You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? Now with 3x more gears...

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Engine09

I still have the phonetic alphabet burned into my brain from when I was arrested as a teenager.


Stuff You Should Know recently did a show on this, great stuff:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...6&l=zh-Hans-CN

I used to listen to police radio on a scanner while that was still possible so I learned the phonetic alphabet from the book that came with the scanner. The hardest one to remember was Quebec. I always thought it was a weird choice.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I used to listen to police radio on a scanner while that was still possible so I learned the phonetic alphabet from the book that came with the scanner. The hardest one to remember was Quebec. I always thought it was a weird choice.

I'm surprised our Provincial government hasn't set their sites on that to be changed...

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'm surprised our Provincial government hasn't set their sites on that to be changed...

What would they change it to? Q-anon?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

^^Yup! A month ago we attended a social event. I had one beer with dinner then stopped. My wife offered to drive but it’d been two hours so I knew I was fine. Was stopped at a check stop with mandatory blow. I blew 0.0.

Cops know before you roll down the window if you're drunk.

[Geraldsh]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Cops know before you roll down the window if you're drunk.

Rolling down the window and breathing confirms it.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

Rolling down the window and breathing confirms it.

Even the least crafty drunk would roll down all the windows and blast the air way before the officer arrives at the window.

[mikephoen]

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo the swear filter.

[timun]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

What would they change it to? Q-anon?

Quackery?

They wouldn't like it, but I bet they'd never forget it if they changed it to 'queer'...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Brendone

I feel like I won the Crappy Tire job lottery, sporting goods. Don’t think I received any sort of training for any of the stock.

“Here’s how the shoe sizer works. Guns and ammo key is on the hook behind the door. Have fun!”

Quite night? Let’s fire some cross bow bolts into the wall, then ride stock buckets down the warehouse conveyor. Good times.

Sporting Goods was probably alright. Like I said before, working in Auto Parts sucked a big sloppy one.

1. 99% of the people walking through the door start at 'Level 10 Pissed' because their POS Car is broken and they're going to try and repair it themselves and before you've said a word they think you're trying to rip them off.

2. Our inventory was awful. Both in quality and quantity.

"We've only got the crappy discount brake pads and we've only got 1 of them. Whats that? We have 'a' rotor...yes. No they dont come in pairs. Yes it was manufactured in Uzbekistan...no, 'The Wall' hadn't fallen yet."

Maybe one day I'll post 'returns' stories. I got tasked with a lot of that because "I know a lot about cars."

I put that in quotation marks because in the grand scheme of things I dont really know 'a lot about cars' I'm just not a complete idiot. The caveat to not being a complete idiot though is that I also really DGAF about a giant company like Canadian Tire while I was a 18-year old slave.

Sporting Goods must have been awesome, I actually bought my truck off of our Sporting Goods manager, that guy was great. I'm convinced he was stoned most of the time...but its Sporting Goods!

SG is easy!

"Hello there friend, I'm here to buy my son little Timmy his first bike! Then some hockey sticks so we can play road hockey on the driveway after we go for a ride and have ice cream! Yayy!!"

Auto Parts:

"I need some GODDAMNED SPARK PLUGS!!! And those stupid WIRES GODDAMMIT!!!"

Although...it is nice to hear that riding stock buckets is still tradition. We didnt have a conveyor though, just a really steep staircase. Sometimes we used the steel carts but that came with some problems of its own.

Steel...has a tendency to be rather unforgiving.

Also I remember the giant box crusher machine.

"She's stuck again, get in there and start stomping!"

- "Are you goddamned insane? Its literally a crushing machine. No way. You get in there and start stomping...I'll be out here and I'll just fold the boxes by hand and throw them in the bin.

What a job! What. A. Job.

[DownInFlames]

I worked in a parts store and the most annoying thing was having to install wipers for people who couldn’t figure it out for themselves.

The worst retail job I’ve had was at a liquor store. I would get threatened fairly regularly for not selling to intoxicated people. The same happened when I bartended but at least then I had backup to deal with it.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

So he saw your garage?

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I gave the tour, gift shop, photo momento. The whole shebang.

The Gift Shop leaves much to be desired. There is only so many Clay ornaments one can want.

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I worked in a parts store and the most annoying thing was having to install wipers for people who couldn’t figure it out for themselves.

The worst retail job I’ve had was at a liquor store. I would get threatened fairly regularly for not selling to intoxicated people. The same happened when I bartended but at least then I had backup to deal with it.

