Scheduling

I know I've mentioned this... over and over I'm sure... but the longer time goes on, the more times when I ask someone, when will work for them to come over... oh they'll get back to me.  Then they message a few days later and say, "ok I'm going to come by on Tuesday evening."

You notice, that completely disregards anything that I might be doing, and assumes that I will just be sitting home doing nothing, waiting for them.  And I assure you... I'm not.

As much as I love these little furballs... I do have a life too.  I have friends, I have parents / relatives, I do stuff "for fun"... just like everyone.

Another good example of this is -- let's say I tell someone, I'll be available until 2 pm (on a certain day).  Their response: ok, well I'll be sure to come before 2.  Uh, sorry, but no.  That's not how this works.  This isn't a pet store where you can just walk in at any time... I like to know when people are coming.  We get a lot of those religious nuts (and I have a nutzo neighbor who likes to pound on my door as well), so I prefer to not answer the door unless I KNOW I have an appointment.

I suppose, if I was to be an ass, what I should do, would be to say, ok that's fine.  And then if I need to run an errand or whatever, well, they didn't tell me what time they were coming, so I should just go.  And then, when they get here (while I'm gone) and call and throw a hissy fit... well, I had to go run an errand, no idea when they were coming (or IF... don't get me started on the no-calls, no-shows), be back soon!

I guess, the reason this really frustrates me is that people could never do this when making appointments elsewhere.  Try it! (and let me listen in)  Call up a doctor's office and ask when they have availability... they say ok they have morning appointments open, what time would the person like?  And say, "ok I'll show up in the morning!" and watch what their response is.  I assure you, unless you're talking about a walk-in clinic or that sort of thing, their response will be something along the lines of, "ok, but what time in the morning would you like your appointment to be?" 

Without there being other opportunities in the world for just showing up whenever, specifically at a business that does appointments, I just can't quite grasp where people are getting that this is just the "norm."  Yes, I do live here.  But no, I don't sit around waiting for people.  Living here means I leave, too!

Example for you -- the other day we were making goodie bags and ran out of shredded wheat.  Between appointments, I ran out to Walmart to pick up some.  I knew what time I had to be back, based on the appointments I had set.  If I was just waiting for people all day, I could never leave.  That wouldn't work out very well, now would it?  But since I knew what time I had people coming, I made sure to leave with enough time to be back for the next appointment.

On these same lines, I think what I find the most frustrating about all of this is the finality that most of these people use when they go about it.  "I will see you Tuesday evening."  Period.  No, "does that work for you?" or anything of that nature.  I email / call / text back explaining, maybe I will only be there part of Tuesday evening, or if they can come early, I can set an appointment, but if they want to come later, then I will need to let them know when I get home.  Sometimes that message gets read, sometimes not (I can tell like if it's a facebook message or sometimes a text).  When it's not read... that makes me think... like how can they NOT check back and see that I said, ok that works for me?   Just to get a confirmation...

All I ask, which I guess is a lot (?), is that people make actual appointments (2 pm, not 3-6ish, and then call at 6 and say going to be more like 8) and stick to those appointments.  I really feel like this should not be this hard!