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COVID-19 and the Rise of the CovIDIOT

I have a great number of friends who are medical doctors, and are putting their lives on the line for us EVERY DAY, and they are absolutely TERRIFIED.

They do not have anywhere close to sufficient self protection masks and gowns…

There is NO VACCINE

There is NO CURE

This is NOT A JOKE

Yes, I am incredibly selfish….but in a good way……..i want my friends to live long happy lives, I care about them deeply.

So, how about YOU STOP being SELFISH and DO YOUR PART…..

STAY HOME

SELF ISOLATE

WASH

WASH again

WASH EVERYTHING

Practice SOCIAL DISTANCING

Maybe we will all be alive to laugh about this some time in the future……

That is the only thing we can hope for…..

I have a great number of friends who are medical doctors, and are putting their lives on the line for us EVERY DAY, and they are absolutely TERRIFIED.

They do not have anywhere close to sufficient self protection masks and gowns…

There is NO VACCINE

There is NO CURE

This is NOT A JOKE

Yes, I am incredibly selfish….but in a good way……..i want my friends to live long happy lives, I care about them deeply.

So, how about YOU STOP being SELFISH and DO YOUR PART…..

STAY HOME

SELF ISOLATE

WASH

WASH again

WASH EVERYTHING

Practice SOCIAL DISTANCING

Maybe we will all be alive to laugh about this some time in the future……

That is the only thing we can hope for…..

R

Is there something not clear about the words…….

STAY HOME

STAY ISOLATED

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Do NOT congregate in groups of over 2 people…..

WASH your HANDS

WASH them AGAIN….and while you are at it, could you please shower and wash your filthy hair, and body, and wash your filthy clothes??

Going to the grocery store is terrifying enough, but what really boggles the mind is just how unclean, unwashed, unshaven, are the majority of the population wandering the aisles…

Staying at home is NO EXCUSE for not bathing, shaving or washing your dirty, stained clothes….if anything, it will give you something useful to do, and actually, the more you bathe, the healthier you and those around you will be……

I have always been way more aware of my surroundings than most, and see neighbours with 2 teenagers going in and out with their car 5-6 times a day…..not a mask in sight.

Where can you possibly go 5-6 times daily that is THAT important???   Then the younger child goes out and plays in the street with other children…..

I saw the older daughter get into the car with her mother 2 days ago, all dressed up with a gift bag in her hand, obviously going to a birthday party.

What is not clear about “ STAY HOME and SELF ISOLATE???”  your children are not in school for a reason, you are not working right now for the same reason……

IS IT NOT that OBVIOUS???

Then there are the photographs taken on Ste Catherine Street last week of close to 100 people standing in line all  crushed together to get into the POT store……

ONE person was wearing a mask and self distancing,

The other 99???   Potentially all murderers…..yes, I said it.

They have potentially exposed themselves to a deadly virus and some will be taking public transport to go home to whomever is waiting there, and along with the POT, they are bringing a deadly illness home as well.

YOU are NOT IMMUNE

YOU are NOT SPECIAL

YOU are an IDIOT!!!

Then there are the selfish, inconsiderate people who have been on airplanes which are essentially metal tubes acting as Petri dishes full of filth and germs, coming home, standing in huge cramped lines at the airport on both sides, coming home to their families, NOT self distancing, and touching everything in sight, from door knobs to faucets, toilets, counters, and then, just to add insult to injury, continuing to go out and socialize instead of following the LAW and self isolating for 14 days….

.

You are potentially going to KILL thousands of people with your arrogance and lack of consideration for others….

DO YOU GET IT YET???

Can you not at least TRY to control your selfishness during a world pandemic???

There is a day care in someone’s home, ostensibly closed to help curtail the spread of this deadly virus, yet 6 – 10 children on bicycles were in their driveway 2 days ago all together screaming at the top of their lungs and playing together…..

WHERE are the parents??

Why are their children outside unsupervised???

Every person those children come in contact with could now be exposed. SO, if there are elderly grandparents living in their homes, they are putting them at serious risk.

When you go to the grocery store, can you PLEASE think of others and not only yourself??  MINIMUM 6 feet separation , maybe be really considerate, turn around in the narrow aisle and go in the other direction.

DO NOT CROWD and chat with others, this is NOT a party. This is our LIVES and our FUTURES…..

I have a great number of friends who are medical doctors, and are putting their lives on the line for us EVERY DAY, and they are absolutely TERRIFIED.

They do not have anywhere close to sufficient self protection masks and gowns…

There is NO VACCINE

There is NO CURE

This is NOT A JOKE

Yes, I am incredibly selfish….but in a good way……..i want my friends to live long happy lives, I care about them deeply.

So, how about YOU STOP being SELFISH and DO YOUR PART…..

STAY HOME

SELF ISOLATE

WASH

WASH again

WASH EVERYTHING

Practice SOCIAL DISTANCING

Maybe we will all be alive to laugh about this some time in the future……

That is the only thing we can hope for…..

R

Where is the Joy??

In the middle of November every year, the madness of Christmas shopping and cocktail parties explodes and the panic sets in…

There are those who look forward to the swirl of activity, as well as those who look at it all with trepidation and the Fear of Missing Out……How many invitations?? Having just the ‘right’ outfits, fitting in, taking the requisite number of selfies in posh stores, restaurants, parties, to feel included, and to show the world just how fabulous they are..

But in the midst of all this swarm of activity, the big question looms large…..where is the JOY?? Laughter?? Inclusiveness???

When is the last time you went to a party and actually laughed until you cried??

