Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 21, 2018 19:17:50 GMT -5
I go for an extreme deep-tissue massage every other week. My main physician is a manipulating osteopath (not all in the US are) with a specialty in sports med and kinesthetics. He's fantastic, but NOT cheap, so I only go to him when I'm really suffering and all the usual solutions aren't working. (Like, we're talking a month's groceries expensive, and we're in a HDHP)
I have literally never seen a PT (for myself, I mean.) I find that the massage is usually enough to keep my shoulder in decent working order. For now, at least.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 21, 2018 19:11:31 GMT -5
I'm in a red county and we're trying to unseat our toolbag of a Rep (effing LaMalfa) and there are two women dems running. I told R that I don't care which one at this point (although I have a favorite) I just need SOMEONE to take that pile of steaming shit out and dump him in the good ol' boy pasture.
My preference for Governor is Chiang, although he's kind of running a little more quietly than I'd like. I appreciate his stance on a number of issues, particularly the housing crisis, as well as his general take on our fiscal situation. My hill to die on is health care, and I like his take on the single-payer issue. My only issue with him is that he's got a lot of "only I can..." wording in his issue statements and I tend to feel a little squicky about candidates making promises/statements like that.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 18, 2018 8:15:24 GMT -5
My work/personal car is completely clutter free, but it gets "dirty" fast from people getting in and out (I'm a realtor) and dog/cat hair that statics off of people's clothing. I get a full interior/exterior once a month on it and by the end of that 30 days it's really starting to show the dirt and other yuck. (Turns out black fabric interior was not the best idea I've had.)
My beater car (which is what I use to haul the dog to the dog park, pick up plants at the nursery, whatever) is a hot mess. I have one of those hammocks to keep the dog from sliding onto the floor and keep chucking stuff under there to hide it. I have absolutely no idea what all is in there at this point. I don't think there's any actual trash, but stuff like cleaning supplies, extra dog dishes, I don't even know. I really need to clean it out, but for whatever reason, I just can't get around to it.
The plaster was *still* wet when we left yesterday afternoon. I won't have any news until next week, when friend's contractor husband can cut the ceiling open (18x18 hole to start) and take a look. BAD news is that I checked with our insurance, and, because of our fire risk, in order to keep our rates reasonable, we're carrying a giant deductible ($2500), plus we have a discount for no claims. So if we made the claim, it would have to make it worth our while. And honestly, even replacing the tub and replastering wouldn't make it worth the while at this point. We'd have to completely gut the entire bathroom to be a worthwhile project (and while I wouldn't mind doing that, we'd have to find significant mold to justify that and I sincerely hope not.)
How are things mrs.jacinthe ? I hope plumbers got things under control without too much damage or $$. And those rats. How frustrating!!
Just a singular rat, fortunately. Found the spot where he got in. Hopefully that was it.
Water damage may or may not be a giant effing deal. Going out of town today, so I've got a coworkers (contractor) husband coming to look at it next week sometime. He does a lot of work on old houses and can make appropriate recommendations. Downside is that we have a *giant* deductible on our homeowners because of where we live (fire risk) in order to keep the payments affordable, so unless it's a big job, we're out the money out of pocket.
Well, here's the problem (as explained by the actual contractor/coworker's husband): the actual fix, plaster/flooring/etc notwithstanding is an easy one. The leak is most likely caused by the drain on the tub, which we knew. The problem is that given the age of the bathroom (remodelled in the early 90s), apparently during that time frame there were issues with piping and pipe glue that are causing pipes to prematurely wear/crack/break/separate, like we're experiencing here. So, if it's happening at one pipe joint, it could be happening at ALL the pipe joints, or it's a ticking time bomb until we have to do it again, basically. So he recommends replacing all the tub piping as a result. He's willing to just fix the leak, obviously - and it would only be a couple hundred bucks, but either way, given the water damage currently, we'd be in for a new bathroom floor and new dining room ceiling or at least repair in that corner. If we need to also replace anything up into the wall (which ALSO has no access points, thanks crappy previous owner), we're also in for a new tub surround. Then we're in for a penny and might as well replace the stupid bathtub we hate anyhow. LOL
This is "if you give a mouse a cookie" on steroids, even for us.
that's legitimately the worst case scenario!
