# 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:** 13
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/241 "2014-02-13T17:23:57Z")
I just got my tax refund back, had it earmarked for things I made a specific list for. Aaaand, my computer dies on me. Damnit. How do these things know when there’s a tiny bit of extra cash laying around? ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/242 "2014-02-13T17:32:53Z")
No corpses or embryos here, so I guess we’re doing okay! 🙂 Electricity is out again, but it’s come on regularly enough for me to keep everyone warmish and fed. But Tony and Boy 2.0 are headed out to my aunt’s and uncle’s house to rescue a couple of stubborn old goats from themselves. They lost power around lunchtime yesterday, the house phones have quit working, they have no alternate heat source, and, oh, Uncle C is on 24-hour oxygen, under home hospice care. A family friend went out last night to do what he could to help, I went to the power company to try to get them to prioritize the outage (the hospice program tried all day yesterday to get through via phone,) and now, my guys are out there setting up the generator and at least a space heater. I just left after delivering hot food and beverages. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/243 "2014-02-13T17:49:04Z")
Not just February but yearly…whenever my mom or I try to ask my brother or my nieces a question or have a conversation with them, my SIL butts in and answers for them. And if we were to say “Excuse me, I was talking to , not to you,” she’d be all butt-hurt and my brother would find a way to stick up for her. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/244 "2014-02-13T18:42:43Z")
That means your brother and his wife work as a team. There’s worse … such as a husband who doesn’t back up his own spouse. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/245 "2014-02-13T19:26:00Z")
Apparently, I have a case of cellulitis. And apparently one of its symptoms is nausea. Which explains why suddenly everything but tepid campbell-style soups makes me sick to my stomach. But now, I have meds! Sweet sweet 21st century pharmocological care. What’s the number one side effect? Nausea. This doesn’t seem fair. However, it does make me less concerned about the number two side effect: diarrhea. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/246 "2014-02-13T19:46:49Z")
So they’ve got you coming and going. ---
**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 13, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/247 "2014-02-13T19:52:06Z")
I went to get my hair cut at a local business on Tuesday - they were open, but there was only one guy there, and he couldn’t cut hair. The haircutter would be in Wednesday. I left with a big ol’ “WTF?” Then I walked to a further away chain haircutters, and got a not very good haircut. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/248 "2014-02-13T20:08:28Z")
So what exactly was the guy there for then? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/249 "2014-02-13T20:16:17Z")
Filbert, I’m glad your eczema’s better! I have mild susceptibility to it, and am ok as long as I keep the cortizone cream around, but I know that terrible itching and pain when I let it go too long. My rant is Delta Dental. What colossal assholes. :mad: I don’t even want to type it out because I’ve settled down a little I’ll just get pissed again. I’m very glad my dentist’s office people are so patient and pleasant! Has anyone here ever used Lifemap dental? ---
**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:** [February 13, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/250 "2014-02-13T21:39:29Z")
Fucking eyelid twitch that showed up out of nowhere and won’t go away! Hate you! Go 'way! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/251 "2014-02-13T22:01:18Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I went to get my hair cut at a local business on Tuesday - they were open, but there was only one guy there, and he couldn’t cut hair. The haircutter would be in Wednesday. I left with a big ol’ “WTF?” > > Then I walked to a further away chain haircutters, and got a not very good haircut. Sigh. Maybe going somewhere that takes appointments would be a better bet? Any beauty schools in your area? I go to Aveda Institute since I decided my old stylist was too far away after I moved. I miss her, but Aveda is pretty good. They’re hair students who are a few months from graduation. So they’re very careful, and have a supervisor who comes around a couple times to give instructions if needed. So far, I’ve gotten great cuts, a friend of mine has been getting her hair done with double process color for years there. Plus, a cut is only $11 and they don’t accept tips! ---
**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 14, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/252 "2014-02-14T00:37:59Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > So what exactly was the guy there for then? That’s what I was wondering - doing colours and perms, maybe? It was weird, anyway. > [@SpazCat](#): > > Fucking eyelid twitch that showed up out of nowhere and won’t go away! Hate you! Go 'way! I hate that, too - it only shows up when I’m stressed out. > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Maybe going somewhere that takes appointments would be a better bet? > > Any beauty schools in your area?