Things that drive you nuts?

[Matty2dark]

One curious thing I found out is that if your bin is stolen, or if the damage is due to Mother Nature (blown into the street, or struck by lightning, I guess) you're considered responsible for the loss and have to pay to have it replaced.

That is typical right. Stolen because they assume people would steal their own bins? And mother nature, because insurance won't cover it?
Hope you get through to who you need so you can get your bin replaced!

 

[Matty2dark]

Traffic. What usually takes me thirty minutes to drive today took forty-five.

If you live in Sydney and need to go down Parramatta Road in peak hour, your travel time is automatically doubled.

 

[RomanXKnight]

That is typical right. Stolen because they assume people would steal their own bins? And mother nature, because insurance won't cover it?
Hope you get through to who you need so you can get your bin replaced!

I meant to update. I got my new bin! The city gave me the run-around for a couple weeks. The guy I needed final approval from never seemed to be in his office. Then the other wheel broke off when the truck set it back down a bit too hard. I was outside when it happened and I hollered at the garbage men. They called their supervisor, he made a couple calls, and the next day I had a replacement. It took too long, but at least they finally came through.

 

[RomanXKnight]

This kind of astounded me earlier. I have this cousin, Art. He's always lived nearby, but we were never close growing up. He's the sort I'll see once every three to four years, usually in passing at a grocery or hardware store. We're friends on Facebook but we don't really keep in touch. He's not an awful guy on a one-on-one basis, but when you think of old friends you'd want to catch up with, he tends to be low on people's lists. He has a long history of being under-employed and over-married. He's had lots of wives, including two at once at one point. Naturally, I was surprised a couple months ago when, at one of my side jobs, we hired a new lady who, on her application under spouse, listed "Art Vandelay." She never came into the shop, but she joined the company Facebook group. I welcomed her, told her I was Art's cousin, and told her to say hi. She never replied, but when I checked the following day, she'd left the group and blocked me on FB. The following week, I heard she never showed up for her first actual day of work.

I thought it was odd but didn't think anything of it until this evening when Art (who very seldom gets on Facebook), posted a bunch of pictures from his 30th high school reunion outing. The lady with him in the pictures definitely wasn't the one from work. I checked his profile but he doesn't share his relationship status (probably a big red flag). I found his lady-friend tagged in another photo, clicked on her profile and found that she and Art were married about a week after the no-show at work.

I called my sister who knew he'd gotten married (again...and again...and again), but she was at least a couple behind. We compared notes, called our mom who filled in some gaps, and determined he's now in the double digits, and that's just the ones we know of. I left out the details because, frankly, they defy plausibility (the fact that he married the daughter of a girl he dated in high school isn't the craziest thing I learned about him this evening). I understand how he gets divorced, but I have no clue how he's managed to get married that many times.

 

[Tulgah]

I’m not sure what I even want to ask about first. There are a few details I’m really, really (really) wondering about. I’ve got to rethink some things…

 

[Matty2dark]

I was expecting a much more sinister ending to that story.

So what stood out to me was the name “art vandelay”. Not questioning this is coincidence, can happen to anyone, but it reminded me of the Seinfield episode. Importer-exporter that “dated” Elaine…

 

[RomanXKnight]

I wasn't going to use his real name, and "Art Vandelay" sounded better than the first fake name I came up with.

 

[Tulgah]

Okay, I can mark that question off my list…

 

[VideoViper]

NJ started the bring your own bags this week.

Nothing about it actually helps the environment. Any pictures of plastic bags littering the streets that I’ve seen were placed there by the photographer.

This thing is nothing but a killer of retail. Don’t have bags? you need to buy less. Maybe you buy reusable bags at an increasing cost.

Also by bringing your own bags expect a huge amount of retail thief.

 

[Cobalt60]

retailers like wal-mart are offering those reusable polypropylene bags for about ~$1 each.

according to wiki:

"In some cases, reusable bags need to be used over 100 times before they are better for the environment than single-use plastic bags."




so I guess the question becomes: how many times can you re-use the same shopping bag (to transport raw meat, vegetables, etc) before it gets all filthy inside and it becomes a health risk to you and your family..?

