this is more than I asked for..............

This is a repost from several years ago but I feel it's relevant to my most recent post about Pokemon Nana. I think this shows I approach with caution yet will give the benefit of the doubt. When someone goes above and beyond and is TRULY a great business person, then I reward them by sharing that truth as well. 

I had to buy a dishwasher the other day and had found a suitable unit in a clearance centre which was half price. I was delighted with my find until I asked about delivery and install and discovered that I would have to call an independent guy and it would cost me $175 dollars.

That sounded pretty steep, but seeing as I didn't have a truck of my own or any idea how to install my own dishwasher, I didn't have a lot of other options, besides asking and obliging friends which is something I try to save for emergencies. So I called one of the numbers on the list provided by the store and managed to talk the fellow down to $150.

The delivery fellow did mention that the price discussed was his 'over the phone quote', and could change if there was any extra plumbing to be done but he wouldn't know about it to quote on it, until he got there and took out the old dishwasher.

Right away the red flags started waving. I have been seriously burned in the past by workers "finding" problems after they have already given me a quote, so I must admit, I was wary. Very wary, and I told the guy that I would be there watching to see for myself if there was any damage that needed repair. He said he was fine with that.

It is safe to say that I was very distrusting of the delivery guy I had hired. Before I even met or talked to him, I thought I had him pegged, thought he must be a no good scammer. I prepared myself to hold onto every dollar that he would surely try to pry from my near barren pocketbook.

When he arrived, he seemed like a nice enough guy, but seeing as he was the enemy, I still watched him like a hawk to make sure he wasn't doing something off colour, like bending a pipe that he would have to 'fix'

As we chatted, I warmed up a little, he seemed like a nice guy, courteous, competent, and respectful. He complimented my kids on how well mannered they are. I started to relax.

I mentioned the loose sink fixture to him when he went to turn on the water, and he offered to have a look at it. Even though I was feeling more comfortable about him, I was worried at how much this would cost, but knowing a plumber would charge me $80 just to walk in my door, I decided to let him look at it, seeing as he was here already. I figured it would bump up my bill a bit, I just hoped it wouldn't be too much.

Fixing the fixture turned out to be a bit of trouble but at least it got fixed, and once the dishwasher was in and running, I asked the fellow how much I should make the check out for (and then I braced myself).

My jaw could have fallen on the floor when he said $150, the original price he had quoted. My mind was buzzing, inside I was thinking, What? you mean you aren't going to charge me for the extra work? This is unheard of.....is it possible?..... Can I actually wear my rose colored glasses today and not feel like a total fairy-dust dweeb?

Needless to say, I was impressed that he didn't try to take advantage of me.

So without a word, I wrote the check, but I wrote it for more than $150.

Then I handed it to him,........... he looked at it, clearly confused, and said "This is more than I asked for?"

I looked at him and smiled and said "You did more than you said you would".

We looked at each other in the eyes and the smile that showed up on his face was genuine and priceless, and in one blink of a moment, we saw each other as humans rather than opponents. I was actually hopeful for humanity, and grateful to find that in some ways, in some places, the village still exists.


He took his gear to his truck, and then returned with some items for me to look at, telling me that he and his wife also ran a beauty product company. Then he placed the goodies in my hand and told me, "This is a gift for you".

Clearly he appreciated that I acknowledged his efforts, as much as I appreciated the helping hand without a dollar value attached to it. We were strangers who recognized the humanity in each other, that was the true gift.

Try to see someone today without judging or misunderstanding them. You might be surprised.

warmly, Rach

A true and tragic Pokemon tale. The Pokemon Nana story - Was he going to pay for grading the cards at PSA? A video review of services.

FINAL UPDATE 4/07/25

The next chapter / piece of this story addresses what Alex said about us. 

As we all know the police told my Mom and myself that; Alex would find the remaining two cards and compensate her for the unsealed one. 

That did not happen, instead, Alex produced a fictional timeline as his excuse to the public (in which he neatly tangled himself in his own web) and falsely said the police slandered us and closed the case in his favor. 