Yeah. I mean, it's entirely possible he'll open it up and go, "oh good, just a minor thing" but more likely, he'll open it up and go, "yeah .... so ... "
I'm also concerned about how long it was leaking before we noticed, because if there's mold or mildew up in the walls ...
also - it's entirely possible that this is an EASY plumbing fix. We had 2 tubs leaking and they both turned out to be loose nuts between the overflow & the drain line. Annoying, but easily repaired once we got to them. One we had to go through the kitchen ceiling (luckily ours wasn't stucco) and the other we were able to access through the tile surround (it's one of those awful 90's jetted tubs - I hate it but we can't afford to replace it now). Hopefully it's just something simple like that. I'm not sure the insurance would pay for a new tub/surround without evidence that THAT's the problem :/.
Well, here's the problem (as explained by the actual contractor/coworker's husband): the actual fix, plaster/flooring/etc notwithstanding is an easy one. The leak is most likely caused by the drain on the tub, which we knew. The problem is that given the age of the bathroom (remodelled in the early 90s), apparently during that time frame there were issues with piping and pipe glue that are causing pipes to prematurely wear/crack/break/separate, like we're experiencing here. So, if it's happening at one pipe joint, it could be happening at ALL the pipe joints, or it's a ticking time bomb until we have to do it again, basically. So he recommends replacing all the tub piping as a result. He's willing to just fix the leak, obviously - and it would only be a couple hundred bucks, but either way, given the water damage currently, we'd be in for a new bathroom floor and new dining room ceiling or at least repair in that corner. If we need to also replace anything up into the wall (which ALSO has no access points, thanks crappy previous owner), we're also in for a new tub surround. Then we're in for a penny and might as well replace the stupid bathtub we hate anyhow. LOL
This is "if you give a mouse a cookie" on steroids, even for us.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 20:45:25 GMT -5
NitaX, to answer your question with my upbringing/experience only, which is a little different from being afraid of violence, per se: I was raised fundamental conservative baptist. That's about as overtly racist as you can go and not wear a white hood (although I'm sure there's a bit of overlap in that group). Obviously with that upbringing, there was *plenty* to fear in the world around me. Specifically as regards the question, though - I think the fear that was/is trained into conservative children, other than the "us" versus "them" mentality, is that you can't trust someone who doesn't roll over and submit when they're told to. My dad actually used the phrase "rabble-rouser" referring to MLK. (I'm ashamed to admit that. I really loved the man, and it hurts to remember that he was unapologetically and unashamedly racist.) Additionally, black people have such a zest and a love of life - y'all CELEBRATE and are loud. Honestly and truly, as a child, I was afraid of the black women in the grocery store because they weren't soft-spoken, like all the white women I was exposed to at church. You aren't afraid to confront people who are making a fool of themselves - call out the dumb ones, etc. I think this plays into white women's need to feel superior at all times and makes them anxious that they're not. I think this discomfort means that white people, women especially, feel like they need to get the upper hand and take charge before y'all get a chance to defend yourselves.
I hope that makes even a little sense. It does in my head, but I'm exhausted and rambling.
oh man that SUCKS! I'm so sorry you have to deal with both those problems.
any idea how big the patch might be? could you get up there and hit it with something? (a hammer? a screwdriver and a hammer? IDK)
It's giant. We need a hole at least 18 x 36.
My co-workers husband may be helping us out himself next week. What a nice man. Seriously. Arghhh. (He's also suggested making this a possible homeowners claim and just replacing the whole tub/surround/dining room ceiling/bathroom floor/etc). Basically, make it right again.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 18:22:16 GMT -5
At least for today. (Caution long rambly overdramatic rant/whine ahead)
OMG. FOR REAL.
This morning, I got up super early to get work done. About 5:30 I hear a "pop" sound in the kitchen and hear a lot of commotion. I look around, all creatures accounted for. WTH? OH WAIT, it's a rat, caught in a spare trap we left set last year after we got what we *thought* was our last one and closed up the hole we thought the little boogers were getting in through. NEAT. (FYI - just in the ceiling. They can't get into the actual house as far as we know, but they can - somehow - get into the ceiling area.) UGH, now we have to start over with finding an entry point.
