Real Life and What's Happening...

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The Butcher said:
Formatted my own hard drive and did a clean operating system reinstall for the first time in literally decades — last time I did this I think was running MS-DOS and Windows 3.11.

Had a bud coach me over the phone because this is what I have become: a tech-inept forty-something dad.
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Nothing like a clean install to clear out some of the mental cruft.
 
#1 spawn has been doing well in his special school. Just sent some money to enrol #2 spawn in an international school. He's been terribly isolated during COVID and hasn't picked up Bhasa yet, so the international school will give him some exposure to English speaking children and teachers, and hopefully help him along with Bhasa as well.

It's about 8km distant, which is a bit of a faff (getting around Indonesian cities in traffic can be time consuming) but it's not infeasible.
 
I'm tired. Got more doctors appointments between June and July than I've got fingers. (I have all my fingers btw.) Some of it followups, and I'm hoping not a followup for the followups.
Got my computer (if you didn't know), looking at a line on my monitor. May have to plug my TV in instead. Sighs. Also broke, so very very very broke as in the hole and I hate it. Mostly groceries of all things that is causing the problems lately, I got myself out with help last time and I'm not asking for any this time. So make note. Not asking for help!

I appreciate the kindness of others in the past, and I can't do that again. (Groceries for me and my mom went from 400-500
USD a month, to closer to 700 locally, buying the same crap food. While I get food stamps which helps they're supposed to go back to a pittance at some point)

I'm depressed over it, but not badly so there is that.
 
Eternal Chump said:
I've got surgery coming up (hernia on both sides, ffs) and I'm a bit worried about it. But I've stocked my phone with audiobooks for the recovery period and the doctors around here are pretty good.
I'm not even 40 yet and 2 hernias is making me feel a bit crap about my physical state. Ah well. Should maybe have done a sit up and eaten some fibre sometime before I was 35 I suppose.
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Don’t feel bad. Some people are just congenitally inclined to develop hernia and physical activity can even contribute to the development of hernia sometimes. (Which is no reason not to do it.)
Acmegamer said:
Still would have happened. Or that's what my doctor has told me. I'm dealing with the same thing currently, happened last year before my colon issues were diagnosed. I'll have them fixed this fall/winter once the previous surgery is done healing. My surgeon told me that there wasn't much I could do to prevent it, it's common when you get older as a male due to how things are laid out down there. I was rather annoyed since I've always worked my core, so that made me feel less annoyed that I couldn't have really avoided it. You'll be fine. :smile:
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Or, in a nutshell, this.
spittingimage said:
Nothing like a clean install to clear out some of the mental cruft.
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You know, I installed Windows 11 and feel a bit cheated in that my PC feels almost as slow as before. I’m lowering the graphics settings on some of my games and I’m sure I won’t be able to play sone of the shiny new stuff coming down the line that I’m interested in (my gaming laptop is three years old FFS).
Silverlion said:
I'm tired. Got more doctors appointments between June and July than I've got fingers. (I have all my fingers btw.) Some of it followups, and I'm hoping not a followup for the followups.
Got my computer (if you didn't know), looking at a line on my monitor. May have to plug my TV in instead. Sighs. Also broke, so very very very broke as in the hole and I hate it. Mostly groceries of all things that is causing the problems lately, I got myself out with help last time and I'm not asking for any this time. So make note. Not asking for help!

I appreciate the kindness of others in the past, and I can't do that again. (Groceries for me and my mom went from 400-500
USD a month, to closer to 700 locally, buying the same crap food. While I get food stamps which helps they're supposed to go back to a pittance at some point)

I'm depressed over it, but not badly so there is that.
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Man, I am so sorry to hear that. I know you’re not asking but I really wish I could help. I hope you can find a way out soon.
 
Update on the PTO saga:

As I mentioned before, I emailed the department of labor again, and their response was that yes, I would get my PTO back since it is also used as sick time. Forwarded the email chain to my union rep. I'm going to ask him to contact them himself to verify, so when I bring this up again after the holiday, he can state he confirmed his himself. They're not going to be very happy, given we're looking at about 112+ hours of PTO they have to return to me.
 
My strong nephew’s wife had a baby, so that I am now eight great-uncles. This is especially gratifying because Strong Nephew has a serious disability as a result of suffering a brain injury when he was eleven; that he should have a job, a house, a wife, and a daughter was never expected, and is a joy to see.

