Why is everything so much harder and stupid here? (Seattle: apartment, unemployment benefits)

[TheTravellers]

Almost everything we've done here (from shopping for groceries to finding a new job - yes, it's that pervasive) has entailed way more effort than necessary, and has almost always involved stupidity, uncaring, ignorance, or something else.... For example:

We couldn't get water turned on in our new apt because the previous tenant didn't pay their bill (in Sumner) - this should *never* happen, new tenants should *never* be liable or have to deal with previous tenants' BS.

Retail clerks are idiots - can't ring up 2 things and get both prices right (this is just one problem out of about a hundred that we've had with retail clerks).

Doctor's offices are incompetent - front office doesn't talk to the nurse, who doesn't talk to the doctor, then you get a call back a day later without them having talked to each other and they tell you to come in (yeah, duh).

Streets change names on whims, dead end, have straight lanes suddenly change into turn lanes, etc.

*Gravel* is put down on ice and snow - not salt, not sand, not other ice-melting/traction substances, but *gravel*!

I could go on and on and on and on (and will probably try to write a book about how bizarre (and not in a good way) Western WA is), but I won't. I don't even know if this will get past the mod... And yes, we're trying to get our a**es out of here as fast as we can.

Last straw is that WA can't process the extra $25/week unemployment benefits until f-ing MAY!!!! Other states are now paying it out to unemployed workers, but WA can't get its computers straight until MAY - how pathetic. And yes, I'm unemployed, got laid off, which is why I care about this.

Is there *any* explanation as to why everything is so hard and out of the norm here (I've lived in 4 different states and visited probably 30 others, so I kind of know how things are outside of this crappy corner of the USA)??? Geography, isolation, what???

[toughguy]

LOL you don't live in the same Western Washington I do. Good luck on your move. The PNW is the sh**!!

[seattlenextyear]

Good luck on your novel.

[eskercurve]

It sounds like you had a rough time in Seattle. I'm sorry to hear that ... I've had a fantastic time since moving three years ago and will settle here if I have anything to say about it.

The clerks and people in general have a different attitude towards things. And don't be too bothered, they have to ring up 1000s of items a day. Even with 1% error rate, that is still 10 items they mis ring or do something that most likely isn't their fault. Their job isn't a barrell of laughs either, so give them a break.

The thing with the apartment was avoidable. All you had to do was prove to the utilities that you were a new resident. You didn't have to pay, and if you did pay, that's your own fault. Don't kvetch about it.

I sympathize wth the gravel. BUT Seattle has recently gone back on that and will now use salt. And last I checked, plenty of country areas still use gravel.

Do you live near Seattle or somewhere else? Street names only change on a whim and twist and stuff in the suburbs. In the city it is pretty block grid. But also remember that Seattle is basically on a spit of land surrounded by water, and the surrounding areas also have to contend with the geography. So some twisting and turning and whatnot is unavoidable. Don't like it? Move to the midwest or the great plains.

From that sounds of it if you move there, you'll fit right in.

[dpgtfc]

Don't come to the midwest. We have roads like that here too. Also we have our share of stupid people, stupid drivers, people come barrelling out of the isles into the main walkway in supermarkets without even looking, ignorant parking jobs, etc.

You name it, it is stupid here. I've had similar problems with utlities in Independence, Mo too.

[Heiwos]

Sumner is a lot different than Seattle proper. Opposite ends of the political spectrum, for one thing. I agree with the water company; you should have just punted the bill to the landlord, who should have withheld the deposit from the former tenant until all bills are paid.

[Ambassador]

Sounds like a lot of (understandable) frustration over unemployment being taken out on an entire city. I would hate to drive on the same highway as you.....

Nothing you mentioned is unique to any city, including Seattle. I have seen variations of everything you mentioned all over this nation and even abroad.

[tada]

If you notice, the OP has had a lot more problems than unemployment here.

The only things I really don't like about Seattle are the weather and traffic.

[blondandfun]

when you're unemployed and a retail clerk is rude to you for shopping at his store and giving him a job, I can understand your venting.

Just remember one golden rule: People get what they deserve. That retail clerk may have been just like you? Maybe that retail clerk had dreams that didn't come true, like the rest of us?

I shout out a well wishing to you and I recommend you pick up the book "Four Hour workweek" by Timothy Ferris, "The power of intention" by Wayne Dyer, and "the Secret".

Instead of looking at people/places to blame, use this experience as a tipping point. Maybe this is a time for you to change your life?

[deuterdu]

Originally Posted by TheTravellers

Almost everything we've done here (from shopping for groceries to finding a new job - yes, it's that pervasive) has entailed way more effort than necessary, and has almost always involved stupidity, uncaring, ignorance, or something else.... For example:

We couldn't get water turned on in our new apt because the previous tenant didn't pay their bill (in Sumner) - this should *never* happen, new tenants should *never* be liable or have to deal with previous tenants' BS.

Retail clerks are idiots - can't ring up 2 things and get both prices right (this is just one problem out of about a hundred that we've had with retail clerks).

Doctor's offices are incompetent - front office doesn't talk to the nurse, who doesn't talk to the doctor, then you get a call back a day later without them having talked to each other and they tell you to come in (yeah, duh).

Streets change names on whims, dead end, have straight lanes suddenly change into turn lanes, etc.

*Gravel* is put down on ice and snow - not salt, not sand, not other ice-melting/traction substances, but *gravel*!

I could go on and on and on and on (and will probably try to write a book about how bizarre (and not in a good way) Western WA is), but I won't. I don't even know if this will get past the mod... And yes, we're trying to get our a**es out of here as fast as we can.

Last straw is that WA can't process the extra $25/week unemployment benefits until f-ing MAY!!!! Other states are now paying it out to unemployed workers, but WA can't get its computers straight until MAY - how pathetic. And yes, I'm unemployed, got laid off, which is why I care about this.

Is there *any* explanation as to why everything is so hard and out of the norm here (I've lived in 4 different states and visited probably 30 others, so I kind of know how things are outside of this crappy corner of the USA)??? Geography, isolation, what???

Wow, what does one say to that? I love Seattle! I think everyone else pretty much does too. As far as gravel is concerned, many states use gravel and sand mix and it works fine. Maybe you need a really good margarita