antiques on the Antiques Roadshow.
All my life, and I believe I could speak of all others as well, I have
been creating stories in real life, in full view of others. The last
one, which was followed closely by my younger son, who is a chartered
accountancy student, deserves a little recount.
It started in Nov last year, when my small car had clocked about
50,000 km. It had served me faithfully all through the rough and rocky
roads it had taken me on, without ever leaving me in the lurch or
stranded. I had been noticing its calls for a 'spa' treatment, for a
thorough overhaul and replacement of worn parts. A first assessment
got a quote of 12,500 in all. I sought a meeting with the franchise
owner and demanded 50% discount on Labour and 30% on Material & Parts.
Wow, wow, wow... the guy and his GM were stunned. The case was
summarily denied. I was told they do not give any discount whatsoever
on quoted prices. I walked away... And let it be until Jan this year.
I called up the GM, reminded him in some detail of our last
interaction... substantial works he could bill today, provided... He
said, I need to speak to his boss. But I again let it wait until now.
I landed at his huge Workshop and went straight to the owner while the
GM watched. We shook hands and I again refreshed the context and his
memory. He explained, begged my understanding, and I his. He called
his staff for a review of bill of works. I wanted nothing left out and
the bill to be as big as needed, though without any inflation or flab.
The quote was 23,500, with several more items added. I knew my car
would come out good for the next 3-5 years.
We went back to boss' table. He was glad of the amount before and I
was happy for the gain I would extract on % basis. He said he would
take care of my request but did not specify. I agreed. There was
something honest and transparent in him and his team. It took an
entire day and I was beaming with their care and thoroughness at work.
Every progress was reported to me and I'd consent to go over and
inspect the results from to time.
The painting was done late and it required that I leave the car in
their care overnight. I asked for the final bill... 23,500... and was
back at boss' table. Discount 20% ! Bonus further 2.5%. I paid. Got a
drop to home 20 km away. Had the shining darling delivered the next
morning.
A story that got my son's eyes shining with excitement and
appreciation. And, a very real understanding of personal stories we
need to create all through our lives, involving other people, who in
turn will be a part of the same story with some gladness, and it will
be for each one of us as our own. We all could smile upon recall
later, but not without having learnt somethings from it and become a
better person in the process.
I received a call for feedback today. Another is expected next week.
Incidently, another one concluded today... on the issue of a builder
who effing mother-effing asrehole had shoved white cement in internal
conduit pipes while completing the plaster on walls. I couldn't have
my internet for a fortnight because the wires couldn't be passed in
internally. Today, I have the broadband connected.
Which is why you are sensing the buoyancy in the words I am keying in
now. I look forward to creating more stories and engineering them to
happy conclusion. So, when guys question the efficacy of prayers or if
God intervenes in human affairs... I hurry on my steps lest I have to
take a stand. The rational thing would have been untrue. And the truth
would have been... well, er, irrational !
On Mar 23, 5:16 pm, rigsy03 <rigs...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have 20/40 vision but can't read small print, etc. without glasses-
> or sometimes a magnifying glass. After all the reading, stitching, 000
> brushwork, mincing, viewing I am surprised I am not as blind as a bat!
> I joke that our eyes mist to reduce the flaws of time- like the way
> film-makers coated the camera lens on those old misty movies. Camera
> controls are a nightmare but I quit that anyway. I still have a rotary
> dial phone in the basement, by the way, which intrigues the
> grandchildren.//Sometimes I feel like an "oldie" but I think it an
> unfortunate phrase since there is so much life left in the time we
> have in the now- the future is as brutal with youth, for instance- and
> a certain mellowness has eased into us like wines or those charming
> antiques on the Antiques Roadshow.// How is that porridge faring?
> Mostly I use oatmeal for the base of a fruit/nut muffin which I have
> to have on hand or in the freezer. Wouldn't soups be another
> alternative and give you some variety of taste as well as nutrients?
>
> On Mar 22, 5:44 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Then they will need i-Phones designed to be as cool as the phones with
> > big buttons for us oldies.
