs and birds got confused and were loudly singing when it got dark.

[bugo]

The best way to describe a total solar eclipse is that the sun turns from an orange color to bright white. It looks like a glowing white ring in the sky. The sun is also much less bright during totality, because I couldn't even see it through the glasses I was wearing. When totality ends, the sun turns orange again.

[Rothman]

The best way to describe a total solar eclipse is that the sun turns from an orange color to bright white. It looks like a glowing white ring in the sky. The sun is also much less bright during totality, because I couldn't even see it through the glasses I was wearing. When totality ends, the sun turns orange again.

Take off the glasses during totality.

[Max Rockatansky]

My wife assured me after her last oil change a month ago that the tires on the Forester were inflated (they looked under inflated).  When I checked this afternoon they were between 25-27 PSI.  The minimum ratings are 30 PSI for the front tires and 29 for the rears.  The spare was 50 PSI, not too bad considering it was probably last aired during October 2025. 

[tchafe1978]

My wife likes to order grocery deliveries from Walmart. This supposedly saves me time going grocery shopping. Although half the time they don't bring what we actually ordered, but instead something kinda similar that we don't want. Like instead of the kind of Sprite we specify, they bring the kind that has sweetener my wife is allergic to. Or this time, instead of bringing orange and key lime yogurt, they brought the strawberry kind that has fruit chunks in it that neither of us like.

And then I end up having to go to WinCo anyway to buy the thing we tried to order. Sigh. At least Walmart refunds it. Which raises the question of how they actually make any money bringing people stuff they don't want and having to refund them...

If an item you ordered isn't avaiable, you should get a notification or an email. You will then be offered substitutions for the item that isn't avaiable and can approve or deny the substituion. If you deny the substitution you won't be charged for the item you didn't get. If you approve the substitution you'll be charged for the item you did get. Maybe you're not getting the notifications or emails?

I don't know. That's all my wife's doing. I still go to the store every Monday and pay cash like an old person (because fuck the Visa Corporation in particular). This only becomes an issue if she wants stuff the store I go to doesn't have, or she's trying to be helpful when I can't go on Monday for whatever reason and it throws the schedule off. Dragging my ass down to WinCo is annoying but it's less annoying than whatever's happening with Walmart.

Based on her anger whenever I tell her what's in the bags, I'm guessing she's not getting notifications. (I do remember her telling me a few times "They didn't have XYZ so I cancelled it", so she at least gets them sometimes.) But of course she wouldn't get a notification if the person doing the picking at the store grabbed a Sprite Zero instead of a Sprite Chill because they didn't notice or care about the difference.

Walmart has systems in place where it won't let the shoppers scan the incorrect item. The shopper has to click on something on the handheld indicating they are substituting an item.

I only know this because my daughter is on my Walmart account and does all her shopping online for pickup or delivery so anytime she places an order I get all the notifications and emails.

And as much as I hate going grocery shopping myself, this is one of the reasons I prefer to do it myself. If an item isn't available, I'd rather pick out my own substitution instead of relying on the shopper picking something else out based on what the system suggests. I've ordered online for pickup a few times when I didn't have time to go to the store myself and get annoyed with some of the substitutions and also they will use twice as many bags as necessary by putting only one or two items in a bag. And I have to go pick it up at the store anyway so I might as well just shop for myself.

[Scott5114]

Walmart has systems in place where it won't let the shoppers scan the incorrect item. The shopper has to click on something on the handheld indicating they are substituting an item.

I'm a little curious how I've ended up with random extra items we didn't order, then. One time it was 36 eggs (we don't really eat eggs so that was interesting to have to deal with—I hard boiled some of them, but most of them got thrown out). The most recent time it was giving me two gallons of milk when I only ordered one. At least that I could work my way through before it went bad.

and also they will use twice as many bags as necessary by putting only one or two items in a bag.

I KNOW RIGHT

The bagging is pretty nonsensical too. Because my wife orders and I'm usually the one bringing it inside, we recently had to throw out a few things of yogurt because I didn't know it was part of the order. They had put it all at the bottom of a bag and then put dry ingredients on top of it. Because I thought the bag just had dry ingredients, I didn't discover the yogurt until it had been left on the counter overnight.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

When they talk about national news stories on local newscasts

[GaryV]

When they talk about national news stories on local newscasts

Because national news doesn't affect local people?

