@Geist, We only had one day that it rained while I was on the cruise, and it was a day at sea anyways, so no big deal. And one day while we were at Disney it started raining around 9pm and didn't let up all night, again, not the end of the world. It was actually nice as it cooled it off some!
Morning, kittens! I feel so much better now than I usually do at this point. Just one more round to go!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-06T12:17:17-04:00
Howdy LZ! Good to hear that you are almost at the end of treatment. One step closer to coming to Kitten Con 2 then?
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-06T12:18:23-04:00
@BaKhan: Did you get to go to Disney while you were on vacay? I've never been on a cruise. They seem kinda boring to me. Eat, sleep, drink, sun yourself on the deck. Meh.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-06T16:12:52-04:00
Great, LZ! I can't even imagine the relief you must already be feeling, much less how good it'll feel after the last treatment wears off! It'll probably feel weird to be going into the last treatment with a big smile on your face.
`
Geist, if I weren't just 21 years old and adapted to cold environments, the way you put it, a cruise actually does sound like one of the most relaxing things ever.
Though apparently they can be cheaper than retirement homes, so I think you know where my forwarding address will be when I'm that old! And my dad for certain if I mention that to him.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-06T19:44:16-04:00
@Geist, heck yes! And the cruise was awesome! You're not on the ship the whole time you know! Seriously YouTube Oasis of the Seas. You'll see what I'm talking about. There is an actual ton of stuff to do on the ship, we didn't even get to every thing! And there were three different island stops as well. St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. It's was awesome!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-07T05:31:42-04:00
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: I watched one video last night and I was amazed at the size of that ship. Good grief! How in the world did you find your cabins at night? There must be a tracking device that they give you.
I have a million questions: Did you get an inside balacany cabin? Those looked sweet! The variety of restaurants is nice. I take it you had to pay for drinks? Was all the food included?
Haiti?! One of your destinations was there? I always thought that country is poor. Haiti is one of the countries that the company I work for does charity work. What kinds of stuff did you see there?
All in all, what I saw made me rethink cruises. I'll have to put that on my bucket list.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-07T09:24:28-04:00
Morning kittens.
@Geist, yeah that ship was huge! It and its twin sister (Allure of the Seas) are the biggest cruise ships in the world, displacing 225000 tons! We actually had an ocean view balcony! We were on the 14 deck right at the front of the ship, there was only one cabin closer to the front of the ship than us. Being out there relaxing was really nice!
There are drink packages that you could buy, but neither Misty nor i drink enough to make it worth while for us. You would need to drink more than 10 drinks everyday to make it pay off.
There where several restaurants the where included in the cost of the cruise, and then several premium restraunts that were extra, but those we optional. The food in the main dining room was quite good, I would place it between 3 and 4 star, so worst case scenario was pretty good! There were various fast food type options ( a pizza place, a hot dog place, etc.) and even one cafe that was open 24hrs just in case. The only one that we paid extra for was Johnny Rockets, which was awesome! ;)
To clarify the Haiti stop, it wasn't on the main land, it was a private island owned by Royal Carribean and perfectly groomed for tourists, called Labadee. Many different beaches, bars (even a floating one in the ocean!), bbq places (free), shopping opportunities (not at all free... ), etc. And service out the ying yang, if you even tried to touched a chair to move it, there was someone there asking to do it for you. They pamper the heck out of a person. They offered a lot of different things like a zip line that runs over the ocean, parasailing (sp?), jet ski rentals, floatation mats, etc.
I think a lot of people think that cruises are for old people, or would be boring, they are so not! Before I went on my first cruise, that is what I was expecting tbh, I was most pleasantly surprised. Now I look forward to my next chance!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-07T09:44:45-04:00
You would need to drink more than 10 drinks everyday to make it pay off.
*wonders if my liver would be up to the challenge*
@Geist: Cruises aren't bad at all...unless you're at that age where you're too old for the kid stuff, and too young for the adult stuff(this happened on the first cruise my family went on..us three kids didn't have much to do aside from spend time in the arcade and swim/read/lounge about most days we were on the ship). There is usually more stuff to do for the older folks, but there is still tons of other stuff to do(nightly shows put on stage, games there, just to name a few).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-07T11:21:17-04:00
@GM: I could enjoy a cruise that let me hop off and explore. It's the cruises that don't visit any place, just float about that I probably wouldn't find that interesting. BaKhan's cruise sounds heavenly.
@Geist: I'm not aware of any that you're on the ship the whole time. Definitely for a day, maybe two, while between ports, but to my knowledge all cruises have stops for a day in a port where you can book excursions(while still on the ship before arriving at the port), visit shop, explore a little bit, or if you decide you don't want to go somewhere, you can stay on the ship.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-07T12:20:01-04:00
@GM, yeah, I'm with you, I haven't seen any where you stay on the ship the whole time. They almost always have a couple of excursions. The way they set these up now, you can book all your stuff before you even get on the ship, so when you finally get there its all taken care of. You get you excursion tickets the night before waiting for you in your room. Its pretty slick, no stress at all.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-07T12:23:16-04:00
@GM: I've no experience of cruises. Mostly because I could never afford them and there was the "boat load of old people" rep that kept me away.
It's settled. Kitten Con 5 will be on a cruise!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-07T12:24:46-04:00
@BaKhan: There were two questions I wanted to ask you.
1. Considering the size of the ship and the number of rooms, how the heck were you able to find your cabin? I take it they give you a map or a portable GPS device to find it.
2. Did you do all the booking yourself or did you use a travel agent?
@BaKhan: Unless you need to cancel something at the last minute due to illness or something. I know when we went on the family cruise(I was in grade 8 at the time, so about 12-13 years old) my mom, sister, and I had to cancel our part of the scuba diving lessons we were going to be taking since I wasn't feeling well, and my sister had heat stroke. When my dad and brother got back to the ship, their parts were also refunded due to them not being able to do the lessons as the water was either too choppy, or clouded so they wouldn't be able to see anything.
