The Serendipitous Thread

1. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Lost track of which thread I was on.

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2. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Pay me.

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3. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Still t that.

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4. 92

   FatFreddysCatposted 6 years ago

   Published two new Hubs this weekend, with three more in the pipeline in various stages of completion. Dang, I be all like, prolific 'n' stuff.

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      FatFreddysCatposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      No progress on the previously-mentioned "three in the pipeline" thus far due to real-world stuff getting in the way this week.
      
      Stupid real world!

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5. 92

   FatFreddysCatposted 6 years ago

   That feeling when you post a new Hub and then obsessively refresh your stats page every hour on the hour waiting for its view numbers to increase:
   
   

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      Jessie L Watsonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Lol

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   2. 95

      EricFarmer8xposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Hey Mr. rock/metal expert. If you could name one rock/metal band as your favorite what would it be?

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         FatFreddysCatposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Just one?
         (head explodes)
         No can do.

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            EricFarmer8xposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Fair enough. I guess groups or bands you consider good overall. I was curious to learn of something to listen to. I know absolutely nothing about metal or rock though.

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6. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Facebook suddenly sent me a pulse of 60+ visitors. Who'd have thunk it? Pretty sure it was a one-shot, as opposed to the beginning of a viral flood. Still was fun.

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      EricFarmer8xposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Most of my social media traffic is coming from Facebook. I find it odd as I spend the least amount of time writing about HubPages on there compared to Twitter. I think most of my visits come from family and their friends on Facebook.

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7. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Just a random link for someone else here. They know (or suspect) who they are.
   
   <snipped, wrong link, please wait>
   
   Update. Link (wikipedia) failed second time.
   
   Update #2. Was not wrong link, wikipedia glitch. I could just post the book title and author, but have decided it's a sign and to not pursue. However, I'm curious if anyone can guess. If they can, then they know what I am talking about.
   
   Title: "T..."
   Author: "S..." (last name)

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   1. 61

      paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Title: "P..." (second word)
      
      Am serious here. The next post starts a new page (thus, last page goes into oblivion), so please be serious and get it right.

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   2. 85

      DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      "Title: "T..."
      Author: "S..." (last name)"
      
      Hmmm...I come up with T.S. Elliot; but if you mean the last name begins with "S," then you've got me stumped.
      
      Steinbeck, but no, wrong first initial...
      
      not an author, but an old game from my parents' era; "Tom Swifties"... funny comments that are usually groaner puns, such as "There are not enough tacks for the job," she said sharply.

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         paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         "Steinbeck" is correct. Title is "The Pearl".
         
         "Kino puts back his head and howls, causing the other pearl divers to look up and race toward Kino's canoe."

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            DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Oh, I didn't realize the following post belonged with this one.  DUH!
            Well, then...**pats self on back--then howls with arm cramp**
            

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               paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               Hopefully, others get the message.

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8. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   Checking back in.

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9. 61

   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   And shivering as usual.

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      paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s93KC4AGKnY

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      1. 61

         paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Give me something better.

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10. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    Government agency
    
    Phone call
    
    "Receipt Denied"

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       paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Update.
       
       Life was medical and medical paperwork nightmare this week. Still trying to clean their mess up, but probably too late. Basically, I'm <snipped>. It's over for me.

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          paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          Never correspond with any government agency without getting a receipt from them.

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             DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

             Ummmm...you obviously must've had a receipt; otherwise, how could they have responded with "receipt denied." ???? 

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                paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                They denied receiving anything when I called them. There's a lot more to this story, up to and probably including publicity and legal. This is not the first incident with them. Someone, somewhere is acting in deliberate bad faith in that office. I'm probably going to have to put that office on the front page of Google, as well as initiate the nightmare appeal process; which will no doubt suck the soul out of my life.

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                   DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                   Ugh, ugh, ugh!! So sorry! 
                   Next time, send with *return receipt requested " and signature confirmation of receipt of delivery, or present them with the tracking number, and quote the info from that where it says "delivered on..."

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                      paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

                      21 more reviews, just like mine.
                      
                      https://goo.gl/maps/VyRBRXNMcZL2
                      
                      ★☆☆☆☆ "Never, every give them any piece of paper without getting a receipt for it. Never, ever mail them anything; they will deny receiving it. Failure to follow this advice will give you immeasurable grief (based on personal experience).

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11. 92

    FatFreddysCatposted 6 years ago

    That feeling you get when you re-read one of your hubs that's been on a niche site for months, and you notice a typo:
    
    

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       snakeslaneposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       LOL

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12. 93

    Joshua Crowderposted 6 years ago

    The last time that happened to me an editor put an unmistakable typo in one of my headings. I was horrified because the title of the text capsule didn’t make any sense at all and it was the intro.

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    FatFreddysCatposted 6 years ago

    Real world B.S. continues, yet I managed to push out a new article this afternoon regardless. Go Me.

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       paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       This should have been a fun week for me, got two FB traffic spikes. Instead, this absolute garbage happens to me; both my medical and financial well-being are being seriously threatened. Getting too old to keep fighting back all the time; there reaches a point where one is not able to anymore.