Those who are regular readers of this BLOG know that I love to be on the periphery, standing in a corner quietly surveying the room. Watching those who preen and posture, those who wait to enter so that they can make a entrance, ensuring their fake fabulousness can be observed and witnessed by all. Their pretention and arrogance not understood by the social climbers, who race over to shake their special hands, air kiss their spectacular cheeks, and breathe in the air they breathe, hoping it will be photographed and saved for posterity. Bragging rights ensured the the next event, selfies for their next post.
The extraordinary games of one upmanship, bragging of their most recent trip or party.

Watch those milling around the room, using their phones as an excuse to disengage and move on to more suitable prey.

First impressions screaming out, ‘LOOK AT ME’ when, in reality, often the person who underdresses and sits quietly is really the one to watch. Did you EVER
See Steve Jobs in a suit strutting around? Bill Gates in a suit that actually fits? Likewise Warren Buffet, driving his old clunker and still living in his old home. If you did not know who they were, you would never think they were remotely successful. …. And you would be WRONG.

It is fascinating for me to watch individuals interacting at an event where you know virtually everyone in the room, watch them sizing up and appraising, deciding whether or not someone is of ‘VALUE’ to them, see the change in their eyes, posture, as they move in for the ‘kill’ …
But, do you REALLY know who they are when they are outside of your immediate social circle?? How they really live their lives? Their values?? Honesty??

Other than the false narrative exhibited by many, how many people actually stand back and LOOK??? Appearances can be extremely deceiving, and most importantly the self aggrandizing chatter.

I used to be friends with someone who brags endlessly about her huge international business, latest world travels, latest $4000 handbag, latest fabulous restaurant, exquisite flat, private jets, latest car…..it is ALL a lie. The tiny flat is rented, the car is leased, the business in a tiny rental, the credit cards through the roof, always one sale away from bankruptcy. Walk into a posh shop with her, and the fabulousness rhetoric begins……go to a restaurant, party, and her fabulousness is sounded from every corner, people crowd to be part of her, to wash in her glory, to salivate at her stories, but, nothing is real.

The low class east end social climber who literally threw herself at wealthy men, married or not, and ultimately married reasonably well. Who has to have her name in the papers, be photographed at the most recent social event, but ask anyone who knew her when she was single, and they actually shudder at hearing her name. One actually blanched with discomfort. Someone who was brought up to never speak ill of anyone. Yet he admitted he was incapable of saying anything whatsoever kind about her, she was such a total embarassment to be around. Yes, he IS the one with the money and family pedigree. His reaction was physical.

The holiday season is supposed to be about re-connecting with the people in your life, making new friends and celebrating, but for some it is only about networking to sell their latest product to some unsuspecting target. To fill their photo libraries with new selfies in posh locations, to show the world how important they are, how successful.

But NEVER, how nice.

Did I vere off topic??

Actually, no, not at all.

Over the last few years I have been purging a lifetime of belongings, having 2 large offices in 2 different cities, and a large home, all full, all mine.Yes, TRIPLE everything.
There are hundreds of photos, business cards, invitations, diaries, and they have ALL been part of the purge. It is utterly exhausting.

Unfortunately some mementos of friends who left this earth way too soon, but their memory brings a smile and sadness. Others are gone from this world or from my life. Shredding hundreds of business cards, photos and invitations was cathartic…..

This process forced me to look further, and question certain relationships which led me to distancing myself from unpleasant people. Mostly those who are
USERS. I realized some were after my address book, be it business or social…….and when I refused to share, I was no longer of interest.

People who are not kind, not generous, not inviting, never sharing. No gentility.

This exercise crossed socio-economic boundaries, social groups, business groups, everything.

I realized that many of them brought me no joy, no smile, no laughter, no fond memories, just, well…….nothing.
So why did I allow them to take my time and energy??

If you walk away from an encounter with someone who is supposed to be your friend and increasingly feel angry, it is time to STOP.

Life is about surrounding yourself with laughter, joy, being with people who actually make YOU feel good about yourself, it is not always about them. People who celebrate life.

When is the last time you truly were with people simply having a great time, laughing and sharing joy???

Have an amazing New Year!!!

Just when you thought you had heard Everything

A long term client – friend responded to my last BLOG, with a personal anecdote…literally, on the same day as she read the BLOG.

She is a Senior level Manager, in an R & D Firm, and offered a consultant a 3 month extension to his one year contract which was about to end. He not only refused, but countered that he only accepts contracts of minimum one year.

She was speechless, then recovered and asked that had she initially offered a 15 month contract, would that that have been acceptable. He responded that, yes, it would.
Then she inquired, but you will not accept an additional 3 months to your one year contract?? An emphatic NO.

Guess which Consultant is now unemployed!!!
Absolutely defies logic.

As you have no doubt noticed, no one is ever identified by name or establishment, those who recognize themselves inevitably respond within a couple of hours of reading the BLOG, usually accompanied by much laughter….

There is an older, aspiring pseudo socialite in Westmount, who, for some unfathomable reason, considers herself above most mere mortals. What it is she thinks is her claim to this lofty position utterly escapes me. Her big daily task is ensuring that she is home on time to prepare her husband’s sandwich at lunchtime.

SANDWICH!!!??? Seriously???

To me a sandwich is what you eat when you are utterly bereft of ideas, or simply want instant gratification. You can make something absolutely wonderful to eat in 10 minutes, from Asian noodles, Tasty Italian Pasta, incredible salads, Chinese stir fry….the list is endless….

