Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-22T09:04:32-04:00
like watching a famous person crash and burn, people get a perverse sense of enjoyment out of it.
@BaKhan: I also think that some people feel better about themselves if they think they are in a better place than you. For example: I think some women like me because I'm fat so it makes them feel better. If I were to lose the weight and take better care of myself, they might not want to be around me anymore because I wouldn't be such a sad sack in their eyes. I lost one friend because I found better work than her and she never found (while I knew her) a full time job.
And anyone who acts like they don't do bone headed stuff is bullshitting you. They just don't want to admit it.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-22T09:15:44-04:00
@Geist, oh I know it, its just hard to dispute when I don't disagree with them. Partly due to who I am, and how I was raised, I tend to think the worst of myself. Its like constantly having that person telling you, you aren't living up to your potential, but from the inside. Then when something actually does go wrong, that negativity is justified. I know this about myself, and struggle with it constantly, just in times like this, its harder to silence that voice.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-22T09:55:19-04:00
@BaKhan: I completely understand. It's almost impossible not to beat myself up when things go wrong in my life. The only thing you can do is try. Think of this as a lesson learned. Next time will be different. Even if it ISN'T, still don't go blaming yourself. It's also human to make the same mistake more than once before the lesson kicks in.
How is Misty's hearing, btw? Still getting popping sounds?
@Geist, sadly no improvement on her hearing. Its possible that those popping sounds were just the last vestiges of her hearing dying off. Its brutal, but she is learning to deal with it. The second opinion testing still hasn't happened yet, as they want her to wait 6 months to see if it comes around on its own first. I'm hoping that there will be some type of new technology or procedure that will be able to correct it soon!
Morning kittens. Spent an hour meeting a mandatory Agile Training requirement. Felt like work!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T11:18:57-04:00
Morning kittens.
What a day this is turning out to be. My neighbor noisily came back to her unit around 3 am and proceeded to give an x-rated audio of her make out session with her boyfriend. I left my apartment 20 minutes later than usual only to get caught up in a traffic jam due to an accident that affected the bus line I was on. And of course, the building maintenance people wanted access to my unit to spray around the fridge so I had a fast clean up session when I got home last night. Glad it's the weekend. Hope to see the Pacific Rim sequel. I loved the first movie and I could use the escapism around about now.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T11:20:28-04:00
@CB, I looked up Agile Training, as I'd never heard of it, and I think I wound up more confused than when I started! ;) Its basically project management?
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T11:21:46-04:00
@Geist, I hope you have a great weekend! If you do get a chance to see the PR sequel, let us know your thoughts. I also enjoyed the first movie! How can you go wrong with giant fighting robots? ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T11:28:42-04:00
@BaKhan: I know, right? I saw the first one twice in theaters and while it didn't make as much money in the States, Hollywood saw fit enough to give it another chance. There is even talk of it taking the number one spot away from Black Panther.
I still haven't see A Wrinkle in Time. I want to see it. Just haven't had the chance.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T11:30:05-04:00
Btw, since we were talking about Red Lobster a few days ago, they have some out with something new.
@Geist, OMG! I want that so bad!!! I love me some chicken 'n' waffles, I couldn't even imagine lobster and waffles! Lordy Lordy!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T12:13:21-04:00
@BaKhan: I bet you could recreate this at home. There are a bunch of recipes that tell how you can make their biscuits at home. Only, instead of baking them, you'd put them in a waffle iron and tempura fry some lobster tails. Easy peasy.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T12:22:40-04:00
@Geist, oh for sure I could... but sometimes its nice to try the original first you know? ;)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T12:27:38-04:00
@BaKhan: I completely understand. I wasn't sure if you guys had a Red Lobster there. If you couldn't get it, you could try to make it. Heck, your homemade version would most likely taste better than the one in their restaurant.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-23T12:31:53-04:00
@BK, every few years the software development industry collectively decides that, "we're doing it all wrong!" When that happens, they reinvent our entire way of doing things. The current resume-stuffing acronyms are Angular (a software framework) and Agile (a software development methodology.)
Agile is indeed a project management paradigm, which replaces waterfall, the previous darling child of PM.
I can't wait to see what's next.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-23T12:35:41-04:00
((How can you go wrong with giant fighting robots?))
... by making yet another movie featuring giant fighting robots in lieu of a plot ...
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T12:48:53-04:00
@CB: If I had to judge movies by the quality of their plot, I'd hardly ever go to the movies.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-23T12:51:11-04:00
@Geist, that's probably why I hardly ever go to the movies. ;-)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T13:04:30-04:00
@CB: Movies are a lot like food. Yes, I could eat nothing but healthy all natural food all day everyday but that wouldn't be much fun. Sometimes you need a bacon double cheese burger with garlic fries and a beer (or milkshake if you don't consume booze). Not healthy for you but oh man does it taste good and you get a wonderful feeling afterwards.
Right now, I need an action movie to take my mind off of my troubles.
@Geist: I acould find the burger...but not a quality one. The fries(over garlicy) I can get across the street, the beer...well I have that at home. Not allowed to even have one beer at lunch.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T13:44:59-04:00
@GM: Really? With Canada's connection to the U.K., I thought you guys also allowed for a pint or two when dining out at lunch time. They don't do it here but I practice it if I go out by myself. Heck, I've been known to sneak booze into work and take a nip. Haven't been caught yet.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-23T14:38:00-04:00
I'm eating at home today, so no garlic fries. I had chili dogs and a soylent. They don't really go together unless you pretend the soylent is a chocolate milkshske.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T14:47:05-04:00
I had chili dogs and a soylent
But...soylent is PEOPLE!
