The Walterland Blog

In the past month I have been faced with two occasions where I wasn't sure if I was supposed to leave a tip. I'm generally bad at this anyhow... Unless I'm at a restaurant or a bar, I don't think I should leave a tip. You decide...

This past Saturday, I had my first "Curbside To Go" experience from Ruby Tuesdays... It was convenient, fast and the food was surprisingly good when I got home. Now, do I leave a tip for the chick that brought the food to my car? In my mind, at this point... we're playing "drive thru." I don't leave a tip for the kid jockeying the register at McDonald's drive thru. I think maybe I was supposed to leave a tip though because the chick kinda shot me a dirty look when I didn't. But seriously, what did she do? What did she do above and beyond that warranted a tip?

A few weeks ago I got my daughter's name tattooed on my arm. It was a decent size tattoo... it took a fair amount of time, but I brought in the design. All he had to do was trace it out and fill it in. He did a great job, but should I leave him a tip? He didn't have to put any thought or creativity into the tattoo...

I'm not cheap or anything, but I don't want to start leaving tips for people if I don't have to. That makes me feel like I'm going to have to leave a tip every time from that point on since I did once. One last example...

The last time I bought beer I got it from this place in Dover where you walk up to the window, tell them what you want, then they go get it AND put it in your car for you. Do I tip that guy?

Someone needs to come out with a list or book or something... Tipping Etiquette. Maybe someone’s already written it… I should look.

Today, we are celebrating the birth of the Walterland Blog. In celebration of this historic event, I am republishing the two blog posts I did on this day one year ago that kicked it all off...

10:33 AM

If ever you were thinking of buying a car, truck or SUV... DO NOT buy a Ford... especially a Ford Explorer. If by chance you happen to own one of the shit boxes... DO NOT take it to Beasley Ford for repair. Beasley will take you for a ride to places neither you or your car have been to before. If you do decide to not heed my warning and take your shit box to Beasley, make sure you pay with a check so you can stop payment on it the next day. More to follow...

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4:31 PM

So, as it turns out... the shit box I'm driving needed a new (rebuilt) tranny. So, it started its voyage out at Beasley Ford. Well, it turns out that they not only suck, but they blow too. From there I had towed to this shady place call Lee Myles Transmissions. Another word of caution... if you are ever in the York, PA area... and are having transmission issues... don't go here either. Allow me to explain.

6 days ago I was told that my car would be ready. That was a Friday... well, they didn't meet their deadline. Things happen, no biggie. I called them on Monday... they needed a couple of brackets. Whatever... an oversight, no biggie... they'll miss that deadline too. I called them on Tuesday... they need more parts. I'm losing my patience now and I vocalized that to them on the phone with the stipulation that I don't want to pay more for this transmission than I did for the car. No problem, accepted their apology... it'll be ready tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. I just got off the phone with them an hour ago (3:30 PM)... this is the story I was told... are you sitting down?

The guy that was working on assembling my transmission was in an accident last night. I think to myself, that's unfortunate for him... I ask if he's OK even though I couldn't freakin care less... the guy I've been working with tells me that he thinks there's more to this and doesn't totally believe he was in an accident. He next proceeds to tell me that he recently found out that his wife (the guy is 50, and the wife is 46)... I'm thinking he's going to say has been cheating on him... not even close... the wife has been doing crack!!! No shit... And because of it, he has developed a drinking problem... Ya think! He's been coming into work reaking of booze and stink, but I was told it hasn't been effecting his work, so no one sees a problem... But, he tells me they got their second string transmission guy working on it now... but he's running into problems. He's been having to go off of diagrams and pictures and can't seem to make things work. I'm never going to get my car back...

Let's recap...

My car's transmission is still in pieces. I've got a drunk, married to a crack addict assembling it... and currently they have picture book mechanic running into dilemas (apparently he can assemble a tranny he's taken apart, but can't put one back together that he didn't take apart... this is what I was told on the phone). This is like a bad friggin dream...

Why is it that in the winter time, every time I get out of my car... I get damn near electrocuted trying to close the door. Only seems to happen in the winter time. Maybe it's dryer... I dunno. I even been get hit through my gloves. Brutal...

Today, in about an hour of so, the astronauts in the International Space Station are getting ready to toss a spacesuit out the door. Here's a little bit of the article and the link to a website that's tracking it.

Pulled this right off MSNBC.com:

"Friday, they will stuff an old spacesuit with discarded clothes and a radio transmitter and toss it out the door. Complete with helmet and gloves, off it should float like a lost soul in space.

The transmitter will send recorded messages in six languages to amateur radio operators for several days before eventually re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and burning up, NASA officials said."

Reports of Reception of SuitSat

I guess they are experiencing a Karaoke epidemic in Japan.

Karaoke curfew imposed on Japanese teens...