Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-03T17:06:20-05:00
Wow... looks like we all just suddenly are having terrible days!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-03T18:36:12-05:00
@Zem, what kind of car, what year, and what are the symptoms?
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-04T03:12:02-05:00
I have a person who's going to try to look at it today, but it's really no problem if it doesn't get fixed right now, it mostly just needs to be moved and checked in the next week and a half.
`
That said, buick lesabre, forget the year, and from what we can tell, it's likely the battery because of the cold, it tries to start but just barely can't turn over, but that's odd because it worked fine going to Omaha, back, and to the place, and not to mention the gauge said the battery seemed normal.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-04T07:18:52-05:00
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry! Since the docs put in a defective device, is there any way that they can reverse this? If not, what about libel damages? I know. Americans like to sue at the drop of a hat but hearing is important to humans and her profession relies on that. At least the manufacture should be at fault.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-04T07:32:16-05:00
Still in the middle of month end close as well as a payment run and we got some snow last night. Half an inch but the Federal government is on a two hour delay. The bus was late so I didn't get to work as early but I'm still leaving as soon as I can. I just know that the evening commute is going to be a nightmare and I don't want to get home after dark.
On the plus side, I got the warming blanket last night. Was very toasty and didn't have to run the window unit so much which should help with my electric bill.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-04T10:28:01-05:00
@Zem, if its an older battery, they are much weaker in the cold. One thing to always make sure of in that situation, is when you go to start it, make sure everything else is off, radio, heater, etc. Those cause a hefty battery drain on start up and on a weaker battery are typically more than enough to knock it below the level it needs to start the car. Give it a boost and it should be fine. There was a time when I always had booster cables in my vehicles for that reason specifically. Hope it all works out, pretty excited to hear your first report from Berlin! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-04T10:33:35-05:00
@Geist, I don't know if there is anything we can do legally. They make you sign all kinds of forms prior to surgery, and I think that those cover the doctor, the hospital and the manufacturer in cases of liability. You would have to prove gross negligence and in Canada, that can be tough to do. "Free" health care isn't everything its cracked up to be. One positive thing that she brought up, was the desire to start up a clinic specializing in helping those affected by deafness and hearing loss, that would be able to help people Canada wide. I believe that there are lots of folks in that community that need help, and don't have access to the care they need, as there are very few providers. So I'm going to suggest that we both go and take sign language lessons. I figure that way she could be one step closer to making that a reality, and also do some future proofing should she also have troubles with her left ear (which is more likely than what actually happened to her right ear). I think if she was able to do that, it would be like sticking the middle finger up at deafness, something that I would deeply love to see.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-04T10:39:45-05:00
@Geist, also its not just that the device is defective, but that it has also caused that nerve to atrophy. Apparently those kinds of nerves are different than other parts of the body in that when they get damaged, they die, they don't regenerate. I'm still (trying) to be hopeful that a second opinion and aggressive research may find a solution. With all the research into stem cells, etc., maybe there may be some new treatment, or one could be developed. As with most things medical, it takes awareness to spark interest and funding for research. I don't know that I'm the best person to spear head something like this, but I will if I have to. Seeing how much this has affected Misty, I can only imagine how many more people are out there like her. Otosclerosis affects somewhere around 10% of the population, mostly women. Given as how this seems to be becoming the decade of the woman, hopefully more research will be done on diseases that affect mostly women! I'm always glad to see society taking steps to right the wrongs of the past, but now I feel I have a vested interest.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-04T12:12:16-05:00
BaKhan, it's really weird, but I guess it's fine now, which helps me out immensely. When the mechanic got to it, he said it started just fine. Weather-wise, that's odd because today is significantly colder than yesterday, and I'd already driven it a good distance shortly beforehand then. When I tried turning it on two different times yesterday, several attempts, it just wouldn't turn over though all of the readings were fine. Today, though, I don't know, guess it just needed a quick nap or something.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-04T12:12:35-05:00
hopefully more research will be done on diseases that affect mostly women!
Yeaaaaa. That isn't likely to happen unless more women start to insist it happen. Research seems to lean more toward cures that effect everyone or men. Hence, a blue pill for men but not for women.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-04T12:13:53-05:00
I've wanted to learn sign language for a long time. We have a deaf college here in D.C. Don't know if they teach classes for hearing folk but they might.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-04T12:30:03-05:00
@Geist, I think that the climate is changing towards woman's issues. Even saying woman's issues feels weird to me, as I see them as basic inalienably human issues. None of us would be here without women! I also think that it is time. I don't see women as the only ones that need to push for this, men also need to push for this! Its kinda like dealing with racism or anything else, both sides need to be involved in order to effect change, not just those affected. As far as I'm concerned (and hopefully not in a racist way) I see sexism and racism as two of the tines on the devils pitchfork, real evils in todays society, that need to end, like yesterday!
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-04T14:16:04-05:00
I completely agree, BaKhan!
Also, sorry to hear about Misty's hearing problems. For what it's worth, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Geist, I'd be surprised if the college you mentioned didn't have any classes to teach sign language to people who can hear.
@BaKhan: Sorry to hear about Misty's hearing. Hopefully the second opinion gives better news.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-05T10:21:07-05:00
@GM, thanks man. I hope so too. I'm not too good with just accepting things until we've run out of options. I just can't believe she is supposed to be deaf in that ear, it would be such a loss. She already feels like she can't sing because of her hearing now. That would be the biggest shame of all.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-06T12:23:55-05:00
Oh, yeah, guess I forgot to mention here. I'm here in Berlin, it's fun and everything. We almost missed the international flight, though, we had less than 10 minutes to get from terminal A to the very end of terminal C in Newark because of 2 delays (somehow they couldn't get the ramp to go to the plane, so we sat there for half an hour as they tried to fix it just hoping we wouldn't miss our flight!) and ended up getting there literally last minute!
`
So, of course, first day in a new country and all that, of course, what better than to take a bunch of the students to see a concentration camp!
I mean, I"m not arguing, I thought it was definitely worth it, just a funny choice for students on their first day here.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-06T12:26:21-05:00
One guy has notoriously bad luck, though. He had his bag immediately checked at the first airport, almost missed the second flight, got locked out of the building (me with him), missed the stop on the train (even though everyone else got up, but he was facing the other way), and almost got locked in for the night at a concentration camp!
Man, we should just leave him here every time we go on an excursion!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-06T16:32:29-05:00
Oh, and I forgot a few things, like that he got a call, in the airport, saying his biggest scholarship didn´t go through, he has to do a couple things first, so he had to call them for like half an hour before his flight.
Oh, and even better, he ordered a recommended book that would help prepare for these courses, and it was supposed to get there like Dec. 27 or something, but it ended up getting delayed until Jan 5... the day we flew out. Which wouldn't even be that big of a deal... except his mailman doesn't reach him until after noon, and our flight was at 11!
