Mara

The hoarding in my town has gotten to the point where my local Woodman's (24 hour grocery store) has to close its doors from 12 am to 5 am.

 

The 3rd shift employees can now stock the shelves without interference.

A good way to clear a store so you can shop in peace is to chase people around while coughing.

 

I was so tempted yesterday to fake a coughing fit, then say loudly, "damn, I just haven't felt quite right since I got back from Italy last week...."

No, numbnuts, no veterinarian is going to give you the canine coronavirus vaccine. I shouldn’t have to explain why....just Google it.

 

The equine one won’t work either. Stop asking; your stupid is showing.

 

ETA: one of my neighbors. I suspect there have been a few too many generations of cousin-marrying in his family.

I needed some alcohol swabs on hand for injectable meds both SO and I have prescribed. Stupid panicky f***ers have bought out all supplies.

My ex-husband is pushing the envelope and he's about to seriously regret it. As in "welcome to Hotel Graybar" regrets.

 

He thinks he should be entitled to a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of MY house. The one that I got in the divorce settlement, the same house he never made a single mortgage payment on, the very abode he did his level best to trash with his hoarding behavior and general slobbishness. I put him on the deed a couple years after I bought it, hoping that a sense of ownership might spur him to (a) keep a job and (b) help maintain the place. Stupid me.

 

So now that I have informed him "no go, you are NOT getting a windfall, so get that out of your head", he's dragging his feet on signing the quitclaim. I had to explain the difference between a deed and a mortgage - he thought being on the deed implied he'd contributed to mortgage payments.

 

I paid off all of his back taxes, $6000 worth, and he was supposed to pay half that per the settlement. If he continues to be a dick, he's going to get hit with contempt of court charges....

Any word on whether country music survived? That's a death I would not mourn.

Going to have to postpone my Hellcat dream. I chose a rather inopportune time to total my Honda Element....just now looking to get my house on the market (the good news is I might actually make some money. I would've just been happy to get out of $900/mo in mortgage payments, but some extra cash is definitely welcome).

 

Plus now I have an at-fault accident on my record, which won't do me any favors on insurance coverage. So....sigh, it's another couple of years of Sensible 4-Cylinder Japanese Car. Going with a Toyota C-HR. It looks like it's made out of Legos, but I am inexplicably drawn to really fugly little SUVs. Probably because no self-respecting car thief would go near one!

More stupidity here in Japan...

 

So at the end of last week, Prime Minister Abe suddenly requested that all public schools close as of March 2nd. And nearly all have. Teachers like myself still go though...to an empty school. However, today (March 3rd) students have returned to pick up their year end test results which they took at the end of February. Of course, schools COULD just send the test results via post or email or some other electronic means but nooooo Japan often manages to do the most pointless, contradictory courses of action. “Stay home and avoid large crowds”...two days later...”Everyone come back to school on Tuesday just for 15 minutes to pick up your test results”. For f***ing real, they’ll be gone by the time I finishing typing this rant.

 

 

And then there was the stupidity of the toilet paper and rice panic buying that happened over the weekend. And still now actually. But that’s another rant.

 

 

 

It's oddly comforting in a way to know that Americans aren't the only ones programmed to overreact on cue.

The media is blowing this out of proportion, as they do, and numbskulls are falling for it. A very popular, local brewfest that happens in April, has been cancelled because of fears about the virus.

"if you're not hysterical you don't care"

 

 

That's the new yardstick

 

There's a long thread on this virus on another board I belong to, and Jesus F'in Christ, the level of panic in some people is not to be believed. One woman (she's retired and widowed, probably too much free time) is completely obsessed with it, posting all the links to all the latest reports and articles with her own lengthy commentary. You'd think we were under siege from nuclear fallout.

 

Someone else started a "are you prepared" thread with advice on how to stock up in case you get quarantined, including recommendations for 55 gallon drums for water. Water? I told them, "um, quarantine doesn't mean all of your utilities and city services will be discontinued. You just won't be allowed out to mingle with the general populace until you are no longer infected." Calm down, people.

It sounds like Simon had a damn good life. Hope you're doing okay.

 

Our 12 year-old shepherd's hips are starting to go. He's a goddamned awesome dog, and is still pretty chipper -- especially when food or treats are involved. But it's amazing how quickly time passes. Time stand still, ffs! I want more time with my dog!

