Special Snowflake Stories

[wonderfullyanonymous]

I was hoping I would make it through the holidays without a special one, but I was enlightened today.

I had been shut down  for my break. My CSM told the last person they were last, and put up my closed sign. I finally see my last customer, and just as I get ready to ring her out, another customer walks up, moves the closed sign and sets her stuff down.

Last customer looks at her and doesn't say anything, but I didn't blame her, customer had an an aggressive air about her. I thought when I told her I was closed, an argument would happen
 
Surprisingly, she just rolled her eyes, and left.

[mbbored]

Well my flabber is gasted.

My father's mother is in her 90s and not surprisingly has made up her will. Apparently she has decided to leave XX% to each of her children and X% to each of her grandchildren. Since my father has passed away, his portion is being left to my mother.

How do I know this? Because my father's brother, Uncle Greedy Pants, has contacted my mother asking her to sign a notarized document that she will hand over that money to UGP because "its not fair." He also emailed my siblings and I to tell our mother to agree with him, otherwise we won't be a part of "his family" anymore.

Guess that's one name off my Christmas card list and another hiney for my grandmother to kick this week!

[Yarnspinner]

Two more from the "we're closing" category:

1. How Can You Be Closing?  I Just Got Here.

Two nights ago, five minutes before we lock up, a young man walked up the stairs (which were in total darkness) and into the reference room (which had one light on) and went to the (completely shut down) computers and tried to turn one back on.  I'm rather ashamed to say that we let him do it, too, because we were wondering when he would "get it."   When it was pointed out that we were closing, he asked us how he was supposed to know that. 


2) Of course I heard the Announcement, But I didn't Think It Meant Me

We start making announcements at the half hour mark and continue making them at five minute intervals.  The computers themselves shut down at the quarter of mark and we have absolutely no control over this.  When they shut down, they stay shut down and cannot be brought back up.  The provider is the only one who can restart a machine, the provider is in another state (I don't know why, either--as we say "Don't ask questions, just have fun")  and I guarantee the provider was NOT in their office on Thanksgiving Eve.

Miss Snowflake was taking a test and decided to save her results at the six second mark...and didn't make it.  She immediately trotted over to my desk and demanded I bring the computer back up NOW, so she could see if she saved the stuff and if she didn't, could save it then.

I explained all of the above and she continued to stare at me (I always find this unsettling:  do some people have a super power that, when they stare long enough the thing they want to be done for them gets done?).  I explained that the provider is in another state and that he wasn't going to be at his post tonight.  Finally, I explained that once the computers shut down, they automatically erase everything that was on them.

Her eyes rolled so hard she almost started a tornado before storming out.

[Yarnspinner]

I'm listening to a favorite series of books, and not enjoying the narrator.  I posted on the Amazon discussion boards for that author and asked if anyone else didn't like the narrator, and listed my reasons why I didn't (which include her pausing at really odd times, and not pronouncing Mackinac right, despite half a book being set there).

Most of the others said that they liked her, but one listener told me that if I didn't like the books, to read them instead, and that I shouldn't complain about them at all.  Just go read them.     Despite me explaining that I like to listen to something I've read (multiple times) and don't have to have my full attention on.

Mispronunciation and strange emphasis drives me up one wall and down the other.  A priest at a church I used to attend liked to trot out his knowledge of literature and use it to illustrate a point about scripture.  I sat through a sermon grinding my teeth while he incorrectly used Kafka's "Metamorphosis" to illustrate a point...but more to the point, I ground my teeth because he kept referring to Gregor Samsa as "George" in what had to be the most curious blend of New York and Boston accents.  "Jahje" is turned into a giant cockroach because he isn't happy enough.

Of course, there was also the famous parable about the man set upon by thieves and tossed into a ditch who was ignored by all those of his religion, but was saved by the Good SammerAhtin....(at which point I ran screaming from the church in horror...no, just kidding....but had I known of their existence back then, I think I would have allowed the Weeping Angels to touch me....)

[MariaE]

I'm listening to a favorite series of books, and not enjoying the narrator.  I posted on the Amazon discussion boards for that author and asked if anyone else didn't like the narrator, and listed my reasons why I didn't (which include her pausing at really odd times, and not pronouncing Mackinac right, despite half a book being set there).

Most of the others said that they liked her, but one listener told me that if I didn't like the books, to read them instead, and that I shouldn't complain about them at all.  Just go read them.     Despite me explaining that I like to listen to something I've read (multiple times) and don't have to have my full attention on.

Mispronunciation and strange emphasis drives me up one wall and down the other.  A priest at a church I used to attend liked to trot out his knowledge of literature and use it to illustrate a point about scripture.  I sat through a sermon grinding my teeth while he incorrectly used Kafka's "Metamorphosis" to illustrate a point...but more to the point, I ground my teeth because he kept referring to Gregor Samsa as "George" in what had to be the most curious blend of New York and Boston accents.  "Jahje" is turned into a giant cockroach because he isn't happy enough.

Of course, there was also the famous parable about the man set upon by thieves and tossed into a ditch who was ignored by all those of his religion, but was saved by the Good SammerAhtin....(at which point I ran screaming from the church in horror...no, just kidding....but had I known of their existence back then, I think I would have allowed the Weeping Angels to touch me....)

Me too! I had to give up on a recording of C.S. Lewis' "The Last Battle", because the narrator kept calling it Nar-NI-a instead of NAR-ni-a. I just couldn't do it.

[DaisyG]

I'm listening to a favorite series of books, and not enjoying the narrator.  I posted on the Amazon discussion boards for that author and asked if anyone else didn't like the narrator, and listed my reasons why I didn't (which include her pausing at really odd times, and not pronouncing Mackinac right, despite half a book being set there).