`
Yeah, Jeremy's a really, really cool guy, and a great friend, but maybe a friend you don't want to go on vacation with!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-08T08:35:40-05:00
Morning kittens. Sorry for not posting. Was under a ton of work and when I left on Friday, I went home and straight to bed. Good news: I am well on my way to getting my apartment completely organized. I got a big chunk of it done on Saturday and I can finish it this Saturday and maybe this coming Monday if I can get out of work early enough. I should be able to since it's a holiday.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T10:21:04-05:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T10:22:12-05:00
@Zem, wow, you've only just started and the adventure has begun! Glad you're not that other guy! I'd keep him around though, he sounds like the perfect wingman for bs... ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T10:22:40-05:00
@Geist, congrats! I know thats been bringing you down, and now you're almost done! Whoop whoop!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-08T10:31:11-05:00
@BaKhan: I know that an organized house is a calmer house so the goal this year is to not only get it organized but to keep it that way.
On another note, I have an interview for a part time job. No position, just to get my name in the system. They don't have any openings near where I work or live at the moment but I'm hoping that they will soon enough. I checked out a popular job board and when I did a job search by part time gigs, I a lot of hits. More than a few I knew I could apply for. Hoping to get something within the next month.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T11:11:26-05:00
@Geist, you're not wrong! I haven't had an organized living space since before I got together with Misty... ;)
Best of luck finding a second job that works for you! They're lucky to have you, no matter who they are! ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-08T11:22:58-05:00
How was your weekend BaKhan?
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T11:34:06-05:00
@Geist, well... it was too short for sure! Didn't do a whole heck of a lot, finally watched the newish Pirates movie (Dead men tell no tales), and didn't mind that at all. But the weirdest thing happened yesterday. Because of Misty's surgery she hasn't been allowed to blow her nose, for fear of dislodging her implant. So yesterday for the first time in almost 7 weeks she did. Now she is hearing little popping noises in her ear, that is supposed to be deaf. So I don't know what to think. A fluid under pressure can contain gasses in it, as the pressure is released, the bubbles will come out of solution. Open a bottle of pop and watch it happen, right? So... If my theory was correct about there being too much pressure build up, preventing the implant from working, then the bubbles actually play right into that. As she is slowly able to reduce the pressure in her ear, her hearing may come back. So, I guess I'm more hopeful than I was a few days ago. Cautiously though. ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-08T12:11:16-05:00
@BaKhan: Fingers crossed that the sounds she is hearing mean that her ear can get better. Still get the second opinion though. With my messed up nose and allergies, I wouldn't have lasted 7 weeks.
I thought the last Pirates movie was kinda dull. And the logic didn't make any sense.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T12:48:39-05:00
@Geist, thanks! I'm hopeful too! I didn't think that movie was that bad, but with all the stress I've been under lately, it was nice to not have to think for a while, tbh. So I didn't notice the logic gaps...
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-08T17:56:13-05:00
I haven't seen the new movie, but I do know they've gone exponentially downhill since the first one. The first was great, the second pretty good, and so on.
`
But that's potentially great news, BaKhan! I think cautious optimism might be what this calls for!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-08T18:21:58-05:00
It's funny how much I'm remembering of what I saw last time I was here, though. That was 8 years ago, but I've had so many memories of things I already remembered strongly, and even some I'd completely forgotten!
For instance, I'm pretty sure I saw the institute I'm studying at right now! Today I remembered passing by and saying "Hi!" to "Humboldt Institute", whose logo says HI. All because I was thinking of a nearby coffee shop I remembered (a great, terrible, unfortunate name! Albeit an immature joke.) and going from there to the nearby section of the Berlin Wall and its memorial.
`
And by the way, I accidentally convinced my group of friends to go to Balzac Coffee today because of that. It's named after Honoré de Balzac, a French writer who supposedly drank up to 60 cups of coffee a day as his muse.
But I'm sure you can figure out why it's funny to American tourists, confusing the heck out of the Germans who work there!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-08T18:35:25-05:00
@Zem, thanks! There is a little town outside of Calgary named Balzac... The joke around here is that they named it that, so you'd have to say Ball Sack! ;) A name that rolls right off the tongue... ;p
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-09T06:35:40-05:00
Morning kittens. *yawn* I wanna go back to bed.
@BaKhan: I know what you mean. Forgetting about your problems while watching a movie can help relive stress. It's one of the reasons why I love reading fiction. A good book can really help you escape for hours at a time. (Current book that I'm reading: Shift)
Since I work 15 minutes away from a movie theater, I've been known to go watch a movie after work. If I go on Tuesdays, the movie is usually $5. (As long as it's over 2 weeks in theaters) There is a free advance movie screening of the upcoming movie "The Commuter" starring Liam Neesan. Should be pretty good.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-09T07:55:55-05:00
BaKhan, now you know where it's more likely attributed to, and as always, that just ruins the fun!
But yeah, from now on, Ballsack Coffee is probably going to be a fairly common meeting point. ;)
Mike Kabala 2018-01-09T12:16:58-05:00
Good afternoon kittens. I sure miss a lot when I don't check in for a few days!
Sorry for radio silence...been lurking(and still mostly lurking) due to busy work times.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-09T18:47:33-05:00
CB, now zou know whz I make sure to check in everz daz!
(edit: now you know why I make sure to check in every day!)
^
Yum Teufel_ Na ja, I forgot that on the German keyboard, which I finally decided to use, y and z, and alot of the symbols, are switched around. Man, I had to rewrite a ton of that last sentence to make it work because of the y and z!
Ahahajajaja, and it´s great that when you forget about the y-z thing, it looks like Yiddish!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-10T06:01:51-05:00
Morning kittens. The advanced screening for "The Commuter" was great! It's just the kind of movie that BaKhan would like. Lots of action and interesting plot twist. I poo poo the folks who say that Liam Neeson can't possibly play an action hero at his age. Being in your 60's doesn't mean you don't have strength or agility. It all depends on how you take care of yourself.
Going to another screening tonight to see the movie "12 Strong". This one is based on a true story about a group of soldiers during the start of the Afghan war.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-10T06:26:00-05:00
Is anyone else having trouble clicking here from the profile? When I do a sort by type of project, I find that I can't click on the campaign to get to the comments. I have to go to the comments part of my profile and click the last comment I made here in order to get here.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T06:43:07-05:00
Wait, Neeson is 65?! Wow, I had no idea. I thought Keanu Reeves was crazy (but awesome) for doing John Wick at over 50. That movie took a ton of work on his part, though, and he wanted it that way.
