The Times, they are a-Frustrating

Art by author

That's how I feel whenever I watch or hear the beginning of something and want, "the rest of the story;" only to be re-directed via Facebook, Twitter or some App. That's the end of the information highway for me.  It's mistakenly taken for granted that everyone uses social media, but there's still a minority of us who prefer complete sentences.  'Snail Mail' has become a lost art; even emailing solicits jokes. I want equal rights to learn.

Someone once advised, "If you're going to complain to your boss about something, offer an alternative."  I apply that brilliant advice when writing to manufacturers about their Senior-Proof packaging. I have arthritis and tendonitis, and have, more than once, been reduced to tears while trying to open a jar or bottle of something.  "What about having an elderly employee periodically test the packaging on the assembly line to see whether it's too hard to open," I've offered.  They counter-offer a coupon or two.

So I tried to contact DAWN dish soap. This time it wasn't their packaging, but the health risk of one of their products.  It's their new (to me) DAWN Platinum FOAM.  I had little choice in local stores, because their small, $1.00 bottle of regular blue DAWN dish soap doesn't seem to be stocked anymore.  Our lack of choices can't ALL be because of Ukraine or container ships stacked up offshore.

What the local stores DO have in quantity are the monster refills for $6; and the only in-between was this FOAM stuff for about $3.50 with about the same amount as the $1.00 bottle but without the pre-made suds.  Sure, the refill may be more economical but it takes alot of space, and I'm back to cutting back and watching pennies like everyone else so six bucks for something that's going to last me months is painful.

I wondered how this new frother would improve my washing experience, but it seems like a whole-lotta-nuthin', as Mom would say.  Sure, it comes out pretty fluffy, but to me the suds don't go as far as the Original, and I keep having to push down the lever for more.

Therein lies the problem:  every time I push I feel like a headache is imminent.  I tried to think of what the STRONG odor reminded me of:  oh, I know, sticking my face in a pail of Spic-n-Span.  I wouldn't know what active ingredient causes the scent so I didn't bother looking at it, but I decided I'd write to DAWN and ask them about it.

No can do, at least not without agreeing to let them share all my red-asterisked-information with alien sources.  I closed the screen and decided to air my grievance here.

I began using DAWN Blue while living on Ruff Life, and I'm ashamed to admit I was an ecological hazard the entire 12 years.  My poor old trawler always leaked some oil, with diesel at times.  Right off I was told about DAWN Blue and its ability to clean up the spills. I never tired of watching the magic do its work (while hoping nobody motoring by would notice).

Sprit, Sprit, Sprit, I'd toss it over the side.  Thankfully it worked well with cold water on dishes, since the water heater was kaput and buying a new one wasn't a priority.

So I've used DAWN Blue exclusively ever since.  I'll go back to the regular kind once I find the small bottles; unless it's a ploy to force me to buy the larger size, shame on them if true!

And Happy Father's Day!