# First Rants Thread of 2015 - January Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681 "2015-01-01T15:55:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/101 "2015-01-08T17:25:40Z")
It’s 1 degree, and has been for 12 hours or so. What a stupid fucking temperature. To cold to enjoy much of anything, but not cold enough enough for the below 0 threshold that seems impressive. Either warm up, or drop down, but 1 just annoys me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/102 "2015-01-08T17:28:52Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > Roommate just informed me that, if our rent increases in the new term, he’ll need to move. He says he’s struggling as is (despite the fact that he bar-hops 3-4 nights / week). I don’t want to move, but it doesn’t make sense to stay in a two-bedroom by myself, and I don’t know where I’d find a new roommate on such short notice. He knows the manager of our building (they went to high school together) and I’m trying to see if he can use that connection to pull some strings, but his heart doesn’t seem “in it.”. He should let said manager know that if the rent is increased, he’ll have to move out. Losing a good tenant is expensive. The unit will be vacant for a month at least, then it has to be refurbished, and then you might get a Bad Tenant. Any savvy landlord will realize this. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/103 "2015-01-08T17:43:26Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > It’s 1 degree, and has been for 12 hours or so. What a stupid fucking temperature. To cold to enjoy much of anything, but not cold enough enough for the below 0 threshold that seems impressive. Either warm up, or drop down, but 1 just annoys me. One is the loneliest number. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/104 "2015-01-08T17:58:56Z")
Damn, damn, damn. The water pipe is frozen at the well, despite running that faucet since before sunset last night (and running water inside overnight, opening the sink cabinets, etc.) I switched off the water heater at the breaker - hope I got to that in time to save the heating element! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/105 "2015-01-08T18:23:25Z")
I’m tired. Really tired. Why? My husband woke me up from a dead sleep to ask where the goddamned oreos are. Seriously, who the hell does that? Look in the cabinet for god’s sake! It took forever to fall back asleep - well after my husband had eaten his oreos and come to bed. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/106 "2015-01-08T18:47:49Z")
My sympathies, **overly**. I stayed up until “oh-stupid-thirty” feeding the fire and baking last night, trying to keep the house warm (BTW, the apple pumpkin bread is lovely!) When I finally went to bed, Tony was snuggled warm in the bed, dreaming away. Twice, he woke me talking in his sleep - once to tell me that _something_ would be perfect for the van, and again to ask whether the baby was supposed to have something. (Said baby was all snuggled up between Tony and me, sleeping soundly, with the little dog curled up on her feet.) Both times, he woke me from that stage where I’d just finally dropped off, but wasn’t deeply enough asleep to fall back easily… Glad I made a carafe full of coffee before waking up to no water this morning! ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/107 "2015-01-08T19:08:05Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > My sympathies, **overly**. I stayed up until “oh-stupid-thirty” feeding the fire and baking last night, trying to keep the house warm (BTW, the apple pumpkin bread is lovely!) When I finally went to bed, Tony was snuggled warm in the bed, dreaming away. Twice, he woke me talking in his sleep - once to tell me that _something_ would be perfect for the van, and again to ask whether the baby was supposed to have something. (Said baby was all snuggled up between Tony and me, sleeping soundly, with the little dog curled up on her feet.) Both times, he woke me from that stage where I’d just finally dropped off, but wasn’t deeply enough asleep to fall back easily… > > Glad I made a carafe full of coffee before waking up to no water this morning! Ha! Good timing! I’m going to make more coffee. The pot I drank when I woke up wasn’t nearly enough. I wish I could send you some. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/108 "2015-01-08T19:11:59Z")
I am NOT singling out anyone in particular, here or outside the message board, but considering temperatures went down to where they felt like minus 40 degrees\* last night, I’m getting tired of people complaining about much warmer temperatures than that, claiming that they’re cold. Start complaining when your temperatures approach the minus 40 degree mark. \*minus 40 is the same Celsius and Fahrenheit. I’m not angry at anyone, more just bummed at how cold it is here, I guess. At least it’ll warm up a little this evening, “warm” being a relative term. \*\*overlyverbose \*\*, I wish you could send me some coffee as well, but I don’t particularly deserve it. 😛 ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/109 "2015-01-08T19:37:22Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I am NOT singling out anyone in particular, here or outside the message board, but considering temperatures went down to where they felt like minus 40 degrees\* last night, I’m getting tired of people complaining about much warmer temperatures than that, claiming that they’re cold. Start complaining when your temperatures approach the minus 40 degree mark. > \*minus 40 is the same Celsius and Fahrenheit. > > I’m not angry at anyone, more just bummed at how cold it is here, I guess. At least it’ll warm up a little this evening, “warm” being a relative term. > > \*\*overlyverbose \*\*, I wish you could send me some coffee as well, but I don’t particularly deserve it. 