But still, Jackie Chan probably has them both beat. 63, and he doesn't do as much anymore, but he still does stunt acting and stuff like he always has! Maybe not free-climbing buildings or falling onto steel mill furnaces, but still.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-10T06:52:14-05:00
Disregard my last comment. I figured out what I was doing wrong. Thanks for letting me know of the changes Kickstarter. *rolls eyes*
Mike Kabala 2018-01-10T08:28:18-05:00
You guys are making me feel old! I'm 63 and can't possibly keep up with the likes of Liam Neeson or Jackie Chan! I do have a treadmill now though, so maybe that will help me bulk up. It has a maximum speed of 4mph. That's plenty, right?
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T11:01:38-05:00
Uhh... so second day of classes, and I may or may not have already slept through a class. I lied down for a short, 20 minute nap after lunch just to help me not fall asleep in my last class after having been up until 2 doing things, and woke up 3 hours later.
`
What the heck, phone alarm? Why didn't it go off? How did it somehow turn itself off after I set it?
@Zem: Might want to start going to bed earlier. Though, doing that when you're used to staying up super late can cause other issues due to your body being used to so little sleep...like me from last night. So exhausted from work I go to bed at 9pm(3 hours earlier than usual), and end up waking up at 2:30 this morning, and unable to fall back asleep...today is going to be a long day.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-10T11:16:52-05:00
I want to punch the executive that thought it would be a good idea schedule a payment run two days in a row.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T11:20:28-05:00
GM, ooh, yeah, I've had that happen. I didn't want to stay up until after 2am, it just happened. And yeah, 2 days in a row of very little sleep, I was planning on going to sleep very early tonight, but now unfortunately I may not be able to fall asleep for awhile.
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T11:34:25-05:00
Zem, you'll soon get used to the weird keyboard. Then you'll come home and have to relearn how to use a qwerty!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T11:52:39-05:00
Well, thankfully the letters are all still the same, it's just that now it's a qwertz keyboard, which sounds like a german brand or something.
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T13:52:58-05:00
A/C at work died. The lab is currently sitting at 31 degrees centigrade (that's about 88 Fahrenheit). We're dying over here!
Mike Kabala 2018-01-10T14:17:17-05:00
@Zem, I've read a suggestion that if you want to take a 20 minute nap, you should first drink a full cup of coffee before lying down. The coffee supposedly has the effect of waking you up 20 minutes later.
I have not tested this out personally, but it might be worth a try.
My problem with naps is not with being able to wake up in 20 minutes. It's more with fighting the urge to just stay in bed for hours when I know I have things to do. (Happens
when yo0u get old, like me.)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T14:37:50-05:00
LZ, man, I know what you mean. I mean, it´s not that bad here because I can open a window at least somewhat (unfortunately I have a roommate and have to be ``considerate´´ and stuff, so no sub-zero in my room), but the heat has to be all the way on here for some reason, and it can easily get that hot in my room!
´
In fact, the only reason I woke up from that ´´20-minute´´ nap that accidentally lasted 3 hours (through class) was because I got too hot!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T14:42:10-05:00
CB, I hear you on both accounts. I tried the coffee thing a long time ago and it worked great, even though coffee doesn´t really wake me up! You still have to set an alarm, but at least you wake up completely and it´s easier to get out of bed.
... which is often my main problem, I just go back to sleep too easily. This time, it was the alarm, but I´ve made rules that I try not to take late naps ever, but if I need to, I always leave the lights on, or else I´ll never wake up.
´
Thankfully, I think it´s a 5-30 minute nap that´s supposed to be the most effective, so I usually try to nap only for a half hour at most.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T14:50:23-05:00
Now, I´m trying to hook up my phone´s bluetooth to my laptop so I can send pictures to it and post them, but it´s becoming just a pain. After maybe most of an hour, I finally got them connected well I think, but no information will send. Man, I know I´m young, but technology just isn´t my thing.
´
Also, coffee. We´re not supposed to have small appliances here, so no water heaters, but they have cool coffee-drink machines downstairs. Unfortunately, they´re only on for breakfast and supper, so... I need to find a travel mug somewhere, maybe even find an excuse to double it as a souvenir.
There is a machine in the lobby that´s on when that´s open, but it´s a pay one, and I´m certainly not paying a euro every time I want coffee!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T14:51:46-05:00
Last thing, sorry for so much here right now: most changes in the keyboard I can get used to, but the y-z thing is so annozing, zou use those two letters WAZ more than zou know! And the apostrophe... donät even get me started. Press once for ´and twice for ´´, shift for ``. But donät forget itäs actuallz where zouäre used to the + szmbol being!
...
okay, yeah, I´ll correct everything from now on if I see it, that got really hard to read!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-10T15:22:59-05:00
@LZ: How in the world are you in a heat wave? Isn't it winter where you are?
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T15:41:15-05:00
@Geist, supposedly. Outside temp is 40°F right now. No ventilation inside + instruments belching out heat = really hot in the lab. I hope they get that ventilation thing sorted soon!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T16:00:48-05:00
Dang it, don´t remind me of weather! Where I am, it´s nice for most people, at or above freezing at all times, but back home, all next week will be a bit of snow and between 0 F and freezing, my favorite kind of winter weather!
Man... the sacrifices I have to make just to study somewhere else... ;)
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T16:53:20-05:00
Has anyone seen the announcement about the EK puzzle? There's even a cat from the Kitten Corps in there!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-10T17:52:40-05:00
Wait, whaat?!?! Dude, you can't just come blurting crazy stuff like that in here without linking immediately for the greater good!
... also it's midnight, so I don't have time to look it up for myself right now.
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T19:00:38-05:00
I posted it on the EK FB page
Lord Zombitten 2018-01-10T19:01:15-05:00
I mean the KC FB page
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-11T02:26:29-05:00
Haha, that's great! And technically 2 shoutouts, considering it displays your Zombitten as well.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-11T17:06:50-05:00
How do you just drop in here without warning?!
`
Just kidding, good to see ya, HA, how've you been?
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-12T07:28:08-05:00
Morning kittens! Sorry for the radio silence. Work has been brutal since they have me training on processing the check run. We are suppose to get a new person either next week or the beginning of next month. Hopefully this will lighten the work load so that I can chat on here more. :-)
Got some other good news. I might have found a part time weekend job. It's from 3pm to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday. Easy work and it won't stress me out. I'll still be able to go to most of the festivals and conventions, I just won't be able to hang out as long. This will put at much as an extra $750 in my savings account and should help me pay off 80% of my debt by the end of the year. Just in time too. I got my electric bill for this month and it's over $225 bucks!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-12T08:19:14-05:00
Wow, that's great, Geist! That's quite a bit, and 80% just by the end of the year sounds awesome! That's a good amount of money for a part-time thing.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-12T10:10:53-05:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-12T10:12:03-05:00
Sorry I've been absent, but I've been fighting off a particularly nasty flu. Not as bad as the H1N1 I had 8 years ago, but still! Uggg... I just want to go back home and go to bed! Wah!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-12T11:19:39-05:00
@BaKhan: Good to see you better. I was getting worried about you. I've had the flu once in my life and once was enough. I felt so awful for a week and was still weak when it was over. Which reminds me: I haven't gotten my flu shot yet.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-12T11:20:27-05:00
And Mother Nature is having one of her hot flashes today. The high will be nearly 70 today. Why not tomorrow when I'm not at work?