A SANDWICH?? Ugh. Ugh.. ugh.

Over the years I have been incapable of establishing just what it is she supposes elevates her to the lofty social position she aspires to.
As you undoubtedly know, I am a student of human behaviour, I watch, listen, question, question some more, then probably some more.
Some may perceive it as cynical, actually, it is not. It is actually catching people out in lies and untruths, which, in my business, is extremely important.

If over 60% of the resumes on LInkedin are falsified, then one must allow oneself to extrapolate social behaviour…….

This same individual, when learning that someone she had seriously snubbed for years, deeming them socially inferior, was actually super successful and mega connected, she actually said, OUT LOUD, that she may have to actually consider speaking to them.
Yes, she said it OUT LOUD……

Buy why would anyone actually wish to befriend her?? She is boring beyond belief, a housewife, not particularly well travelled or well read, and incredibly cheap. Please spare your attacks on the fact I said she is a housewife. I am simply establishing that she does not work, and is not out in the world.

Then there are those who constantly carry on about their honesty and ethics, cheating on their wives endlessly. Guess you are not so honest……

Of course, one of my favourites, the individual who is introduced to someone repeatedly, only to react as though it was the first time, acts thoroughly bored, and moves on to the next person who is hopefully more important. After 20 introductions to the same person, to actually learn that the person they have been actively ignoring, was much more successful than themself, and certainly more interesting than them…..
Oh my!! How the body language changed, the instant eye contact, the physical proximity……such utter hypocrisy.

Are you kidding me??! People share this information, with much glee……

Another senior executive brought in to clean up a mess, was dealing with a consulting firm with delusions of grandeur. Nearly $2 million of invoicing , yet he could not actually ascertain what exactly they had actually delivered. He insisted upon receiving detailed time sheets for all the consultants, with time attribution to the projects on which they were billing.
One month passed, then another, lots of calls, emails, requests, and then the drama started. Finally they admitted that they were UNABLE to provide detailed timesheets.

Yes, a consulting firm. Billing hourly.
You are reading correctly.

Let me explain the problem to you.
They were actually double and triple billing their consultants.
Have the consultant sit in the chair at one client site, so he is physically in place, and visible, and actually perform work ON THE CLIENT’S COMPUTERS for other clients. YUP. Happens all the time.
There are certain unscrupulous consulting firms who invoice like this regularly. This time, they were caught.

Guess which firm lost a couple of million dollars of mandates??

They delivered very very little for the invoices they produced. No one was watching.
As soon as someone who keeps absolutely meticulous records was brought in and audited them, it was the end of them at this client.

Another Vice President of a large, publicly traded corporation does not understand why one of his Directors steadfastly refuses to meet with a couple of the vendors he has recommended. Every possible excuse, obfuscation, months go by, still no attempt at scheduling a meeting.

Unfortunately, it is the elephant in the room.

The suppliers know the reason, but can’t say it out loud.

If you return to a previous BLOG which describes why many absolutely extraordinary Sales Executives have either retired very early or no longer work in the IT industry, you will have the answer.
In a word, GRAFT.

A certain Engineering firm is constantly in the papers for this problem, yet there is never any mention of this issue within the IT industry, and it is absolutely enormous. No wants to discuss it, and it is getting worse and more grotesque than ever .The sums exchanging hands are astronomical, and it is cross industry.

My telephone rings, and I am recounted endless anecdotes, unfortunately it is increasingly difficult to be amusing about this, so hopefully we will stick to informative.

Then, one must ask, exactly WHY is it that some of the most awful people constantly refer to themselves as AUTHENTIC?
They actually believe they are nice. Just using the words does not a nice person make. As ever, actions speak louder than words.

Why is it that some grown women spend their entire lives spewing vitriol and trying to ruin the lives of others, who are more successful, and about which they actually know absolutely NOTHING.
The arrogance is astounding. If anyone looked at their daughters askew, life would not be worth living, they would loudly proclaim their horror of the perceived actions, yet think nothing of behaving like schoolyard bullies. Wasn’t this behaviour supposed to stop at 15??

…and cyberbullying, well it is even worse, insulting utter strangers. To me this is inconceivable.

I recently ran into an acquaintance on the street who had just lost his spouse. They had been together for 15 years.
Within one week his employer fired him for inappropriate behaviour at work, but worse, send him a LEGAL notice to avoid walking on the street in front of her shop.
Admittedly he is somewhat of a drama queen, but he had been employed by her for over 7 years, so if he was so awful, why didn’t she remove him years ago??

He was in tears on the street and his hands were trembling uncontrollably as he recounted his horror of receiving this threatening legal document.
I suggested that when dealing with someone so utterly heartless, that he have his lawyer respond in kind.

She could have suggested that he take a couple of months off to deal with his grief, but firing outright, then threatening him??

She had the arrogance and the audacity to put in writing that he is prohibited from walking on the street in front of her store.
Something is seriously WRONG with this picture.
I for one, will never either shop or recommend her business to anyone.

IT’S FREE!!!!

Most of the people I know are of above average intellect, and are more successful than the average, yet, nontheless, are drawn to aggressive advertising and often exhibit a level of naivety which is extraordinary.

Just to be clear, NOTHING is FREE.

YOU are the product.

My biggest bug a boo is DNA testing. It is being touted as super cool to find out about your family history. The Government and Insurance Companies have been trying to find a way to obtain this information forever …Information is POWER.