In wetting the baby’s head my sister and I discovered the sweet martini, a cocktail from the 1890s that should never have gone out of fashion. One and a half dry gin, one and a half Italian (red) vermouth, a dash of orange bitters; up, garnish with an orange slice. Repeat as required.
 
I am currently on a night train heading home from the family summer place/dad’s house. Badly sunburned all over my arms and torso, really sore shoulder muscles, but we built a floating dock to jump in the water from.
 
On Friday I started itching. It was bad that night. Couldn't do much about it other than benedryl (it looks like an allergic reaction to something.) I was alright Saturday, but Sunday I was miserable, so miserable I missed an online game I wanted to play.

On the 4th I went to an urgent care clinic, they gave me prescriptions, but the pharmacy closed early. (With no note that they would be closed like they nomally use, heck most places do. I've taken a lot of benedryl, and can't sleep because of it. Still don't know what is causing it. I'm awake at five a.m. I'm hoping I can make it until 8am so I can go get my meds today.
 
Silverlion said:
I'm tired. Got more doctors appointments between June and July than I've got fingers. (I have all my fingers btw.) Some of it followups, and I'm hoping not a followup for the followups.
Got my computer (if you didn't know), looking at a line on my monitor. May have to plug my TV in instead. Sighs. Also broke, so very very very broke as in the hole and I hate it. Mostly groceries of all things that is causing the problems lately, I got myself out with help last time and I'm not asking for any this time. So make note. Not asking for help!

I appreciate the kindness of others in the past, and I can't do that again. (Groceries for me and my mom went from 400-500
USD a month, to closer to 700 locally, buying the same crap food. While I get food stamps which helps they're supposed to go back to a pittance at some point)

I'm depressed over it, but not badly so there is that.
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'Saying this as someone who works for one... Go and check out your local food bank and community pantry options. Seriously. They exist to help out people in tough situations, and to make at least one thing less of a stressor. It's why they're there. It's why my crew and a lot of others like us work our proverbial butts off, doing what we do. Please take advantage of that.

If you happen to be in the Seattle area, I recommend checking out Northwest Harvest's community market down in SODO or the Pike Market food bank. (Daniel and Roy's crews are good people... I spent a few years working down at Cherry Street with them, at the old food bank that predated the SODO market-) If you're in Snohomish. come meet my current gang. We've got a whole building full of not having to worry about affording groceries.
 
Brightfires said:
'Saying this as someone who works for one... Go and check out your local food bank and community pantry options. Seriously. They exist to help out people in tough situations, and to make at least one thing less of a stressor. It's why they're there. It's why my crew and a lot of others like us work our proverbial butts off, doing what we do. Please take advantage of that.
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There's also food co-ops if you don't want it to be a handout. Those are for buying power of the multitudes, and try to get as many people to participate. For $20 a month, we got like $150-200 of food.
 
My wife and I went to see the local fireworks display last night, for the first time in several years. Although we live in a small town, they put on a pretty nice show, lasting 20+ minutes. We didn't want to go to the official viewing area--too crowded--so we sought out the parking lot of a local school. There's a decent view from there, though we lost a few of the lower ones to the trees. (Why a parking lot, you ask? The town is heavily covered with trees, so you need a large open area like a parking lot if you want to see anything in the sky).

Ohio just legalized personal fireworks this last year. My town still forbids them, as do many towns in the state. But even before they became legal to set off, they were legal to sell, and people bought them and used them regardless. It seemed to me there were no more last night than in previous years.
 
Brightfires said:
'Saying this as someone who works for one... Go and check out your local food bank and community pantry options. Seriously. They exist to help out people in tough situations, and to make at least one thing less of a stressor. It's why they're there. It's why my crew and a lot of others like us work our proverbial butts off, doing what we do. Please take advantage of that.