100 times..?

good luck with that. LOL

Reusable shopping bag - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[sharky]

retailers like wal-mart are offering those reusable polypropylene bags for about ~$1 each.

according to wiki:

"In some cases, reusable bags need to be used over 100 times before they are better for the environment than single-use plastic bags."




so I guess the question becomes: how many times can you re-use the same shopping bag (to transport raw meat, vegetables, etc) before it gets all filthy inside and it becomes a health risk to you and your family..?

100 times..?

good luck with that. LOL

Reusable shopping bag - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I recall reading an article about the cleanliness of the average reusable shopping bag. It is an actual risk for people. I don't even think the cheap ones people normally use can even last 100 uses and/or survive being washed multiple times.

It's a similar thing with using regular towels in the kitchen vs. paper towels for things like cleaning, etc. Unless you only use a towel one time and put in the dirty laundry, you're better off using paper towels.

 

[StarFin]

You could always put groceries in a plastic grocery bag before putting them in your reusable grocery bag to keep it cleaner so it lasts longer

 

[RomanXKnight]

I put ours in a garment bag and run them with other delicates. Never had a problem, and I have some bags that are over ten years old, including my mesh produce bags.

 

[Cobalt60]

if the idea is to save plastic, then cotton totes (or hemp) would be the best solution.

but those polypropylene ones seem problematic, since they would actually use MORE plastic than you're saving, by giving up disposables.

again: you'd have to use them 100 times, just to break even. (otherwise they're causing more harm than good).

 

[VideoViper]

Unfortunately this whole thig really isn't about helping the environment, at least not in any meaningful way.

It kills the companies that make these bags (domestic company in this case)
Its not really saving plastic as the replacement solution uses more plastic.
The disposable bags could easily be substituted with something the breaks down in a few years.
More disposable bags are reused for small garbage bags so do we need to buy more bags to replace those?

The real output is to disway people from in person shopping, & for those who do will actively buying only what they can carry Henceforth my comment about this being a retail killer.

Honestly anywhere where these bags are truely a "litter" issue, probably has bigger issues. & yes there are laws that say the garbage companies aren't supposed to dump trash in the ocean, but heaven forbid we hold them to that. Or actually recycle the plastics that we force people to separate into bins.

 

[Cobalt60]

another problem: most of the stuff we put in the "blue bags" ALSO ends up in the ocean. why? because the companies who collect the blue bags aren't even bothering to sort it (because why bother?), they are just taking it all and selling it wholesale to other countries, who are supposed to use it as raw materials for making new cardboard & plastics (hence the term "recycling").

but by the time this stuff gets to its destination, they open up the shipping containers and it smells like rotting death. why? because people at home can't/won't sort their garbage properly, and the companies behind these "blue bag" programs can't be ****ed to sort it either (because why bother?)... so when this stuff FINALLY gets to its destination, most of it is unusable..... so what do these countries DO with it...? oh yeah.



it's no coincidence that the oceans have become so full of plastic in the last ten years, the plankton are dying off, the ecosystems are collapsing, and this ALL coincides with the advent of "blue bag" recycling. hmmmm.

the garbage collection companies are selling these "environmentally friendly" blue bag programs to 'Our Municipalities' (and their voters) -- and most of it just ends up in the ocean (instead of the LANDFILLS where it belongs) -- I mean, at least, if we stuck it in all a landfill, then the oceans would be protected from plastic waste. we're killing the planet A LOT faster this way.

good game.