Yet, here you are, thinking just how COOL you are giving away your DNA, to these organizations, touting the COOLNESS of knowing your family tree.
Little tidbits are sent along, always requesting more information, please send along the name of your maternal grandfather, children, uncles, cousins…

Let me be VERY CLEAR, you have just GIVEN away your familial DNA without the express consent of ANY current and future family member.

If, for example, there are genetic illnesses in your family, such as Alzheimer’s, MS, Cancer, etc, and you are helping build a family tree, with NO ONE’s
Consent, have you not considered that members of your family could find themselves being hit with huge health and life insurance bills unknowlingly??

Some Insurance Companies are now insisting on DNA screening, others, the wearing of Fitbits, others, placing Black Boxes in your car to monitor
Your driving habits. By virtue of accepting to use one, you are also sharing your GPS being captured, so that they see EVERYWHERE you go.

“send us your Insurance application and we will look for the best rates for free’ !! are you really that guillable?? They have just shopped ALL your
Confidential information to 30 companies….WITH your consent…..

Do you STILL think it is free???

Let me repeat, YOU are the Product.

“Let us monitor your credit score””……..another one which makes my skin crawl…..

Wonder why you are being inundated with pre-approved credit card applications, financial service companies and car salesmen???

Your CONFIDENTIAL information has been SOLD, and you approved it.

“”TRY our matress for free””…

YUK ! YUK !!! YUKKK!!!

Does that mean if you do not keep it, the next poor sucker gets a used matress??

It is NOT free…… it is USED…..

“”Use OUR App to find the best Real Estate Agent in your neighbourhood””….
It is NOT free, the agents are paying to have their names there…..
SOO……are they the best, or only the ones who have paid???

“””Use OUR App to find the best Home Repair Specialist!!

See above….moreover, you have just GIVEN away your home address, and budget for home repairs….
When salesmen start knocking on your door offering their services, DO NOT be surprised…….

You GAVE away your information……

Do I have your attention yet??!!

Let me repeat, YOU are the PRODUCT!!

Looking for a mortgage??? Let US find you the best rates, just fill in OUR online application…. Listing ALL your assets and liabilities….. to a company
Offering to shop and find you the best rates…..guess what, ALL your confidential financial information is NO LONGER CONFIDENTIAL, they have
Shopped it to 30 companies who are now in possession of it. They are SELLING IT, ALL OF IT.

Just an additional thought, in that application, you listed all your possessions of value such as art and jewellery, and you GAVE THAT INFORMATION WAY.
Helloooo!!!

People are giving the government permission to take a facial scan for facial recognition, IRIS scans, fingerprints and now DNA….and you still do not think
You are being surveilled??

Does this not sound vaguely familiar…..???

The Government knows where you bank, and how you spend your money, and can close you down in an instant…..should they think you are cheating…..

YOU are the PRODUCT.

Start exercising your power and just say NO.

Musings and Observations of Seriously BAD Behaviour

Bringing a seriously cheap bottle of wine to an event in someone’s home, digging in their closed cupboards to retrieve a fine vintage wine, slinking into a corner, opening the bottle and consuming it by yourself.

Yes, you did see this posted recently in the BLOG entitled ‘On being Selfish’, however, the outpouring of people calling and writing about this issue was extraordinary. Some of your examples absolutely hysterical, but at the same time, so very sad, as so many people are treating their hosts in such a greedy and callous manner.

You are absolutely welcome to share this BLOG, with the hopes that maybe one person recognizes their disgusting behaviour and changes it.

Arriving at the home of an extremely generous hostess empty handed, grazing your way through the most expensive food and drink, then having the audacity to ask the servers to prepare a plate for you to bring home.

Sneaking food home from a cocktail party. I have seen people filling endless napkins with huge Tiger Shrimp and other delectables, one rude wag actually would go into a corner and slip food into a large baggie, then go back for more. This event was NOT billed as TAKE OUT, it was in a private home, nor was it a fundraiser where the guests were expected to pay for a ticket.

Being invited to dinner then spending the entire evening texting on your phone, and not participating. If you didn’t want to come, next time, stay home.

Imposing your children on others They are simply NOT that cute or that special, and we do NOT want to hear about them or see their pictures.

Going to any Birthday Party empty handed, even if someone is hosting it for you.

Going to a Cocktail, Dinner , or Anniversary party empty handed.

Not sending a Thank You note. (see above)

Not sending flowers, or a gift to the hostess. (see above)

Aggressively asking someone for their assistance, then abruptly telling them that they are no longer required, as you have found another solution.

Telling everyone over a period of several months about your impending nuptials, claiming it will be ‘high society’, ( if YOU have to say it, then clearly it is NOT….) cheating with everything that walks on your soon to be wife, bragging endlessly to your male friends about your conquests, …some of whom told some of us…….

Sending invitations to your wedding to only some of the people to which you have been ranting endlessly over the past few months, filling the church with the guests who arrived all dressed up for this ‘fabulous’ occasion, having first sent expensive gifts to the home of the couple…..After the ceremony, the couple walked down the aisle, got into a few cars, including a couple of Rolls Royces driven by friends, and driving off into the sunset.
The guests naively thinking the wedding party was simply going to take pictures, found themselves standing around the church until they were rudely ushered out, and the church door loudly locked behind them.
Well over 100 people found themselves asking just WHAT exactly had happened, unfed, left behind, and utterly horrified. After a whle, some just wandered off, others went to a couple of restaurants for dinner, in complete and utter horror.

The wedding party, meanwhile, went to a private club for a very small, intimate dinner.

To say that my phone rang for weeks over this one, is an understatement.
NO ONE, let me repeat, NO ONE, had ever heard of, much less experienced anything as classless as this before, nor since.

