# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/141 "2014-02-07T14:01:23Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Goddamned anxiety. I hate it when I text friends, and don’t get a reply… That might be age-related. Any of my friends under thirty will read a text and feel absolutely no obligation to reply – if they need to answer, they will, but if there’s no direct (and time-sensitive) question, they’ll just read the text and put their phone away. Or they’ll get around to replying next week… lesson: Do NOT take it personally\*. Try to have as little uptightness as my younger friends. \*Good advice (that I keep givng myself) for all areas of life: Almost nobody is judging you; they’re busy with their own crap. And _NObody_ is worrying about your feelings (… so why should you?). ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/142 "2014-02-07T14:06:13Z")
> [@Dunkelheit](#): > > Electricians I’m willing to give a bit more of a pass, because that shit’s dangerous and can seriously backfire on you if not done right. Both for the person installing it, and the people living in the house with it afterward. Plumbers also deal with gas lines, if you happen to have gas in your house. That can get a bit explosive if you’re not careful. ---
**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 7, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/143 "2014-02-07T14:24:33Z")
I was thrilled about the 3 year pap thing when my doctor told me about it last summer, until I got the Explanation of Benefits from my insurance company. It turns out that they don’t pay for an annual exam unless you get a pap or an immunization. I had requested a flu shot but they did not have the serum yet. So I had to pay the entire thing out of pocket. :mad: ---
**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 7, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/144 "2014-02-07T15:13:29Z")
> [@digs](#): > > That might be age-related. Any of my friends under thirty will read a text and feel absolutely no obligation to reply – if they need to answer, they will, but if there’s no direct (and time-sensitive) question, they’ll just read the text and put their phone away. Or they’ll get around to replying next week… Sometimes you just read the text (or e-mail, or forum post, etc.) and just don’t have anything to say in response. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/145 "2014-02-07T15:21:33Z")
Back (and related) pain continues. Left hip and knee bothering me today. I get on the bus and need to sit on the front, side-facing ‘handicapped and elderly’ seat. I usually sit there, because my knees don’t like being bent for 30-40 minutes and if I sit in the regular seats, I’ll be in agony by the time I get off the bus. Wide bench seat, fits two, or three when the bus is packed. Two people on the one on the left, one woman sprawled out on the one on the right, with her bag taking the other 1/3 that she isn’t intentionally taking up. I say excuse me. She just gives me a dirty look. I say “Excuse me, I need to sit here.” She sneers at me and moves her bag, giving me a very small part of the seat. I pushed her bag over far enough so I could sit down without squeezing, and sat down. She was very unhappy about it. Don’t got time for that shit, bitch. I’m in enough pain at it is and I don’t need some stupid cunt stain going out of her way to prevent me from sitting where I am legally and morally entitled to sit. When I got off at my stop (being the last one on the bus), I explained to the driver why I sit there every day “in case there is an issue with that woman in the future.” ---
**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 7, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/146 "2014-02-07T16:06:30Z")
People who take up too much space on the bus suck. Especially with their bags. Recently while riding the bus, I saw three of the passengers each taking up an extra seat with their bag, and lots of people standing. :mad: It angered me even though I myself actually had a decent seat. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/147 "2014-02-07T18:17:01Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Heh…used to have a saying “Plumbing can’t be that hard…it’s done by _plumbers_”\*. > > Having said that, I’ve seen some copper work that’s damn near beautiful enough to make you cry. > > - substitute “electricians” at will. mrAru got an offer of employment from some plumber in Fresno after his mom had to call the guy in for something. he had done something with the old malleable iron pipework in the basement the plumber found wonderful. Apparently there is enough old plumbing bits in that area of Fresno to make getting an iron specialist in. Who knew! Odd thing is he is actually considering taking the job, it is permanent as opposed to the [third year] time in his current temp to supposed hire position. ---
**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 7, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/148 "2014-02-07T18:19:57Z")
> [@digs](#): > > That might be age-related. Any of my friends under thirty will read a text and feel absolutely no obligation to reply – if they need to answer, they will, but if there’s no direct (and time-sensitive) question, they’ll just read the text and put their phone away. Or they’ll get around to replying next week… > > lesson: Do NOT take it personally\*. Try to have as little uptightness as my younger friends. > > \*Good advice (that I keep givng myself) for all areas of life: > > Almost nobody is judging you; they’re busy with their own crap. And _NObody_ is worrying about your feelings (… so why should you?). And don’t worry about sending a follow-up email if it actually is something that needs a reply - emails get eaten by email programs all the time. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/149 "2014-02-07T18:30:11Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > 2 people on the one on the left, one woman sprawled out on the one on the right, with her bag taking the other 1/3 that she isn’t intentionally taking up. I say excuse me. She just gives me a dirty look. I say “Excuse me, I need to sit here.” She sneers at me and moves her bag, giving me a very small part of the seat. I pushed her bag over far enough so I could sit down without squeezing, and sat down. She was very unhappy about it. You were more polite than I am about those people. I don’t ask or make any indication of politeness when people have bags on the seat. I just start to sit down. I have yet to see a bag not get moved very quickly out of the way before my ass touches it! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/150 "2014-02-07T22:35:57Z")
