Buying a tax disc

A few days ago I went online to buy a tax disc because I am a very savy middle aged ranting spinster??


Everything went according to plan and a few minutes later I had an automated reply from the tax disc people saying my application had been successful, I would receive my tax disc in the post within a few days; and don't reply to this email???


Today I received a very fat letter from the Post Office. 


I thought, how fabulous is that?  I only applied for my tax disc at the end of last week and it's arrived already. 


In the words of one of my very first bosses - 'One should never assume'


Inside the envelope was a load of blurb relating to life cover for the over 50's.  Had I asked for this?  NO.  Did I want this?  NO.  Have I a clue what any of this means?  NO.  Is this going straight in the bin?  YES.


4 pages of stuff that I don't understand, an enclosed free post envelope to post back the stuff I don't understand or want, plus the envelope that was used to send out all this c*** in the first place..................... Multiply that by the number of people who apply for a tax disc every year, and that's a lot of paper.  In fact it's probably a lot of trees or even a lot of rain forests????


I'm just going to throw this lot straight into the bin.  I'm sure 99% of everyone else who receives all this junk mail will do the same.


Next year I will just go to the Post Office for a new tax disc and talk to a real live person??!!!


Perhaps if the tax disc people realised that this is what is happening then they might reduce our car tax bill?


All this wasted paper makes me seriously annoyed. - I wonder if anyone in the car tax office has done any sort of a study to find out exactly if sending all this paper to every one who applies for a tax disc is actually generating anymore income???   .....................And if it is..................... then why aren't we getting a reduction in our car tax bills?????????????????????

Welcome to the real world

So today I am going to rant about life in the 'real world'.


I'm going to rant about life in the 'real world' because my 14 year old niece has just messaged me on FB is that the real world? and asked; how many 14 year olds do I know that have a job????


Quite a lot actually.


Living in the SW, the kids down here fall into two categories: those that go on the Jeremy Kyle Show and those that work.  OK I will freely admit that that is a generalisation.  After all, statistically speaking how many people go on the JK show??


The ones that work, work really hard.  Be it 'pasty prison' (the pasty shops), waitressing, cleaning, delivering flyers, washing cars, whatever.  They start working young.  They have to, because they don't have parents that can afford to fund their mobile phones or social lives or iTunes downloads.


We all know that 'employment rules' state when and when not people under 16 years of age can work.  Does any one take notice of these rules?  I don't think so.


Most of the kids who work in the SW work in the hospitality industry which involves unsociable hours, long hours and evening hours.  They do it because they want the work.  The employers employ them because it's cheaper to pay someone under 18 to do the job.  And lets face it - why on earth would anyone pay the minimum wage to someone over 18, if someone under 16 can do the same job and be happy with a wage a lot lower????


It just makes me soooo mad that my gorgeous, lovely, intelligent niece, thinks that she is 'unusual' because she is the only 14 year old she knows who has a proper job (5 hours washing up at the local pub).  I think it's fabulous that she's got a job and I'm really proud of her.  But she's been brought up in a very cocooned middle class environment.........................


.....................and she still seems to have this notion that 14 year olds don't have jobs??!!


Middle class Britain and all that.......................................


Her £4 an hour, won't be going on her mobile phone bill because Mummy & Daddy will still pay that, it won't be going on pair of £40 shoes that she'll only wear once because Mummy & Daddy will  pay for those and it won't be going on any equipment that she needs for school  because Mummy & Daddy will pay for that.


I'm really, really, really, impressed that my 14 year old niece has managed to find herself a job.


Now all I need to do, is convince her that some 14 year olds actually have to work to fund things for their future - and not just go around saying, 'I'm only 14 but I've got a job!!!'

Dentists - Rant 2

The last time I had a rant about my dentist was on 28th October 2013 when I went to the 'patronising dentist' that had just taken over the practise where I normally go.


I didn't like him then and I like him even less now.


After my last visit (when he told me I had to visit every three months to have my teeth cleaned because the plaque was really bad)  I duly made another appointment.  OK I admit I stretched it out to about three and a half months but only because I only ever saw my previous dentist every six months and he didn't seem to have a problem with the amount of plaque on my teeth.


Anyway 'patronising dentist' actually saw me on time.  Turns out 'very lovely receptionist' who I thought had left last time, hadn't actually left.  She was just in hospital for a few days and the inefficient stand-in receptionist was actually patronising dentists wife!  Still don't know what patronising dentist is called because he still hasn't bothered to tell me.