I contacted the officer who he spoke with to get clarity.

Here is his response:

So no, the case did not settle 'in Alex's favor', in fact the police told us we have a solid civil case against him. 

Sadly  the Delta Police are putting the onus back on my mother to find a way to make herself whole again by contacting the thief (who has blocked her, frauded her, and lied to and about her) herself to get the cards back.  I did write back and ask the officer if this all falls in line with their: "No call too small" mandate they advertised in a massive flyer specifically for seniors that just went out in the Optimist. He has not responded yet. 

I do have questions how a case file can be concluded when the items have not been returned, I wonder how it can be called resolved when it has not been? 

At this point it's clear this guy is not going to return her cards or compensate her so she is still not whole. 

I may continue to get clarity on this situation as I talk to other friends who are concerned by how my Mother was (or wasn't) 'helped' by authorities in the community. 

UPDATE!  3/20/25

I would like to respond to his post:

So thats my response to his excuses..... 
Beware of the half truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half. ~Author Unknown

 

the video is below if you interested.

For those of you supporting me I appreciate you> For the ones who hesitate (for now) I get it, I forgive you,  I can see how he works. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Is this how it works? Inquiring minds want to know.




I'll let the video speak for itself because it's so convoluted, it's nearly impossible to lay out or follow this story if you just walk a straight line. 


The star of the show (the barely famous): "He who shall not be named" flip flops around so many times and with such apparent ease, you get virtual whiplash from all the wondering what the heck?

The real head scratcher is trying to line up his words with his actions.

He touts himself a well respected professional but  He took her Pikachu binder giving her the expectation he was giving a valuation. When he was too busy to give her a valuation after several days of him not getting back to her, apologizing that he had been too busy to look yet, she asked for her binder back.     He asked if he could call her in about an hour.
He did not call her.     She tried again next day  saying she waited for the call.

He finally got back to her and gave her the news that he had sent some cards to PSA for her.

She was shocked, she still had no valuation.
She asked for her binder back again. 

He gave her several excuses and dragged his feet but eventually returned it with  cards not only in the  wrong order, but random cards were missing and he apologized alot but offered  no  accounting of what was missing.....  

Which is where I entered the picture, I showed up to support my Mom getting her binder back since she had been waiting on his doorstep in the dead of night while he was inside putting the binder back together.....(I took the video of us on his doorstep, and let's note that I walked into this unknowing so  giving him the benefit of the doubt) 

We left his house asking him to account for the cards he took and trusting that  a list would follow us home via text...but it took a full day and a half of us asking and eventually threats of going to the police. Initially he offered only lengthy, wild excuses before he actually sent any of the photo evidence of what he took. And when he finally, made an accounting of the missing cards, he was short accounting for 10 cards. 

My Mother had to do the work of lining up the cards back in her binder and with that, she showed  him in photographic evidence, the 10 cards that were still missing. Only then did he come clean and say those cards were still on his desk at home, he had been so rushed he forgot to include them. 

Even though he was 100% sure where those cards were, it took yet another full day PLUS eventually police intervention to get only 6 of those cards back, 4 of which  had magically changed places and gone from his card sorter at home, to his shop in Richmond for cleaning, cards including the Birthday Pikachu referenced in the video as an example of one of the best cards he kept........ had now suddenly gone to his office instead of being at home.......it took another couple of days and another police officer's help to retrieve only 2 of those four cards. 

In the meantime the police assisted in retrieving the cards that were sent back from PSA.

As of this writing, two cards have still not been returned to my Mom. 

Of  the original 10 that Alex did account for, one card  (in the video you will see him talk about this card, promising it will come back sealed/unopened ) came back from PSA unsealed.

So those are some of the highlights.  Other things I find fascinating?

The LOOOOOOOONG texts from him that I scroll through in this video?  Are not of the list that we asked him to produce, over and over (to account for what he took from her binder).
Incredible right? He tells us right in the video that he would send the list, that he had already mailed PSA, so a list should be handy, easy to find. 
INstead of sending them,   those texts are all  his excuses justifying what he did  and they strongly feature  self declarations of what a professional he is. 



