Sunday, May 21, 2006
Week Past 05/15-05/21
Housing Project
Went to our realtor Ratzlaff's Thur, 05/18 to finalize the finishing materials for the new home. So many options to choose from: floor finish, bathroom and kitchen fixtures and finish, door, paint finish ad infinitum. You just wish your budget is not limited. But that what makes you prudent. Choosing materials that are inexpensive (if there is really one) yet has quality and aesthetic. I thought it would only take a couple of hours. We started around 3:00 pm and got done past 8:00 pm. Those are only for our picks. Cost estimates and availabilty of materials for our choices would follow later. Sun, 05/21 was another open house from 3:00-5:00 pm. Only one came to check out the place but they were looking for a four bedroom :-(
Cellphone Etiquette
I'm not talking about drivers using their cellphones while driving at 70 to 80 mph or those driving at 40 mph on a 55 mph zone because their preoccupied. Let's just hope and pray that they don't get what they deserve. I'm referring to those who use their cellphone while talking to another person in person. I've been getting that a lot lately in my place of work. They come in to our store cellphone stuck in their ear talking, looking important or trying to ("can't you see I'm busy here talking business over the phone'"). They stand in front of you and say something. Say what? You talking to me or your cellphone? Meawhile the line of customers starts to build up because the person in front of you is "multi-tasking". Talking to you and another person in the cell. So your conversation goes like: "How can I help you?"...wait..."Huh? What did you say?"...you go again:"What can I do for you?"...wait..."Uhhh..while he fumbles something in his wallet on one hand and cellphone on the other...this goes on...talk...wait...huh...talk...wait...huh. Maybe after five minutes (which is eternity if you're the next person in line waiting) he or she realizes the futility (let's not even hope realizing the lack of civility) and ends the call. Now we are talking. After "wasting" five minutes of his time and by now there might be five people waiting so that's a total of 25 minutes wasted. Courtesy is the word. Maybe using a cellphone makes you feel important or even cool. But when you are about to talk to somebody in person for a transaction END that call before you face that person. As I said it's becoming regular. Customers would come up cellphone in use. Talks and talks and talks while I'm standing in front showing every conceivable body language that I'm waiting for him. What calls their attention is when I acknowledge the person waiting behind him/her and say "I'll be with you in a minute". That puts everything in perspective: duh, there are real live people around you and not just the person at the other end of the cellphone. I have a very low regard for these type of people regardless of their stature.