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-12T11:20:56-05:00
Morning GM. Still have that barrel of booze? I would have drunk it all by now.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-12T11:53:20-05:00
@Geist, thanks. I think I'm going to have to start getting that flu shot. This is the second time in two years, and three in the past 10 so... yeah, I think I'm at that age. Damn it! Still feeling headachey and weak, but, as my other co-worker is also sick, I came in so he could go home. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I'll make it through the day some how... ;)
@Geist: Not sure what barrel of booze you're meaning(can't recall mentioning one before now), but I sure could use an oil tankers worth right about an hour ago.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-12T12:32:10-05:00
@GM: Didn't your parents win a barrel full of booze some months back?
@Geist: Ah, the wheel barrow that had a whole bunch of different bottles in it. Yes. Lots of that stuff is still hanging around(most of it is stuff I don't drink).
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-12T20:49:22-05:00
You mean, most of it is stuff you didn't drink until a couple hours ago? In dire need?
`
Also, 2 of my brothers have come to visit me in Berlin! I'm going on a trip to Stralsund with my institute (prepaid train tickets!) and then meeting with them to go have fun after I get back!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-14T07:06:28-05:00
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-14T09:57:52-05:00
Oh, I guess I´ve been a bit absent lately,though I haven't missed much, but I've been pretty busy. Not always with important stuff, but it's nice to be so busy all the time for once.
Basically I've been out with friends, my brothers (2 are in Berlin right now with friends), and on a sort of paid school excursion to Stralsund.
`
Settling in pretty well. It's funny how no matter how much you hear it, until you live it, you really don't understand how much alike everywhere really is! It's not really all that much different at all from home overall. Maybe a bit nicer, different customs, and a bit more expensive.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-14T13:33:33-05:00
Finally joined the Kitten Corps FB page. Didn't know we had a Twitter account? Anyone know who runs them?
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-14T17:55:19-05:00
The plus side about today is that I finally got to drink a maß of beer, those giant liter mugs from Bavaria.
The downside is that the last hour or so have made me wish I had another maß right now.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T04:21:24-05:00
Morning kittens. I'm going into work despite it being a holiday. Tomorrow I go for training for the part time job I applied for. It's a two day class but they let me spread out the time so that I don't get in trouble with my full time job. I still have to go in for a drug test plus pay for a background check and for some time of certification. It's a lot of travel and work but I'm hoping that in February, I can start making some money. They will start me on the low end but after 6 months, I can apply for another position at another company and make $17 per hour. That should help with paying down my debt.
Another thing that happened: I thought I had lost my passport. I knew I had it with me when I came home from Kitten Con 2 but I couldn't remember where I put it when I got back home. Ended up finding it on the floor in the back of the closet. Gave myself a bad scare for a moment.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:12:52-05:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:14:22-05:00
So I'm finally feeling more like a human being and less like an excuse to use up boxes of kleenex... ;) I still have a bit of a cough left, but at least it isn't taking my breath away like last week and the headache is finally gone too!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:20:43-05:00
@Zem, thats so cool that you get to hang out with your bros in Berlin! Even though I have very little desire to ever go to Berlin (or Germany at all tbh), I think its great that you're having such a good time! I've heard its a very progressive city, and I'm sure loaded with awesome museums etc. You're building some amazing life long memories right now, and well, I'm proud of you bud! Just watch out for those crazy German girls! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:26:54-05:00
@Geist, yep, that would scare me too! Misty won't even let me hang onto my passport once we're out of the airport... ;) Funny thing is though, she has a much worse history of losing or misplacing things than I do... *shrugs* what can I do? I'm just a man! ;) Best of luck with your new ptj! That would make a huge difference!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-01-15T09:31:43-05:00
Haha, alot of museums? There's literally an island called Museumsinsel! ;)
`
And the downside of seeing my brothers here is that since like thursday, I've been up until like 1-3 am every night. Though I guess only half of that has been with them, but still, I've only had one night of good sleep in a little under a week now.
I think there's a tradeoff of money vs sleep, and soon I'm going to have to switch again.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T09:39:14-05:00
@BaKhan: Glad to hear that you are feeling better. Having the flu is no joke. I only use tissues when I'm outside of the house. Otherwise, I get a roll of TP and use that to handle the sneezes. I read somewhere that it's cheaper to do it this way and better for the environment rather than buying tissues.
Another thing I want to try is making my own cough drops. I thought I had a recipe where you can make some out of horehound tea, ginger, lemon and sugar. Might more than the commercial stuff I get in the stores. I honestly think they are just a sugar placebo.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:55:38-05:00
@Zem, to be fair, I said loaded with, not a lot... ;) Now, get some sleep and take advantage of that education you're supposed to be getting there! ;)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T09:59:08-05:00
@Geist, I never fuss with day time cold medicine or cough drops or any of that. If I'm taking medicine for that, I'm staying home, and heading for an over the counter coma! NyQuil is my choice of cold/flu medication. Original green death flavor! Just as you're saying what is that horrible taste, you're slipping into the coma! ;) I normally just keep taking it and sleeping as much as a I can, and either it or the sleep it helps to provide make the biggest difference.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T10:18:12-05:00
@BaKhan: I never stay home when I get a cold. Usually, I'm over it within a week and I hardly take anything but each cold always starts with a sore throat and that is uncomfortable so I end up trying to treat it even though I know the cold will move up into my sinuses. Plus, I read somewhere that Nyquil is mostly booze. I can take a hot toddy for that.
For a cold...I tend to sleep the whole day(like yesterday...and when I go home early today)
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T10:40:22-05:00
@Geist, for me its always a go/no go check. If I can move around, drive, etc. with putting myself or others at risk, I go in (so most of the time), but when I get something like this flu, its not an option. I was almost blacking out from coughing, can't do that behind the wheel! Also, NyQuil has less than 10% alcohol in it... ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T11:19:17-05:00
@BaKhan: that would kinda explain why some people have been know to purchase bottles of cold medicine and drink them like beers. It's the main reason why drugs stores here in D.C. keep track of how many of bottles you buy and will share that information with other drug stores so you can store hop to get a bunch of the stuff.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T12:05:35-05:00
@Geist, lol, if thats the case then they must track the hell out of aftershave, which is often 70% alcohol... ;) I think that they track cold medicine as many of the ingredients can be used to make street drugs such as meth. Products like NyQuil have the max allowed of those ingredients for over the counter meds.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T12:11:43-05:00
@BaKhan: You are correct about the meth part. It's another reason why it's closely monitored. But among some of the rappers, it's mixed with something else (soda, I think) and is a popular cocktail. I remember some of the kids buying a bottle in an attempt to get drunk.
