Agenda Mailbag: 40 quick feedback letters on pet sitter confessions, TikTok fame, and homelessness in Charlotte

In response to: 2020 Rankings: The 20 best restaurants in Charlotte, right now

“This list reads like my bank card statement.. Truly great restaurants that I can’t stay out of.” – O

In response to: I decided to stop ‘sharenting’

“I want to stop sharting!” – A

“I found this article touching and I absolutely don’t blame Ted for wanting to keep family photos private especially after seeing the the trolls on this post alone.” – B

“Still take the picture but obviously if people are stalking you do not post them. Still take them, and make prints and or photo books. It’s nice for your kids to see themselves when they were little.” – S

“Thank you for your article on sharenting!!! Not only is it dangerous for kids but I can only imagine how embarrassed all these kids are going to be in their teens when they see that their parents posted all their stages of childhood. I know I’m happy social media wasn’t around when my parents were raising me, so those images are only shared if I want to share them.” – S

In response to: Luxury Listing: Renovated Myers Park mansion with a pizza oven and giant wine cellar asks $2.85M

“Sold!! Mansion living is definitely for us!!” – S

“Wine cellar too small!” – J

In response to: 15 bars with indoor entertainment for cold and rainy days

“’Oh great, another Arcade/duck pin bowling place.’ – Jaded Millennial” – P

“Or just stay home.” – L

In response to: Confessions of a Charlotte pet sitter

“As a full time pet sitter and former vet tech, I can assure you that not all pet sitters are like this! This is mortifying and makes the good pet sitters look bad. I’m totally fine with clients having cameras. They should be able to have peace of mind that they can trust their sitter and if the sitter is trustworthy, they don’t mind cameras. So many red flags here.” – K

“I just always assume I’m on camera at all times when I’m at a home anyway.”- A

“I always love the confession articles and look forward to reading them, but honestly this one made me concerned. Specifically this person’s response about the lady with ten cats and tight collars (to the point that a cat had blisters). … I am hoping maybe this person just embellished the story for dramatic effect or that there is more to the story that would reasonably explain their seemingly callus response. I am a big animal lover and advocate. If any person ever suspects or sees animal abuse he or she has a responsibility to report it regardless of if they are the designated ‘pet sitter’ or not.” – B

“The pet sitter is creeped out about people having pet cameras, but she thinks it’s not creepy or disrespectful to have sex in the clients’ bed with her husband?!” – T

“We (as owners of a pet sitting/dog walking business in Charlotte) cannot adequately express how deeply disturbed we were by this article. It reminds us of why we strive to educate the public in choosing reputable care for your beloved pets & home. It is important to make the distinction between a pet sitter ‘that does this for fun, extra money or side job,’ as opposed to a professional organization of pet sitters or a solo professional pet sitter. There are many VERY important differences, none of which were noted in this article. It was obvious that this was NOT a ‘confession of a professional.’ A professional would NEVER allow a shy dog into a yard unleashed or without a plan (lack of behavioral knowledge/preparation), would NEVER leave a dog out unattended, (irresponsible & lack of safety protocols), would NEVER discourage or be uncomfortable with cameras in homes (HUGE red flag), would NEVER disrespect our clients home, security or privacy (lack of ethics & morals), WOULD never disregard animal cruelty or lack of client education (no real compassion.) Pretty shocking and reckless statements. We do consider this article highly offensive against licensed pet professionals operating in this city. Please do not lump those of us who have worked very hard to earn a solid & honest reputation with that of a reckless, immoral, novice. An old idiom by John Wycliffe comes to mind, ‘You often get what you pay for….’ Always choose insurance over price points. Key differentiators are documented by professional industry standards & organizations like PSI or NAPPS. Resources available at petsit.com.” – Daniela Angelon & Jamie Greci, Owners

In response to: 28 things to do, eat, and drink in South End

“I’ve been to most of these places. Makes me feel way cooler than I usually feel over in suburbia with my toddler!” – D

In response to: Analysis: The Charlotte Observer’s owner filed for bankruptcy. What will that mean for Charlotte?