 

[RomanXKnight]

I know the tendency for spouses to not get that when the other works from home, they're actually "at work" and working has come up before. Here's a fun one. I got a text from my wife--not a call, not her coming to my office and telling me directly--at 3:00 AM, letting me know she'd forgotten to do the laundry last night and that we're completely out of towels, meaning nobody can dry off after their showers in the morning. She then told me--as opposed to "asked me"--to do the laundry since I didn't have anything else going on. You know, other than work. This was after she'd asked me to take the dog out and get out all the ingredients for the next day's dinner earlier in the evening. For the record, I made sure there were enough dry towels...for the kids.

 

[Tulgah]

Definitely. Home doesn’t always equal home.

 

[r2d6kelly]

Trying to figure out if NASA will try to do same thing like in movie Twister and chuck of 5th of liquor into that black hole to see if it comes out?

 

[Tulgah]

“We got cows…”

 

[RomanXKnight]

Yesterday was one of "those" days. Before heading out, my daughter made me avocado toast. She makes it like Dunkin', with roasted tomatoes, but she adds a few other things. It's really good. As I was walking into the living room with it, the dog heard barking outside, ran past me, hit my leg and I dropped it on the rug. I ended up eating a cold Pop-Tart.

I tried to take a quick shower. While shaving, I went a bit too fast and caught the razor on the lower edge of my nostril, taking out a chunk. Not as bad as Jack Nicholson in "Chinatown," but it still left me with an awkward mass of band-aids on my face all day.

As I was getting ready to head out, my numbskull nephew called. He's back to living with his friend after bouncing around with a couple family members. That's never been a good living situation. He told me the "big mice" are back. He won't use the shorter, more apt term to describe them. He also didn't mention the roaches. Either there's too many of them that there aren't any hiding places left, or they've lost their fear of humans, because when I went over, there were at least a couple hundred chillin' out in the open. I had my normal, contentious conversation with his even bigger idiot friend, left him the traps, the bug spray (I know him well enough to know I'd need to bring it anyway), and the number for the exterminator we used a couple years ago.

On the way home, I got the expected call from his mother who threw a fit about me not sticking around to clean up, set the traps, spray the apartment and pay for the exterminator. That turned even more contentious than my chat with the roommate, and had even more colorful terms that can't be repeated here.

When I got home, I had to spend half the evening fighting with the school because they didn't file our re-enrollment paperwork properly. I only burned dinner slightly as a result. Naturally, when my wife got home, she was upset because the laundry wasn't done and I hadn't done anything all day.

 

[Lobotscomb]

Yesterday was one of "those" days. Before heading out, my daughter made me avocado toast. She makes it like Dunkin', with roasted tomatoes, but she adds a few other things. It's really good. As I was walking into the living room with it, the dog heard barking outside, ran past me, hit my leg and I dropped it on the rug. I ended up eating a cold Pop-Tart.

I tried to take a quick shower. While shaving, I went a bit too fast and caught the razor on the lower edge of my nostril, taking out a chunk. Not as bad as Jack Nicholson in "Chinatown," but it still left me with an awkward mass of band-aids on my face all day.

As I was getting ready to head out, my numbskull nephew called. He's back to living with his friend after bouncing around with a couple family members. That's never been a good living situation. He told me the "big mice" are back. He won't use the shorter, more apt term to describe them. He also didn't mention the roaches. Either there's too many of them that there aren't any hiding places left, or they've lost their fear of humans, because when I went over, there were at least a couple hundred chillin' out in the open. I had my normal, contentious conversation with his even bigger idiot friend, left him the traps, the bug spray (I know him well enough to know I'd need to bring it anyway), and the number for the exterminator we used a couple years ago.

On the way home, I got the expected call from his mother who threw a fit about me not sticking around to clean up, set the traps, spray the apartment and pay for the exterminator. That turned even more contentious than my chat with the roommate, and had even more colorful terms that can't be repeated here.

When I got home, I had to spend half the evening fighting with the school because they didn't file our re-enrollment paperwork properly. I only burned dinner slightly as a result. Naturally, when my wife got home, she was upset because the laundry wasn't done and I hadn't done anything all day.

Just because someone books you a guilt trip, doesn’t mean you have to get on the plane. Life changing advice.

