Monday Randoms

[fernweh]

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

[gummybear]

Nov 18, 2024 7:58:14 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

I think the way Diwali fell this year has a lot to do with it! We have many neighbors who celebrate and put lights up. I think since it was right around Halloween a lot of my non-celebrating neighbors thought, what the heck as soon as the ghosts came down.

The loft bed came. Now I am tasked with assembling it. H wants to bring in our handyman but I need to give it the old college try.

[ssmjlm]

Nov 18, 2024 7:58:14 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

We're fully decorated after the last 2 weekends. We finished up most of outside (minus a few strands that need to be replaced) yesterday while temps were in the 60s. We also host thanksgiving so I like to have the decorating done before I'm throwing into food prep for that.


Derm this morning for my annual skin check. I also have a couple skin tags that popped up within the last couple weeks I'm hoping she can freeze. 

[karinothing]

DS1 had bad stomach pains last night and this morning woke up with a swollen face so I am vaguely worried he has mumps (he is vaccinated) but you never know. We are going to the dr today. Hopefully just a random coincidence.

DS2 had his first gymnastics meet of the season and took 1st on high bar, 2nd on pommel horse and rings and 2nd in all around. Very proud  

[tacokick]

Nov 18, 2024 7:58:14 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

I think a lot of people felt like they needed some cheer after the election! Plus Thanksgiving is late this year. We have our trees up but not decorated yet.

[CurlyQ284]

Nov 18, 2024 7:58:14 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

I put ours up the weekend after Halloween. I wanted my cherry Christmas stuff up before election night. I'm glad I did it, it was needed in the following days 😔

Normally I leave the outdoors looking like fall but I saw so many TikToks joking about decorating early that I thought, fuck it, who cares if the neighbors think I'm nuts.

We have lights that change colors, so I just clicked the button over from orange to Christmas colors and then put the rest of the stuff out.

[lavenderblue]

I was standing in front of the Christmas section in my basement yesterday and was very tempted, but I also love my fall decor so much and between that and the fact that I host Thanksgiving, I have resisted Christmas for now. Several of my neighbors already put up their outdoor Christmas lights and it makes me happy to look at, so I think we're going to put ours up next weekend. I'm okay with having that done before Thanksgiving ExH always hung the outdoor lights and I never loved how he did it, so finally I'll get it to look like I want this year.

[scm1011]

We put some Christmas lights up yesterday. We still have more to go, but I'm loving that lots of people are starting early. I hate when Thanksgiving is this late and the holiday season feels shortened, so bring it on!

[circa1978]

I understand why people decorate early but if I do, I'm tired of Christmas by the time Christmas actually comes and living in the Midwest we need the lights more in late December and early January than now, IMO. I know so many people who rush to tear things down Dec 27.

[buckeyegirl]

I have to take my foster dog back to the Humane Society today after work. My 8 year DS is devastated. He wants to take him back with me and has been crying since last night. I never thought he would bond with the dog that quickly or that we would get a dog that we would want to bond with. He is a pretty good boy and we could keep him but I think we're good with one dog. I feel selfish because we could take him but would rather not.

[beerlover]

Nov 18, 2024 8:37:28 GMT -5 circa1978 said:

I understand why people decorate early but if I do, I'm tired of Christmas by the time Christmas actually comes and living in the Midwest we need the lights more in late December and early January than now, IMO. I know so many people who rush to tear things down Dec 27.

Yes, I feel like the people who put their stuff up November 1 are always tearing it down on December 26th, and that makes me sad for them lol. We're the opposite and don't decorate until Black Friday and leave our stuff up until Epiphany. 

I know my way isn't the only way of doing things, but I like seeing the lights up between Christmas and New Year's and beyond when January sucks.

[Jalapeñomel]

I put mine up early, because Thanksgiving feels so late this year. I wanted a good month for decorations!

[sadlebred]

I still have my fall decorations up. Christmas will go up over Thanksgiving weekend. I don't do much--just a lighted wreath outside. Inside I decorate the mantle and put out a few other things I like.

