Mundane But True Stories!

[TAC]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

No, it isn't. Not even close. I told my wife I'm never going there again.

[cramx3]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

No, it isn't. Not even close. I told my wife I'm never going there again.

 

It is for me for how cheap some things are.  Specifically the Kirkland booze. For example, the Kirkland vodka is $14 compared to Titos at around $30.  Grabbing a few of those to stock up instantly pays for the membership.  Everything else is gravy and I like a lot of the products.  Definitely worth it.  I go every 3 months, so 4 times a year.  I do dread it, but money and product quality wise, totally worth it.

[Orbert]

You guys are silly with the "trying to bang" stuff.  I'm 62, old and grey, though I assume Shadow is somewhat younger.  But I'm long past the point where I'd even mistake a female co-worker simply being polite with actual flirting, let alone any attempt to bang.

There are a couple women who work in the same building as me (but not with my company) who are both attractive and friendly.  Every time, I have to remind myself that I'm 56, not 30.  Sigh....

At my previous job, we had a new batch of college grads come into the department, six young ladies in a department of about 120 overall.  This would've been around 2000, so I was 38 and still considered myself pretty young.  Then I overheard some of them talking one time.  "...and then I saw the guy she was talking about, and he was old!  I mean, he was like 30!"  I just silently, sadly, accepted my place in the order of things.

Most of my current co-workers are in their 30's or 40's, but that's still 20-30 years younger than me.  They're nice to me because they're nice people in a professional environment.  There's nothing else going on there.  And I have to believe that because I'm a happily married man, and also because I'm not an idiot.

[jingle.boy]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

I always go first thing on Sunday morning - it eliminates the church going customers.  I'm up by 6:30/7 everday anyway (dogs need to do their business and get fed), so it's no skin off my back.  Last week, I walked right up to a cashier and checked out in less than 2 minutes.  The morning after the time change was just as empty.  I put my earbuds in, and enjoy the virtual solitude with some good music.

[TAC]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

I always go first thing on Sunday morning - it eliminates the church going customers.  I'm up by 6:30/7 everday anyway (dogs need to do their business and get fed), so it's no skin off my back.  Last week, I walked right up to a cashier and checked out in less than 2 minutes.  The morning after the time change was just as empty.  I put my earbuds in, and enjoy the virtual solitude with some good music.

Don’t get me started on earbuds in stores.

[Skeever]

I was in a teams meeting today with my boss that was running really late. We had started at 10:00 a.m., and it was still going at around 12:30. At that point, my boss asked Alexa to tell her wife to heat her up a pot of soup. It was really interesting to watch but also, I have no idea how people can sit that long. It's very hard for me to spend an entire hour sitting, without standing up and walking around a little bit. My boss was sitting for 3 hours when all was said and done and only then seemed to be getting slightly weary.

Also I had never seen anybody actually use Alexa to tell something to someone else in their house.

[jingle.boy]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

I always go first thing on Sunday morning - it eliminates the church going customers.  I'm up by 6:30/7 everday anyway (dogs need to do their business and get fed), so it's no skin off my back.  Last week, I walked right up to a cashier and checked out in less than 2 minutes.  The morning after the time change was just as empty.  I put my earbuds in, and enjoy the virtual solitude with some good music.

Don’t get me started on earbuds in stores.

[Orbert]

TAC, what's this I hear about earbuds in stores?

[Cool Chris]

We go to Costco maybe once a month. It took us a while to get a system down, but it works now. We split up the list, and eat dinner in the food court afterward. I know what we need and have space for before we make our list. The onyl downside is my wife gets distracted by clothes so she has to stop by the clothing, in invariably buy something, while I get most of the stuff we actually need.

[King Postwhore]

Tim, I wear my earphones when shopping.   I just make sure I pull aside everywhere and not block anyone.

[hefdaddy42]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

There are, at a rough estimate, 17 gajillion things worse than going to Costco.

I like going. I like going with my wife/family.

[lordxizor]

I find Costco to be one of the better family shopping places. The frequently changing items and samples make it more interesting than something like Target or Walmart. Though I do get annoyed that we always spend far more than I anticipate.