Mike Kabala 2018-03-23T15:33:27-04:00
Frankly, I'd be more concerned about exactly what is in the chili dogs. :-)
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-23T15:56:23-04:00
@CB: Pretty sure it's people also. ;-)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T16:17:00-04:00
So what it is about museums? I went with a small group to the Neues Museum with a bunch of stuff from ancient Egypt, but everyone who went was complaining about back pain! Which is nice to know it's not just me, but it's so weird that just going to a museum can take it out of you!
`
My theory is that it's so long of standing there, leaning slightly forward or hunched while trying to read all of the signs and focus on the displays.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T16:18:17-04:00
Thanks you guys, I needed a good laugh!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T16:20:22-04:00
@Zem, its the floors. More than anything else. The other things you mentioned don't help the situation, but really, its the floors/footwear that makes the most difference. Most chronic lower back pain stems from issues relating to your knees or feet. As it gets worse, it moves up the body to the next stabilizer, your back.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T16:22:32-04:00
"If I had to judge movies by the quality of their plot, I'd hardly ever go to the movies."
Oh my God, sadly, that sums it up so perfectly!
`
And dang it, I'm full right now, but now I REALLY want a nice, greasy double bacon cheeseburger and some nice garlic-parmesan fries! I do have the beer though, so I've got that going for me.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T16:24:19-04:00
BaKhan, but I can stand and walk for hours often without any pain or tiredness whatsoever, but in museums, I consistently get middle-back pain and feel beat.
The middle-back thing is the weirdest, because I have really bad lower back troubles, but my middle-back almost never hurts!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-23T16:26:20-04:00
@Zem, marble over concrete. Bad floors to stand on, and walk slowly over hours on. Middle back because the fatigue is moving up to the next set of stabilizers. or you know, something else maybe. ;)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T16:31:35-04:00
You're probably right, BaKhan, but it seems so weird that just a couple hours in a museum hits way harder than a full day even on concrete and other hard flooring.
I've always preferred grass anyways! :)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T16:39:34-04:00
On that beer, if you guys ever somehow find a hefe-weizen from Munich (or München), specifically Paulaner or Franziskaner, try it! If you like that kind anyways. I don't know why, but they're so different and amazing, it's so weird. They're almost banana-y!
`
In fact, there's something in Berlin called the Banana-Weizen; it literally tastes like someone took a hefe-weizen and a banana and blended them together!
So my question is... does that count as my fruit for the day? ;)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-23T18:28:51-04:00
Speaking of which, being in Germany (even if it's Berlin, not Bavaria), I HAVE to get a liter Stein mug, (really called a Maß or Maßkrug). So I looked online, found one I'd love, then realized my little brother's 21st birthday is coming up in October...
(No, unfortunately, after Oktoberfest)
... so I think I might get 2 different ones and give him one for his birthday! Not only that, but the two of them, shipping included, are only 24 euro; not a bad price! You can find a single one easily for that price!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-26T08:07:30-04:00
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-26T10:00:20-04:00
Well this happened this weekend: The manager who trained me on my part time job last week asked me to come in this weekend to work from 11 am to 7 pm. I didn't mind because it would give me a chance to catch up on sleep and other stuff. So imagine my surprise when I walked in and they told me that I the supervisor was looking for me. When I called him, I told him that I was acting on the orders of the manager, the supervisor told me that he didn't get the message. For the rest of the day, I got calls on my mobile from the company (trying to find out what happened) and the manager. Found out later that I had been written up as a "no call/no show", the penalty of this infraction is job termination.
No you can imagine that I was PISSED. Turns out this isn't the first time these two higher up don't communicate. This is an ongoing thing with them and neither of them get in trouble for it. When I signed on, I volunteered to filled in on holidays if someone calls out. Now, I refuse to do it until both of them get the punishment that I would have gotten had I actually done that infraction on my own.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-26T10:41:55-04:00
@Geist, nothing worse than getting caught in the middle of a silly and useless power struggle (or whatever you want to call that). I would have been very upset as well! You were just doing as you had been asked. No reason at all you should have had to put up with that bs.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-26T10:44:03-04:00
Hey BaKhan! How is the car situation turning out? Have they seen sense yet?
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-26T11:29:01-04:00
@Geist, I'm hoping to bring them around this afternoon. I'll let you know as soon as I know! ;)
Why can't people write clearly when submitting information to us? If it's a 9, make damn sure it looks like a 9 and not a squished 8.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-26T12:03:52-04:00
@GM: I can't talk. My handwriting is awful and I've all but forgotten how to write in cursive
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-26T12:06:13-04:00
Sorry for the radio silence for the last two weeks, guys. Implementing the urine drug testing has been a witch with a capital B!
CB, I started on the player mat, but my Bamboo touch pad wigged out and started putting faint lines where the stylus was only hovering over the pad. I haven't figured out how to fix it, yet. But, I did just get a Galaxy tablet with a stylus. I haven't explored all of its built-in capabilities, yet, but it does bring up a menu whenever I pull the stylus out of the built-in storage compartment. If it has a pre-installed drawing program, great! If not, I'll find one that will work for the tablet.