 

 

Have you tried Adequan for the hips? It gave Simon a couple of years of quality of life back.

 

I get your meme, completely. Simon got expensive in his final year, well over $3K in just about 7 months. But I've often said I never regret money I spend on the dog. On people, yes - frequent regrets there. But never dogs.

I'm not wild about Nirvana, but HATE Green Day. Billy Joe Armstrong sounds like he has a perpetual sinus problem...."wage be ub, whed Septebber edds". As soon as one of their songs comes on, I get Ninja fingers and change the station before the 10th note is played.

Everything.

 

One of those "I hate everybody and everything" days?

Over 600,000 people die every year from the flu. This panic seems media contrived.

 

Nothing excites the media like the possibility of widespread pestilence, woe, and death. Today's news bureaus would have had a field day with the 1918 Spanish influenza. (Before anyone else can say it - "Nobody wants a Spanish influenza!" You're welcome).

The media is whipping up the hype because they're hoping it will slow the economy down or aforce an outright recession. They want Trump out of office.

 

The Dow was down 1000 points yesterday and it was blamed on fears about the Corona virus.

Specifically, it was down due to fears about coronavirus disrupting manufacturing supply chains in South Korea (it already has done this) because of the virus being widespread in South Korea and affecting worker turnout (it already has.) South Korea manufactures a lot of medical supplies, devices, heavy industrial equipment, and many pharmaceuticals.

 

These disruptions have already happened; I see that as being different than rumors floating around about this affecting elections. ( and I hope our washing machine holds out as it sounds like a new one might be expensive! )

 

In addition to the concerns about workers on the supply side, a surprising percentage of Chinese goods is shipped in the cargo holds of passenger jets.

I have been enjoying the retrospectives of the 1980 US Hockey Team's "Miracle on Ice", that was a wonderful event and I still get chills when I hear Al Michaels say "Do you believe in miracles?"

 

So today I see pictures of the team at a rally with red hats on Why did they have to inject politics into this anniversary celebration? I was going to buy the book Eruzione wrote to tie in with the anniversary but that is right out now I am so sick of the toxic politics, couldn't we keep this non political?? No brainer guys! Really really disappointed in them :bang bang: :hockeygoon:

 

Yes, ESPN had shows on about the 40th anniversary all weekend! We really enjoyed watching the Miracle movie again last night, the one with Kurt Russell. I totally agree with you. The Olympics was always supposed to be about sports and tries to be free of politics. I felt a little better when I read that the 1980 team was in Las Vegas mainly to be honored at a Knights game and got asked to appear at the last minute, but the rally was a partisan election event, not a US government event and I dont think they should have appeared there. Plus my dad is a retired Navy officer and the current president shows so little respect to that group, it upsets me.

 

I re-watched Miracle as well. The scene where Brooks has them doing "herbies" (that's what they called the line-to-line sprints) to exhaustion, in the dark because the maintenance staff had left...."Who do you play for?" has got to be in the Top 10 scenes ever in any sports movie. That actually happened, btw. It wasn't a Hollywood embellishment.

Totalled my car. My fault, no one hurt.

Sorry to hear that, glad you are ok.

 

Thanks. Glad we were all unscathed. And that the car I hit was less than $50k.

I have been enjoying the retrospectives of the 1980 US Hockey Team's "Miracle on Ice", that was a wonderful event and I still get chills when I hear Al Michaels say "Do you believe in miracles?"

 

So today I see pictures of the team at a rally with red hats on Why did they have to inject politics into this anniversary celebration? I was going to buy the book Eruzione wrote to tie in with the anniversary but that is right out now I am so sick of the toxic politics, couldn't we keep this non political?? No brainer guys! Really really disappointed in them :bang bang: :hockeygoon:

 

I'm choosing to exercise willful ignorance here and avoid that bit of drama.

 

Politics aside, I hate the color red. ;) No red clothing, no red accessories, 400+ bottles of nail polish and not one of them is red....

 

Purple is acceptable.

Totalled my car. My fault, no one hurt.

 

Oh, I’m sorry. :(

 

No one hurt, that is the most important thing.

 

Unless you were chasing down a long-hated enemy who was really asking for it.... ;)

 

Nah, the folks I hit were really nice people. If I am gonna run someone down, I want to avoid collateral damage.