We had to do that too, and in fairness, installing wipers SUCKS.

And what a stupid, stupid store policy...it was so dumb. If you cant figure it out yourself too damned bad.

I have a couple funny stories about installing wipers too, one was basically just that the guy we sent out one day was wearing a belt that scratched the hell out of a customer's car.

Good job Crappy Tire. Take the liability on a paint job to sell $10 wipers. Good trade!

Ya goddamned muppets.

[bagofpucks]

I have a buddy that was a “grease monkey” in the Walmart service department and he has a few amazing stories too. We always joke who had it worse; I worked in the seafood department at a grocery store chain and was dealing with 100s to 1000s lbs of fish per week (not flying fish at least, but I also hate fish).

[Locke]

Originally Posted by bagofpucks

I have a buddy that was a “grease monkey” in the Walmart service department and he has a few amazing stories too. We always joke who had it worse; I worked in the seafood department at a grocery store chain and was dealing with 100s to 1000s lbs of fish per week (not flying fish at least, but I also hate fish).

See, that'd be interesting.

Was that here in Calgary? Because it took Wal-Mart a while to break into the market of 'Vendor of Last Resort.'

I had a buddy that worked at Mr. Lube for a while and that was insane. I know it was insane because one of the lunatics he had to deal with was my dad.

My work experience really trends from 1998-2009 during High School and University, and other than the financial collapse of ought 8, Oil prices were high and money was rolling through the streets of this City.

If you hated your job you could have another one in 2 seconds down the street for more money.

My kids dont understand this when I tell them these stories.

"What if you got fired?"

Not a problem. People were so desperate for workers you'd have another job before you got home.

Now its so much harder to get a job, even menial ones.

But I think my work experience really built a lot of character.

Thats the thing about 'Character Building' though. You can do work that 'builds character' but is is a 'good' character? Thats the real challenge.

I joked with my Intern about my retirement plan.

When I'm done with my Tax Business and I close the doors and walk away forever...I am going to work 1 Tax Season at the H&R Block booth in Chinook Centre.

I cant imagine what wild nonsense will come my way...but bring it on.

[bagofpucks]

Yah, this would have been at one of the south Calgary locations. The way my buddy describes it is it was the lowest of the low for hiring and training requirements. Now, dude is super smart and is probably the most successful of our peer group, but he’d be the first to admit there is no way he should have been working on anyone’s vehicles. Funny enough, I have an acquaintance that worked at Mr Lube around the same time and it sounds like it was quite the gong show of incompetence as well. My then GF now wife worked at the Walmart photo center and that seemed like the best job. Solid pay, none of the Walmart shenanigans, but some pictures that needed bleach to cleanse the eyes.

It’s funny someone else mentioned the booze store being the worst. It was the best for me, but our store had a reputation for ID’ing, so riff raff would go elsewhere. I worked there during the 2004 playoffs and it was amazing. We’d get our full evenings worth of sales right before puck drop and then it would be dead and we’d watch the full game in the back of the store.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by bagofpucks

Yah, this would have been at one of the south Calgary locations. The way my buddy describes it is it was the lowest of the low for hiring and training requirements. Now, dude is super smart and is probably the most successful of our peer group, but he’d be the first to admit there is no way he should have been working on anyone’s vehicles. Funny enough, I have an acquaintance that worked at Mr Lube around the same time and it sounds like it was quite the gong show of incompetence as well. My then GF now wife worked at the Walmart photo center and that seemed like the best job. Solid pay, none of the Walmart shenanigans, but some pictures that needed bleach to cleanse the eyes.

It’s funny someone else mentioned the booze store being the worst. It was the best for me, but our store had a reputation for ID’ing, so riff raff would go elsewhere. I worked there during the 2004 playoffs and it was amazing. We’d get our full evenings worth of sales right before puck drop and then it would be dead and we’d watch the full game in the back of the store.

Yeah, its strange trying to explain to youts how lax booze laws used to be.

One of my favourite memories was, we were at a house party and needed to do a beer run. I figured I'd tag along, we were all 16 and buddy was driving his mom's car.

He was some guy I didnt know well, but whatever, we're going for beer.

We get to the liquor store and I'm just there to help carry stuff, but we stand outside the store while the guy rifles through his wallet to find his fake ID to place it in front of his real driver's license.

In my normal 'lessaiz-fair' attitude I'm just like..."Why bother? He's not going to card you."

