The Minirants Thread Rides Again!

The BBQ Pit
121

[QUOTE=buttonjockey308]
God DAMN it, when will be fucking Beatles go away? I know, they were the ‘most important band in history’ which is bullshit IMO, but it’s been what, 40 years, aren’t we tired of that drippy, stale, homogenized shit YET? The same finger goes up to the radio stations who barrage innocent listeners of modern music to the tepid craptastical circus that is the Beatles. Please go away.
[/QUOTE]

I don’t see this at all…where are you being subjected to the Beatles, unless you’re listening to classic rock or oldies stations? If you go out of your way to get annoyed by them it’s like pressing a sore spot to see if it’s still sore.

122

[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus]
I don’t see this at all…where are you being subjected to the Beatles, unless you’re listening to classic rock or oldies stations? If you go out of your way to get annoyed by them it’s like pressing a sore spot to see if it’s still sore.
[/QUOTE]
He’s ticked off because he wants to hear Tommy James and the Shondells and the 1910 Fruitgum Company.
*
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.
I got love in my tummy,
And I feel like a-lovin you:
Love, you’re such a sweet thing,
Good enough to eat thing
And that’s just a-what I’m gonna do.
*

123

When did Dentist’s offices become product pushing money grubbing machines that seemingly exist solely for separating me from my dollars? I went to the dentist for a checkup today. I haven’t been to one in a while. I have some periodontal disease, in that my gums are receeding…I brush too hard and haven’t been able to successfully quit that nasty habit. I have no roots in my front teeth (top and bottom) because of an incompetent orthodontist when I was a kid. I was supposed to lose those teeth by the time I was 18, but didn’t, and here I am at 35.
Someone asked me if I’d like straighter, whiter, teeth, and I said, (because who wouldn’t?) “Oh sure!”
Don’t you know that they sent in their Orthodontist’s assistant to set up a consultation with me and here, fill out this paper…blah, blah, blah…
I said, “Look here. See this Xray? I have no roots in my teeth. They can’t be moved. They’re not stable.” She hammered me some more. I said, “Look, I’ve got bigger problems in my mouth right now, so I don’t need this.”
Her: “Well, you really don’t know until an orthodontist looks at your teeth whether or not it’s for you.”
Me: “Well, I’ve had these teeth for quite a while now, and I know what every other dentist has told me about them, so really, I DON’T need the consult. It’s bad enough that I have to see a periodontist.”
Her: Ok, then. It’s here if you want it.
Gah! I already have to pay more for a “deep cleaning” before I see the periodontist. That will be more than I have when I’m trying to keep my house and my business going. I wish they’d just give me what I need instead of what they think I need to be upsold on.
Bleh. And fucking cramps. That vicodin can kick in any time now. Worthless piece of shit uterus…

124

Man, I love it when people who don’t pay for a service turn around to you and go “Why are you complaining and asking for a refund? You only pay a pittance. You should love it!”

125

Yanno, the spaces between handicapped parking spaces. Those exist for a purpose. Not to allow mouth-breathing twinks to have somewhere to park so they can quickly run into the stores, nor to allow impatient soccer parents to blast through the parking lot on a whim.

They are there to accomodate those vehicles that have been modified for handicapped access, with removable lifts, or ramps. Or even to allow people who want to get out a walker to simply have some more space between them and the next vehicle.

They do not mean that it’s okay to park at such an angle as to block the use of that space by anyone else, and to partially block the actual delineated handicapped parking spot. I’m not so anal that I’ll call someone for failing to park between the lines, if they’re over by 6 inches or so, nor for parking 5 to ten degrees off from the suggested perpendicular or verticle parking schema. But if your ability to hit a parking space is that bad, that pitiful, maybe it’s time you stopped and considered whether you should be driving at all, dammit.

126

[QUOTE=Faruiza]
I wish they’d just give me what I need instead of what they think I need to be upsold on.

[/QUOTE]

I am so with you on this one. I went in a few weeks ago because my wisdom teeth went from a dull throb to TAKE ME OUT NOW! So I said upfront that that was my worry. Instead of addressing that, the dentist tells me I need orthodontics, veneers, and bleaching to get the most “aesthetically pleasing smile”. (I think my smile is just fucking dandy, but what do I know? I just own the teeth in my head…)

Then the “manager” comes in with a laundry list amounting to around 5k for all the aesthetic modifications, and tells me how necessary it all is to look beautiful. Look toots, my teeth are the last of my problems in terms of my good looks. I just want my wisdom teeth ripped out. Then they try to sell me on goddamned general anaesthesia, and for that I’ll have to wait a month for the surgeon oh and your insurance won’t cover it. Hell no, rip the bastards out for $200 under local and get me the hell out of here!