 

Also in the "first world problem but still sucks" category: I am probably going to have to put my Challenger Hellcat dream on hold for a bit. With a recent at-fault accident now on my record, insurance premiums on a Challenger would be stupid money. Sigh.

Totalled my car. My fault, no one hurt.

Yes- continuing to self-medicate with anything, really, will hinder him from getting to the heart of the issue, and learning how to deal with life, on life’s terms.

 

I would have to know more about how far down the rabbit hole he has gone with drink and drug, I guess, to know how serious it is, what he needs to address. But he can definitely get there.

 

Agree here; your friend has replaced one mind-altering substance with another. (I'm approaching four years' sobriety myself after a rapid descent into full blown alcoholism brought on by an inability to cope with anxiety and depression).

 

For a lot of people, I dare say the majority, early sobriety sucks copious quantities of ass. But it gets easier....if you let it.

 

You do know there's not much you can do except be there to support your friend; the decision has to be his.

 

I didn’t know about that, Mara, congratulations- good on you for all that you’ve done.

 

And yes, it’s true, it does get better. My experience early in sobriety was that sometimes it gets even worse, before it gets better. But it does get better. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but it saved my life, literally.

 

I am exceedingly happy that neither one of my sons has ever seen me drunk, and that they have no idea what I was like, back then.

 

Congratulations yourself!

 

My active period of alcoholism only lasted about 9 months total. But I have a tendency to go all in on everything and so it was with booze. In no time at all I was hiding bottles, changing stores where I bought wine....all the classic markers. And I KNEW I was an alcoholic and had no problem admitting it to myself or anyone else. I just couldn't stop. The end of that 9 month period came when I checked myself into the loony zoo for what turned out to be a 5 day stay. I haven't wanted to drink since.

 

I am most grateful that the brakes were applied before I had a chance to do any real, lasting damage to myself or anyone else. No DUIs, never missed work due to a hangover (or drank on the job), wasn't skipping out on paying bills. Mainly what I had to make amends for was scaring the everloving hell out of my family and friends.

Courtesy of "Rush is a Band"

 

The Disney Kids show "Puppy Dog Pals" inserted a brief tribute to Neil Peart into their latest episode, "Maple Cheer Up" (Season 3, Episode 8). In the episode, the Puppy Dog Pals visit Canada to learn about maple syrup, and there's a poster on the wall of the maple syrup cabin that shows the Rush Starman with a puppy replacing the man, a heart replacing the star, and the words "N.P. 2020" in place of "Rush 2112" in the standard blue and purple 2112 font. You can get a good view of the poster just to the left of the door at about the 19:40 mark of the episode ...

 

 

(But is it By-tor or the Snow Dog?)

 

That is hilarious! That’s so sweet, really.

 

 

 

Rush fans make themselves known in the most unexpected ways! I love it.

In one of those odd "full circle" twists of fate, the vet who came to release him from his pain was the vet who first saw him as a young guy, she did all of his well-doggy checkups and shots until we moved from the area. She remembered him too!

As hard as it was to let him go, seeing him diminished and suffering was worse. I'm grateful that he told me clearly it was time.

I keep waiting for some subtle tribute to show up in a South Park episode.

Yes- continuing to self-medicate with anything, really, will hinder him from getting to the heart of the issue, and learning how to deal with life, on life’s terms.

 

I would have to know more about how far down the rabbit hole he has gone with drink and drug, I guess, to know how serious it is, what he needs to address. But he can definitely get there.

 

Agree here; your friend has replaced one mind-altering substance with another. (I'm approaching four years' sobriety myself after a rapid descent into full blown alcoholism brought on by an inability to cope with anxiety and depression).

 

For a lot of people, I dare say the majority, early sobriety sucks copious quantities of ass. But it gets easier....if you let it.

 

You do know there's not much you can do except be there to support your friend; the decision has to be his.

My 15 year old shepherd, Simon, went his way peacefully about 15 minutes ago.

 

We had an in-home euthanasia service; I kept him settled and as pain free as possible with melatonin and pain medication until they got here. He'd hurt his back somehow, on top of a case of bronchitis. When they're this old it's like a house of cards.

 

Tomorrow I should get his ashes back and they'll go next to those of his doggy buddy Lance, who passed 2 years ago.