# Mini-Month Mini-Rants (Feb 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [February 1, 2026, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273 "2026-02-01T16:40:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/101 "2026-02-06T20:24:26Z")
Yup. What do I have to lose at this point? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/102 "2026-02-06T20:33:49Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > For some reason Adobe will no longer send documents to my printer. When I try to print anything and select my printer from the drop-down menu, then press the print button nothing happens. If your printer works with other applications like Open Office, this almost sounds like the printer is **not** selected in Adobe even though you think you did. I have an older version of Adobe Acrobat Pro and maybe the menus have changed, but in the “File” menu there is a “Printer setup” option. Do you have that option and have you checked that your printer is selected as the default? What happens if you right-click a PDF file and select “Print”? ---
**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 6, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/103 "2026-02-06T23:17:44Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Plan B was to go (photo) shoot some farmhouses covered in a snowy blanket. Because of the weather, there are too many issues (snow, winds, cold) with doing that this weekend… … Y’know, it IS February, which is the perfect excuse to put anything on hold. Three of my favorite hobbies are shelved every winter (yes, I know I could get a stationary bike and play indoor soccer, but I’d rather pattern my life after those animals who are wiser than Type A humans, and just hibernate). I’ve also discovered that since 2020, having a sniffle or a cough also gets you out of anything! “I think I’m coming down with a cold, or some sort of corona virus…,” and suddenly the friend who I was going to drive to an art gallery across the state… decided he’d rather just drive himself! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/104 "2026-02-06T23:24:27Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > How many times have you told the BoD and the executives exactly this stuff? > > Or tell them you’ll need firing authority over anyone else who doesn’t agree w the BoD directive that your work is now the most important work of the organization. Then clean house with great relish. You know who needs the axe; you just need the BoD to hand it to you and tell you to let 'er rip! Hilariously, I’m not allowed to talk to anyone on the Board unless I’m being closely supervised, because one of our CEOs got fired when someone who used to be on my team delivered a full power point presentation to the Board of Directors outlining why she should be fired. Current CEO is super paranoid. I am genuinely torn between rising to the occasion and showing myself the door. I saw an open grant consulting job, fully remote, that paid twice what I make. It might be the direction to go if I want to break into consulting. I used to want to work for the Division of Victim Services but given the current government situation, working for the government doesn’t seem like a safe bet any more. So maybe it’s time for me to sell out. But whether I stay or go, I’ll be firmly out of my comfort zone for a while. There’s no way out of that. ---
**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 6, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/105 "2026-02-06T23:29:28Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > Considering that most of my records (bank statements, credit card statements, tax forms, etc) are in pdf format, I’d hate to lose access to them by losing Adobe. I’ve used (and taught) Adobe products since the '80s, and I’ve never printed a PDF by opening it in “Adobe”. I’m on a Mac, which comes with Preview, a handy little app that’ll open and print any PDF. The Windows side has Edge and other apps that’ll do the same. And you know, it’s named _P_ortable _D_ocument _F_ormat for a reason: it can be opened with many different programs on many different platforms. So you’ll never have to worry about “losing access” to your statements and tax forms. (I just took a couple years off from paying Adobe’s maddening subscription, and I did fine. Didn’t “lose” anything.) But don’t give up; keep trying different things until something works! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/106 "2026-02-06T23:30:28Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Hilariously, I’m not allowed to talk to anyone on the Board unless I’m being closely supervised, because one of our CEOs got fired when someone who used to be on my team delivered a full power point presentation to the Board of Directors outlining why she should be fired. I’d call that a very successful PowerPoint presentation. Really got the message across, apparently. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Current CEO is super paranoid. I’d say, don’t do things that would get you fired and you’re okay. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/107 "2026-02-06T23:33:27Z")
What the former CEO was doing was grossly unethical, so I’m not surprised she got fired for it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/108 "2026-02-06T23:34:18Z")
