Have you learned any lessons lately?

Lesson learned: before you open a business, do some research to get the basic knowledge of what you are up to.

Background story: my cousin has just built a hotel, in a manner of a house! That is, he never bothered to get a permission from the authority to confirm his business. As a result he got in trouble with the law and had to pay a big fine. Not to mention the hotel also serves as a cafe, a restaurant, a stage… the things that he just doesn’t have time to get permission but can get him into trouble if the authority finds out. So the hotel’s services have to operate at night, in the dark, like a Mafia operation. His employees don’t bother to tell him to do that since they all think he has the basic knowledge about operating a hotel.

Yes. I’ve learned that I should worry more about what will make me happy, and not worry so much about other people.

I’ve learned that there is sometimes no middle ground for some situations. You have to go all in or nothing.

The revelation occurred over the past year. A neighbor in the UK whom I had only talked to twice sent a message via FB when I was back in the US dealing with my mother’s illness/death/estate. We started exchanging e-mails and it developed into a friendship.

I told her on the front end that I am slightly anti-social and that my partner is very much so and to please not take offense by our ways. She understood what this meant, despite being very social herself. Once I was back in the UK, the friendship blossomed. She would send an e-mail asking when I was available for a walk or a cup of tea. She is a lovely person, and we both are happy that we had that discussion on the front end.

I realize that I’m a piece of shit who doesn’t know anything, but believes otherwise. I’m the kind of shitty person who reads or hears something, then I just say, yup, that’s it, and no longer ever questions it. It’s a done deal in my head, then I spread that misinformation like the plague. Here’s a stupid example. I once read the difference between rap and hip hop, and for me, I knew it. But if I think of it now, I don’t know at all what the difference is. But if the subject comes up, I’ll talk like as if I do. That’s just one example.

I’m a pathetic fuck. I’m not fishing for compliments, in fact, if anybody replies to this, I ask that you flame and insult me.
How can I learn and know shit, and understand it?

I’ve been undergoing a powerful change in my life philosophy lately. I’m usually a very fearful person. I worry a lot about all the things that could happen.

Lately I’ve….stopped. My attitude towards [insert terrifying possibility here] changed from “oh my god if that happens my life will be over what would I even do” to “that probably won’t happen but if it does it will just be a thing that has happened. And I will become an expert on how to cope with that thing just like I have every other time something awful has happened to me.”

I don’t know exactly how to explain how I made this happen. It started when I took a writing class this spring and by far my most successful piece of writing was about the worst thing that has happened to me. And it was so good because I was following that classic advice of “write what you know.” And I found myself thinking I wish I knew more things so I could write more things. And I realized suddenly the intrinsic value of just experiencing things, even awful things, and how they bring us wisdom and understanding that other people don’t get to have.

@Mariah I think that’s wonderful.

Don’t roll on Shabbos.

Roll what?

Shabbos.

I know what Shabbos is. I got married on a Sunday so I could start my wedding at 6:30pm. I don’t know what you are rolling.

Euphemism for laboring.

I recently learned that Peafowl can crossbreed with chickens. Some strange looking birds. This is from the resident peacock that is obsessed with trying to mate with one of our barred rock hens lately. haha

I had a little party for my daughter at a local fancy hotel this weekend. It consisted of swimming and dinner at the restaurant. Dinner was for 8 people. I paid the bill and I glanced at it before I paid it. I saw that nothing was amiss and I gave my American Express card. The bill was for about $226 and I added on a $40 tip. When I looked more carefully at the receipt later on, up in the room, I saw that a 19% gratuity was already added on, totaling $32. So between the “auto-grat” of 32 bucks and my 40 buck tip, that made almost $75 in tips. I called American Express and he told me first go have a conversation with the restaurant, if I was comfortable doing that. If I was not comfortable doing that, I could just dispute the charges when the bill came. I chose to go down right away and ask the waiter to remove the $40 from the bill. I explained why and I got a new receipt. Lesson learned: scrutinize the bill a bit better.

@jca I thought everyone knew large parties automatically get a gratuity tip added? Most restaurants have it in sizeable font on the menu lol.

@Blackberry: Not sure if you are joking or not, but I am totally responsible for the issue. I’m not blaming the restaurant. It’s my fault for not scrutinizing the bill, whether or not they indicated there’d be the charge on the menu.

Yep: In Germany, health insurance is compulsory. Children are usually insured through their parents until they are in their late twenties. If you are over 23 and changing careers, though, you are on your own.

So…until autumn, I will have to pay what would be about $150, every month. That’s a huge sum for me, and I got no warning whatsoever. Seems like things like that should have a place in the curriculum.

^ I learned this about German health care. Now I need to go and find out more. Thank you @longgone.

^ You’re welcome – at least my bad luck expanded someone’s horizon.