So, I would like to ask the Pokemon community, is this how you all do business? Because we were told this is how it's done. And all I can see is that. He has broken my Mom's little Pokemon heart. 

Rachael 

Why am I doing this this way?

The police told her  that Alex told them he  would find the missing cards 

or compensate her for the full value.  
Alex has blocked us so we can't contact him, he needs to contact us. 

It's been a week and we have heard nothing. 



UPDATE: He posted this in his group.  Lets see how it lines up with reality...

You see the thing about texts and timelines...... they are unalterable.  (response above)

So right here, I can prove you don't have the timeline right, Alex. 
As you said to me during our last communication, in January...."Go call the police, lets see what social media thinks of this?"
Let's go then.  I gave you until March.

Aside from your small group, so far it seem's like this is Pokemon's #metoo movement, a lot of people resonate with this experience. 

Anyhow when you do call the police, I have the texts in neatly a timeline that crap all over your excuses. 

UPDATE 2025-03-24
Finally, as the dust settles around this case,  as I wait for the police to get back to ME regarding the comment he says they made,.........  I realized while taking notes off of my own video that I could be helpful to you Pokemon Collectors by making you a  

 ....got Pokemon?  

Tshirt    ( just made it virtually for the images ) 

I loved my Got Hotwheels shirt from back when I was collecting redlines, I bet it would work for some of you for your sport.   

You can't actually buy these, not from me at least.  I just mocked this up to created an image for it then deleted it from the platform.  

Now it can be 1000000000000000000% clear I am taking not even a penny from this situation....and in fact am giving back. 
 
If you want the text file for free I'll gladly give it to you! 

Falling down the AI rabbit hole, now I'm confused and possibly becoming a robot?

 
So as a musician who used to work 4-6 nights a week, 51 weeks of the year (we used to beg for a weekend off but there was so much demand, it hardly ever happened),  I've seen technology take over my livelihood one bar closure at a time.
What used to be  6 night a week gigs, dwindled in many cases year after year, to Saturday nights only or a  DJ. In many cases a speaker streaming spotify.  Truly technology has been devastating to the music community. I'm lucky I can still carve out a wage singing and strumming solo, but the days of regular work for most live performing musicians (like it was in the heyday), are long gone.

Those who have been here on my blog  for the last decade plus may recall I was  adapting to the new music ecosystem when I was forced offstage, due to my being laid up after surgery.  Desperate to find a way to make some money sitting down, I dusted off my old artist hat and asked my musical following if anyone wanted a pet portrait (as I would need to find a bit of a job  while my body healed). 

This act of desperation is what turned me into Guitarious Girl. Even after I got back to the stage 6 weeks later I still wildly focused on painting, only now it was guitars. Eventually I began putting the works on T-shirts, mugs, towels, blankets and phone cases which was fun when I was touring to different towns and meeting loads of road crew and other bands who liked the idea of a music themed painting by a musician, on a shirt. 

The fact that I do the same now for pickleball is just part of the evolution as it makes sense to just use the skills I pick up along the way, in every new adventure I take on and pickleball is certainly my latest madness. 

The same with my books, I learned how to design and format my first book using the illustrations I had  contracted from  my wonderful illustrator. With that knowledge I was able to use my own art to write, design and format my 2nd and 3rd books (and I'm working on a fourth). 

So here I am adapting and dealing with the world as well as possible....but  suddenly this last year especially it seems as if AI is getting a  hold of us, hard. It's everywhere, I can barely make a computer query without some AI bot jumping in and getting in the way (and mostly getting it wrong).  My art programs have all included AI options and apps that they want us to use and they almost force it on us. I have to actively avoid using it and find ways to turn it off because it keeps suggesting itself. 

Magic this magic that..... fuck your magic you are a thief, AI. 

Lately especially all I see are ads for AI programs to do things that ARE my job. Currently you can artificially create a song, write a book, make artwork in about 45 seconds by simply typing in some sentences. There are people out there calling themselves AI artists, authors and songwriters. 
Never picked up an instrument or paintbrush, did no study or research they just typed...some....sentences.  