Insisting on wearing your boots, shoes or whatever else footwear into a shoe free home. If you are told repeatedly NOT to wear shoes in the house, that is NOT an invitation to bring slippers or other footwear. NO shoes means NO shoes. It is the height of bad manners. If wearing your filthy footwear is more important than respecting the wishes of the hostess, please do us all a favour, and STAY home.

Going into a shop, having a shop clerk running around finding things for you to try on for over an hour, then leaving everything in a heap on the floor as if it was trash, and walking out without as much as a Thank You, or, making a purchase. That person is on commission, you just treated them worse than your personal servant, you stole an hour of their time for which they were not compensated, and worse, all the garments now look used and must be tidied and hung up.

Going to a soiree in a high end fashion store, drinking copious quantities of alcohol, eating everything in sight, taking endless selfies with both expensive merchandise and guests who are utterly unaware they are being photographed, and not purchasing a thing.
YES….they DID see you, and YES, they are talking about it…….guess how I found out about it!!!!!

Telling someone , “ we MUST do lunch repeatedly, I miss you SO MUCH….” Then never calling……

Walking up to a celebrity at a Fund Raiser, interrupting them, foisting your business card into their hand, and loudly exclaiming so that half the room hear you speaking…….”I would LOVE to get together with you for lunch……You MUST call me…….”…..pretending to be their best friend, when they DO NOT HAVE the SLIGHTEST CLUE who you are, nor, are they remotely interested in finding out. Their horrified facial expression just told it all……and YES, we saw it all……..

Turning upn at a fancy ball in a low cut, flouncy chiffon dress and carrying on like you are the Belle of the Ball. PLEASE take a serious look at yourself in the mirror. PLEASE repeat. …. Maybe, once more, just to be sure……

You are NOT a 16 year old, 100 pound anorexic model, nor are you a rock star. Exposing it ALL is just plain VULGAR.

Going to the aforementioned Ball, walking up to total strangers, interrupting their conversation mid sentence, and ingratiating yourself into their group. They do NOT know who you are, and after your incredibly rude pushy behaviour, have no interest whatsoever in finding out who you are.

Paying a PR to organize a reception in your Store – Art Gallery…..then spending the evening fussing over the shiny new faces you have never seen before and totally ignoring those individuals who have been paying your bills for years….. You DO realize that we have an abundance of choices of where to shop, do you not???

Fussing over the pretentious millenial who has 10 handbags spread all over the counter which she is photographing, and totally ignoring the quiet discreet individual who is actually dressed in high end designer clothes…..if someone is wearing a huge diamond ring, a large Vuitton purse, Hermes shoes, scarf and belt, they can probably afford to buy something else……..do you REALLY think the 20 year old has the cash?? Attitude is NOT cash.

Posting rude, beligerent comments on the Facebook pages of strangers just because you do not agree with them. You DO realize that you can be found, do you not???

…..and then there are the Drama Queens……..why is it that some people just will NOT stop posting and carrying on endlessly whenever there is some incident in their lives?? Are we supposed to run to your side to support you in your milisecond of need?? Give you money?? Take you out for dinner to console you??? Pity you??? … For a few, the feelings towards them has now run to utter disgust. Reposting endlessly on the anniversary of your mother’s death, her birthday, your dead friend, sending emails and sharing them with your friends to share so that your ‘sorrow’ is amplified a thousand times?? Stressing how we MUST all get together to support poor, sad you??

Seriously???!!!

What about the rest of us ??? We have ALL experienced loss, some of us have lived through absolutely horrific life events, yet, nary a call.
But then, we were elegant, quiet, discreet. We did not tell anyone, We did not post and repost and amplify, tweet or whine.

Walking into a grocery store with large reusable bags, filling them in the trolley, then arriving at the cash and paying for just a few items.
This new, absolutely INSANE trend of forcing us to bring our own bags in order to shop has generated a level of theft which has exploded.
People, we are ALL PAYING for this.
Some of us have brought it to the attention of store managers, but it is now so extreme that it is an epidemic. PLEASE do something …the cost of YOUR groceries will double if you do not.

Making a big deal about inviting someone to lunch to celebrate their birthday. Ordering cocktails and endless dishes that ‘you MUST try,” making absolutely sure that EVERYONE in the restaurant hears and sees you carrying on, then sticking the birthday boy with the total bill for several hundred dollars, who, just to be totally clear, ordered ONE plate of food and NO alcohol.

Truly, real life is more outrageous than make believe………

WORDS MATTER!

I want to thank the people who contribute directly and indirectly to this BLOG. There are a great many people out there scratching their heads at the behaviour they witness and experience at the hands of others, with the knowledge that whatever they say will not be attributed, hence they are free to varbalise knowing there will not be any adverse reprecussions.

Sometimes words drop out of the mouths of otherwise intelligent people leaving one to question if they have any concept whatsoever of just how seriously offensive they were…

Being told …..I’m too busy to talk to you right now, I am eating my lunch
Really…….will it go somewhere if you do not eat it this very second???

I need to go and sell to this important client, only to learn that they have never met this person before, and who purchases absolutely NOTHING. Furthermore, based upon their dress and comportement, it is unlikely they ever will……..

I am waiting for an important client, so you will have to leave……only to learn that the ‘important’ client never turned up.

I have to put this merchandise away right now, you will have to wait.
SOOO, the merchandise is more important than a potential customer??? Is it going to make a purchase???!!!

