Ummm, does he need a wingman? 
Expedia really doesn’t want to talk to you. Now over 1 hr on hold & they were playing John Denver music among other things.
ETA: It just rang once, but now I’m getting flamenco music.
Happy Dia de los Muertos! LOL I hope I spelled that correctly, I know I missed the proper accent marks, oh well. Day of the Dead is a big holiday here. Although Halloween was appropriately celebrated as well. We had NO trick-or-treaters, after getting a number last year. Strange change, but oh well. The news showed a lot of people taking their kids (in costume at least) to a wealthy neighborhood - safer and better candy, I guess!
It is beautiful and sunny here, temps will get into the 70s today, although during the evening it has cooled into the 40s. Tomorrow, my daughter and I head out to try the early voting option here. I just hope it’s not too crowded! That is what is making me try this option out, the huge crowds on the actual election day.
And everyone make sure you turn the calendar to November, because we are there now. 
Hope everyone enjoys their Thursday.
You don’t have to listen to this. I just need to write it.
I’m just so tired. This month has worn me down. Sr. Olives has Ph.D. internship applications due (it’s all he has left in order to get his degree, and we unexpectedly did not get it last year, and now he is reapplying, blah blah blah.) He’s been working late every night, I’ve seen very little of him this month, and I have been alone with no social network and all household responsibilities three out of the last five weekends.
We were fortunate not to have any casualties but Sandy nailed us pretty hard with wind damage. (The Hurricane Party was fun at least - I was completely wasted during the scary part.) The mayor declared a State of Emergency. We’ve had a significant loss of infrastructure - very few businesses are up and running, the traffic lights don’t work and there are still major roads blocked off. In our half-mile stroll through the neighborhood I saw six enormous trees uprooted, some toppled on trees and houses. The few working gas stations have traffic backed up over a mile. We have no power, internet, or hot water and the latest estimate for restoration is one week.
These nefarious internship applications were due November 1st but a handful of sites have generously extended the application deadline by three days due to the storm. Some did not extend the deadline even when explicitly asked to by the regulating board! I think of applicants who have just lost their homes who will now have to wait an additional year to complete their degree and it makes my blood boil.
Meanwhile I’m smack in the middle of the worst time of the year for my mental health. I went to see my shrink about the crazy PTSD nightmares and she basically told me I was doing everything right and just had to buckle down and get through it. Since normally what I’d do is take a hot bath and play video games, and my phone was down so reaching out to anyone was out, I wasn’t able to cope in the normal way. Instead I just had a complete nervous breakdown. I became confused and disoriented, screaming, shouting, crying, the whole bit. In my 29 years as a crazy person, I have never experienced anything like it.
So that was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back. We escaped the clusterfuck that is New Brunswick and are staying indefinitely at a hotel in South Jersey. We finally got a hot meal and I got my bath. Now he is there working on his applications and I am driving his car to work. This is my first day back to work and I feel like I’m slogging through molasses. I know in comparison to others these are really just minor inconveniences, but knowing that doesn’t really make me feel any better, it just makes me feel guilty for feeling as bad as I do.
{{{{Olives}}}}
After 1:04 on hold, the phone magically disconnected. Grrrr!
Instead of calling expedia back, I went right to the airline; speaking to someone in less than 5 mins. Filghts are now changed w/o any fee, so Yea United Airlines!
I shall add blurfage, though I’ve not that much reason to blurf. I have coffee. My phone has a new battery and is lasting more than 10 minutes before dying. It’s beautiful weather. I went to bed early and got lots of sleep, but didn’t oversleep to where I woke feeling headachey. I have the car today, though I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with it. I should find something to take advantage. Like…scoop up stuff to donate and take it down to Goodwill, yeah.
Right now I’m teetering on edge of what to donate-throw away and what to keep. MrTao is thinking ‘Get rid of everything except the big stuff’, like bed <cause we love it, even though it’s 15 years old> and the desks <cause they are brand new and we love them> and the couch <which is really nice, and we are still paying for it>. And…replace everything else in 6 months or a year or whenever we get out of the financial tarpit and get a real place again.
BUT IT’S SO HARD!!! I am VERY good at packing a minimum for myself to live off for a few months; I can throw all that into a gear bag and be good But that’s assuming I have a ‘home’ to come home to. Won’t have that for a while.
BLURF!
olives, you have every right to feel as bad as you do, so let go the guilt. You’re dealing with a lot of stress and a lot of crap and a lot of unknowns, and you’ve earned whatever you’re feeling. I think your next step should be to find someone who’s really stoopit and pummel 'em!