And with those sentences AI scrapes and steals intellectual property from the people who DID put in hours, months and decades of work, creating the pieces AI is training itself on. 

I can't even.

Until I did. One day I got so pissed off I took a free trial of one of those apps where you can insert a poem and type in a few descriptions of the music and out pops a song. I took a couple of extra seconds to adjust the lyrics a bit and voila.  I didn't download the song but I did film my phone as it was playing the mock up for me.  I guess you could say I scraped it. 

So there we have it, my toe dip into the dark side. (Yes I have a dark side and that's who accompanied me on this mission). 


Leaving it there at that, this  was going to be my only venture into AI I figured. 

But now I am confused.

On my morning scroll today I watched a few things that make me think resistance is going to be futile. 
(Please let me add in here that I wholeheartedly believe AI is magnificent when used correctly, which is the possibility picture you will see painted if you watch all of the following videos.)

So it starts here, I saw a post featuring an AI image and  some wild mis-information. Looking for clarity I wanted to know the real story the sparked the fake.
 I found the answer in the comments:

Basically a lady called out the original post as AI and she provided the real image and name which sent me off on a hunt to read this research article: Planet X / Nibiru: An analysis of Akkadian Seal VA/243 — Karel Donk


And that is how I got distracted by this guy ( check the fella in the top video, Ray Kurzweil  )

:  Exponential Growth in the Fractal Universe — Karel Donk  


The above video being 11 years old and knowing he had predicted tech so correctly, I wanted to see what he was saying about today's, future. So I looked him up and found his latest TED talk. If you'd like to see it too click this link, it's  from 3 months ago. 

(825) The Last 6 Decades of AI — and What Comes Next | Ray Kurzweil | TED - YouTube

So he has some pretty amazing predictions, I mean, nanobots? Enhanced humans? I've seen some stuff that says it's going to happen.  I can't deny that AI used well will be beneficial for society if everyone can actually win with it.  That actually means everyone though. I mean if it makes me lives forever super but if I can't be creative productively and must instead do something I don't enjoy (because people stealing with AI don't have to hire artists anymore), then what is the point of living longer?  (I could be overdramatizing here)

Overall and personally and outside of modern medicine and science, I'm just saying my concerns still address a basic happiness level that computers can't enjoy. I don't know why you would  use AI to do things that are joyful, like being creative. Especially since we know AI is trained on actual artists work,  it just vomits it back minus the soul. 



So to round it all up I will be vigilant about my intellectual property as always, but I am open to the idea that we will have to embrace this trend in one way or the other. It would be folly to think humans will be able to operate in a bustling civil society without all of us cooperating in some way, it's just a matter of how intrusive it becomes and what we will tolerate.

All the people will need to be able to win as well, everyone, not just the fancies (which could be the  challenge and the kick in the gut from reality). 

Here is another great TED talk for balance. 
AI Is Dangerous, but Not for the Reasons You Think | Sasha Luccioni | TED (youtube.com)



She brings a lot of important points for society and at least one of her concerns is the same as all  artists, authors, musicians and creatives,  so  she and her gang have enabled a resource for those who are interested, to help you search your IP property. 
Spawning AI 


Ok that's a lot of falling down the rabbit hole over one bad AI image I found on facebook. Wow. 

Rachael. 

Playing music at the Barnside Harvest Festival was an absolute honor!

Look I play music in front of people nearly every weekend of the year but for the most part it's an ignore-athon. I am wall paper, brought in by very, very nice establishments to color the room with gentle sound. People aren't buying tickets to see me they are coming to the venue so the venue relies on me to give the right level of music where their guests can still chat to one another yet still daydream off to a tune if they need to. 

I LOVE being wallpaper. I can sit for 3 solid hours and play music and never bother anyone with it,  and that is my special sauce. 