I am on the phone (with a friend judging by the utter drivel coming out of your mouth) …you will just have to wait……

Send me an email, I am too busy to talk to you right now…..
OK, but we are already ON THE PHONE, why not spend the additional minute and have the discussion???!!

Send me an email and tell me why you want to speak with me. …..REALLY???

Do you know who I am??!! (Why is it people who are SOOO arrogant as to ask this question are always the least important) ??!!

SOO, just a few thoughts……

If you repeatedly tell people they are NOT important clients, they never will become one.

If you claim to always be too important or too busy, at some point people WILL stop calling you and give you all the free time in the world.

What ever happending to manners??


YES, I am absolutely ranting about this subject again, hence, ROSLYNSRANTS.COM.

As a tall, blond, well dressed woman, with a handbag in my hand, and a coat on my back,  do I actually look like a doorman to you??  Do you have ANY idea how many times I have held open the door for the person directly behind me and had 10 rude people push their way through, NONE of whom had the good manners to either acknowledge me in any way or better,  say Thank You??

Yes, I was brought up in an extremely strict British household, NO, it was not fun. As a child I was forced to learn how to use ALL the cutlery on the table, elbows off the table, sit still, do not speak until you are spoken to, sit still for hours,  no carrying on, …. it was excruciating, but I recognize it as one of the greatest gifts as an adult. I learned to behave.

Grace, elegance, eloquence, manners, consideration for those around us, regardless of social position, seem to be something of the past, the way most people hold their cutlery and eat today is absolutely repugnant. At least 50% of the population do not know how to use a knife and fork, how to use a napkin, NOT to blow your nose at the table, and even worse, put the used tissue on the table…….

And then there are other little things…such as putting one’s pinky in the air when drinking tea……..seriously??   soooo pretentious…….

Spearing food and chewing loudly, mouth open, and talking so that we see all the half chewed food spraying about…..UGH…UGH….UGH!!

Watching white people in a Chinese or Japanese restaurant is even worse…….they are loud, snapping their fingers at the staff as if they are their personal servants, with absolutely NO idea as to Asian etiquette…….and NO, I DO NOT care if you are white, try and be respectful of your environment.  Etiquette is etiquette.  …  KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF THE FOOD….it is considered the height of bad manners…….

What happened to helping someone with a heavy bag??

Helping someone to cross an icy sidewalk??

Given that I am a woman, why is it that I am the only one extending an outstretched hand to someone trying to cross an icy sidewalk??  Opening doors???  Waiting politely in line for my turn, not bursting into the line, expressing my  perceived importance in a loud, arrogant voice……..??

What happened to integrity? Decency??   Manners??  Consideration of others?? NO ONE is in such a hurry that taking 2 seconds to be courteous is an imposition. If all these so-called busy people were actually remotely busy,  other than their  make believe importance,  they would not have the time to binge watch TV. Yes, when you speak so loudly on your mobile phone we know that you spent 5 hours watching TV last night……

I have an acquaintance, certainly no longer a friend in any stretch of the imagination, who is embarrassing and disgraceful. Always ranting on about aging gracefully, then always sticking everyone with the bill, and expecting to be driven around without EVER contributing to gas or parking.

Another one invited my significant other out to a restaurant for his birthday, ordered drinks, no, we did not imbibe, insisted we try several items on the menu, carried on with the waiters like he was a big shot, then stuck us with the bill, AGAIN.

No one seems to understand old fashioned ideas like Birthday cards,  Sympathy Cards, sending flowers, Thank you notes, responding to RRVP’s on time, yet ironically, these are the same individuals grasping desperately for the wonderful invitations to posh parties and cocktails……..they almost think their presence is so magical that manners are of no consequence. Bringing a gift to an afternoon tea, dinner party, cocktail party, birthday party, also appears to be a lost art. ….   And actually considering the taste of the host , well, that would be too much to ask.  Did it EVER enter the minds of these rude, rude individuals that entertaining is not cheap or easy??   All the alcohol, and food you consume costs money and must be prepared. There is prep work before, during and after any social gathering. If it is held in someone’s home, they probably cleaned it within an inch of its life before you arrived, and will do the same thing afterwards. I have been to extraordinary parties all over the world, some with an insane number of staff ……do you think they are FREE????

The  very least you can do is BRING or SEND a GIFT.  Arriving consistently empty handed is not only rude, it is extremely disrespectful. 

On line rudeness is a new phenomenon,  social media such as Facebook is full of hateful, mean individuals posting cruel hurtful snippets in response to the posts of utter strangers. Does it give the some perverse sense of power to inflict such cruelty??  Do they not realize just how easy it is to find out who they are and where they live???

Today, with the rise in violence around the world, WORDS KILL.

Then, of course, there are the shop keepers who see someone enter their shop and say loudly, “ I see an important client, you will have to go…..” you are totally correct, the person in front of you will NEVER become an important client, you just totally offended them, it is soooo easy to go elsewhere…..

The purpose of manners is to treat others as you wish to be treated……..how simple is that??

Total Lack of Judgement

By noon on any given day, I may have conversed with 6 Company Presidents & Vice Presidents, a Judge and a Doctor. The basis for such an address book and the fact that these individuals always take my call is courtesy. People speak with those who make them feel appreciated, laughter also figures largely into that equation.

This week was an endless one ripe with stories of rude female millenials in the IT industry…..

I was actually screamed at over punctuation!!! Those 3 preceeding exclamation marks were the culprits!!

I constantly pepper my writing with exclamation marks and question marks, often interspersed; to add humour, questions, and often disbelief. Admittedly, this individual behaving like a petulant 12 year old over my punctuation was a first.

