Update to the cautionary tale of woe

Remember, folks, don’t let this happen to you!

So how to get rid of this leaking mess?

The transfer began with a large glass peanut butter jar, which I plucked off a shelf in the basement.  The first jar I picked up was unusually heavy.  Upon closer inspection I noted that the big jar had several jars inside of it.  It was the matryoshka doll of jars.  I had to look through the jars until I found a lonely barren jar. I figured it wouldn’t mind giving up its life.

Then I made a transfer bridge out of tinfoil to minimize mess.  Surprisingly, my mother did not object to this blatant waste of a valuable, reusable commodity.

Sears sucks

Google “Sears sucks” and you will see more than a million internet denizens agree with me.  Add Melissa of Shakesville to the list.  She bought an oven that stopped working because of a faulty part.  Of course the part failed shortly after the warranty expired.  As did many other similar parts, according to the repair guy.

Two of my Sears sucks stories:

Went to get some keys cut.  None of the keys worked.  The Sears employee suggested I must not be using them correctly.  Because I come from a non-key culture, apparently.  After some verbal sparring, he said he would re-cut them.  Um, no.  As I made it clear from the get-go, I wanted my money back.

Bought an expensive item from Sears and had it delivered.  When the delivery person was bringing it off the truck, I saw that it was a cheaper model and told him to take it back.  He refused.  I called Sears and the representative told me they reserve the right to substitute an equal or lower-value product for the same price.  Whuh?

Thirty minutes on the telephone with various customer service people, none of whom could understand why I thought it wasn’t a good idea to charge the higher price but send the lower-priced item.  When I asked why I should accept this, one of the reps said, “It is part of our customer service.”  Seriously.

Sears sucks.  I don’t shop Sears or its affiliates any more.

APA women leader spotlight: Caroline Fan

Angry Asian Man is running a series on APA women leaders.  Here’s Caroline Fan:

As a communications maven and organizer, she works tirelessly to advance immigrant and worker rights. In 2008-2009, her work ensured that no significant anti-immigrant bills passed in the states, passing anti-child labor law in Iowa and defeating regressive legislation in states like Arizona, Georgia and Kansas. A prolific writer and feminist, at the age of 19 she was published in Yell-Oh Girls, an Asian American women’s anthology.

Caroline firmly believes that leadership includes bringing others up and mentors other young women through CAPAL and the National Urban Fellows. She serves as Endorsements Chair of the Asian American Action Fund, where she has increased the numbers of endorsed women candidates and helped 10 APA women get elected. She established its Campaign Fellows program which puts young APAs on hot campaigns to develop a new generation of political leaders, and started the award winning AAAFund blog.

Caroline’s hero is her mom, who is pretty awesome too.

See the rest of the women spotlighted here.

Dear white adoptive parents

Once upon a time, dear adoptive parents, I expected better of you.

And I kept hoping beyond hope.  Even as you walked past me.   Because I am invisible in your eyes.  As your grown children are invisible as well.  Those angry adoptees will never be your children, because your kids will not be oversensitive or have a chip on their shoulder.  They’ll be able to laugh it off.  They’ll have a thicker skin.  They’ll be able to roll with the punches.

Because you’ve already told them how to feel.