Confessions of a Property Manager Pt 8

I feel like I have talked about this subject numerous times on the internet and with coworkers and friends. I just can't let it go so I've got to slap at it again since it's a thing that slaps at me every week.

It seriously BLOWS MY MIND every single day how adults cannot connect any dots and have little to no humanity or any level of brain connectivity or understanding.
Here is what I mean:
People get so mad when they come to the office and I do not have their package. They say "Ugh, but I have a note in a mailbox from the post office that says they took it to the manager office". I say "That's a really neat story! Cool. So, what he does is he puts those love notes in everyone's mailbox then comes to my office and attempts to put them in my office. What does he do when I am not here? Hmmm? Let's just stand here and stare and blink at each other until you connect the dots...."
I literally have to continue on and explain to people, IF THE MAILMAN COMES TO MY OFFICE.....AND I AM NOT HERE, THAT MEANS THAT THE OFFICE DOOR IS CLOSED AND LOCKED....... AND HE, THEREFORE, CANNOT LEAVE SAID PACKAGE IN MY OFFICE........ "But this note says it is here..."
*facepalm*
A woman came in yesterday and was annoyed that her "time sensitive package" was supposed to be here last Thursday. It was now Monday and it is still not here. Oh the horror. And I try to joke a little and say, Yeah, you know it's the holidays and they are running around like crazy yadda yadda. She goes, "Well this is time sensitive. It is walnuts from Oregon and I need to them to make my holiday nuts" or whatever and I just about lost my shit. NUTS ARE TIME SENSITIVE? Are you kidding me? No. Time sensitive items are things such as needing to get an important legal document signed and turned into court so that your case doesn't get thrown out. FUCKING NUTS ARE NOT TIME SENSITIVE..... Jesus!
Then today, the mailman came in and brought me 25 packages. I said "Holy cow! I do not envy you today!" He says "Yeah, the main office was supposed to deliver the packages to me while I was on my route yesterday but they did not do that so I now have to deliver 25 today"... Poor guy is really old and super duper nice and I felt bad for him.
This woman comes back in my office this evening and says "Well, my package better be here!" As if she's threatening the powers that be... I said "You're in luck, it is here! And yes, I see on your package that it was supposed to be here 11/30 but it got here today, 12/5. The poor mail guy was bombarded with 25 packages today since the main office was not able to bring him the load yesterday"... She says "Well, it's no wonder the postal service is going out of business. They need more people to work and no one wants to work there!" I look her dead in the eyes and say "Well, can you blame them? No one wants to work for the post office because you have to get yelled at all day by people who want their packages and you have to stand outside in freezing temperatures and you have to approach people's front doors when you have no idea what is behind them, like a vicious dog or an insane person with a gun..." Very slowly I see her start to use her brain and realize that. "Oh.... yeah, I guess that makes sense..." I then say "So, I always make a point to be extra nice to the mailman because I know the majority of folks are probably really nasty to him". She walked out with her time sensitive nuts and I hope she FUCKING ENJOYS THEM.

I just wish people could learn to have a compassion for others. I think it should be required that EVERY SINGLE PERSON work at least 1 year in a customer service position. Work with people. So that one can have an understanding of the way things work and how people act and how to react and how to empathize.....

Is it so hard?

Apparently.

Let's talk about life!

Ok, so you can see I've been stuck on my 'Confessions of a Property Manager" series. I can't NOT talk about it. It's so crazy and exciting that I haaaave to vent it all out. However, in the midst of my work life I see I've neglected to update you on my real life in the last 6 months.

I have to admit that I have put my physical health on the backburner. But I don't really feel sad or guilty about it because I have been loving life. I have really been enjoying wine, cocktails and homemade meals, all deliciously prepared by my new beau, Dr. Andy. I actually haven't been going out to eat at all since he has been cooking for me.

I've been learning to play golf a little bit, as well as how to shoot guns. I also learned how to grill and how to use my food processor. I am now a skilled salsa maker. I am learning how to express my feelings before I explode. It's all an ongoing journey. I still go hiking alone quite frequently and enjoy going out to concerts alone and spending time with my friends and family.

In August I took a vacation to Idaho Falls to see my best friend Christy - she will be getting married in June 2018 and I can't wait! We saw the total eclipse, went to a country music festival, spent a day driving to Wyoming to see the Grand Tetons, and we spent a lot of time just hanging out and eating and drinking and laughing - MY FAVORITE!

These last 2 weeks my grandma was in town. I hadn't seen her in 2 years and it was nice to just sit there and listen to her talk. She was rather stressed to be here as we spent time trying to figure out her future while Hurricane Irma tore through her city back home in Florida.