In the space of a week, this rude snowflake booked a telephone appointment then stood me up, sent me an email interrogating me questioning my relationship with the President of the company where she is employed, then totally lost it over punctuation…..what boggles the mind is that she is actually employed and being paid money for this behaviour.

In a previous BLOG I suggested that having an unknown female call your company to ascertain how callers are treated would be an excellent idea, this incident is the perfect example of that need. This young woman would not dream of ever speaking to a man like that, so what would possess her to think she has the right to verbally assault a woman??

The next day, I was meeting a friend for breakfast downtown in a trendy restaurant. I asked my girlfriend, as well as our 3 lovely millenial waitresses just exactly what 3 exclamation marks in an email mean to them. The responses follow….

   Excitement
   Playfullness
     Anticipation
     Extreme Interest.

What is telling, is these responses perfectly explain my usage. So how is it that I was accused of being rude and aggressive by the use of punctuation??? NO ONE understood.

The mere idea that this young woman allowed herself the right to shriek at another woman puts her judgement seriously at risk. How many other people has she insulted??

A client had another story. He is the CIO. He hired a young woman as a programmer. On paper she appeared to be qualified, educated and have the appropriate experience. Miraculously she passed the interview process and was hired. One week into her employment however, everything changed. She announced that the work hours were far too demanding of her personal time and that she would like to work from home due to the inconvenience of commuting. Her constant complaints worked their way up the organization culminating in the CIO meeting with her to hear her grievances. He was shocked, but listened quietly and explained that perhaps she should learn the technical and business environment as well as the business before making such demands, and suggested she work on integrating herself into the environment. It was not to be. Slightly over one month later she was terminated. Her endless complaints over her salary, working conditions and title were endless, but unfortunately she was also extremely disruptive.
One has to question both her resume and her intentions.

People need to work, some more than others.

There must be sunshine, joy and laughter in any business relationship, as well as fairness.

How can one possibly trust the judgement of someone who is so thin skinned that they are offended by punctuation???!!

Living in a World of Make Believe

“if he said it, then it must be true….”

“if it is on-line, it must be true….”

”if it is on a resume, it must be true….”

“ if it is printed, it must be true….”

But it is NOT.

It is ALL make believe.

Facebook recently deleted over 1.3 MILLION fake accounts, and they admitted publicly that they have just scratched the surface.

The Leader of the free world has been fact checked, and is currently at approximately 7000 documented lies. Yes, 7000. Documented. Filmed.
He has a seriously loose relationship with the truth.

There are endless fake handbags wandering around on the arms of pretentious women. Go shopping, see them flashing their handbags, carrying them in a showy pretentious fashion so the world can see them, but they are obviously FAKE. A serious copyright infringement. But why would you want to flaunt something so clearly fake??

Endless photographs of make believe fabulous lives which are constructed and curated for maximum impact. If it is photographed, it must be true…….NOT.

Huge advertisements of outstanding achievements in magazines and newspapers, carefully placed and paid for by the actual individual promoting themselves, from real estate agents to start up companies to socialites, …advertising WORKS……. People naively believe the printed word.

Business executives, socialites, corporations pay millions to PR firms to promote them and their services and expound on their fabulousness and awesome success…..the best defense is a good offence…….

Resumes of individuals proclaiming their extraordinary careers and titles. How does someone graduate and become the Director of a company with NO previous work experience?? Or go from junior programmer to Vice President within a couple of years?? One financial institution actually gives programmers the title of Vice President once they have a couple of years of experience. Flattery works, much easier than a pay raise. Many in the industry laugh at them strutting around handing out their business cards, and refer to them as “ Vice Programmer….” Of course, their salaries are the obvious tell tale….$70,000 annually does not a Vice President make in the Financial industry……
Unfortunately, this practice takes away from the credibility of others who have MBA’s and over 25 years of actual work experience who have sacrificed their time and lives to reach that pinnacle of their careers…..

There are people who are fired repeatedly for fraud, drunkenness, laziness, or their total inability to work with others, and cover it up by proclaiming they are the President of a Consulting Company and these short stops were only short term mandates.
Several individuals lost their positions after being caught in a serious fraud within a bank. See the resumes on Linkedin of these individuals who could not find work for months, and see a fascinating picture emerge. One changed their name, a couple of others re-invented themselves as “Consultants” to cover the huge amount of time missing on their resumes. The problem with this, is that they are ALL currently employed within other financial institutions, as NO ONE DID PROPER REFERENCES on them.

Some other terrifying examples of this include a well known hacker who is known to brag repeatedly about all the confidential information he has amassed on his previous employers, from social insurance numbers, medicare numbers, addresses, birth dates, direct deposit information and more. In their rush to join the ranks of large consulting firms offering cybersecurity services, he was hired as Partner. He consults to big banks and is charged out at astronomical hourly rates as an expert. Did anyone actually speak to ANY of his former co-workers?? I certainly did. Several of them in fact. This man is absolutely terrifying.
He is currently at a high point in his career, what happens to all the information he has amassed when he crashes??

Then there are the Senior Executives of large publicly traded corporations who are always present on the Social and Business scene, giving huge donations in order to promote their image and that of their firms. If someone gives to charity, they must be a good person……..NOT necessarily, they are building a PUBLIC image, and IT IS NOT THEIR MONEY.

