# MMP - As serious as a heart attack. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [December 12, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230 "2005-12-12T07:36:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/181 "2005-12-15T04:23:40Z")
**Taters** and **FCM** , your complicated financial systems confuse me. Just FYI. Yes, Wyckoff is a rather amusing name. Wyckoff when you can sneeze? šŸ˜› But hey, itā€™s Dutch, so itā€™s okay. You know, **Wallflower** ā€™s blizzard aside, it hasnā€™t snowed enough here. Unlike last week, when my desired frozen precipitation outcome was achieved ( šŸ˜‰ **gt** ), this week the only thing the snow has done is melt. If itā€™s going to be cold enough that I can not only see my breath, but see it freeze solid and fall to the ground with a _crash_, the least it could do is snow enough to make it a real winter. (Apologies to those with driveways.) Oh, and **FCM** - Not the comfy chair!! Anything but the comfy chair!! No one expects the Doper induction! Our chief weapon is hijacks! And lots of innuendo. Our two weapons are hijacks and lots of innuendo! Oh, and recipes. Our three weapons are: hijacks, lots of innuendo, and recipes! And pet descriptions, I suppose. Our four weapons are ā€¦ _Amongst_ our weaponry are ā€¦ Oh hell with it. :: quietly eats chocolate :: ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/182 "2005-12-15T05:05:38Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > From what weā€™ve been told, COLA is mandated. I dunno - I donā€™t understand a lot of it, and I confess, since Iā€™m so close to retirement, I find it hard to get too wound up. > > On the other hand, it would make no sense for them to jerk the workers around - theyā€™d risk losing too many and being stuck with the no-loads who donā€™t think they could get jobs elsewhereā€¦ > > Did that make sense? Thereā€™s logic in there somewhere. Nope, Iā€™ve been told that once NSPS is fully implemented congressional colas go away. Oh, thereā€™ll be a LOCAL market based adjustment every year, based on your occupation, so there is a danger that your pay could eventually go down. Itā€™s a given the health insurance will continue to rise, so I am afraid of flattening. Letā€™s face it; certain fields are more in demand. Unfortunately, although I have 22 years and then some in, I need to work for at least 17 more years before I can retire. My minimum retirement age is 56 and Iā€™m only 41. I am very screwed. Finally, you have a much rosier view point than I do regarding those in charge. Itā€™s all about A-76 and privatization, baby. They want less of us workers. One of the reasons they switched to FERS from CSRS is that CSRS retirees were costing them a bundle. Iā€™m under FERS. Iā€™m not really sure how I feel about that, I do need to contribute more to the TSP, but my little ā€œpensionā€ part of FERS is really, really sucky. Oh crap, Iā€™ve gone off on a wild tangent here. Iā€™m so sorry. Iā€™m very pessimistic about this whole business. Most of the changes theyā€™ve made to our pay, our retirement, the personnel system, have not been more favorable to the employees. I canā€™t fret about it (well, overly much), because itā€™s coming whether I want it or not. Look for your name to change to Ben D. Over soon. šŸ˜‰ Okay, TOMORROW Iā€™m going to come in here with a sunny, positive attitude and will be nothing but sunshine and sweetness. I hope. I need to throw a load laundry in the dryer. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/183 "2005-12-15T05:36:51Z")
Welcome, **Wallflower**! Watch out for the cats - theyā€™re always underfoot around here. Went to the last pottery class tonight and glazed all the stuff Iā€™ve done. A couple of the pieces are actually pretty decent. Iā€™m taking a wheel-throwing class starting in Feb. It will be interesting to see if I can actually get the damn clay centered in this century - I couldnā€™t back in the '80ā€™s. The studio I use doesnā€™t offer a scuptural clay course, so Iā€™m going to take handbuilding again under the same instructor and concentrate on sculpture. Heā€™s making a special exception for me - Iā€™m special!! ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/184 "2005-12-15T06:49:06Z")
> [@Snakescatlady](#): > > Iā€™m special!! [sorry, canā€™t resist] Is your name Ed? [/s,cr] ---
**Author:** ![Wallflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Wallflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallflower)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/185 "2005-12-15T11:33:48Z")
Got 10 inches of the cold white stuff yeserday, but itā€™s not too bad for Hubby and I 'cause my driveway is only 50-60 feet long. Hey, no extra initiations! Just because I havenā€™t posted much in the last five years doenā€™t mean I havenā€™t been around. Hey, MPSIMS is my homepage! Iā€™m one of those MMP looky-loos that **Ex** was complaining about a couple years ago. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/186 "2005-12-15T11:54:54Z")