Meh, I waited until I was 21 to have a proper drink.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-01-15T12:19:31-05:00
@Geist, ;) The things people do to get a buzz... ;) Oh, and yeah, I definitely waited till I was drinking age to get drunk too.... ;) When I was 16 most of my friends were in their early to mid 20's so getting real booze was no issue... Those parties were the bomb (for a 16 year old...)! ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-01-15T12:30:00-05:00
@BaKhan: I was a very shy person so I didn't have anyone older to get my booze. I simply waited and then really enjoyed the freedom of a happy hour drink.
Remember Formula 44? That was the cough syrup that I get treated with when I was a kid. I seldom see Vicks Vapor Rub anymore.
Wow... looks like we all just suddenly are having terrible days!
@Zem, what kind of car, what year, and what are the symptoms?
I have a person who's going to try to look at it today, but it's really no problem if it doesn't get fixed right now, it mostly just needs to be moved and checked in the next week and a half.
`
That said, buick lesabre, forget the year, and from what we can tell, it's likely the battery because of the cold, it tries to start but just barely can't turn over, but that's odd because it worked fine going to Omaha, back, and to the place, and not to mention the gauge said the battery seemed normal.
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry! Since the docs put in a defective device, is there any way that they can reverse this? If not, what about libel damages? I know. Americans like to sue at the drop of a hat but hearing is important to humans and her profession relies on that. At least the manufacture should be at fault.
Still in the middle of month end close as well as a payment run and we got some snow last night. Half an inch but the Federal government is on a two hour delay. The bus was late so I didn't get to work as early but I'm still leaving as soon as I can. I just know that the evening commute is going to be a nightmare and I don't want to get home after dark.
On the plus side, I got the warming blanket last night. Was very toasty and didn't have to run the window unit so much which should help with my electric bill.
@Zem, if its an older battery, they are much weaker in the cold. One thing to always make sure of in that situation, is when you go to start it, make sure everything else is off, radio, heater, etc. Those cause a hefty battery drain on start up and on a weaker battery are typically more than enough to knock it below the level it needs to start the car. Give it a boost and it should be fine. There was a time when I always had booster cables in my vehicles for that reason specifically. Hope it all works out, pretty excited to hear your first report from Berlin! ;)
@Geist, I don't know if there is anything we can do legally. They make you sign all kinds of forms prior to surgery, and I think that those cover the doctor, the hospital and the manufacturer in cases of liability. You would have to prove gross negligence and in Canada, that can be tough to do. "Free" health care isn't everything its cracked up to be. One positive thing that she brought up, was the desire to start up a clinic specializing in helping those affected by deafness and hearing loss, that would be able to help people Canada wide. I believe that there are lots of folks in that community that need help, and don't have access to the care they need, as there are very few providers. So I'm going to suggest that we both go and take sign language lessons. I figure that way she could be one step closer to making that a reality, and also do some future proofing should she also have troubles with her left ear (which is more likely than what actually happened to her right ear). I think if she was able to do that, it would be like sticking the middle finger up at deafness, something that I would deeply love to see.
@Geist, also its not just that the device is defective, but that it has also caused that nerve to atrophy. Apparently those kinds of nerves are different than other parts of the body in that when they get damaged, they die, they don't regenerate. I'm still (trying) to be hopeful that a second opinion and aggressive research may find a solution. With all the research into stem cells, etc., maybe there may be some new treatment, or one could be developed. As with most things medical, it takes awareness to spark interest and funding for research. I don't know that I'm the best person to spear head something like this, but I will if I have to. Seeing how much this has affected Misty, I can only imagine how many more people are out there like her. Otosclerosis affects somewhere around 10% of the population, mostly women. Given as how this seems to be becoming the decade of the woman, hopefully more research will be done on diseases that affect mostly women! I'm always glad to see society taking steps to right the wrongs of the past, but now I feel I have a vested interest.
BaKhan, it's really weird, but I guess it's fine now, which helps me out immensely. When the mechanic got to it, he said it started just fine. Weather-wise, that's odd because today is significantly colder than yesterday, and I'd already driven it a good distance shortly beforehand then. When I tried turning it on two different times yesterday, several attempts, it just wouldn't turn over though all of the readings were fine. Today, though, I don't know, guess it just needed a quick nap or something.
hopefully more research will be done on diseases that affect mostly women!
Yeaaaaa. That isn't likely to happen unless more women start to insist it happen. Research seems to lean more toward cures that effect everyone or men. Hence, a blue pill for men but not for women.
I've wanted to learn sign language for a long time. We have a deaf college here in D.C. Don't know if they teach classes for hearing folk but they might.
@Geist, I think that the climate is changing towards woman's issues. Even saying woman's issues feels weird to me, as I see them as basic inalienably human issues. None of us would be here without women! I also think that it is time. I don't see women as the only ones that need to push for this, men also need to push for this! Its kinda like dealing with racism or anything else, both sides need to be involved in order to effect change, not just those affected. As far as I'm concerned (and hopefully not in a racist way) I see sexism and racism as two of the tines on the devils pitchfork, real evils in todays society, that need to end, like yesterday!
I completely agree, BaKhan!
Also, sorry to hear about Misty's hearing problems. For what it's worth, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Geist, I'd be surprised if the college you mentioned didn't have any classes to teach sign language to people who can hear.
@LZ, thanks bro, it means a lot to me!
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: Sorry to hear about Misty's hearing. Hopefully the second opinion gives better news.
@GM, thanks man. I hope so too. I'm not too good with just accepting things until we've run out of options. I just can't believe she is supposed to be deaf in that ear, it would be such a loss. She already feels like she can't sing because of her hearing now. That would be the biggest shame of all.
Oh, yeah, guess I forgot to mention here. I'm here in Berlin, it's fun and everything. We almost missed the international flight, though, we had less than 10 minutes to get from terminal A to the very end of terminal C in Newark because of 2 delays (somehow they couldn't get the ramp to go to the plane, so we sat there for half an hour as they tried to fix it just hoping we wouldn't miss our flight!) and ended up getting there literally last minute!
`
So, of course, first day in a new country and all that, of course, what better than to take a bunch of the students to see a concentration camp!