Other reason I haven't done it yet is I need to get my hunter safety certificate, so I've been spending my free time on that. I've done all the online stuff now, though, so I can focus on the player mat
Would also help if my manager would just shut up when someone is trying to explain something to her.
"It came in at 4pm Friday, the CSR at Wells Fargo didn't see the email until I called her this mor-"
"Why did it wait until just now to be deal with?"
"She didn't see my email from Friday until today."
"..."
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-26T12:13:44-04:00
As related to the marble on concrete floors causing back pain, marble on concrete has less give than concrete alone or marble alone. That's why labs will put their highly sensitive scales on a marble slab, which sits on top of a rigid countertop. It creates a nearly, if not entirely, vibration-free environment.
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-26T12:18:18-04:00
GM, that's rough. I hate it when people don't listen. It's one of my pet peeves. That and interrupting me. The two generally go hand in hand
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-26T12:20:01-04:00
I was always told, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Respect the ratio! ;)
@LZ: I always get interrupted pretty much anywhere I go. Pretty sure that's part of the reason I'm such a quiet person these days. Ended up being "You don't want to hear what I have to say, so I will just keep quiet and watch your world burn".
@BaKhan: If only people would respect that, but they don't, so I let them screw themselves over for not actually listening when I am giving them 110% of the information they need to know.
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-26T12:28:23-04:00
Oh, and this was fun: I woke up on Saturday with a migraine. I've never had that happen before. My migraines had always come in the afternoon or evening. I got the pain under control before the light sensitivity went away. I was in the house with the curtains over the windows on an overcast day, wearing sunglasses, and still only able to open my eyes half way.
...I think I should probably see a doctor about this...
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-26T12:29:59-04:00
GM, I get that. I get really quiet when people interrupt me too much. It's not worth talking to people who don't want to listen
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-26T13:49:02-04:00
Considering the office politics that I deal with at work, I usually don't speak to folks unless it's work related. I have no time to (or patience) to deal with the other crap.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-26T15:39:13-04:00
Hello kittens. Looks like I’m not the only one who woke up grumpy this morning. Right now, I’m waiting for a scheduled phone call that’s late. They scheduled it, and they can’t even keep their own schedule. That does not bode well for the actual conversation. Seems like the most demanding people have the least common courtesy.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-26T15:49:20-04:00
@LZ, sounds a lot like the stylus on my Galaxy Note 8. Have fun playing with it and don’t worry about how long it takes. This needs to remain a fun project.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-27T08:02:30-04:00
So Misty had a visit with her audiologist yesterday, and sadly the worst is true. The implant had failed, and completely killed off the nerve. Due to the surgery, hearing aids will not work to fix the situation. There is an outside chance that another surgery may improve her ability to use hearing aids in that ear. So for now, its not good, but I'm still hopeful for the future (or at least I'm trying to be).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-27T09:23:30-04:00
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry. How long until she can get the other surgery?
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-27T09:41:46-04:00
@Geist, we're still not sure they will even do one. It depends on the surgeon to make the determination. I will let you know when we find out more.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-27T10:36:56-04:00
@BaKhan: How is Misty taking it? This won't stop her from singing, will it? I love when you guys play your band when I visit for Halloween.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-27T11:54:06-04:00
@Geist, as you can imagine, this is devastating news for her. We haven't had a band practice since Halloween, and I try not to bring it up, as I feel it would just upset her even more. Not being able to hear out of that ear makes it very hard for her to hear herself, in her head, the way she used to. I don't believe that her ability has diminished, but her confidence has for sure. I am trying to be as supportive as I can though (for whatever thats worth).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-27T13:09:02-04:00
@BaKhan; Supporting her and letting her know that you love her no matter what is the best thing you can do. She is luckier than me. Whatever I have to go through in life, I have to do it alone. Makes the situation that much harder.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-27T14:15:12-04:00
@Geist, I try my best, and I absolutely do and will love her no matter what (baring a few obvious exceptions). I know that you might feel like you're alone, and in many ways that is true, but always know, that in whatever way we can be, Misty and I are with you! You are loved, even if it is from afar. You can always call me anytime you need to. Seriously.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-28T08:43:47-04:00
Morning kittens. I've been here 3 weeks on this job and I managed to get someone mad. *sigh* It's going to be that kind of day. I'm taking tomorrow off so that I can volunteer at Awesome Con so there is that to look forward to.
I'm starting to like my new schedule more and more. Get up ~30min earlier, arrive at work ~1hour earlier(to nobody in the office mind you), and get to leave by 3:30. Able to get some things done that I couldn't normally because people would be throwing stuff they don't want to do on me.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-28T09:00:12-04:00
@BaKhan: Thank dude. It's nice to know that I have a few friends that I can count on to talk to. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't vent on here.
What I actually meant was having a mate. It gets tough sloughing through this life on my own. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with my grans good looks.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-28T09:23:26-04:00
@GM: And now you know why I love coming in so early in the mornings. So much peace and quiet. So few humans around.
Except my manager showed up 15min after I typed that. -.-
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-28T15:06:48-04:00
Today's a 'schiet mij dood' kind of day. The implementation of the drug testing has gone horribly sideways. The guy who spearheaded this whole thing is pissed.
