Random 5 for May 18, 2025 – Alphabet, clothes, Facebook, reviews, sales

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Hazel was my kind of cat.

Only at Starbucks – The store I go to has letters on the counter (A-G, H-M, that sort of thing) for pickups. My order goes under Kate. The K clearly marked on the cup. It’s almost always with the A to G group. Someday I will ask why.

Speaking of Starbucks – This morning there was a woman in a strapless white gown coming in for coffee. My first thought was prom, but she was alone. She was driving herself. It looked like a wedding dress. I was leaving and not nearby or this nosy old coot would have asked if she was stood up at the altar. She looked beautiful. This was at 7:30 a.m. A morning wedding? I hope it worked out for her.

That’s weird – This week Facebook blocked me. They said for security reasons I had to make a video of my face. I was suspicious so I checked it out. Yes, they do this, but I don’t know why I was picked. After I showed my face (to make sure I was human), they said they’d get back to me. It took a few hours, and I was restored. I’m very PG on Facebook. I am on some cat sites that occasionally have pictures of surgical procedures. Kitty porn?

Reviews – I had an annual doctor appointment this week. By the time I got to my car, I had a text. They wanted a review of my experience. I’m finding that anything I do these days is accompanied by an instant request for a review. Sometimes I’m still in the building. I don’t do them all. It gets overwhelming. I do the really good and the really bad and let the rest go.

Sales – I had a hankering for some new clothes, so I looked at the catalogs that I had just received. A few things looked interesting. I went online. They were either completely sold out; my size was sold out; or the pretty colors were sold out. These were catalogs received in the past week. This also happens online which is worse. They can easily update online information but printed catalogs are set up for printing BEFORE the item is sold out (or at least I hope so). I did manage to find two pieces and I’m waiting for delivery. Fingers crossed they look as nice on me as they do on the 20-something model.

So how was your week?

74 thoughts on “Random 5 for May 18, 2025 – Alphabet, clothes, Facebook, reviews, sales”

  1. One of these days on those persistent request to rate people and places, I’m going to simply put. “did their job” or “provided what I paid for”. I mean it’s really getting to be too much. I’ve left them for great above and beyond service, I’ve left them for horrible service and I’ve ignored them for several text and email request because I really didn’t have anything nice to say but after they pester me to death I went ahead and gave the honest not so flattering review because they just kept bugging me.

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  2. Sooner or later, everyone winds up at Starbucks. Maybe on the way to their own wedding, maybe on their walk of shame back home from somewhere else 😉 I hope your new clothes are what you are hoping for! I have this experience with catalogs too, which is why my wardrobe is currently some old sweatpants and souvenir t-shirts.

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  3. I was in Facebook jail last month for supposedly posting something that violated their standards. I appealed and had to send a picture along with my request for a review. So dumb. I guess I looked okay as they decided I had not violated anything after all.
    I know what you mean about those reviews. I used to feel obligated to fill them out, but now I just delete them. I doubt anyone looks at them anyhow.

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  4. She wore a white wedding gown into a Starbucks???? What could go wrong there?

    Pictures. I bet she was having wedding pictures taken. I hear photographers like the morning light.

    Woulda been funny with a big coffee stain on the front of the gown.

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  5. Hmmm, I would just stay blocked by facebook. But I don’t really use it. I would have had to ask her if she was getting married! I’m too curious. Or maybe too nosey. Maybe she couldn’t do it without having her morning starbucks first. I can see that. Hazel looks like she’d agree.

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    • When I started blogging I started an account on Facebook and Twitter (remember that?). People told me that those were good places to promote my blog. I found lots of relatives on Facebook but never got into Twitter. If it wasn’t for relatives I probably would have let FB go but I’d miss their updates. I was suspicious but I researched before I did it. That dress! I wish I could have taken a picture of it. If I was a bride, I’d make one of my minions (all brides have them) get me a SB or I’d go in jeans. She could have gotten her dress dirty or spilled coffee. As it was, she brought a lot of “awe” to a coffee shop. Hope her day was great.