I mean, I"m not arguing, I thought it was definitely worth it, just a funny choice for students on their first day here.
One guy has notoriously bad luck, though. He had his bag immediately checked at the first airport, almost missed the second flight, got locked out of the building (me with him), missed the stop on the train (even though everyone else got up, but he was facing the other way), and almost got locked in for the night at a concentration camp!
Man, we should just leave him here every time we go on an excursion!
Oh, and I forgot a few things, like that he got a call, in the airport, saying his biggest scholarship didn´t go through, he has to do a couple things first, so he had to call them for like half an hour before his flight.
Oh, and even better, he ordered a recommended book that would help prepare for these courses, and it was supposed to get there like Dec. 27 or something, but it ended up getting delayed until Jan 5... the day we flew out. Which wouldn't even be that big of a deal... except his mailman doesn't reach him until after noon, and our flight was at 11!
`
Yeah, Jeremy's a really, really cool guy, and a great friend, but maybe a friend you don't want to go on vacation with!
Morning kittens. Sorry for not posting. Was under a ton of work and when I left on Friday, I went home and straight to bed. Good news: I am well on my way to getting my apartment completely organized. I got a big chunk of it done on Saturday and I can finish it this Saturday and maybe this coming Monday if I can get out of work early enough. I should be able to since it's a holiday.
Morning kittens.
@Zem, wow, you've only just started and the adventure has begun! Glad you're not that other guy! I'd keep him around though, he sounds like the perfect wingman for bs... ;)
@Geist, congrats! I know thats been bringing you down, and now you're almost done! Whoop whoop!
@BaKhan: I know that an organized house is a calmer house so the goal this year is to not only get it organized but to keep it that way.
On another note, I have an interview for a part time job. No position, just to get my name in the system. They don't have any openings near where I work or live at the moment but I'm hoping that they will soon enough. I checked out a popular job board and when I did a job search by part time gigs, I a lot of hits. More than a few I knew I could apply for. Hoping to get something within the next month.
@Geist, you're not wrong! I haven't had an organized living space since before I got together with Misty... ;)
Best of luck finding a second job that works for you! They're lucky to have you, no matter who they are! ;)
How was your weekend BaKhan?
@Geist, well... it was too short for sure! Didn't do a whole heck of a lot, finally watched the newish Pirates movie (Dead men tell no tales), and didn't mind that at all. But the weirdest thing happened yesterday. Because of Misty's surgery she hasn't been allowed to blow her nose, for fear of dislodging her implant. So yesterday for the first time in almost 7 weeks she did. Now she is hearing little popping noises in her ear, that is supposed to be deaf. So I don't know what to think. A fluid under pressure can contain gasses in it, as the pressure is released, the bubbles will come out of solution. Open a bottle of pop and watch it happen, right? So... If my theory was correct about there being too much pressure build up, preventing the implant from working, then the bubbles actually play right into that. As she is slowly able to reduce the pressure in her ear, her hearing may come back. So, I guess I'm more hopeful than I was a few days ago. Cautiously though. ;)
@BaKhan: Fingers crossed that the sounds she is hearing mean that her ear can get better. Still get the second opinion though. With my messed up nose and allergies, I wouldn't have lasted 7 weeks.
I thought the last Pirates movie was kinda dull. And the logic didn't make any sense.
@Geist, thanks! I'm hopeful too! I didn't think that movie was that bad, but with all the stress I've been under lately, it was nice to not have to think for a while, tbh. So I didn't notice the logic gaps...
I haven't seen the new movie, but I do know they've gone exponentially downhill since the first one. The first was great, the second pretty good, and so on.
`
But that's potentially great news, BaKhan! I think cautious optimism might be what this calls for!
It's funny how much I'm remembering of what I saw last time I was here, though. That was 8 years ago, but I've had so many memories of things I already remembered strongly, and even some I'd completely forgotten!
For instance, I'm pretty sure I saw the institute I'm studying at right now! Today I remembered passing by and saying "Hi!" to "Humboldt Institute", whose logo says HI. All because I was thinking of a nearby coffee shop I remembered (a great, terrible, unfortunate name! Albeit an immature joke.) and going from there to the nearby section of the Berlin Wall and its memorial.
`
And by the way, I accidentally convinced my group of friends to go to Balzac Coffee today because of that. It's named after Honoré de Balzac, a French writer who supposedly drank up to 60 cups of coffee a day as his muse.
But I'm sure you can figure out why it's funny to American tourists, confusing the heck out of the Germans who work there!
@Zem, thanks! There is a little town outside of Calgary named Balzac... The joke around here is that they named it that, so you'd have to say Ball Sack! ;) A name that rolls right off the tongue... ;p
Morning kittens. *yawn* I wanna go back to bed.
@BaKhan: I know what you mean. Forgetting about your problems while watching a movie can help relive stress. It's one of the reasons why I love reading fiction. A good book can really help you escape for hours at a time. (Current book that I'm reading: Shift)
Since I work 15 minutes away from a movie theater, I've been known to go watch a movie after work. If I go on Tuesdays, the movie is usually $5. (As long as it's over 2 weeks in theaters) There is a free advance movie screening of the upcoming movie "The Commuter" starring Liam Neesan. Should be pretty good.
BaKhan, now you know where it's more likely attributed to, and as always, that just ruins the fun!
But yeah, from now on, Ballsack Coffee is probably going to be a fairly common meeting point. ;)
Good afternoon kittens. I sure miss a lot when I don't check in for a few days!
Afternoon kittens.
Sorry for radio silence...been lurking(and still mostly lurking) due to busy work times.
CB, now zou know whz I make sure to check in everz daz!
(edit: now you know why I make sure to check in every day!)
^
Yum Teufel_ Na ja, I forgot that on the German keyboard, which I finally decided to use, y and z, and alot of the symbols, are switched around. Man, I had to rewrite a ton of that last sentence to make it work because of the y and z!
Ahahajajaja, and it´s great that when you forget about the y-z thing, it looks like Yiddish!
Morning kittens. The advanced screening for "The Commuter" was great! It's just the kind of movie that BaKhan would like. Lots of action and interesting plot twist. I poo poo the folks who say that Liam Neeson can't possibly play an action hero at his age. Being in your 60's doesn't mean you don't have strength or agility. It all depends on how you take care of yourself.
Going to another screening tonight to see the movie "12 Strong". This one is based on a true story about a group of soldiers during the start of the Afghan war.
Is anyone else having trouble clicking here from the profile? When I do a sort by type of project, I find that I can't click on the campaign to get to the comments. I have to go to the comments part of my profile and click the last comment I made here in order to get here.
Wait, Neeson is 65?! Wow, I had no idea. I thought Keanu Reeves was crazy (but awesome) for doing John Wick at over 50. That movie took a ton of work on his part, though, and he wanted it that way.