Good news is I should be able to start knitting my ugly Christmas sweater this weekend
@LZ: Well, that sucks. At least you have your sweater knitting to look forward to.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-28T16:22:52-04:00
@LZ: You knit? I didn't know that. I dabble in it a bit myself.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-28T16:45:05-04:00
For the record, I like the ugly sweaters at the website "Middle of Beyond".
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-28T18:15:25-04:00
Sorry, I've been getting really busy here again. It's been kinda fun though, and not terribly much stress until this weekend; I have no saturday whatsoever, and on sunday/monday, I'll have to work on at least one major project.
Oh yeah, since it's an international school, they keep going through Easter. No break for me. So my entire weekend is literally just Easter sunday, on which I'll also have to do work. Oh well.
`
Have a great time at Awesome Con, Geist. I'm super jealous, that sounds... like a really fun time! (man, I legitimately typed out awesome there and realized I should fix that!)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-28T18:21:12-04:00
Oh yeah, but today was really interesting at least. Visited a former east-Berlin Stasi prison, where the tours are led by former inmates! It was extremely interesting, just something to be experienced.
But our guide was especially interesting; his father was actually a double-agent for East Germany for 20 years, but within half a year of moving to Berlin, he instantly regretted it when he realized how terrible it really was. So they tried to escape through Hungary, were reported, and all sent to this prison.
After that... you really just have to experience those prisons, it's pretty eye-opening. Kept having flashbacks to 1984, it was so eerily similar.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-28T18:30:42-04:00
Oh yeah, also, he has a book, which I got, signed. That should really be an interesting read and help me learn! The best part being he's from the one city in Germany where they speak what's considered High German, what everyone learns so they can communicate, so I won't even have to worry about it being in another dialect!
That also really helped in our tour, it was super easy to understand him. Berlinerisch is a bit different.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-03-29T06:31:54-04:00
Morning kittens. Took today off to help set up Awesome Con. Can't wait to attend as a fan tomorrow. Since I didn't bring my charger with me, radio silence from me until I can get back home. Enjoy the day! (Or as much of it as you can)
P.S. It will be 70 degrees today. I think Spring is finally here.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-29T07:43:56-04:00
Morning kittens. My company wants me to move to the middle of nowhere. :-(
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-29T07:55:57-04:00
That sounds awesome, Geist, have a great time!
`
That sounds really not awesome, CB, why's that?
Mike Kabala 2018-03-29T08:02:04-04:00
@Zem, they want me to work for a health-insurance company (ick) in Owings Mills, MD. Who in his right mind would want to move to Maryland?!
I am having a hard time believing that there are no positions available for me in Charlotte. I'm really stressed out thinking about the possibility of having to move away from the community I've lived in for six years and having to start over making new friends and acquaintances, all while working in an industry that I hate.
What happens a year from now? Will I be uprooted yet again? It's crazy!!!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-29T10:35:26-04:00
CB, yeah, that is crazy! Though from the sound of it, you definitely shouldn't do that even so. There has to be SOMEthing in Charlotte better than moving your entire life to a new place you might not like as much to work in a field you hate. No part of that sounds enticing!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-03-29T11:59:10-04:00
Morning kittens.
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-29T12:41:31-04:00
I agree, CB, that sounds like the rawest deal imaginable.
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-29T12:46:20-04:00
@Geist, not only do I knit, but I do a really good job of it. I've known how for 13 years, but it's been a while since I did anything. I've done almost all of the techniques I know of. I think the one exception might be French Knots, but I may have done a pattern that has that. I've made dozens of dishcloths, a few beanies, gloves, socks, a scarf... This will be my first sweater. The knit pattern I found doesn't do any cables, but I'm thinking of throwing some in.
@LZ: Since it's for an ugly Christmas sweater thing, you should make one sleeve noticeably longer than the other.
Lord Zombitten 2018-03-29T13:21:20-04:00
Hahahahaaa!
That would be good...
...but I think it would drive me nuts
Mike Kabala 2018-03-30T06:40:06-04:00
Morning kittens.
I knit, but I don’t do sweaters. I have a blanket that I’ve been working on for about six years. I’m about to get to the last two skeins and I hope to finally be done in less than a month.
Two reasons it’s taken so long: I actually started this blanket while I was living in Sioux City and it got lost in the move to Charlotte. By the time I found it again years later I had already completed a similar blanket for the birth of my first grandson.
The other reason is that it’s actually a double knit where two strands of yarn are interwoven in a checkerboard pattern in such a way that the knit side is always on the outside and the purl side is always on the inside. In order to accomplish this on one set of needles, I switch strands for each stitch and that requires me to do a double yarn over before each stitch to prevent the strands from becoming entangled with each other and messing up the pattern. The end result is worth the effort.
Mike Kabala 2018-03-30T07:43:42-04:00
Well, it looks like I'm safe from having to move to Maryland for the time being. They have decided that my skill set did not match the job requirements.
