What are you doing today?

Renzatic said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what you're supposed to do with rental cars?
Click to expand...

That was my briefing on the subject, yes.

A few years ago, a federal agent jumped in my car so we could get lunch and gave me a wonderfully backhanded complement—"you drive like a cop." I had to tell him that I was just driving like cabbies in Egypt.
 
SuperMatt said:
I like to go to an actual store. A lot of people would rather have all their needs delivered to them in boxes from Amazon.

Funny thing - I see so many people that just buy EVERYTHING from Amazon. I mean... you’ve got the internet. You can’t find another vendor? You’re not even curious what the competition offers?
Click to expand...
I am not an Amazon spokesperson, but Amazon is killing their competition, especially brick and mortar retailers. In the last year we have been buying 90% of all goods excluding groceries from Amazon and it boils down to several things:
  • Paying to be a Prime member which also gets you access to their original video offerings.
  • Huge selection, other retailers can’t compete against.
  • In many cases prices marked below retail. However, sometimes lower prices can be found at other online vendors.
  • Significant convenience, no spending 2 hours in the car seeking a retailer who has what I want.
  • In many cases, especially for clothes and shoes, no question asked free returns, so if it does not fit, or you don’t like how it looks or feels, easy returns. You don’t even have to repack it if you don’t want to. They will pack it for you at the UPS Store.
In the last month I purchased all with free shipping:
  • a wide mouth gasolene funnel for use with the car,
  • Kingsford charcoal chimney starter
  • a pair of sketcher’s loafers
  • Replacement spray wand for a presurized spray bottle
  • 3 pack of Schmidt’s deodorant
  • Aluminum and iron bird water bowl on stand (replacing existing bowl).
  • ear buds
  • Red dragon gaming mouse
  • Replaced under Amazon extended warranty: Arris cable modem and router
  • Rolled bamboo fence 6’ tall X 8’ long
  • 4pack of 100w equivalent LED light bulbs
  • 30 pack of 4” peat pots for starting plants
  • emergency hand crank radio.
  • replacement Smokey Joe grill
  • 1 gallon of oil eater to remove oil off the driveway
  • 3 pack of pledge revitalizing oil for wood
 
On Amazon, I had to buy new speakers after I blew the amp in one playing Hu's version of "Sad, but True" way too loud while the wife and kid were away. I suspect it was the sustained throat-singing, and my poor little amp went "oop."

I ordered a pair on Sunday night. They arrived Monday mid-morning. I could barely get out of bed, and drag my ass to Best Buy in that time.
Amazon is a terrible company, but they're amazing as a logistics chain and they sell nearly everything.
 
Over the past year, I have chosen not to shop at Amazon if I can find (acquire, purchase) something locally, instead.

Have just had a sobering (phone) chat with a good friend of mine (he is a senior police officer) - who is currently home on leave - and with whom I had worked abroad; he had grim tales of colleagues (two of whom I knew, for I had also worked with them) who contracted Covid, (abroad), one of whom subsequently died, and one of whom is currently critical and it is thought that he may not pull through - while a third had earlier suffered a cardiac arrest, a serious heart attack.
 
Last edited:
Howdy folks!

Decided to pop back in ;) I've been back online for a week or so (after a week trip), but have NOT gone back to a few sites since before I left, including MR, as I think I'm 100% done there. Kind of just laying low in general, had some amazingly fun travel, a couple of birthdays, some catch up work, amazing weather so been knocking around outside/at the beach, just haven't been very social online, but having a great time IRL :cool:
 
Scepticalscribe said:
Over the past year, I have chosen not to shop at Amazon if I can find (acquire, purchase) something locally, instead.

Have just had a sobering chat with a good friend of mine (he is a senior police officer) - and is currently home on leave - with whom I had worked abroad; he had grim tales of colleagues (two of whom I knew, for I had also worked with them) who contracted Covid, (abroad), one of whom subsequently died, and one of whom is currently critical and it is thought that he may not pull through - while a third had earlier suffered a cardiac arrest, a serious heart attack.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that. Difficult times for many. I don’t think Easter will do much for the r number either.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Sorry to hear that. Difficult times for many. I don’t think Easter will do much for the r number either.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

DT said:
Howdy folks!

Decided to pop back in ;) I've been back online for a week or so (after a week trip), but have NOT gone back to a few sites since before I left, including MR, as I think I'm 100% done there. Kind of just laying low in general, had some amazingly fun travel, a couple of birthdays, some catch up work, amazing weather so been knocking around outside/at the beach, just haven't been very social online, but having a great time IRL :cool:
Click to expand...

Good to see you.
 
hulugu said:
Amazon is a terrible company, but they're amazing as a logistics chain and they sell nearly everything.
Click to expand...

