RCNevada

I got a phone call at zero dark hundred Monday morning about a broken printer. Every attempt at troubleshooting was interrupted with “it doesn’t have that.” I eventually asked if they were sure we were discussing the same make and model? They’re response was “What? Do you think I’m too stupid to tell the difference?” –That was a trick question. Right?

At any rate, since the company is right down the street I gave up, got dressed, went over to check the device and found -everybody try and look surprised- it was a totally different machine.

The really pathetic part of this lurid tale is that this earth shaking problem was caused by a printer that had run out of toner. Somebody had pointed to the wrong printer and told the office manager that “the printer hasn’t worked in days.” So she called me because it was their tech’s day off.

You know, I keep warning people to never do business related favors for friends. Because once you give in they will expect you to work for free, be on call 24/7, complain endlessly if they don’t like what you tell them and won’t even buy you lunch. –So three guesses who was doing a business related favor for a friend. It’s a good thing I never claimed to be smart.

I got a similar call from work the same day. Once again it was a totally different device and there was nothing wrong except operator error.

I haven’t bothered to tell anybody, because here, as with other places I’ve worked, complaining is, to put it politely, shouting into the wind.

But since this is a personal blog I’ll say what I can’t say at work. –I know you can’t fix stupid, but how the hell do so many idiots manage to hold jobs when some intelligent people I know can’t find one to save their lives?

Now on to my personal life:
My girlfriend’s parents had one of their fights and my g/f wants me to be mad at her father because her mother is very upset and it’s all his fault.

To put this whole fight thing in the proper context you need to know that he’s from Argentina and was raised with that “I’m the man of the house so I’m right” attitude, while she’s a short tempered woman from Mexico. –Fighting is just something they do. How they got together I’ll never know. Why they stay together is beyond my comprehension.

I have no idea what the details of the fight are or even the slightest clue what started it, but when I told my now ex-girlfriend that I wasn’t going to take sides until I knew what happened, she blew up, yelled something impolite and stomped out. What can I say? It’s a family trait.

That last part was a victory, a Pyrrhic victory to be sure, but at least my life is quite for the moment.

I don’t think I need psychiatric help (I know all us crazy people say that) but as I sit here answering my very own dumb_question_hotline I sure could use some of those good drugs.

A quick note:
The woman looking for a man featured in my previous post gave herself a ring for Valentine’s Day and acted surprised. Even her cat thinks she’s crazy.
Second note:
She got a date. Yeppers. A real live date. Of course it turns out he’s from Iowa, but it’s a start. Now she’s on the hunt for a local guy.

I bought this on fleabay and according to SWMBO I paid waaay too much. ($125)

It’s about 2″ wide and has some 12mm garnets and at a buck and quarter it was the cheapest specimen with decent crystals I could find at a price I was willing to pay.

It’s much prettier in person than it is in this cellphone picture. –At least it is to this aspiring gemologist.

I can’t for the life of me figure out why I’m always broke…. Hmmmm

You can tell we’re a bunch of sissies here in Vegas because with the temps in the high 40s we’re all cold. So I’ve gone back to hot meals for supper.

This is one of my favorites. It’s a lamb stew served over noodles.

The recipe is from an old cookbook full of Russian and eastern European recipes. The only problem is getting mutton suet. — It’s not exactly big seller at our local Albertson’s.

(click for a larger version of the recipe)