Special Snowflake Stories

[Hillia]

I'm going to nominate all the people in my apartment complex who don't pick up after their dogs. It's in the lease that you will do so. But they figure if they go out with the dog at night no one will see them not picking up. Just grow up already, people!

And a big 'ol 'Thanks, ya jerk' from the responsible dog owners, who have a terrible time finding rentals because landlords have been burned by you too many times.

[nutraxfornerves]

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

[wheeitsme]

...   We've been trying to be patient...you know, neighborly?   ...

I take it you have actually talked to your neighbors about this problem with no results?

Yes, absolutely. There seem to be about eight adults who live there and I don't know how many kids. I/we have left polite notes, have complained to the apartment manager who claims to send "helpful reminders" and have tried talking to them. There is either a genuine language barrier or they're pretending there is one....I'm not going to go there and try to guess on that.

But either way, we're now documenting the parking violations (it's expressly included in the lease what the parking regulations are) and have sent photos and so far one letter via certified mail to the apartment manager about this, since it's the management company's job to enforce the lease. Anyway. We're documenting and now sending official complaint letters - building a case, as it were. Hate to do it, but nothing seems to be working. If, God forbid, we have another accident due to the parking, a small claims case will be filed. But that's getting legal, and I'm not going to go there .... just rest assured we're taking the legal steps we need to to resolve the situation. Fire marshal will be next.

In any case, we're hoping we can afford a down payment on a house later this year, if I manage to find a job in the field I'm trying to transition into.

I just posted this to further illustrate how *rude* some people are. It's teeth-gnashing worthy! grrrrr. 

Well, the apartment manager could prolly fix the problem pretty cheaply with these:  http://stop-painting.com/re-bounderpost.html

[Bethczar]

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

I've being trying trying to figure out why your name sounded familiar! Great book, but I can put it down while walking 

[Iris]

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

You know, I love to read, but I love breathing more.

[VorFemme]

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

You know, I love to read, but I love breathing more.

When I walked into the side of a car at 18, everyone assumed that I was reading. 

Nope, I'd looked up & the light was RED so I started across.  And I'm told that it turned green just as I stepped off the curb and more or less into the side of a vehicle.

Broken collar bone and my senior ring got smeared...and the nurse at the ER told my mother that my fiance had already been called.  The fiance that I hadn't mentioned had proposed yet.....

It's been 37 years, we have two grown kids (28 & 19) and one grandkid - I'd say that it worked out all right...so far.

I no longer read while walking places...at 55, I don't heal as fast as I used to.

[Dr. F.]

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

I've being trying trying to figure out why your name sounded familiar! Great book, but I can put it down while walking 

Great book! One of my favorites. I had a similar experience with a guy, not reading, but talking on the phone. He was walking diagonally across a T-shaped intersection. I was trying to turn right, there was someone coming the other direction trying to go straight. Guy with the phone stopped dead right in the middle of the intersection so that neither of the cars could move. He looked REALLY affronted when the other driver honked and then he SLOOOOOOWLY strolled the rest of the way diagonally across the intersection.

[mrkitty]

...   We've been trying to be patient...you know, neighborly?   ...

I take it you have actually talked to your neighbors about this problem with no results?

Yes, absolutely. There seem to be about eight adults who live there and I don't know how many kids. I/we have left polite notes, have complained to the apartment manager who claims to send "helpful reminders" and have tried talking to them. There is either a genuine language barrier or they're pretending there is one....I'm not going to go there and try to guess on that.

But either way, we're now documenting the parking violations (it's expressly included in the lease what the parking regulations are) and have sent photos and so far one letter via certified mail to the apartment manager about this, since it's the management company's job to enforce the lease. Anyway. We're documenting and now sending official complaint letters - building a case, as it were. Hate to do it, but nothing seems to be working. If, God forbid, we have another accident due to the parking, a small claims case will be filed. But that's getting legal, and I'm not going to go there .... just rest assured we're taking the legal steps we need to to resolve the situation. Fire marshal will be next.

In any case, we're hoping we can afford a down payment on a house later this year, if I manage to find a job in the field I'm trying to transition into.

I just posted this to further illustrate how *rude* some people are. It's teeth-gnashing worthy! grrrrr. 