A few years ago when their new same day services had just started, me and the partner at-the-time were in SF, doing a pitch for our VR tech, the speakers for our setup got left behind, needed them for max impact, so we ordered a pair, same day was an option, but 2 HOUR was also an option for like another $12, used that - guy comes up in a van in like an hour, it was astonishing. I asked if he was just driving around with a van full of electronics, like a in-air refueling vessel ...
 
Huntn said:
Unfortunately it’s a choice made by businesses and customers where small stores can’t compete price wise. The customers could choose to continue supporting the smaller family run business, but the appeal of lower prices and in some cases more choice is too strong.
Click to expand...

SuperMatt said:
Funny thing - I see so many people that just buy EVERYTHING from Amazon. I mean... you’ve got the internet. You can’t find another vendor? You’re not even curious what the competition offers?
Click to expand...

A few things for, re: Amazon ...

It's often not price, it's just availability. There are no, or have never really been, any small stores local to me - for example, from recent purchases - to purchase: a multi input/output 3.5mm audio switcher, a replacement ice/drip tray for the fridge

And then, when it is something I could probably source locally: Rubbermaid 18g totes for example, is Home Depot or Walmart really any better in terms of faceless, big giant, mom-and-pop destroying corporations? It's kind of the same with some grocery items, our options are regional stores, that don't have some products and don't really special order (they not Walmart sized, but still very large companies with hundreds of locations) , Publix doesn't care they don't stock Monster Ultra Blue Zero Sugar (don't ask ...), and you have to go through distribution channels, so might as well use Amazon.

And sure, sometimes it's price and/or their awesome logistics and/or - and this is important in a time where you have to be careful about online activity - I like having a single transaction source. Seriously, I've actually avoided ordering from some small sites, with poorly implemented paymetn systems who don't even offer Amazon or PayPal as an option - I get it, there's a fee, but I don't need another attack vector because your "computer wizard son-in-law" implemented some half-assed CC processing system.
 
I've been a Prime member for some years now, and although I bought things through Amazon that I couldn't get locally, it really wasn't until the pandemic that I really started buying a lot more through Amazon, even stuff that normally I would've gone to an area store to purchase. it's just so convenient, especially now, to be able to look on the site, find the item, check the price, and if it's something electric or electronic, read the reviews, then simply click the "buy" button and that's it. Saves time, saves masking-up, saves getting to the store and discovering that they don't have the right item after all (SO annoying!) and saves potential exposure to the virus, which is still a concern even though I'm fully vaccinated. What's not to love? Package arrives on the doorstep in a day or two.... Or, even the same day. Last week I wanted something, but wasn't in a particular rush for it, just happened to decide to order it, and was startled to see that it was available for same-day delivery. I had it in my hands a few hours later. Wow!
 
A glorious day, hence, I headed into the farmers' market.

Fruit (oranges, blood oranges, lemons, apples mangoes), vegetables, (tomatoes, lamb's lettuce, aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), red peppers, green peppers, chard, leeks, onions, carrots, parsnips, baby beets, garlic, olives, anchovies, and parsley, were bought, as was bread from the French bakery, and eggs.

And I treated myself to a few cheeses today:

Two different types of Gorgonzola Cremosa, Bleu d'Auvergne, St Nectaire, Camembert Rustique, some young Durrus, a young Comte, and Dent du Chat.
 
Last edited:
I unearthed my (prescription) sunglasses, having hunted for them last night - sunny conditions meant that they were worn today.

The real issue - for wearing with masks - was to find a second set of lanyards, so that they wouldn't fall off my nose; I didn't want to remove the pair of lanyards (and - worse, as a consequence - run the risk of losing them) on my 'ordinary' glasses.

Anyway, second set of lanyards located, and, thus equipped, I sallied forth, attired in sunglasses, lanyards and mask.
 
Last edited:
Scepticalscribe said:
And I treated myself to a few cheeses today:

Two different types of Gorgonzola Cremosa, Bleu d'Auvergne, St Nectaire, Camembert Rustique, some young Durrus, a young Comte, and …
Click to expand...
dent-du-chat-51758663-1312-401b-b44d-3999bed4ad6-resize-750.jpg

Dent du Chat
Click to expand...

But, no casu martzu?
 
It is a lovely sunny and warmish day today -- a perfect Easter Sunday -- and in a short time I'll be going out with camera in hand to commune some more with my beloved cherry blossoms and tulip magnolias, which are around for such a short time. Unfortunately a cold snap of a couple of really cold nights and days has affected the majority of the tulip magnolia blossoms so that they have been damaged. There is one tree, though, which has been a little behind the others so that many of the buds had not yet begun to open and bloom so now that it is warmer again I am hoping to find some more delights on that particular tree.
 
Today I'm going to the license bureau to get my tag renewed (can't do it by mail this year). Then I'm going for a blood draw for my doctor's appointment on Wednesday. Lastly I'm going to the drug store to buy up all the remaining Easter candy. :D
 
Back
Top