Somewhere between Gaaaaah and Things That Make You Happy ...

[morozow]

We began the fall. Rain and low gray sky.

But I have time on Saturday to collect potatoes in the dacha. It was a dry Sunny day. Could dig it in his shorts.

Goodbye summer.

[James Harrison]

On the other hand, I'm starting to feel that all that ever happens is I get one thing fixed, and then it runs very happily for a few days and then something else breaks. 

I hate to break this to you, but it sounds like you have a serious case of "Classic Car Ownership"....

Unfortunately CCO is a severely debilitating condition that can cause Tourette's syndrome levels of swearing, extreme mood swings (usually between 'anger' and 'depression', though occasionally 'regret'), and in most cases will eventually lead to extensive shrinkage in the wallet area. In an extremely bad case, you may find that you may experience extended bouts of "Transactional problems" - your usually pert and stiff credit card may become flacid, and you may experience rubberisation of the cheque book. At times you may also find yourself on the side of a road, either steaming hot or extremely cold and wet through to the skin, while contemplating your choices in life. Another risk is an unhealthy 'dizzy' addiction to WD40 in wet weather, and searching roadside bins for ripped up cigarette packets to use as a points-gap gauge.

There is no known cure, however some may find that liberal application of wax-oil treatments on a regular basis can help. Many report that hibernation for around six months of the year, and only venturing out on "nice days" can help regarding issues with excessive water retention and high road salt intake.

I have been a sufferer of this condition for some years now, and I have come to accept the challenges it brings. We all eventually accept that slightly questionable seatbelt mechanism is both "OK, it just needs a 'jiggle'" and our most likely cause of instant death... 

That's the funny thing; for all the curious noises and smells, for all the times it plays up, for all the times something else breaks on it and I get another repair bill, for all the times it rains and the water steadily drips in on you, for all the cold mornings when the windows fog and you can't see jack, despite all of that, I wouldn't be without it. 

[Siliconous Skumins]

On the other hand, I'm starting to feel that all that ever happens is I get one thing fixed, and then it runs very happily for a few days and then something else breaks. 

I hate to break this to you, but it sounds like you have a serious case of "Classic Car Ownership"....

Unfortunately CCO is a severely debilitating condition that can cause Tourette's syndrome levels of swearing, extreme mood swings (usually between 'anger' and 'depression', though occasionally 'regret'), and in most cases will eventually lead to extensive shrinkage in the wallet area. In an extremely bad case, you may find that you may experience extended bouts of "Transactional problems" - your usually pert and stiff credit card may become flacid, and you may experience rubberisation of the cheque book. At times you may also find yourself on the side of a road, either steaming hot or extremely cold and wet through to the skin, while contemplating your choices in life. Another risk is an unhealthy 'dizzy' addiction to WD40 in wet weather, and searching roadside bins for ripped up cigarette packets to use as a points-gap gauge.

There is no known cure, however some may find that liberal application of wax-oil treatments on a regular basis can help. Many report that hibernation for around six months of the year, and only venturing out on "nice days" can help regarding issues with excessive water retention and high road salt intake.

I have been a sufferer of this condition for some years now, and I have come to accept the challenges it brings. We all eventually accept that slightly questionable seatbelt mechanism is both "OK, it just needs a 'jiggle'" and our most likely cause of instant death... 

That's the funny thing; for all the curious noises and smells, for all the times it plays up, for all the times something else breaks on it and I get another repair bill, for all the times it rains and the water steadily drips in on you, for all the cold mornings when the windows fog and you can't see jack, despite all of that, I wouldn't be without it. 

Like I said - THERE IS NO CURE!   

Oh the joy of having to drive  home with your head out of the driver side window at 40mph, in winter at -10 deg C & snowing, AT NIGHT, all because the heater core is blocked and there is no hot air to demist the windscreen, or to stop it freezing over.

It was hours before I could feel anything in my face.

And I still love my car... 

[Banfili]

Get all that with a motorbike, too! Frozen features and 6.30am starts more than made up for by 'ice like diamonds on the grass at the side of the road,' and 'mist winding like a scarf' through the valleys.

Ah, all very romantic now I don't ride any more, but I damn well don't miss the icy rain dribbling down the neck, the rain sodden leather gloves and having to take a spare set of clothes to work because somewhere there is always a leak in the weatherproof clothes! And fixing blown fuses in the rain!

[James Harrison]

Wit me it is the simple fact that to keep the windows from fogging I have to keep them open.  And, living in Britain, it is generally raining.  And the car seems designed to be just so that the rain runs off the roof, hits the window, and then drips down onto my leg or my arm.  Either way, usually I make it to work with an odd wet patch on my shirt and/or trousers. 

[Banfili]

Can you get weather shields fitted? I get them with each car now, so that I can have the wind open an inch or so, reducing condensation.

Not that I have had that many cars - I am on my 4th, and at my time of life that isn't bad. Although I didn't get my first one until 1996!

[Siliconous Skumins]

Either way, usually I make it to work with an odd wet patch on my shirt and/or trousers. 

Ahh yes, there is something I can also relate to, though for different reasons - My brakes were faulty!


