The "I don't want to talk about AI" thread, and the new topic is: adventures in shopping

[stickygirl]

I don't actually own a credit card, they stress me out

I took one out because they give an extra layer of protection to your bank. Mine is paid off each month but I understand where you’re coming from. It was the security thing that appealed

 

[TheLobster]

Fair enough. I’m going to google Sainsbury’s right now

Note that “around here” means continental Europe. I don’t know if you got them over there on the isles

 

[PennyThompson]

Fair enough. I’m going to google Sainsbury’s right now

is the collective task of AH now to support stickygirl in going grocery shopping? because I love that

 

[Noor]

Now there's a thing. I read some time ago, maybe even pre-covid, that stores had selected times for people with sensitivities to environmental chaff, when lights were dimmed a little, the top-fricking-Abba-30 was switched off and kids were drugged with Calpol to anaesthetise them.

Well they succeeded in keeping the noise down, because I've never found out when these magical times are, but I guess ££$$ speaks louder than some cranky halfwits like me.

The times around here used to be about an hour before the store officially opened.
I’m never up then.

 

[stickygirl]

is the collective task of AH now to support stickygirl in going grocery shopping? because I love that

Nothing wrong with shopping love! I thought I’d answered this already - soz if I’m repeating. I googled Sainsbury’s and they don’t have a quiet hour for weird people.

But that’s okay because I shop online,can check offers, it keeps favourites and that’s fab. I still think they should provide adult Calpol for hands-on shoppers.
I’m gonna check if they’re going an offer on Ned wine because it’s lush

 

[StillStunned]

Moving on to a potential new topic: Work stress and an awful cold have disrupted my sleep for days. My head is stuffed, my eyes are gritty, my throat is sore.

And I wrote 1.9k words this afternoon. How did that happen?!

 

[onehitwanda]

I'm back to work tomorrow.

My alternate plan of winning last nights' lottery didn't come off.

I am not looking forward to seeing what is lurking in my inbox.

 

[stickygirl]

I'm back to work tomorrow.

My alternate plan of winning last nights' lottery didn't come off.

I am not looking forward to seeing what is lurking in my inbox.

Same, but I sleep comfortably knowing that I'm a valued member of a team working towards a better future, and I can get a bus close to it every week day.

 

[StillStunned]

I am not looking forward to seeing what is lurking in my inbox.

Eldritch horrors are nothing compared with what hides in an inbox that hasn't been opened for five days or more. I bet Great Cthulhu needs to steel himself before checking his emails after the holidays.

 

[TheLobster]

Moving on to a potential new topic: Work stress and an awful cold have disrupted my sleep for days. My head is stuffed, my eyes are gritty, my throat is sore.

And I wrote 1.9k words this afternoon. How did that happen?!

Spite is a great motivator, I find.

 

[StillStunned]

Spite is a great motivator, I find.

I wasn't feeling particularly spiteful. I think mostly it was writing the climax of the story, with three threads coming together.

Still, I remember when I thought 1.5k words was a long story. I wrote a few stories that were barely 800 words. Nowadays I'll often add 500 words to an existing WIP and not feel like I've really made any progress.

Even though I haven't been very prolific lately, I'm still writing more than I did when I first began.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I took one out because they give an extra layer of protection to your bank. Mine is paid off each month but I understand where you’re coming from. It was the security thing that appealed

Credit cards can be useful for protecting purchases too. A while back we bought tickets to a concert, but the promoter went out of business and the tour was cancelled without paying us back for the package we bought; another time we fell for an online vendor who was advertising with images stolen from other businesses, and then sending poor-quality stuff that didn't match up to the advertising. Both times we were able to get a refund by going through the card provider.

 

[MrPixel]

Credit cards can be useful for protecting purchases too. A while back we bought tickets to a concert, but the promoter went out of business and the tour was cancelled without paying us back for the package we bought; another time we fell for an online vendor who was advertising with images stolen from other businesses, and then sending poor-quality stuff that didn't match up to the advertising. Both times we were able to get a refund by going through the card provider.

Absolutely. Credit cards (and not debit cards) are the last vestige of consumer-oriented rules and regulations in the US. Debit cards have no such protections, which is one of the reasons financial institutions push them so aggressively - they're not on the hook for anything that goes wrong. They may offer some manner of purchase protection, but they are not statutorily obligated, and if push came to shove, it's tough noogies for you.

Every time I go through some sort of renewal with my "ATM" card, the bank insists on removing the restrictions I request that the POP (point of purchase) function is to be disabled. They lock it down after I badger them about it... begrudgingly.

 

[Erozetta]

Shopping is ultra stressful when you have panic attacks from being around people.

I have stores I can go to at certain time periods because I fucking stalked them to see when they were dead.

I also use self checkout unless I have a cart of stuff over $200 because I like bagging things a certain way. If I have to go to a checkout, I prefer to find one without a bagger so I can bag my own stuff. They are always shocked when I jump in to do that instead of just standing there like a lump while they ring and bag a giant order.

 

[stickygirl]

Shopping is ultra stressful when you have panic attacks from being around people.

I have stores I can go to at certain time periods because I fucking stalked them to see when they were dead.

I also use self checkout unless I have a cart of stuff over $200 because I like bagging things a certain way. If I have to go to a checkout, I prefer to find one without a bagger so I can bag my own stuff. They are always shocked when I jump in to do that instead of just standing there like a lump while they ring and bag a giant order.