Aww, darn. ;-)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-30T08:11:27-04:00
CB, I bet not too many people have ever been so happy to be told they were unqualified for a job! ;)
`
I tried to get my mom to teach me crocheting growing up, and she wanted to teach all of us, but never got around to it. It takes alot of time, and there was never that great of an abundance of it. Oh well, maybe I'll pick that or knitting up someday!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-30T08:15:08-04:00
Wow, I've never gotten an email that just right out of the gate started with "This is a solicitation email"! It's really nice when they just tell you, so it doesn't feel like some kind of spam!
Mike Kabala 2018-03-30T08:24:27-04:00
Interesting thing about knitting and crocheting, One seems to complement the other. When I finished my grandchild's blanket, I learned a scalloped crochet edging pattern to go around it. I always have the same sized crochet hook handy when I'm knitting to fix the inevitable screwups. Knitting needles and crochet hooks both allow me to work with all of the looped stitches, but they work in different ways. With a crochet hook, I can even fix a pattern error that's several rows deep and then just ladder up to the current row when I'm done.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-03-30T09:29:34-04:00
My mom actually made blankets for my two older brothers, then I think she started on mine, but never quite made her way through it. Kinda sad, but if I ever want to finish it myself, I'm pretty sure she still has all of the materials and stuff, I might just have to pick up where she left off someday!
@GM, Thanks man.
like watching a famous person crash and burn, people get a perverse sense of enjoyment out of it.
@BaKhan: I also think that some people feel better about themselves if they think they are in a better place than you. For example: I think some women like me because I'm fat so it makes them feel better. If I were to lose the weight and take better care of myself, they might not want to be around me anymore because I wouldn't be such a sad sack in their eyes. I lost one friend because I found better work than her and she never found (while I knew her) a full time job.
And anyone who acts like they don't do bone headed stuff is bullshitting you. They just don't want to admit it.
@Geist, oh I know it, its just hard to dispute when I don't disagree with them. Partly due to who I am, and how I was raised, I tend to think the worst of myself. Its like constantly having that person telling you, you aren't living up to your potential, but from the inside. Then when something actually does go wrong, that negativity is justified. I know this about myself, and struggle with it constantly, just in times like this, its harder to silence that voice.
@BaKhan: I completely understand. It's almost impossible not to beat myself up when things go wrong in my life. The only thing you can do is try. Think of this as a lesson learned. Next time will be different. Even if it ISN'T, still don't go blaming yourself. It's also human to make the same mistake more than once before the lesson kicks in.
How is Misty's hearing, btw? Still getting popping sounds?
Morning kittens.
@Geist, sadly no improvement on her hearing. Its possible that those popping sounds were just the last vestiges of her hearing dying off. Its brutal, but she is learning to deal with it. The second opinion testing still hasn't happened yet, as they want her to wait 6 months to see if it comes around on its own first. I'm hoping that there will be some type of new technology or procedure that will be able to correct it soon!
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens. Happy Friday.
Morning kittens. Spent an hour meeting a mandatory Agile Training requirement. Felt like work!
Morning kittens.
What a day this is turning out to be. My neighbor noisily came back to her unit around 3 am and proceeded to give an x-rated audio of her make out session with her boyfriend. I left my apartment 20 minutes later than usual only to get caught up in a traffic jam due to an accident that affected the bus line I was on. And of course, the building maintenance people wanted access to my unit to spray around the fridge so I had a fast clean up session when I got home last night. Glad it's the weekend. Hope to see the Pacific Rim sequel. I loved the first movie and I could use the escapism around about now.
@CB, I looked up Agile Training, as I'd never heard of it, and I think I wound up more confused than when I started! ;) Its basically project management?
@Geist, I hope you have a great weekend! If you do get a chance to see the PR sequel, let us know your thoughts. I also enjoyed the first movie! How can you go wrong with giant fighting robots? ;)
@BaKhan: I know, right? I saw the first one twice in theaters and while it didn't make as much money in the States, Hollywood saw fit enough to give it another chance. There is even talk of it taking the number one spot away from Black Panther.
I still haven't see A Wrinkle in Time. I want to see it. Just haven't had the chance.
Btw, since we were talking about Red Lobster a few days ago, they have some out with something new.
https://www.popsugar.com/food/Red-Lobster-Lobster-Waffles-44691578
@Geist, OMG! I want that so bad!!! I love me some chicken 'n' waffles, I couldn't even imagine lobster and waffles! Lordy Lordy!
@BaKhan: I bet you could recreate this at home. There are a bunch of recipes that tell how you can make their biscuits at home. Only, instead of baking them, you'd put them in a waffle iron and tempura fry some lobster tails. Easy peasy.
@Geist, oh for sure I could... but sometimes its nice to try the original first you know? ;)
@BaKhan: I completely understand. I wasn't sure if you guys had a Red Lobster there. If you couldn't get it, you could try to make it. Heck, your homemade version would most likely taste better than the one in their restaurant.
@BK, every few years the software development industry collectively decides that, "we're doing it all wrong!" When that happens, they reinvent our entire way of doing things. The current resume-stuffing acronyms are Angular (a software framework) and Agile (a software development methodology.)
Agile is indeed a project management paradigm, which replaces waterfall, the previous darling child of PM.
I can't wait to see what's next.
((How can you go wrong with giant fighting robots?))
... by making yet another movie featuring giant fighting robots in lieu of a plot ...
@CB: If I had to judge movies by the quality of their plot, I'd hardly ever go to the movies.
