What grinds your gears?

[TenaciousBe]

That's a rough couple of days, Max. So sorry!

On the girl front, man, I've totally been there. That was (almost) the entirety of my 20s and half of my 30s. It took until I was 34 to really, truly, finally accept it and embrace it, and throw myself wholeheartedly into my own hobbies and passions (started working on my fitness, yoga, biking, cooking better food, as well as really working on being a musician). And as luck would have it, within the year, I started seeing, and dating, and eventually marrying the love of my life - and we first started hanging out because of those shared interests (she was into yoga, biking, and loves music and came to see me play an acoustic gig which sealed the deal). I know it's the suckiest thing to hear, because I lived it, but... patience really is key.

On the music front... losing your band sucks. Hard. But, I did find that doing music solo is very rewarding, and much less stressful as you're not juggling other schedules (and egos). Of course, I've found it harder to stay motivated without a good writing partner, but there's good and bad in everything.

Ah hell... I'm ramblin again.

[maximzub]

That's a rough couple of days, Max. So sorry!

Thanks, man! Glad you said something.

On the girl front, man, I've totally been there. That was (almost) the entirety of my 20s and half of my 30s. It took until I was 34 to really, truly, finally accept it and embrace it, and throw myself wholeheartedly into my own hobbies and passions (started working on my fitness, yoga, biking, cooking better food, as well as really working on being a musician). And as luck would have it, within the year, I started seeing, and dating, and eventually marrying the love of my life - and we first started hanging out because of those shared interests (she was into yoga, biking, and loves music and came to see me play an acoustic gig which sealed the deal). I know it's the suckiest thing to hear, because I lived it, but... patience really is key.

Hopefully that luck comes to me someday. Then again, the wait is agonizing, because in my friends' words, I'm the horniest teenager in the world. (They're probably right.)

On the music front... losing your band sucks. Hard. But, I did find that doing music solo is very rewarding, and much less stressful as you're not juggling other schedules (and egos). Of course, I've found it harder to stay motivated without a good writing partner, but there's good and bad in everything.

I'm fine with writing by myself, but I just don't want to be stuck performing solo. So the search for a new band continues....

Ah hell... I'm ramblin again.

Naw, I like it when you ramble. Mostly because I ramble a lot myself....

[maximzub]

And now my roommate and I both like the same girl. Life is only getting worse, guys.

EDIT: Problem solved. She doesn't like either of us.

[Crumbso]

The import/export process for the UK and EU. I had to drive a van to a trade show in Amsterdam, Holland from the UK and the process was beyond ridiculous. For a 2-day trade show. I spent maybe a full working day on the admin and customs processes; 4-8 hours on paperwork (hard to even calculate with research etc), 1 hour at UK export customs, 1 hour at French import customs, 2 hours at French re-export customs and 2 hours at UK re-import customs. Not only that but being subjected to detainment for the bureaucracy of the Inland Border Facility in the UK is a demeaning experience. I only had to do this once but some drivers will have to do it day in, day out and it's not good enough.

This cost a full day at least in manpower plus £500 in ATA Carnet costs. No wonder small businesses are totally screwed by the trade deal we now have with the EU. It turned what would have been a 6-hour journey each way into a 12-hour ordeal each way. The information available was not clear at all, the paperwork tiresome and the actual experience was stressful. It would have cost £500 quid for van hire, crossing costs and diesel, this cost £1500. No wonder we've seen a decline in international trade and small-to-medium enterprises are suffering. I'm furious and this needs wider attention.

[Dolo]

The import/export process for the UK and EU. I had to drive a van to a trade show in Amsterdam, Holland from the UK and the process was beyond ridiculous. For a 2-day trade show. I spent maybe a full working day on the admin and customs processes; 4-8 hours on paperwork (hard to even calculate with research etc), 1 hour at UK export customs, 1 hour at French import customs, 2 hours at French re-export customs and 2 hours at UK re-import customs. Not only that but being subjected to detainment for the bureaucracy of the Inland Border Facility in the UK is a demeaning experience. I only had to do this once but some drivers will have to do it day in, day out and it's not good enough.