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  6. The constant request for reviews can be quite irritating. I’ve grown so cynical lately after receiving some sketchy requests. Too many questions and I’m beginning to resent having to provide so much data. Seems like whenever you fill them out, targeted ads ‘suddenly’ appear. Google already stalks my online activity so I’m becoming less inclined to offer more info/data. There’s not enough coffee in the world to make the data requests any less irritating. They use that info to market to you and/or sell it to ‘their partners.’ Umm, no thanks.

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    • I remember a while back (a long while back), I followed a blogger whose blog was mostly devoted to her dogs and cats. Her dog had a Facebook account. Somewhere along the line they shut her down because only people can have an account. Dogs are definitely more fun than people.

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  8. You started with two mysteries and left me wondering, wondering. Why is Kate under A-G and why wear a strapless white dress so early in the morning? Hmm. And then another mystery: Why did Facebook ask for a video of your face? Hmm.

    I have a hankering for some new clothes too. And then I think I should go shopping so I can try them on. And then I don’t. Which is better: online where you have so many choices or in person where you can try things on but can’t find anything you like? One of my problems is trying to buy clothes when the season is almost over.

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    • I often wait until the middle of the season and that’s not a good time either. There may be sales but they rarely carry my size by then. I am waiting for 2 items I ordered on line (after trying the wrong size in a store). Another item came last week. Not sure I will keep. It has a small stripe pattern in one section but the rest of it is white — lily white. I’m not a fan of all white clothes.

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  9. Interesting about the woman in the wedding dress. Maybe being married in a private outdoor ceremony? The Taylor Botanical Gardens where I often write about has small ceremonies and they sometimes photograph the couple being married and there is a covered area where a reception can take place. I hate those reviews. Every time I go grocery shopping, Meijer sends me the same survey and it’s not a short survey either.

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      • I wonder if you could ask the baristas at your Starbucks if any of them know? There may be “whisperings”. I’d say maybe going for a hair appointment for the veil to be placed (like in an “up-do” (if they still do them) and no time to change before walking down the aisle?

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          • That would be me too – and a huge Starbucks brew would give you the jitters, on an already somewhat jittery day. [P.S. – the main act of Ants-a-Million 2025 has arrived. Oh joy! I guess the last invasion was the warm-up band. It’s pretty horrifying – I finally quit smashing them as they were everywhere and I could no longer keep up. I attribute it to the cold spell we are having … just 50 now and raining tonight and daily through Saturday.]

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              • Only a couple in the kitchen but all over the bathroom, hall and my room – ugh. If people planted already, if this cold weather doesn’t get their plants, the non-stop rain will.

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                  • I never thought of using Windex. They are so bad today – worse than yesterday. I was doing my Sunday post this afternoon and looking at pictures for it just as an ant walked across the computer screen. Until this siege is over, I can’t leave my food/drink and walk away as I see some up on the ceiling and they lose their grip and fall down. I, too, am losing my grip like when I walked in the bathroom this morning and saw about ten running around when I turned on the light. I have napkins on the tap and over the soap dispenser – anything I have to touch.

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                    • Well, it persists unfortunately and I’m sure the cold and rainy weather is not helping much. At least there were only two in the kitchen today … I spend my time in the kitchen looking up at the ceiling and across the table and at night I cover my keyboard and mouse with paper napkins and a Ziploc bag respectively. I don’t want to think about where the ants have been before they go on the kitchen table … the bed and bathroom is bad enough.

                      I bought some Spruce weed killer the other day for weeds in my mulch and river rock to use when the rain is done … it won’t hurt creatures or people, but I’m hoping it doesn’t send more ants scurrying inside.

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                    • I’ve heard lots of commercials about it … I will let you know. They claim it dries in one hour and okay for pets and humans. I tried the strong vinegar and Dawn Soap but it did not work for me. Tried salt in the cracks, but did not want to do that more than once, even though it was only table salt.

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  10. It seems a new strategy for some retailers is less stock. If I find something in stock and I like it, by the time the package arrives, they’ve sold out. Guess we are supposed to get the app and read all the emails so we can panic buy

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    • Less inventory is definitely the case. I’m a small size and they get maybe 2 of something in my size and it sells out fast. I end up seeing something in a store and buying online. One of my favorite stores stopped carrying my small size. Their target group is middle ages women and older and they don’t wear small sizes.