On the last cruise I was on(5-6 years ago) my friend and I were supposed to go parasailing, but the wind was too strong and it got cancelled. We got that refunded(after having been standing at the rally point to get picked up for about an hour).
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-07T14:17:57-04:00
@Geist, it was actually pretty easy to find the room, even the first time. A ship can be broken down into 4 parts pretty easily. Forward and Aft, and Starboard (rightside if facing forward), and Port (leftside if facing forward). Then you just go by room number. So in our case, we were on the 14 deck, forward, starboard, second cabin from the very front. Another little "hidden" feature, is that the room number tag, has a little arrow on it, showing which was is forward, if you get turned around. There are also interactive maps all over the place, that you can click on and will give you a detailed route to where ever it is you are trying to go.
As far as booking, Misty booked it on Expedia, and then we met with a local rep to plan out dinners, excursions, and beverage packages, etc. It was pretty painless tbh.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-07T14:19:51-04:00
@GM, that sounds a bit rough. We didn't have any issues that way. In our room, we could alter our excursions right on the tv! And if you cancelled something with 24 hours notice, there wasn't any charge. I think technology has made things better (?). ;)
You would think that people would want to get all their pay at once, and not have to wait for it on subsequent payrolls(I'm currently trying to figure out how many hours we owe a guy from an already adjusted payroll, that has adjustments to the further adjustments we've already done)
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-07T15:14:38-04:00
I'm looking forward to my cruise in October. The Mrs. and I have never been on one, but we found a killer deal on a cruise from Long Beach, California to Ensenada, Mexico.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-07T17:08:56-04:00
@GM, true that!
@LZ, congrats bro, you deserve a nice relaxing time off! I hope you guys enjoy it! Which cruise line did you guys book with?
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-07T18:16:52-04:00
I think it's Carnival. I've read about all the offerings, and I'm super stoked about it. We're calling it our big 10th anniversary celebration, even though our 10th is tomorrow. Tomorrow's celebration will be small by comparison.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-07T18:32:48-04:00
Congratulations, LZ! That all sounds great, and you've earned it.
`
Oh yeah, did I mention I'll be gone for like 2 1/2 weeks? I just remembered, this coming sunday night I'm leaving with my mom and brother to explore a few states we haven't been to, up to Maine, only leaving the Carolinas and Alaska and Hawaii that I haven't been to, as well as popping into Canada a few times over there to see stuff like the Bay of Fundy! So I'll probably be pretty quiet over the coming weeks.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-08T01:19:47-04:00
So this was fun: shortly after 9:30 tonight, I suddenly broke out in hives. I had to take Children's Benadryl because I've never had an allergic reaction to anything before, and by the time I remembered that Benadryl was a thing, it was too late to go out and buy some of the adult kind.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-08T06:20:00-04:00
Congrats on your cruise and anniversary LZ! October, eh? So no Kitten Con visit from you and the Mrs.?
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T09:30:31-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T09:31:34-04:00
@LZ, Carnival cruises have quite the reputation for great party ships! You are sure to have a great time! Congrats on your anniversary! 10 years is no small feat! Huzzah!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T09:35:08-04:00
Also, sorry to hear about the hives! Sometimes its not any one thing, but a combination of things that'll get you. Benadryl can be a life saver for sure! I also always have an epipen close at hand, especially when I travel!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T09:41:56-04:00
@Zem, congrats on your upcoming road trip! I've always wanted to go and see the Bay of Fundy! Hopefully someday! I've only been as far east in Canada as Quebec, so it would be really cool to make it to the east coast!
@LZ: Yeah, allergic reactions are never fun. I try to keep Benadryl on hand...though I've lapsed in keeping it with me over the last couple years as it kept expiring without me using it.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-08T12:05:08-04:00
I'm thinking I may have to do that. At least until I can figure out what's causing the problem
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T12:24:22-04:00
@LZ, the most common is switching laundry detergent, you should check that first. It could also be from your treatments wearing down your imune system. Either way I hope you get it sorted!
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-08T13:18:42-04:00
I hope so, too. We're using the same detergent as we have for years. The fun part of allergies, though, is that they can take a long time to manifest. It happened with a lot of medical personnel with latex. They'd work for years with latex gloves and then put them on one day to discover that they suddenly have a latex allergy.
I'm thinking it might be one of the medicines I took yesterday, because I was having the worst heartburn ever, and neither Tums nor Maalox helped. My wife started thinking heart attack, I was thinking maybe secondary effects of constipation. She told me to take Tylenol, and if it didn't help, then she was going to take me to the hospital. So, I took Percocet (Oxycodone and acetaminophen), aspirin, and a stool softener. Twenty or thirty minutes later, boom! Hives everywhere! We actually watched them spread.
So, it seems to be a drug-related allergy. If it's the Oxycodone, that's fine. I really hope it's not the acetaminophen or aspirin, though.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-08T14:06:28-04:00
Wow, I'm glad once again I have so few allergies that not even poison ivy affects me. Unfortunately, I do know that they can come about like that quite often later in life, so I'm careful. Especially poison ivy, that one eventually gets to even most immune.
I figured it might be a medication you were taking, but thought that would be odd considering you'd probably have been taking most them for months now at least. But good thing you have it narrowed down with a good probability to those last couple you took. Yeah, really hoping it's the Oxycodone as well. Acetaminophen and Aspirin allergies would cause quite a bit more issues and mean you couldn't use one of the most common painkillers and maybe anything closely related to it.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-08T14:08:00-04:00
BaKhan, thanks, the Bay is one of my favorite destinations on this trip. We're going around that whole area to a couple other similar areas too, it's something I've wanted to see for some time as well. Though ironically it's definitely one of the least exciting places; you sit around for half the day, watch water move, sit for half the day, see it move again...