But still, Jackie Chan probably has them both beat. 63, and he doesn't do as much anymore, but he still does stunt acting and stuff like he always has! Maybe not free-climbing buildings or falling onto steel mill furnaces, but still.
Disregard my last comment. I figured out what I was doing wrong. Thanks for letting me know of the changes Kickstarter. *rolls eyes*
You guys are making me feel old! I'm 63 and can't possibly keep up with the likes of Liam Neeson or Jackie Chan! I do have a treadmill now though, so maybe that will help me bulk up. It has a maximum speed of 4mph. That's plenty, right?
Uhh... so second day of classes, and I may or may not have already slept through a class. I lied down for a short, 20 minute nap after lunch just to help me not fall asleep in my last class after having been up until 2 doing things, and woke up 3 hours later.
`
What the heck, phone alarm? Why didn't it go off? How did it somehow turn itself off after I set it?
Morning kittens.
@Zem: Might want to start going to bed earlier. Though, doing that when you're used to staying up super late can cause other issues due to your body being used to so little sleep...like me from last night. So exhausted from work I go to bed at 9pm(3 hours earlier than usual), and end up waking up at 2:30 this morning, and unable to fall back asleep...today is going to be a long day.
I want to punch the executive that thought it would be a good idea schedule a payment run two days in a row.
GM, ooh, yeah, I've had that happen. I didn't want to stay up until after 2am, it just happened. And yeah, 2 days in a row of very little sleep, I was planning on going to sleep very early tonight, but now unfortunately I may not be able to fall asleep for awhile.
Zem, you'll soon get used to the weird keyboard. Then you'll come home and have to relearn how to use a qwerty!
Well, thankfully the letters are all still the same, it's just that now it's a qwertz keyboard, which sounds like a german brand or something.
A/C at work died. The lab is currently sitting at 31 degrees centigrade (that's about 88 Fahrenheit). We're dying over here!
@Zem, I've read a suggestion that if you want to take a 20 minute nap, you should first drink a full cup of coffee before lying down. The coffee supposedly has the effect of waking you up 20 minutes later.
I have not tested this out personally, but it might be worth a try.
My problem with naps is not with being able to wake up in 20 minutes. It's more with fighting the urge to just stay in bed for hours when I know I have things to do. (Happens
when yo0u get old, like me.)
LZ, man, I know what you mean. I mean, it´s not that bad here because I can open a window at least somewhat (unfortunately I have a roommate and have to be ``considerate´´ and stuff, so no sub-zero in my room), but the heat has to be all the way on here for some reason, and it can easily get that hot in my room!
´
In fact, the only reason I woke up from that ´´20-minute´´ nap that accidentally lasted 3 hours (through class) was because I got too hot!
CB, I hear you on both accounts. I tried the coffee thing a long time ago and it worked great, even though coffee doesn´t really wake me up! You still have to set an alarm, but at least you wake up completely and it´s easier to get out of bed.
... which is often my main problem, I just go back to sleep too easily. This time, it was the alarm, but I´ve made rules that I try not to take late naps ever, but if I need to, I always leave the lights on, or else I´ll never wake up.
´
Thankfully, I think it´s a 5-30 minute nap that´s supposed to be the most effective, so I usually try to nap only for a half hour at most.
Now, I´m trying to hook up my phone´s bluetooth to my laptop so I can send pictures to it and post them, but it´s becoming just a pain. After maybe most of an hour, I finally got them connected well I think, but no information will send. Man, I know I´m young, but technology just isn´t my thing.
´
Also, coffee. We´re not supposed to have small appliances here, so no water heaters, but they have cool coffee-drink machines downstairs. Unfortunately, they´re only on for breakfast and supper, so... I need to find a travel mug somewhere, maybe even find an excuse to double it as a souvenir.
There is a machine in the lobby that´s on when that´s open, but it´s a pay one, and I´m certainly not paying a euro every time I want coffee!
Last thing, sorry for so much here right now: most changes in the keyboard I can get used to, but the y-z thing is so annozing, zou use those two letters WAZ more than zou know! And the apostrophe... donät even get me started. Press once for ´and twice for ´´, shift for ``. But donät forget itäs actuallz where zouäre used to the + szmbol being!
...
okay, yeah, I´ll correct everything from now on if I see it, that got really hard to read!
@LZ: How in the world are you in a heat wave? Isn't it winter where you are?
@Geist, supposedly. Outside temp is 40°F right now. No ventilation inside + instruments belching out heat = really hot in the lab. I hope they get that ventilation thing sorted soon!
Dang it, don´t remind me of weather! Where I am, it´s nice for most people, at or above freezing at all times, but back home, all next week will be a bit of snow and between 0 F and freezing, my favorite kind of winter weather!
Man... the sacrifices I have to make just to study somewhere else... ;)
Has anyone seen the announcement about the EK puzzle? There's even a cat from the Kitten Corps in there!
Wait, whaat?!?! Dude, you can't just come blurting crazy stuff like that in here without linking immediately for the greater good!
... also it's midnight, so I don't have time to look it up for myself right now.
I posted it on the EK FB page
I mean the KC FB page
Haha, that's great! And technically 2 shoutouts, considering it displays your Zombitten as well.
How do they drop a puzzle without any warning?!
How do you just drop in here without warning?!
`
Just kidding, good to see ya, HA, how've you been?
Morning kittens! Sorry for the radio silence. Work has been brutal since they have me training on processing the check run. We are suppose to get a new person either next week or the beginning of next month. Hopefully this will lighten the work load so that I can chat on here more. :-)
Got some other good news. I might have found a part time weekend job. It's from 3pm to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday. Easy work and it won't stress me out. I'll still be able to go to most of the festivals and conventions, I just won't be able to hang out as long. This will put at much as an extra $750 in my savings account and should help me pay off 80% of my debt by the end of the year. Just in time too. I got my electric bill for this month and it's over $225 bucks!
Wow, that's great, Geist! That's quite a bit, and 80% just by the end of the year sounds awesome! That's a good amount of money for a part-time thing.
Morning kittens.
Sorry I've been absent, but I've been fighting off a particularly nasty flu. Not as bad as the H1N1 I had 8 years ago, but still! Uggg... I just want to go back home and go to bed! Wah!
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: Good to see you better. I was getting worried about you. I've had the flu once in my life and once was enough. I felt so awful for a week and was still weak when it was over. Which reminds me: I haven't gotten my flu shot yet.
And Mother Nature is having one of her hot flashes today. The high will be nearly 70 today. Why not tomorrow when I'm not at work?
Morning GM. Still have that barrel of booze? I would have drunk it all by now.