[1995hoo]

... If an item isn't available, I'd rather pick out my own substitution instead of relying on the shopper picking something else out based on what the system suggests. ...

I do our grocery shopping and I have no interest in trying pickup or delivery for several reasons. One of them is the reason you note. My wife is very particular about certain things—not all grocery items, just certain ones—and has made it clear that if they don't have the one she specifies, she'd rather I not substitute something else. She'll either do without or stop at another store. If someone else were doing the shopping, I figure we would have zero control over such things.

In terms of them bagging incorrectly, I usually take four grocery bags plus a wine bottle bag. Two of the grocery bags are insulated for cold stuff and I always put those on top of the pile, and when I put the groceries on the belt I put the cold stuff first. So yesterday the cashier put all the cold stuff in the two non-insulated bags. I didn't notice it until it was too late because he started scanning while I was still putting stuff on the belt. It seems like common sense—if the customer brings a bag that's obviously insulated (and says so on the outside), why wouldn't you put the ice cream and other such items in that bag? (I didn't bother adjusting it, though, because it wasn't a hot day and it's only about a ten-minute drive home.)

[thenetwork]

When they talk about national news stories on local newscasts

Because some medium and especially small-market stations have gutted their staffs to the bare minimum, so there is hardy anyone to cover local stories anymore.  So they just run regional or national stories from their sister stations or networks to "fill time".

[elsmere241]

When they talk about national news stories on local newscasts

That local TV news is such a joke these days.

[thenetwork]

When they talk about national news stories on local newscasts

That local TV news is such a joke these days.

The young reporters don't go after the hard hitting stories like they did 20+ years ago.  Whether the management tells them not to because a harder story takes more time to cover (and with less employees on the payroll, they may not be available to get other fast-breaking news), or because they are given the workload of 2-3 people, they want to find short, easy stories to cover.

[vdeane]

In terms of them bagging incorrectly, I usually take four grocery bags plus a wine bottle bag. Two of the grocery bags are insulated for cold stuff and I always put those on top of the pile, and when I put the groceries on the belt I put the cold stuff first. So yesterday the cashier put all the cold stuff in the two non-insulated bags. I didn't notice it until it was too late because he started scanning while I was still putting stuff on the belt. It seems like common sense—if the customer brings a bag that's obviously insulated (and says so on the outside), why wouldn't you put the ice cream and other such items in that bag? (I didn't bother adjusting it, though, because it wasn't a hot day and it's only about a ten-minute drive home.)

This is why I try to stick to self checkout lanes.  I have my reasons for organizing my bags like I do, and store baggers will usually do it differently.  Not to mention that they don't usually put down the plastic thing that helps the bags maintain their shape.  I an get why the baggers at Hannaford and Market32 don't, because their own bags don't have such a thing, but even the Wegmans baggers often don't, and these are Wegmans bags!

[1995hoo]

I would prefer the self-checkout, but the ones at the Wegmans I patronize are designated for 20 items or fewer and even if I were inclined to ignore that, I'd run into a problem in that the bagging area wouldn't have enough room for a full load of groceries on my normal weekly trip. (Whereas today when we stopped there we only needed about ten items and four of them were birthday cards, so of course I used the self-checkout.)

[DenverBrian]

The sad thing is that GM finally got the Pontiac lineup to be fairly distinct and performance oriented by the time it went defunct.  The G8 was a gem of a car and the Solstice (especially the GXP) was a nice alternative to the Miata. 

...but the Aztec...

"but the Edsel" didn't mean Ford should be abolished; why should "but the Aztec" mean that Pontiac should be abolished?

[Max Rockatansky]

The Aztec now has a niche fan base.  As ugly as those CUVs were they at least had an element of usefulness.  I don't know how anyone looks at the CyberTruck and doesn't see a stainless steel Aztec.  Tesla totally stole that look from Pontiac.

[kphoger]

Although half the time they don't bring what we actually ordered, but instead something kinda similar that we don't want. Like instead of the kind of Sprite we specify, they bring the kind that has sweetener my wife is allergic to. Or this time, instead of bringing orange and key lime yogurt, they brought the strawberry kind that has fruit chunks in it that neither of us like.

My co-worker once had steaks as part of their grocery order, but the store was out of that particular cut of steak, so the shopper subbed in beef jerky instead.