> [@Snakescatlady](#): > > Went to the last pottery class tonight and glazed all the stuff Iā€™ve done. A couple of the pieces are actually pretty decent. Iā€™m taking a wheel-throwing class starting in Feb. It will be interesting to see if I can actually get the damn clay centered in this century - I couldnā€™t back in the '80ā€™s. I was fighting centering up until my teacher mentioned a trick - hope I can say this so it makes sense. First off, we start with wedged clay - it looks like giant Hersheyā€™s kisses - centered the best we can. Tina said when you have big hunks (it works with smaller hunks, too) itā€™s easier to center the clay by ā€œconingā€ - using both hands to squoosh the clay to the center and up. Then you can smoosh it down and open. Sorry for using all that technical jargonā€¦ šŸ˜‰ Anyway, I found that worked great for me - rather than trying to center a squatty lump of clay, I let it form itself in the center. It was pretty easy once I saw how Tina did it. Hope I donā€™t forget before class starts again in Feb. **Taters** , Iā€™m FERS too - hired in '85. The rest of my years are active duty Navy time. So Iā€™ve got the TSP blues as well. Iā€™ve already decide that when I go out the door, Iā€™ll only take a month or 2 off before getting another, non-Fed job. Iā€™ll be 56 in 2010, but my retirement will be determined by when we hit our target savings account goal. Once that dollar amount is achieved, Iā€™m outta here! ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/187 "2005-12-15T13:04:22Z")
**Drae** when ACBG gets bitchy I just slap him around a bit til he snaps out of it. Ok, I donā€™t actually do that but Iā€™ve threatened to. I do stick my tongue out at him and ask him if he needs a nap though. For some reason that makes him laugh everytime I do it. So, now when one of us gets all cranky/bitchy the phrase is" ā€œAWWWā€¦ does somebody need a nap!ā€ šŸ˜› Itā€™s rainy and icky and tornadoey looking today. This means, of course, things will go all to hell and crankiness/bitchiness will be rampant at work. Maybe I can just declare nap time if it gets out of hand. I have leftover chicken 'n dumplinā€™s for lunch so that will help make things better. Yesterday I ate the left over spicy orange chicken from the good Chinese place that I had on Friday night. This Friday a bunch of us are going out to dinner then go back to the swampcave for dessert. Dessert is going to be ice cream cake from the DQ. YAY! -swampbear (maybe Iā€™ll just lock myself in my office and hide under my desk) ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/188 "2005-12-15T13:04:48Z")
It is 8 in the morning, and I got about two hours sleep. Mr. SCL is snoring like a chainsaw. I am very cranky, and was planning on bitching. Then Cricket and Lt. Dax get on the desk and start bathing each other and purring. How can I be cranky and bitch when I have two beautiful fat fuzzy furbabies on my desk? When Mr. SCL wakes up, **then** I can cranky and bitch. Heā€™s getting some snore strips today. Hope everyone got a better nights sleep than I got. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/189 "2005-12-15T13:14:37Z")
**SCL** those Breathe Right things are one of the best inventions evah! I wonā€™t call any names, but _somebody_\* can suck the paint off the walls with his snoring. One of those little strips, however, causes blessed, wonderful silence to ensue. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/190 "2005-12-15T13:29:29Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > but _somebody_\* can suck the paint off the walls There ainā€™t enough \s in the world to cover thisā€¦ :eek: šŸ˜ƒšŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/191 "2005-12-15T13:37:14Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > There ainā€™t enough \s in the world to cover thisā€¦ :eek: šŸ˜ƒšŸ˜‰ There are times when that is a quality trait. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/192 "2005-12-15T14:04:10Z")
> [@Snakescatlady](#): > > Heā€™s making a special exception for me - Iā€™m special!! As in ā€œstop eating the glazingā€ special? ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/193 "2005-12-15T14:25:54Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > It says we gotta register for it. I ainā€™t doinā€™ it cause Iā€™m a rebel. Oops! Sorry about that. I just take my registration for granted. Anyway, hereā€™s the recipe with credit going to the NYTimes food folks: Molten Chocolate Babycakes 4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter, more for greasing dishes 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (preferably with 70 percent cocoa solids) 4 large eggs Salt Ā¾ cup superfine sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup flour. 1. Place a baking sheet on center rack in oven and heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter insides of six 6-ounce heatproof glass or ceramic baking dishes. (If using soufflĆ© dishes, line bottoms with parchment paper; dishes with flared sides will not need lining.) 2. In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave oven, melt chocolate; set aside to cool slightly. In a medium bowl, beat eggs together with a pinch of salt until frothy; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together 4 tablespoons butter and the sugar. Gradually add egg mixture, then vanilla. Add flour and mix well. Add chocolate and blend until smooth. 3. Divide batter among six baking dishes and arrange them on baking sheet hot from the oven. Bake until firm and dry on surface, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove dishes from oven and immediately invert cakes onto small plates or shallow bowls. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings. I wouldnā€™t be a bad idea to try them this weekend to see how they are and then make them for Christmas next weekend. And with \*\*Spatial \*\*and \*\*Mika \*\*offering to serve as guinea pigsā€¦ but then again, I really need to make my lasagna this weekend so it can sit in the freezer for a week (somehow or other it makes it taste better to sit in the freezer for a while before cooking) and I need to make lots and lots of fudge for everyone on my Christmas list. So I donā€™t know if Iā€™ll have time to get to babycakes. Hmmā€¦ that just sounds kinda naughty, doesnā€™t it? ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/194 "2005-12-15T14:33:34Z")