@Geist, that's probably why I hardly ever go to the movies. ;-)
@CB: Movies are a lot like food. Yes, I could eat nothing but healthy all natural food all day everyday but that wouldn't be much fun. Sometimes you need a bacon double cheese burger with garlic fries and a beer (or milkshake if you don't consume booze). Not healthy for you but oh man does it taste good and you get a wonderful feeling afterwards.
Right now, I need an action movie to take my mind off of my troubles.
Sometimes you need a bacon double cheese burger with garlic fries and a beer
@Geist: Now that's what I want for lunch...sadly I don't know of a place nearby that has something that good.
@GM: I can find a bacon double cheese burger in most restaurants in D.C. but not garlic fries. Done right, those things are soooooo good.
@Geist: I acould find the burger...but not a quality one. The fries(over garlicy) I can get across the street, the beer...well I have that at home. Not allowed to even have one beer at lunch.
@GM: Really? With Canada's connection to the U.K., I thought you guys also allowed for a pint or two when dining out at lunch time. They don't do it here but I practice it if I go out by myself. Heck, I've been known to sneak booze into work and take a nip. Haven't been caught yet.
I'm eating at home today, so no garlic fries. I had chili dogs and a soylent. They don't really go together unless you pretend the soylent is a chocolate milkshske.
I had chili dogs and a soylent
But...soylent is PEOPLE!
Frankly, I'd be more concerned about exactly what is in the chili dogs. :-)
@CB: Pretty sure it's people also. ;-)
So what it is about museums? I went with a small group to the Neues Museum with a bunch of stuff from ancient Egypt, but everyone who went was complaining about back pain! Which is nice to know it's not just me, but it's so weird that just going to a museum can take it out of you!
`
My theory is that it's so long of standing there, leaning slightly forward or hunched while trying to read all of the signs and focus on the displays.
Thanks you guys, I needed a good laugh!
@Zem, its the floors. More than anything else. The other things you mentioned don't help the situation, but really, its the floors/footwear that makes the most difference. Most chronic lower back pain stems from issues relating to your knees or feet. As it gets worse, it moves up the body to the next stabilizer, your back.
"If I had to judge movies by the quality of their plot, I'd hardly ever go to the movies."
Oh my God, sadly, that sums it up so perfectly!
`
And dang it, I'm full right now, but now I REALLY want a nice, greasy double bacon cheeseburger and some nice garlic-parmesan fries! I do have the beer though, so I've got that going for me.
BaKhan, but I can stand and walk for hours often without any pain or tiredness whatsoever, but in museums, I consistently get middle-back pain and feel beat.
The middle-back thing is the weirdest, because I have really bad lower back troubles, but my middle-back almost never hurts!
@Zem, marble over concrete. Bad floors to stand on, and walk slowly over hours on. Middle back because the fatigue is moving up to the next set of stabilizers. or you know, something else maybe. ;)
You're probably right, BaKhan, but it seems so weird that just a couple hours in a museum hits way harder than a full day even on concrete and other hard flooring.
I've always preferred grass anyways! :)
On that beer, if you guys ever somehow find a hefe-weizen from Munich (or München), specifically Paulaner or Franziskaner, try it! If you like that kind anyways. I don't know why, but they're so different and amazing, it's so weird. They're almost banana-y!
`
In fact, there's something in Berlin called the Banana-Weizen; it literally tastes like someone took a hefe-weizen and a banana and blended them together!
So my question is... does that count as my fruit for the day? ;)
Speaking of which, being in Germany (even if it's Berlin, not Bavaria), I HAVE to get a liter Stein mug, (really called a Maß or Maßkrug). So I looked online, found one I'd love, then realized my little brother's 21st birthday is coming up in October...
(No, unfortunately, after Oktoberfest)
... so I think I might get 2 different ones and give him one for his birthday! Not only that, but the two of them, shipping included, are only 24 euro; not a bad price! You can find a single one easily for that price!
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
Well this happened this weekend: The manager who trained me on my part time job last week asked me to come in this weekend to work from 11 am to 7 pm. I didn't mind because it would give me a chance to catch up on sleep and other stuff. So imagine my surprise when I walked in and they told me that I the supervisor was looking for me. When I called him, I told him that I was acting on the orders of the manager, the supervisor told me that he didn't get the message. For the rest of the day, I got calls on my mobile from the company (trying to find out what happened) and the manager. Found out later that I had been written up as a "no call/no show", the penalty of this infraction is job termination.
No you can imagine that I was PISSED. Turns out this isn't the first time these two higher up don't communicate. This is an ongoing thing with them and neither of them get in trouble for it. When I signed on, I volunteered to filled in on holidays if someone calls out. Now, I refuse to do it until both of them get the punishment that I would have gotten had I actually done that infraction on my own.
@Geist, nothing worse than getting caught in the middle of a silly and useless power struggle (or whatever you want to call that). I would have been very upset as well! You were just doing as you had been asked. No reason at all you should have had to put up with that bs.
Hey BaKhan! How is the car situation turning out? Have they seen sense yet?
@Geist, I'm hoping to bring them around this afternoon. I'll let you know as soon as I know! ;)
Why can't people write clearly when submitting information to us? If it's a 9, make damn sure it looks like a 9 and not a squished 8.