Just before I had my car restored, it had gotten so bad that the rear drum brakes were ineffectual, Driver's front brake calliper partly seized and the brake disk on the passenger side was badly warped. It caused the car to shudder violently under braking, and the car ALWAYS veered violently towards the pavement and the worried looking pedestrians every time you pressed the bake pedal...


Certainly able to induce wet patches on shirts and trousers!

[rovingjack]

Got hired for a 6 week job going door to door, training starts monday. and wednesday morning I have an early morning interview for another job that starts in six weeks and runs 7 weeks and could get me good references and get a record working for a government service which is sort of a front of the line in future applications for any government service positions.

came home to the housemates toddler with a fever and cold.

[Madasasteamfish]

Last night my phone went to kaput. The battery being drained it then decided that it didn't want to paly fair and recharge. Took into the shop today after work to be told that the reason for this was some bent pins and since my phone is no longer under warranty, and uninsured, I'd have to pay £85 to have it repaired. Now since my phone isn't worth anywhere near 85 quid I've decided to upgrade my phone.

TL;DR

My phone went bye bye, so now I have some shiny new phoneage!

[Cora Courcelle]

My phone went bye bye, so now I have some shiny new phoneage!

..... which doesn't appear to have retained any of the details that I'd put in the old one?  Well, that's what always seems to happen to me - whatever the nice young man in the shop assures me!  (Regrettably all men in phone shops seem to be young these days, and as for policemen ... most don't look old enough to be out by themselves!)

[Madasasteamfish]

My phone went bye bye, so now I have some shiny new phoneage!

..... which doesn't appear to have retained any of the details that I'd put in the old one?  Well, that's what always seems to happen to me - whatever the nice young man in the shop assures me!  (Regrettably all men in phone shops seem to be young these days, and as for policemen ... most don't look old enough to be out by themselves!)

Well thankfully the only bits of bumf I've (so far discovered to have) lost are my boss' mobile and landlady's phone numbers.

[J. Wilhelm]

The bad news:

I've been suffering from a sore throat. Some bacteria got into my food/drink. It's so inflamed it feels I swallowed a golf ball.

We got a "hard freeze" after a cold weather front swept throughout most of the country. In Central Texas, this meant going from a hotter than normal balmy 26C (80F) to -4C (25F) between 6PM and 6AM on Saturday night! That's an 30C (55F) drop in temperature in a matter of hours!! The freeze will last until Tuesday.

So I prepared myself so as to not leave the house at all on Sunday

The good news:

The infection is not so bad. I took plenty of non-inflammatory and cold medicine

I passed most of Saturday drinking hot chocolate, watching the original Star Wars trilogy and being high on cold medicine  

Today I slept for most of the day. Made raspberry syrup from scratch and French toast (with day-old Baguette and an egg flour batter)

[Thylacinus]

Played a few notes on the fiddle for only the second time since breaking my left elbow last New Year's weekend (Happy New Year!).

The injury exacerbated my existing elbow/nerve/tendon problems, and the one time I tried playing it really messed me up. I'm an adult-onset fiddler so it's no loss to music, but I've really missed playing. I love the music and this is how I have met basically all of my friends.

Once I remembered which end is up I experimented with holding the fiddle lower on the arm, against the body as some folk players do. I thought it would be less of a strain on the arm and elbow, but the fiddle did a pretty good imitation of a greased pig and I thought I might send the bow up my nose. It's not as relaxing as it looks.

Anyway, I got back on the horse again. We'll see how it goes. I'm trying not to have any expectations.

[ForestB]

Happy my kids now know how to use the stove, gah to the fact that they will now devour everything in the house over their winter break... the joys of having an eleven year old and a thirteen year old- both boys.

[Prof Marvel]

Happy my kids now know how to use the stove, gah to the fact that they will now devour everything in the house over their winter break... the joys of having an eleven year old and a thirteen year old- both boys.

My Dear Forrest-
do ensure that they can and will TURN IT OFF every time!

yhs
prof ( safety first) marvel

[Cora Courcelle]

Happy my kids now know how to use the stove, gah to the fact that they will now devour everything in the house over their winter break... the joys of having an eleven year old and a thirteen year old- both boys.

Do they know the joys of washing up afterwards too?

[ForestB]

Happy my kids now know how to use the stove, gah to the fact that they will now devour everything in the house over their winter break... the joys of having an eleven year old and a thirteen year old- both boys.

Do they know the joys of washing up afterwards too?

Not yet, there will be dishwasher training at some point....

[J. Wilhelm]

After a month, the overcoat I had ordered from china is arriving very soon... Now that the weather is warm again 

[Athanor]

I own a '99 Ford Windstar van. As I've probably mentioned before, it's an absolute pig to work on, as for some reason the Ford designers thought it would be a wonderful idea to cram a sideways-mounted 3.8 litre V6 into an engine space barely big enough for a one-and-a-half litre four; something as (supposedly) basic as changing the plugs takes the best part of an entire day.