This cost a full day at least in manpower plus £500 in ATA Carnet costs. No wonder small businesses are totally screwed by the trade deal we now have with the EU. It turned what would have been a 6-hour journey each way into a 12-hour ordeal each way. The information available was not clear at all, the paperwork tiresome and the actual experience was stressful. It would have cost £500 quid for van hire, crossing costs and diesel, this cost £1500. No wonder we've seen a decline in international trade and small-to-medium enterprises are suffering. I'm furious and this needs wider attention.

I feel you man.

Back in the day I worked at a company that sold products in the UK but they were shipped from a warehouse in the Netherlands. When the whole Brexit thing materialized on 1 January 2021 the amount of chaos and confusion was through the roof. All the goods were stuck at the border and we were getting hundreds of calls and mails asking whatever the hell was going on. Our UK store had to stay closed for a MONTH before the company figured out how to deal with it.

[Crumbso]

The import/export process for the UK and EU. I had to drive a van to a trade show in Amsterdam, Holland from the UK and the process was beyond ridiculous. For a 2-day trade show. I spent maybe a full working day on the admin and customs processes; 4-8 hours on paperwork (hard to even calculate with research etc), 1 hour at UK export customs, 1 hour at French import customs, 2 hours at French re-export customs and 2 hours at UK re-import customs. Not only that but being subjected to detainment for the bureaucracy of the Inland Border Facility in the UK is a demeaning experience. I only had to do this once but some drivers will have to do it day in, day out and it's not good enough.

This cost a full day at least in manpower plus £500 in ATA Carnet costs. No wonder small businesses are totally screwed by the trade deal we now have with the EU. It turned what would have been a 6-hour journey each way into a 12-hour ordeal each way. The information available was not clear at all, the paperwork tiresome and the actual experience was stressful. It would have cost £500 quid for van hire, crossing costs and diesel, this cost £1500. No wonder we've seen a decline in international trade and small-to-medium enterprises are suffering. I'm furious and this needs wider attention.

I feel you man.

Back in the day I worked at a company that sold products in the UK but they were shipped from a warehouse in the Netherlands. When the whole Brexit thing materialized on 1 January 2021 the amount of chaos and confusion was through the roof. All the goods were stuck at the border and we were getting hundreds of calls and mails asking whatever the hell was going on. Our UK store had to stay closed for a MONTH before the company figured out how to deal with it.

Aye, it sucks. Your story sounds about right. I wasn't a Brexit supporter anyway but I thought that at least they could limit the damage if they got a decent trade deal. This is just pathetic. The fact that the British government doesn't care just highlights how on another planet they really are.

I was already annoyed because I used to make good money selling and buying guitar gear in and out of various countries throughout the EU. The VAT and import/export fees nixed that in 2021. My partner is Italian, and now I need a visa to move there in the future. So now this is just another thing to further irritate. It's done nothing but make my life worse.

[Dolo]

I wasn't a Brexit supporter anyway but I thought that at least they could limit the damage if they got a decent trade deal. This is just pathetic. The fact that the British government doesn't care just highlights how on another planet they really are.

I have mixed feelings about Brexit. I thought the idea was to limit the influx of the immigrants and get rid of the influence of the EU over the UK but it seems like the number of immigrants landing on the beaches is even greater than before and the British government is just a reflection of the sheer ridiculousness of some of the EU officials.

No idea if I would support Poland in a potential 'Polxit' but every time I hear about the ludicrous ideas that fall within the 'green agenda' (put ridiculous taxes on basically everything that emits CO2, ban older cars from the city centres, force people to switch to electric cars etc.) I'm getting closer and closer to supporting it.

[zazthespaz]

Electricity plan sellers in retail stores. There's a company in my Walmart that sets themselves up in a high traffic area and they grab me 50% of the time (today I was behind some clothes racks trying to avoid them and they came over to me!). I've told them I'm not interested but they find a way to spin my words and pull out their clipboards and show me how they can write dollar signs on a whiteboard. (literally what they do) What really irritates me though is they say "Your electricity company typically sends you an email with your bill, why don't you pull out your phone so we can look?" No. Eat poop.

You need to start faking telephone conversations

I keep telling myself I should tell them I'm already a customer but for some reason that never comes to mind when I'm there Maybe I'll default to the phone conversations instead

I told them I was already a customer 2 days ago. Felt great, guy gave me a thumbs up and an approving click of the tongue. So begins my "bad boy" phase.