😛 \*\* As has been noted before on this board, 12 degrees with 30MPH winds _in areas where homes aren’t built for those conditions_ is damned cold. Right now, the H part of our HVAC is on the fritz, so keeping the house above 55 F was a challenge overnight. Fireplace, two radiant heaters, and baking/doing laundry overnight did the trick, but made for a long night for Mom! (And I had to find a coat for the 15-year-old house guest, at 11 pm, because that’s when I learned that she didn’t own anything warmer than a heavy sweatshirt. Also a challenge, because the spare girl is about 5’5" and 100 pounds - too tall for Girl 2.0’s clothes, too skinny for mine!) Anti-rant: Got the water thawed. Woohoo! Hot coffee for me! ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/110 "2015-01-08T20:34:49Z")
I’m jealous of all those who have coffee. 😛 (That’s not a rant!) I may get some myself later on today. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/111 "2015-01-08T20:36:44Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > … in which case, Roommate won’t be able to keep up with the bills after the move, either. > > It’s a long shot, but I’d start looking around for a new rooomie now and see if you can turn somebody up. Problem is, we have to give notice by the end of the month. Roommate had been hemming and hawing about it, but I never gave it much credit, because his spending isn’t always exactly… thrifty. (Granted, that could be why the rent increase could be an issue) I’ve been very lucky finding roommates in the past. Initially lived there with my boyfriend and when we broke up and he moved out, a few months passed before I heard that a friend’s apartment rent was going to drastically increase. So, he moved in and assumed the ex’s lease. We lived together for a few years until he lost his job and thought he was going to have to move away. Current roommate lived far away and worked / socialized close to my apartment, so when roommate #2 moved out, he moved in to cut down on the commute. I just don’t think I’d be so lucky to find a new roommate on such short notice a third time. Honestly, most of it is just how much I hate the moving process. I’ve lived at my current unit for 7 years or so, and I was the first tenant. The roommate went to high school with our current property manager, and I think that guy had a crush on him. I guess when they talked during the renewal period last year, the guy said the rent would go up this time, and that’s what has my roommate so worried. I’m almost tempted to pay the difference, if it is that much. Thing is, a month or so ago, my roommate made good on a deal / arrangement we had and he bought me a new laptop. So, I feel kinda guilty trying to strong-arm him to stay when he bought me a $900 machine. ---
**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:** [January 8, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/112 "2015-01-08T23:40:35Z")
Do you sign fixed-term leases, or are you month-to-month? If month-to-month, maybe you _could_ pay the difference for the first month of the rent increase, and buy the two of you another four weeks to make your new arrangements. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/113 "2015-01-09T00:05:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Do you sign fixed-term leases, or are you month-to-month? If month-to-month, maybe you _could_ pay the difference for the first month of the rent increase, and buy the two of you another four weeks to make your new arrangements. The rent increase is quite a hit. Basically, I lived in this place before it got “developed” and caused the value to increase greatly. Since I’ve been there from the beginning, I haven’t had as much of a rent increase compared to someone newly leasing a unit. If I went month to month, I lose that “discount.” I’ve been on great terms w/ the management, and the fact is, there are a lot of other units around, so I’m thinking they’ll (hopefully) try to work with us on the matter, because, as stated earlier, I’m the bird in the hand (paying admittedly a lower rate) versus them trying to find a new tenant. The only thing is, my floorplan is amazing and one of the most popular, so they may call my bluff. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/114 "2015-01-09T02:13:56Z")
1. My aunt has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Fuck Cancer! 2. She was scheduled for surgery, and the result of the testing of the lymph node was “yep, it’s cancer” so we are still in limbo. Limbo Sucks! 3. Aunt was cranky, and now my mom (her sister) is seriously upset. I wish I knew how to make my mom feel better. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/115 "2015-01-09T12:44:44Z")