I feel like it should be part of a documentary series called, “Heroes of PowerPoint”. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/109 "2026-02-06T23:35:40Z")
The presenter was great. She was on her way to graduate school and had nothing to lose so she said, “fuck yeah I’ll fall on that sword” and she left with a clean conscience. ---
**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 6, 2026, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/110 "2026-02-06T23:36:51Z")
May you do likewise! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/111 "2026-02-06T23:43:55Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I am genuinely torn between rising to the occasion and showing myself the door. I saw an open grant consulting job, fully remote, that paid twice what I make. It might be the direction to go if I want to break into consulting. I’d think about that other gig for 5 full seconds before jumping on it with both feet and zero regrets. Your current job hates you and is trying to kill you. Run away! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/112 "2026-02-06T23:49:55Z")
> [@digs](#): > > But don’t give up; keep trying different things until something works! Another thing to consider – **[Foxit PDF Reader](https://www.foxit.com/resource-hub/data-sheets/foxit-pdf-reader/)**. I used it many years ago, and it seems that since then they’ve grown quite large and have a lot of products that they charge for aimed at the enterprise market, but AFAICT the basic Foxit PDF Reader linked above is still free, just like the basic Adobe Reader but hopefully with much less bloat. Requires Windows 10 or 11 (or MacOS). > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > > I am genuinely torn between rising to the occasion and showing myself the door. I saw an open grant consulting job, fully remote, that paid twice what I make. It might be the direction to go if I want to break into consulting. > > I’d think about that other gig for 5 full seconds before jumping on it with both feet and zero regrets. > > Your current job hates you and is trying to kill you. Run away! I agree. @Spice_Weasel, grab that other job while you can, and then give your current organization and the incompetents within it the treatment they deserve! ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/113 "2026-02-07T01:16:03Z")
Spice Weasel, if you don’t apply to that better job with extreme prejudice, I’m gonna slap you through this screen. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/114 "2026-02-07T01:22:14Z")
I believe I mentioned, here or in some other rant, that temperatures will begin to warm slightly from the extreme cold we’ve been having, but that there will be snow. This is incorrect. The latest forecast is that it will become colder than ever, with winds – and here I quote: “Strong winds with gusts up to 80 km/h possible.” With wind chill comparable to northern Siberia. And **then** we’ll get some snow. This is all really extraordinary. We don’t usually get much snow here, and it’s not usually all that cold, at least not for prolonged periods. La Nina is really doing a number on us this season. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/115 "2026-02-07T02:39:36Z")
Agreed! Screen slap incoming, @Spice_Weasel! You owe it to yourself to at least _apply_. You can always decline. I’ve made a few difficult career moves but ultimately the decision always included the fact that the job I was at was not going to help me. It would not improve. I could give and give and give but they would only take, not give back. As a proper xennial, a song lyric that resonated when I was exploring my last career move is “Leave, when time only salts your wounds”. That line has been echoing in my head recently, and while I’m not quite at the tipping point, I’m paying a little more attention to what’s going on around me. It won’t get better. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/116 "2026-02-07T02:45:37Z")
Okay. Can’t hurt to apply, can it? ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/117 "2026-02-07T02:56:28Z")
Nope! Do it! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/118 "2026-02-07T03:16:01Z")
Oh, at first glance I can’t find that one, but I’m surprised how many jobs there are out there that I could theoretically do that pay at least as much as I’m making now. I figured no way would any nonprofit pay me more than I make now, but that grants management role boosted me into a higher income tier. I appear to be more qualified than I thought I was. Kind of helps to know that. I do think there are things left to learn at my current job. But there are also things to learn at other jobs. So I will explore what’s out there. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/119 "2026-02-07T03:55:29Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Can’t hurt to apply, can it? If you decide not to go through with it because it’s not a great fit or something, you just decline the offer. It’s not a commitment. Putting yourself out there might make you feel a lot better regardless of what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273/120 "2026-02-07T04:35:25Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > the job I was at was not going to help me A book title that has always stuck with me is “Work Won’t Love You Back.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mini-month-mini-rants-feb-2026/1027273.md?page=7)