Predictive text!

Don't you just hate predictive text?

Why does a computer or an ipad or a phone think that it's clever enough to know what you want to write?

Predictive text absolutely does my head in.  A machine does not have emotions.  It does not know how I'm thinking.  It does not know what I want to write.  It is not cleverer than me.

How many times have any of you had a text message that you cannot understand because the 'predictive text' has turned the message into gobbledygook?  On numerous occasions I have to text friends back to say that I don't understand their message.  Which brings me to another problem of 'predictive text'........................

..................Why do people who send text messages never actually read through the message before they press the send button?  When I was at school in the 1960/70s we were taught to read through all our work before we handed it in.  It was drummed into us that before any work was marked we had to make sure that it was exactly how we wanted it to be.  These days, nobody seems to read through anything because they seem to think that 'predictive text' will correct all their mistakes.

As far as I am concerned Mr 'predictive text' gets things wrong far more than humans do.

And the other thing that is really annoying.........................  Most of todays youth don't seem to think that there is anything wrong with 'predictive text'.  It's like this whole 'nanny state' thing................  They fire off messages that no one can understand because they haven't read through their messages first and then blame 'predictive text' for not spelling things correctly or writing things grammatically.  I'm surprised that we haven't seen ads on the TV advising us how to sue for compensation because our phones have sent messages that we didn't actually want to send.

I'm sure 'predictive text' is probably a very useful tool if it were to be used correctly.  Predictive text is very good at spelling (but only if it knows what word you want to spell).  Predictive text is very good at finishing off your sentences (but only if it knows what you want to say).  Predictive text is a very speedy way of communication (but only if when it has finished writing for you, you check it's work over).

.....................And there lies the answer to Mr 'predictive text'!!!

...............He's not perfect!!!  As with life in the good old days - anything that Mr 'predictive text' writes, has to be read, checked and OKed before it is sent off anywhere.

Recycling

Today's rant is going to be about recycling.

I hate recycling!  Well, actually that's a lie.  I think recycling is a very good thing and I'm all for saving the planet and all that.

However the thing that really annoys me is...........................  recycling and holiday makers...........

I live in a complex of 12 properties where at least half of them are holiday lets.  We have two big bins in our car park for general waste, we have a compost bin in the communal courtyard area, but unfortunately the 'holiday let' properties do not have recycling facilities.  They do not have recycling facilities for 3 reasons:

1)  The recycling is only collected once every couple of weeks and getting holiday makers to put out the recycling at the correct time is an impossibility?!  They're on holiday.  They can't be bothered to put the recycling out at a set time.  They've come away to get away from all of that.  Holiday makers don't even seem to be able to dispose of their own babies nappies but that could be a whole other rant!

2)  Here in the South West we have different coloured bags for different things.  The bags are very flimsy so unless one is actually around when the flimsy bags are emptied.................. one could arrive home in the evening and find that all the flimsy bags have actually blown away.  And apart from anything else; the properties here are not mansions so no-one actually has any room in their property to store 3 flimsy recycling bags for two weeks.

3)  In the 'property holiday maker information folder' they are told that there are no recycling facilities at the property and they are given the directions to the nearest recycling facilities.  If they choose not to use them and chuck everything in the communal bins, then so be it???

The trouble with holiday makers is.......................  they never read anything.  They just seem to think that a 'property information folder' is something to be ignored!!!

Anyway, one of my very lovely neighbours spoke to the guys who collect our recycling every couple of weeks and asked if we left some of our 'old fashioned recycling boxes' by the courtyard gate would they be able to collect them for us and empty them.  Very lovely recycling guys said that as long as everything was sorted then yes they would.  Just how lovely is that.  These guys are definitely going well and above the line of duty?!!!

Unfortunately the holiday makers have decided that instead of just putting 'recycling' into the boxes, they'll just throw any old rubbish in.  And if the rubbish doesn't fit in the boxes then they'll just leave it on the ground??!!  Just who do they think removes all of this c***?

There are only about four of us permanent ressies who live here in the summer; one lady is disabled, one works every hour under the sun; so that leaves myself and one other to sort everything out.  Myself and 'one other' had a discussion about this a couple of days ago.  She'd sorted everything out a couple of weeks ago so I said I'd do it this week.

.....................And then I said I was going to hide all the old recycling boxes so holiday makers will have to dispose of their own recycling at the recycling points that are mentioned in their property information folders.  But I know that they won't - they'll just leave all the recycling in the property for the cleaner to get rid off??!!

