First world problems! Share them here!

[the_geneticist]

I went to the grocery store today. Lots of empty shelves. Do we have a hurricane or other bad weather in our future? Nope. Instead, we had a plague of locusts (otherwise known as students) arrive in our town over the weekend. It is not like the University keeps the arrival date a secret. Every August, our college-town grows by at least 1/3rd of its year-round population. You would think that the local stores would mark that on their calendars and change their orders accordingly.

Ha ha!  I've lived places like that!  You couldn't get ramen noodles or cheap hangers for love or money during move in week.

[lightning]

I went to the grocery store today. Lots of empty shelves. Do we have a hurricane or other bad weather in our future? Nope. Instead, we had a plague of locusts (otherwise known as students) arrive in our town over the weekend. It is not like the University keeps the arrival date a secret. Every August, our college-town grows by at least 1/3rd of its year-round population. You would think that the local stores would mark that on their calendars and change their orders accordingly.

Ha ha!  I've lived places like that!  You couldn't get ramen noodles or cheap hangers for love or money during move in week.

Everyone should take care during move-in week. There will be lots of new students who do not look before crossing the street. If one of them gets hit by a car, and they end up in the ER, they'll have to wait with all the COVID-19 patients in the ER, and possibly bring the 'rona to campus.

[dismalist]

I went to the grocery store today. Lots of empty shelves. Do we have a hurricane or other bad weather in our future? Nope. Instead, we had a plague of locusts (otherwise known as students) arrive in our town over the weekend. It is not like the University keeps the arrival date a secret. Every August, our college-town grows by at least 1/3rd of its year-round population. You would think that the local stores would mark that on their calendars and change their orders accordingly.

Ha ha!  I've lived places like that!  You couldn't get ramen noodles or cheap hangers for love or money during move in week.

That's a fascinating puzzle. I have a hypothesis: Ramen noodles and cheap hangers are low margin or [markup] items. Don't want to overstock. Have more of the high margin items on hand.

[mamselle]

Some smaller stores (and even some larger ones in my area) are still understocking on some things to cushion themselves from being overstretched by incurring too much overhead/overstock outlay on their margins.

The past year's uncertainty has affected ordering patterns in several ways. Some things are anticipated, like TP; others not so much.

M. 

[the_geneticist]

I went to the grocery store today. Lots of empty shelves. Do we have a hurricane or other bad weather in our future? Nope. Instead, we had a plague of locusts (otherwise known as students) arrive in our town over the weekend. It is not like the University keeps the arrival date a secret. Every August, our college-town grows by at least 1/3rd of its year-round population. You would think that the local stores would mark that on their calendars and change their orders accordingly.

Ha ha!  I've lived places like that!  You couldn't get ramen noodles or cheap hangers for love or money during move in week.

That's a fascinating puzzle. I have a hypothesis: Ramen noodles and cheap hangers are low margin or [markup] items. Don't want to overstock. Have more of the high margin items on hand.

I pose an alternative hypothesis: students LOVE ramen.  If there is no ramen, they don't buy other types of higher margin soup (canned, heat-and-serve, etc.)

[dismalist]

I went to the grocery store today. Lots of empty shelves. Do we have a hurricane or other bad weather in our future? Nope. Instead, we had a plague of locusts (otherwise known as students) arrive in our town over the weekend. It is not like the University keeps the arrival date a secret. Every August, our college-town grows by at least 1/3rd of its year-round population. You would think that the local stores would mark that on their calendars and change their orders accordingly.

Ha ha!  I've lived places like that!  You couldn't get ramen noodles or cheap hangers for love or money during move in week.

That's a fascinating puzzle. I have a hypothesis: Ramen noodles and cheap hangers are low margin or [markup] items. Don't want to overstock. Have more of the high margin items on hand.

I pose an alternative hypothesis: students LOVE ramen.  If there is no ramen, they don't buy other types of higher margin soup (canned, heat-and-serve, etc.)

If that were true, there would be Ramen!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

In network? Out of network? Specialists? I LOATHE insurance companies and the entire claim process. Also, my primary care doctor's staff LIED to me and told me my doc was in network. I found out today that is NOT The case. So, they want me to pay EXTRA money. Arrrrghhhhhh.

[Liquidambar]

Also, my primary care doctor's staff LIED to me and told me my doc was in network. I found out today that is NOT The case. So, they want me to pay EXTRA money. Arrrrghhhhhh.

That's not fair!  I hope you don't have to pay.

My first world problem:  I can't order a keyboard cover for my new laptop since I left it at the office and I can't remember the keyboard layout in enough detail.

[mamselle]

Do you have the receipt for the laptop purchase? Does it show the model number?

Most places, like MicroCenter, BestBuy, etc., list size and other specs on their online ordering pages.

You could go to one of those sites and get the info that way, possibly.

M.

[Liquidambar]

I have a record of the laptop order, but the model is too new for aftermarket keyboard covers to list it as a model they're compatible with.  I need to figure out which of last year's laptop models has the same style keyboard.  Probably I could order a manufacturer-approved keyboard cover with the info I already have available, but I want a more exciting color.  Totally a first-world problem--I will have to wait TWO WHOLE DAYS after I'm next at the office to check it instead of two days from today!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I just wasted three hours of my life waiting for a plumber who didn't show up. Had to reschedule. I may just try to take this faucet apart myself and fix it.

[AmLitHist]

I just wasted three hours of my life waiting for a plumber who didn't show up. Had to reschedule. I may just try to take this faucet apart myself and fix it.

I hope you rescheduled with a different plumber!

[mythbuster]

I'm bored by my lunch options for today.

[dismalist]

I just wasted three hours of my life waiting for a plumber who didn't show up. Had to reschedule. I may just try to take this faucet apart myself and fix it.

I hope you rescheduled with a different plumber!

Happened to me Thursday and Friday. At the end of a four hour window I received a "courtesy" call that "no can come". Rescheduled for next day. At the end of four hour window received another "courtesy" call "no can come". I cancelled. Called a different plumber next day. Showed up within the hour!

Is this sophisticated strategy -- over-scheduling to lock one in? Or is it incompetence? Never ascribe to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

[mamselle]

Verizon account calls are horribly inept for a communications service company.

M.