THEN, THEN!!! at 7:15, R is taking a shower and I hear another commotion. Quieter this time. Again, all creatures accounted for. DAMN, not another one?? NO. NOT ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS A LEAK. From the bathtub drain on the second floor, into the PLASTER OF THE DINING ROOM CEILING. DRIPPING ONTO OUR ANTIQUE WOOD FURNITURE AND R'S AUDIO GEAR. (Yes, all caps is necessary.) **flailing** So, I run screaming up the stairs for R to stop and turn off the water. He does, finishes taking a shower downstairs, etc. Great. Then, I call the plumber. Then another plumber. (Remember, I'm a realtor. I'm calling my actual plumbing contacts. That I refer customers to.) NOBODY IS CALLING ME BACK OMG. Finally, someone does, they send out a guy, he discovers there's no way into the leak except through the dining room ceiling - which I was expecting - and starts cutting into it. Then, after breaking two sawzall blades and a drill bit, discovers that the plaster patch from last time this was leaky may have been stuccoed instead of plastered instead? So he calls his boss to get advice, and boss tells him no way is he dealing with that liability. So he boogies, all apologetic-like - at least he didn't charge me? - and leaves me with a tarp full of weird-colored plaster dust and a wet ceiling with two tiny holes in it. WHO THE HELL DO I CALL NOW??? No plumber is going to want to hold a jackhammer overhead to deal with wet stucco patch from the previous-dumbass-owner and no contractor is going to have time for this tiny little job. ARGH. I'm going to have to call in a favor, I think.
Have I mentioned we're supposed to be going out of town on Wednesday afternoon? Because of COURSE we are.
TL;DR = My house is old, crappy, and weird; it's previous owner was a contractor with a penchant for cutting corners in the stupidest possible ways, and no single tradesman wants to deal with this crap.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 14:30:15 GMT -5
I use a now-discontinued (and I am so freaking bummed about it because I love this bag) carry-on from Flight 001 called the Cargo - mine is fluorescent yellow, not pink - and I can get about 10 days' worth of clothes in the summer and 7 days' worth in the winter into that bag. One pair of jeans, one pair of linen/dress pants (or a skirt, depending), two pair of cotton lounge pants, one bra, 10+ pairs of socks, 10+ pairs of undies, a swimsuit, a dress that can double as a cover-up, 4 t-shirts (all plain/solid), 3 tanks, a couple button-downs, a thin cardigan, a pair of flip-flops, and a pair of ballet-type flats all fit in there. I then have a tote with my laptop, purse, water bottle, and toiletries/makeup in it. I wear another pair of jeans, my boots/walking shoes, a sweatshirt/heavy sweater/jacket, and my belt. That way all the thin/light stuff is in the suitcase and all the bulky stuff I might need still comes along.
I discovered a while back that there were only a few things I actually use/wore when I travelled, so I started keeping track of what I didn't use and stopped bringing that stuff. It's made my life a lot easier.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 11:46:42 GMT -5
I see them often on trucks pulling up the hill on the freeway because they can't make the minimum speed. They're warning that they're moving slower than they should be, and that's always appreciated. If I'm coming up on slower-moving or stopped traffic, I just use the brake on-off-on-off a few times, which I guess is similar? I'm too busy paying attention to the traffic to think about finding my hazard button. The only time I'd consider turning my hazards on is if I'm on the side of the road (or not off it at all because of an accident or breakdown) and stopped.
I just had to run up the stairs and tell R to stop showering (which came out like "AHHH! STOP STOP STOP TURN IT OFF!!!!!"), because water was running down the wall in the dining room onto R's sound system. SERIOUSLY. OMG. We've moved everything and I've got a call in to the plumber, but FOR PETE'S SAKE, WHAT the everloving hell did I put out into the universe to deserve this before 8am on a Monday? I am so FREAKING glad we have a second shower, at least.
Oh no!! Well, maybe it will drown the varmints?
LOL!
