So...it's been a while since I've posted a blog. Don't worry readers, Brooklyn hasn't lost its flavor and I haven't retired; I've just been extremely busy trying to carve my own space and establish myself career wise. And after 8 months of searching high and low in what seemed to be a most horrendous job market, Prof. Smith has arrived. I am now officially an adjunct lecturer in the CUNY (City University of New York)system and I will soon begin a training course with the Univ. of Phoenix to become a member of their online adjunct faculty. Yipee---I was starting to think my degrees were in vain (just kidding!) But now that I've secured my day job I can get back to that which excites me...writing about the "going ons" in my beloved borough of Brooklyn!
Talk to you soon!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
"Another One Bites the Dust...Black Owned Businesses"
I think it’s fair to say that most people, myself included, like to patronize the mom and pop shops and family oriented businesses in their neighborhoods, more importantly we hate to see these establishments replaced by big name franchises. Maybe it’s just me but I think there’s something special about having a service provided for you by someone you know as opposed to a total stranger and it’s an even greater feeling to know that when you spend your money that you are ultimately putting it back into your own community.
Now, of course I am relatively speaking and this is all in theory because I also believe that if a business does not follow proper etiquette and protocol then patrons should feel free to take their money elsewhere without any feelings of guilt or remorse. What saddens me is that I’ve had to do just that, with regard to the black owned ventures in my neighborhood. Of course, I’m generalizing and this is not true of all black establishments but I have come across too many that just fail to exercise proper business protocol, whether they falsely advertise, don’t adhere to their set hours of operation, or provide horrible customer service (actually I think that’s New York City at large) there is always something that makes the customer want to go elsewhere.
CASE AND POINT…
A dear friend of mine had been raving to me for quite sometime about a privately owned income tax service that he had frequented over the years. He knew a husband and wife who had turned the basement of their home into an office and during tax season the dynamic duo became the neighborhood H&R Block. Due to the large number of people that the couple serviced throughout the tax season, my dear friend also mentioned to me that you had to stay on top of them thus meaning that you couldn’t drop your W-2’s off at their office and expect to have your tax return completed in a timely fashion. Considering the nature of the situation I thought that was reasonable, even when I filed my taxes with big named corporations I sat in the office of the preparer until the process was completed.
I didn’t know it then but I should have read my friend’s minor precaution as an omen of the obnoxious proceedings that were about to take place. What started out as a routine annual trip to the income tax man to reclaim that which I had overpaid the government in taxes has turned into a never-ending saga; 4 trips and 45 days later and I have yet to receive my rebate. Yes, you read correctly…so much for the standard 5-10 business days.
My first trip during the first week of February ended in my being told by Mrs. Tax Man that I would have to return to the office at a later date to have my State return filed and completed, the problem being that I lived and worked in two states during 2008 (Ohio and New York) and their office did not have the proper software to complete my Ohio State return. Now I am aware that this is a small company in Brooklyn, NY and that most if not all of their clients are residents of Brooklyn, NY but if you are offering a service and you are competing against big named companies (i.e. H&R Block) that provide the same service, it seems as though it would be in your best interest to be well equipped. I mean really…despite where you live is it ever okay for the tax man to tell you that he does not have the proper software? Especially in a cosmopolitan city like New York which people migrate to on a daily basis?
At this point I should have taken my business and my dollars elsewhere but in an effort to support and patronize black owned entities in my neighborhood, I returned to the establishment on Feb. 18, 2009. This visit was quick and painless (or so it seemed). The correct software had been properly installed and both my Ohio and New York State returns were filed within minutes of my arrival. Before departing I was told again by Mrs. Tax Man that my Federal refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Fri., Feb. 27th.
Well, it should come as no surprise that February 27th came and went without me receiving my Federal refund. I waited patiently for another week and still…NOTHING! By Tues., March 10th I decided that I needed to pay the tax twosome another visit, so I went to their office directly after work that evening. Of course the couple appeared dumbfounded and perplexed and could not understand why I had not received my Federal return. After deliberating with one another in secret for three minutes…you guessed it, Mrs. Tax Man returned to tell me that my refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Thurs., March 12th.
MUST I RAMBLE ON? I’M QUITE SURE EVERYONE CAN HYPOTHESIZE, THURS., MARCH 12TH = NO FEDERAL REFUND!
To make a long story short, I contacted the IRS that day only to find out that my tax return was filed and received on MARCH 11, 2009. WTF? Are my ears deceiving me? This can’t possibly be true. Do tax prepares really lie to their clients to get them off their backs? I can’t speak for all tax companies but this was my experience with this particular establishment in Brooklyn.
