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raincitygirlThis seems to be my week for mortally offending people. Last night, I came in the front door of my building ahead of a guy with a bicycle, and held the door open for him. Then as he got closer I realized I didn't recognize him (I had assumed he was a different guy who often goes in and out with a bike, and two tall, thin, thirtysomething white guys in bicycle helmets look much the same at a distance), and I said, "I'm sorry, but I don't know you. They're really strict about us not letting people in that we don't know. Could I see your key, please?"
He was incredulous, said, "I've lived here for two years, you know me. You live in [unit Rain lives in], I see you all the time, and you see me." He went ahead and showed me his key (we have special keys for our front door, they're quite distinctive), and then said very sarcastically, "Do you need me to try it out in the lock and prove that I really live here?" I was mortified, and said no, held the door open a little wider, and he went down the hall with his bicycle, still shaking his head and muttering to himself. I felt like chasing after him, calling out, "I'm sorry, but my apartment was burgled last year. I'm a little paranoid now." However, I did not do so.
On the bright side, I'll definitely remember him for next time. But I really truly didn't know him. Especially after he talked. I would've remembered a cut-glass English public (meaning private) school accent like that. He was obviously offended, though.
Cutting for more mortification, vexing small aggravations, and assorted grumblings:
And then today after work I was at the fancy bakery and bought some stuff. There were two loaves at different price points, and I thought she'd rung through the more expensive one first, so when she apparently rang it through again, I said, "Are you sure you didn't already ring that one through just now?" She was quite sure, and insisted on printing up the receipt and going through it line by line with me, obviously offended that I had impugned her honesty. I wanted to sink through the floor. I didn't think she'd been trying to cheat me, I just thought she might have gotten it wrong. But instead I was the one who got it wrong.
But I can sleep in tomorrow, because Remembrance Day is a holiday here. So my mortification will hopefully pass in the novelty of a mid-week day off. And I talked to Uncle #1, who'd left a very mysterious sounding message on my phone, asking that I call him back ASAP. It turned out he'd written my email address down wrong in his little address book, put in a dot between first and last name, where in fact no dot should appear. Most people have virtual address books nowadays, but Uncle #1 is 74 years old and kicking it old school. I should count myself lucky he has a computer and an internet connection. Not that he ever checks his email. Uncle #2 is only 5 years younger but infinitely more tech-savvy.
And in his last letter he said they he definitely couldn't get hold of "The Hanging Tree" until summer 2016. I had asked for him to send me that book as my Christmas present, because it comes out November 2015 in the UK, and June 2016 in North America. I can't wait 7 months for a new Rivers of London book! Anyway, when I read his letter, I realized Ben Aaronovitch hadn't met his deadline and the release date had been pushed back. Aaronovitch has previous for not meeting deadlines. I checked the Amazon.co.uk site and they now have it coming out June 14, 2016, whereas last week when I checked it, they had it being released November 19, 2015. Stupid Ben Aaronovitch! Poor Uncle #1 made a special trip to Waterstones to reserve a copy, was all set to go back and buy it on the 19th and put it in the post on the same day, but no, Aaronovitch decided he had to make 7 months worth of revisions. I bet his publishers are furious.
Oh, and Starbucks got my drink wrong this morning. I ordered a salted caramel mocha, but realized when I got back to my desk and started to drink it, that it was a peppermint mocha instead. I have no problem with mint and chocolate together, but I think mint, chocolate and espresso together are disgusting. Anyway, I didn't have a moment free to go back until lunch time, so the stupid peppermint mocha sat there congealing. To be fair to them, when I brought it back, they immediately offered to make me another one, and when I said I didn't want it anymore, they did give me a refund. But it still was the last straw that broke the camel's back this morning. I wanted to cry when I realized I'd spent nearly $5 on mouthwash coffee. Of all the days to splurge on a designer espresso drink instead of a regular coffee.
In conclusion, stupid Ben Aaronovitch. I'm sure I'll love "The Hanging Tree" when it finally comes out, but 7 extra months is an awfully long time to wait. On the bright side, having written out all my grumbles and vexations, I feel a little better.
He was incredulous, said, "I've lived here for two years, you know me. You live in [unit Rain lives in], I see you all the time, and you see me." He went ahead and showed me his key (we have special keys for our front door, they're quite distinctive), and then said very sarcastically, "Do you need me to try it out in the lock and prove that I really live here?" I was mortified, and said no, held the door open a little wider, and he went down the hall with his bicycle, still shaking his head and muttering to himself. I felt like chasing after him, calling out, "I'm sorry, but my apartment was burgled last year. I'm a little paranoid now." However, I did not do so.
On the bright side, I'll definitely remember him for next time. But I really truly didn't know him. Especially after he talked. I would've remembered a cut-glass English public (meaning private) school accent like that. He was obviously offended, though.
Cutting for more mortification, vexing small aggravations, and assorted grumblings:
And then today after work I was at the fancy bakery and bought some stuff. There were two loaves at different price points, and I thought she'd rung through the more expensive one first, so when she apparently rang it through again, I said, "Are you sure you didn't already ring that one through just now?" She was quite sure, and insisted on printing up the receipt and going through it line by line with me, obviously offended that I had impugned her honesty. I wanted to sink through the floor. I didn't think she'd been trying to cheat me, I just thought she might have gotten it wrong. But instead I was the one who got it wrong.