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-08T14:33:06-04:00
So you're saying that it's the least exciting because it's the most relaxing
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T15:00:32-04:00
@Zem, yes, but its what you see when the water moves thats so cool. ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-08T15:01:19-04:00
@LZ, now it does sound like it had to do with the meds. Hopefully thats it.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-08T19:17:30-04:00
Oh definitely for both of you! I love just sitting around relaxing, so most of the day otherwise will likely be seeing nature, reading, and playing games, which is all fun and relaxing as well.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-09T06:39:17-04:00
Morning kittens. Happy Friday.
I'm looking forward to the weekend. (As always) Gonna finally go see Wonder Woman. I'm hearing all kinds of raves about the movie and I need to see it before someone blabs a plot twist to me an ruins the movie. (Someone did that for the movie "Gone Girl" and now I not only don't want to see the movie, I don't want to read the book either)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T09:09:28-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T09:10:52-04:00
@Geist, nothing worse than a spoiler! I wish people would just shut up about stuff unitl everyone has had a chance to see/read it for themselves. Good luck with WW, I've been hearing mixed reviews myself, I'll probably wait for blueray myself on that one.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T09:13:46-04:00
I've got a bit of exciting news. I'm meeting someone about a job offer today at lunch. We've been talking about this for almost a year now, and he's finally ready to put his money where his mouth is. So I'll see what it looks like, but most likely will be accepting the offer. It only took two days back at my job to feel burnt out again, and I don't want to go on that way. I've been at this job (workplace) for 17 years now, and I think its time for a change. I'm really stagnating here and year over year I've made less money, due to days off without pay. If this proposal I'm looking at today is what I think it is, it should double my current salary. Wish me luck kittens!
@BaKhan: That sounds awesome. Hopefully the offer is as good as you predict, if not better.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T10:37:53-04:00
@GM, thanks bro! Fingers crossed!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-09T12:09:49-04:00
Congrats BaKhan! I am so flipping happy for you! I will drink a beer in your honor tonight.
Wow. 17 years. The longest I've ever been at a company is 9 year and then the recession hit and I was laid off. I've been working in the accounting field for 16 years. I'm making plans on leaving and learning a new skill so that I can get a job that doesn't ask me to give up my life and pays me little to boot.
You deserve a job that pays you what you are worth and it enjoyable to go to BaKhan. I know that you will get it.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T12:19:57-04:00
@Geist, thanks! I will let you guys know how it goes! Less than 40 mins to go now!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-09T13:47:00-04:00
So I guess you're there now and won't see this until you return, but that's amazing, BaKhan! It'll cause quite a big change to get a salary almost double your current one! I hope the job looks pretty good and you get the chance to take it!
`
Kinda sounds like my dad's last job shift. He got 1 1/2 times pay (even though his was already pretty dang good since he's a manager), less work, MUCH less stressful work, and way more responsibility! Let's hope your offer is that good! (it helps that his last company basically uses its people as slaves)
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-09T14:05:39-04:00
Good luck, BaKhan!
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-09T14:07:38-04:00
Last night was great. We went to Red Lobster for dinner, and then wandered around the area we got married at.
I woke up this morning with more hives, though :-/ they were all gone when I went to bed last night. I really wish I knew what is causing these.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-09T14:40:00-04:00
That sounds nice, LZ. Wait, not that. I meant the other one! Red Lobster is terrible.
Just kidding, I love it. That sounds nice and that sounds terrible. Hope you get this figured out soon so you can avoid it in the future, it really sounds annoying!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T15:48:59-04:00
So lunch was great! There is a basic job there, I'm still waiting to see what they are going to offer to start (which will only be more that what I'm making now), but the other stuff like benefits, holidays, etc. is there. He literally said that there was no ceiling! I gave him an idea a few months ago that he's already lining up investors for, and he wants me (with no capital outlay) to be a full partner in its development! He told me straight up that he wants to hire me for my brain! Guys I'm still reeling tbh! He also said that he wants me to leave my current job in good standing, so I won't have to fly by night or anything, which makes me feel a lot better. Overall, I'm over the moon right now! Thanks for all your well wishes everyone!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T15:51:03-04:00
@LZ, congrats on your anniversary! Hope you guys had some fun! Sorry to hear about those hives, I'm wondering if you might have picked up a sensativity to some environmental condition through the process of your treatments (weirder things have happened right?). It might be worth your time to get an allergy screening done. Look after yourself bro!
@BaKhan: That's all good and stuff....but what about the food man?!(Seriously, that sounds like an awesome deal. Hopefully they come back with a good offer).
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-09T15:55:43-04:00
@GM, lol, we went for Vietnamese, and I didn't even finish my vermicelli, I couldn't too many butterflies taking up the space food would normally go. That was the least exciting part tbh. We were looking for something quick that we could go and get me back inside of an hour. I was still a half hour late getting back, as there was so much to talk about!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-09T18:45:52-04:00
Aww, but Fly by Night is a great song! I'd love to do that only so I could play that song on repeat until everyone else in the company got annoyed and wanted me to leave. Then it's on good standing AND you got to have fun!
Really, though, this offer sounds really great! I'm so happy for you! More money, benefits, and they're not choking you out in a full-nelson with your vacation! I really hope all this works out for you!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-09T18:47:48-04:00
And yeah, that's what I was thinking. The treatments might have triggered some allergy, that's not uncommon, especially with as strong of stuff as that. It really sucks, but if it keeps happening, I'd definitely have a test to rule out a new allergy.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-10T17:08:53-04:00
Yeah, I'm already thinking about a plan for allergy testing. Any allergy would be a new one for me, though. I was so happy being smug about not having allergies!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-11T10:53:01-04:00
Oh I know that feeling. I'm way too dang smug about not having allergies, so I fully expect to have plenty when I'm older!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2017-06-11T17:38:25-04:00
Well, see y'all for the most part. I hope to be able to check in every once in awhile, but since my laptop has some issue with the battery and now basically has 8 minutes of charge max, it has to always be plugged in, so I probably won't be on here much. I'll be sure to brag if I get the chance, though. ;)
Otherwise, see you all in like 2 1/2 weeks.