So I sorted through all of the rubbish, (and pretty gross it was too!).  And I eventually ended up with two recycling boxes - one full of glass bottles and one full of plastic bottles.  And I threw away at least four bags containing babies nappies, and I threw away at least six cartons of fruit juice that were inside plastic bags, and I threw away cream cracker remains and crisp remains and a load of raw meat stuff and vegetable remains.  And then I had to sort the plastic bottles & glass bottles into two separate recycling bins.

...................And now I'm feeling really fed up.  Which is why I'm ranting.

I'm not annoyed with the property owners.  They have very detailed information left in their properties about what should happen with recycling.  

However, I am seriously annoyed with holiday makers who either read the information and chose to ignore it or just don't bother reading it at all.

Look at the photos above.  Just who do they think is going to dispose of all this?

......................Oh, I forgot - they're on holiday - the fairies will do it!!!

And what's that saying?????.................... 'You're never more than 6ft away from a rat in the UK???'

It would serve these 'rubbish spreading holiday makers' right if they came back to their property one night and found a family of rats feasting on what they'd casually discarded into the recycling boxes.

..............But if they did................. they'd be contacting the letting agents pretty quickly to demand some compensation because the place was over run with rats??!!

Anyway, the recycling boxes have now been emptied and I've hidden them all in a corner of the communal courtyard. 

Holiday makers sort out your own rubbish......................

......................And if my hidden recycling boxes find their way back into the public domain......................... I'll probably have another rant. Lol!

Scrubbing

I've given this post the title of 'Scrubbing' but I'm not actually sure if this is the correct title for this post?  I might change it to 'Recycling'.  Don't know yet.  Not sure where my rantings are going to take me.

I live in a complex of 12 properties and more than half of them are 'holiday lets'.  I look after two of them for my neighbours.  Cleaning holiday let properties is a very lucrative business here in the South West.  Being a 'housekeeper' in the South West pays at least twice the minimum wage, if not three times the minimum wage so obviously it's a worthwhile job to do.

However......................  August holiday makers are a nightmare.  Holiday makers are supposed to leave the property in the state that they found it.  They're supposed to empty all the bins, they're supposed to get rid of all unused food, they're supposed to leave the property how they found it???  Grrrrr, Grrrrrrr, Grrrrrr.

They are not supposed to empty the bins and then just throw in whatever rubbish they have into a bin that does not have a bin liner (even though the property has umpteen bin liners that they could put in the bin), they are not supposed to leave crockery to be washed or just shove stuff in the dishwasher without even switching it on.  They are not supposed to leave sand all over the property.  They're not supposed to eat pizza in bed and leave the remains all over the place.  They are not supposed to leave used nappies for the housekeeper to dispose of......................  But they do??!!

August holiday makers are the worst! 

And the other thing that is really annoying...........................  They arrive really early, ie before 9am, roll up in the car park thinking that they can park in the space...................... when the visitors who have been in the  property the previous week don't even have to leave until 10am??!!  And then they get stroppy because there's a car in the space.  And then they go away and come back at dead on 10am and start knocking on the window of the property that I've only just got into and say, 'We've paid for this holiday and we can't get into our parking space and when will the property be ready?'  And I say, '3pm but if I finish cleaning it before then I'll give the letting agents a call and they'll contact you.'

...................And they wander off muttering something like, 'how long does it take to clean a two bedroomed flat'?  ...........Well actually not very long if it had been left in a reasonable state but it never is in August.  For example everyone who comes on holiday in August fries stuff!  I know because I walk past the two holiday lets that I clean and every morning the frying pans are out and there's huge greasy fry ups on the go.  I probably use my frying pan a couple of times a year.

Not so holiday makers - they constantly fry everything!  And they never ever clean the frying pan.  They just shove it back in the cupboard so that when I go in to clean I have to wash all the pans and crockery first.  Grrrrrrr.

.....................And the other thing which is really, really annoying is........................  They totally 'over occupy' the properties.  Because I live pretty much next door and can an eye on who is coming and going; I know that the two properties that I look after are 'over occupied' on a regular basis.  Take this week for example - Property 1 sleeps 5 and on my booking chart is showing 2 adults and 3 kids - I know for a fact that there's 3 adults & 4 kids in there.  I live next door - I've seen them all coming and going.  But can I prove it?  I cannot!!  All I can do is report back to the letting agents that they're over occupying but unless I camp out outside their front door 24/7 (and set up CCTV which shows them going in during the evening and not leaving until the morning) there's not much I can do.  ................If confronted; they'll just say they have visitors visiting!!!