But I can sleep in tomorrow, because Remembrance Day is a holiday here. So my mortification will hopefully pass in the novelty of a mid-week day off. And I talked to Uncle #1, who'd left a very mysterious sounding message on my phone, asking that I call him back ASAP. It turned out he'd written my email address down wrong in his little address book, put in a dot between first and last name, where in fact no dot should appear. Most people have virtual address books nowadays, but Uncle #1 is 74 years old and kicking it old school. I should count myself lucky he has a computer and an internet connection. Not that he ever checks his email. Uncle #2 is only 5 years younger but infinitely more tech-savvy.
And in his last letter he said they he definitely couldn't get hold of "The Hanging Tree" until summer 2016. I had asked for him to send me that book as my Christmas present, because it comes out November 2015 in the UK, and June 2016 in North America. I can't wait 7 months for a new Rivers of London book! Anyway, when I read his letter, I realized Ben Aaronovitch hadn't met his deadline and the release date had been pushed back. Aaronovitch has previous for not meeting deadlines. I checked the Amazon.co.uk site and they now have it coming out June 14, 2016, whereas last week when I checked it, they had it being released November 19, 2015. Stupid Ben Aaronovitch! Poor Uncle #1 made a special trip to Waterstones to reserve a copy, was all set to go back and buy it on the 19th and put it in the post on the same day, but no, Aaronovitch decided he had to make 7 months worth of revisions. I bet his publishers are furious.
Oh, and Starbucks got my drink wrong this morning. I ordered a salted caramel mocha, but realized when I got back to my desk and started to drink it, that it was a peppermint mocha instead. I have no problem with mint and chocolate together, but I think mint, chocolate and espresso together are disgusting. Anyway, I didn't have a moment free to go back until lunch time, so the stupid peppermint mocha sat there congealing. To be fair to them, when I brought it back, they immediately offered to make me another one, and when I said I didn't want it anymore, they did give me a refund. But it still was the last straw that broke the camel's back this morning. I wanted to cry when I realized I'd spent nearly $5 on mouthwash coffee. Of all the days to splurge on a designer espresso drink instead of a regular coffee.
In conclusion, stupid Ben Aaronovitch. I'm sure I'll love "The Hanging Tree" when it finally comes out, but 7 extra months is an awfully long time to wait. On the bright side, having written out all my grumbles and vexations, I feel a little better.
no subject
Date: 2015-11-11 04:04 pm (UTC)The good news, though, is that June 2016 is a worldwide publication date, so I can pre-order it on iBooks or Kindle and read the book on my device as soon as it comes out. With the last few, they've had North American release dates four months or so after the UK release date. So I've had to buy a hard copy and have it shipped, or rope in Uncle #1, who doesn't understand the first thing about urban fantasy, but understands all about wanting to read a book RIGHT NOW.
what's going on with Ben Aaronovitch
Date: 2015-11-11 05:06 pm (UTC)Re: what's going on with Ben Aaronovitch
Date: 2015-11-11 08:36 pm (UTC)Rivers of London/Midnight Riot
Moon Over Soho
Whispers Under Ground
Broken Homes
Foxglove Summer
The Hanging Tree (not out yet, wahhhhhh!)
If you read on a digital device, you can get a sample of the first book sent to your Kindle, iBooks or Kobo app, and read that for free. And his dead tree books are available at libraries, depending on where you live.
What are they about? Probationary Police Constable Peter Grant and his friend Probationary PC Lesley May are just about to become real London police officers. Lesley is considered a very promising prospect, but Peter is destined to file paperwork with the Case Progression Unit. Until one night on duty he witnesses a murder and interviews a suspect who turns out to be a ghost. He and Lesley get dragged into London's supernatural underworld kicking and screaming, so to speak, and meet Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who's a wizard and solves supernatural cases. He's also about 100 years old and has been aging in reverse for the past few decades.
That's the premise of the first book, whatever it's called, and it's good stuff, in my humble opinion. It's very much set in a modern London of high property prices, lattes, mobile phones, etc, it just happens to have magic in it. Peter is a fun narrator, also a person of colour (his mother is an office cleaner from Sierra Leone, and his father is a white jazz musician who was on the verge of big fame before he got hooked on heroin and his career went sideways). Lesley is a FABULOUS character, not just the hot sidekick, but actually in some ways a better copper than Peter himself.
Peter's a bit of a dreamer, a bit likely to run off on tangents. He's not incompetent, but just because he's the main character doesn't make him perfect, either as a person or a copper. And Nightingale is also fabulous, not at all a Dumbledore imitation, but his own character. He never wanted wizarding apprentices and is still suffering from PTSD from the Second World War, but he does his best to be a good teacher. There's more, but if I tell you any more I'll ruin the plot for you.
P.S. Great icon!
Re: what's going on with Ben Aaronovitch
Date: 2015-11-11 09:18 pm (UTC)I am in Toronto, and don't read paper books anymore.
All electronics, you know.
Re: what's going on with Ben Aaronovitch
Date: 2015-11-12 01:11 am (UTC)No problem. I am ALL about evangelizing when it comes to authors whose books I like. Get the free sample of Midnight Riot on your Kobo/Kindle/iPhone/whatever e-reader you use, and if you like it, you can always buy the rest of the book. And if you don't like it, no big deal. Everybody's taste is individual.
Re: what's going on with Ben Aaronovitch
Date: 2015-11-12 01:17 am (UTC)