That aside, it's been a pretty reliable beast, until one day a few weeks ago the alternator failed. Normally you'd expect some kind of warning light to come on if that happens, but I got no indication that anything was amiss until, quite suddenly, she began to slow down and the turn signals failed to operate. I was driving my wife to a meeting with some women friends at a friend's house. I turned off the highway, stuttered along for a minute or so, and coasted to a stop right in front of the friend's house, sadly contemplating phoning a tow truck to tow us to a repair shop, and a taxi home.

As it turned out, my wife's friend's partner is a mechanic and a good friend. He quickly diagnosed the problem, drove me to the nearby auto parts store and back, we installed the new alternator, and he gave me a jump start (the dead alternator had drained the battery, naturally) - just in time for my wife's meeting to end. We drove home with no further trouble.

I guess, if the alternator was going to fail, it scarcely have happened in a more convenient place.

Athanor.

[J. Wilhelm]

I'm so stressed out. I'm having an extremely hard time sleeping lately. Too many things happening.

On good side. I'm giddy just thinking that I may ask someone out for a date this week (hopefully). It's a difficult situation because she's a customer at the shop I work. So I've opted for an old fashioned letter, rose and chocolates given out proximity to St. Patrick's (perfect opportunity).

On the bad side, I have to start paying my college loans next month (I've already run out my extension). Easy fix. Get a second job, right? Well, not happening at the speed I want.

Also on the bad, side, people who don't even live in Austin, have decided that for th next few years - starting this year some bus routes will be eliminated while others are added. The bus route which takes me to my job was slated for cancellation. No substitutes. If I want to work, I'll have to walk 5 miles a day. No alternative methods for me, other than bicycle and foot. It gets really hard when the weather in Austin turns bad. Not fun walking in 40 Celsius / 104 Fahrenheit weather in summer.

The solution is to move to another place.

More good news: I have found an opening at a coffee-house very close to my job - very short distance actually. This means I save on commute.

Also, I found someone renting a room in a private condo also at a very short distance from both said job and my current job.

Triple win situation, right? Girlfriend, Job, Apartment. All can be fixed next week.

On the other hand I can lose all three as well. With my luck, I wont get the job, I will be rejected romantically and I wont get the convenient apartment. Will have to resort to negotiations with lender to prevent my income from being forcibly curtailed by the lender (college loans in the US are non-forgiveable - no exceptions). I could ask for a prorated payment to match my income - but either way, I need to increase my income.

And while being pessimistic, I'm also giddy, happy and fantasizing about a possible romance with a lady I really like.

Moving, new job and girl potentially in the remainder of the month!!! GAH! TOO MUCH STRESS. I CAN'T SLEEP! TOO MUCH INFORMATION RUNNING THROUGH MY BRAIN!

I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK!

[Banfili]

Don't do that, J.Wilhelm - think how disappointed the young lady will be - not to mention wasting a perfectly good rose!

[J. Wilhelm]

Don't do that, J.Wilhelm - think how disappointed the young lady will be - not to mention wasting a perfectly good rose!

No! It won't go to waste! I'm holding on to it until I see her. My nerves are frazzled, but my heart is holding up    But my lady hasn't showed up at the shop yet.  Hoping she'll do this Friday or Saturday. As for the job and housing, I'm in holding pattern. I may try to negotiate my loan payments tomorrow. If I don't have to move or double my workload right away, it'll take a big load off my shoulders. It's too much to try to do everything right now. The housing change is the least important right now, but letting one more day pass without at least telling her how I feel could be something I regret. She is very elusive, as she travels a lot for a big pharmaceutical company.

[LukeHogbin]

The gah: A game store (PC/consoles) where I've been a loyal customer for 20 years is closing down because the business is *censored*.

The happy part: Due to their closeout sale, I was able to get my hands on some PC games for almost literally peanuts. Still sad to see them go, though.

[J. Wilhelm]

Don't do that, J.Wilhelm - think how disappointed the young lady will be - not to mention wasting a perfectly good rose!

The bad news is that my heart is now broken. One unused Origami rose available to anyone who needs one. I'll eat the chocolates.

The good news is that I don't have to bite my nails any longer in suspense.

The bad news is I don't know what to live for. I don't know what my life is good for.

The good news is that now I can behave as badly as I want. I can use this excuse to behave as an arse.

The bad news is that behaving badly doesn't give me what I want.

I may never get what I want. All I can do is indulge in what I can get.

Tomorrow I will be at my worst gender bending behaviour as that is my psychological pacifier. I pity the fools who walk into my path.

Ashuramaru is a boy vampire who turned into a demon. He has an androgynous appearance and wears a long black and white Halter dress. Ashuramaru currently inhabits the body of a young Japanese boy soldier. You see, in the End of Days, humans signed pacts with demons and captured the highest ranking Angels, the Seraphs, in order to stop the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and in doing so started a war with the Vampire Race ~ Seraph of the End graphic novel

[SeVeNeVeS]

Yep, me again.

Dad is back in hospital again.........

So apart from Prostate cancer, a broken leg, broken arm, infected bladder operation, a mild form of epilepsy, dehydrated to the point of hallucinations, being fed via a tube, a skin condition causing massive blisters all over his body, he now apparently has Tuberculosis and is quarantine.

He's Still alive and fighting the valiant fight.

Can't wait to get old myself