Challenge # 22 The Runaround

These challenges come from a small writing group.  We have a large series of random questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.  (Sort of like being in a writing class where you are assigned the topic to write about.)

Question:

Have you ever been given the runaround?  What did you do?

Runaround Sue?

My most recent encounter.  Yes we have all been on the receiving end of someone trying to play pass the buck, it’s not my area of work, your question is way above my pay grade or simply a runaround.  I have worked in a customer service capacity for many, many years and I make it harder for someone to ignore me when I need help.

As an employee in what is considered a service industry there are many things that I have learned along the way.  I try to get the nameless person on the other side of the phone on my side so they don’t hang up on me.  Today it seems very easy to bully or badger a faceless voice at the end of your phone and that tactic rarely works in the long run.  If you happen to get the one person who really cares, you don’t want to lose them.

I recently called my insurance company because of a letter sent to me by a government agency that regulates insurance.  I mainly called because I wanted to know what was up with that.  The person on the other end assumed that I was angry and kept trying to pass the buck and transfer me to another department or another company.  I was just as insistent, in a polite way, that might not really be the best result because I simply wanted to know why this happened, not who was to blame.  I persisted that she needed to listen to my full question regarding this situation.

Eventually, after about five minutes trying to explain the full question, she agreed to look into it.  Then she realized it was something she could handle and said she would do that.  It took explaining repeatedly, using slightly different phrases each time for her to really hear me.  I think the one that got her was when I said   “This sounds like I am living in crazy town.”  She actually laughed at my comment, that was when I knew she heard me.

I, have since had another situation where the person heard only half of my question and said she needed to transfer me.  Again, I said please hear my whole question and then tell me who to talk to.  She had the perfect answer for me and it worked beautifully.

Many of the companies judge the employee based on volume not on quality.  If you answer X number of calls does not make you a better customer service person, yes volume is important, but so is quality.  I would call and compliment each of these agents because they both helped to resolve my problem.

Moral of this story is that it has been a few weeks and the situation is cleared up.  Make them laugh or cry or cringe in horror at your story, never blame the person on the phone unless it truly is the last stop.  Most of the people doing the job are just like us and trying to survive one phone call at a time.

Drunkards Path II

With more than 600 quilts on display in the Mountain Quiltfest 2019, I still have a ton of beautiful quilts to show you.  This is from that same group requirement with the drunkards path block.

It almost defies logic that the same block makes up these 2.

The same blocks with variations.  Amazing.

These have added a very modern twist.  It almost defies logic.

Challenge # 51 Picnic Time

This challenge comes from a small writing group.  We have a large series of random questions that we answer and share.  The goal is to answer at least one per week.  My personal goal is to do this for one full year. I am so glad this is almost over, it has now reached the tedious level and I have no plans for after it’s over. I know the writing group is getting together but I have not been brave enough to attend a gathering of that sort yet.

Question: Describe your perfect picnic. What’s in your picnic basket?

Picnic Time

Not really a big fan, the two places where we did picnic are the school where my brother went and Ravinia. My oldest brother went away to high school so to visit him once a month we all packed in the car and brought a lunch along.

We had a basket that had elastic bands attached to the flip up lids to hold plates and utensils. The basket held sandwiches and fruit and salad.

On nice weather days we sat out on the lawn at tables and ran around. My brother is 8 years older and not interested in childish games so we 3 littles played together. On rainy or cold days we picniced in the gym, and also ran around.

Ravinia is an outdoor music venue in the Chicago suburbs. As a single parent I quite often took my 2 youngest children. They have a very large lawn area for setting up your basket and blanket and enjoy the evening. The best part was that tickets for lawn seats were very often inexpensive and within my budget.

As with much that has changed in the world so have the prices. Based on who is performing the ticket prices are quite often no longer in my price bracket. Another feature that I loved is that not all spaces could see inside the Pavillion that sheltered the performance. So we gladly stretched out on our blanket and listened to the music.

Based on my 2 major picnic experiences my menu would probably follow the menu my children requested most .

Potato salad – Watermelon – Cheese and crackers – Small 1/4 size sandwiches – cookies, these are the simple finger foods you could walk around and find your friends. You could also invite a friend back to share.

It feels good to stretch my writing muscles a little bit. I have been away for a while for all the wrong reasons. I hope I xan continue this exercise.

Today’s Blooms – Pines

It looks like someone has indicated in Florists Review how large displays should look. All located far from each other yet they have the same feel.