“Newspapers suffer from a simple fact. They are telling us and trying to sell us yesterday’s news today. News we already got through multiple sources online yesterday. They also used to make a huge amount of money on classifieds but that went away long ago. Newspapers have become irrelevant.” – M

“Quality, local, independent journalism is essential for strong civic structure. The Observer has been — and is — a shining example. No one else does serious investigative reporting.” – D

“I don’t have an MBA and I’m not a marketing genius so I don’t have all of the answers. What I do know is I just received a renewal notice from the Observer with a 160% price increase (a new rate of nearly $300 a year). It’s like the cable TV and satellite radio bill where I have to call and threaten to drop the service to get a ‘reasonable’ rate. Even my 85-year old mother has caught on to the game. … Cut costs by getting rid of the opinion writers. Hire ‘reporters,’ be watchdog journalists and give me unique and local content. LOCAL content is what will make people click and re-subscribe.” – S

“Regarding you piece on the Charlotte Observer bankruptcy, which was a well written piece, if everyone in Charlotte under the age of 40 that gets their news digitally were to become a subscriber to The Observer the problem would be solved. Sadly newspapers are becoming like buggy whips of the past…outdated and replaced.” – M

In response to: Mona Lisa’s checklist: A homeless woman’s quest to ‘just get a job’ in Charlotte

“Thank you so much for sharing Mona Lisa’s story and also for letting us know how we might help. Sometimes having a human connection is more motivating in providing a little help than giving generally to an organization. If possible, it would be great to read an update on her in a year. I think she will be in a much better place than today!” – O

“She has a beautiful smile that would brighten any job place up!” – K

“I love that you guys amplify how multifaceted Charlotte is. This was a great story.” – M

“She deserves help to get to stability, I’m rooting for her.” – L

“That’s why I hate when people say ‘they can just get a job’ when referring to the homeless because a lot of people DO HAVE JOBS! The cost of living is the problem.” – R

“I wanted to thank you so much for publishing Mona Lisa’s story this morning. I can’t tell you how much it touched me and I work for a nonprofit organization called Family Promise that works with families experiencing homelessness everyday, so it takes a lot. ” – K

In response to: Cash Confessional: 25-year-old in medical sales making $225k says money motivates him

“Why does everyone in the Cash Confessionals series want to invest in real estate?! I swear it’s the goal of at least half of these folks.” – K

“I mean if I made $225k I would be motivated AF.” – A

“I just decided to change career paths mid thirties. I want to be in medical sales, stat.” – C

“25 years old?!? $225k/annually?! Teach me young king! I too wish to not be financially illiterate.” – M

“I disagree with this article. The lease on my Ferrari 488 GTB is definitely worth the cost so idk why this kid won’t just get his Lambo.” – J

In response to: 4.1 million people follow Max Dressler on TikTok, but he says he’s still just a normal Charlotte teenager

“This kid is my favorite entrepreneur in Charlotte. Doing what he loves at 17 and earning lots of cash! That’s what’s up!!” – M

“I feel old just looking at this.” – D

“WTF am I doing?” – K

“Sophia, turn your obsession into $ then dad & I will stop telling you to get off your phone.” – M

“Should we drop out of grad school and be professional Tik Tokers?” – A

“Tik Tok isn’t my thing either but I’m seeing a lot of discrediting and disapproval in this comment section. If he’s making the money doing what he enjoys we shouldn’t disrespect anyone for this. Let’s uplift each other! Charlotte is full of entrepreneurs of all kinds. Congrats on your hard work, Max. Keep thinking outside the box.” – A

In response to: Longtime Plaza Midwood Dairy Queen finds a new home

“I’m looking forward to see East Charlotte’s revitalization. Having businesses move into the area is a sign of change, an omen I look forward to seeing come to fruition!” – D

“Thank GOD. I have been absolutely lost for the last few months without my Artificially Flavored Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream.” – P

“I’m still sad the old location is closed. Part of my childhood gone.” – M