>
> > On Mar 15, 1:41 pm, rigsy03 <rigs...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > > Maybe youth will grow enormous thumbs from texting? :-) I need
> > > breakfast...
>
> > > On Mar 15, 8:36 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > He pressed the wrong buttons setting up the phone and had to come to
> > > > me to stop it speaking French. He's had a new flat pack computer desk
> > > > for weeks - I'm on strike as he never learns anything or even hangs
> > > > about to do so. He has shades of Asperger, but his mates are almost
> > > > all as bad - except the young Bulgarian kid next door. In the main
> > > > they not only can't be trusted with hammers, saws and the like but
> > > > also have no clue how to hit a nail. Not much different with IT
>
> > > > On Mar 15, 1:14 pm, rigsy03 <rigs...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > The smart phones are "crazy like a fox". There was a segment on local
> > > > > news about how they track absolutely everything- even one's address
> > > > > book- also interviews with young users who were not alarmed as their
> > > > > culture thrives on dirty laundry and letting it "all hang out". There
> > > > > are parental controls but not sure they really protect the user in the
> > > > > long run. Google, at least, asks permission to share info.
>
> > > > > On Mar 14, 8:19 am, Allan H <allanh1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > No problem Smart phones are crazy and which is which is crazier my
> > > > > > neighbor has one and my wife just recieved a new HTC Desire from her Work
> > > > > > and I am looking at the Samsung Note but will probably buy a Electric
> > > > > > bike.. they are cool but very expensive between 2 and 3 grand for a
> > > > > > good one
> > > > > > Allan
> > > > > > Live is crazy
>
> > > > > > On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 9:28 AM, gabbydott <gabbyd...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > You are right. It could have been the number of times I read Neil
> > > > > > > mentioning his iPhone investment in his notes. Sorry for the confusion.
>
> > > > > > > On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 8:46 AM, Allan H <allanh1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >> the 4 refers to the iPhone model you really should have popped the
> > > > > > >> extra cash and got him a samsung galaxy Note,,
> > > > > > >> Allan
>
> > > > > > >> On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 1:09 AM, gabbydott <gabbyd...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >>> The price for so much stinginess and spreading so much bound bad energy
> > > > > > >>> is protective deafness and self controlled communication and interaction
> > > > > > >>> via device rather than man. Or did I misread you and you have already
> > > > > > >>> bought him 4 iPhones?
>
> > > > > > >>> On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 9:47 AM, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >>>> The rise of democracy, modern capitalism and well-paid jobs is little
> > > > > > >>>> understood I guess - otherwise we'd have an economics that worked from
> > > > > > >>>> decent livelihoods up. In war we feed our soldiers a pound of meat a
> > > > > > >>>> day (other than in logistic cock-ups and Haliburton rip-offs - that's
> > > > > > >>>> where Thomas Cook the travel agent started) - but our trainees are now
> > > > > > >>>> so poor they skip at least one meal because they can't afford it. We
> > > > > > >>>> need creative thinking with a critical edge - I've just started a
> > > > > > >>>> Johan Lehrer book that is out Stateside but not here until next month
> > > > > > >>>> that says lack of the critical kills creativity dead.
> > > > > > >>>> My starting point is that science is value-laden (it's surely a value
> > > > > > >>>> to want truth rather than fable) and the facts are so intolerable to
> > > > > > >>>> most they are avoided (there is a Freudian ring here - reality is
> > > > > > >>>> pushed under cover). To remove poverty (at least materially) the
> > > > > > >>>> obvious start is the provision of livelihoods and accommodating our
> > > > > > >>>> economics and law to that. It's surely clear we don't and have been
> > > > > > >>>> removing points of resistance like trade unions and meaningful voting.
