# Novembrants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 1, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304 "2014-11-01T21:59:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/221 "2014-11-18T05:59:28Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Have you thought about barking back? šŸ˜ƒ Wonā€™t work. My brother got into a ā€˜barking feudā€™ with the neighborā€™s dog. He tried for weeks but: 1. The dog just barked back louder. 2. The dog could keep it up forever while my brother ended up hoarse after five minutes. Apparently barking for dogs is like talking for humans: essentially effortless. 3. My brotherā€™s efforts apparently convinced the dog my brother was a rabid rival dog, and thus HAD to be barked at every time he was visible and for long after he was in the house, which the rest of our family got maybe 30 seconds of half-hearted barking. So donā€™t do it. If it seriously bothers you, donā€™t do things humans fail at (e.g. barking) go to things we excel at. For example, advanced weaponry. A garden-hose soaking each time will at least force him to bark at you from a greater distance. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/222 "2014-11-18T14:34:26Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > A garden-hose soaking each time will at least force him to bark at you from a greater distance. My husband does that to our neighbourā€™s dogs when they bark. (Just a quick spray to shut them up.) He says heā€™d rather give the dogs a short-lived discomfort than allow them to keep barking and have other neighbours call the cops on them (which has happened to previous neighbourā€™s dogs.) ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/223 "2014-11-18T15:58:39Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > What the heck does too dynamic mean? Too energetic? Too engaging? Maybe theyā€™re worried the patients would like you too much. I have no idea. The place that hadnā€™t called me back did in fact call me back and wants me to come in for a third interview, this time at the clinic where I would actually be working. (They made me drive 30 miles each way in the complete opposite direction TWICE for my other interview and working interview. The location of the open position is 8 miles away.) ---
**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:** [November 18, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/224 "2014-11-18T16:36:16Z")
Thanks, **flatlined**. New Guy got himself signed up with a temp agency and starts a 2-week gig today, and while the hours will be looong theyā€™ll come with a bit of that sweet, sweet overtime pay. Frankly, I think he just needed a kick in the ass. In general, some stuff shook loose, I guess. After all the, uh, \*unpleasantness \*of last week, once we finally talked everything through and all, weā€™ve both been more relaxed and affectionate with each other, and heā€™s been in a better mood than heā€™s been in weeks ā€¦ months, even. Joking around, laughing easily, a long way from the somber, brooding man heā€™s been lately. He says itā€™s because heā€™s started going back to church after a long time of not attending. I think itā€™s because heā€™s getting some direction back into his life. Whatever. I donā€™t care \*why \*it is, so much as \*that \*it is. But weā€™re all here to bitch, so Iā€™ll pit the HOA up the street that left their sprinklers on yesterday during the freeze and turned the nearby intersection into a dangerous mess of uncontrollably slip-sliding vehicles. Lovely to behold, to be sure: icicles glittering in the morning sunshine and decorating each bush and crepe myrtle, and all that winter wonderland beauty. But weā€™re not driving Zambonis, here. Turn that shit OFF! Oh, and concur that a squirt gun can help curb a barking neighbor dog. Some recommend to add vinegar to the water (avoid Poochieā€™s eyes if you do this) to make it a more unpleasant and memorable discouragement to the dog. ---
**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:** [November 18, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/225 "2014-11-18T18:06:19Z")
I donā€™t think Iā€™d squirt the dog, because I donā€™t know if itā€™d work through the type of fence my neighbour has, and my neighbour is often at home and might not like it if she sees me squirting the dog. Maybe when sheā€™s not there, thoughā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/226 "2014-11-19T00:50:05Z")
Our city fathers (and mothers), in their infinite wisdom, have decided that this would be the appropriate time to tear up one of the major streets which connect the rest of the city to the local shopping mall. This street construction, requiring flag men and blocked lanes, will run through the end of the year. Right at Christmas shopping time. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/227 "2014-11-19T04:47:53Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > What the heck does too dynamic mean? Too energetic? Too engaging? Maybe theyā€™re worried the patients would like you too much. It means theyā€™re afraid sheā€™d make them look bad. Or, in the words of my current boss, ā€œwork more slowly, you donā€™t want to make the veterans look bad and they are passed by snails all the time.ā€ I hope that interview pays up and that it turns out to be the bestest job ever, **Avarie537.** ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/228 "2014-11-19T06:06:20Z")
I need a bigger spatula. My Beloved Butthead buys water. I understand, tap water often tastes nasty. However, we have a good filter system and the water tastes very nice. All he would have to do is fill up one or 2 of my nice water cold cups and take them to work. Does he do that? Oh no! He goes to work and buys water from the machine and then THROWS THE PLASTIC INTO THE TRASH!!! I know that he pays lip-service to my tree-hugger ways when Iā€™m around, but heā€™s a smart guyā€¦doesnā€™t he know that Iā€™ll look at his trash can when Iā€™m visiting his office? At least he tosses all the paper into the shred bin, but I think thatā€™s more because of security than because he cares about the poor landfills. I am so going to starch his underware next time he flies out on business. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/229 "2014-11-19T13:36:23Z")
Trying to land an important music-arranging job is next to impossible when people donā€™t answer their damn emails. _sigh_ ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/230 "2014-11-19T16:05:27Z")
