# Deviated September (Monthly Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [September 1, 2026, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738 "2026-09-01T08:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/161 "2026-09-13T20:11:46Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > you brought up a completely irrelevant counter-example of someone fucking themselves over because they were stupid. That has nothing to do with a company taking tens of thousands of dollars from a “glitch”. Have you never gotten a wrong answer from customer service before; especially on what may be an old, grandfathered plan? I have, I called my CC while still in the US, a couple of weeks before traveling about renting a car in Europe & whether the CC’s insurance was applicable there & if I needed to purchase the rental car company’s insurance; even got it in writing via an email. Guess what was wrong? What they gave me was NOT detailed enough for them to use at car pickup. Separately, if they took it via a “glitch” they would be required to refund it to you; not so if it was a legitimate charge ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/162 "2026-09-13T20:15:53Z")
And / or at car pickup, they were willing to lie to make you buy insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/163 "2026-09-13T20:47:08Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Separately, if they took it via a “glitch” they would be required to refund it to you; not so if it was a legitimate charge What you’re missing is that this is the exact situation I was responding to; a glitch from the vendor where you are accidentally charged for tens of thousands of dollars. You can’t refute me and say “wrong” with an unrelated situation. That’s like saying a person is wrong about the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee by listing how much caffeine is in tea. This might be a pain point for you, and I’m sorry about your bad situation you went through, but it’s still not addressing the scenario we were discussing. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/164 "2026-09-14T07:12:03Z")
I used to live in the eastern part of North York, a nice semi-suburban area in north Toronto (formerly a true suburb, but since become very urbanized). It was a nice quiet area except that, like pretty much the entire city and area, it was plagued by jet airplane noise from Pearson International, an incredibly busy airport. Most of the time, because winds are normally westerly, planes were making landing approaches, and it was on a path considerably north of me. But when the weather was bad and the winds reversed direction, holy shit! The takeoff path was closer to me, and the engines at full throttle much louder. Still, I was far enough from the airport that it was tolerable. One of the nice things about my current distant suburban abode is that I haven’t heard the sound of a jet in over fifteen years – an ugly sound like steel grinding on steel. But now there’s been some change in traffic patterns and I’m hearing it once or twice a day. Not terribly loud, since I’m now really far from the cursed airport, but still annoying. One more, albeit minor, annoyance I don’t need in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/165 "2026-09-14T07:30:18Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I used to live in the eastern part of North York, a nice semi-suburban area in north Toronto (formerly a true suburb, but since become very urbanized). It was a nice quiet area except that, like pretty much the entire city and area, it was plagued by jet airplane noise from Pearson International, an incredibly busy airport. I used to live in the eastern part of North York. Willowdale, specifically, not too far from Fairview Mall. I don’t recall aircraft noise being a particular bother in regular weather, but in bad weather, I agree; the approach they had to take was noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/166 "2026-09-14T07:54:36Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I used to live in the eastern part of North York. Willowdale, specifically, not too far from Fairview Mall. I don’t recall aircraft noise being a particular bother in regular weather, but in bad weather, I agree; the approach they had to take was noticeable.   Willowdale is a nice area. I was on the other side of Yonge, across from the Don Valley ravine – a vast forested green space. Very nice area, but the ravine was a breeding ground for raccoons and field mice. 😐 Anyway, on the subject of airplane noise – or really any kind of noise at all – I’m easily annoyed. Some years ago I was trying to have a conversation with my neighbour behind me while a miniature rat-like dog was yipping its head off in the next yard. I asked him how he could put up with this, but due to the intensity of the yipping I never heard his response. It might have been something like “I have a shotgun and I’m going to use it”, because the yipping abruptly stopped shortly after. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/167 "2026-09-14T08:28:53Z")
Ha! This weekend was “doggie weekend” at the local horse race track. Attendees were encouraged to bring their dogs. There were dog races (not greyhounds, these were plain ordinary pet dogs, and there was no betting), and those were fun, for small breeds, run over maybe 20 yards on the track, and of course, all competitors got plenty of treats. But their races were run in between horse races, so in addition to horse whinnies and neighs, we got lots of barking. It was noisy, but it was expected. It was all for a good cause: to support the local Humane Society. And while it was noisy, it was fun. That’s the thing. I can deal with noise, if it’s expected. On such a weekend, I expect dog barks, horse neighs, crowd sounds. On other weekends, not so much. The track can be a surprisingly quiet place at other times. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2026, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/168 "2026-09-14T08:30:04Z")
Sounds fun and cute. I just hope the horses weren’t too freaked out by the barking. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/169 "2026-09-14T08:37:59Z")
The horses were fine. Only problem was that they did not accord with my wagering selections. I couldn’t win on my horse racing selections for trying, somebody always edged my horses out. I would have done better wagering on the Yorkshire Terrier running in the third doggie race. He won by about ten lengths 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/170 "2026-09-14T14:53:30Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Also, if you really just gotta .. most places let you return without a receipt for store credit, assuming items are new/unused/still have tags.) And if you bought it with a credit or debit card they can look it up through it, again no receipt needed. I’m with **shoe** though~if the towels don’t match, use them in a bathroom that you are less likely to use so you don’t have to look at them very often. Definitely donate to the DV shelter over Goodwill (the horror stories that could be told about Goodwill if you are a disabled person….). ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/171 "2026-09-14T15:01:23Z")