Normally it'd be quiet without me, but I'm only on in the afternoon during the summer anyways.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-12T06:10:56-04:00
@BaKhan: I am so flipping happy for you! Woot, woot! You will finally get the pay and benefits you so richly deserve. Heck, you and Creeper inspire me to try to pursue my dream job. I know I can make this happen.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T09:24:07-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T09:26:33-04:00
@Zem, fly by night is a great song! Very technical and challanging to play, Geddy Lee may not be a great singer, be he can play the heck out of a bass I'll tell ya! ;) Have fun with your vacation! Try not get to get into to much of a wicked pissah up in Maine, etc.! ;) Looking forward to your eight minutes of bragging! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T09:27:28-04:00
@LZ, I doubt you've developed a true allergy, I think its most likely just a sensativity that will deminish as you wean off of your treatments. Lets hope so anyways! I'd like to see you back to your normal smug self! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T09:30:11-04:00
@Geist, thank you so much! If there is one thing that I've learned in my time on this planet, life is out there for the taking, you just need to be brave enough to go after it! The biggest obstacle in my life, has been me! Once I get out of my own way, things seem to get accomplished without too much fuss. I know that you can get to a better place, we all know you deserve it, now its time for you to go and get it! You can do it!
Only 4 days until I am off for 6 days. Can't wait to be able to just relax and not think about work.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T09:55:33-04:00
@GM, congrats! You deserve it! Doing anything fun while you're off?
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-12T10:07:08-04:00
@GM: Lucky you. I tend not to use vacation hours until after my birthday. This year I'm hoping to use them to visit Calgary again for Halloween. If BaKhan and his wife will have me.
@BaKhan: Not overly much planned. Mostly organizing/throwing out junk, possibly go see a few movies. Not entirely sure what all I will be up to, but I know that apparently me saying "doing what I want" is means for my mom to say she will have a list of things she wants me to do rather than use my vacation time to do what I want to do/get accomplished.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T10:53:38-04:00
@Geist, not only would we be super excited to have you! We'd be disapointed if you didn't come! I thought we all had a great time, and I'm definitely down for round two! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T10:55:08-04:00
@GM, lol, duck the flog man! Best of luck! ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-12T11:43:25-04:00
I'm still working on spring cleaning. Didn't do too much of it because after watching Wonder Woman, I spent hours in a part of Virginia since the weather was so so comfortable it would have been a crime to be stuck in my apartment.
The Wonder Woman movie was rather good. I take back brownie points for having a plot twist so easy to guess that I knew about it half way through the movie. Otherwise than that, it was a heck of a lot better than Batman vs. Superman.
I find that all DC superhero movies are mediocre at best. I haven't seen Batman vs Superman, and probably won't until it reaches Netflix(and possibly not even then).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-12T12:10:26-04:00
DC definitely isn't doing as well as Marvel when it comes to their movie universe. WW was the only one of their movies I liked so far. Doctor Strange was kinda boring and while I don't hate Guardians of the Galaxy, I don't love it either.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T12:51:58-04:00
@Geist, Doc Strange and Guardians were Marvel movies... ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-12T13:05:47-04:00
They were? *says in my George Takei voice* Oh my!
Sorry for getting that mixed up but I stand by my opinion of the movies.
Truth be told, I am looking forward to the Justice League movie. The actor that they have playing The Flash is soooooo dreamy.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-12T23:51:22-04:00
Okay kittens! I just took the job! This is exciting and scary at the same time but I can't just sit in an office for the rest of my life eeking out an existence. They say the fortune favours the brave. Time to find out!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-13T01:06:59-04:00
Holy sh*t BaKhan! Congradulations! I am so happy for you! I owe you a drink next time I visit.
" I can't just sit in an office for the rest of my life eeking out an existence"
You and me both brother.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-13T09:17:44-04:00
@Geist, thank you so much! Its so exciting, but I feel like I have major butterflys right now tbh. I have to tell my boss in about 15 minutes or so, and its going to crush him. I've spent the last 12 years learning how to work with him, and how to make him feel like he's in charge, even though thats far from reality. I hate to have to do it, as I know he's going to take it personally, but it must be done. It almost feels like a break up.
@BaKhan: Congrats! The change is definitely going to be an exciting time. Learning new things(hopefully), making new connections, and just going somewhere that doesn't drain you a few days back from vacation.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-13T11:24:56-04:00
@GM, thanks man! The opportunities are amazing, and I love to learn new things, and then 3M them! ;) It was tough handing in my notice, but now the future is calling!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-13T13:03:58-04:00
@BaKhan: Your soon-to-be former boss will just have to get over it. You don't owe any company your undying loyalty unless they are giving you everything you need to make going to work a joy.
Man, you and Creeper are making me step up my game. Hopefully I can get into school within the next year or so.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-13T13:07:30-04:00
@GM: I wish. I am working only half a day because I'm volunteering at the big comic convention in D.C. Stan Lee is going to be there.
Tickets to get his autograph and picture are expensive! $350 for that combo or you could drop $295 and have a bagel breakfast with him and 50 fans. I like the guy but not enough to pay that kind of cash.
@Geist: You're not the only onw who is going to be having to step up their game.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-13T13:53:18-04:00
Indeed. I need to stop being lazy and publish my novel already. With any luck, it (and the rest of the series) will be a best-seller, and I can live off the residual income alone.
Also, EK plushies are a thing now! It's been a couple years coming, but they're here! Sadly, I can't look at the site at this time.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-13T13:54:04-04:00
BaKhan, I'm super excited for you! This will be a great opportunity for you.