[simpsongal]

I too hate the late Thanksgiving - we started our outdoor lights but won't turn them on until Black Friday or maybe Thanksgiving....we'll see. I think folks know we put up a lot of lights (we're on a couple websites). I want to add a new element this year - a santa in a hammock. But I'm having trouble finding the Santa....maybe we'll do something else.

I won't decorate indoors until after Thanksgiving, esp since I'm hosting.

[candreco]

Nov 18, 2024 7:58:14 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I have seen so many more Christmas decorations up early this year than normal. Outdoor decor and Christmas trees, I don’t know why but I kind of like it - it makes me feel like I need to get mine up now though.

I haven't put up specifically Christmas stuff yet, but I did put my light up birch trees on the screened porch this weekend. It gets dark so early so it's nice to have some glowy lights to look at out there during dinner prep/clean up in the evenings.

This week is so unscheduled that I don't even know what to do with the time after the last couple of weeks. I guess I should figure out Thanksgiving since I'm hosting both my parents and my ILs.

[bears]

My nephew had his mom text DD to ask if she and DS could send pictures of their favorite stuffies. My heart just about melted.

Work is a pressing down on me. Between retirements, upcoming changes, and someone really trying to fuck with my reputation for their own benefit, I'm beyond exhausted this month. This past year has been good for me career-wise, after dealing with a miserable boss the previous year. I just hope that things end up on a good trajectory for 2025.

[holly116]

DH put up the outdoor lights yesterday because it was in the mid-60s but we won't turn them on until at least the beginning of Advent. We leave all our stuff up until Epiphany too and it will eventually drive me nuts, so I resist any indoor decorating for as long as possible. I'm also firmly in the Respect the Turkey camp.

That being said, our house is a craftsman bungalow and we do the old-fashioned big multi-colored bulbs on every roof line and it makes me so happy. The house literally looks like a gingerbread house, especially with snow.

[sproctopus]

I had a stress test this morning and the doctor performing the test was talking to me about the pros and cons of the test and then asked me why I was having it done. After talking about my family history, she told me twice(!!!) to run (!!!) to the ER if I ever feel anything weird, even with clean cardiac health reports.

A few things here:
1. Despite this test indicating no stress, I am now indeed VERY STRESSED.
2. I know she can see how out of breath I am on this incline at this speed, any movement of mine, even at its top speed, will not save me.
3. I need you to check my mental health history/medical anxiety. I can imagine myself into a heart attack RIGHT NOW, lady.

[holly116]

DH signed a non-discloser at the start of a job he started at 24 and stayed at for 16 years. The terms state he is bound for 10 years after leaving. Of course, we've had an attorney look at it before he started his own LLC and it's completely unenforceable. It was a monster under the bed for him when he was at his last consulting firm, he was scared to death to take on anything that could overlap with the equipment he spent 16 years knowing inside and out, which is INSANE.

But it sure didn't stop his old company, which he left over three years ago, from sending a letter that we received this weekend reminding him now that they've got wind of him going out on his own and without any knowledge at all of what he's doing. The first email this morning was to our attorney. How can this possibly be a thing?

[beerlover]

I'm annoyed by the late Thanksgiving. It feels like I should be having a short week this week, and it's still not until next week! Sob.

It should be a fairly quiet week. We're hosting Friendsgiving Saturday so I'll be doing some things throughout the week to prep for that, like making pie dough tonight.

