(Old) Another lost great idea in the MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 11c/52f with a predicted high of 16c/60f, and partly cloudy. Weather app says “This is the perfect day to stay inside and work on fucking math problems. Naw, I’m kidding. That’s fucking stupid.” I agree, I have much better things to do with my day!

I hope you are keeping safe and dry!

That’s good news, she’s getting her confidence and realising that these people are on her turf.

Awww…they grieve in their own way, missing their friends. Muffin’s version of grieving involves hissing and biting.

Neither did I - fortunately I only have to be on campus three days a week so I need two respectable outfits for that, and Friday is always band shirt day :slight_smile: These days, most of my clothes shopping involves replacing worn out leggings, and buying new band merch at gigs. Much more fun that “proper” clothes shopping.

That’s a good way of putting it! She’s definitely not a fan of The Authorities, that’s for sure.

Museums tell the truth, which is a problem when you don’t like the truth, and you want a different truth. I hope things work out ok for you, the uncertainty is a horrible weight to carry.

Good for you! I hope the media picks it up and gives it all the exposure it deserves.

Yesterday was fun, I went into town to do some necessary stuff, came back with lunch from our favourite Indian food truck. Didn’t do much in the afternoon, 'im indoors made dinner early and we got a cab back into town for the opening night of Mayor’s Fest. The bands were all very good although the room was packed and very hot so we spent quite a bit of time outside on the fire escape chatting to friends. Afterwards, we stayed for a last drink and went home - we had promised ourselves we’d leave by midnight and we absolutely would not be in the pub at 3am when Wendy turns the lights out and chases everyone out with a broom.

Today is the main event for Mayor’s Fest, at a much bigger venue. The first of seven bands on the main stage is at 2pm, and the headline act finishes at 11.15pm. In between the main stage bands, there are six acoustic acts in the bar area so plenty going on all day.

I’m having a strong cup of tea to prepare for all the excitement!

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No kidding. Today and tomorrow should be mid-70s. Tuesday night, it’s going below freezing. What’s up with that???

Today’s big plan is getting the rest of the miscellany off the boat to be sorted and organized. Then we’ll bring it home and start sorting and organizing. Yep, a thrill a minute.

I didn’t quite get 5 hours of sleep last night. I woke stoopit early and started worrying about what Daughter would have to do if something happened to us on our cruise or the flight to or from London. I need to leave things in order, just in case. I should anyway. Including the name of the lawyer who did our wills.

It seems like I’ve almost become obsessed with death of late. It’s just bizarre. I figure it’s because of the recent deaths of FIL and MIL as well as news of celebs who’ve died in the last few months - suddenly mortality is weighing on me. It’s not like I fear death, but I worry about the burden that will fall on Daughter. I don’t know… Sorry for being morose.

In happier news, my thread will arrive on Tues and the fabric is due on Weds. I’m going to try to finish the weather cloths before we head west, but the cushions will wait till we return. I also found and ordered a couple of deck chairs that will fold up for storage. They’re coming from Lowes, and if we find we don’t like them, returning them will be easy.

I still need to get our ETAs - I’ll try again today.

And so it begins. Happy Saturday!!

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Morning all. Up and needed to get dressed now for the 8am referee job, plus remembering everything for the 9:30 and 11:30 am games I am coaching. Have a good Sattiday all.

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Edited to add … ?

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Good morning.

Breakfasted and mostly caffeinated (finishing up my last cup of coffee now). About to get dressed to go to my morning rehearsal. This afternoon I plan to nap, do taxes, and I guess figure out what’s going on with the door into the garage, which isn’t latching again. Third time this has happened and my kludgy fixes aren’t lasting (I am not handy).

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Electronic Travel Authorization. Since we’re flying into Heathrow and sailing out of Dover, we need them to ensure we’re not evil or something.

I think I finally got the credit card block straightened out. We shall see…

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Good morning.

It’s 40F and mostly clear outside. The day will move between partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies, with a high temperature of 70F.

I have tried to read and retain but have not retained much.

Nellie, I’m very sorry about your friend. Also, good on you for not going gently into the night.

VanGo, I’m sending you hugs and good wishes that you keep your gig. It sounds like such a good place for you.

JtC, I hope the water and weather settle down out your way.

Oopsie, I’m so glad things are going well with your new gig.

Please feel free to skip below. It’s not pretty.

I’ve been absent mainly because it’s a PITA to post from the phone and because things are so very bad at work. I have until Tuesday to make a life-changing decision; of course, they won’t provide all the info I need to make an informed decision.

The RIFs/reassignments are coming, but they won’t share what jobs are impacted nor whether years of service count. Are they targeting specific job series? Who knows? Will I have to move or be out of a job? Am I going to be expected to support several states on my own? If I get to stay, will I be downgraded? I’m 100% certain they are waiting until they see how many people take the second DRP before sending out RIF notices. None of it is good, and I am constantly sick to my stomach now.