 

[RomanXKnight]

Just because someone books you a guilt trip, doesn’t mean you have to get on the plane. Life changing advice.

My sister-in-law is nuts. I don't know why she expects anyone else to help him when she won't, or why she's singled me out.

As for him, I don't mind helping out, but anymore I mostly limit it to advice and letting him borrow things from time to time. When he was younger and first on his own, I helped more, but now I stop helping if he's not doing whatever it is he called me for help on, which is nearly every time, so the bulk of my "visits" are via phone.

 

[Lobotscomb]

My sister-in-law is nuts. I don't know why she expects anyone else to help him when she won't, or why she's singled me out.

As for him, I don't mind helping out, but anymore I mostly limit it to advice and letting him borrow things from time to time. When he was younger and first on his own, I helped more, but now I stop helping if he's not doing whatever it is he called me for help on, which is nearly every time, so the bulk of my "visits" are via phone.

don't feel obligated to help, He will never learn to stand on his own. We have Youtube and Google to help us now too.

 

[Hell_Hawk_33]

People who say "everything happens for a reason". Everything happens as a result of the thousands, maybe millions, of tiny decisions we make moment to moment. Saying there's a reason for every single happening is a way to feel good about blatantly bad decisions, or an easy out when caught treating someone poorly for your own gain.

 

[Tulgah]

Great post. I said this very phrase just yesterday and didn’t mean a word of it.

 

[RomanXKnight]

So, after several days of awful shaving experiences, the worst of which was the sliced nose, but the horrible razor burn hasn't been any more pleasant, I finally figured out why. My wife and one of my daughters decided to start using my razor. When I asked, "WTF were you thinking?!?", they told me it was because I asked them to make their razor heads last a little longer. The solution they each came up with on their own was to use mine on days they didn't need their legs to look their best, and only use theirs when it mattered. That led to a talk about single-user items and people needing to buy their own razors. I guess everything happens for a reason.

 

[Tulgah]

People target you like a mofo. Nice guys finish somewhere other than first.

 

[Echo_Six]

A rattlesnake in the backyard struck the German Shepherd on his snout today. Worst case is two doses of antivenin and a 24 hour stay = $3900. Doubtful that I'll be able to find it, but looking for the damned thing will be my new hobby.

 

[Tulgah]

That’s a lot of money. I hope you find it. And I bet you have the right goods to employ.

 

[Echo_Six]

He responded well to the first dose of antivenin, so he should be able to come home tonight - $1500 total thank God. I don't know if I can inflict $1500 of damage on a snek, but if I find it I'm going to try...

 

[jjawa3]

I'm sad because I'm not going to be at Cele. this week! but I can't let down my conviction about the mandates, why would Disney cancel their rules in the park, where people are VERY close together, esp. at this time of year and added events like Cele. bring in more people. But, thinking about it, people will be closer at Cele. For all who go, watch out for sudden hot weather, but... enjoy the gut trucks!

 

[RomanXKnight]

Other than another senseless school shooting, what really drives me nuts is hearing a depressing song on the radio and thinking, "Hey, they're singing about me!"

 

[R1G4R3PO]

 

[Tulgah]

what really drives me nuts is hearing a depressing song on the radio and thinking, "Hey, they're singing about me!"

Yeah, I’ve been relating to A LOT of lyrics lately.

 

[R1G4R3PO]

Yeah, I’ve been relating to A LOT of lyrics lately.

me too...and songs that i've listened to for years, but somehow did not take in the lyrics fully until now, now that i'm older and wiser.

 

[Tulgah]

That’s EXACTLY how I’ve been feeling. I’ve noticed the same thing. Weird.

 

[jjawa3]

Tulgah, I have been noticing the same thing, it may be due to getting older. and when you hear the lyrics it sounds almost like a new song.

 

[Lobotscomb]

new doctors messed with my Diabetes meds.
Now in hospital.w

 

[Oofa]

I hope you get up and well soon, @Lobotscomb