@GM: I can't talk. My handwriting is awful and I've all but forgotten how to write in cursive
Sorry for the radio silence for the last two weeks, guys. Implementing the urine drug testing has been a witch with a capital B!
CB, I started on the player mat, but my Bamboo touch pad wigged out and started putting faint lines where the stylus was only hovering over the pad. I haven't figured out how to fix it, yet. But, I did just get a Galaxy tablet with a stylus. I haven't explored all of its built-in capabilities, yet, but it does bring up a menu whenever I pull the stylus out of the built-in storage compartment. If it has a pre-installed drawing program, great! If not, I'll find one that will work for the tablet.
Other reason I haven't done it yet is I need to get my hunter safety certificate, so I've been spending my free time on that. I've done all the online stuff now, though, so I can focus on the player mat
Would also help if my manager would just shut up when someone is trying to explain something to her.
"It came in at 4pm Friday, the CSR at Wells Fargo didn't see the email until I called her this mor-"
"Why did it wait until just now to be deal with?"
"She didn't see my email from Friday until today."
"..."
As related to the marble on concrete floors causing back pain, marble on concrete has less give than concrete alone or marble alone. That's why labs will put their highly sensitive scales on a marble slab, which sits on top of a rigid countertop. It creates a nearly, if not entirely, vibration-free environment.
GM, that's rough. I hate it when people don't listen. It's one of my pet peeves. That and interrupting me. The two generally go hand in hand
I was always told, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Respect the ratio! ;)
@LZ: I always get interrupted pretty much anywhere I go. Pretty sure that's part of the reason I'm such a quiet person these days. Ended up being "You don't want to hear what I have to say, so I will just keep quiet and watch your world burn".
@BaKhan: If only people would respect that, but they don't, so I let them screw themselves over for not actually listening when I am giving them 110% of the information they need to know.
Oh, and this was fun: I woke up on Saturday with a migraine. I've never had that happen before. My migraines had always come in the afternoon or evening. I got the pain under control before the light sensitivity went away. I was in the house with the curtains over the windows on an overcast day, wearing sunglasses, and still only able to open my eyes half way.
...I think I should probably see a doctor about this...
GM, I get that. I get really quiet when people interrupt me too much. It's not worth talking to people who don't want to listen
Considering the office politics that I deal with at work, I usually don't speak to folks unless it's work related. I have no time to (or patience) to deal with the other crap.
Hello kittens. Looks like I’m not the only one who woke up grumpy this morning. Right now, I’m waiting for a scheduled phone call that’s late. They scheduled it, and they can’t even keep their own schedule. That does not bode well for the actual conversation. Seems like the most demanding people have the least common courtesy.
@LZ, sounds a lot like the stylus on my Galaxy Note 8. Have fun playing with it and don’t worry about how long it takes. This needs to remain a fun project.
Morning kittens
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
So Misty had a visit with her audiologist yesterday, and sadly the worst is true. The implant had failed, and completely killed off the nerve. Due to the surgery, hearing aids will not work to fix the situation. There is an outside chance that another surgery may improve her ability to use hearing aids in that ear. So for now, its not good, but I'm still hopeful for the future (or at least I'm trying to be).
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry. How long until she can get the other surgery?
@Geist, we're still not sure they will even do one. It depends on the surgeon to make the determination. I will let you know when we find out more.
@BaKhan: How is Misty taking it? This won't stop her from singing, will it? I love when you guys play your band when I visit for Halloween.
@Geist, as you can imagine, this is devastating news for her. We haven't had a band practice since Halloween, and I try not to bring it up, as I feel it would just upset her even more. Not being able to hear out of that ear makes it very hard for her to hear herself, in her head, the way she used to. I don't believe that her ability has diminished, but her confidence has for sure. I am trying to be as supportive as I can though (for whatever thats worth).
@BaKhan; Supporting her and letting her know that you love her no matter what is the best thing you can do. She is luckier than me. Whatever I have to go through in life, I have to do it alone. Makes the situation that much harder.
@Geist, I try my best, and I absolutely do and will love her no matter what (baring a few obvious exceptions). I know that you might feel like you're alone, and in many ways that is true, but always know, that in whatever way we can be, Misty and I are with you! You are loved, even if it is from afar. You can always call me anytime you need to. Seriously.
Morning kittens. I've been here 3 weeks on this job and I managed to get someone mad. *sigh* It's going to be that kind of day. I'm taking tomorrow off so that I can volunteer at Awesome Con so there is that to look forward to.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
I'm starting to like my new schedule more and more. Get up ~30min earlier, arrive at work ~1hour earlier(to nobody in the office mind you), and get to leave by 3:30. Able to get some things done that I couldn't normally because people would be throwing stuff they don't want to do on me.
@BaKhan: Thank dude. It's nice to know that I have a few friends that I can count on to talk to. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't vent on here.
What I actually meant was having a mate. It gets tough sloughing through this life on my own. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with my grans good looks.
@GM: And now you know why I love coming in so early in the mornings. So much peace and quiet. So few humans around.
Except my manager showed up 15min after I typed that. -.-
Today's a 'schiet mij dood' kind of day. The implementation of the drug testing has gone horribly sideways. The guy who spearheaded this whole thing is pissed.
Good news is I should be able to start knitting my ugly Christmas sweater this weekend
@LZ: Well, that sucks. At least you have your sweater knitting to look forward to.