While we do some grocery shopping (mainly at the club stores), my wife orders quite a bit online.  That means I bring a lot of boxes in from the porch, and then eventually have to get rid of the boxes.  (And squeeze them into the recycling bin on Thursday nights.)

I have piles and piles of cardboard boxes in the basement.  Back when I had an SUV, I could take a huge load down to the recycling center every so often.  But now I have a Ford Focus.

The bagging is pretty nonsensical too.

I'm so happy that our Dillon's has two self-checkout registers with a conveyor belt.  She scans, and I box up the groceries into (1) a big cardboard box like what they have produce in at Aldi and (2) one reusable bag with a firm floor.  Occasionally, I need a plastic bag or two, which is fine, because then we can use those for something later.

On the rare occasions that those lanes aren't open and we have to use a regular checkout line instead, I simply tell the bagger to go help someone else so I can box up my own groceries.  Sometimes there's no other shopper that needs help, and then they get to stand around and chat with a co-worker for a few minutes instead.

[JayhawkCO]

Although half the time they don't bring what we actually ordered, but instead something kinda similar that we don't want. Like instead of the kind of Sprite we specify, they bring the kind that has sweetener my wife is allergic to. Or this time, instead of bringing orange and key lime yogurt, they brought the strawberry kind that has fruit chunks in it that neither of us like.

My co-worker once had steaks as part of their grocery order, but the store was out of that particular cut of steak, so the shopper subbed in beef jerky instead.

If you soak jerky in water, it re-hydrates into a ribeye.

[PColumbus73]

Although half the time they don't bring what we actually ordered, but instead something kinda similar that we don't want. Like instead of the kind of Sprite we specify, they bring the kind that has sweetener my wife is allergic to. Or this time, instead of bringing orange and key lime yogurt, they brought the strawberry kind that has fruit chunks in it that neither of us like.

My co-worker once had steaks as part of their grocery order, but the store was out of that particular cut of steak, so the shopper subbed in beef jerky instead.

While we do some grocery shopping (mainly at the club stores), my wife orders quite a bit online.  That means I bring a lot of boxes in from the porch, and then eventually have to get rid of the boxes.  (And squeeze them into the recycling bin on Thursday nights.)

I have piles and piles of cardboard boxes in the basement.  Back when I had an SUV, I could take a huge load down to the recycling center every so often.  But now I have a Ford Focus.

The bagging is pretty nonsensical too.

I'm so happy that our Dillon's has two self-checkout registers with a conveyor belt.  She scans, and I box up the groceries into (1) a big cardboard box like what they have produce in at Aldi and (2) one reusable bag with a firm floor.  Occasionally, I need a plastic bag or two, which is fine, because then we can use those for something later.

On the rare occasions that those lanes aren't open and we have to use a regular checkout line instead, I simply tell the bagger to go help someone else so I can box up my own groceries.  Sometimes there's no other shopper that needs help, and then they get to stand around and chat with a co-worker for a few minutes instead.

My first job was a bagger at Kroger, and I still remember their training to 'Strive for Five', try to get five items per bag.

[GaryV]

'Strive for Five', try to get five items per bag.

5 watermelons would be a challenge.

5 packages of cheese, easy peasy.

[kphoger]

5 watermelons would be a challenge.

5 packages of cheese, easy peasy.

Nah.  One watermelon goes into each bag, along with four other items such as ...

— bags of potato chips
— heirloom tomatoes
— cartons of eggs
— loaves of bread
— individual yogurt cups

[PColumbus73]

5 watermelons would be a challenge.

5 packages of cheese, easy peasy.

Nah.  One watermelon goes into each bag, along with four other items such as ...

— bags of potato chips
— heirloom tomatoes
— cartons of eggs
— loaves of bread
— individual yogurt cups

- a birthday cake
- brie, or other soft, spreadable cheese

[TheHighwayMan3561]

When you're looking for a job, seniority and experience means everything. When you actually have a job, it means nothing.

[JayhawkCO]

When you're looking for a job, seniority and experience means everything. When you actually have a job, it means nothing.

And that's why job hopping isn't that bad. (Says the guy who has an interview here in 2.5 hours.)

[Rothman]

When you're looking for a job, seniority and experience means everything. When you actually have a job, it means nothing.

*counts down the years until he's free to his pension*

Sure seems to mean something.