Jackson, WY with Christy August 2017

Grand Tetons August 2017

Gigi and I during her visit September 2017

   

Andy and I at a beer festival in August 2017

 

Andy and I watching football at a bar for brunch in Sept 2017

      

Side note, when I am ever going to learn how to properly blog and make things look pretty? I don't know how to do the photos and the fancy things haha. One day I will learn. 

Confessions of a Property Manager Pt 7

America has raised a huge generation of people who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter. It has suddenly become very popular to complain about millennials but, in property management, I have not had much of an issue with their stereotypical attitude. I've had issues with a different bunch... 

The majority of single women who live here, ages ranging between 30-60, all think that they are entitled to everything. They have the most petty demands. Today, in the state of Washington, we are surrounded by fires in central WA, Montana, Idaho and Canada. I have been watching these news stories about people who have died in Hurricane Harvey. People in the Caribbean are currently losing everything they have in Hurricane Irma. And then I come to work and hear my residents petty little complaints. Not all people, but some people are so picky and over-privileged. I truly wonder how some people have made it this far in their lives. I have a woman complaining about gnats flying outside her apartment. A few have snuck inside her unit and are annoying her and she wants us to do something about it. Another woman called just to complain that there are bugs outside.... Uh, HELLO! Of course bugs are outside.... Also, the gnats and bugs are coming indoors because they are suffocating from the smoke outside. It is also very unusually humid right now. Not to mention, we live in a fucking watershed and are surrounded by little swamps. AND, NO, I CAN'T MURDER OR CONTROL NATURE. I am not God. But I am very sorry that you are a sensitive little snowflake. *sigh*...

This same woman who complains about gnats is a tiny pretty woman in her 60s who always is dressed perfectly from head to toe. She is sticky SICKLY sweet as a peach when she comes to talk to us in the office. She flips her bleach blonde hair around (it should be totally gray at this point in her life) and just acts like she doesn't want to bother us. Then, when the sun goes down, she turns into an ogre! She once left a nasty mean note on my office door and emailed me bitchy petty shit more than once. She loves life during the day, but at night she just can't believe the HELLHOLE she moved into... Jesus, woman. During the day, she recommends her friends to come and tour and move in. By night, her apartment is UNLIVABLE! She is lucky to live in a middle floor, sandwhiched in a really good spot - right below a woman who is actually a good resident - You know, the type that we NEVER hear from because she has her life together and pays her rent on time and knows how to submit service requests online and is never an issue or a bother to me. Crazy old blonde lady also lives right above the model. She insists that the noise in unbearable and makes her apartment unlivable because ONE TIME the fan in the bathroom of the model was left on by maintenance and it was SO LOUD she couldn't sleep at 10PM and if management didn't show up immediately to turn off the fan then there would "BE HELL TO PAY".... 

Watch out for tiny blonde sticky sweet ladies. It's all a lie. Trust no one. 

Oh, no, this isn't a photo of my resident. But the woman pictured here is bound to end up just like my salty petty old resident. 

Confessions of a Property Manager Pt 6

17) It drives me bananas how many packages people get in a day. Ya'lls addiction to Amazon Prime is getting OUT OF CONTROL. Ok, I get it, you work a lot. Online shopping is easy. It is free shipping AND you don't have to drive anywhere! That's great. But A) pick up your package within a reasonable time frame. Waiting a week is unacceptable. I don't have the storage capacity to keep your shit here, nor does my leasing consultant have the time or energy to call you every week to remind you to pick up your shit. B) Do not yell at me or insinuate that I stole your fucking package if you come in to pick up and it's not here.... You tell me "It says it was delivered".... oh yeah, well your mom probably told you there was a Santa Claus too. UPS and USPS fucking lie, okay. You get upset with me about not having your package one more time I will...... I will continue to rant about it to everyone I know. Yeah. WHAT NOW, BITCH!

18) What's with the crazy people? I have a resident who is all kinds of bananas. She is one of those who doesn't see a real doctor. She goes to one of the fluffy ones who tell her sunshine and rainbows will heal all that ails her. Her witch doctor told her that she has mold poisoning from her apartment. Yeah....ok? Can we see some documentation of the test that told you this? Nope, the fluff doctor lady told her she has mold poisoning by looking at her and listening to her complain about life. Alright..... So, we fully inspect the unit. No mold. We then call an air quality specialist and pay $700 out of our pockets just to give her peace of mind and what do we find out?! All the mother effing plants in her apartment are infested with mold... hahahahhahahaha. I love that story. I love when it's the resident's fault.