So when the Barnside gig was on my to-do list I was nervous and excited right from the start because I knew this would be different than being background music, I had played at enough of these festivals on the big stages  to know that on this day, even in a small tent I wasn't there as wallpaper, I couldn't disappear because  if anyone showed up, they were there to see me so I  had to step up, I wasn't able to just slide in and make up a song list  like I normally would. I only had half an hour of play time and I didn't want to waste a second of it. I played a few covers, a pickleball tune and some of an original! 

It was as exciting as I'd hoped it would be and so was the rest of the weekend which I documented over on my facebook!

Well done to the entire cast and crew of the Barnside Harvest Festival. Do go there to get the full goods! 

Thanks to all the wonderful pals who showed up and partied with us! 

Summertime strumming in a grapevine tunnel! (at Lulu Island Winery)

 It's been a pretty stellar summer and I've lucked out with only one bad weather cancellation all season!

This is one of the last summertime picnic gigs at the winery and the tunnel is so lovely, I asked the customers to send me clips which they thankfully did! 

Enjoy~ 

Pickleball Kitchen Party - a sing along list with lyrics for pickleball parodies ~ Rachael Chatoor, sing along lyrics.

Pickleball parodies/lyrics , for Sing Along with Rachael Chatoor 

My new Pickleball song book Volume 1 and 2 is out!!  GO HERE to find it!

1 Dink em song!
      (sung to the Gambler)

You gotta know when to dink em
know when to sink em                                                                                                                         

know when to cross the court and                                                                                                know when to lob                                                                                                                                                                               

You never count your points                                                      

while the pickleball is still bouncing                                             

there'll be plenty of time for counting                                         

when the dinking's done.

2  Don’t go Chasing Pickleballs

     to the Tune of the Don’t go Chasing Waterfalls: TLC

Don't go chasing pickleballs

Please stick to your court and tell the people: 

it’s coming through…

If it goes astray just stay, 

I know you’re missing your ball,

 but everybody’s moving so fast ...

3 Here Comes the Rain Again

  Same tune, pickleball version

Here comes the rain again

Spoiling all our plans it’s a tragedy,

Falling on the courts slipping up the traction

 I want to play where there is no wind.

I want to smash like the Waters do.

I want to drop into your kitchen.

Once the raining is through                      So baby, pop to me

I’ll follow through.

Drop to me

I’ll get that too.

lob to me

The best ones do.

4   POWERS! inspired by: Miley Cyrus; Flowers

 
I walked up in my shorts,                                                                                                        looking good for the pickleball courts. 

I said: "Hey, can I play?"                                                                                                                    Just one look and they turned me away. 

They said: "All you do is slam it. Go find another group". 

So I called my friend Lee: Tell me what should I do? 

She said:
"Don’t use all of your power, 

loose the grip of your hand, 

practice your drills for hours, 

so you got skills on demand. 

Don’t just go out there banging 

you need some kind of plan 

but you will play pickleball 

better than they can! 

Play it better I can play it better babe! "

 5    Straight Down the Line                                                                  (Sung to Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond)

It’s the end of the day

I’d like play one more game now

Really I should be moving on

Im working my shots

My drive you won't see it coming

Ive been pickleballing since the dawn

Fast...it's coming fast.                                                                                                                       I reach out,                                                                                                                                    and drive the ball right back to youuuuu!

Straight down the line.... ba ba ba!                                                                                            Can't believe it hit so good.....                                                                                                       so good so good so good.                                                            

It felt so divine........ ba ba ba!                                                                                                            to see it land right where it should and now I...... 

I wait for the serve

I try to be calm not rattled

Bending my knees and playing strong 

We get to the net

I brace myself for the battle

Everyone’s watiing   for the ball

Fast...it's coming fast.                                                                                                                       I reach out,                                                                                                                                    and drive the ball right back to youuuuu!

Straight down the line.... ba ba ba!                                                                                            Can't believe it hit so good.....                                                                                                       so good so good so good.                                                            

It felt so divine........ ba ba ba!                                                                                                            to see it land right where it should and now I...... 

I look at the court,                                                                                                                     adjust how I hold my paddle                                                                                                      and wait for a ball that looks divine.                                                                                                

I split step my feet,                                                                                                                       and look a bit over my shoulder                                                                                                       patiently waiting for a sign.