We go in. We buy beer, he never gets carded and we're getting ready to leave and the guy asks me:

"How did you know he wasnt going to card me?"

You do realize that you swapped IDs...outside of the car...using the light of the store's outdoor surveillance camera? You know...the one that you can see him watching?

He knows we're underage. He just doesnt care.

If you're going to try and be slick...this was not it.

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, its strange trying to explain to youts how lax booze laws used to be.

One of my favourite memories was, we were at a house party and needed to do a beer run. I figured I'd tag along, we were all 16 and buddy was driving his mom's car.

He was some guy I didnt know well, but whatever, we're going for beer.

We get to the liquor store and I'm just there to help carry stuff, but we stand outside the store while the guy rifles through his wallet to find his fake ID to place it in front of his real driver's license.

In my normal 'lessaiz-fair' attitude I'm just like..."Why bother? He's not going to card you."

We go in. We buy beer, he never gets carded and we're getting ready to leave and the guy asks me:

"How did you know he wasnt going to card me?"

You do realize that you swapped IDs...outside of the car...using the light of the store's outdoor surveillance camera? You know...the one that you can see him watching?

He knows we're underage. He just doesnt care.

If you're going to try and be slick...this was not it.

LOL. I recall waiting outside of liquor stores with friends or calling older friends to buy us alcohol. I know it sounds stupid but we were just kids. I can't ever recall any kids asking me to buy them booze outside a liquor store these days.

They probably don't have cash, get it delivered via the apps or, better yet, they don't dabble as often with alcohol as other generations do. I don't have any issues with alcohol but looking back on it, why are 16 year olds into drinking malt liquor and Big Bear brews in some park ? Crazy times I tell ya

[Locke]

Originally Posted by curves2000

LOL. I recall waiting outside of liquor stores with friends or calling older friends to buy us alcohol. I know it sounds stupid but we were just kids. I can't ever recall any kids asking me to buy them booze outside a liquor store these days.

They probably don't have cash, get it delivered via the apps or, better yet, they don't dabble as often with alcohol as other generations do. I don't have any issues with alcohol but looking back on it, why are 16 year olds into drinking malt liquor and Big Bear brews in some park ? Crazy times I tell ya

I am someone who looked like I was 14 until I was 28 and could finally grow some facial hair and I still never had a problem getting beer.

I come from the generation where my dad would send me to the corner liquor store to pick up beer and smokes with a note.

You've seen my PhD in Forestry? It looked a lot like that.

I've never fenced beer for children and I never will. Thats not my jam. You want beer? Figure it out.

I went to High School downtown and used to get drinks at the Hop In Brew and the Ship all the time, as long as you paid your tab they didnt care. Hit up Cowboys for cheap beer nights.

They changed the laws later to make it punitive on the establishments, but in my time nobody cared.

One of my favourite stories is getting in trouble in High School and my dad had to come by and meet the Principal and afterwards we just left and got lunch at the Ship & Anchor, some Cops were having lunch a few tables away.

Like I said...I looked very young. My dad and I are having a beer or two and one Cop comes over and asks to see my ID and of course I give it to him.

He says to me: "Uh...this ID isn't fake. It says you're 15."

I know. I dont have a fake ID. They served me anyways.

"Finish your beer, pay your tab, tip the server and get out of here."

Uh yeah. Pretty much what I'd planned on anyways. I'm not causing trouble or anything. Just having a couple civil beers with my father over lunch.

I'm not driving, I'm not going to work, I'm not defusing a Nuclear Weapon or operating any devastating military aircraft, I'm having lunch and going home.

[bagofpucks]

I was chatting with my co-worker who has a teenage daughter and I guess fake IDs are $500 now if you want one that can get you into “the clubs” (god I’m old). I guess with all the fancy scanning technology they have at the doors, you need a fancy fake ID too. I was floored. I never had one, but I seem to recall fake IDs were $15 when I was in high school?

[Sliver]

I had a fake ID. In the 90s they had these ALCB (Alberta Liquor Control Board) picture IDs for people to use to buy alcohol if you didn't have a driver's license. My brother had one even though he had his license. I looked similar enough to him so I borrowed it when I was 16 to get into a bar to see a band. I told him I lost the ID, so forever more my friends and I would use it to buy alcohol. I guess all 16 year old boys in my circle looked somewhat generic enough that the ID didn't once let us down. That little piece of plastic was a king maker.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Dry January is already a thing. Now there’s a dry February too? But why?