I’m feeling more sane and rational today, but I just got worked up writing my weekly report to my supervisor. I described the absolute shit show that was this federal grant and the key ways executive leadership let me down. I’m on the fence about sharing it with said leadership. I don’t know how to have these kinds of conversations. And I am so angry about it. We have a new HR person. I am meeting with her Thursday for a meet and greet. wonder if she’d be willing to facilitate a conversation. I need some guardrails or I’m going to absolutely lose it. Years and years of frustration are threatening to boil over. But today, I have no pressing deadlines. I’m just going to try to get some admin work done today in the lowest key way possible and then I’m leaving because we’re having a sort of emergency IEP meeting at my son’s school. I’m not even sure what to expect for that. He had a really bad day last Monday but I’m not sure how he’s been doing since. At home, he’s been fantastic. School is largely an impenetrable black box in which I don’t really see what’s actually happening and I’m dependent on staff to give me trickles of information. I know he’s struggling but I have no idea what this looks like day to day. Well that’s the point of the meeting I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/172 "2026-09-14T17:59:44Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > That’s the thing. I can deal with noise, if it’s expected. Of course. Loud music at a concert is fine, the same volume of music from a neighbor at 2 AM on a weekday night is not fine. Or somebody whose car alarm is going off every 5 minutes for almost a full hour after 11 PM on a Sunday night when people are trying to get sleep so they aren’t a zombie for work the next morning. **Gee, why is that example so fucking specific?!** 🤬 (I need a nap so badly this morning.) ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/173 "2026-09-14T18:24:44Z")
@Atamasama Get thee to a nap posthaste 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/174 "2026-09-14T18:25:47Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Get thee to a nap posthaste 🤣 Thanks, as soon as I put out a few fires (not literal this time at least) I will try. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/175 "2026-09-14T20:02:22Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Loud music at a concert is fine Why I don’t go to concerts. I’m not quite sure why they couldn’t just play the music at a reasonable volume that everyone could hear? And maybe everybody could sit quietly and listen while they did so? We had a street fair yesterday. The music was nice, but so loud it was unpleasant to be within 100 feet or so of the stages. Why do people have to take some thing nice and then ruin it by being immoderate? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/176 "2026-09-14T20:10:59Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Why I don’t go to concerts. I’m not quite sure why they couldn’t just play the music at a reasonable volume that everyone could hear? And maybe everybody could sit quietly and listen while they did so? That sounds like such an old person thing to say, **but** when I was 20 years old going to my first concert (Metallica) I wore earplugs. My friends made fun of me but I was the only one whose hearing was intact the next day. They played loud enough you could _feel_ it through the seat. A deaf person could have enjoyed that concert, it was that loud. (It was also awesome and I had a great time.) This is a legitimate complaint. Concerts are **loud**. But again, it’s expected, and you can prepare for it ahead of time, as I did as a kid enjoying himself but not being stupid about it. It also helped that at the time, I was doing groundskeeping with loud gas-powered machines, and wore hearing protection every day on the job, so I had already had the idea drilled into my head day in and day out. The earplugs I brought with me were from work. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/177 "2026-09-14T20:11:14Z")
The two aforementioned strong-willed women have been and have departed. I have apparently committed to about a dozen action items related to selling the house and to my health that I don’t really remember, but no worries – I’m certain that I’ll be reminded of them very soon.. I was also notified – not by the real estate agent, who is infallibly polite, but by the ex-wife – that my toenails need clipping and a recommendation for where to have them done. In response to one of my other objections, the real estate woman confided to the ex that “I can tell when he’s not really serious”. As I said previously, two strong-willed women together are a formidable force. If one such woman is like a strong wind, two of them together are a fucking tornado! P.S.- The ex wants me to wear either a wrist or pendant Lifeline device with fall detection, and she will pay the monthly charge. I haven’t responded to this yet, but I hate to think I’m at that stage of my life! ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/178 "2026-09-14T20:22:50Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The ex wants me to wear either a wrist or pendant Lifeline device with fall detection, and she will pay the monthly charge. I haven’t responded to this yet, but I hate to think I’m at that stage of my life! Get an Apple Watch with fall detection. It does the same thing and looks cool, not doddering geezer. Also, no hefty monthly subscription fee. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/179 "2026-09-14T20:23:48Z")
The only thing worse than being at that stage of life is being there but in denial about it. We’re dealing w similar now w my GF’s very aging Dad & his wife. The power of wanting to pretend they’re 50-something when they’re actually 90-something is something to behold. And hell to push back against. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738/180 "2026-09-14T21:03:00Z")
100% agreed. I have seen too many old people in denial. It’s not good for them and often puts their families through hell. There’s a little mantra I got from Plum Village that helps me accept my limitations. These are the Buddhist Five Remembrances: _I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old._ _I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health._ _I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death._ _All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them._ _My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand._ Hard things to accept, but when we can accept them - think of the possibilities! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deviated-september-monthly-mini-rants/1032738.md?page=10)