People Should Pay Compliments, Too...

This is a rant, sorry:

As you know, I work in a store, which is part of a chain, and the chain is part of a very big Israeli retail/discount business, Rami Levy. And I'm going to admit that during the close to six years I've been working here in Yafiz, I've been reported as "nasty" to customers more than once.

It's just too easy for people to find a "higher up" or just call the main office or say a few negative words to someone in the "office" by the Rami Levy cashiers.

Generally the complaints are about my asking that their children stop doing dangerous things like running through the clothes racks. Just the other day a woman, who claimed to know my bosses well, threatened me, because a I had asked her child to stop his shrill whistling in the tiny shoe store where I was attempting to serve/help her and other customers.

After she had finally left, another customer said:

"It's obvious that she doesn't work with the public."

And I replied:

"People love to make formal complaints, but they don't bother to send in official compliments on good service."

That's the truth. On a personal level, people are nice and thank and compliment me, but they don't take it further to the "bosses." So many people find it easier to criticize than compliment. It's the same with parenting and teaching. The negative is emphasized much more than the positive. That's something we should all work on, Gd willing.

Grrr.. Complaint about my Flights

As you know I just came back from two weeks plus in the states, and on the whole it was a great trip. The two aims were to be at a special wedding on my husband's side in New York and to see my father and sister in Arizona. And those two things went well, thank Gd.

In terms of family, I just didn't see enough of my many relatives who live in the states, but I did see a couple of cousins and some old dear friends. And my shopping was pretty successful, too. That's what these visits are full of family, friends shopping, right?

In terms of safety and logistics, comfort, timing etc. my traveling by United (Continental) Air was fine, though the landing skills of the Newark-Phoenix pilot, who also took us to Albuquerque for refueling, was the worst in my memory. His landing felt almost like crashes, Gd forbid. But there was no damage/injuries, thank Gd. And davka for that flight I didn't see a questionnaire in my inbox.

But my real complaint was that for both the flights to and from Phenix-Newark that only didn't staff at the gate properly count and measure all of the suitcases, bags and carryons people were bringing into the plane, the flight attendants didn't keep them from filling the overhead bins with their winter coats.

That resulted in their announcing that all of Boarding Group 5, yes, yours truly, had to check in our carryons. Since blankets are no longer provided on domestic flights, they went the way of free meals and even snacks--not that I always used/use them, people should have had been told to cover themselves and not be bin hogs. The first time it happened I had to go off to the side and take out some things I did not want to lose and stuff them in the backpack.

And on the final leg, when I had five hours to kill in Newark Airport my back and shoulders were killing me from schlepping and taking on and off the backpack, which I couldn't put on my wheeled bag, which was in a special bin going to Israel with my suitcase.

I told the staff that I'd be submitting a formal complaint, and I did. Of course everyone else just passively following orders, while I complained both times. My bag was small, well within regulations, and I purposely wore a coat that has seen many winters, which came in handy when a steward on the last leg spilled milk all over me. That didn't bother me as much as the fact that my carryon wasn't carried onto the plane with me.

If this happens to you, please complain, too, thanks. And share the post to make people more aware and brave...

A Very Justifiable Complaint

At least the guy answering the Jerusalem Municipality hotline didn't laugh at me when I called in about 7:07am yesterday morning.  I have no doubt that my call is on his list of funniest calls ever.  Imagine how I must have sounded to him.  A lady's voice with a very heavy American accent complaining that the public toilets at Gan Hapa'amon, Liberty Bell Park weren't open, even though the sign very clearly stated that the opening time is 7am:

There is a mistake in the sign, but not in terms of the opening time.  If you know what the mistake is, please say what it is in the comments.

Just in case you're curious, the man who works there opened the door as I was talking to the hotline.  I dashed in, and when I finished, he asked me if I had called.  That hotline is very efficient.  As soon as I got off the phone, he got a call from the operator asking where he was and why the 00, WC, wasn't open on time.  I told him that I had just traveled a long distance, which was very true.  At my age, I take my public toilets very seriously.