@Geist, thanks. I think I'm going to have to start getting that flu shot. This is the second time in two years, and three in the past 10 so... yeah, I think I'm at that age. Damn it! Still feeling headachey and weak, but, as my other co-worker is also sick, I came in so he could go home. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I'll make it through the day some how... ;)
@Geist: Not sure what barrel of booze you're meaning(can't recall mentioning one before now), but I sure could use an oil tankers worth right about an hour ago.
@GM: Didn't your parents win a barrel full of booze some months back?
@Geist: Ah, the wheel barrow that had a whole bunch of different bottles in it. Yes. Lots of that stuff is still hanging around(most of it is stuff I don't drink).
You mean, most of it is stuff you didn't drink until a couple hours ago? In dire need?
`
Also, 2 of my brothers have come to visit me in Berlin! I'm going on a trip to Stralsund with my institute (prepaid train tickets!) and then meeting with them to go have fun after I get back!
Saw this article and thought of LZ.
http://twistedfood.co.uk/6-greatest-eating-challenges-around-world/…
Oh, I guess I´ve been a bit absent lately,though I haven't missed much, but I've been pretty busy. Not always with important stuff, but it's nice to be so busy all the time for once.
Basically I've been out with friends, my brothers (2 are in Berlin right now with friends), and on a sort of paid school excursion to Stralsund.
`
Settling in pretty well. It's funny how no matter how much you hear it, until you live it, you really don't understand how much alike everywhere really is! It's not really all that much different at all from home overall. Maybe a bit nicer, different customs, and a bit more expensive.
Finally joined the Kitten Corps FB page. Didn't know we had a Twitter account? Anyone know who runs them?
The plus side about today is that I finally got to drink a maß of beer, those giant liter mugs from Bavaria.
The downside is that the last hour or so have made me wish I had another maß right now.
Morning kittens. I'm going into work despite it being a holiday. Tomorrow I go for training for the part time job I applied for. It's a two day class but they let me spread out the time so that I don't get in trouble with my full time job. I still have to go in for a drug test plus pay for a background check and for some time of certification. It's a lot of travel and work but I'm hoping that in February, I can start making some money. They will start me on the low end but after 6 months, I can apply for another position at another company and make $17 per hour. That should help with paying down my debt.
Another thing that happened: I thought I had lost my passport. I knew I had it with me when I came home from Kitten Con 2 but I couldn't remember where I put it when I got back home. Ended up finding it on the floor in the back of the closet. Gave myself a bad scare for a moment.
Morning kittens.
So I'm finally feeling more like a human being and less like an excuse to use up boxes of kleenex... ;) I still have a bit of a cough left, but at least it isn't taking my breath away like last week and the headache is finally gone too!
@Zem, thats so cool that you get to hang out with your bros in Berlin! Even though I have very little desire to ever go to Berlin (or Germany at all tbh), I think its great that you're having such a good time! I've heard its a very progressive city, and I'm sure loaded with awesome museums etc. You're building some amazing life long memories right now, and well, I'm proud of you bud! Just watch out for those crazy German girls! ;)
@Geist, yep, that would scare me too! Misty won't even let me hang onto my passport once we're out of the airport... ;) Funny thing is though, she has a much worse history of losing or misplacing things than I do... *shrugs* what can I do? I'm just a man! ;) Best of luck with your new ptj! That would make a huge difference!
Haha, alot of museums? There's literally an island called Museumsinsel! ;)
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And the downside of seeing my brothers here is that since like thursday, I've been up until like 1-3 am every night. Though I guess only half of that has been with them, but still, I've only had one night of good sleep in a little under a week now.
I think there's a tradeoff of money vs sleep, and soon I'm going to have to switch again.
@BaKhan: Glad to hear that you are feeling better. Having the flu is no joke. I only use tissues when I'm outside of the house. Otherwise, I get a roll of TP and use that to handle the sneezes. I read somewhere that it's cheaper to do it this way and better for the environment rather than buying tissues.
Another thing I want to try is making my own cough drops. I thought I had a recipe where you can make some out of horehound tea, ginger, lemon and sugar. Might more than the commercial stuff I get in the stores. I honestly think they are just a sugar placebo.
@Zem, to be fair, I said loaded with, not a lot... ;) Now, get some sleep and take advantage of that education you're supposed to be getting there! ;)
@Geist, I never fuss with day time cold medicine or cough drops or any of that. If I'm taking medicine for that, I'm staying home, and heading for an over the counter coma! NyQuil is my choice of cold/flu medication. Original green death flavor! Just as you're saying what is that horrible taste, you're slipping into the coma! ;) I normally just keep taking it and sleeping as much as a I can, and either it or the sleep it helps to provide make the biggest difference.
Morning kittens.
@BaKhan: I never stay home when I get a cold. Usually, I'm over it within a week and I hardly take anything but each cold always starts with a sore throat and that is uncomfortable so I end up trying to treat it even though I know the cold will move up into my sinuses. Plus, I read somewhere that Nyquil is mostly booze. I can take a hot toddy for that.
Nothing against it. Whatever works.
For a cold...I tend to sleep the whole day(like yesterday...and when I go home early today)
@Geist, for me its always a go/no go check. If I can move around, drive, etc. with putting myself or others at risk, I go in (so most of the time), but when I get something like this flu, its not an option. I was almost blacking out from coughing, can't do that behind the wheel! Also, NyQuil has less than 10% alcohol in it... ;)
@BaKhan: that would kinda explain why some people have been know to purchase bottles of cold medicine and drink them like beers. It's the main reason why drugs stores here in D.C. keep track of how many of bottles you buy and will share that information with other drug stores so you can store hop to get a bunch of the stuff.
@Geist, lol, if thats the case then they must track the hell out of aftershave, which is often 70% alcohol... ;) I think that they track cold medicine as many of the ingredients can be used to make street drugs such as meth. Products like NyQuil have the max allowed of those ingredients for over the counter meds.
@BaKhan: You are correct about the meth part. It's another reason why it's closely monitored. But among some of the rappers, it's mixed with something else (soda, I think) and is a popular cocktail. I remember some of the kids buying a bottle in an attempt to get drunk.
Meh, I waited until I was 21 to have a proper drink.
@Geist, ;) The things people do to get a buzz... ;) Oh, and yeah, I definitely waited till I was drinking age to get drunk too.... ;) When I was 16 most of my friends were in their early to mid 20's so getting real booze was no issue... Those parties were the bomb (for a 16 year old...)! ;)
@BaKhan: I was a very shy person so I didn't have anyone older to get my booze. I simply waited and then really enjoyed the freedom of a happy hour drink.
Remember Formula 44? That was the cough syrup that I get treated with when I was a kid. I seldom see Vicks Vapor Rub anymore.