Selfish thoughts ahead. My dad had shoulder surgery 2 weeks ago and can't drive for like 5 weeks. We travel to Delaware for Thanksgiving, but drive separately from my parents since we live in different towns and take different routes. They aren't sure if they are going yet, as they wanted to see how much pain he may still be in. But regardless, he can't drive he & my mom there. My H has no problem driving all of us, but it would be much easier if my mom would drive to our house first, because we essentially have to go way out of our way to pick them up and then the trip is longer. Anyway, she won't drive the 45 min to our house first, mainly because of anxiety, because she won't drive home from my house in the dark (she's afraid of deer) and we won't get home til dark on Friday. So she asked that if they go, we can pick them up. Sigh. What am I going to say, no, to these people who have done so much for me? But I can't help feeling annoyed. I kind of just wish they would bow out for this year. I can't imagine he will want to be uncomfortable wearing his sling the whole time, sleeping in a hotel, etc. and I'm honestly worried that if he's not feeling well he'll be grumpy. Which I know, isn't my problem, but I am one of those people who really takes in the emotions of others and if he seems grumpy it'll stress me out. Anyway, please feel free to tell me I'm an asshole.

[ally]

I just rearranged my living room to create a place for the tree.  All started when DH dropped his air pods last night and we had to move furniture in an attempt to find them, it was so dirty!  One is still missing.  Not sure where it could be.  Not sure when I will actually decorate, but probably sooner rather than later now that things are moved.  We used to do it on Black Friday (with lots of snacks and lots of bubbly), but this year I work, and we have our 2nd Thanksgiving dinner with family.

[TR]

beerlover - could your parents just stay over with you Friday night and drive home in the morning?

[beerlover]

TR, for a variety of reasons this is something they would not go for. My mom will stay here when she watches DS but I can't imagine my dad ever wanting to sleep here. Especially if he's still in a sling and uncomfortable. He likes his space, which I get.

I'm sure he hates feeling helpless and having to rely on others to do everything.

[deadwing]

.

[dish2501]

DH put up our lights up yesterday too. We won’t turn them on yet, but he dreads this job, so better to get it done.

We saw Craig Ferguson stand up last night. He’s hilarious. I was dreading going because of anxiety and wanting to sit on the couch, but it was worth going.

My boys started wrestling last week and they are loving it. DD starts bowling today too. We had a nice break between fall and winter sports but now back to crazy running around.

[hermione]

My kid's basketball team were tournament champions this weekend. The coach of the team they played in finals is a real piece of work. Things she did, keeping in mind this is a 5th and 6th grade Lutheran School League:

- Told her player, in front of my kid, not to worry about 41 because "she sucks." My kid is number 41.

- After the game one of her girls was slapping really hard during the high fives so one of our girls pulled her hand away. The coach called her disrespectful and rude and made her high five.

- Called our coaches, "Dirty and disgraceful to the sport and the league."

- Pulled one of our girls aside in the lobby and said, "Don't think for one minute that I am jealous that you won."

It was just all really weird.

[lavenderblue]

hermione, that is really weird and inappropriate behavior from a coach, let alone a coach in youth sports. Is there someone in the league that you can report her to? I don't think that I'd be willing to let that go.

[fluffycookie]

I was tempted to put the outdoor stuff out yesterday since it was nice out, but the stitched in my back were getting to the point that they were bothering me when I turned or bent no matter how much aquahor I put on them.

The good news from the biopsy and skin testing is that I am not crazy and this is not just a benign weird rash. The bad news is it's most likely autoimmune related and could be rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. He is ordering a bunch of blood work and we'll go from there.

[hermione]

Nov 18, 2024 10:18:24 GMT -5 lavenderblue said:

hermione , that is really weird and inappropriate behavior from a coach, let alone a coach in youth sports. Is there someone in the league that you can report her to? I don't think that I'd be willing to let that go.

Our coaches are going to reach out to the head of the league. It was just an all around weird experience.

Don't get me wrong, it's a competitive league and everyone plays to win. But players, parents, and coaches sign contracts that basically say everyone will be supportive of all of the athletes. Even the parents on the other team behaved questionably in my mind. We've played them before in previous seasons and it hasn't been like this. I think this coach is fostering a really negative environment. 

[fluffycookie]

hermione , welcome to youth sports. It's awful. And it only gets worse. We had players deliberately running my goalie in the net, hitting him with their stick this weekend and the coach cheering it on.