# Dec the Halls with Rants and Howling **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 30, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049 "2015-11-30T19:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/101 "2015-12-11T21:23:15Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > YOU people. You know who you are. The ones who walk around, particularly around and on public transportation, with your long umbrellas in your hand pointed _backward_. The ones who apparently don’t give a shit that you are threatening and occasionally stabbing people who are observing normal personal-space boundaries in these circumstances. > > Yes, you. Fuck you. And learn to carry your umbrella like a decent human being. I’ve never understood why everyone doesn’t use them as a walking stick, like Audrey Hepburn and her parasol in the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/102 "2015-12-11T21:47:59Z")
**Bragging/complaining** I have slept 8 of the last 48 hours. I forgot my grocery list in my car and didn’t realize it until I was in the store with a few things in my cart. Let it be known that I only forgot two things on the list. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/103 "2015-12-11T22:26:36Z")
NM. Derp. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/104 "2015-12-12T00:38:06Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > (snip) > So now I’m being all proud of myself for being smarter than an animal with a brain about the size of a peanut. :smack: Their brains may be small but they are Clever and Devious and Sneaky. So you get credit for being Sneakier. And Cleverer and Deviouserer, I guess. Anyhow. Anyone who can outsmart any cat at all gets points from me. I have never managed to outsmart any of my cats, except that I did get Shadow to let me catch her and put her in the carrier by putting her brother in his carrier and then letting him moan and cry piteously, and she came. Not out of sympathy, you understand; she came by to gloat. But I caught her. Points for me. I wonder if that will ever work again. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/105 "2015-12-12T01:39:02Z")
> [@Katriona](#): > > I’ve never understood why everyone doesn’t use them as a walking stick, like Audrey Hepburn and her parasol in the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady. People have been spoiled by folding brollys. Also, recent model umbrellas have tended to give up on the shepherd’s crook handle, which not only makes for a better walking stick but would make it easy to hang it from your elbow a-la John Steed if your hands are occupied. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/106 "2015-12-12T02:01:43Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Their brains may be small but they are Clever and Devious and Sneaky. So you get credit for being Sneakier. And Cleverer and Deviouserer, I guess. Anyhow. Anyone who can outsmart any cat at all gets points from me. I have never managed to outsmart any of my cats, except that I did get Shadow to let me catch her and put her in the carrier by putting her brother in his carrier and then letting him moan and cry piteously, and she came. Not out of sympathy, you understand; she came by to gloat. But I caught her. Points for me. I wonder if that will ever work again. I’ll go into a room and lie on my stomach behind the door frame, and wait for my cat to wander in. He’ll react startled like he’s going “fuck, I’m a cat! I’m not supposed to fall for shit like this!” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/107 "2015-12-12T03:50:31Z")
> [@Catamount](#): > > **Bragging/complaining** > > I have slept 8 of the last 48 hours. I forgot my grocery list in my car and didn’t realize it until I was in the store with a few things in my cart. Let it be known that I only forgot two things on the list. Ah but… how many things were there in the list? ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/108 "2015-12-12T05:16:06Z")
I hollow out a Temptation (it’s delicate work) and jam the pill into it. Then I feed two treats one by one to get her started, then I slip in the weird tasting one pill side down, then a couple more regular ones. Sometimes she notices the weird treat, sometimes not, but it’s never a big deal. 😃 ETA: Oops, I forgot to quote **flatlined** and her cat-pilling brilliance. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/109 "2015-12-12T05:30:23Z")
I _need_ to study for that final tomorrow (after all, it’s only 45% of my grade for the class for the semester), but cannot get my brain into an appropriate gear. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/110 "2015-12-12T06:12:18Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > I hollow out a Temptation (it’s delicate work) and jam the pill into it. Then I feed two treats one by one to get her started, then I slip in the weird tasting one pill side down, then a couple more regular ones. Sometimes she notices the weird treat, sometimes not, but it’s never a big deal. 😃 > > ETA: Oops, I forgot to quote **flatlined** and her cat-pilling brilliance. The shelter uses the dog-sized Pill Pockets for cost economy, and just tear off bits as we need them. Works a treat! (haha get it) And hey a little credit, their little noggins hold something more the size of a walnut in grey matter! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/111 "2015-12-12T11:29:58Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Ah but… how many things were there in the list? Fifteen. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/112 "2015-12-13T01:43:19Z")