If you happen to be in the Seattle area, I recommend checking out Northwest Harvest's community market down in SODO or the Pike Market food bank. (Daniel and Roy's crews are good people... I spent a few years working down at Cherry Street with them, at the old food bank that predated the SODO market-) If you're in Snohomish. come meet my current gang. We've got a whole building full of not having to worry about affording groceries.
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I can confirm this, though I am not in Seattle. A few years back I did up a section of easement near by house as a garden specifically for giving to the food bank after hearing about the local school district going on strike and that shut down summer lunch programs. We were pulling out hundreds of pounds of food a year from a pretty small space.

anyhow, the important part of the story was talking with a lady who was coming out and I told her I was bringing in stuff and I wanted to hear her story. She was a single working mom with two teen boys. Simple as that. Having been a teen boy, I of course felt sympathy for her food budget, and being a single mom I'm sure it was hard to make ends meet. Really reinforced my views on these things.

probably need to start that up again.
Lofgeornost said:
My wife and I went to see the local fireworks display last night, for the first time in several years. Although we live in a small town, they put on a pretty nice show, lasting 20+ minutes. We didn't want to go to the official viewing area--too crowded--so we sought out the parking lot of a local school. There's a decent view from there, though we lost a few of the lower ones to the trees. (Why a parking lot, you ask? The town is heavily covered with trees, so you need a large open area like a parking lot if you want to see anything in the sky).

Ohio just legalized personal fireworks this last year. My town still forbids them, as do many towns in the state. But even before they became legal to set off, they were legal to sell, and people bought them and used them regardless. It seemed to me there were no more last night than in previous years.
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we go to a friend's house in the next town over and they are renown for their... ahem... liberal fireworks laws. Guy across the street from them does a small-town public display level of show. seriously, a pickup truck heaped with fireworks. we get an amazing view of all the fireworks 200 feet from us with good friends.
 
Brightfires said:
'Saying this as someone who works for one... Go and check out your local food bank and community pantry options. Seriously. They exist to help out people in tough situations, and to make at least one thing less of a stressor. It's why they're there. It's why my crew and a lot of others like us work our proverbial butts off, doing what we do. Please take advantage of that.

If you happen to be in the Seattle area, I recommend checking out Northwest Harvest's community market down in SODO or the Pike Market food bank. (Daniel and Roy's crews are good people... I spent a few years working down at Cherry Street with them, at the old food bank that predated the SODO market-) If you're in Snohomish. come meet my current gang. We've got a whole building full of not having to worry about affording groceries.
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Thank you, I'm in Texas, and I was going to volunteer at our local place to help others but then Covid hit. Unfortunately, between my mom and I we have pretty restrictive diets (no poultry or egg for me. No wheat or close relative for her, plus she has allergies to corn and corn is in SO much.) I wish I lived in the Seattle are, so much. I lived in Vancouver for a bit, and loved it. I miss the greenery. Local greenery is trying to murder me though (stupid honeysuckle I think.)



chuckdee said:
There's also food co-ops if you don't want it to be a handout. Those are for buying power of the multitudes, and try to get as many people to participate. For $20 a month, we got like $150-200 of food.
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I do need look into that, because I think there are some farm/food coops that we could get fresh stuff from. May have to go look. Thank you.

As for me I'm just tired of being out of the hole then something slamming us back down (nearly doubled grocery prices, plumbing issues.) Disability just doesn't stretch far.
 
Silverlion said:
Thank you, I'm in Texas, and I was going to volunteer at our local place to help others but then Covid hit. Unfortunately, between my mom and I we have pretty restrictive diets (no poultry or egg for me. No wheat or close relative for her, plus she has allergies to corn and corn is in SO much.) I wish I lived in the Seattle are, so much. I lived in Vancouver for a bit, and loved it. I miss the greenery. Local greenery is trying to murder me though (stupid honeysuckle I think.)
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Most places will try to work within dietary restrictions... In Snohomish, we actually keep a stock of gluten-free stuff, vegan and vegetarian options and low/no sodium items around, since we have regular clients with those needs. The corn allergy will be tougher, since... yeah... it's in a lot of things, but not impossible. At the very least, they ought to have some fresh fruit and veg options for you.
 
Brightfires said:
Most places will try to work within dietary restrictions... In Snohomish, we actually keep a stock of gluten-free stuff, vegan and vegetarian options and low/no sodium items around, since we have regular clients with those needs. The corn allergy will be tougher, since... yeah... it's in a lot of things, but not impossible. At the very least, they ought to have some fresh fruit and veg options for you.
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To be fair we're also talking the West Coast. Gluten free organ vegan stuff is sort of our bag baby!
 
