# Febrantary (February Minirants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286 "2014-02-01T17:24:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/181 "2014-02-09T19:17:36Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m not sure whether I’m ranting at Discovery or Comcast this time, but either way, TONIGHT’S MYTHBUSTERS WAS _NOT_ A NEW EPISODE!!! Someone lied when the program listing claimed it was. Discovery. It was listed as new on Dish as well. As I recall, the original program was actually longer than an hour, so this was a different version, and thus was probably a different episode number. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/182 "2014-02-09T19:53:53Z")
Shit. SkepChick and affiliated sites are down because of a DDOS attack. They think it’s an anti-feminist bit of bullshit by little boys afraid of the womens. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/183 "2014-02-09T20:15:16Z")
Super-mini rant: my tummy is upset and yet I feel hungry at the same time. Bleah! Eating did not help either condition. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/184 "2014-02-09T21:03:42Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > You see that a lot here too. People smoking where they shouldn’t, and sometimes right next to a no-smoking sign! They’ve got some nerve. Actually, I always think “Can’t read, huh?” ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/185 "2014-02-09T21:56:24Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Hang in there, Lucky! > > Oh, another mini-rant - the smoking bylaw here is no smoking within five meters of a doorway. Right outside the doorway because it’s so freaking cold isn’t five meters, assholes. Thanks for the good wishes. Lucky is fine, he’s just getting old. Its what cats do and dang it, they do it too fast. He’s still a sneaky bastard, though. We had people over last night and he managed to slip out the door as they were leaving. We’ve taught Buttercup to bring Lucky inside instead of spitting him out at our feet. I’m so glad we took **Lynn’s** advice and researched rescue greyhounds. She’s a fabulous dog and very handy to have when our idiot cat sneaks out. > [@EmilyG](#): > > You see that a lot here too. People smoking where they shouldn’t, and sometimes right next to a no-smoking sign! They’ve got some nerve. > [@Chimera](#): > > Our building is a Secure Facility with multiple guards at the front desk. They make sure people aren’t right next to the door. > > I think its hilarious to see these people out there for their cigarette fix when it is 10 or 20 below. _Suffer you bastards! Suffer for your habit!_😛 I started smoking at 17 and quit last year. I know that its a stinky, nasty habit, but I loved it so much. Anyhow…to the point…due to being one of “those” people, I felt very free to scold the inconsiderate smokers I’d see. I once stopped a UPS truck and made the driver pick up butts because he’d thrown one out his door. I’m so rabid about it that Hell’s Angels would see me and start picking their butts up because they didn’t want to hear me lecture them. However, most buildings have an ashtray right by the door. Most smokers tend to think that ashtray=ok to smoke here. ---
**Author:** ![Dunkelheit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dunkelheit/32/248_2.png) [@Dunkelheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunkelheit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/186 "2014-02-09T23:02:17Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Lucky went to the vet today, blood work is all good. When I asked the vet to tell me how old she thought he was, she said she thought he was at least 14. Fucking cats just keep getting old and dying. Goddamned dogs do the same thing. My asshole husband is going to do the same thing. FML Yes, I definitely pit the constant, nagging fear of the eventual if not imminent loss of loved ones. My dad’s just been hospitalized for one of his occasional bouts of mysteriously nearly bleeding to death, and my uncle, his twin’s husband, died last week. It really brings home my distance from my family. Even if I ever did manage to get back to the States for a visit, it would most likely be out west where my mom and daughter are, and my dad’s on the other side of the continent. So there’s a very real chance that I’ll never see him alive again. I’ve seen him a grand total of 6 times in the last 27 years as it is. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/187 "2014-02-10T00:36:12Z")
> [@Dunkelheit](#): > > Yes, I definitely pit the constant, nagging fear of the eventual if not imminent loss of loved ones. My dad’s just been hospitalized for one of his occasional bouts of mysteriously nearly bleeding to death, and my uncle, his twin’s husband, died last week. It really brings home my distance from my family. Even if I ever did manage to get back to the States for a visit, it would most likely be out west where my mom and daughter are, and my dad’s on the other side of the continent. So there’s a very real chance that I’ll never see him alive again. I’ve seen him a grand total of 6 times in the last 27 years as it is. Damn, and here I am whining about a cat getting older. I’m really sorry to hear this. Sends **Dunkelheit** a supportive hug. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/188 "2014-02-10T01:08:37Z")
And as an extra kick in the pants for whining about a cat, I just learned that my BFF fell off a ladder and broke her leg in 3 places. Its good that I’m sleeping with the boss, that makes it so much easier get time off when something like this happens. I’ll be happy to spend time with her, but there must be an easier way to get friends to visit. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/189 "2014-02-10T01:10:24Z")
Back pretty much went out completely yesterday and I struggled pretty hard. Sucks when you lie down in bed and scooching your butt over 2" is painful and nigh impossible. Slightly better today, at least I’m able to move around. But I do have the wonderful bend to the right at the waist that I had in March of last year. Debating taking the day off tomorrow and possibly making a call to the wonderful chiropractor I haven’t seen in about 4 years to see if they can squeeze me in. Hell, I might just drive over and walk in so they can see me moving and standing at the weird angle. Then of course had to limp over for dinner at my sister’s house today. My 75 year old mother is going in for spinal fusion surgery on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/190 "2014-02-10T03:16:09Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Heh. For a minute I thought you were confusing AZ with OH, **curly** , but then I xast my mind back to 1980, and realized you were name-checking the hometown of my best bud in boot camp. 