Well, the apartment manager could prolly fix the problem pretty cheaply with these:  http://stop-painting.com/re-bounderpost.html

Hey...that's a really good idea!

I think I'll suggest that on Monday when the manager comes in.

I wonder if it would be rude to try these myself.....?   

I did have the idea once to wait until 2 a.m. and go out and paint the curbs red in front of my unit and a bunch of the others with the same problem we do...

[JoW]

I'm going to nominate all the people in my apartment complex who don't pick up after their dogs. It's in the lease that you will do so. But they figure if they go out with the dog at night no one will see them not picking up. Just grow up already, people!

And a big 'ol 'Thanks, ya jerk' from the responsible dog owners, who have a terrible time finding rentals because landlords have been burned by you too many times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/dna-tests-required-to-ide_n_1819637.html
This made my newspaper a couple weeks ago.   An apartment complex in my area is doing it. 

When you move in you take a cheek swab from your dog and submit it to complex management for DNA testing.  They keep the test results on file.  When they find a dog dropping on the property they run DNA analysis on it, match it to the results on file, and fine the owner who didn't clean up behind his dog.  Under this system they almost never find droppings because the owner knows he's almost certain to get caught. 

Its a shame people are so inconsiderate that the landlord has to resort to this. 

[Jones]

I'm going to nominate all the people in my apartment complex who don't pick up after their dogs. It's in the lease that you will do so. But they figure if they go out with the dog at night no one will see them not picking up. Just grow up already, people!

And a big 'ol 'Thanks, ya jerk' from the responsible dog owners, who have a terrible time finding rentals because landlords have been burned by you too many times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/dna-tests-required-to-ide_n_1819637.html
This made my newspaper a couple weeks ago.   An apartment complex in my area is doing it. 

When you move in you take a cheek swab from your dog and submit it to complex management for DNA testing.  They keep the test results on file.  When they find a dog dropping on the property they run DNA analysis on it, match it to the results on file, and fine the owner who didn't clean up behind his dog.  Under this system they almost never find droppings because the owner knows he's almost certain to get caught. 

Its a shame people are so inconsiderate that the landlord has to resort to this.

I love this solution. A little pricey, but worth it to the rest of us!

[Winterlight]

I love that graphic!

I was driving slowly down the street when I spotted a woman walking down the sidewalk, totally engrossed in reading a book. She didn't even look up when she reached the intersection, just stepped off the curb right in front of me. Fortunately, I had spotted her in time and was going slowly enough that I could easily stop. She never took her eyes off her book; I don't think she even was aware of my car.

I got a good look at the cover of the book she was reading. The book that made her as oblivious to her surroundings as a teenager texting away? Murder Must Advertise, the book from which I took my screen name.

I also love to read while walking. But I still come to a complete stop at every corner and look. I also only do it in my neighborhood, where cars speed along at 20mph.

Nice little ironic touch there!

[Jocelyn]

Little-Geekette was a very special snowflake when it came to food. Grown-Geekette is only marginally better - I still hate it all, but if you serve it to me I'll eat it in a reasonable time frame... Well, most of it...

There's a lot of recent research that says that there's huge variation among humans as to how food 'tastes'. Regional preferences tend to be based on what's available in that region. If you liked the food that was available in your region, you ate more of it- and were better prepared to survive a famine.  Now, however, with a big variety of foods, picky eaters don't starve to death at a young age; they survive, and possibly they pass their genetic abilities to find certain foods unpleasant on to their offspring. Some of the taste differences turn out to be beneficial: I am one of the lucky few who can't taste the bitter aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. I switched to diet drinks back in my teens (remember Tab?) and I shudder to imagine how much I'd weigh if I hadn't.   Geekette, it sounds like you're a 'supertaster'- you can taste the bitter or unpleasant aspects of many foods. It's not a moral failing, any more than having freckles or blue eyes is. It's nice you learned to eat foods whether you like them or not; I agree that's a valid social skill to have. But reading the research has made me very sympathetic with picky eaters, because I can think about how awful it is for them that they get no pleasure out of foods I enjoy.  I realize that with kids, a lot of times it's just unfamiliarity. I got a lot of mileage over Christmas from the phrase 'More for the rest of us!' with the youngest generation of the family.  Amazing how kids want to try anything that the grownups don't WANT to share.