Most of the others said that they liked her, but one listener told me that if I didn't like the books, to read them instead, and that I shouldn't complain about them at all.  Just go read them.     Despite me explaining that I like to listen to something I've read (multiple times) and don't have to have my full attention on.

Mispronunciation and strange emphasis drives me up one wall and down the other.  A priest at a church I used to attend liked to trot out his knowledge of literature and use it to illustrate a point about scripture.  I sat through a sermon grinding my teeth while he incorrectly used Kafka's "Metamorphosis" to illustrate a point...but more to the point, I ground my teeth because he kept referring to Gregor Samsa as "George" in what had to be the most curious blend of New York and Boston accents.  "Jahje" is turned into a giant cockroach because he isn't happy enough.

Of course, there was also the famous parable about the man set upon by thieves and tossed into a ditch who was ignored by all those of his religion, but was saved by the Good SammerAhtin....(at which point I ran screaming from the church in horror...no, just kidding....but had I known of their existence back then, I think I would have allowed the Weeping Angels to touch me....)

Me too! I had to give up on a recording of C.S. Lewis' "The Last Battle", because the narrator kept calling it Nar-NI-a instead of NAR-ni-a. I just couldn't do it.

I almost gave up on a recording of a novel as all the place names were pronounced incorrectly as the reader was American while the story was set in England. The characters were at Harwich (a large port on the East coast) which the reader didn't know is pronounced Ha-rich (or sometimes Ha-ridge, always a short 'a' as in hat, 'w' never pronounced) but he went for Hair-witch.

[Free Range Hippy Chick]

I almost gave up on a recording of a novel as all the place names were pronounced incorrectly as the reader was American while the story was set in England. The characters were at Harwich (a large port on the East coast) which the reader didn't know is pronounced Ha-rich (or sometimes Ha-ridge, always a short 'a' as in hat, 'w' never pronounced) but he went for Hair-witch.

I love Philip Madoc as a reader - not every actor can read well, but he does - but there's a paragraph of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen I pretend not to hear, because of what he does to Wildboarclough. To be fair, I only object because I knew a woman who lived there and she said Wilburcluff.

[Hillia]

I almost gave up on a recording of a novel as all the place names were pronounced incorrectly as the reader was American while the story was set in England. The characters were at Harwich (a large port on the East coast) which the reader didn't know is pronounced Ha-rich (or sometimes Ha-ridge, always a short 'a' as in hat, 'w' never pronounced) but he went for Hair-witch.

I love Philip Madoc as a reader - not every actor can read well, but he does - but there's a paragraph of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen I pretend not to hear, because of what he does to Wildboarclough. To be fair, I only object because I knew a woman who lived there and she said Wilburcluff.

Reminds me of the first Richard Jury novel, in which we meet a butler named Ruthven (pronounced Riv'n).  One character is an American living in England who believes herself more British than the Brits, and she has a running argument with him on how to pronounce his name.  Very instructional for those of us who don't hear British personal or place names spoken often!

[Thipu1]

We had out teeth put on edge during the coverage of Sandy when we were in England. 

Place names were a major problem.  Yes, BBC news readers may not be expected to know that 'Hoboken' is pronounced 'HOE-BOKE-un' rather than 'Huh-BOKE-un'.  still, they should know that the state of Maryland is pronounced more like 'MERI-lund' than 'MARY-LAND'. it made the place sound like a fun park. 

The Beeb didn't have a problem with this but they kept showing a resident of New Jersey who talked about the 'Deh-BRISS' when she meant 'debris'.  I think we all know how to pronounce that word. 

[Shalamar]

This is reminding me of that exchange from "ST:TNG" when the visiting doctor pronounced Data's name as "Dah-tah".   When he politely corrected her, she asked "What's the difference?"

"One is my name.   The other is not."

[faithlessone]

they should know that the state of Maryland is pronounced more like 'MERI-lund' than 'MARY-LAND'. it made the place sound like a fun park.

It is??? Goodness, I'm a Brit, and I've been pronoucing that wrong my entire life!

I guess you learn something new every day.

[Elisabunny]

they should know that the state of Maryland is pronounced more like 'MERI-lund' than 'MARY-LAND'. it made the place sound like a fun park.

It is??? Goodness, I'm a Brit, and I've been pronoucing that wrong my entire life!

I guess you learn something new every day.

Well, to be fair, Mary-Land was the original pronunciation, but unless you're participating in a colonial reinactment or a production of 1776 you're not going to hear it.

[figee]

they should know that the state of Maryland is pronounced more like 'MERI-lund' than 'MARY-LAND'. it made the place sound like a fun park.

It is??? Goodness, I'm a Brit, and I've been pronoucing that wrong my entire life!

I guess you learn something new every day.

Well, to be fair, Mary-Land was the original pronunciation, but unless you're participating in a colonial reinactment or a production of 1776 you're not going to hear it.

Or, presumably, a member of the colonising and imperial power.   

[nutraxfornerves]

And the state to the north of California is OR-uh-gun or even OR-gun. Not orry-GON.

[Elfmama]

they should know that the state of Maryland is pronounced more like 'MERI-lund' than 'MARY-LAND'. it made the place sound like a fun park.

It is??? Goodness, I'm a Brit, and I've been pronoucing that wrong my entire life!

I guess you learn something new every day.

Locally, it's pronounced MARE-lun.  Mare like the female horse. That person who heads a city government is also a mare.   And that city Baltimore?  BAWL-mur.  The baseball team is the OR-yuls.  That large bird on the US money?  That's an iggle. They can't really do much to mess up the football team name Ravens.