🙂 Yeah, there is a Buckeye in AZ, just west of Phoenix. > [@flatlined](#): > > I had no idea, maybe this is why we didn’t stop at truck stops on road trips. Us bikers do lurve our beer, after all. I am super cheap, especially when doing field events since one doesn’t need to show up neat and clean. So, when doing the Buckeye events, I pretty much live at the Loves truck stop there. I’d never had such a shitastic weekend as I did this past one, and so never needed to drink away the memory before. Should it happen again, I’ll park the truck for the night and then commence drinking! 🆒 > [@Chimera](#): > > Back pretty much went out completely yesterday and I struggled pretty hard. Sucks when you lie down in bed and scooching your butt over 2" is painful and nigh impossible. Slightly better today, at least I’m able to move around. But I do have the wonderful bend to the right at the waist that I had in March of last year. Debating taking the day off tomorrow and possibly making a call to the wonderful chiropractor I haven’t seen in about 4 years to see if they can squeeze me in. Hell, I might just drive over and walk in so they can see me moving and standing at the weird angle. I went into the physical therapist doing this one time, and they immediately started working on my back even tho the appointment was for my neck. Apparently I had misplaced? my pelvis, or something like that. She was able to fix it right there, so I think trying to get into the chiropractor is a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/191 "2014-02-10T16:30:25Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Its good that I’m sleeping with the boss, Does Bill know about that? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/192 "2014-02-10T19:38:27Z")
Big big headline, it’s 60F in Sochi! And surprise, the snow is melting and causing problems for some events. Now, I figured this was kind of a freak heat wave, because why in the hell would the put a winter olympics somewhere that has an average winter temperature of 50F? No, just the usual winter temperatures in Sochi. What a stupid idea. I can’t even decide who to be pissed off at. ---
**Author:** ![Dunkelheit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dunkelheit/32/248_2.png) [@Dunkelheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunkelheit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/193 "2014-02-10T21:24:03Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Damn, and here I am whining about a cat getting older. > > I’m really sorry to hear this. Sends **Dunkelheit** a supportive hug. Thanks. It was actually the bit at the end about how your husband would do so someday that got me. I live with that fear, too. It’s not entirely rational, but it’s not entirely unfounded either, the feeling every time I leave the house that one way or another it’ll be the last time I see him alive. It’s mostly irrational and largely affected by a tendency to over-worry about everything, but it is sort of how it happened with Lyanthya, more or less, so that nagging fear is always there. I pit all my constant nagging fears, most of which are irrational and the ones that aren’t entirely unfounded still don’t deserve that much of my energy and attention. Now I’ve got that image from Hyperbole and a Half in my head, shouting “Pit ALL the fears!” ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/194 "2014-02-11T00:09:36Z")
**{{Dunkelheit}}** ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/195 "2014-02-11T01:18:44Z")
The weather report here says that it’s 1 degree. Why do they even bother? ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/196 "2014-02-11T01:21:08Z")
My husband has to start chemotherapy again, probably next week. Dammit. ☹ Hopefully he will do as well this time. It’s been just over 2 years since the first treatments started, and he had a complete response that time. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/197 "2014-02-11T01:22:53Z")
Been selling my house in the UK since early in the last iceage. It’s finally finally finally all going through and we had an email on Thursday to say we were exchanging contracts on Friday morning. (In the UK exchange is the point at which the sale is final, you complete at some point soon after, often a week or so. THAT’S when you get the money). Completion is planned for Monday 10th. This whole thing has been mega stress - house went on market last March, we swapped agents in June, we’ve reduced price by 70 grand overall, blah blah blah. The worst bit is that we emigrated in September, so we’ve been selling an empty house from umpty thousand miles and 8 hour time difference away. To say I’ll be glad when it’s over is an understatement of global proportions. So we wake up Friday to an email from late Thursday saying one of the chain’s deposit will be made Friday morning, so we’ll exchange Friday pm, complete 14th. Then another email late Friday to say exchange Monday, complete 14th. All afternoon yesterday I’m checking with the agent, checking the solicitor, biting my fingernails. NOTHING! Wake up this morning - still no news but my husband has 2 missed calls in the small hours. So we don’t know if that was the solicitor to say we’re exchanged, or to say there’s a problem, or something else entirely. It’s 9 am in Singapore, 1 am in London and I have to wait out the next 8 hours not knowing if it’s finally all over. Aaaaargh. In summary, I pit: house selling, the legal process of house selling in the UK especially and frigging time zones. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/198 "2014-02-11T01:56:45Z")
> [@Cheez\_Whia](#): > > My husband has to start chemotherapy again, probably next week. Dammit. ☹ > > Hopefully he will do as well this time. It’s been just over 2 years since the first treatments started, and he had a complete response that time. My brother-in-law had a successful treatment for lymphoma years ago, then just as he was about to be declared cancer-free (five years, I think it was), they found another lump. He’s done another round of chemo, too, and as far as I can tell, he’s had a good result, too. I’ll echo everyone else who has ever said, “Fuck cancer” and send healing thoughts your husband’s way, too. 🙂 > [@Charley](#): > > \ > In summary, I pit: house selling, the legal process of house selling in the UK especially and frigging time zones. In that order. We’re about to sell our house and move again, too - it’s stressful as hell here, but you guys in the UK seem to take it to a whole 'nother level! :eek: My fingers crossed for you, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/199 "2014-02-11T02:05:22Z")
Thanks for the thoughts, **Cat Whisperer**! We will take all the help we can get! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/200 "2014-02-11T02:14:22Z")
> [@Cheez\_Whia](#): > > Thanks for the thoughts, **Cat Whisperer**! We will take all the help we can get! I’ll throw some well wishes your way, too. My BFF was over last night and gave me her update, last chemo was on Friday, and looks like the tumor has shrunk by half. So looking at a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy, really good news. We’re not out of the woods yet, but looking good. Hoping for the same for your hubby, second time’s the charm? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=11)