Yesterday, I got this friendly reminder email at work:
This friendly reminder triggered many unfriendly thoughts in the unfriendly parts of my brain, like “Oh no! My license is going to expire and I won’t be able to work and I love my work and usually they send me a renewal notice in the mail but I didn’t see it and bureaucracies are so screwed up since COVID and I better do something about this NOW!” So I went to the Massachusetts licensing board website and spent many unfriendly minutes trying to renew my license as soon as possible (as I was directed to do by that friendly reminder) until I found a screen that said “your license renewal code will be mailed to you approximately 60 days before the expiration date of your license.” There is absolutely nothing I can do until I get that renewal code, which made me wonder why I was sent that friendly reminder 90 days in advance.
I mean, really, how friendly is that?
Do you see any friendly reminders in my images for today?
There’s another not-so-friendly reminder from the Daily Bitch Calendar.
Two friendly reminders: today is a good day to have donuts and play outdoors.
The Peter Gunn theme by Henry Mancini is a friendly reminder of my childhood.
This is a friendly reminder that all comments are welcomed, below.
Thanks to all who remind me that there are friendly people out there, including YOU!
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
I always smile when I hear Fred Flintstone finish that theme with his Yabba Dabba Do, Ann, but, I’ll share this less ubiquitous and more subtle theme that for some reason has run through my head recently. Cheers to the instrumental of 80s police drama ‘Hill Street Blues.’ https://youtu.be/iiL2VgVBpdA
Thanks for sharing, my friend.
often ‘friendly reminders’ seem like an oxymoron to me. just this summer I received one from the state education department to re-up my certification. I hate the paperwork and process involved and it tends to be off-putting to me, putting it way down on my list of to-do’s, but it’s always hanging over me until I turn it in and get the new certification.
I can relate, beth.
That friendly reminder could have been more helpful. Maybe they could have sent a helpful reminder to watch your snail mail.next month for your renewal code, and reassuring note saying that it will all work out
Thanks for another helpful comment, my friend.
Once, while isolated in a care center for therapy following a serious illness, I finally managed to re-establish contact with the real world.
After trying to pay my rent for two months and failing (other than to let the manager know I was in circumstances complicating that process and trying to work it out to their satisfaction, a friend brought my mail to the care center, which was an hour away from my checkbook and postage….
So, I open a letter from the home office of the apartment complex where I lived. She told me I was two months behind on my rent and that they were going to start eviction proceedings (!) on the 19th of the month if I didn’t pay up. I received the letter on the 23rd of the month.
“If I had a gun, I’d blow my brains out!” was my first reaction. I’ve never owned a gun nor have I ever felt like suicide was the solution, period.
I mentioned the gun reaction on the phone while talking with the manager of the apartment complex so she understood how upset I was with the letter and how the person at the home office could have caused a suicide with the wrong person.
The phone was at the nurse station. Oops!
Next think I know, I’m getting lots of attention from the social worker and every other staff member of the care center, asking for my mental state and assuring themselves they won’t have a suicide to explain any time soon. LOL!
Anyway, after I talked with the manager of the apartment complex, she reassured me that: 1. I’d never been late on rent and mostly well ahead of time, so she knew I wasn’t avoiding payment; 2. that she understood my circumstances and knew there would be payment as soon as I wrote and mailed the now-available checkbook and postage; 3. that she understood I wanted her to contact the stupid cow in the home office to let her understand she could have precipitated a suicide with her letter, that she should check first with the local people to find out little details, like my past payment history and current circumstances, before threatening to evict the resident.
Boy oh boy! A poorly timed communication can cause hubbub, with potentially worse consequences than the communication is meant to avoid!
Wow! Thanks for sharing this story, Doug.
I’m sure you’ll get your renewal in time, but it adds to the stress while waiting. It’s true that bureaucracy is even more unpredictable due to Covid changes. I think the problem is that there are just too many reminders coming at me these days–maybe after tomorrow’s election some of those “reminders” (translate: pleas) will slow down. I need a break! 🙂