Good morning, everybody! I spent at least twenty minutes lying in bed this morning, convincing myself to get up and go to work. I need the money because Iā€™m out of time off, nobody else knows how to do my job these days, the receptionist is leaving early, yadda yadda yadda. I got up ā€¦ but I refused to do my hair. Thatā€™ll teach 'em. :rolleyes: So last night, I came up with a new euphemism for alternative lifestyle that I think everyone should immediately put into circulation. I was discussing a cow-orker with my best friend, and how heā€™s closeted and _faaaaaaabulously_ gay, but too Catholic to admit it. In conclusion to a sentence, I said ā€œHe doesnā€™t play for our team.ā€ Then, it occurred to me that my best friend is bisexual, and amended it to ā€œHe doesnā€™t play for _my_ team. Or your team. I mean, youā€™re not on _his_ team, and youā€™re not on _my_ ā€¦ You play winner.ā€ And thatā€™s it. For Christmas, sheā€™s getting a t-shirt that says ā€œI Play Winner.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/195 "2005-12-15T15:01:53Z")
Pardon my bad manners and welcome **wallflower**. May I call you **wally**? Everyone gets a nickname here see. I have two dogs also. (There were three but now thereā€™s two.) What kind are yours? Can you do pics? Tupug ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/196 "2005-12-15T15:08:41Z")
Oh-I am so upset. I came in here, looking for pleasant time wasting posts and am cut to the quick. \ Woe is meā€“I am devastated by the lack of sensitivity here. \ Where o where is my tissue? Why am I crying so early in the morning? See belowā€¦ > [@Taters](#): > > I need to throw a load laundry in the dryer. I am dryer challengedā€“and all alone, waiting at the window, my face in jar by the door, seeking Scotter MacKenzie. \ And **Taters** gets to put _her_ laundry in the dryer! \ ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/197 "2005-12-15T15:27:29Z")
Well, geez **rigs** you can put your laundry in the dryer. Of course you canā€™t actually_dry_ it right now but you could put it in there. Heck, for all we know thatā€™s all **Taters** did. She didnā€™t say she actually _dried_ the laundry, now did she? ---
**Author:** ![Wallflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Wallflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallflower)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/198 "2005-12-15T15:27:55Z")
> [@Tupug Anachi](#): > > Pardon my bad manners and welcome **wallflower**. May I call you **wally**? Everyone gets a nickname here see. I have two dogs also. (There were three but now thereā€™s two.) What kind are yours? Can you do pics? > > Tupug Thanks for the welcome **Puggy**. Nicks are cool with me, but I would prefer either Flower or Wall (or some play on those). I still miss **WallyM7** , the inspiration for the smiley :wally , so I would rather not appropriate his screenname. Here are my fuzzbutts [Sparky](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sfdawn918/detail?.dir=fb4b&.dnm=6913.jpg&.src=ph) a Rat [del]Terror[/del]Terrier weā€™ve had since Feb. She will be 2 in March. Got her from a woman who decided to get rid of all her ratties to raise dobermans. And [Buffy](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sfdawn918/detail?.dir=fb4b&.dnm=685e.jpg&.src=ph) , a YorkiePoo we got a month ago. Sheā€™s 41/2. Her original Mom and Dad were elderly, the wife died and the man went into a nursing home, leaving her with a neighbor who didnā€™t want a small dog. He took her to her vet, who gave her to a groomer friend who does small dog rescue informally. Not many people in this area appreciate little dogs, itā€™s all about Labs and other large hunters. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/199 "2005-12-15T15:36:15Z")
> [@Wallflower](#): > > Got 10 inches \ > [@taxi78cab](#): > > And with \*\*Spatial \*\* and \*\*Mika \*\* offering to serve as guinea pigs Hey, when did I volunteer? \*\*Spatial \*\* dragged me into it! Darn that Spatial! _shakes fist_ ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230/200 "2005-12-15T15:48:04Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Oh-I am so upset. I came in here, looking for pleasant time wasting posts and am cut to the quick. \ > > Woe is meā€“I am devastated by the lack of sensitivity here. \ Where o where is my tissue? > > Why am I crying so early in the morning? See belowā€¦ > > I am dryer challengedā€“and all alone, waiting at the window, my face in jar by the door, seeking Scotter MacKenzie. > \ And **Taters** gets to put _her_ laundry in the dryer! > \ Please pardon my insensitivity to your plight. I didnā€™t mean to smush your face all up in it. Really, you wouldnā€™t want my dryer (or washer) anyway. It really, really, really sucks and is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY old. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-as-serious-as-a-heart-attack/335230.md?page=11)