My people

 

[old_prof]

I'm prone to full claustrophobia attacks in very crowded stores, most notably walmart. But trader joes is not much better, which is why I call it crunchy walmart.

 

[stickygirl]

Shopping is ultra stressful when you have panic attacks from being around people.

I have stores I can go to at certain time periods because I fucking stalked them to see when they were dead.

I also use self checkout unless I have a cart of stuff over $200 because I like bagging things a certain way. If I have to go to a checkout, I prefer to find one without a bagger so I can bag my own stuff. They are always shocked when I jump in to do that instead of just standing there like a lump while they ring and bag a giant order.

Same in the UK - it's amazing they haven't taken those protections away. These days I almost exclusively use ApplePay that gets charged on my credit card, so there's like two layers of protection - and anonymity. No more printed card receipts with details on.

 

[YmaOHyd]

I'm prone to full claustrophobia attacks in very crowded stores, most notably walmart. But trader joes is not much better, which is why I call it crunchy walmart.

The funniest thing I've ever overheard was a woman at a party relating a story about seeing a fistfight in a parking lot, ending by saying with real dismay in her voice, "you expect that sort of thing at Wal-Mart, but at Trader Joe's?"

 

[MrPixel]

Demophobia, technically. Fear of crowds. I have it in spades. I get shaky and panicky. One of many reasons I do not fly. I love flying, I detest the airline experience. And that was as of 15 years ago; I hear it's much worse now.

 

[Nynah]

Shopping is ultra stressful when you have panic attacks from being around people.

I have stores I can go to at certain time periods because I fucking stalked them to see when they were dead.

I also use self checkout unless I have a cart of stuff over $200 because I like bagging things a certain way. If I have to go to a checkout, I prefer to find one without a bagger so I can bag my own stuff. They are always shocked when I jump in to do that instead of just standing there like a lump while they ring and bag a giant order.

I'm prone to full claustrophobia attacks in very crowded stores, most notably walmart. But trader joes is not much better, which is why I call it crunchy walmart.

I also have a lot of anxiety when around a lot of people, but I'm also very annoyed when I'm hindered from completing my tasks. One of my biggest pet peeves is running into a group of people who are just standing around talking and completely oblivious to the world around them, blocking the aisle I need to get through to get whatever it is I need. This usually resolves by me brusquely walking around saying "pardon me" in my most passive-aggressive voice while internally screaming and crying from having to be perceived by that many people at once. Occasionally my blood will boil over if it's especially egregious (as in there's physically no way for me to get past them) and I will loudly say "Excuse me, but I need to get through." And then I get what I need and retreat to a quiet corner to calm my nerves down.

Privileged and entitled people are awful.

 

[Erozetta]

Demophobia, technically. Fear of crowds. I have it in spades. I get shaky and panicky. One of many reasons I do not fly. I love flying, I detest the airline experience. And that was as of 15 years ago; I hear it's much worse now.

For me, it's not a fear of crowds so much as a fear of having a panic attack while in a crowded area making it difficult/impossible to get away. I don't like crowds, but it's the risk of not being able to leave if I have a panic attack that... makes it more likely for me to have a panic attack. Fun!

It's officially diagnosed as agoraphobia with panic disorder.


P.s. it's not a sad thing, it's just who I am. I've adapted. I'm good at adapting.

 

[stickygirl]

Given the heart-felt posts above, is it any wonder we feel comfortable in a cranky old website with hardly any pictures, devoted to books and reading, where we can swap stories and talk about 'them out there?
I think the sex is only there to lure people in

 

[onehitwanda]

I've been thinking about this a lot, recently. I don't think it's crows I fear per se, but rather people's behaviour in a crowd when something goes wrong that truly terrifies me.

I've been stuck on an underground carriage before when there was a sudden whiff of burning metal; I remember looking up and seeing the naked moment of horror in another girl's eyes across the carriage as we both had that momentary "Oh Christ no" thought of fire. Thankfully it wasn't... but since then,I've walked where at all possible in Central London.

Intercontinental flights - only under protest.
low caves with lots of people? Nuh uh.
Crypts? Nuh huh.
Ikea? Hell to the no.
Boxing Day sales... just bury me alive already because it will suck less.

The first thing I consciously look for in any enclosed space is the exits. If there's fewer than two within biting and kicking room I get very twitchy.

 

[StillStunned]

Life would be a lot easier if it came with a "page back" button.

 

[Erozetta]

I've been thinking about this a lot, recently. I don't think it's crows I fear per se, but rather people's behaviour in a crowd when something goes wrong that truly terrifies me.

I've been stuck on an underground carriage before when there was a sudden whiff of burning metal; I remember looking up and seeing the naked moment of horror in another girl's eyes across the carriage as we both had that momentary "Oh Christ no" thought of fire. Thankfully it wasn't... but since then,I've walked where at all possible in Central London.

Intercontinental flights - only under protest.
low caves with lots of people? Nuh uh.
Crypts? Nuh huh.
Ikea? Hell to the no.
Boxing Day sales... just bury me alive already because it will suck less.

The first thing I consciously look for in any enclosed space is the exits. If there's fewer than two within biting and kicking room I get very twitchy.

Exits, potentially breakable windows, and loading bays (as applicable) for me. Also noting which exits are unlikely to function quickly in the event of a power outage, therefore creating a crush point.