You, family heading off on a big holiday. You, family with too many children and too many bags. You who came to the airport. You who saw there were two security lanes. You who decided to say the hell with logic, let’s bog down _both_ lanes with our screaming children and our never been out of Bumblefuck, Queensland ignorance. You who, instead of sensibly moving your discombobulated herd through _one_ security lane, decided to take up _both_, for the entire time it took for them to screen all _fourteen_ bags, while one child was in full tantrum mode: I hope you get bedbugs. I hope you get sunburn so bad it blisters. I hope that when you get back home your house has been eaten by termites. I hope your rental car gets two flat tires. I hope your baby just cries the entire time. I hope your hotel has a fire at one AM and you have to stand on the street in your pajamas and then you have to rebook in another hotel and it’s one of those shitty places with hard mattresses and questionable hygiene. I hope seagulls steal your ice cream. I hope you eat some end-of-the-day special sushi and get food poisoning. I hope a pickpocket gets your wallets. I hope there’s a horrible traffic jam and so you’re late to the airport, and the rental car guy finds a big scratch on the car door, and your flight is delayed by sixteen hours, and your luggage gets sent to Tajikistan. Other than that, I hope you enjoy your holiday. Fuckfaces. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/116 "2015-01-09T14:00:13Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > Sorry for your niece, but IIRC, LDS missions last for two years, and it might be for the best that she isn’t in a long-distance relationship while she is (presumably) entering college. Not saying she should immediately jump back into the dating pool, but I know more than a few people who tried to do the long-distance thing during their Freshman year and it caused them to miss out on a lot of socializing. They looked back with regret, especially since most broke up by Christmas of the Freshman year. > > Now, as for the letter? The only possible rationalization would be that someone was trying to soften the blow of the break-up, but still, that’s a horrible thing to do. I know he was just trying to “do the right thing.” But he’s not going to leave for at least another six months. And, he’s cried to her many many times that he’s not sure he even wants to do the mission and isn’t sure about being Mormon at all. But of course, he’s not allowed to question anything and has to follow the rules and be the Golden Oldest Child. She knew it was going to happen eventually but just didn’t expect it before Christmas. Just one more reason why religion sucks ass! ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/117 "2015-01-09T15:02:37Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > I know he was just trying to “do the right thing.” But he’s not going to leave for at least another six months. And, he’s cried to her many many times that he’s not sure he even wants to do the mission and isn’t sure about being Mormon at all. But of course, he’s not allowed to question anything and has to follow the rules and be the Golden Oldest Child. She knew it was going to happen eventually but just didn’t expect it before Christmas. > > Just one more reason why religion sucks ass! I completely sympathize, don’t get me wrong, but is there ever any good time for a break-up? If he would have waited until after the holidays, then he would’ve done it before Valentine’s Day. If he would’ve waited until after Valentine’s Day, then it would’ve been around Spring Break. (I assume they would’ve done something together.) If he would’ve waited until after Spring Break, then it would’ve been right before Prom. Etc., etc., etc. The good / bad thing is, the feelings are still there and maybe he will figure things out before the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/118 "2015-01-09T17:30:54Z")
Building kitty corner from where I work has several lunch places on the skyway level. Less than a year ago they started posting a security guard at one end. Today I walk through and the guard, speaking with a Russian accent, is explaining to someone else how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is entirely legitimate because “the majority of people in those regions asked for Russian troops to protect them”. :rolleyes: On the 8th floor of that building is the US Diplomatic Protection Service. Nothing to see here, move along. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/119 "2015-01-09T23:14:09Z")
But it’s worth it for Andrea Pizza - super yummy! ---
**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:** [January 10, 2015, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681/120 "2015-01-10T06:10:46Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > You, family heading off on a big holiday. You, family with too many children and too many bags. You who came to the airport. You who saw there were two security lanes. You who decided to say the hell with logic, let’s bog down _both_ lanes with our screaming children and our never been out of Bumblefuck, Queensland ignorance. You who, instead of sensibly moving your discombobulated herd through _one_ security lane, decided to take up _both_, for the entire time it took for them to screen all _fourteen_ bags, while one child was in full tantrum mode: > > I hope you get bedbugs. I hope you get sunburn so bad it blisters. I hope that when you get back home your house has been eaten by termites. I hope your rental car gets two flat tires. I hope your baby just cries the entire time. I hope your hotel has a fire at one AM and you have to stand on the street in your pajamas and then you have to rebook in another hotel and it’s one of those shitty places with hard mattresses and questionable hygiene. I hope seagulls steal your ice creamer. I hope you eat some end-of-the-day special sushi and get food poisoning. I hope a pickpocket gets your wallets. I hope there’s a horrible traffic jam and so you’re late to the airport, and the rental car guy finds a big scratch on the car door, and your flight is delayed by sixteen hours, and your luggage gets sent to Tajikistan. > > Other than that, I hope you enjoy your holiday. > > Fuckfaces. I hope they weren’t on your flight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-rants-thread-of-2015-january-minirants/708681.md?page=7)