My MPAs are taking DRP 2.0, which leaves me alone. My boss is taking it, which leaves our strongest advocate gone. He has around the same time in service as me, and it’s all with this agency. He wasn’t going to do it, but he’s tired. I’m exhausted, too. I talked to a planner and will talk more with her on Monday. I am not sure I can do this anymore. I don’t trust the senior leadership (all political appointees) nor the SES because they are trying to hang on to their jobs and are nothing more than mouthpieces for the agenda, which is to dismantle the government.

Adding to my woes is all the rest of the stuff that is going on. I am just sick, so sick, and I’m finding it hard to focus on anything good. I tried finding one good thing a day, but the search has been fruitless.

I’ve been trying to hold it together while I am at work, but yesterday was my RDO, and I sat silently with tears running down my face. I’m grieving my job and my country. I had a retirement plan, but this wasn’t it. I wanted to work longer, despite all the crap I’ve bitched about here. Such piddly shit compared to now.

I hope to be productive today. I do have to wash my clothes for work, and it would probably be good for me to yank some weeds.

I miss you all, but I am trying to keep up as best I can. I wish all good days and calm weather.

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Thank you.

Last I heard, a quarter of a million people have signed up for tomorrow. I am not on that list, I was too paranoid to give the king my name. Now, that might change soon enough. I’m fairly sure there are more of “me” (people who will be there but didn’t want to put their name on a handy-dandy list) than there will be people who were that brave.

Remember, you have the right to be there. Stay off private property, do not block roads or driveways. Be careful around doors. Be sure to have an exit route planned. If the cops grab you, ask if you are under arrest. If they say no, walk away without saying anything else. If they say yes, tell them that you want to talk to your lawyer and then shut the fuck up. Do not talk to the cops, they are not your friends. You do not have to show them your ID and you only have to give them your name if you are under arrest.

So far, the worse that has happened to us is getting chased off the University campus, but tomorrow is going to be a big middle finger to the king and there might be a response.

Morning everyone. There is no way I could possibly reply to everyone this late in the MMP, but I have read all.

As to Hubs and his sudden interesting in our yard, I do think it is environmental. He has family who might come over and the neighbors all are out on their mowers on a regular basis. And there’s the water thing.

Our yard was always one of the nicest on the block, but we paid for it. During the summer, I was watering twice a day and when the monsoons stopped coming our drip system couldn’t even keep up with the milkweed patch. I had a clover patch that would turn brown if I didn’t run the tractor sprinkler every night and those are about as wasteful as a sprinkler can be.

Well…that’s not an issue here, LOL! We’ve had 6 1/2 inches of rain over the last couple of days and more is on the way today.

I am so very sorry. I wish I had more than words to offer, I’m trying to be hopeful but it is a very thin now. I’m afraid that it is too late now and nothing will ever be the same. I remember watching the moon landing and thinking how wonderful it was to be alive in such a time. How did we ever let that slip through our fingers?

Please take care of yourself. I know its super hard, but try to sleep and eat right. THC is much better than ETOH for easy dreamless sleep. You are truly valued and needed and appreciated by so many people and we value what your service.

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Us. Let us be the one good thing a day. You’re loved here, valued and treasured. The only that will happen to your status here is promotion to lifetime best ever utterly essential Mumper.

Maybe we need to post more pet pictures and tell more pet stories or more wacky pizza drive through window “can you believe it?”.

First thing I do when I get up in the morning (well, first thing after I trip over the cat on my way to pee) is to sit down with the Dope and read the MMP, even before the first life-giving cup of coffee gets made.

{{{{{{{{ taters }}}]}}]

In an hour I’ll be heading down to a protest at my state capital (organized by Hands Off!). I’ll be thinking of you and that will add some steel to my spine and fury to my steps.

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Pop in when you can / need to. Hugs to you and wishes for peace of mind.

Up, caffeinating, breakfasted and fixing to get sheveled to go out among the unwashed. I’d like to get home before storms hit today.

Stay safe and healthy y’all!

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I’m heading off to the capital. Let’s plan to check in tonight, just to reassure me that everyone got home safe.

For the children!

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I’m not on the list either but I will be marching. Leaving in 45 minutes for the Detroit Institute of Arts. We’re marching to Little Caesars Arena, home of the Pistons and the Red Wings, then back to DIA, a total of 3 miles.

Go Democracy!

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And for each other and especially for folks who don’t have friends protesting and thinking of them.

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Well, I’m here at my protest. Not a big accomplishment considering the Capitol is a mile from my house straight down the street. People are walking that way, mostly geezers so far.

On to the ramparts JtC, nellie and Boo. Showing the Mumper colors.

