Dragon ladies are made in fish stores

Having grown up in a huge extended multi-ethnic family and the US state with a majority Asian population, I can tell you just how it happens. Girls are supposed to be quiet and obedient. They fetch, they serve, and then they hit a point in middle age when they have had enough.

Then watch out, LFS! They walk in inspect, study the plants, inspect the fish, and if you're lucky, they won't start haranguing you about their poor condition in front of the world.

And they call and demand a refund when sold something that isn't up to snuff. They don't want a verbal promise from the nice part-time kid and ask outright if s/he has the power to make decisions. No, they want the manager, the pop of the mom n pop (no, not mom--if she's Asian, she's another dragon lady after all). Watch out, Asian pop. He is the son and grandson of dragon ladies, and he knows he's facing a huge fight. So yeah, I have it in email. Next time I go back, I get a double store credit. That's good. Just in time for hubby to get the Endler's and me more plants.

 

LOL we still love you, Dragonlady

You just totally reminded me of the matchmaker in Mulan. I don't know why, but you said Asian and Dragon lady and bam, there's that scary lady with the beard inked on her face :/

 

I need you on my side. I have a hard time getting fired up even if I'm in the right lol

 

Now, if only I could get my daughter and the dogs to respect me...

 

I wish I was more assertive about such things. I suppose I have a more passive-aggressive approach. I won't say much to them directly, but they will lose my business, and I will tell everyone I come across how I was wronged, I will post reviews everywhere I can find to post them. I will still be condemning them years later. They might get one over on me, but it's going to cost them a lot of money in lost business. Especially technology products because everyone I know comes to me for advice.

I got badly treated by the cable company in Kansas City, I had been a customer for 5 years always on time with payment, perfect customer. I took a 6 week vacation and neglected to pay my bill. I arrived home and that evening I got a call from them saying I was late and that if I didn't pay right then on the phone they would charge me a disconnect fee. I told them to turn it off and I would never be turning it back on. I didn't watch TV for the next 5 years I was living there. I guess that's what you call stubborn.

It's not all one way though. If I get a product or service that I think is exemplary I will spread that too.

 

I wish I was more assertive about such things. I suppose I have a more passive-aggressive approach. I won't say much to them directly, but they will lose my business, and I will tell everyone I come across how I was wronged, I will post reviews everywhere I can find to post them. I will still be condemning them years later. They might get one over on me, but it's going to cost them a lot of money in lost business.

I've avoided confrontation most of my life because people always thought that the tiny angry person was comical. Really, among Asian women, I'm about as shrimpy as they come. Hence, the Internet has become a great avenue for revenge because us small people get to warn others about how they may get treated by a particular company.

I, too, was treated incredibly bad by our previous cable company last summer. The experimental physicist was away, and everything the slightest bit associated with the 21st century shut down for 3 weeks. No cable, no Internet, no house phone, nothing. I spoke with people at the call centers that, judging form the accents and the actual admissions of the workers, were in the South, the Midwest, and the Philippines (an attempt at ethnic loyalty got me nowhere). 5 different techs came to the house and checked out all the wires. Over and over again, company procedure won out over all actual physical observation and reason. We can't find what's wrong, so nothing's wrong even if nothing works.

No one would take me seriously because, well, I didn't scare them. All I got was a verbal promise not to be charged for those days. But I apparently scared my husband. When he told them that he was switching companies, they asked, and he told them that I was going to divorce him (I'd only said that I had a packed bag next to the door). Ever since then, they've been sending me emails about special pricing. Hmm, they never sent me any emails before!

Anyway, I'll give this LFS a chance to give me some great plants with a discount--especially since I will have to drive about 120 miles round-trip *again.* Then I will write a very lengthy review for them on Amazon and Yelp...

 

I'm a big burly guy, some might call me scary or feel intimidated, but I'm rather gentle and shy... But Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her your seed, she'll give you a baby.. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any smack , be ready to receive a ton of ... Well, you know.... Poo in a not so good way.

So no matter how small, short, skinny, fat, you ladies scare me sometimes

 

If you give this woman a fish, she'll ask for "More!"

 

Part of the reason I feel so uncomfortable with complaining in places is that I've worked most of my life in the hospitality industry and had to deal constantly with the complaints from the other side. For every person who has a valid complaint, there is another that is simply out of their mind, and two more who use complaints as a negotiating tactic to get comps and discounts and other free stuff.

The worst thing is when someone has a valid complaint and there is absolutely nothing you can do for them. Such as when the hotel overbooked and their reserved room simply isn't there. We would pay for someone's room in another hotel, but who wants to show up at midnight for a convention starting at 6am and be told that they have a free room, but the closest hotel with rooms is 15 miles away from the convention center.

 

Part of the reason I feel so uncomfortable with complaining in places is that I've worked most of my life in the hospitality industry and had to deal constantly with the complaints from the other side. For every person who has a valid complaint, there is another that is simply out of their mind, and two more who use complaints as a negotiating tactic to get comps and discounts and other free stuff.

