Comments for Ritual Confessions http://elissakaren.wordpress.com Have Mercy Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:42:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on A first, plus — a la David Rochester — a bonus feature by modestypress http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/a-first/#comment-363 modestypress Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:42:13 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=30#comment-363 When we moved from Portland back to Seattle, we had a pair of awful moving men who broke a leg on one of the chairs for our dining set (a very nice set carefully picked out by my wife). Over several years, I took the chair to several custom wood working shops. As the chair leg had been split at an awkward angle, the shop owners all assured me it could not be repaired successfully. Perhaps five years later, we had a small job done at a shop owned by a Polish man. I asked him about the chair as I picked up the work he had done for us. "Let me see it," he told me. When I brought it in, he said, "Yes, I can fix it." Unless you look at the chair very carefully, you can not even see the mend. This is not a Polish joke. When we moved from Portland back to Seattle, we had a pair of awful moving men who broke a leg on one of the chairs for our dining set (a very nice set carefully picked out by my wife). Over several years, I took the chair to several custom wood working shops. As the chair leg had been split at an awkward angle, the shop owners all assured me it could not be repaired successfully.

Perhaps five years later, we had a small job done at a shop owned by a Polish man. I asked him about the chair as I picked up the work he had done for us. “Let me see it,” he told me. When I brought it in, he said, “Yes, I can fix it.”

Unless you look at the chair very carefully, you can not even see the mend. This is not a Polish joke.

]]> Comment on Martin Luther King Jr. and my mother by modestypress http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/martin-luther-king-jr-and-my-mother/#comment-362 modestypress Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:25:00 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/martin-luther-king-jr-and-my-mother/#comment-362 When our daughter was little, we raised her mostly without a television and provided her with lots of books. She was the fifth grade spelling champion of Oregon. As my daughter refused to compete to be sixth grade champion, she retired undefeated. Our granddaughter is being raised without live television and lots of books, but we are not encouraging her to be a spelling champion. When our daughter was little, we raised her mostly without a television and provided her with lots of books.

She was the fifth grade spelling champion of Oregon. As my daughter refused to compete to be sixth grade champion, she retired undefeated. Our granddaughter is being raised without live television and lots of books, but we are not encouraging her to be a spelling champion.

]]> Comment on Mitch the mechanic by davidrochester http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/mitch-the-mechanic/#comment-361 davidrochester Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:55:36 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-361 Are you still thinking of resuming blogging on the anniversary of your hiatus? Hmmmmm? Are you still thinking of resuming blogging on the anniversary of your hiatus? Hmmmmm?

]]> Comment on Bad news and good news by thelittlefluffycat http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/bad-news-and-good-news/#comment-358 thelittlefluffycat Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:41:16 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=81#comment-358 Hereya go--better late than never... http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04aug09a.cfm Hereya go–better late than never…

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04aug09a.cfm

]]> Comment on Mitch the mechanic by thelittlefluffycat http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/mitch-the-mechanic/#comment-357 thelittlefluffycat Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:34:18 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-357 I understand this, because we once bought a house at least in part because of its proximity to a reliable mechanic. And when I say reliable, I mean someone with phone skills--but who also, when I had a small accident nearby, and limped in, let me sit and pulled a piece of undercarriage away from my tire so it wouldn't be damaged (they're a mechanic, not a body shop). When the franchises of that original shop moved in near us here, we danced--and we've since discovered they do business the exact same way. Sadly, there are none of their franchises near you; I went and checked, first. Don't leave Mitch without explaining why--but do leave him. Life is too short, and there ARE honest and excellent mechanics out there. Hey--ask him to recommend one. He just might. I understand this, because we once bought a house at least in part because of its proximity to a reliable mechanic. And when I say reliable, I mean someone with phone skills–but who also, when I had a small accident nearby, and limped in, let me sit and pulled a piece of undercarriage away from my tire so it wouldn’t be damaged (they’re a mechanic, not a body shop). When the franchises of that original shop moved in near us here, we danced–and we’ve since discovered they do business the exact same way. Sadly, there are none of their franchises near you; I went and checked, first.

Don’t leave Mitch without explaining why–but do leave him. Life is too short, and there ARE honest and excellent mechanics out there. Hey–ask him to recommend one. He just might.

]]> Comment on Sunday’s post — worrying about Charlotte by Samsv http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/sundays-post-worrying-about-charlotte/#comment-348 Samsv Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:02:37 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=73#comment-348 favorited this one, bro favorited this one, bro

]]> Comment on Mitch the mechanic by Shawn W http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/mitch-the-mechanic/#comment-346 Shawn W Sat, 22 Mar 2008 04:33:43 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-346 Mitch maybe a good mechanic, but he's a lousy businessman. What happened to you today was rude and unreasonable. I'm with Corina. Ask around and see if you can't find a good car guy nearer to you. Mitch maybe a good mechanic, but he’s a lousy businessman. What happened to you today was rude and unreasonable. I’m with Corina. Ask around and see if you can’t find a good car guy nearer to you.

]]> Comment on Mitch the mechanic by Corina http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/mitch-the-mechanic/#comment-345 Corina Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:08:47 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-345 I agree with David. I think you should wean yourself off of Mitch. See if you can find a place nearby and take the car there for something minor (maybe just a tune up or oil change) and see how you feel about the place. IF you don't like it, try a different one. Oh, and ask around. Word of mouth is very powerful. That's how we found our guy when we lived in Los Angeles. He was Kaloust and worked on my ex husband's Volvo then on mine when I got one. He was priceless. After my husband left and I was all alone, he was even nicer, often not charging me for the work he did. But just like there is a Kaloust and Mitch, there is sure to be someone else near you that will work out better. I agree with David. I think you should wean yourself off of Mitch. See if you can find a place nearby and take the car there for something minor (maybe just a tune up or oil change) and see how you feel about the place. IF you don’t like it, try a different one. Oh, and ask around. Word of mouth is very powerful. That’s how we found our guy when we lived in Los Angeles. He was Kaloust and worked on my ex husband’s Volvo then on mine when I got one. He was priceless. After my husband left and I was all alone, he was even nicer, often not charging me for the work he did. But just like there is a Kaloust and Mitch, there is sure to be someone else near you that will work out better.

]]> Comment on Mitch the mechanic by davidrochester http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/mitch-the-mechanic/#comment-344 davidrochester Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:19:29 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=84#comment-344 How frustrating ... I guess it will have to come down to whether your auto repair money or your time and sanity are worth more. Given the distance involved, and the upcoming change in your available time, it sounds to me as though your time and sanity are going to win. I think if it were me, I'd write to him, explain this, and tell him that if he wants my business back, he should call to tell me so,and then remember how to use the phone from here on out. How frustrating … I guess it will have to come down to whether your auto repair money or your time and sanity are worth more. Given the distance involved, and the upcoming change in your available time, it sounds to me as though your time and sanity are going to win. I think if it were me, I’d write to him, explain this, and tell him that if he wants my business back, he should call to tell me so,and then remember how to use the phone from here on out.

]]> Comment on Trying day by Shawn W http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/trying-day/#comment-343 Shawn W Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:38:10 +0000 http://elissakaren.wordpress.com/?p=83#comment-343 I'm glad you stood up for yourself, and more glad you got your way. I’m glad you stood up for yourself, and more glad you got your way.

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