Baby does not get juice. Fruit, yes. Juice, no. I donā€™t care if its no sugar added. I donā€™t care if you drink it all the time. Especially not orange juice, even if it is fresh squeezed, because of the potential for reflux. So what do I catch great grandma feeding baby when I come back from the toilet? Yes, I appreciate she wanted your coffee. She also wants daddyā€™s beer and she doesnā€™t get that either. And why in the goddamn world does your having diverticulitis mean that she canā€™t eat goddam peas? Whats wrong with fucking peas? Sheā€™s had those before. Not the frozen cannelloni dinner you keep trying to stuff in her. I get my baby back in three weeks. If I donā€™t make it, please tell them I tried not to commit a triple murder but I was provoked. None of that ā€˜she was so quietā€™ shit. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/231 "2014-11-19T16:33:03Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > TL/DR: the breakup didnā€™t stick. Best pit post ever. Yay šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/232 "2014-11-19T17:03:05Z")
> [@MickNickMaggies](#): > > I get my baby back in three weeks. If I donā€™t make it, please tell them I tried not to commit a triple murder but I was provoked. None of that ā€˜she was so quietā€™ shit. It was a murder but not a crime? Repeat after me: involuntary homicide, in self-defense (defending your baby counts as self-defense). ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/233 "2014-11-19T18:51:33Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > **Soylent** , thatā€™s completely unacceptable. My dentist would never do that to me. He would yank it immediately himself, or send me \*the same day \*to someone who can. I called some random dentist last night and he was able to see me right away. Quick x-ray and the tooth was pulled. Iā€™d like to pit the previous dentist office, who when I called for a referral to someone who could see me before December 22, said theyā€™d have to get back to me tomorrow. I canā€™t believe these people let me be in pain for so long. ā€œUse the toothpaste for sensitive teeth.ā€ WTF. Iā€™ll be seeing this new guy from now on, even though heā€™s way across town. His office was wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/234 "2014-11-19T22:06:08Z")
Glad you found a better dentist, **Soylent**. If you were to go to Yelp or someplace and explain a few facts about the other dentistā€™s office, you might help someone else not have such a sucky experience. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/235 "2014-11-19T22:28:19Z")
Iā€™m so blindingly furious right now that I may explode! The fucking little princess seems to think that itā€™s kosher to cuss at my preschoolers, because they interrupted his precious nap. I knew I was too mad to discuss at that moment, but there will be a horrendously uncomfortable conversation later. Iā€™m pretty sure that the clock just hit Beer Thirty. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/236 "2014-11-19T23:54:02Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Iā€™m so blindingly furious right now that I may explode! The fucking little princess seems to think that itā€™s kosher to cuss at my preschoolers, because they interrupted his precious nap. I knew I was too mad to discuss at that moment, but there will be a horrendously uncomfortable conversation later. > > Iā€™m pretty sure that the clock just hit Beer Thirty. Oh, geez, **Lacunae**! Please let us know how the conversation went. That kid (I know heā€™s really an adult, but he doesnā€™t act like one) sounds like he needs to be hit with a clue-by-four. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/237 "2014-11-20T00:00:55Z")
Despite repeated (and re-repeated) assurances that they wanted him for a much longer time, the big tech company that my husband loves working for is not going to extend his contract beyond the original four months. Heā€™s 63 and I donā€™t know if heā€™ll ever get another job. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/238 "2014-11-20T00:26:06Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > I called some random dentist last night and he was able to see me right away. Quick x-ray and the tooth was pulled. Iā€™d like to pit the previous dentist office, who when I called for a referral to someone who could see me before December 22, said theyā€™d have to get back to me tomorrow. I canā€™t believe these people let me be in pain for so long. ā€œUse the toothpaste for sensitive teeth.ā€ WTF. Iā€™ll be seeing this new guy from now on, even though heā€™s way across town. His office was wonderful. So glad to hear itā€™s done and youā€™re no longer painful. Hope you can get some terrible reviews out there for the other guy, people really need to know he doesnā€™t take pain management seriously. Itā€™s a big deal. > [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > Iā€™m so blindingly furious right now that I may explode! The fucking little princess seems to think that itā€™s kosher to cuss at my preschoolers, because they interrupted his precious nap. I knew I was too mad to discuss at that moment, but there will be a horrendously uncomfortable conversation later. > > Iā€™m pretty sure that the clock just hit Beer Thirty. You are still saintly. I would not have been able to hold it together in order to have a calm conversation. There would be much yelling and tossing headfirst onto the sidewalk. He needs to go. Maybe sleeping under a viaduct for a couple weeks will get the message through. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/239 "2014-11-20T00:46:03Z")
I donā€™t know who you think you are, but Iā€™m pretty sure nobody told you could eat a banana while on the elliptical trainer. Further, I am sure they did not tell you that you could the leave peel to rot on the trainer. Fucking savages! And letā€™s talk about what a workout is. If you are on a machine in your business clothes and spend less that 10 minutesā€¦itā€™s not a workout. You are fooling yourself. If you are on any workout machine, and you can take a business call and talk normally, or if you can read a bookā€¦itā€™s not a workout. you are fooling yourself. A workout should make you sweaty and out of breath. If you do not get sweaty and out of breathā€¦you should stay in the office. ---
**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:** [November 20, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304/240 "2014-11-20T04:43:06Z")
We had the conversation, which also included a big fat all-caps ā€œDo. Not. Ever. Again. Decide that you will worry about it later if you happen to drop one of your prescription pills on the floor.ā€ I had to tell him privately that, if he ever, ever, ever again pulled a stunt that endangered the health, safety, or peace in my home, that he would be homeless; and that Iā€™d hate to do that, because I know his mother would feel like she had to go, too. If he wants to carry the guilt of that? His choice. He apologized, and seemed sincere. I thanked him, but told him that I donā€™t want apologies. I want him to quit doing shit that calls for apologies. Stupid butthead kid. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novembrants/703304.md?page=13)