We only get one varmint at a time, every couple months (THANK GOODNESS!). We thought we had their entry point figured out and blockades, but I guess not. Dagnabbit. Stupid rats. They've been *so* bad around here lately, everybody is struggling with them.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 9:53:20 GMT -5
And O.M.F.G.
I just had to run up the stairs and tell R to stop showering (which came out like "AHHH! STOP STOP STOP TURN IT OFF!!!!!"), because water was running down the wall in the dining room onto R's sound system. SERIOUSLY. OMG. We've moved everything and I've got a call in to the plumber, but FOR PETE'S SAKE, WHAT the everloving hell did I put out into the universe to deserve this before 8am on a Monday? I am so FREAKING glad we have a second shower, at least.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 14, 2018 7:53:33 GMT -5
I'm up super early because I'm going out of town later this week so I have a lot to get done today and tomorrow. Getting things done this morning and I hear a pop and scuffling sounds in the ceiling in the kitchen. OMG. We left a rat trap up there after our misadventures last year (hork!) and I think we may have gotten another one. Noooooo, I thought we had those holes all taken care of! Where are the mofos getting in? Andplusalso, the death throes of ratattooie (deliberate misspelling) attracted the attention of both cats, who are now sitting in the kitchen, staring at the ceiling and howling. GOOD TIMES.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 10, 2018 13:54:52 GMT -5
Our 10-day forecast is GLORIOUS. Like, mid-70s and no humidity. Absolutely perfect. So ... we are headed back to NEO to visit my mom and then attend a wedding in Cincinnati. The weather forecast there is like, 90 degrees and 300% humidity. Fabulous. I am already wishing for my own quick, painless death.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 9, 2018 18:57:05 GMT -5
If I were designing an office for myself, I'd like: *floors with soft-sounding surfaces that I can't trip over/catch my shoes on. Perhaps a cork-type floor? Or true linoleum? *shorter-depth chairs with more cushioning and/or footrests (both would be ideal for this short human) *more individual bathrooms with just a single toilet/sink versus a million cubicles and two sinks. I have had more awkward interactions in bathrooms than I would ever care to have again. And disperse them around the building versus making me walk 3/4 mile with a leaking tampon to get to the closest ladies' room. *LED lighting with the ability to choose your own color warmth for your area/workspace *if cubes are chosen, use a cube-wall system that allows for easy decoration/accessorizing/stuff mounting *less "modern" design, more solid furniture. I trip over/run into glass stuff way too often for my own good.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 8, 2018 15:16:16 GMT -5
My plan depends on whether I fly Delta or SW. If SW, I'll be there Th-Mon, if Delta, it'll be Friday AM-Mon. But I won't know until SW releases their schedule/prices for those dates.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 4, 2018 21:08:07 GMT -5
My favorite blankie when I was a kid was blue with a white appliqued puppy in the middle. I adored that thing and literally loved it to pieces. Color doesn't matter to kids.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 4, 2018 17:04:48 GMT -5
In the pool, at my fastest, non-sustainable, I max out at around 1:35/100. I can sustain 1:45-ish/100. Out of shape I'm much closer to 2:00/100.
Open water depends on a lot of factors, one being how far I'm going to swim. My forever pace, if I'm going over 3 miles, is about a 40-45 minute mile, depending on conditions and water temp. I'm on the faster side of that the colder the water is, down to about 60, then I slow down again.
Finally blocking this shawlette I finished back in, I don't know, October? (Yes, I straightened out the far end after I took the photo). I hate blocking so much, and this pattern's called for finished size doesn't allow for the aggressive lace blocking it calls for, so I went with almost 10" too long in order to get the lace to show, and even then, I think I could have been more aggressive. The lace just doesn't pop at all, which is frustrating. Edit: any tips to get the lace to open up better without making it ruffle? Also, I'm out of blocking pins. I've got all my blocking pins, t-pins, and 3 blocking wires on that board, so if I need to do more to get the lace to open, it might have to wait until I've bought more pins.
Have you considered getting blocking wires? They can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but for a few lace projects, they have made blocking _so_ much easier. I tend to run the wires thru the points _before_ getting the knitting wet, which is awkward, but I prefer to find the points while the project is dry.