20) Everyone, watch out for the middle aged/older single women who live alone. They are the worst. No one can make them happy. Obviously. They think we only work for them. They think they deserve to have everything for free because... well, they are bitches. This one, let's call her DEBRA because that is a fun name to scream. Since DAY ONE when she moved here she has been trying to get free shit. New appliances, new flooring, new mirror, cheaper rent, waived fees, etc. etc. A couple months ago she was being an idiot and fell and hurt herself and now she wants us to pay for everything. Uuuuugggghhhhh I changed my mind, I actually don't want to talk about her because she infuriates me so much. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SHE LEAVES.

Best. Month. Ever

Okay, so, I am millennial. We always "love" and "hate" everything and say everything is "amazing" and the "best ever"....

but truly....

March 2017 has been one of the best months of my life.

1) I took my first solo trip ever. It was a really short weekend trip but I loved every second of it. I cried. I laughed. I drank. I sang. I danced. I ate. I hiked. I embraced my loneliness. (See photos below). It got me really excited about life and I now have the urge to just pack my bags and disappear. And I am already jonesin for my next trip to the unknown.

2)  I am on the verge of legal single-ness. My divorce will be finalized in 3 days: March 31st! I am not over the moon excited over it because it means I have a divorce under my belt. It's not impressive. Not a great conversation starter and it was something I never thought I would have. However, it is a very good thing and very symbolic for me. It represents my strength. For once in my life I stood up and said "No. I deserve better for myself." I have absolutely enjoyed these last few months on my own. I have enjoyed the lonely and have proved to myself that I can do it.

3) I started dating again. Maaaaybe the dating itself hasn't been the best thing ever. It's actually been exhausting. I have met a lot of weirdos. But I have also met some really great guys. It has made me feel really hopeful because I was honestly terrified. I thought that at my OLD AGE of 27 (haha) it would be impossible to meet men who didn't already have kids and if they don't have kids then they probably smoke or still live with their mom, or whatever. I have been surprised that the pool is still plentiful. I've met a couple really amazing guys. With that being said, online dating has been silly and I full intend to write a blog post just about my dating escapades next
~~Don't worry mom, I will fill you in soon ;) ~~

      Orcas Island <3

February. The month of Love. Or Not...

Wow, it has been a really difficult 2 months.
I suppose I could blame it on the weather. It is February 21st and the snow is still a-droppin! It's always dark and dreary outside and if it weren't for my dog, I'd probably never go outside to see any light of day.

Despite how depressing these couple months have been I know that I have made the right choice for myself. Divorce isn't easy. Being alone isn't easy. It isn't supposed to be. We are programmed to be with other humans.

Living alone has its benefits, though. I get to watch whatever I want to watch. I can listen to whatever music I want to listen to. There is no arguing about where, what or when to eat. I don't have to share anything. I sleep in the middle of the bed. I sprawl out on the entire length of the couch. I only run the dishwasher once a week! And I only have to take the trash out once a week! I don't have to clean as often because I keep a clean house every day and utilize less...crap!

But sometimes, it gets lonely. When I speak out loud I realize that no one will respond. No one is listening. Try as my dog may, she cannot understand me. She looks at me a cocks her head to one side and stares at me intently, but she can't respond. The bed is cold. I miss being a little spoon. I made myself a boyfriend pillow. I lay it along my backside and it is comforting. LOL. I miss sitting at the dinner table with someone. You'd think a single girl would be eating top ramen on the couch while watching Sex in the City. But, nope, I still sit at my dinner table alone every night while listening to the saddest music. I have a glass of wine in the bathtub. Then I make a cup of tea and read in bed until I fall asleep at 9PM.

Single 21 year old Sarah would be at the bar every night, flirting with boys and laughing with friends. I'd stay up until 2AM and sleep in until 11AM. I'm so old now and have responsibilities soooo that just isn't in the cards for me. Being a single at 27 is not something I prepared myself for. I feel so awkward and confused. More so than I did when I was 21. How funny is that? I do spend a lot more time with my friends and I have enjoyed that a lot. I have more time to see my parents. And I just have more time for me.

I have a solo 4 day weekend trip planned in March. I am going to the San Juan islands by myself and I am really excited because I have never done ANYTHING by myself. And by that I just mean that I haven't traveled anywhere by myself. I am hoping that the snow is gone by the time I have to journey across the pass. I am scaaaaaared. But it'll be good.

*sigh*

I don't know what else to say. I am just taking things one day at a time. Some days are good. Some days are even GREAT. But some day really aren't even close to good at all. Some days I just sulk and cry. One day I will "get there" - wherever that is :)