'Rona Rant:
Talking to my mom Saturday, I vented about people not wearing masks in close spaces. She said she wears a mask when she is out and about, but usually around her neck unless someone comes close. Really? That’s utterly fucking useless, woman. After talking with her, I was texting my daughter about her grandmother. She replied “We’re not wearing masks…” Aren’t you guys taking a walk around the lake? No, we’re at WalMart right now.
More than a few times over the past almost six years, when my body was actively trying to kill me daily, I thought about letting it. What kept me above ground were the facts that if I went, my mom would literally have no one. Maybe my daughter. No one else. She alienated everyone else. And my daughter would have no parent. Her dad is alive, but they have absolutely no relationship. They’ve not spoken in 10 years. And here we now are. An elderly woman with heart issues, continuing her daily routines wearing a mask around her dang neck and a youngish adult with previous respiratory issues not bothering to wear one at all.
Plus, I discovered my oldest nephew is a full-fledged MAGA supporter.
Have you checked it lately? Ours is locked with a note about the virus being able to survive on the cover and pages and the protection of the staff. Not sure what the plan for disinfecting the books are, but I presume there is one.
Our book drops are closed for the duration. Nobody is getting overdue fines, library privileges are not in danger, but dang it. People are waiting to read this book and it bothers me that I can’t get it to them.
Projammer, thanks for asking about Missy. She has totally recovered from her attempt to break the law of gravity. She wasn’t happy when the vet gave her the OK to walk for herself, but after a few days of trying to guilt everyone into carrying her, she gave up. (She also couldn’t remember which leg to limp on, which really gave her away.)
Today’s rant could go in the workplace rant thread but I’m already here…
No good deed goes unpunished.
I had a part-time work minion who is a full time college student. Once things started going sideways, I sent him home with pay. He was sharing an apartment with several other college students, who moved out and left him with an apartment he couldn’t afford in a city a long way from home.
The company we work for has mobile offices which are basically refurbished modular homes with the small kitchens and restrooms left functional. There were 7 stored at a close by equipment yard. I was able to get permission to have one hooked up to and moved my minion there for 200/month rent. (Legal said we had to do it that way.) He was happy, I didn’t have to worry about him giving up and going home, and the equipment yard supervisor liked having him there at night.
As a matter of fact, the jerk liked having him there so much that he hired minion out from under me. Guess who is NOT going to be invited to our annual 4th of July party. If we can’t have one this year, I will remember to NOT invite him next year!
Durwood Cat came home from the vet for two hours. My housemates just took him back for his final trip. Poor kitty had fluid on the lungs and he couldn’t breathe.
Why would they beg? They can’t even read.
Ok, so I received the dreaded Jury summons today, I had to go online and answer a few questions. Seems like I did this just a year ago, but it looks like it was five years since I was lasted called for jury duty. So I’m not overjoyed, but the term of service if for one month, July (yeah, it’s kind of a screwy way to do jury duty, but that’s this state for you). So I’m thinking that perhaps July may still have us under lockdown, I hope so, I don’t want to spend any time in a small room with eleven strangers.
My mom saw my FB post where I said this. She called today to tell me she’d ordered a complete kit of skin care products made with goat milk. Apparently, goat milk skin care is awesome.
Meantime, I’m using O’Keefe’s, which does seem to be helping.
Out walking the dog this morning. Our usual route is to walk a couple of blocks to the neighborhood park, where she will poop somewhere along the way, I bag it, then we drop it off in a trash can at the park, circle the parking lot, and head back home.
On our way into the park, there were three different places where I had to step around where someone had hocked up a giant loogie and spit it out on the sidewalk. Jesus fuck dude (and you know it had to be a dude) there’s grass one foot away! If you have to spit, couldn’t you at least make the effort to fucking spit in the grass, where people aren’t walking? Asshole.
But the library is closed so even if you COULD return the book, there are no staff to check the book out. It’s not like you are hanging on to the book, spiting everyone.
Lemme tell you something, my anonymous Internet pal. You’ve got exactly zero to be guilty about.
You have been paying emotional and mental dues for so many years while most of the 1st World has been rolling up the 401K, buying 3 homes and getting that second SUV.
The Universe decided that enough was just fucking enough for you and your brood and you are now facing financial stability and life security?
Right the hell on. You sound grateful and sincere about it.
Zero guilt, man. ZERO guilt. I hope your family continues to thrive and the new gig runs for 20 years.
I got a phone call earlier today; the caller ID just read “wireless caller” and it was a local number so I answered it in case it was actually someone I knew. It turned out to be someone with a very heavy accent calling about funeral benefits which were “now available in my area”. I thought that was rather tasteless considering the current health crisis.
I’ve broken into the library closest to** flatlined**'s estate thrice now, and looked to see if her book’s been returned. Every time, I slip back out through that loose ceiling tile (and re-enable the cameras and give the guard the knockout-gas antidote). Forlorn that I have to wait even longer to read
*Shelved Under F for Fun:
You, Too, Can Raise Feral Felines in a Warehouse
While I agree that I’m not being rational or logical, being a responsible library user is as much a habit as breathing. Besides, the security guard is complaining of bad headaches!
Profiteers suck. You can look all over the place and find examples of scarce items going for insane prices. One specific example I saw today: I needed to take my temperature in preparation for a telemedicine appointment. Our electronic thermometer decided that it no longer needed to turn on. We had an old-fashioned glass thermometer but something scary had spilled on the case and dripped inside and it wasn’t even washing off the outside of the case, so I decided I did not want to put that in my mouth.
So I went down to the CVS and asked if they had thermometers. The staff member, to his credit, did not laugh out loud at me - but he was wearing a mask (as was I) and I assume managed a smirk as he said they didn’t have any. Well, Amazon will have them, right?
Er… yeah. forehead units were starting at 60 dollars and going north from there. A regular “electronic stick in your mouth til it beeps” sort was 15 dollars. I looked at CVS, Target and Walgreen’s websites and no luck. But Walmart.com, had them. Many were overpriced - but they actually had the identical one that I’d seen at amazon - for 4.88.
I ordered 3, paid the shipping fee (6 bucks or whatever), and placed the order. An hour later I looked again and they showed as out of stock, so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether I really snagged the last 3. BTW - not “hoarding” there: there are multiple adults in the household and this lets us each have one without needing to resort to overpriced plastic covers that slice up the underside of your tongue.
So right there is a 200% markup. A friend spotted a 6-pack of ramen for 18 bucks. Yes, Purina Musician Chow that sold last year for 30 cents is now 3.00 a serving.
I saw a pound of rice at Amazon for 15 dollars. This was was not rice paddied only in snowmelt from the surface of the Vinson Massif, fertilized with the most carefully composted passenger pigeon dung, and tended and harvested by 16 year old virgins… it was bog-standard Carolina brand rice (OK. I looked again, and it’s “extra long grain” - and the price is now 20.00 for 2 pounds; one pound is now 9.50).