I have spoken of this before, but it is appropriate to include in this BLOG.
A couple of years ago, a client rang me up to inquire about a Senior Consultant currently on assignment in his company. He had SERIOUS doubts about the competence of this person, and wondered if I knew of him. I had NEVER heard of this individual, which was surprising, as we have done a lot of work in that particular sector of the IT industry. As the client is someone I like and respect, I got to work investigating this person. The more I dug, the less I knew. One thing which was clear, he had one of the most brilliant, most elegantly constructed web sites I have ever seen. Upon further investigation, using Google maps, I ascertained that this huge enterprise he was managing had only one employee, that being him, and the address was his basement.
Several calls to those in the know, NO ONE, let me repeat, NO ONE had ever heard of him, and his certification claims were utterly bogus.
Back to the Linkedin resume and more surfing.
His University degrees also turned out to be fake.

SO, he was billing at $180 per hour. He was a liar, incompetent, a total fraud. That is not a huge amount of money in the scheme of a corporate IT budget, but what if there are 10 of them in the department??
He was terminated. His linkedin resume and his beautiful website disappeared. He has probably changed the letters in his name slightly in order to move on to another unsuspecting victim.

Another individual was fired and imprisoned for dealing hard drugs. His on line resume does not show ANY blanks in time. According to his resume, he was always employed. How could a large corporation have possibly back ground checked him in order employ this individual in Security and Infrastructure ?? Clearly they did not.
Unfortunately, a number of large corporations outsource the resume checking service to third parties, who do minor checking for large fees…….the best references are NOT the ones the individual had provided, usually people who were co-workers and have nothing to gain or lose……

Remember Bernie Madoff???? Uber connected socially, well respected, gave to charity… NOTHING was real. I know several individuals in Palm Beach who unfortunately invested with him and LOST it ALL. …..NO ONE could believe he was such a fraud, he was so charming……

Companies regularly sell services to unsuspecting clients because they WANT to believe the charming salesman. He is charming, entertains them with endless anecdotes, serves them fine wines and brings them to locales they could only dream about….flattered and told how important they are, they readily sign on the dotted line for services which bear no resemblance to their actual needs. Time elapses, deadlines are not met, costs escalate, the product does not meet their demands, and once again, they are taken to yet another even more fabulous event to help them forget the millions they have spent on nothing.

It is human nature to want to be liked, flattered, entertained, to be part of the ‘in crowd”, to want to be associated with those in power, those they consider the “ BEST in BREED”…
Until they are NOT.

Have you done YOUR homework???

On Being selfish

We have all met them, it could be a friend, family member, work associate, but it is ALWAYS about them. Their image, their birthday, their finances, their needs. But what happened to the rest of us??

Manners are considered to be the social grease. Perhaps not the most elegant choice of words, however, having good manners at the very base, is having consideration for others. 

Not doing to others what one does not wish to have done to oneself.

Selfishness rears its ugly head in a myriad of ways, it can be cloaked in jealousy, arrogance, or just the total lack of empathy or consideration of others.

From those who post endlessly on Facebook, and want us to ‘like’ and ‘share’ their beliefs, events, and successes, but would never consider doing the same for others.

Those who only promote or help those who they think can advance their own cause. 

Those who argue their beliefs but are utterly unwilling to allow that others may have a totally different opinion. Our life experiences are all different,  the best part about meeting and conversing with people is that one can actually learn, and sometimes from the most unlikely people. 

Not responding to an RSVP in a timely and considerate way, waiting until the last  possible moment in case something better turns up, but ignoring the fact that the person extending the invitation has to plan and purchase food and drink accordingly, as well as planning for the number of wait staff if it is a large event.

Turning up at an event with an unexpected guest or guests, and not warning the host prior to your arrival, forcing them to scramble trying to set extra places at the table, and figure out just HOW to extend the allocated food to feed the extra mouths, given the meal was planned for a lesser number of guests.

Not sharing information in a business setting in order to appear more important than they are. This works for a while, but inevitably backfires, as once people catch on, they will actually cease inviting the hoarder to meetings. 

Not considering that other people actually have feelings, and your words are harsh and hurtful.

Always turining up at a Dinner Table or Cocktail party empty handed, regardless the event. Have you ever considered just how much work it is to entertain, and just how much it costs??

Expecting fabulous gifts for your birthday, wedding, Christmas……and receiving amazing thoughtful gifts, but never reciprocating?? Regardless of whether it is your family or best friend, it is simply arrogant and rude.  Just like you love the excitement of unwrapping an amazing gift or gifts, so do they.

Please do not insult our intelligence by stating that you did not have time or that money is tight, but then sit and talk about all the posh restaurants and bars you have visited, the new shoes and purse, trip, car… you just purchased, the fun events you have been to, as you chow down on our food and drink. You knew about the event well in advance and had ample time to arrange something. If you are really that clueless about what to purchase for someone, PICK UP THE PHONE and ask someone.

I had one friend who actually was generous, however her constant borrowing of money and complaining about being broke at the same time as showing off another $4000 handbag or another trip to Europe simply became too much. Just making a feeble attempt to pay back SOMETHING would have been an amazing gesture, but it never came. 

People wanting your professional advice in business, yet always telling you that they can’t provide any assistance for whatever reason  when you need something in return…..hellooo??

People in Vintage and Antique stores selling you something and exclaiming how fabulous it is until you have paid for it, but if, heaven forbid, you wish to sell it at a later date telling you that it is worthless after they have insulted it for 5 minutes….

Can you really hear yourself??  And WHY on earth would I EVER buy from you again??   

We live in interesting times. 

A little consideration and generosity goes a long way.

We DO remember.