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  11. In a wedding dress at 7:30?? Now you have my mind going? LOL! Like you, I hope its not a sad story.

    FB can be so strange. I got hacked today. Someone using my profile pic saying they are me. The funny thing is that they sent a friend request to me! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

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  12. I’m tired of being asked for reviews too. Unless it’s from a small mom and pop store, I doubt if anyone looks at them anyway. I think it’s often just a box from them to check off.

    Your story about the young woman in the dress reminded me of the term “walk of shame,” describing someone who walks home after a one-nighter wearing the clothes from the night before. Hopefully hers is a better background story. 🙂

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  14. Hi, Kate – I’ve noticed an increase in review requests as well, with many openly stating that they want a five-star review (and that any other rating is “substandard”.) Unless I feel completely open to leave an honest review, I won’t leave one at all

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  15. I can’t imagine not having good coffee each day, and I leave the ‘good’ part up to each individual. 🙂 My grandson is a barista at Starbucks. I need to ask him if he’s seen a bride come in. 🙂 I go for my annual on Tuesday, and I always get the review too. I hadn’t heard of the FB face, so thanks for the headsup.

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    • The “bride” was coming in as I was leaving at another door but it was a shocker. There is a story there and this reporter didn’t get it.

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  16. Facial ID on FB is new to me. I don’t think I would respond. I think that woman in white had a very good night and needed coffee; I hope she didn’t have to go to work dressed that way.

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    • Sunday morning so probably not going to work. I was reluctant with FB too so I researched it too. I’m getting to the point where I don’t believe anything.

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  17. Maybe they think Kate begins with a C.
    Another blogger mentioned being asked for facial ID on FB. She declined though.
    Know what you mean about reviews/surveys. We get them all the time and usually ignore them.

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    • I use Facebook to keep connected to relatives so it’s important to me or I wouldn’t have done it. I got a similar request for Instagram several months ago. I don’t have an Instagram account but I think it’s linked with FB. I’m getting too old for this stuff!

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  19. I think I need some coffee in my life. I must be missing out on something that gets you through the aggravations of life… or maybe just makes your day a little more happy! Our week had some beautiful weather and we got out to eat twice (water views) which was the best thing about the whole week!

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  22. Don’t you hate reporting your experience as if they were a good hotel? I LOATHE all this medical advertisement. Here they have bill boards hawking their wares. Got a brain tumor, call me I’m board certified which I’d so like to change to certifiable.

    And Starbucks shall inherit the earth.

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  23. I’m no longer on FB . . . and I don’t miss it. So they never had a chance to ask for my mug shot! 😀

    I used to love looking through clothes catalogs and ordering by phone or snail mail. Now, I’d rather go to the store so I can try before I buy. Good luck with your orders.

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    • I prefer trying on clothes too because I’m fussy about fit but there are fewer choices in stores. I am fortunate we have a local LL Bean (a brand I like) but they don’t carry all style or all sizes but at least if I return I can return to the store. I keep up with family on Facebook so I’d miss it.

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  24. I’ve heard a few other people say that FB wanted a video of their face. Seems like Zuckerberg is getting nosier. So far that hasn’t happened on IG.

    I don’t do reviews either, but have had the same thing happen. I’m not even buckled into my car and then *bam* I’m being asked to waste time answering a survey. Kind of tacky.

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  25. Surveys…..surveys…..and wanting me to write a review….that’s even worse. But I guess it’s all in the name of “customer feedback” or maybe “free advertising” for them….who knows. So someone at Starbucks thinks “K” should be in a different alphabetical listing than we “normal people” (well…..sort of anyway) know to be the alphabet? I’m with you on the frustration of getting a catalog and trying to order RIGHT AWAY and finding your size isn’t available, etc. Not fair! The Facebook face thing is bothering though – WHAT? Haven’t heard anyone talk about having to do that. You’re SPECIAL Kate……. 🙂

    Hugs, Pam

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  26. I hate all the surveys I get. They are endless. Even on the grocery store receipts, as well as text and email. I ignore them all. Some pr person told folks this was a good idea once upon a time, and it is a long-past-overdone strategy these days. And Starbucks has your last name, clearly!! Technology spying on you.

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