Given the grueling circumstances of my ordeal, does one really need to wonder whether or not I was offered any type of consolation when I confronted Mr. Tax Man to find out why I had been lied to? For those inquiring minds that yearn to know…I was offered NO explanation or consolation. Instead, Mr. Tax man provided me with yet another date to expect my Federal refund and he assured me that the person responsible for lying to me would be fired.
“THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR LYING TO ME?” SHAME ON YOU MR. TAX MAN, YOUR BUSINESS ONLY CONSISTS OF TWO PEOPLE AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO FIRE YOUR WIFE!
Another one bites the dust…What is up with my people and their shady business practices?
Now, of course I am relatively speaking and this is all in theory because I also believe that if a business does not follow proper etiquette and protocol then patrons should feel free to take their money elsewhere without any feelings of guilt or remorse. What saddens me is that I’ve had to do just that, with regard to the black owned ventures in my neighborhood. Of course, I’m generalizing and this is not true of all black establishments but I have come across too many that just fail to exercise proper business protocol, whether they falsely advertise, don’t adhere to their set hours of operation, or provide horrible customer service (actually I think that’s New York City at large) there is always something that makes the customer want to go elsewhere.
CASE AND POINT…
A dear friend of mine had been raving to me for quite sometime about a privately owned income tax service that he had frequented over the years. He knew a husband and wife who had turned the basement of their home into an office and during tax season the dynamic duo became the neighborhood H&R Block. Due to the large number of people that the couple serviced throughout the tax season, my dear friend also mentioned to me that you had to stay on top of them thus meaning that you couldn’t drop your W-2’s off at their office and expect to have your tax return completed in a timely fashion. Considering the nature of the situation I thought that was reasonable, even when I filed my taxes with big named corporations I sat in the office of the preparer until the process was completed.
I didn’t know it then but I should have read my friend’s minor precaution as an omen of the obnoxious proceedings that were about to take place. What started out as a routine annual trip to the income tax man to reclaim that which I had overpaid the government in taxes has turned into a never-ending saga; 4 trips and 45 days later and I have yet to receive my rebate. Yes, you read correctly…so much for the standard 5-10 business days.
My first trip during the first week of February ended in my being told by Mrs. Tax Man that I would have to return to the office at a later date to have my State return filed and completed, the problem being that I lived and worked in two states during 2008 (Ohio and New York) and their office did not have the proper software to complete my Ohio State return. Now I am aware that this is a small company in Brooklyn, NY and that most if not all of their clients are residents of Brooklyn, NY but if you are offering a service and you are competing against big named companies (i.e. H&R Block) that provide the same service, it seems as though it would be in your best interest to be well equipped. I mean really…despite where you live is it ever okay for the tax man to tell you that he does not have the proper software? Especially in a cosmopolitan city like New York which people migrate to on a daily basis?
At this point I should have taken my business and my dollars elsewhere but in an effort to support and patronize black owned entities in my neighborhood, I returned to the establishment on Feb. 18, 2009. This visit was quick and painless (or so it seemed). The correct software had been properly installed and both my Ohio and New York State returns were filed within minutes of my arrival. Before departing I was told again by Mrs. Tax Man that my Federal refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Fri., Feb. 27th.
Well, it should come as no surprise that February 27th came and went without me receiving my Federal refund. I waited patiently for another week and still…NOTHING! By Tues., March 10th I decided that I needed to pay the tax twosome another visit, so I went to their office directly after work that evening. Of course the couple appeared dumbfounded and perplexed and could not understand why I had not received my Federal return. After deliberating with one another in secret for three minutes…you guessed it, Mrs. Tax Man returned to tell me that my refund would be directly deposited to my bank account on Thurs., March 12th.
MUST I RAMBLE ON? I’M QUITE SURE EVERYONE CAN HYPOTHESIZE, THURS., MARCH 12TH = NO FEDERAL REFUND!
To make a long story short, I contacted the IRS that day only to find out that my tax return was filed and received on MARCH 11, 2009. WTF? Are my ears deceiving me? This can’t possibly be true. Do tax prepares really lie to their clients to get them off their backs? I can’t speak for all tax companies but this was my experience with this particular establishment in Brooklyn.
Given the grueling circumstances of my ordeal, does one really need to wonder whether or not I was offered any type of consolation when I confronted Mr. Tax Man to find out why I had been lied to? For those inquiring minds that yearn to know…I was offered NO explanation or consolation. Instead, Mr. Tax man provided me with yet another date to expect my Federal refund and he assured me that the person responsible for lying to me would be fired.
“THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR LYING TO ME?” SHAME ON YOU MR. TAX MAN, YOUR BUSINESS ONLY CONSISTS OF TWO PEOPLE AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO FIRE YOUR WIFE!
