Three Truffles and A Candy Cane AKA Candy Months

Truffles and Candy Canes.This is what's left of Christmas. 

Well actually I'm down to just candy canes at this point. 

A while back I wrote about the BRRR months and how they led into the holiday months.  Well, did you ever think that this could also be called the candy months? 

Just think, September comes. You still have some warm weather maybe but it's starting to cool off.  Everyone starts thinking of Fall.  Then there it is!

October -- Halloween.  If you have kids they go out trick-or-treating and come home with a boat load of candy.  Being a good parent you know they don't need all that candy so you 'help' them out and perhaps eat some yourself.  If you don't have kids you go out and buy the candy to hand out to those little, or bigger, kids when they come knocking at your door.  There comes another problem.  You don't know how many kids are going to come knocking and you have to have enough candy for everyone.  Perhaps you overbuy. 

November comes - you are eating that Halloween candy. Parents are probably down to the nasty stuff that no one likes anyone so are contemplating throwing it in the trash. You get it all gone right before Thanksgiving.  That way you can enjoy that Thanksgiving food. 

Oh no!  Here it comes.  December and Christmas candy!  Oh my the Christmas candy!  Perhaps you are one who makes Christmas goodies. Perhaps someone shares the goodies they made with you. Perhaps you receive a LOT of candy as presents.

 Whatever the reason - you end up the first to middle part of January bringing that candy to work for snacks.  Three truffles and a candy cane.  Not to much as one sitting - it'll last through the day.  OK - you have finally sent that candy home with the grand kids, eating yourself or again throwing away anything yucky.  You can focus on eating right but wait!!!

February -- Valentine's Day!  Oh no!! More candy!  Maybe you buy some just to have around - you know cinnamon hearts or something like that. Whatever - there you have it more candy. 

Next up is Easter.  Now this may come in March or it may come in April but whatever month - it's more candy!  Which you might get rid of by the first of May. 

Do you see what I mean?  Candy Months!  That's more than half the year associated with candy!  And that is why in January you have three truffles and a Candy Cane for snack.

Just a Few Calls

It's the start of semester and you know what that means - my calls increase as does the stupidity. 

I haven't had a free day recently so thought I might as well get on here and share with you.  Maybe it'll bring you some amusement. 

Student calls on Friday of the first week of semester inquiring about whether or not she needed to go to class she just wasn't sure.  My response was to ask if she had enrolled in classes.  The student says that she thinks so but she just wasn't sure what to do. I then ask if she had checked her class schedule  and get the same response. I go through the verification and look at the student account and verify that yes - she is enrolled in four classes. I ask her if she has attended her classes and her response was 'No, no one called and told me to go.' 

WHAT??? I told her no one was going to call her and that she had indeed missed the first entire week of classes.  She said 'Well I have two mailboxes and I never got any letter at either one telling me to show up.'   I advised her that she really  needing to be checking her college e-mail and that we would not be following up advising to go to class nor reminding her that she had classes.  I then told her she might want to contact her instructors since she has missed the entire first week. 

I then hang up thinking how do you get to be 41 years old and still expect someone to tell you this stuff?


And to the single mother who called me complaining because she missed the drop period and now has to pay for her class.  I get it - I've been a single mother myself. I know it's not easy. However, I also know it is doable - if  you want to make it happen you will make it happen.  Then to proceed and tell me that you have been coming here for 5 years and you have nothing to show for it does not speak well for you.  Suck it up, Buttercup. 



To the caller who already has a degree calling me for assistnace.  Your words were, 'You speak to stupid people all day. Don't try to tell me something I already know.'  Please keep in mind, you just put yourself in the category of 'stupid peole who call'.   You are the one calling me for assistance.  I've given you the best advise and I can tell you that if paperwork is required then yes you do have to turn it in - degree notwithstanding.


To the student calling regarding transcripts. I certainly can look that up for you and advise if we have it on file.  When I ask you what transcript we are looking for forgive me if I pause a moment when you tell me it is the transcript from our college.  Yes, we do have that - I don't know what you think we might have done with it.  Are you wanting to request this transcript be sent to another school? When you respond, 'No I just want to know if you have it.' I may again pause before I proceed with the conversation. 


And this student who advises they went to class and the instructor told them they weren't enrolled.  Did you check your class schedule. 'No, but I enrolled in the class'.  I then ask if they had made a payment plan. and they advise no so I tell them they were probably dropped for non-payment. 

I go through the verification with the student and then check account and sure enough he was dropped for non-payment.  Student then asks, 'So, should I go to my class?'  Again -- you are not enrolled in any class.  You did not make a payment plan so you were dropped and you do not have any classes to attend.  Telling me I need to contact ___________________ and they will verify you are enrolled does no good.  You  may certainly contact _______________________ yourself but my records show you are not enrolled in any class. 

Treat Me With DIgnity

I have the privilege in my job of taking calls.  Some of them I have shared on  here as they can be quite amusing. 

Some can be head-shaking. 

Some are downright funny.

Yesterday I took a call and this lady goes into this speech about trying to help her mother who's wanting to take classes and they need a little assistance.  This is kind of a shortened version.  This is not an uncommon call. I frequently get calls from someone helping their mother, daughter, dad, boyfriend, cousin. 

I explained that I would have to speak to her mother and do a short verification and could then assist.  The lady puts her mother on the phone, which is on speaker phone,  and I start the verification process.  I get to the date of birth and my mouth drops open. 

This lady is 91 years old!! 

I'm thinking ok and proceed to try and verify.  This is where it starts. 

I ask for the street address.  You can hear the lady kind of pause as she is thinking. 

In the background I hear the daughter giving the information that her  mother needs to provide to me.

In the background I also hear the daughter say 'You've got to memorize this stuff and know it'.

I continue with the call and try to assist the elderly lady with her questions as I continue to hear the daughter in the background continue to talk to her mother as if she was a child. 


I get it.  I do. Sometimes the elderly do need the reminders - just as a child does.

Sometimes the elderly do get confused - just as a child does. 

BUT -- and this is my point.  Do it in private.  Give them their dignity.

Don't put them down or talk down to them in front of other people; or as in my case on a speaker phone where it can be heard. 

Did your mother do that to you when you needed gentle reminders as a child on learning your address?  Or did she assist, advise, encourage you during private moments where you were alone? 

To my children:  If I live to be 91 years old, which I do not think will happen, but if I do --- PLEASE, give me my dignity.  Remind me if I need to be reminded in a manner that is not demeaning to me as an adult. 

And to the 91 year old woman who is taking classes - I hope you have a fantastic semester!