[Elfmama]

Little-Geekette was a very special snowflake when it came to food. Grown-Geekette is only marginally better - I still hate it all, but if you serve it to me I'll eat it in a reasonable time frame... Well, most of it...

There's a lot of recent research that says that there's huge variation among humans as to how food 'tastes'. Regional preferences tend to be based on what's available in that region. If you liked the food that was available in your region, you ate more of it- and were better prepared to survive a famine.  Now, however, with a big variety of foods, picky eaters don't starve to death at a young age; they survive, and possibly they pass their genetic abilities to find certain foods unpleasant on to their offspring. Some of the taste differences turn out to be beneficial: I am one of the lucky few who can't taste the bitter aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. I switched to diet drinks back in my teens (remember Tab?) and I shudder to imagine how much I'd weigh if I hadn't.

And I'm your opposite.  Artificial sweeteners have NO sweet taste for me, just the appalling bitter.  The worst one is/was Fresca; my MIL took it as a deliberate insult against her that I disliked her favorite drink.  My non-caloric drink of choice is unsweetened tea, either black or herbal.

  Geekette, it sounds like you're a 'supertaster'- you can taste the bitter or unpleasant aspects of many foods. It's not a moral failing, any more than having freckles or blue eyes is. It's nice you learned to eat foods whether you like them or not; I agree that's a valid social skill to have. But reading the research has made me very sympathetic with picky eaters, because I can think about how awful it is for them that they get no pleasure out of foods I enjoy.

But we supertasters get equal pleasure out of foods that you might consider bland and unappealing.  Shrimp, for instance.  No cocktail sauce, no marinara, no Old Bay.  Just plain steamed shrimp.  They have a delicious, delicate flavor all their own that those who bread them and drown them in some kind of sauce or seasoning will never taste. 

[BabylonSister]

Little-Geekette was a very special snowflake when it came to food. Grown-Geekette is only marginally better - I still hate it all, but if you serve it to me I'll eat it in a reasonable time frame... Well, most of it...

There's a lot of recent research that says that there's huge variation among humans as to how food 'tastes'. Regional preferences tend to be based on what's available in that region. If you liked the food that was available in your region, you ate more of it- and were better prepared to survive a famine.  Now, however, with a big variety of foods, picky eaters don't starve to death at a young age; they survive, and possibly they pass their genetic abilities to find certain foods unpleasant on to their offspring. Some of the taste differences turn out to be beneficial: I am one of the lucky few who can't taste the bitter aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. I switched to diet drinks back in my teens (remember Tab?) and I shudder to imagine how much I'd weigh if I hadn't.   Geekette, it sounds like you're a 'supertaster'- you can taste the bitter or unpleasant aspects of many foods. It's not a moral failing, any more than having freckles or blue eyes is. It's nice you learned to eat foods whether you like them or not; I agree that's a valid social skill to have. But reading the research has made me very sympathetic with picky eaters, because I can think about how awful it is for them that they get no pleasure out of foods I enjoy.  I realize that with kids, a lot of times it's just unfamiliarity. I got a lot of mileage over Christmas from the phrase 'More for the rest of us!' with the youngest generation of the family.  Amazing how kids want to try anything that the grownups don't WANT to share.

 
Thank you for posting that. I also get annoyed by the suggestion that picky eaters were "spoiled" by permissive parents. My oldest daughter (age 11) is like me and will eat pretty much everything you put in front of her. She has always been like that, even as a toddler.  My second daughter (age 10) is just the opposite. She's extremely picky. She wishes she wasn't. She wishes she could appreciate a wider variety of foods, but she just cannot. She, too, has always been like that. I have raised her to be polite about it, to try different foods (she's actually willing to do that) and to make an effort when she's a guest, but she is most likely a supertaster AND she has sensory issues with textures. I think as long as a picky eater does not demand special meals nor make a big production out of being grossed out by some foods, there is no Special Snowflakery.

[rain]

while I find the food taste palatability interesting (I even remember an experiment my HS bio teacher had us do) can we please get back to snowflakes?