Alternatively - are you sure the front edge of that shawlette should be straight? A lot of narrow shawlettes I have seen are curved. That might help stretch out the lace a bit more, while keeping it flat, too.
I do love blocking wires - there are three 55" wires in there. They were a pain in this case because the edges are rounded, not pointed, but they did make it slightly easier to pin. And yeah, it's a straight edge. At least, based on the photos in the pattern.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 3, 2018 14:05:14 GMT -5
Finally blocking this shawlette I finished back in, I don't know, October? (Yes, I straightened out the far end after I took the photo). I hate blocking so much, and this pattern's called for finished size doesn't allow for the aggressive lace blocking it calls for, so I went with almost 10" too long in order to get the lace to show, and even then, I think I could have been more aggressive. The lace just doesn't pop at all, which is frustrating. Edit: any tips to get the lace to open up better without making it ruffle? Also, I'm out of blocking pins. I've got all my blocking pins, t-pins, and 3 blocking wires on that board, so if I need to do more to get the lace to open, it might have to wait until I've bought more pins.
My mother's current frustration lies in the amount of doctors who sit her down and carefully explain that opioids are dangerous, provide no relief, cause rebound headaches, and imply that only abusers keep using them. Then they tell her they don't have anything they can/will give her and to see her neurologist.
Except that her neurologist looked over her records when she moved here, said he had nothing he could do for her and dropped her as a patient.
His is the only neurology office in our area. I take my son out of state to see his.
She's trying pain management for the third or fourth time in her migraine/fibro career.
Most doctors she's encountered fundamentally do not believe her when she tells them she's always in pain. She gave up years ago on being pain free. She just wants it at a manageable level.
This is a perfect example of the kind of patient experience I was referring to above.
Your poor mother. I'm so sorry. All I can offer is my understanding and sympathy for her as traditional medicine fails her and the anecdotal story that I have a friend in the massage industry who has had great relief with cbd massage for her fibro.
Just a dumb question, since my experience/knowledge only applies to chemo, tumors, and seizures, but is weed helpful for some types of chronic pain?
Yes. But many traditional doctors have written it off and will dismiss those who use it for chronic pain as "druggies". (I say this as someone who has spent over a decade reviewing medical records.)
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 1, 2018 11:57:22 GMT -5
I got something like that from the RNC last month (I am a registered Democrat, no idea why they sent it) and the questions and answers were horrifying.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on May 1, 2018 11:49:10 GMT -5
I think the problem is prevalent in most developed countries, just perhaps not as prevalently discussed as here in the US. I read a white paper a year or so ago indicating 1 in 5 in the EU suffers from chronic pain and a majority feel that it is under- or mis-treated.
The problem, if we're honest, is going to be changing the entire approach healthcare has to pain. First, there are the doctors that throw pills at every problem, then, at the other end of the spectrum you have doctors that won't prescribe pills for ANY problem. Very few "traditional" MDs will utilize a holistic or multi-faceted approach to pain of any kind, and a great deal perceive patients complaining of pain as either a) whiners or b) pill seekers or c) both. Western medicine just doesn't handle this issue well in any respect.
It's not uncommon at all for military couples to jop last minute. We were engaged and had a wedding planned when h's command came to him and said to get married asap because they thought he'd get orders overseas where I couldn'tgo unless married, and we'd have to miss the wedding. 5 days later we were at a courthouse. In the end we did make it to our (purposefully small because we knew the possibility of cancel) wedding.
No expectation of gifts ever both personally and etiquette. My parents even told me not to send invites to mom's family for fear it would be seen as gift grab. That probably pissed them off, even though we knew they wouldn't come.
There's no right or wrong on whether you give a gift, but don't hold jop against. Give or not as if it were traditional. There are myriad reasons mil couples jop quickly.
Oh, I definitely don't hold the jop, or the speed, against them. I actually made sure to mention the military thing for context in that regard. I've actually never met the so, he didn't come to my dad's funeral at Mom's request (again, backstory) but overall, I have no issue with the whole thing altogether. I just wasn't sure what/how/if to give.