Everything seems to be in the favour of the people who are renting these properties.  There's been occasions when I have actually photographed damage that has been done by holiday makers.  ..........................And then they've totally denied it?!  Holes in walls, stains on carpets, etc, etc.  And even with photographic evidence, it's still their word against ours.  They just say, 'We didn't do it. It must have been done before or maybe the cleaner did it'. Duh!!!!

It's not easy being a scrubber!!!

Free Prescriptions

Haven't ranted for a while because I've been too lazy haven't had anything much to rant about.  Actually I meant to rant about this a couple of months ago but somehow never got around to it.

Prescription charges??!!  In Scotland prescription charges are free.  In Scotland university fees are free - I may have to rant about that at a later date.

Anyway to get back to todays rant.....................  5 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I got carted off to hospital, had a lumpectomy, had 3 weeks of radiotherapy and then was told I had to take a drug called 'Anastrozole' for the next 5 years.

So I've taken the drug called 'Anastrozole' for 5 years and every single time that I've picked up my prescription I've had to pay for it.  Every single time I've been in the pharmacists to pick it up; they've asked do you pay for your prescriptions and I just said, 'yes'.  I thought it was just OAPs that got free prescriptions in England.

..................And now I discover that all cancer patients get free treatment??!!

The very lovely pharmacist that served me the last time I picked up my prescription asked (in a very quiet voice), 'is this for breast cancer' and when I said yes, she said that cancer treatments were exempt on the NHS??!!

So who should have told me this?.............................  the radiographer who x-rayed me and told me I had cancer, the McMillan nurse who held my hand and told me I'd be OK, the surgeon who operated on me, the nurses who administered my radiotherapy treatments, the doctor who saw me at my follow up visit, the first pharmacist I saw when picking up these tablets????

Where should I have got this information from???

Obviously I'm very grateful to be alive........................... but......................... to be honest I'm furious that no one has told me about this before.

I asked 'very lovely pharmacist' if I could 'back claim' for all the prescriptions that I have paid out for and she said I couldn't..................

.................Mmmmmmmm....................... not so sure about that???  A very stern letter is going to be winging it's way to NHS headquarters very soon.  Grrrrrrrr.........................

Dentists - Rant 5

OK, so after the first couple of 'dentist rants' I promised myself that I wouldn't rant any more??!!


.............BUT seriously...................  I sooooooo HATE my dentist that I have to rant.


He is the most patronising, aggrogrant, person that I have ever met.


He had a new dental assistant with him today.  Very lovely lady (probably in her 50s) and he described me to her as 'dental phobic'.  Duh???  I'm not actually 'dental phobic'??  I'm just dental phobic with him???  He is one of the most patronising people I have ever met in my whole life.


Do you use an electric toothbrush, do you floss, do you do this, do you do that???


These are the same questions that he asks me every single time that I go.  And every single time he spends hours writing stuff down.  I really feel like saying you recorded this the last time............  But of course I don't because I'm too scared.  He's the professional so he must know what he's doing.


I have to learn to stand up to this man??  The trouble is my last dentist (who retired due to ill health was lovely).


Today, he didn't even clean my teeth.  He just took an Xray of them and when I said he'd done this recently he said it was a year ago and then muttered something about Xrays having to be taken every two years???  So why is he taking one after only a year???


And then he went on and on and on and on about me seeing the dental hygienist for some sort of deep clean.  But today he didn't call it a deep clean; he called it an 'advanced clean'.  And apparently it's going to take about 4-5 appointments to do this and my gums will be numbed and everything will be hunky dory.  Somehow I don't think that will happen.


I soooooooo, soooooooo hate these so called professionals.


As far as I'm concerned; if you don't want to treat me; just tell me...................


................You're not the only dentist in the whole wide world.  I'll find someone else.

Applying for a job

OK, so I’m 57 years old.  Not the youngest spring chicken anymore.  But what I do have is experience of life.  Over the years I’ve worked in many different walks of life.  For the last 20 years I have worked in the tourism trade.  And it is a job in the tourism trade that I am applying for now.

 

The job that I am applying for is a ‘seasonal part time’ job.  I’m not looking for a career.  I just want a job that I can do, and when my shift is over, go home and forget about it.  The job I am applying for……………  I could probably do with my eyes shut.  I have 20 years experience of dealing with irate tourists and 20 years of experience of sorting out problems relating to holiday makers problems and 20 years of experience of being nice to people even when I really feel like just slapping them!!

 

A very prominent person in town actually advised me to apply for this job.  So today off I went and had an informal chat with the manager to see what hours I’d be required to work.  To be honest the hours were longer than what I would want I’m lazy I don’t really want to work more than 4-5 hours a day, but the job sounds really interesting and I’d get to meet loads of people.