Then an assumedly homeless man came up to me alone in an aisle asking me to buy him shoes. I told him I was short on cash which was obviously a lie since I was buying a happy birthday card, but I'm tired of being approached in stores asking for money. I really do feel bad for him and it's weighed on me all day, but there are resources in this city for people like him instead of approaching lone strangers in a department store.

Also, the bike tire pumps were locked behind glass and when I asked an associate for help, she never stopped walking but said she'd send someone with a key. I waited 4 minutes and carried on. Amazon can have my money for a tire pump.

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

Also, the bike tire pumps were locked behind glass and when I asked an associate for help, she never stopped walking but said she'd send someone with a key. I waited 4 minutes and carried on. Amazon can have my money for a tire pump.

Maybe the associate arrived at the 5th minute.

[zazthespaz]

Also, the bike tire pumps were locked behind glass and when I asked an associate for help, she never stopped walking but said she'd send someone with a key. I waited 4 minutes and carried on. Amazon can have my money for a tire pump.

Maybe the associate arrived at the 5th minute.

Maybe, but I had already waited for someone to arrive at the desk for 3 minutes before that and I'd waited in other parts of the store for an associate for 10 minutes before. Also, they made announcements for customers needing help in 3 other sections and never the sports section. Get yo act together Wal Mart.

[Dolo]

Spending 30 minutes trying to get out from a snowdrift (the winter is quite horrendous in Poland at the moment) before I realized my fucking emergency brake was engaged....

[TenaciousBe]

Spending 30 minutes trying to get out from a snowdrift (the winter is quite horrendous in Poland at the moment) before I realized my fucking emergency brake was engaged....

Taking "What grinds your gears" rather literally here...

[Dolo]

Spending 30 minutes trying to get out from a snowdrift (the winter is quite horrendous in Poland at the moment) before I realized my fucking emergency brake was engaged....

Taking "What grinds your gears" rather literally here...

Absolutely! Thankfully I didn't break it.

[zazthespaz]

The new YouTube skip ad button now takes you to the next ad instead of skipping both as it was before. I'll normally watch ads to support creators assuming the individual ad is >45 seconds, but there are some videos I'll skip the ads on because NBC doesn't need the $0.0001 cent my ad watching will give them. So now I have to hit skip twice. #1stworldproblems What really gets me is that I'll skip a 15 second ad and then YouTube gives me a 45 second ad. Yeah, I skipped the 15 second ad because I can't wait to watch a 45 second ad.

[Andy92]

Honestly I’d buy YouTube Premium if the pricing wasn’t ridiculous. I know their music subscription is bundled into that, but I already have Spotify and don’t need that. If they charged $4-$5 a month for no ads I think they’d get more subscribers than they think.

[Crumbso]

Honestly I’d buy YouTube Premium if the pricing wasn’t ridiculous. I know their music subscription is bundled into that, but I already have Spotify and don’t need that. If they charged $4-$5 a month for no ads I think they’d get more subscribers than they think.

I relented and bought Youtube Premium. I just dropped my other music subscription and went with that. Being able to play podcast videos without watching them and downloading stuff to play offline was also useful.

[Andy92]

Honestly I’d buy YouTube Premium if the pricing wasn’t ridiculous. I know their music subscription is bundled into that, but I already have Spotify and don’t need that. If they charged $4-$5 a month for no ads I think they’d get more subscribers than they think.

I relented and bought Youtube Premium. I just dropped my other music subscription and went with that. Being able to play podcast videos without watching them and downloading stuff to play offline was also useful.

I’ve thought about switching, just have a hard time moving on from Spotify since I’ve had that since 2009 I think lol. They have podcasts on there too now so I just haven’t bothered switching to something else.

If the ads get worse I may think about it though. I don’t use YouTube tons but I watch enough to where longer ads would start to get a bit annoying.

[maximzub]

Meanwhile, there's me, avid user of YouTube To MP3....

[Merinda]

Youtube links don't work for me in here for some reason. I've tried to insert a couple into a post and it doesn't display as a playable video, just text. Annoying.

[Dolo]

Youtube links don't work for me in here for some reason. I've tried to insert a couple into a post and it doesn't display as a playable video, just text. Annoying.

Try clicking on 'Share' under a YouTube video, copy the link but remove '?feature=shared' and put that between [YouTube][/YouTube] thingy.