Fast...it's coming fast.                                                                                                                       I reach out,                                                                                                                                    and drive the ball right back to youuuuu!

Straight down the line.... ba ba ba!                                                                                            Can't believe it hit so good.....                                                                                                       so good so good so good.                                                            

It felt so divine........ ba ba ba!                                                                                                            to see it land right where it should and now I...... 

6   Pickleballin 
      (sung to Surfin Safari by the Beach Boys)

Let's grab a paddle now 

everybody's learning how 

come on pickleballin with me 

come on pickleballin with me. 

Early in the morning 

we'll be starting out 

everybody's coming along. 

We're loading up the rack 

get your paddles in 

find the court 

where you belong.

 

                  dink and drop and dive and volley, dink and drop and drive and volley 

Come on baby wait and see you're going to love pickleballin with me.

                   dink and drop and dive and volley, dink and drop and drive and volley 

Come on baby wait and see you're going to love pickleballin with me.

Let's grab a paddle now

 everybody's learning how 

come on pickleballin with me 

come on pickleballin with me. 

7   Pickleball AGAIN                                                                        (sung to Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett)

I twisted my ankle it turned into a cankle                                                                          so I couldn’t go to the pickleball courts                                                                                           

I tell you I'm itchin to get to the kitchen                                                                               cause working this kitchen it isn’t a chore

I just can’t wait to go and pickleball again

Anyone can be good      if they give it their all

Just  one play and  you'll know why we love the game

cause its more than  just pickleball.

Now don’t be downhearted, once our game has started                                               we could be friends but right now we’re at war                                                                          

So lets get the scores right, and watch for the gunfights                                                     Keep  playing  again till there’s  laughter galore

I just can’t wait to go and pickleball again

Anyone can be good      if they give it their all

Just  one play and  you'll  know    why we love the game

cause its more than  just pickleball.

Pickleball’s growing, friends are now flowing ,
you see  this game is much more than a sport
With dinking and driving seems the whole world is thriving                                               Its common to hear can we all play one more?

Serve it up  Serve it up Serve it up

I just can’t wait to go and pickleball again

Anyone can be good      if they give it their all

Just  one play and  you'll  know why we love the game

cause its more than  just pickleball.




8  To all the points I've lost before:
     (to Willie Nelson All the Girls I've loved before)

To all the points I’ve lost before 

I’d love to add you to my score 

From volleys I took wrong 

to drives that went too long 

don t want to see those anymore 

 To serves that really weren’t my best 

To dinks I didn’t quite caress 

and drops that hit the tape 

or shots I couldn’t make 

I’d like to see you never more ! 

 sometime when the winds are blowin 

NO matter how hard I might try 

I can’t connect the ball to paddle 

 I flat out miss and it flies by.... 

 To all the balls that hit the net 

It‘s you I wish I would forget 

I tell you every day 

 I’d take back every play 

where patience wasn’t part of it

9  Lets Go Play Pickleball!
(to the tune of Let's call the whole thing off)

You want to drop it, I like to smash it

 You choose to dink it,, I tend to bash it 

Drop it, smash it, dink it, bash it 

 lets go play pickleball! 

 You take the side line I’ve got the middle 

Try not pop up, Just soften a little 

One day this whole game wont be such a riddle 

 let’s go play pickleball!

10  Pickleballer

   to the melody of Chiquitita by Abba 

Pickleballer tell me what’s wrong

You can play more games tomorrow 

If you like 

I’ve a new ball you can borrow. 

Can’t you see the sun is now gone 

And it seems you’ve broken your paddle  

I don’t think 

you should throw it after battles 

Pickleballer what can I say

When the rallies  don’t go your way it’s time a for learning  

(Everyone they saw you throw it no one wants to see you sad) 

You’ll  be playing once again and again and again 

Whether or not 

you are hurting 

parody lyrics written by Rachael Chatoor inspired by the original songs noted ~  not for commercial use, for fun and sing alongs only, intended to bring tunes to the after game kitchen party. 

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Brought to you by Greedy Little Dinker