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-13T13:54:15-04:00
BaKhan, I'm super excited for you! This will be a great opportunity for you.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-13T14:08:01-04:00
They have plushies? Where? Is it a KS campaign?
Lord Zombitten 2017-06-13T14:22:00-04:00
They just announced it on Facebook, with a link provided.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-14T06:14:37-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-14T09:37:45-04:00
Morning kittens!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2017-06-14T09:51:09-04:00
@BaKhan: I saw your comments in the Polygon thread. 4 months isn't that late. I'd consider a year or more late.
@Geist: How about 5 years? The last update from the creator showed the items in his possession. It was long enough ago that I don't care anymore, and have given up hope of ever seeing them.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2017-06-14T10:14:04-04:00
@Geist, he actually took it much better than I was expecting, although in a lot of ways it still felt like a break up, just not quite as emotional. Life is funny isn't it? As far as stepping your game up, I think its fair to say we've all got your back with whatever you should choose! Just remember, you are worth more, and you deserve better, and nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Morning kittens.
@Geist, We only had one day that it rained while I was on the cruise, and it was a day at sea anyways, so no big deal. And one day while we were at Disney it started raining around 9pm and didn't let up all night, again, not the end of the world. It was actually nice as it cooled it off some!
Morning kittens.
Morning, kittens! I feel so much better now than I usually do at this point. Just one more round to go!
Howdy LZ! Good to hear that you are almost at the end of treatment. One step closer to coming to Kitten Con 2 then?
@BaKhan: Did you get to go to Disney while you were on vacay? I've never been on a cruise. They seem kinda boring to me. Eat, sleep, drink, sun yourself on the deck. Meh.
Great, LZ! I can't even imagine the relief you must already be feeling, much less how good it'll feel after the last treatment wears off! It'll probably feel weird to be going into the last treatment with a big smile on your face.
`
Geist, if I weren't just 21 years old and adapted to cold environments, the way you put it, a cruise actually does sound like one of the most relaxing things ever.
Though apparently they can be cheaper than retirement homes, so I think you know where my forwarding address will be when I'm that old! And my dad for certain if I mention that to him.
@Geist, heck yes! And the cruise was awesome! You're not on the ship the whole time you know! Seriously YouTube Oasis of the Seas. You'll see what I'm talking about. There is an actual ton of stuff to do on the ship, we didn't even get to every thing! And there were three different island stops as well. St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. It's was awesome!
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: I watched one video last night and I was amazed at the size of that ship. Good grief! How in the world did you find your cabins at night? There must be a tracking device that they give you.
I have a million questions: Did you get an inside balacany cabin? Those looked sweet! The variety of restaurants is nice. I take it you had to pay for drinks? Was all the food included?
Haiti?! One of your destinations was there? I always thought that country is poor. Haiti is one of the countries that the company I work for does charity work. What kinds of stuff did you see there?
All in all, what I saw made me rethink cruises. I'll have to put that on my bucket list.
Morning kittens.
@Geist, yeah that ship was huge! It and its twin sister (Allure of the Seas) are the biggest cruise ships in the world, displacing 225000 tons! We actually had an ocean view balcony! We were on the 14 deck right at the front of the ship, there was only one cabin closer to the front of the ship than us. Being out there relaxing was really nice!
There are drink packages that you could buy, but neither Misty nor i drink enough to make it worth while for us. You would need to drink more than 10 drinks everyday to make it pay off.
There where several restaurants the where included in the cost of the cruise, and then several premium restraunts that were extra, but those we optional. The food in the main dining room was quite good, I would place it between 3 and 4 star, so worst case scenario was pretty good! There were various fast food type options ( a pizza place, a hot dog place, etc.) and even one cafe that was open 24hrs just in case. The only one that we paid extra for was Johnny Rockets, which was awesome! ;)
To clarify the Haiti stop, it wasn't on the main land, it was a private island owned by Royal Carribean and perfectly groomed for tourists, called Labadee. Many different beaches, bars (even a floating one in the ocean!), bbq places (free), shopping opportunities (not at all free... ), etc. And service out the ying yang, if you even tried to touched a chair to move it, there was someone there asking to do it for you. They pamper the heck out of a person. They offered a lot of different things like a zip line that runs over the ocean, parasailing (sp?), jet ski rentals, floatation mats, etc.
I think a lot of people think that cruises are for old people, or would be boring, they are so not! Before I went on my first cruise, that is what I was expecting tbh, I was most pleasantly surprised. Now I look forward to my next chance!
You would need to drink more than 10 drinks everyday to make it pay off.
*wonders if my liver would be up to the challenge*
Morning kittens.
@Geist: Cruises aren't bad at all...unless you're at that age where you're too old for the kid stuff, and too young for the adult stuff(this happened on the first cruise my family went on..us three kids didn't have much to do aside from spend time in the arcade and swim/read/lounge about most days we were on the ship). There is usually more stuff to do for the older folks, but there is still tons of other stuff to do(nightly shows put on stage, games there, just to name a few).
@GM: I could enjoy a cruise that let me hop off and explore. It's the cruises that don't visit any place, just float about that I probably wouldn't find that interesting. BaKhan's cruise sounds heavenly.
@Geist: I'm not aware of any that you're on the ship the whole time. Definitely for a day, maybe two, while between ports, but to my knowledge all cruises have stops for a day in a port where you can book excursions(while still on the ship before arriving at the port), visit shop, explore a little bit, or if you decide you don't want to go somewhere, you can stay on the ship.
@GM, yeah, I'm with you, I haven't seen any where you stay on the ship the whole time. They almost always have a couple of excursions. The way they set these up now, you can book all your stuff before you even get on the ship, so when you finally get there its all taken care of. You get you excursion tickets the night before waiting for you in your room. Its pretty slick, no stress at all.