Another one bites the dust…What is up with my people and their shady business practices?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
"Scandalous But True: The Case of the Golden Earring"
Okay, so I just had to share to this because my mind just won’t allow me to erase the following image:
About two weeks ago I was in my car delayed by a traffic light at the corner of Flatbush and Parkside avenues. If you are familiar with this part of Flatbush then you know there is a bus top and Duane Reade at one corner and a Popeye’s Chicken on the opposite side of the street. As I waited impatiently for the light to turn from red to green, I couldn’t help but to notice the rather large woman whose gold earring fell from her ear as she was crossing the intersection. In an attempt to rescue and retrieve her precious belongings, the overweight woman -like any other woman-stopped dead in her tracks and bent down in the middle of the street to pick up the golden earring…
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION THIS IS WHERE THE STORY GETS INTERESTING, ACTUALLY IT GETS QUITE DISTURBING…
As I remained stalled in traffic by the red light (I know…this is a pretty long light) I had a front row seat and was privy to the action taking place in front of my 2003 Pontiac Vibe. The woman bent down to retrieve the earring and to her dismay and mine-lets be for real it was probably just to my dismay- the obese woman could not touch the ground! Not only did she try ONCE…she tried TWICE and unfortunately it was to no avail. The physical action that most of us take for granted -because we perform it several times a day with ease- as we salvage the items that slip from our finger tips onto the ground was painstakingly hard for this woman, who was no more than 35-38 years of age.
IT GETS WORSE…
At this point I felt sorry for the woman. I clearly am not 38 (I have about 10 years to go) but I think we all agree that 38 is still relatively young and if you take care of your body then it can still perform simple functions like RECAPTURING OBJECTS FROM THE GROUND!! Unfortunately this woman like many Americans (especially black Americans) had become a victim of obesity. Her weight was so debilitating that she was unable to perform every day tasks. As I watched from my car I could see the frustration on her face and then…she accepted defeat. The woman left the golden earring in the street; operation “Retrieve Earring” was now officially over.
I sat in my car and thought to myself; damn…she really could not touch the ground. I don’t ever want to get that big. It was at that very moment that the INSANE occurred; as I re-focused my attention back on the overweight woman who was now apparently moving on with her life, obviously forgetting what had just transpired 30 seconds ago, I watched and recoiled in horror as she continued to cross the intersection at Parkside and Flatbush avenue. Originating on the side of the street where the bus stop and Duane Reade are located the large woman had now made it to the other side of the street where she proceeded to walk into POPEYE’S CHICKEN AND PLACE HER ORDER!
WTF??!!!
About two weeks ago I was in my car delayed by a traffic light at the corner of Flatbush and Parkside avenues. If you are familiar with this part of Flatbush then you know there is a bus top and Duane Reade at one corner and a Popeye’s Chicken on the opposite side of the street. As I waited impatiently for the light to turn from red to green, I couldn’t help but to notice the rather large woman whose gold earring fell from her ear as she was crossing the intersection. In an attempt to rescue and retrieve her precious belongings, the overweight woman -like any other woman-stopped dead in her tracks and bent down in the middle of the street to pick up the golden earring…
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION THIS IS WHERE THE STORY GETS INTERESTING, ACTUALLY IT GETS QUITE DISTURBING…
As I remained stalled in traffic by the red light (I know…this is a pretty long light) I had a front row seat and was privy to the action taking place in front of my 2003 Pontiac Vibe. The woman bent down to retrieve the earring and to her dismay and mine-lets be for real it was probably just to my dismay- the obese woman could not touch the ground! Not only did she try ONCE…she tried TWICE and unfortunately it was to no avail. The physical action that most of us take for granted -because we perform it several times a day with ease- as we salvage the items that slip from our finger tips onto the ground was painstakingly hard for this woman, who was no more than 35-38 years of age.
IT GETS WORSE…
At this point I felt sorry for the woman. I clearly am not 38 (I have about 10 years to go) but I think we all agree that 38 is still relatively young and if you take care of your body then it can still perform simple functions like RECAPTURING OBJECTS FROM THE GROUND!! Unfortunately this woman like many Americans (especially black Americans) had become a victim of obesity. Her weight was so debilitating that she was unable to perform every day tasks. As I watched from my car I could see the frustration on her face and then…she accepted defeat. The woman left the golden earring in the street; operation “Retrieve Earring” was now officially over.
I sat in my car and thought to myself; damn…she really could not touch the ground. I don’t ever want to get that big. It was at that very moment that the INSANE occurred; as I re-focused my attention back on the overweight woman who was now apparently moving on with her life, obviously forgetting what had just transpired 30 seconds ago, I watched and recoiled in horror as she continued to cross the intersection at Parkside and Flatbush avenue. Originating on the side of the street where the bus stop and Duane Reade are located the large woman had now made it to the other side of the street where she proceeded to walk into POPEYE’S CHICKEN AND PLACE HER ORDER!
WTF??!!!
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