The 1st one spotted near downtown.

Number 2 outside an office, gold twigs not birch branch.

Another office, twigs, branches and seed pod.

Outside a government building. Not permanent trees. Maybe they will add ornaments later.

Today’s Blooms – Migration

We know how things migrate in our garden. Every year things pop up in a space not assigned to them in the garden. Tomatoes are notorious in my yard for traveling to places that were not reserved for them.

As I was walking in the neighborhood looking for things blooming I encountered some things in migration. Today’s Blooms are all birds. I did not take the eagle photo I was not fast enough, but a friend did.

This guy was all alone.

Some of the Trumpeter Swans, about 40 on the lake.

They don’t nest here, but are just passing by.

We have the usual migratory birds but our little lake invites a few of the more impressive flocks. No wild turkeys spotted but in the summer we do have turkey vultures. Happy Thanksgiving.

Thursday Doors – James Joyce

From a recent trip to Dublin. While there I did a walking tour and was told because of my fascination with doors that I needed to go in. And I did.

The first picture is the actual door inside the museum and fully intact. The building was due to be torn down as the last photo shows. It is currently on loan to the museum. The 2nd photo of a door is an artist rendition of the same door. Very fascinating museum. #thursdaydoors

99 word challenge 99 words 99words 2019 2020 2021 2022 Aging Answers Blooms California Carrot Ranch Cats Challenge Chicago County Fair Covid 19 crafting Creating dusty trail Fall fiction flash fiction flights Flower Photos Food Fun Halloween humor Ireland kath70 kathy70 kathyyo pine cone art Pumpkins Quarantine quilting racing stilettos Thursday Doors TodaysBlooms Travel Watercolor Writing Yes

Explanation of the door.

Today’s Blooms – Ireland

Just back from a trip to Ireland where things were very green and pretty. In a parks rose garden I found these beauties.

Then I looked in my back yard today.

Hope you are having a beautiful day. #todaysblooms

Thursday Doors – Parkway 2

More from the same street. This is only one city block of the five blocks and only one side of the street. I do love that there is such a vast array of styles and I did not photograph all of this block. Th. e granite and brick work on these homes immediately draws me in. Often times I go back and see something I missed originally.

I did collage these pictures in groups that seemed natural to me, simply because there are so many more doors in the wings waiting to come center stage. It’s hard not to create a story in my mind about the building or the people who live here so I really need to delete a bunch from the camera. Living so close to Chicago it seems I have an endless supply of new places to explore. Thanks for allowing me to share these with you.

Today’s Blooms – Fall Leaves

I’ll take whatever blooms and makes it pretty. Leaving town for a couple of days so I ran out in the cold-ish and wind to see what was happening. Again a plant gives me a smile by producing a bloom long after it should be done for the season. I also like the amazing colors of the leaves and double duty . Enjoy.

Inpatients bloom in their pot with a background of leaves.

Pretty pink flowers in the spring, great color on leaves in the fall.

Gorgeous frame of leaves around the window.

Thursday Doors – Parkway Drive

These doors are from Chicago’s north side all on one parkway. This street runs along a parkway and is very wide. On one side are homes, then a two lane street for access, then about 15 feet of grassy parkland, then 4 lanes for traffic and repeat on the other side. So the people who live across the street are about a city block away.

This is not a freeway or a higher speed traffic area but the wide street does go right through a many hundreds of acres park. All in just a small area of Chicago. For those who may only have driven through or around it’s probably nothing you would ever see. The diversity of these neighborhoods also shows up in the architecture.

I am sharing just a few of the many homes along just the East side of the boulevard.

What a grand entrance to a single family home.

#thursdaydoors

Today’s Blooms – November

Some years we have had our first measurable snow by this time. Most of the flower gardens and vegetable gardens are done until next year

I know some parts of the country are just getting into the second planting. Not here. I had a very pleasant surprise however. I was downtown in our town and found these large planters in a protected mall area. It has buildings on two sides, north and south. The overhead and the other sides are open. Beautiful Blooms. Enjoy.

The butterfly is artificial

#todayablooms

Thursday Doors – Decorated

Many homes have the yards and windows decorated for Halloween. I found a few city doors that let you know something fun is soon happening, but are nor over the top. A few in the area change after dark and with darkness show their ghostly lights – I’m skipping those.

Happy Halloween 🎃

#thursdaydoors