OK, maybe that’s not such a good idea. I’m so ashamed of myself…
Please, don’t beat yourself up over your feelings. Try to deal with things one at a time and do your best not to be overwhelmed by the big picture. Things will get better - really they will. There’s a lot that’s out of your control and you need to accept that. Do what you can, bitch about things here, and let go of the rest. Try mocking **swampy **- that always makes me feel better! 
{{{Olives}}}
I don’t have to worry about what to do with the car; MrTao’s work plans just changed, so I’ll be having the car tomorrow instead of today; will go get him in a bit. So today I can pack stuff. Rather, throw away stuff, I guess. This shouldn’t be that hard, gah! I’ve done this tons of times; I’ve walked out of lives a dozen times, leaving everything behind. I don’t know why this is different.
That’s a lot on one’s plate, {{Olives}}.
I was just reading CNN while at lunch and they had a piece with advice for Sandy’s victims from those who experienced something similar with Katrina and the Missouri tornado outbreak. It’s here if you’d like to read it. I hope things settle and improve for you soon.
Ok, now I have the car today again, since they again changed MrTao’s schedule. /facepalm
Poor guy. His kids moved away this summer, we are moving and going to be apart for a while, and this week they’ve moved everyone’s workplace to different buildings, and now even his schedule is up in the air, minute to minute. Poor guy. He doesn’t handle change well at all, even on a minor level, though I think he’s learning to roll with it a little, hehe.
{{{Olives}}} what MOOOOOOM said. Even the part about beatin’ up on me. As long as I have beer and cookies for afterward I’m good. Seriously though, you have been through a lot. You have a right to feel somewhat overwhelmed right now. Here’s hopin. Mr. O gets his internship apps in and that y’all will be able to return home soonest.
I’ve had N.O.L. Leftover pot roast, carrots, N.O.T. and cabbage. YUM! Plus I have cookies! YAY!!!
Tao it’s hard to part with your stuff. I’m sure y’all will be able to do it. Just think, in a few months it will be an opportunity to get new stuff! New stuff is good.
Spidey yay for success! Boo for Expedia! I much prefer to deal with airlines, hotels etc pesonally. Seems I always get better service that way.
Herbs I early voted last week with no line at all. Even if there is a line tomorrow, it’ll be a shorter line than there will be next Tuesday.
lieu what can I say? Wine is fine but liqour is quicker? Personally I can’t believe she didn’t kick his cheatin’ behind out years ago.
I don’t wanna go back to irk! Life is so unfair!
{{{{{{Olives and Tao}}}}}}}
(((Olives))) I think FCM had very good advice. I’m so sorry, though. I’ve been there, emotionally, so I know that it sucks. Just try to remember that time changes things and it sounds like that change will be better for you guys, even if it takes awhile to get there.
(((Tao))). Moving is hell, no matter what. Hopefully when you guys gain some ground financially, it will make it feel even more so like this is all worthwhile.
Maybe it’s just a sucky day. It’s not been so grand here today either. I almost marched out of the house about 30 minutes ago, but, really, what would be the point? Nothing would be different when I came back.
my .sig to all
That was a beautiful article. Thanks guys. It helps a lot to know someone cares.
Nice try, I know who gets the chalk lit and it ain’t you!
We do care Olives. Come in anytime to bitch, moan, complain, whine (we have good cheese :D) or to get a laugh. We’re a silly but carin’ bunch here in the MMP.
I still picture a bunch of armed olives on the attack every time I see your name. I know you’ve explained your user name but that’s the image I get. Then again, I’m a big ol’ wet bear so what do I know.
I’m goin’ to see my thief tomorrow to get her side of the story. I shall be my usual sweet, fluffy puppies, kitties and unicorns dancin’ on a rainbow self, I promise. It’s only fair she get to tell her side of things. Be good bear. Be good.
Awwwww… 
I just received a phone call one of my participants died. She’d had a stroke a few weeks back and never came out of it. I hate doin’ an exit for this reason but there you go.
I don’t do alcohol, but have loads of chocolate, courtesy of buying way too much candy, then having exactly ZERO trick-or-treaters. 
I have been told, mind you TOLD, that we’re goin’ to get Mexican tonight. I said that I already had beast stew ready to heat up and planned to make corn bread but I was TOLD that we are goin’ for Mexican. Oh well, it’s good to let the critter butch up and TELL me I’m bein’ taken to dindin every once in a while I guess. 
Stew is usually one of those things that’s better reheated anyway, so that could just move to tomorrow, right? 
Being taken out for dinner is a good thing, IMO.
Sean this is already been made, frozen and ready to nuke stew.
Home from Mexican pigout. I had a quesadilla with beans. Beware! 'Twas good. OYKW had to go back to his place to deal with some paperirk poor thing. Thus I am all alone. Unsupervised. With ice cream and cookies.