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14. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    Normally, my emotions of stress are of anxiety. But this time, not so. This time it is pure, unadulterated anger. Someone in that office has acted in bad faith against me and others for three solid years. But there is no way to find out who.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

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15. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    For those who have been wondering, here's what I've been sending out to social media:
    
    -----------------------------
    Never, ever give Riverside County Social Services in Hemet, California any piece of paper without getting a receipt for it. Never, ever mail Riverside County Social Services in Hemet, California anything either. They will claim they never received it. Failure to follow this advice will give you immeasurable grief (based on personal experience).
    
    It gets worse. They will also flat out lie to you. They will tell you over the phone that everything is fine, then 2-3 months later you will start getting bills in the mail, because they reneged on everything and never told you.
    
    On other occasions, they've sent me ultimatums with due dates earlier than when they sent out the letter. Then you discover your insurance has been cancelled, again without any notification whatsoever.
    
    These are not isolated occurrences. These incidents have been going on for years.
    ------------------------------
    
    Not only has this been going out to social media, but also emailed to every California medical website I can find.
    
    The war is on. No doubt I will lose, but there comes a point where one just refuses to be bullied anymore.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Para; contact your local state representative--they have ombudsman services.
       Also, give a shout out to any TV news stations that have a 'helping consumers' service...in our area, it's called "7 on your side." (ABC)

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          paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

          I seem to have gotten Medi-Cal's attention, my emails to the California State overseer medical websites may have had something to do with it. I might be able to avoid a soul-sucking war after all. Am hoping to have this 3-year harassment/persecution/whatever put to an end by the end of the week.

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16. 92

    Rochelle Frankposted 6 years ago

    I hope your campaign will gather supporters who have had similar experiences. It takes numbers . I hope you have also sent it to state and local legislators and representatives. Wishing you positives.

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       paradigmsearchposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Wherever I've posted, 90% of the comments have described having the same experiences as me.

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17. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    All the support I've gotten everywhere today, this is the first time in over a week that I haven't felt miserable. Am beginning to feel some sense of normalcy again.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Good to hear!  May the Force continue to be with you going forward!

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18. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    Well, sports fans. I have certainly been filling this thread with misery for awhile. I just received a phone call informing me the misery has ended and that I will receive a letter confirming as such. Have I been lied to again? Going to have to wait 1-2 weeks to find out. Meanwhile, since all that is in stasis; it's back to me being my version of normal again; figured I owed everyone a warning about that.
    
    And always remember:
    
    With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine.

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       snakeslaneposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       LOL Para.

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19. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    Happy Friday.
    
    March was certainly an educational month for me. Learned a lot on multiple fronts.
    1. Self-awareness.
    2. How to deal with the government.
    3. How to really use the internet.
    
    Because of item #2, I had to neglect all other business-of-living stuff; so am busily catching up on all that and getting things done. April is going to be as big a mess as March, but for different reasons; however, still might get some writing done.
    
    Meanwhile, Easter Sunday and April Fools Day on the same day. Interesting.

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       DzyMsLizzyposted 6 years agoin reply to this

       Yes--I had noticed that particular juxtaposition, and found it hilariously apropos!

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20. 61

    paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

    Thread dead. Future scribblings will be on my FB page (a sigh of relief ripples across the forums).

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21. 92

    FatFreddysCatposted 6 years ago

    Noooo! I refuse to let this thread die. I will pick up the Sword of Randomness in paradigm's stead.
    
    Yesterday morning: driving to work. Sitting at a red light, crankin' out "Licensed to Ill" by the Beastie Boys at an appropriately obnoxious volume level, and suddenly I had a moment of self-realization.
    
    "Wow. I'm a nerdy middle aged white dude, driving a compact car, listening to rap music with the windows down... good Lord, I'm that guy from the opening credit scene of "Office Space!"

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22. 72

    Marie Flintposted 6 years ago

    Day before yesterday I had an unusual, cranky morning. Firstly, I felt jittery and my stomach was if I had butterflies in it. Was it the green tea?
    
    As I tried to find my center, I began playing a game of Classic Words, a form of Scrabble, on the Kindle. In the midst of this, my adult daughter brought over her phone and said "Watch this video."
    
    Usually when she asks me to do something, it's because she wants something, an I tend to put her needs above my own.
    
    Well, the video was essentially a promotion for Charity Water, with which I was already familiar and had donated to in the past. The video was of medium length, not short, not excessively long.
    
    "Why are you having me watch this?" I asked.
    
    She intended to have the video to be uplifting for me, but because of my uncenteredness, it had the reverse effect. The introduction presented a life-style opposite my own, and the highlight was a 9-year-old girl who died in a car accident and whose last wish was to give up the expenses of her upcoming birthday as a donation to Charity Water. Well, a fund was created in her memory and went viral.
    
    Here I am, past 60, and I felt, because of this video, that I had not done enough. I felt guilty, angry, and judged.
    
    An irrational argument with my daughter ensued.
    
    I walked out of the house to find solace on the little woodsy path that borders the east side of the property. I walked and walked. I was acting like a scared child. Then I sat down on a stump.
    
    Tap-tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap!
    
    I looked up and saw Florida's native woodpecker with its red-flecked plumage. The bird's presence changed everything. I smiled.
    
    I have since apologized twice to my daughter for my behavior. So, the next time I feel uncenteredness in the morning, I'll go for a walk on that woodsy path first and remember the woodpecker, if he isn't already there.

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