The worst thing is when someone has a valid complaint and there is absolutely nothing you can do for them. Such as when the hotel overbooked and their reserved room simply isn't there. We would pay for someone's room in another hotel, but who wants to show up at midnight for a convention starting at 6am and be told that they have a free room, but the closest hotel with rooms is 15 miles away from the convention center.

Sigh ... I've had this scenario happen to me a few times. I'll share that my frustration has never been taken out on the hotel employee, if you travel enough, you learn this just happens... Similar to late flights, missed appointments, cold food, etc.. As long as it's somewhat corrected, move on, why ruin you day over something so small, just don't expect a tip

 

I'm generally calm, but when I blow up, hide lol I can actually swear and insult people in 3 separate languages. English, Spanish, and Japanese. Throws people off if they try to be rude to me.
Also useful when people try to say something rude in Spanish (which I understand almost as well as my native language) and I respond in Spanish XD

 

I'm generally calm, but when I blow up, hide lol I can actually swear and insult people in 3 separate languages. English, Spanish, and Japanese. Throws people off if they try to be rude to me.
Also useful when people try to say something rude in Spanish (which I understand almost as well as my native language) and I respond in Spanish XD

Dos cervezas porfavor! y chips! ariva andele lleva lleva andele!

 

Ay dios mio

 

When I went to the financial aid office at my school and got a big run around:
Finaid lady #1: "Athens State my could take you..."
Me: "Where do I go to contact them?"
Finaid lady: "Not sure, think they are somewhere in Athens"
Finaid lady #2 "Donna might know."
Finaid lady #1 "But she is on vacation till mid January."

At this point I did lose my temper and ask if this was in fact a clown college.

 

When I went to the financial aid office at my school and got a big run around:
Finaid lady #1: "Athens State my could take you..."
Me: "Where do I go to contact them?"
Finaid lady: "Not sure, think they are somewhere in Athens"
Finaid lady #2 "Donna might know."
Finaid lady #1 "But she is on vacation till mid January."

At this point I did lose my temper and ask if this was in fact a clown college.

Athens, Greece, or...? Lol I know we have an Athens here in Ohio. And a Troy. Apparently we're trying to be a separate country over here.

 

My dragonlady experience just keeps going. People are acting a little scared, and it's hilarious.

I ordered some plants after midnight online from the store that accidentally charged me double for a plant and promised me twice the price off the next order. So they went ahead and knocked off $32 off my online order at 6:20 am the next morning. That made me very happy. Then this morning, they emailed me, again at 6:37 am to say that they were out of a mother plant I'd asked for. Bummer. They offered 2 mother plants of another kind for the price of the 1 they couldn't get for another $20 off.

At that point, I told them I don't have space for that many mother plants and asked for just the same amount of money in smaller plants. So I'm getting 3 medium sized ones. I know, I know, I shouldn't have gotten rid of the 45-gal tank. It just cost me $20 in extra plants that I didn't ask for.

Considering that we originally started out with a 3 for the price of 2 sale, I'm beginning to wonder how they can stay in business. It takes a long time to grow a mother anubias plant... What else are they shipping in those containers from Thailand, hidden between the plants?

On the other hand, they do need better online reviews. One reviewer thought they were ok, but the only other raked them over the coals. Or did I just come across as too rabid?

 

My dragonlady experience just keeps going. People are acting a little scared, and it's hilarious.

I ordered some plants after midnight online from the store that accidentally charged me double for a plant and promised me twice the price off the next order. So they went ahead and knocked off $32 off my online order at 6:20 am the next morning. That made me very happy. Then this morning, they emailed me, again at 6:37 am to say that they were out of a mother plant I'd asked for. Bummer. They offered 2 mother plants of another kind for the price of the 1 they couldn't get for another $20 off.

At that point, I told them I don't have space for that many mother plants and asked for just the same amount of money in smaller plants. So I'm getting 3 medium sized ones. I know, I know, I shouldn't have gotten rid of the 45-gal tank. It just cost me $20 in extra plants that I didn't ask for.

Considering that we originally started out with a 3 for the price of 2 sale, I'm beginning to wonder how they can stay in business. It takes a long time to grow a mother anubias plant... What else are they shipping in those containers from Thailand, hidden between the plants?

On the other hand, they do need better online reviews. One reviewer thought they were ok, but the only other raked them over the coals. Or did I just come across as too rabid?

I'd be concerned about the fact that 50% of their reviews are bad. Personally, I think coming across as rabid when you've been treated unfairly, and being polite isn't working, is not a bad thing.

When my mom has a problem with a product or company, she always calls to tell them. She'll be very polite, and usually the problem is addressed. However, if it's not..... well, let's say my little Jewish mum has a bit of the dragon in her, too.