Plonked myself down in the dental chair while patronising dentist faffed about on the computer.


The dental surgery has been refurbished.  Lots of clinical white units, and gone are the lovely mobiles that were hanging on the ceiling for children and middle ranting women to focus on.  Gone is the soothing music playing gently in the background.


Patronising dentist has employed a dental assistant.  Not really quite sure what she does.  Wasn't introduced to her either - she just seemed to be hanging around in the background.


After spending a few minutes faffing on the computer the conversation went a bit like this.  Patronising dentist doesn't do small talk:


Patronising dentist - 'Your teeth don't seem so bad today.  Are you doing something different?'


Me - 'No'.  I felt like saying, 'that's because you've made me come back after 3 months instead of 6'


Patronising dentist - 'Are you flossing?'


Me - 'No'


Patronising dentist - 'Did I use the water jet the last time'.


Me - 'I don't know'.  I felt like saying, 'How should I know - you're the one who spent more time keying stuff into your computer than actually talking to me or treating me'.


And then after he'd finished cleaning my teeth he actually asked how I felt about going to see the dental hygienist at the practise up the road???  The reason I changed to this particular practise almost 10 years ago was because the dentists and hygienists up the road all hurt me so much that they made me cry.  They were also just as patronising as patronising dentist.


Needless to say I refused point blank to do that.  So patronising dentist asked if I was anxious about dentists.  I felt like saying that I was becoming more anxious by the minute.


Then I had to wait while he keyed more stuff into the computer:


Do I ever floss?
What kind of toothbrush do I have?
Do I use an electric toothbrush?
How often do I clean my teeth?
Etc etc etc.


He wanted me to make another appointment for 3 months time.  So I made one for 4 months time.


Obviously, I had to have a bit of a moan to very lovely receptionist.  And she said that lots of other people have had a moan to her.


......................So I'm not the only person who doesn't like patronising dentist!!

Picking up a prescription - 2nd rant!

OK, so the last time I had to pick up a prescription was on 12th November 2013 - when I had a bit of a rant because they were closed for lunch.  In this day and age one would have thought that all businesses organised there staff so that they didn't need to close for lunch.


Today I decided to do the 'dog walk' later than normal because I didn't have to go to work, and could pick up my prescription on the way home. 


...............So, I arrived at the pharmacy to pick up my prescription just after 9am (they open at 8.30am).  There were about six people hanging around waiting - all just staring at an assistant who was on the phone, gazing at a computer screen in front of her.  It appeared that she was having problems with her computer.  However after about 5 mins of waiting she was heard to say, 'Oh so I'm not speaking to the IT department, can you put me through then?'


At which point I left.  Well the poor dog was sitting tied up outside.


I have to say I find this service 'not very good' to say the least............................


No other members of staff were visible at this time although one could be heard talking very loudly on another phone to a patient discussing some highly personal stuff that could be heard by every one in the queue.  Really this should not be how people in the medical profession act!


Whatever happened to the 'customer is always right'.


I fully appreciate that problems with computers do happen but customers should be kept informed and not just have to form their own opinions of what is happening by listening in to phone conversations.  All the prescriptions are filed alphabetically by the customers surname so why couldn't they just hand out the prescription, take the money and write down any other information they needed to be inputted into the computer when their systems were up and running again??


I registered with this particular pharmacy because it is about 2 mins away from where I live.  I deliberately didn't register with the one in town because I didn't want the hassle of having to traipse all the way into town just to pick up a prescription.


I have been picking up prescriptions here for almost two and a half years.  I've gone at all different times and never has it been a case of just nipping in and out.  For a start there is always a queue and I've always had to wait at least 10 mins.  This is the third time I've gone to pick up a prescription and for one reason or another I haven't been able to so have had to go back. 


I might be a middle aged ranting spinster but at least I am fit and able.  Think of all the old people who need their medication and for whom a journey to the pharmacy is a major expedition.  As far as I can see; at the very least this pharmacy needs more staff..........................  But also a bit of staff training in customer relations wouldn't go amiss!!!


And if, when I go back to pick up my prescription this afternoon, I am not served with politeness and efficiency there will be a very strongly worded letter heading to the pharmacy complaints department if they have such a thing.


And here ends my rant!