@LZ: You knit? I didn't know that. I dabble in it a bit myself.
For the record, I like the ugly sweaters at the website "Middle of Beyond".
Sorry, I've been getting really busy here again. It's been kinda fun though, and not terribly much stress until this weekend; I have no saturday whatsoever, and on sunday/monday, I'll have to work on at least one major project.
Oh yeah, since it's an international school, they keep going through Easter. No break for me. So my entire weekend is literally just Easter sunday, on which I'll also have to do work. Oh well.
`
Have a great time at Awesome Con, Geist. I'm super jealous, that sounds... like a really fun time! (man, I legitimately typed out awesome there and realized I should fix that!)
Oh yeah, but today was really interesting at least. Visited a former east-Berlin Stasi prison, where the tours are led by former inmates! It was extremely interesting, just something to be experienced.
But our guide was especially interesting; his father was actually a double-agent for East Germany for 20 years, but within half a year of moving to Berlin, he instantly regretted it when he realized how terrible it really was. So they tried to escape through Hungary, were reported, and all sent to this prison.
After that... you really just have to experience those prisons, it's pretty eye-opening. Kept having flashbacks to 1984, it was so eerily similar.
Oh yeah, also, he has a book, which I got, signed. That should really be an interesting read and help me learn! The best part being he's from the one city in Germany where they speak what's considered High German, what everyone learns so they can communicate, so I won't even have to worry about it being in another dialect!
That also really helped in our tour, it was super easy to understand him. Berlinerisch is a bit different.
Morning kittens. Took today off to help set up Awesome Con. Can't wait to attend as a fan tomorrow. Since I didn't bring my charger with me, radio silence from me until I can get back home. Enjoy the day! (Or as much of it as you can)
P.S. It will be 70 degrees today. I think Spring is finally here.
Morning kittens. My company wants me to move to the middle of nowhere. :-(
That sounds awesome, Geist, have a great time!
`
That sounds really not awesome, CB, why's that?
@Zem, they want me to work for a health-insurance company (ick) in Owings Mills, MD. Who in his right mind would want to move to Maryland?!
I am having a hard time believing that there are no positions available for me in Charlotte. I'm really stressed out thinking about the possibility of having to move away from the community I've lived in for six years and having to start over making new friends and acquaintances, all while working in an industry that I hate.
What happens a year from now? Will I be uprooted yet again? It's crazy!!!
Morning kittens.
CB, yeah, that is crazy! Though from the sound of it, you definitely shouldn't do that even so. There has to be SOMEthing in Charlotte better than moving your entire life to a new place you might not like as much to work in a field you hate. No part of that sounds enticing!
Morning kittens.
I agree, CB, that sounds like the rawest deal imaginable.
@Geist, not only do I knit, but I do a really good job of it. I've known how for 13 years, but it's been a while since I did anything. I've done almost all of the techniques I know of. I think the one exception might be French Knots, but I may have done a pattern that has that. I've made dozens of dishcloths, a few beanies, gloves, socks, a scarf... This will be my first sweater. The knit pattern I found doesn't do any cables, but I'm thinking of throwing some in.
@LZ: Since it's for an ugly Christmas sweater thing, you should make one sleeve noticeably longer than the other.
Hahahahaaa!
That would be good...
...but I think it would drive me nuts
Morning kittens.
I knit, but I don’t do sweaters. I have a blanket that I’ve been working on for about six years. I’m about to get to the last two skeins and I hope to finally be done in less than a month.
Two reasons it’s taken so long: I actually started this blanket while I was living in Sioux City and it got lost in the move to Charlotte. By the time I found it again years later I had already completed a similar blanket for the birth of my first grandson.
The other reason is that it’s actually a double knit where two strands of yarn are interwoven in a checkerboard pattern in such a way that the knit side is always on the outside and the purl side is always on the inside. In order to accomplish this on one set of needles, I switch strands for each stitch and that requires me to do a double yarn over before each stitch to prevent the strands from becoming entangled with each other and messing up the pattern. The end result is worth the effort.
Well, it looks like I'm safe from having to move to Maryland for the time being. They have decided that my skill set did not match the job requirements.
Aww, darn. ;-)
CB, I bet not too many people have ever been so happy to be told they were unqualified for a job! ;)
`
I tried to get my mom to teach me crocheting growing up, and she wanted to teach all of us, but never got around to it. It takes alot of time, and there was never that great of an abundance of it. Oh well, maybe I'll pick that or knitting up someday!
Wow, I've never gotten an email that just right out of the gate started with "This is a solicitation email"! It's really nice when they just tell you, so it doesn't feel like some kind of spam!
Interesting thing about knitting and crocheting, One seems to complement the other. When I finished my grandchild's blanket, I learned a scalloped crochet edging pattern to go around it. I always have the same sized crochet hook handy when I'm knitting to fix the inevitable screwups. Knitting needles and crochet hooks both allow me to work with all of the looped stitches, but they work in different ways. With a crochet hook, I can even fix a pattern error that's several rows deep and then just ladder up to the current row when I'm done.
My mom actually made blankets for my two older brothers, then I think she started on mine, but never quite made her way through it. Kinda sad, but if I ever want to finish it myself, I'm pretty sure she still has all of the materials and stuff, I might just have to pick up where she left off someday!