[PMSummer]

I was in a teams meeting today with my boss that was running really late. We had started at 10:00 a.m., and it was still going at around 12:30. At that point, my boss asked Alexa to tell her wife to heat her up a pot of soup. It was really interesting to watch but also, I have no idea how people can sit that long. It's very hard for me to spend an entire hour sitting, without standing up and walking around a little bit. My boss was sitting for 3 hours when all was said and done and only then seemed to be getting slightly weary.

Also I had never seen anybody actually use Alexa to tell something to someone else in their house.

That meeting sounds like it went on forever! I get what you mean about needing to move around, sitting for hours straight can be a real challenge. Maybe it's time to suggest to your boss about getting a standing desk. It could help shake things up a bit and make those marathon meetings a tad more bearable.

[TAC]

Don’t get me started on earbuds in stores.

To me, it's just one of those things that signifies all that's wrong with the world. Everyone is in their own little world. There's no sense of community and I find it plain rude and selfish. I mean, it's not like I walk around a store going "hey, how you doing?" to every passerby. There's so little consideration to all those around you. It's really just another way that we are closing ourselves off from each other.

Personally, I don't like wearing them because I feel like it lessens my awareness to everything going on around me. Like, if there's a commotion, I want to know about it as soon as I can.

[PMSummer]

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community. I'm on a mission to grab what I need and get out of there as quickly as possible. Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful. And as for needing to be aware of any commotion, I can't say I've ever encountered a situation in the supermarket that required immediate attention. So for me, it's more about making a chore bearable rather than shutting out the world.

[Metro]

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community. I'm on a mission to grab what I need and get out of there as quickly as possible.

This This This

[Adami]

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community. I'm on a mission to grab what I need and get out of there as quickly as possible. Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful. And as for needing to be aware of any commotion, I can't say I've ever encountered a situation in the supermarket that required immediate attention. So for me, it's more about making a chore bearable rather than shutting out the world.

Preach, brother!

[jingle.boy]

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community. I'm on a mission to grab what I need and get out of there as quickly as possible. Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful. And as for needing to be aware of any commotion, I can't say I've ever encountered a situation in the supermarket that required immediate attention. So for me, it's more about making a chore bearable rather than shutting out the world.

Pretty much nailed it.  In 5 years, I have bumped into precisely ZE-RO people I know at Costco.  I'm considerate, I respect other people's space and path, say please and thanks and you're welcome, and smile courteously.  I don't do anything extra or less that I would or wouldn't do for the times I've forgotten my earbuds.

À chacun son goût

[TAC]

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community.

I'm not at all saying we should be going to the store to socialize.

Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful.

Going to the store is...dreadful? Really?



I'm just saying that everything in our world further isolates us, and to me this is one example. I see it everyday. People that have headphones in are completely oblivious to all around them. Maybe that's the point, but maybe that's my point.

[cramx3]

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

Yeah, it's not a fun experience, but worth the torture

I always go first thing on Sunday morning - it eliminates the church going customers.  I'm up by 6:30/7 everday anyway (dogs need to do their business and get fed), so it's no skin off my back.  Last week, I walked right up to a cashier and checked out in less than 2 minutes.  The morning after the time change was just as empty.  I put my earbuds in, and enjoy the virtual solitude with some good music.

My gf and I found that if we go Friday night it's not that bad. I recently came home from work on a Friday, had a couple drinks (not knowing we were going to go) and my gf drove us there and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience  Although I'm sure your plan is better, I just am not up that early.

I hear you, but honestly, when I'm at the grocery store, I'm not there to socialize or foster a sense of community. I'm on a mission to grab what I need and get out of there as quickly as possible. Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful. And as for needing to be aware of any commotion, I can't say I've ever encountered a situation in the supermarket that required immediate attention. So for me, it's more about making a chore bearable rather than shutting out the world.

