Yeah, but I just talked to Lilian just then when I posted it.

I often win the bad job contest when I point out that when I was telemarketing, what I was selling was accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

And when I took "Oh, I'd love to help, but I'm living off of my Social Security check and can't afford it" as a reasonable "no," I got lectured by my boss on the Rules, which meant I had to ask at least 3 times before I could end a call. Did I mention I only lasted a week?

Ah, so this is why they keep pushing after I nicely explain that I've given in the past, and I'll give again, but only after I find another job. Because all the pushing does is make me think, "Never giving money to y'all again--there's always more than one organization raising money for any given worthy cause, and I'll stick to the ones that don't annoy me."

Oh dear Dana. Those pictures are upsetting. The rebuilding question depends on how quickly they get the water out. If the area is drained quickly there is more chance for structures to dry out. If toxic mold happens then the buildings have to go. It doesn't look like there is much in the way of structural damage. Just way too much water. I'm so sorry.

Cashier, museum gift shop. Nice, but boring.

You sold alien memorabilia, didn't you? Admit it! (I know, cheap shot. Even I get teased about Roswell just for being from NM. )

A friend of mine once worked phones for a credit-collection agency. She quit after 4 hours.

Well, I finally found pictures of my parents' neighborhood by going to a forum set up by my old grade school.

t boggles

What shrift said. It's just boggling. (eta: Also what Laura said)

I'm also in the hate talking on the phone camp.

Oh dear Dana. Those pictures are upsetting. The rebuilding question depends on how quickly they get the water out.

They're saying end of October now.

I just got to talk to Lillian Vernon HERSELF. V. exciting.

Walked past Mo Rocca this morning...just as Bob was being obnoxious by yelling "BYE [BON BON]!!" to me. I think Bob got embarrassed and kind of ran away.

Ah, so this is why they keep pushing after I nicely explain that I've given in the past, and I'll give again, but only after I find another job. Because all the pushing does is make me think, "Never giving money to y'all again--there's always more than one organization raising money for any given worthy cause, and I'll stick to the ones that don't annoy me."

Susan is me. I've had a telemarketer call me back to bitch me out about not buying crap from his particular dubiously charitable organization. I think I just hung up on him abruptly, but I should have demanded to speak to his boss and done my best to get the guy fired.

Dana, ouch.

I'm trying to figure out who thought "A newspaper boys' strike. That's a great set up for a musical."

Those pictures are upsetting.

They are, but they're also reassuring, in a way. I can't say for sure about my parents, but it was driving me nuts not having *specific* information. Yes, areas of Lakeview were under tons of water, but Lakeview covers a bit of ground. Seeing pictures where I can pinpoint things, see landmarks, judge water depth and the like definitely helps.

And really, the news could be a lot worse. St. Dominic, as I said, is where I went to grade school. My mother's office is right next door, on the second floor, up many steep steps. Judging from where the water is, it seems like there's a good chance that her office (and the thousands of pieces of music stored in it) are okay. There was also a picture of a two-story house with water up to the middle of the first story. At this point, we've moved to hoping that the second story of my parents' house is okay, and it seems like there might be a decent chance of that too.

I also found a post on a Yahoo Group from someone who lives a street away from my parents and had a first-hand report on water levels and the like. She said several two-story houses on her street didn't seem to have water in the top story. So. Cautiously optimistic, sort of. But it's still jarring to look at a drugstore I've been in a hundred times and see it wrecked to shit.