Bunch said:
To be fair we're also talking the West Coast. Gluten free organ vegan stuff is sort of our bag baby!
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It's not just here. The Five Points South pantry in Birmingham, AL and Manna in Asheville, NC had similar things when I was doing volunteer gigs with them back-in-the-day. If they were doing that in the 90's, then it's a pretty safe bet they still are. And I wouldn;t exactly call Birmingham a place with a particularly progressive food culture.

Asheville, granted, is different... But yeah. Food banks do try to meet their clients' needs. It's just part of it, no matter where they are.
 
Bunch said:
Don't knock it until you've tried it!
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I've tried it and I'm quite prepared to knock it.

When the cafe at work has leftover food at the end of the day, they sometimes invite us to help ourselves. It's always the gluten free sandwiches. Eating them is like eating the emotion of seeing your dog die.

But it's free, so whatchagonnado?
 
spittingimage said:
I've tried it and I'm quite prepared to knock it.

When the cafe at work has leftover food at the end of the day, they sometimes invite us to help ourselves. It's always the gluten free sandwiches. Eating them is like eating the emotion of seeing your dog die.

But it's free, so whatchagonnado?
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You missed the joke. Nobby-W Nobby-W was asking if I eat gluten free organ vegans. I like them with a little A-1 steak sauce.
 
Silverlion said:
On Friday I started itching. It was bad that night. Couldn't do much about it other than benedryl (it looks like an allergic reaction to something.) I was alright Saturday, but Sunday I was miserable, so miserable I missed an online game I wanted to play.

On the 4th I went to an urgent care clinic, they gave me prescriptions, but the pharmacy closed early. (With no note that they would be closed like they nomally use, heck most places do. I've taken a lot of benedryl, and can't sleep because of it. Still don't know what is causing it. I'm awake at five a.m. I'm hoping I can make it until 8am so I can go get my meds today.
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I hope that you are feeling better. I hadn't intended to mention this, as it's not very interesting, but earlier this summer I had a fairly extensive skin rash that came on over a number of days. I joked that I had monkey-pox. A visit to an Urgent Care center led to a diagnosis of dermatitis, cause unknown, and a prescription for oral steroids, which cleared the problem up quickly. It's a bit frustrating not to know what brought it on--it might have been poison ivy, but then it should not have continued to spread, or oak leaf mites, but it's the wrong season for them.
 
today i get to tell 3 people I'm cutting their hours to zero because certain folks can't get their budgetary shit in order as well as write a presentation to do a task i don't care to do. I'm not overly worried about the people. they are young, cheap, and have a desirable skill set, and already talking with folks to find them new work (only part of their time anyways), but it's just not fun. just not at all.
 
Bunch said:
To be fair we're also talking the West Coast. Gluten free organ vegan stuff is sort of our bag baby!
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I wish I lived there. Might be easier. Texas at least has somewhat caught on so its purchasable at least.

My itching is better on the anti-itch and steroid pill, also gave me the miracle anti-itch cream. I finally slept pretty well last night. Still could use more with no itching but its working so I'm glad for that.

Saw my normal doc today and she said she'd send something to my pharmacy for an ongoing skin problem (just really really dry skin.) Plus I've got to switch to using the stuff I was already using before the allergy fiasco to three times a day. She told me I described it perfectly so didn't have to ask as many questions about it. I have nummular eczema on my legs and it sucks.

Getting old sucks, who had to use lotion as a 20-something? Not me, now? Argh.
 
Raleel said:
today i get to tell 3 people I'm cutting their hours to zero because certain folks can't get their budgetary shit in order as well as write a presentation to do a task i don't care to do. I'm not overly worried about the people. they are young, cheap, and have a desirable skill set, and already talking with folks to find them new work (only part of their time anyways), but it's just not fun. just not at all.
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Things like that are the reason I got out of being a manager. Now I'm back to being one. Hopefully it's better this time.
 
chuckdee said:
Things like that are the reason I got out of being a manager. Now I'm back to being one. Hopefully it's better this time.
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part of the reason i can't stand it. Fortunately, it was literally the best I think it could be. 2 people had PLENTY of other work, and 1 was going to approach me about cutting back because he was already overcommitted. So... good, but i still felt like ass.
 
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