@GM: I've no experience of cruises. Mostly because I could never afford them and there was the "boat load of old people" rep that kept me away.
It's settled. Kitten Con 5 will be on a cruise!
@BaKhan: There were two questions I wanted to ask you.
1. Considering the size of the ship and the number of rooms, how the heck were you able to find your cabin? I take it they give you a map or a portable GPS device to find it.
2. Did you do all the booking yourself or did you use a travel agent?
@BaKhan: Unless you need to cancel something at the last minute due to illness or something. I know when we went on the family cruise(I was in grade 8 at the time, so about 12-13 years old) my mom, sister, and I had to cancel our part of the scuba diving lessons we were going to be taking since I wasn't feeling well, and my sister had heat stroke. When my dad and brother got back to the ship, their parts were also refunded due to them not being able to do the lessons as the water was either too choppy, or clouded so they wouldn't be able to see anything.
On the last cruise I was on(5-6 years ago) my friend and I were supposed to go parasailing, but the wind was too strong and it got cancelled. We got that refunded(after having been standing at the rally point to get picked up for about an hour).
@Geist, it was actually pretty easy to find the room, even the first time. A ship can be broken down into 4 parts pretty easily. Forward and Aft, and Starboard (rightside if facing forward), and Port (leftside if facing forward). Then you just go by room number. So in our case, we were on the 14 deck, forward, starboard, second cabin from the very front. Another little "hidden" feature, is that the room number tag, has a little arrow on it, showing which was is forward, if you get turned around. There are also interactive maps all over the place, that you can click on and will give you a detailed route to where ever it is you are trying to go.
As far as booking, Misty booked it on Expedia, and then we met with a local rep to plan out dinners, excursions, and beverage packages, etc. It was pretty painless tbh.
@GM, that sounds a bit rough. We didn't have any issues that way. In our room, we could alter our excursions right on the tv! And if you cancelled something with 24 hours notice, there wasn't any charge. I think technology has made things better (?). ;)
@BaKhan: When the technology works. For us, that was 16-17 years ago...so nothing like what we have now.
You would think that people would want to get all their pay at once, and not have to wait for it on subsequent payrolls(I'm currently trying to figure out how many hours we owe a guy from an already adjusted payroll, that has adjustments to the further adjustments we've already done)
I'm looking forward to my cruise in October. The Mrs. and I have never been on one, but we found a killer deal on a cruise from Long Beach, California to Ensenada, Mexico.
@GM, true that!
@LZ, congrats bro, you deserve a nice relaxing time off! I hope you guys enjoy it! Which cruise line did you guys book with?
I think it's Carnival. I've read about all the offerings, and I'm super stoked about it. We're calling it our big 10th anniversary celebration, even though our 10th is tomorrow. Tomorrow's celebration will be small by comparison.
Congratulations, LZ! That all sounds great, and you've earned it.
`
Oh yeah, did I mention I'll be gone for like 2 1/2 weeks? I just remembered, this coming sunday night I'm leaving with my mom and brother to explore a few states we haven't been to, up to Maine, only leaving the Carolinas and Alaska and Hawaii that I haven't been to, as well as popping into Canada a few times over there to see stuff like the Bay of Fundy! So I'll probably be pretty quiet over the coming weeks.
So this was fun: shortly after 9:30 tonight, I suddenly broke out in hives. I had to take Children's Benadryl because I've never had an allergic reaction to anything before, and by the time I remembered that Benadryl was a thing, it was too late to go out and buy some of the adult kind.
Congrats on your cruise and anniversary LZ! October, eh? So no Kitten Con visit from you and the Mrs.?
Morning kittens.
@LZ, Carnival cruises have quite the reputation for great party ships! You are sure to have a great time! Congrats on your anniversary! 10 years is no small feat! Huzzah!
Also, sorry to hear about the hives! Sometimes its not any one thing, but a combination of things that'll get you. Benadryl can be a life saver for sure! I also always have an epipen close at hand, especially when I travel!
@Zem, congrats on your upcoming road trip! I've always wanted to go and see the Bay of Fundy! Hopefully someday! I've only been as far east in Canada as Quebec, so it would be really cool to make it to the east coast!
Morning kittens.
@LZ: Yeah, allergic reactions are never fun. I try to keep Benadryl on hand...though I've lapsed in keeping it with me over the last couple years as it kept expiring without me using it.
I'm thinking I may have to do that. At least until I can figure out what's causing the problem
@LZ, the most common is switching laundry detergent, you should check that first. It could also be from your treatments wearing down your imune system. Either way I hope you get it sorted!
I hope so, too. We're using the same detergent as we have for years. The fun part of allergies, though, is that they can take a long time to manifest. It happened with a lot of medical personnel with latex. They'd work for years with latex gloves and then put them on one day to discover that they suddenly have a latex allergy.
I'm thinking it might be one of the medicines I took yesterday, because I was having the worst heartburn ever, and neither Tums nor Maalox helped. My wife started thinking heart attack, I was thinking maybe secondary effects of constipation. She told me to take Tylenol, and if it didn't help, then she was going to take me to the hospital. So, I took Percocet (Oxycodone and acetaminophen), aspirin, and a stool softener. Twenty or thirty minutes later, boom! Hives everywhere! We actually watched them spread.
So, it seems to be a drug-related allergy. If it's the Oxycodone, that's fine. I really hope it's not the acetaminophen or aspirin, though.
Wow, I'm glad once again I have so few allergies that not even poison ivy affects me. Unfortunately, I do know that they can come about like that quite often later in life, so I'm careful. Especially poison ivy, that one eventually gets to even most immune.
I figured it might be a medication you were taking, but thought that would be odd considering you'd probably have been taking most them for months now at least. But good thing you have it narrowed down with a good probability to those last couple you took. Yeah, really hoping it's the Oxycodone as well. Acetaminophen and Aspirin allergies would cause quite a bit more issues and mean you couldn't use one of the most common painkillers and maybe anything closely related to it.
