Loyalty

Brand loyalty and/or company loyalty is such a funny thing.

I don't think I've ever used anything except Crest for toothpaste. Different flavors maybe but always Crest.

If I have to purchase boxed Mc and Cheese, it's always Kraft.

I would choose Costco over Sams Club any day. Given the choice, Target would always win over Walmart.

90% of the time, it's a matter of service. If your service is great and your product is meh, you'd still stick with them. Their product and pricing could be great but if their service stinks, you'd ditch them if you could. I've shopped at other more expensive stores just because of their great service. I stick with my expensive dentist because he's so kind to me and I really need that.

Treat your customers right.

A   L*O*N*G  time ago, we used AT&T for our telephone service. I hated them. Worst customer service. I was never so happy to ditch a company when I canceled my land line, 14 years ago. Shortly after that, they started sending me all these great promotional deals and come back and you'll save $$. All I could think was, if you cared about my business when you had it, I might not have left! Boneheads. Anyway, I'll never, and I mean never, use AT&T again.

When we switched our cell phone service from Sprint to Verizon, they never asked why or if there was anything they could do to keep me as a customer. After 10 years you'd think they would be curious why they were losing me? Nope. That's fine. I'll never go back to them. Worst customer service.

Last February we ditched cable TV. Now we just stream everything. Netflix, Hulu, Disney. We've been with that cable company for 20 years. We kept our internet service though. Last month we started getting weekly junk mail from them. We miss you! Come back! Look at this great deal! Blah, blah, blah. This really irritates me. I was a customer of yours for 20 years and you never once offered me a great deal. New customers get all the great deals and free phones. But your loyal customers don't get squat. That doesn't seem like good business. Maybe you wouldn't need so many new customers if you just treated the ones you have, better. Hmmmm.

The past

This was so interesting and tragic and sad;

https://www.smh.com.au/world/suitcases-tell-stories-of-lives-lived-at-the-margins-20150617-ghpu6l.html

Sometimes, when I see old photographs in a box at an antique shop, it makes me feel so sad. I know people love to go antiquing but I wonder if they ever think about the story behind those items. 

Asparagus

I love asparagus. I could eat a lot of asparagus. Mmmmmmm. But asparagus makes your pee smell. It does, really. But it turns out that that's not true of everyone who eats asparagus! Isn't that weird?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-asparagus-makes-your-urine-smell-49961252/

I'm really not crazy! Whew!

getting organized

Last week, my fella took another tote bin plus some other things, to Good-Will for me.  He said donations were piled up outside! That doesn't usually happen at our Good-Will store. It made total sense to me. So many people at home, cleaning up, throwing crap out. Yep. I'm doing it too!
Coincidentally, I saw this list (you know how much I love these) today;

Things is your house that a professional organizer would throw out!
* Flimsy kitchen utensils -that's good one. I need to do that
* Writing implements - I'm in trouble
* Reference material - I don't think that's entirely true. Like how to books. I'm keeping those until I know how to do it.
* Trip memorabilia - you know, old maps and travel brochures
* Expired things - food, medicine, vitamins...when was the last time you looked in the back of your cupboards????
* Storage 'solutions' - like containers that don't have a lid anymore, even Tupperware!
* Hobby supplies - oh, hell no!!!!!
* Outdated technology - probably. But if you had kept your old Apple PC, 
you'd have a lot of $$ right now!
* The "to-be-fixed" pile - maybe, after a year or so, just to be sure
* Parts for discarded items - accessories and manuals to things you don't have anymore! (mom)
* Secret stash - this one cracked me up because rinsed out jars was on the list! Ugh
* Swag and freebies - like all those pens you pick up and should throw out now!
* Unmatched things - socks, gloves...but I know the second I do, the other one will turn up!
* Awards and trophies - that's just sad
* Cookbooks - Noooooooo
* Clothes hangers - you have unused clothes hangers? I say, buy more clothes!
* Vases - I'm cool with this one. You really only need a couple.
* Refrigerator magnets - hahahahahahaha, when hell freezes over! It's my thing man!

Crisis Fatigue

Have you heard of Crisis Fatigue. It's a real thing. It's sounds pretty self explanatory.

Here's a pretty good article about Crisis Fatigue. It explains what is actually happening to your body.

https://www.wired.com/story/crisis-fatigue/

It's interesting. I suspect that there are A LOT of people in the world suffering from it. On different levels but still. I am. And it's exhausting. Also, there's something called the 'quarantine 15!' It's about weight gain during the pandemic. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-right-mindset/202003/what-is-quarantine-15

That seems pretty normal to me. If you can't go anywhere or do anything, what else is there? Eating or drinking. Or both! I've definitely been drinking more. I know I'm doing it too...and I don't care. HA!

Bird brains!

Oh, not literally, like real brains, just the term. Sheesh.

Last year when we were on our fabulous 30th anniversary road trip, we bought a bison skull. I always wanted one. We got it in Deadwood SD. It's awesome...and big. We finally hung it up a few months ago. It's awesome...and big!

(I can see a good use for Christmas lights, can't you?!?!?)

I use to have this little, fake cow skull on the wall. My fella hung it outside on the front porch. It works, it's rustic. Anyway, a couple weeks ago we came home and found all these little twigs on the porch,

What the heck?! So we're looking all around. I thought maybe a bird thought it wanted to build a nest in the wreath. Nope that wasn't it. Hmmmmm,

Then my fella spots it...

Do you see it???

Here's a close up,

 A tiny bird is building it's nest inside the fake skull!!!! It's called a House Wren, a little smaller than a chickadee. Also, it has a pretty song, a pretty loud song! Aaaaaaand, it's July! Isn't it kind of late to be nesting?? I guess we're going to try and use the garage door more right now so we don't disturb them so much. What funny birds.