> > > > > > >>>> I've just bought my grandson an i-Phone 4S against my better judgement
> > > > > > >>>> and in favour of the pressures he lives in in the teenage set. I
> > > > > > >>>> don't know what to tell him about the truth on Apple, or what his
> > > > > > >>>> desire for this pathetic toy is about, and how this is manipulated
> > > > > > >>>> into the success of Apple as a tax avoiding, offshore crap employer
> > > > > > >>>> and even deaths in exploding factories without reasonable health and
> > > > > > >>>> safety. One can say much the same on teaching business and economics
> > > > > > >>>> to gawping 18 year-olds who increasingly default on their loans
> > > > > > >>>> because there are no decent jobs. They like the idea of Steve Jobs as
> > > > > > >>>> an iconoclast hero.
>
> > > > > > >>>> On Mar 12, 1:38 am, rigsy03 <rigs...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > > > >>>> > I was thinking of these as they were integrated into Common Law and
> > > > > > >>>> > still impact modern law, litigation and taxation. But don't "test"
> > > > > > >>>> > me...yet!// I don't think there is a "need" for a poor class either
> > > > > > >>>> > but it exists even with government assistance programs. Is it related
> > > > > > >>>> > to ambition? Some of our immigrants were dirt poor on arrival but
> > > > > > >>>> > gradually prospered. Did the economic system of the time- manual
> > > > > > >>>> > labor, mostly- help? Then there are wars and unions to consider. What
> > > > > > >>>> > about personal characteristics? There certainly are rags to riches to
> > > > > > >>>> > rags stories abounding. How have current economies changed the nature
> > > > > > >>>> > of the workforce- consider the influence of the Industrial
> > > > > > >>>> > Revolution.//Anyway, I have dusted off 10 volumes of Churchill and
> > > > > > >>>> > have started in after watching a great version of Richard III. I read
> > > > > > >>>> > a couple sets long ago but it seems all new again. I must say, the
> > > > > > >>>> > English are/were certainly a resiliant bunch. :-)//Finally, more than
> > > > > > >>>> > one stay-at-home mom has exclaimed she was a "slave" in my lifetime so
> > > > > > >>>> > that's probably the lure of an outside job plus it seems impossible to
> > > > > > >>>> > live on one salary although it also costs a lot to work sometimes. Now
> > > > > > >>>> > we just consider our life styles obsolete.
>
> > > > > > >>>> > On Mar 11, 5:27 pm, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >>>> > > I remember the Danegeld and Bots and Wers (blood payments to
> > > > > > >>>> widows).
> > > > > > >>>> > > I'm resistant to the idea that there is any need for a poor class,
> > > > > > >>>> but
> > > > > > >>>> > > I also dislike free riding when work needs doing. I think we've
> > > > > > >>>> lost
> > > > > > >>>> > > the plot on work organisation and money.
>
> > > > > > >>>> > > On Mar 10, 6:58 am, rigsy03 <rigs...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >>>> > > > Rents are related to Saxon/Danish tributes, in a sense. In fact,
> > > > > > >>>> the
> > > > > > >>>> > > > whole idea of money setting the value was Germanic, I believe. And
> > > > > > >>>> > > > one's worth was also set by law and culture.
>
> > > > > > >>>> > > > On Mar 9, 2:09 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > In Piff's experiments it doesn't matter much if you are born
> > > > > > >>>> into the
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > wealth, so what you and rigs say holds in comparison. It's not
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > sympathy with the poor - if this system worked it wouldn't
> > > > > > >>>> matter.
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > What I object to is serfdom to rents (as the economic term) -
> > > > > > >>>> what I'd
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > look forward to is a society in which we can do stuff without
> > > > > > >>>> the
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > current money motives. We restrict a lot of human activity
> > > > > > >>>> through
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > law and culture. I think we've got the way we do money wrong
> > > > > > >>>> and
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > should by now have a more moral system in keeping with
> > > > > > >>>> democracy. We
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > haven't and are losing democratic control and many what they
> > > > > > >>>> thought
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > were such things as secure pensions. My 'allegiance' is with
> > > > > > >>>> the
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > thought of a better form of life. Austerity, in which the poor
> > > > > > >>>> have
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > to take less, is ludicrous in the massively improved
> > > > > > >>>> productivity of
> > > > > > >>>> > > > > the present. My guess is, if we had a cull of the top 10%, we
> > > > > > >>>> would
>
> ...
>
> read more »
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