 

Sooooo…………….  I asked what I would have to do to apply…………..  And was handed an application form……………….

 

………….And here starts my RANT!!!!

 

On the application form it doesn’t ask if I’m married or single…………. But I have to put my ‘title’.

 

On the application form, it doesn’t ask my age……………. But I have to list my education from age 11.

 

Oh and then……………. I’ve got to list any ‘training’ that I’ve had……………. But there’s only three boxes for that.  I’m not actually sure what they mean by ‘training’ anyway???  Since I left school in 1977 I’ve done zillions of courses.  I think I might just leave that bit blank???  Even though I feel like just writing – ‘Not enough boxes.’

 

But the hardest part of all………….. is the 2 boxes on the back page………

 

One says………… ‘Please explain how you meet the requirements in the job description and person specification’.  And the other says………………. ‘Please give your reasons for applying for this post.’

 

Really?????????????????????????????????

 

So my answers for applying for the post will go something like this:

1.  It’s part-time
2. It’s temporary
3. It’s a 5 min walk from home
4. It pays more than the minimum wage
5. I get to chat to lots of people
    
   OK I probably won’t write that.  I will have to message my very techy nephews so they can devise me a very techy answer to that question.  This world has gone crazy.  I was asked to apply for this job, I know the manager and he knows my background.  And yet I still have to fill out a ridiculous application form which in no way describes what I have done in my life……………….  It’s soooo, soooooo annoying.
   I’m 57.  I have experience of life.  I know how to deal with irate holiday makers.  I know how to pacify people, I know a lot of things……………
   …………..What I don’t know; is how to fill out a job application form to make me look even more fabulous than I am.
    
   BUT, actually do you know what?………….. the manager of where I want to work, isn’t even 30 years old yet, and if he can’t recognise that I’d be an asset to his workforce, then he obviously doesn’t have the insight to see what amazing talents I have. Lol!!
    
   #lifeisnotallabouttechnology

BT - Upgrading to unlimited wifi

Why is life so difficult sometimes? 

I’ve been on my current BT price plan since I had to get a new wifi hub in September 2014; at which point I was told that I’d have to go onto new price plan but it would be cheaper than my old one and I’d get more wifi usage.  Well, that’s never, actually been true and gradually the price seems to be creeping up & up so that I never pay less than £43 per month.

Sooooo……………. Because I wanted unlimited broadband, I decided to take the ‘bull by the horns’ and see what kind of a deal I could get.  Seriously not happy with the way BT operate.

Firstly, couldn’t find a phone number anywhere on the BT website.  On the contact us page it just kept popping up with stupid little FAQs.  Grrrrrrrr…………….  Anyway eventually found a free phone number in a magazine that was advertising the ‘Great BT Sale’.

Phoned number and immediately got through to the ‘sales team’ where I explained that I wanted to upgrade to unlimited wifi.

They told me that the cheapest ‘unlimited broadband’ they could do would be at £25 plus per month, plus line rental at £17.99, plus free weekend & evening calls at £3.20, plus caller display at £1.75.  So that’s almost £50 per month………….

………….Grrrrrr…………….

I said, ‘My sister is on a much lower tariff than that.  Is it possible for me to go on the same price plan’???

At which point, ‘salesperson’ (I didn’t catch his name) said, ‘You’re talking to the sales team, if you want a cheaper option you need to talk to customer options’.  So I asked him for the customer options phone number (which as far as I’m concerned is absolutely no where on the website).

Phoned ‘Customer Options’.  (01324452504 – this is the phone number)

………….And then guess what………………..

………….I’ve now managed to get line rental, unlimited broadband, free weekend calls & caller ID for £28.84 per month.  Thanks BT.

BUT why do they make everything so difficult???

For more than a year I’ve been paying £3.20 for ‘free’ evening & weekend calls. 

Apparently free weekend calls are included in every plan (Did they tell me that originally?  Of course they didn’t) so in effect I’ve been paying £3.20 for any calls that I make after 7pm Mon-Fri.

Without the ‘FREE’ evening calls, I will be charged at 10.24p per minute (to a landline) which means that I can talk for more than 30 mins before I’m charged £3.20.  And I can talk for 23 mins to a mobile before I’m paying more than £3.20???

I hardly ever use the landline to phone anyone.  Why would I??  I have 300 free mins on my mobile.

This whole thing is seriously annoying me.

If I hadn’t got ‘stroppy’ and demanded a cheaper deal; BT would be charging me almost double what they’re going to be charging me.

£28.84 is a lot better than paying almost £50 every month??!!