Pretty much nailed it.  In 5 years, I have bumped into precisely ZE-RO people I know at Costco. I'm considerate, I respect other people's space and path, say please and thanks and you're welcome, and smile courteously.  I don't do anything extra or less that I would or wouldn't do for the times I've forgotten my earbuds.

À chacun son goût

I honestly have never thought to wear ear buds while shopping.  I guess I have nothing against it if the bolded is true.  I can kind of see where TAC comes from working at a store where I'm sure he's seen plenty of people just "in their own world" and not abiding to the bolded.  Also, if you are on the phone and speaking while shopping, it's quite annoying. I'd only do that if it was necessary.

Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful.

Going to the store is...dreadful? Really?

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

I mean, I'd imagine if there's nothing worse than it could also be classified as dreadful.

I find grocery shopping and costco shopping to not be dreadful persay, but to be something I'm not interested in doing generally but a necessary thing to do.

[TAC]

Wearing earphones helps me tune out the chaos of the store and makes the experience a little less dreadful.

Going to the store is...dreadful? Really?

There's nothing worse than going to Costco.

I mean, I'd imagine if there's nothing worse than it could also be classified as dreadful.

 

[King Postwhore]

Tim going full Crankshaft.

[Stadler]

I’m kind of with him though.   I don’t mind Costco but when I do, it’s invariably because of someone that’s lost in their own little world and oblivious everything going on around them.

[King Postwhore]

I talk to nobody except the workers and when I need to talk to them, I take my headphones off.

[pg1067]

We have had a Costco/Price Club/Sam's Club membership maybe a half dozen times over the past 25-30 years.  Typically, we have had the membership for a year and then let it expire.  Most recently, we had a Sam's Club membership because I was buying things in bulk when my daughter was in marching band.  I've yet to find the savings for buying in bulk to justify the total amount spent and the tendency to buy things that aren't really necessary.  I can't see myself ever getting another membership.

[Jamesman42]

I take the family grocery shopping every Saturday morning. Yesterday was weird, these old people were being strange, inching closer to what they wanted where I was standing while I was still picking something out, and staring me down because my little boy was fussing a bit.

Another reason I am not going to the store for the community aspect. I hate going because of situations like that.

[hefdaddy42]

Some of you sound like you need to take advantage of grocery delivery.  The delivery fee is low enough that it's worth it, if you find the experience sub-optimal.

[Grappler]

We have a Sams Club membership.  We went to the store once, with the kids.  Which sucked.   What makes it worth it is the FREE SHIPPING.   We just order stuff online and it gets delivered in a couple of days.  Definitely worth it to buy stuff like TP and paper towels in bulk and just have them show up on your doorstep. 

[TAC]

Some of you sound like you need to take advantage of grocery delivery.  The delivery fee is low enough that it's worth it, if you find the experience sub-optimal.

You’re opening a whole nuther can of worms for me. 

[hefdaddy42]

You’re opening a whole nuther can of worms for me. 

What the hell man

[TAC]

What the hell man

I need a keyboard.

[hefdaddy42]

I need a keyboard.

You really don't.

I'm talking grocery delivery.  We all need groceries.  If people hate the experience of going to get groceries, they should look at getting their groceries delivered.  That's all.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

those of us with bad social anxiety use headphones to relax in public as well

[Jamesman42]

You really don't.

I'm talking grocery delivery.  We all need groceries.  If people hate the experience of going to get groceries, they should look at getting their groceries delivered.  That's all.

There is something about getting them delivered that I just don't like the idea of. Picking stuff out myself, seeing good deals on stuff I may not have needed but could stock up, a few impulse purchases that are not crazy, it's worth it to go because of those reasons alone (to me, at least, no hate to people who want delivery).

[cramx3]

There is something about getting them delivered that I just don't like the idea of. Picking stuff out myself, seeing good deals on stuff I may not have needed but could stock up, a few impulse purchases that are not crazy, it's worth it to go because of those reasons alone (to me, at least, no hate to people who want delivery).

Yeah, I may not enjoy grocery shopping, but I don't hate it so much to want to pay someone else to do it for me.  It just doesn't make sense for me, but it's nice that the option exists and I'm sure people have the need to use it.