\ No, unfortunately. I have a pretty simple haircut (just a long layered cut), and a student shouldn’t have a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/253 "2014-02-14T02:31:48Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > That’s WAY more work than many people would go through, for what is quite literally OPP\*. Having never met you, I love you, and I want you to know that. > > \ > > Sounds good in theory, but for most kittehs, being stuffed into a carrier and going for a car ride means even more stress. There are exceptions, of course. Awwww!!! Thank you, but honestly, I’m not just doing it for the cat, I’m doing it for Laura. She would do it for me. I thought about taking kitteh to the hospital for a visit with his human, because I agree with everyone that kitteh is stressing because he wants Laura. I was worried that the stress of the car ride and the stress of maybe not recognizing Laura because she looks and smells differently might have made things worse. Anyhow, I can out stubborn a feral cat. Smooshy house cats don’t have a chance. This morning I went to the feed store and bought one can of all of the lower end foods. I kept pushing bowls under Laura’s bed until he licked the gravy off some Friskies. That wasn’t much, but it WAS calories in. I put some more of the Friskies in a sieve and pushed it through with a spoon to mix the solid stuff with the gravy into a gooshy pate and he ate that. I won’t mind dealing with the poopy litter box as long as he keeps eating. > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I just got my tax refund back, had it earmarked for things I made a specific list for. Aaaand, my computer dies on me. Damnit. How do these things know when there’s a tiny bit of extra cash laying around? Dang, doesn’t that seem to always be the way? ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/254 "2014-02-14T03:19:28Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > No, unfortunately. I have a pretty simple haircut (just a long layered cut), and a student shouldn’t have a problem with it. There is one in Calgary actually. [MC College](http://www.mccollege.ca/salons_spas/?) is right on the C-train line downtown, and women’s haircuts start at $15. I’ve gone there for mani/pedi’s and have never had a problem, though I’ve not had a haircut. Everything is supervised, from what I recall. [Diva](http://www.divasalonspa.com/our-services/hair-care/) in Northland Mall is an Aveda Institute salon, and you can get a supervised student cut for about $30. I go to this salon for my hair and waxing currently (though use senior stylists/technicians) and highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/255 "2014-02-14T03:51:19Z")
My next door neighbor is running his leaf blower. At 10:30 at night. In the rain! The lugers are saner than he is. The people doing skeleton are saner. The woman down the block with triplets with colic is saner. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/256 "2014-02-14T03:54:19Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > My next door neighbor is running his leaf blower. At 10:30 at night. In the rain! The lugers are saner than he is. The people doing skeleton are saner. The woman down the block with triplets with colic is saner. No jury would convict. I’m just saying. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/257 "2014-02-14T04:12:12Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > No jury would convict. I’m just saying. She’s not there, she’s here in Arizona helping me with Laura’s pets. She had to take a bus because of the tight money problems, but she left before the murder. Does anyone know where to get a small handheld food grinder that is easy to clean? Smooshing chunky cat food through a sieve to make pate is getting really old already. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/258 "2014-02-14T04:14:41Z")
Try a [baby food grinder](http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Baby-Food-Grinder-Light/dp/B000GB0NZA), **flatlined**. It’s cheap enough that you can just throw it away when the human returns. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/259 "2014-02-14T04:16:28Z")
**flatlined** , try stirring some warm water into the kitteh’s canned food. My picky cat loves it. > [@](#): > > Any beauty schools in your area? I gave up on going to the local beauty school because the last time I went, it took almost an hour and a half to cut my hair, and I just have simple, short men’s hair. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/260 "2014-02-14T04:37:06Z")
My “dear” fellow public transit users, kindly commit to memory these simple tips to avoid utterly enraging those trapped in the same vehicle with you: Not everyone in said vehicle, be it bus or train car, wants to hear you yowling into your phone. Nor do we all wish to hear YOUR so-called “music”. For that matter, we don’t all want to hear your in-person conversations if we’re 10 feet away and have earphones in with music as loud as our personal devices will permit. Please learn about “indoor voices” and use same. Be aware that you are not the only person wishing space, so if you are sitting right next to someone else, please stay in your share of the seat and refrain from squashing the person next to you into the wall. (No, the person in question wasn’t so large as to need more than one usual person of seating.) On a related note, strollers/backpacks/wheeled carts/etc. really need to not be in the aisle that others need to use to reach seats or exits. I won’t even address such topics as trousers and belts belonging ABOVE one’s crotch, or that regardless of your age, gender, and physique, the rest of us would rather not look at your uncovered buttocks because you can’t figure out your correct pant size. I know this is a lost cause among those to whom class and dignity are meaningless or obsolete. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=14)