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Getting ready to go to City Hall. We’ll pick up one of Wifey, RN’s patients and go to breakfast first. I’m wearing a black/grey plaid shirt (no logos) and jeans. I’ll take my phone, but it’s in airplane mode, it’s locked, I’ll turn it off, and I’ll leave it in the car. For pictures I’m taking my FE2 with just the 50 mm lens, and a couple of rolls of film. It would be nice to wear a ball cap, but they all have logos. My stingy trilby doesn’t look right, and my fez might stick out too much. So I’ll just go with my hair.

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Well, looks like I’m the one who was causing my problem. I’d set up our VISA to block international transactions. Once I removed that restriction, it worked. So back in the queue so I can do FCD’s application.

I’m with all you demonstrators in spirit. Thanks for showing up!!

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Wish I could’ve gone.

What are Mumper colors?
Hoping green and yellow.

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Started Typing: 11:03 AM ET
Clicked Reply: 12:16 PM ET

Yesterday was payday, plus earlier this week I got my March credit union statement, so this morning I was in Quicken paying bills and balancing my “checkbook” and I decided to take a deep breath and look at/update my 401(k) balance. The site’s login page had a popup notice about market volatility, with a reminder that our accounts are long-term investments and we shouldn’t overreact or try to time the market…it’s not a good sign when they have to put a note like that up front. :joy: I still have at least 13 more years of work ahead of me and I’m definitely able to take a long-term view, so I’m not worried at all, but I still wasn’t thrilled to see a 6% decrease in my balance (since February; I don’t check it very often).

After Bailey and I got home from her vet appointment yesterday, I decided to give into my “mini ice cream cone” craving and go to Trader Joe’s. Among other things I also picked up some frozen handheld chicken pot pies, and will be trying one for lunch.

After I eat and watch last night’s episode of Shark Tank, I still plan to go to the mall. My first stop will be Talbot’s: it’s a favorite, plus I have $100 in gift cards from my birthday (7 mos ago) and Christmas. WifeBFF – who has the shopping gene big-time and knows the mall like the back of her hand – pointed out that J.Jill is right next to Talbot’s and has some nice tops. I’ve never been in that store before, but I plan to check it out! She came home from rehab on Wednesday (after having a reverse shoulder replacement) but definitely isn’t up to the mall yet, and she hates that she can’t go with me to be my fashion consultant. I’m under orders to send photos from the dressing rooms. Heh. Anyway, I’m hoping that between J.Jill and Talbot’s I’ll find a handful of tops for work that I like. :crossed_fingers:

“Awww” to both of you! :blush:

The one for kids – with “Lego Magazine” on the cover – is free. The US magazine for adult fans seems to be BrickJournal (there’s one called Blocks in the UK); I haven’t subscribed to either the hard copy or online issues yet.

I had no idea that was an actual word until your post! :woman_facepalming: I’d only ever heard it in the lyrics to “Fugue for Tinhorns,” from the show Guys and Dolls.

(Three gamblers sing about their picks for an upcoming horse race and why their horse is a winner, and one of them mentions that his horse’s great-grandfather was Equipoise.)

I must credit Aaron Sorkin, who I stole the “___ of a pistachio nut” construction from (West Wing S4 E21). :grin:

Aww, thanks! She doesn’t have the hind leg strength to rearrange herself once she’s in the seat, and I think I’m getting better at setting her down in a position that isn’t too bad for the ride. The drive there is only 10 min and after I took her out of the car she needed a few seconds to get her back legs steady/under her, but then seemed none the worse for wear (same when we got home; she was able to get up the front steps just fine). Every time she’s in the car, though, it reinforces my decisions to no longer take her to doggy daycare and to limit my overnight trips.

Very cool!

It may be one of her last chances to have any “real” control of her money (and feel like an independent grownup): the amount and whether you earned/deserve it could be beside the point. :slight_smile:

I can’t even imagine… :people_hugging: In a way, my previous contract being cancelled so abruptly was kind of a blessing: no uncertainty. Plus we were going to have to implement a 10% RIF this month and another 15% RIF in May, which would have just dragged out the suck. When I meet my friend for lunch tomorrow, I imagine that she will report similar workplace conditions to yours.

When I started working with a personal trainer a couple of years ago, I knew I wanted to wear a ball cap to the gym but all of my hats also had logos. Plain hats were harder to find (in Kohl’s, etc.) than I expected! I wound up ordering two from Amazon; I wore one of them to the vet just yesterday.

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All of them!!

My car wouldn’t start yesterday - either the battery or the alternator.

My “plan” so far is to see if the nice neighbors who cleared my driveway are 1a) home, 2b) have jumper cables, and 3c) hope like hell that a jump fixes the problem.

I got a ride in to work yesterday but that’s obviously not any permanent solution.

Backup plan is one of those mobile jump services, but that’s $$$.

No wacky stories from last night, I’m afraid. For a Friday, things went well and folks were exceptionally non-wacky.

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These days, I’m thinking black and blue, or whatever color our various bruises and owies are… :wink:

Finally got our ETAs done, so we’re good to go for the next year. I think I’ve earned some chillage.