Damnit. Wasn’t going to go in to work today. Until a series of text messages about the oxygen delivery system and the low pressure alarm going off. No one there can figure out what to do. So miss fix it (job security I guess) has to take her headache and cramps there in person. I probably won’t figure it out either. Hasn’t been serviced in years, not much to go wrong with a pneumatic system. The alarm, though. ---
**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 7, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/151 "2014-02-07T23:22:49Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > … I just start to sit down. I have yet to see a bag not get moved very quickly out of the way before my ass touches it! I do the same thing with my cats when they’ve taken over my furniture. One of them will scoot right on out of the way. The other one always holds his ground. It’s like he’s playing a game of “Chicken” with my ass … and because he’s elderly and arthritic, and because I’d rather not take a half-squished cat to the vet\*\* he always wins the game. Smart little bastard. \*\* “I can 'splain! Honest! See, the bastard is a shitty little prick, and – wait, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?” ---
**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 7, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/152 "2014-02-07T23:55:34Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I do the same thing with my cats when they’ve taken over my furniture. One of them will scoot right on out of the way. The other one always holds his ground. It’s like he’s playing a game of “Chicken” with my ass … and because he’s elderly and arthritic, and because I’d rather not take a half-squished cat to the vet\*\* he always wins the game. Smart little bastard. > \*\* “I can 'splain! Honest! See, the bastard is a shitty little prick, and – wait, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?” If you sat on your elderly cat… that’s be a cat-ass-trophe. I usually pick up my cats and move them if I want to sit down. Though one of them has learned to sometimes get up when I say “Get up,” because I usually move him after I say that (if he doesn’t move,) so he figures it’s better to move and avoid having me move him. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/153 "2014-02-08T00:33:30Z")
Came home, went straight for the Flexeril. Would really like to not hurt. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/154 "2014-02-08T02:10:27Z")
Stupid fucking ultrasound results. The tech couldn’t find the nasal bone at 19 weeks. It’s a soft marker for Down Syndrome. I did the cell free genetic testing, with perfectly healthy results. It’s supposed to be 99%accurate in detecting trisomy 21 (DS). Most likely, the tech just couldn’t get a clear look because my growing fetus-daughter was off the charts active; rolling all over the place and kicking like crazy. So while it’s likely nothing, and my OB says I have less than 1 in 10,000 chance… I’m still freaked out. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry. But I have anxiety disorder coupled with an A-type personality. Don’t worry? That’s like saying don’t breathe. I wouldn’t terminate if she does have DS. I have the money and family support to handle it. But I suppose I would get an amniocentesis once she’s viable. I’m a planner and we’d need to make some lifestyle changes. Blarg! I hate this. It’s the waiting that’s killing me. Plus I got the email with the results from my do. About an hour ago. Who gives results like that on a Friday night? BALLS!!! Happy fucking relaxing weekend right? The good news is that my husband yelled at me for worrying. DICKPUNCH!!! ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/155 "2014-02-08T02:32:15Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > {Makes note} I should totally start a newsletter! 🙂 > > I’ve started packing to move (that’s a whole series of rants in itself) - how can we have a house full of stuff that we’ve accumulated for 40+ years and have so very little that I can get rid of? I’m trying to be tough and realistic, but it seems like I have a reason to keep everything! Moving sucks. It doesn’t matter why you are doing it or how much you want to do it, the actual process just really sucks. I hadn’t realized that you had been in the same home for over 40 years. That’s got to REALLY suck. Not that I think your place is messy or anything, but because you are probably finding things that you forgot you had, took a trip down memory lane and realized that you kept it because you really needed it. > [@raventhief](#): > > I am anxiously awaiting menopause to be done with abattoir style monthly rituals and crippling pain. The paps being cut down - pure bonus baby! > I will endure whatever menopause throws in my direction just to stop all that. Hot flashes? Sure! Moodiness? Okay. > \*\*After my cancer scare (hospital lost the excised tissue so couldn’t test it) I had to get paps every 90 days. Then down to every 6 months. … eventually. \*\* > > Damn sometimes it sucks to be a girl. :eek::eek::eek: That sucks even more than moving!!! > [@Sattua](#): > > Oh…? In my area, no matter what age you are, if you’ve had three normal ones in a row you are then shuffled into the every-three-years bracket. Happiest news I’ve ever received in a doctor’s office, I can tell you. You just got put on the same list as my BFF, so there! I’ll just bet that you are going to cry yourself to sleep over that. Now that its agreed that you are going to keep your kitteh, tell your husband that you will start a thread here asking for suggestions for a pain free move about 6 months before the move. You could do it now, but a lot of things can change in 2 years. Or, if this is something your husband has got his teeth in…start the thread now. You will get lots of suggestions. My rant: Lucky is starting to look scruffy and skinny again. He isn’t sneezing, he’s eating and his output is good. He had full blood work done when he had that cold a couple of months ago. We’ll have more blood work done, but I think he’s just getting old. I’ve had him for 8 years and he came to me as an adult. I’m really not ready to lose another cat. (for those who don’t hang on my every word and remember all of my cats…Lucky was the one who first got sick, but got over it. Baker was the one I force fed.) ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/156 "2014-02-08T03:03:53Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > Stupid fucking ultrasound results. The tech couldn’t find the nasal bone at 19 weeks. It’s a soft marker for Down Syndrome. > > I did the cell free genetic testing, with perfectly healthy results. It’s supposed to be 99%accurate in detecting trisomy 21 (DS). > > Most likely, the tech just couldn’t get a clear look because my growing fetus-daughter was off the charts active; rolling all over the place and kicking like crazy. > > So while it’s likely nothing, and my OB says I have less than 1 in 10,000 chance… I’m still freaked out. > > Everyone keeps telling me not to worry. But I have anxiety disorder coupled with an A-type personality. Don’t worry? That’s like saying don’t breathe. > > I wouldn’t terminate if she does have DS. I have the money and family support to handle it. But I suppose I would get an amniocentesis once she’s viable. I’m a planner and we’d need to make some lifestyle changes. > > Blarg! I hate this. It’s the waiting that’s killing me. Plus I got the email with the results from my do. About an hour ago. Who gives results like that on a Friday night? BALLS!!! Happy fucking relaxing weekend right? > > The good news is that my husband yelled at me for worrying. DICKPUNCH!!! What was your NT measurement? ---
**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:** [February 8, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/157 "2014-02-08T03:40:15Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I do the same thing with my cats when they’ve taken over my furniture. One of them will scoot right on out of the way. The other one always holds his ground. It’s like he’s playing a game of “Chicken” with my ass … and because he’s elderly and arthritic, and because I’d rather not take a half-squished cat to the vet\*\* he always wins the game. Smart little bastard. > \*\* “I can 'splain! Honest! See, the bastard is a shitty little prick, and – wait, that sounds bad, doesn’t it?” > [@EmilyG](#): > > If you sat on your elderly cat… that’s be a cat-ass-trophe. > > I usually pick up my cats and move them if I want to sit down. Though one of them has learned to sometimes get up when I say “Get up,” because I usually move him after I say that (if he doesn’t move,) so he figures it’s better to move and avoid having me move him. A few years ago, we opened our home to a pair of strays, one of whom just L-O-O-O-VED to sit down on **kaylasmom** ’s traditional seat at the dining room table. For those who don’t know **kaylasmom** is blind, and came quite close to sitting ON the no-named little furball several times. Which was how he got the name “Squashy.” After giving it a few minutes of thought, I decided that we should specify what kind of squash he was, so I re-christened him as “Punkin.” ---
**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 8, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/158 "2014-02-08T04:16:22Z")
I want a kitty so that I can screw up the mini rants threads by posting cute stuff and obligatory pics… Sigh. While I’m after stuff I can’t have (stupid allergies,) I’d also like to slap some common sense into my eldest daughter’s head. Seriously, I understand being young and dumb, but she’s just taking things too far. Everything is drama, drama, drama, and I’m having a very hard time being all Mommy-rific and supportive. Really, she has no taste in men\*, student loans but no degree (or hope of one any time soon,) estranged from virtually all of her family, busy burning bridges with friends and jobs, legal troubles. I won’t send her any money, because it won’t help. All I can do is worry, and hope that maybe she’ll take me and Tony up on the offer of a plane ticket and a few weeks’ housing here near us. I’m afraid she won’t, though. Not only aren’t we likely to put up with constant drama, I think she’s worried about the cop stepdad and narcotics-detecting dog… _Fiance-before-last_\* was Walter Mitty, Junior, with a substance abuse problem. He lied about every detail of his life, from his bout of thyroid cancer to his time in the Navy. Serious head case. The most recent ex- broke up with her in Walmart, apparently after an argument about some cheese. He literally left her in the dairy aisle, went home, and put her stuff out on the sidewalk. And then changed his Facebook status to single. They had moved in together last Friday. \*\* Seriously? At 21, she’s been engaged either four or five times. I’ve lost count. I love her dearly, but my daughter obviously has the common sense of a piece of lettuce. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/159 "2014-02-08T04:48:10Z")
MA has been dragging it’s feet on updating licenses to the federal standard. Can you fuckers get your ass in gear so I don’t have to start taking my passport everywhere like flying out of state is going to a foreign country. [http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/massachusetts-ids-may-no-longer-be-accepted-by-feds/-/9848766/24358066/-/l7niy7/-/index.html](http://www.wcvb.com/news/politics/massachusetts-ids-may-no-longer-be-accepted-by-feds/-/9848766/24358066/-/l7niy7/-/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286/160 "2014-02-08T05:38:55Z")
Hey **flatlined**! I just learned something new about your former state! Did you know that you can’t sit at a truck stop and drink booze? They have a license to sell booze and food and all that and I can sit at their tables and eat, but not drink. So says Buckeye’s finest. Sigh. How am I supposed to drink away my sorrows? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/febrantary-february-minirants/680286.md?page=9)