Update from Early November Rants: The worst part of having Pink Eye is _having pink eye_. The Second worst part is paying for it-- $50 co-pay, $50 prescription, $30 or so additional as my share of the doctor’s visit. (Insurance paid another $75ish) The Third worst part-- the paranoia/ borderline hypochondria that has followed. I’ve been having issues with dry eyes, and itchiness and burning . . . and finally went for an eye appt. yesterday. So I officially don’t have pink eye right now, but would benefit from using an over the counter eye drop. 'tis the season for irritated eyes. The fourth worst part-- for reasons of simplicity, I opted for an after work appointment with an eye doctor associated with Lenscrafters. On the plus side, I left with an up-to-date prescription (same as my existing one), assurance that I don’t yet need bifocals (it’s just a matter of time), and a recommendation (and sample) for eye drops. And the sample eye drops have helped with the healing/comfort of my eye. But Oy! Friday early evening Lenscrafters adjacent eye doctor . . . not the way to not feel like you are part of an assembly line, in and out prescription mill, . . . I don’t feel like I got bad care, I just felt like the emphasis was a little too much on what my prescription was. And the convenience of getting glasses/contacts right there. I’m thinking I might get new glasses, but not until after the first of the year, and maybe online. We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/113 "2015-12-13T07:39:13Z")
Just heard from Kayla that her Christmas Day schedule has her working from noon to 5:30 p.m. The original plan for the day had been to drive to my dad’s house for the family gathering and leave in time for her to get back into Anaheim (realistic even if her report time was as early as 5:00). And the family was even willing to schedule dinner to accommodate that. Now, even if we could arrange to drive to the South Bay at 5:30, I have to leave early enough to be back in Anaheim to start my shift at 9:00 p.m. And since for me that shift counts as working on the 26th, I can’t even make a request to take the holiday itself off. Maybe I can put in a request to burn one of my excess leave days on the 26th, since the Christmas rush will be over. That puts dinner with the family closer to 7 p.m., though. Not sure how much enthusiasm _that_ kind of suggestion generates. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/114 "2015-12-14T08:42:07Z")
its 915 PM at the local Irish Pub. My wife and I came out for a quiet light dinner and a few brews, yet for the last half hour have been subjected to the non-stop shrills of a 7 year old. Oh, no my anger isn’t against her. Its YOU who have dragged her out here way too late despite it being a school night. And admonitions of “shut up!” and when she leaves her seat “sit your ass back down!” don’t inspire any additional confidence in me at you as good parents. Here is some advice: you have taken your child to an adult-targeted establishment well past her bedtime. She is annoying other patrons. And you are doing a bad job handling the situation because you are annoyed about that fact dragging your child to a bar after 8pm on a Sunday night turned out to be a bad decision. Hire a babystitter, or stay home. Dont punish us or your kid just because you couldn’t keep you legs together, honey. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/115 "2015-12-14T15:10:09Z")
[quote=“russian\_heel, post:114, topic:739049”] Oh, no my anger isn’t against her. Its YOU who have dragged her out here way too late despite it being a school night. And admonitions of “shut up!” and when she leaves her seat “sit your ass back down!” don’t inspire any additional confidence in me at you as\*\* good parents. \*\* Dont punish us or your kid just because \*\*you couldn’t keep you legs together, honey.[/\*\*QUOTE] Bolding mine. While I’m on board with your basic complaint, I notice while you describe BOTH parents as not good, you later pile all the blame on the woman. Kind of sexist, don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/116 "2015-12-14T15:12:08Z")
Family dinner for combined December birthdays Saturday night. Was a fine dinner all around. However, when the birthday boy (my father, who turned 80) ordered, he specified that he didn’t want the garlic mashed potatoes (he doesn’t like garlic) and wanted some pasta instead. The dinner arrived with the mashed potatoes. It pretty much took until everyone else was done eating for him to finally get the pasta. Then we waited for the check. And waited. And waited. Finally it came. And we waited and waited and waited. Finally, about 45 minutes after our check was delivered, I walked up to the front of the restaurant, to find our server there socializing. “Um, we’ve been waiting a very long time to pay for this…” Dunno what the tip was, as the check was split three ways and I wasn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/117 "2015-12-14T15:17:47Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Kind of sexist, don’t you think? Not if she was the one being a jerk to the child. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/118 "2015-12-14T16:04:02Z")
He said “parents” so one assumes it was both of them. I found that remark about Keeping her legs together very jarring. How about him “keeping it in his pants”? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/119 "2015-12-14T16:09:25Z")
Ah yes, wouldn’t be the Dope without people reading things into people’s posts that weren’t there and attacking them for it. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049/120 "2015-12-14T16:13:24Z")
You got low blood sugar or something, Chimera? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dec-the-halls-with-rants-and-howling/739049.md?page=7)