BaKhan, thanks, the Bay is one of my favorite destinations on this trip. We're going around that whole area to a couple other similar areas too, it's something I've wanted to see for some time as well. Though ironically it's definitely one of the least exciting places; you sit around for half the day, watch water move, sit for half the day, see it move again...
So you're saying that it's the least exciting because it's the most relaxing
@Zem, yes, but its what you see when the water moves thats so cool. ;)
@LZ, now it does sound like it had to do with the meds. Hopefully thats it.
Oh definitely for both of you! I love just sitting around relaxing, so most of the day otherwise will likely be seeing nature, reading, and playing games, which is all fun and relaxing as well.
Morning kittens. Happy Friday.
I'm looking forward to the weekend. (As always) Gonna finally go see Wonder Woman. I'm hearing all kinds of raves about the movie and I need to see it before someone blabs a plot twist to me an ruins the movie. (Someone did that for the movie "Gone Girl" and now I not only don't want to see the movie, I don't want to read the book either)
Morning kittens.
@Geist, nothing worse than a spoiler! I wish people would just shut up about stuff unitl everyone has had a chance to see/read it for themselves. Good luck with WW, I've been hearing mixed reviews myself, I'll probably wait for blueray myself on that one.
I've got a bit of exciting news. I'm meeting someone about a job offer today at lunch. We've been talking about this for almost a year now, and he's finally ready to put his money where his mouth is. So I'll see what it looks like, but most likely will be accepting the offer. It only took two days back at my job to feel burnt out again, and I don't want to go on that way. I've been at this job (workplace) for 17 years now, and I think its time for a change. I'm really stagnating here and year over year I've made less money, due to days off without pay. If this proposal I'm looking at today is what I think it is, it should double my current salary. Wish me luck kittens!
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: That sounds awesome. Hopefully the offer is as good as you predict, if not better.
@GM, thanks bro! Fingers crossed!
Congrats BaKhan! I am so flipping happy for you! I will drink a beer in your honor tonight.
Wow. 17 years. The longest I've ever been at a company is 9 year and then the recession hit and I was laid off. I've been working in the accounting field for 16 years. I'm making plans on leaving and learning a new skill so that I can get a job that doesn't ask me to give up my life and pays me little to boot.
You deserve a job that pays you what you are worth and it enjoyable to go to BaKhan. I know that you will get it.
@Geist, thanks! I will let you guys know how it goes! Less than 40 mins to go now!
So I guess you're there now and won't see this until you return, but that's amazing, BaKhan! It'll cause quite a big change to get a salary almost double your current one! I hope the job looks pretty good and you get the chance to take it!
`
Kinda sounds like my dad's last job shift. He got 1 1/2 times pay (even though his was already pretty dang good since he's a manager), less work, MUCH less stressful work, and way more responsibility! Let's hope your offer is that good! (it helps that his last company basically uses its people as slaves)
Good luck, BaKhan!
Last night was great. We went to Red Lobster for dinner, and then wandered around the area we got married at.
I woke up this morning with more hives, though :-/ they were all gone when I went to bed last night. I really wish I knew what is causing these.
That sounds nice, LZ. Wait, not that. I meant the other one! Red Lobster is terrible.
Just kidding, I love it. That sounds nice and that sounds terrible. Hope you get this figured out soon so you can avoid it in the future, it really sounds annoying!
So lunch was great! There is a basic job there, I'm still waiting to see what they are going to offer to start (which will only be more that what I'm making now), but the other stuff like benefits, holidays, etc. is there. He literally said that there was no ceiling! I gave him an idea a few months ago that he's already lining up investors for, and he wants me (with no capital outlay) to be a full partner in its development! He told me straight up that he wants to hire me for my brain! Guys I'm still reeling tbh! He also said that he wants me to leave my current job in good standing, so I won't have to fly by night or anything, which makes me feel a lot better. Overall, I'm over the moon right now! Thanks for all your well wishes everyone!
@LZ, congrats on your anniversary! Hope you guys had some fun! Sorry to hear about those hives, I'm wondering if you might have picked up a sensativity to some environmental condition through the process of your treatments (weirder things have happened right?). It might be worth your time to get an allergy screening done. Look after yourself bro!
@BaKhan: That's all good and stuff....but what about the food man?!(Seriously, that sounds like an awesome deal. Hopefully they come back with a good offer).
@GM, lol, we went for Vietnamese, and I didn't even finish my vermicelli, I couldn't too many butterflies taking up the space food would normally go. That was the least exciting part tbh. We were looking for something quick that we could go and get me back inside of an hour. I was still a half hour late getting back, as there was so much to talk about!
Aww, but Fly by Night is a great song! I'd love to do that only so I could play that song on repeat until everyone else in the company got annoyed and wanted me to leave. Then it's on good standing AND you got to have fun!
Really, though, this offer sounds really great! I'm so happy for you! More money, benefits, and they're not choking you out in a full-nelson with your vacation! I really hope all this works out for you!
And yeah, that's what I was thinking. The treatments might have triggered some allergy, that's not uncommon, especially with as strong of stuff as that. It really sucks, but if it keeps happening, I'd definitely have a test to rule out a new allergy.
Yeah, I'm already thinking about a plan for allergy testing. Any allergy would be a new one for me, though. I was so happy being smug about not having allergies!
Oh I know that feeling. I'm way too dang smug about not having allergies, so I fully expect to have plenty when I'm older!
Well, see y'all for the most part. I hope to be able to check in every once in awhile, but since my laptop has some issue with the battery and now basically has 8 minutes of charge max, it has to always be plugged in, so I probably won't be on here much. I'll be sure to brag if I get the chance, though. ;)
Otherwise, see you all in like 2 1/2 weeks.
Normally it'd be quiet without me, but I'm only on in the afternoon during the summer anyways.
@BaKhan: I am so flipping happy for you! Woot, woot! You will finally get the pay and benefits you so richly deserve. Heck, you and Creeper inspire me to try to pursue my dream job. I know I can make this happen.
Morning kittens.
@Zem, fly by night is a great song! Very technical and challanging to play, Geddy Lee may not be a great singer, be he can play the heck out of a bass I'll tell ya! ;) Have fun with your vacation! Try not get to get into to much of a wicked pissah up in Maine, etc.! ;) Looking forward to your eight minutes of bragging! ;)
@LZ, I doubt you've developed a true allergy, I think its most likely just a sensativity that will deminish as you wean off of your treatments. Lets hope so anyways! I'd like to see you back to your normal smug self! ;)
@Geist, thank you so much! If there is one thing that I've learned in my time on this planet, life is out there for the taking, you just need to be brave enough to go after it! The biggest obstacle in my life, has been me! Once I get out of my own way, things seem to get accomplished without too much fuss. I know that you can get to a better place, we all know you deserve it, now its time for you to go and get it! You can do it!
Morning kittens.
Only 4 days until I am off for 6 days. Can't wait to be able to just relax and not think about work.
@GM, congrats! You deserve it! Doing anything fun while you're off?
@GM: Lucky you. I tend not to use vacation hours until after my birthday. This year I'm hoping to use them to visit Calgary again for Halloween. If BaKhan and his wife will have me.
@BaKhan: Not overly much planned. Mostly organizing/throwing out junk, possibly go see a few movies. Not entirely sure what all I will be up to, but I know that apparently me saying "doing what I want" is means for my mom to say she will have a list of things she wants me to do rather than use my vacation time to do what I want to do/get accomplished.
@Geist, not only would we be super excited to have you! We'd be disapointed if you didn't come! I thought we all had a great time, and I'm definitely down for round two! ;)
@GM, lol, duck the flog man! Best of luck! ;)
I'm still working on spring cleaning. Didn't do too much of it because after watching Wonder Woman, I spent hours in a part of Virginia since the weather was so so comfortable it would have been a crime to be stuck in my apartment.
The Wonder Woman movie was rather good. I take back brownie points for having a plot twist so easy to guess that I knew about it half way through the movie. Otherwise than that, it was a heck of a lot better than Batman vs. Superman.
I find that all DC superhero movies are mediocre at best. I haven't seen Batman vs Superman, and probably won't until it reaches Netflix(and possibly not even then).
DC definitely isn't doing as well as Marvel when it comes to their movie universe. WW was the only one of their movies I liked so far. Doctor Strange was kinda boring and while I don't hate Guardians of the Galaxy, I don't love it either.
@Geist, Doc Strange and Guardians were Marvel movies... ;)
They were? *says in my George Takei voice* Oh my!
Sorry for getting that mixed up but I stand by my opinion of the movies.
Truth be told, I am looking forward to the Justice League movie. The actor that they have playing The Flash is soooooo dreamy.
Okay kittens! I just took the job! This is exciting and scary at the same time but I can't just sit in an office for the rest of my life eeking out an existence. They say the fortune favours the brave. Time to find out!
Holy sh*t BaKhan! Congradulations! I am so happy for you! I owe you a drink next time I visit.
" I can't just sit in an office for the rest of my life eeking out an existence"
You and me both brother.
@Geist, thank you so much! Its so exciting, but I feel like I have major butterflys right now tbh. I have to tell my boss in about 15 minutes or so, and its going to crush him. I've spent the last 12 years learning how to work with him, and how to make him feel like he's in charge, even though thats far from reality. I hate to have to do it, as I know he's going to take it personally, but it must be done. It almost feels like a break up.
Also, Morning Kittens!
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: Congrats! The change is definitely going to be an exciting time. Learning new things(hopefully), making new connections, and just going somewhere that doesn't drain you a few days back from vacation.
@GM, thanks man! The opportunities are amazing, and I love to learn new things, and then 3M them! ;) It was tough handing in my notice, but now the future is calling!
Can it be Friday already?
@BaKhan: Your soon-to-be former boss will just have to get over it. You don't owe any company your undying loyalty unless they are giving you everything you need to make going to work a joy.
Man, you and Creeper are making me step up my game. Hopefully I can get into school within the next year or so.
@GM: I wish. I am working only half a day because I'm volunteering at the big comic convention in D.C. Stan Lee is going to be there.
Tickets to get his autograph and picture are expensive! $350 for that combo or you could drop $295 and have a bagel breakfast with him and 50 fans. I like the guy but not enough to pay that kind of cash.
@Geist: You're not the only onw who is going to be having to step up their game.
Indeed. I need to stop being lazy and publish my novel already. With any luck, it (and the rest of the series) will be a best-seller, and I can live off the residual income alone.
Also, EK plushies are a thing now! It's been a couple years coming, but they're here! Sadly, I can't look at the site at this time.
BaKhan, I'm super excited for you! This will be a great opportunity for you.
BaKhan, I'm super excited for you! This will be a great opportunity for you.
They have plushies? Where? Is it a KS campaign?
They just announced it on Facebook, with a link provided.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens!
@BaKhan: I saw your comments in the Polygon thread. 4 months isn't that late. I'd consider a year or more late.
Morning kittens.
@Geist: How about 5 years? The last update from the creator showed the items in his possession. It was long enough ago that I don't care anymore, and have given up hope of ever seeing them.
@Geist, he actually took it much better than I was expecting, although in a lot of ways it still felt like a break up, just not quite as emotional. Life is funny isn't it? As far as stepping your game up, I think its fair to say we've all got your back with whatever you should choose! Just remember, you are worth more, and you deserve better, and nothing ventured, nothing gained!
@LZ, thanks man!