Criminy, I mean when did dentists discontinue being health providers and begin life as salesmen?

127

I’m tired of feeling bad for goofing off.

It’s spring break, which means that instead of going home and doing homework after work I get to… do housework! Yay. :frowning: I’ve got all these projects that I want to get done, but I get home and I just want to crash. I meant to go buy wood to hang shelves yesterday, but then I figured out my room is too big of a mess to be hanging shelves in my closet so I was going to clean it and instead I ended up taking a nap and surfing the web. Productive! :rolleyes: So today I have to clean my room so tomorrow I can buy wood, so I can get that done so I can go on to other, less labor intensive, projects.

Gah, what happened to my break?

And I don’t even get to see my friend or Kay or… okay I can’t remember what name I made up for him, cuz stupid Easter means they’re doing family things! sigh

Now I want a drink, but I still haven’t bought alcohol.

128

Attention idiot driver:

Please pay attention to the arrows on the signs overhead which direct you as to which directions you are allowed to go from your lane. If none of those directions is the one you want to go, please choose the least obnoxious, and turn around at the next parking lot. Or drive around the block.

If you decide not to follow this advice, please, please, at least turn on your freaking turn signal so that I know you are about to behave in an obnoxious and inconsiderate manner.

(Note to everyone else. The intersection is kinda weird. But four lanes approach the leftmost lane is generally used by people making almost a u-turn, but ending on a different road. The next lane is for people doing the same or for making a very slight angled left turn. The next lane is for people going “straight ahead” which really angles to the right. The fourth lane also angles to the right.

I was in the third lane, wishing to merge left after the intersection. Idiot driver was to my left, and merged into my lane ahead of me, without even turning on a turn signal for warning. Because I was slow to take off at the intersection, there was no risk of accident, but I was pissed about the whole thing. I hate people who disobey traffic signs rather than turn around in parking lots or driving around the block.)

129

[QUOTE=MissTake]
Fucking dental insurance won’t cover braces for TheKid. Her regular doctor recommends she get them, as she frequently has headaches, grinds her teeth, and has some jaw problems. BUT he will not prescribe them. Because he won’t, insurance won’t cover.

Went to the orthodontist for a screening - the total cost is $5775. Where the FUCK am I supposed to pull that from? Oh, if I pay it all up front it will only be $5315. Whoop de fucking do. You have a financing company where I could take out a loan at 9% interest? Uh, no. If I pay part down it will only (ONLY) be $190/mo. Sure! I’ll just appropriate that from … wait … after I pay bills for things like gas/electricity/mortgage/water… ummm.

Let’s add in the fact that we’re STILL under the direct threat of layoffs. We’re good for this year, but June 2009 doesn’t look so good for 60-80 of us (Thanks Prezzy Bush!). So even if I managed to scrape up the monthly fees NOW, a year from now may be not so much.

It sucks when you want to be able to do something for you child that you know will benefit her greatly when she’s older, but the money just isn’t there. Her self esteem is - well, she’s a teenaged girl. She won’t smile. I could ask her dad to pay his portion, but he flat out can’t pay nothing. He can’t even support himself.

Gah. This is the second time we’ve gone to an orthodontist with high hopes, only to find out it’s financially beyond our means.
[/QUOTE]

I came in here to bitch about organized sports and how I’m such a loser, but the orthodontist thing reminded me.

Took eldest child to orthodontist a couple of weeks ago, $5700, 24 months. Of course 24 months entails them ripping out two teeth of a 13 year old to make it go faster. If I don’t want to rip out two of her teeth, then it’ll be more like 32 months, and about $7500. How fucking crazy is that? No, I am not going to permanently remove two teeth from a 13 year. Not even for $1800. You never know when you might need them. Sheer craziness. MissTake, I have scheduled two other appointments at others, hopefully they’ll be different.

Thank God none of the other kids look like they’ll need them.

Oh, and volleyball is stupid. And I suck.

And I pit myself for feeling like it’s all my fault, and that my whole life is worthless and needs to be re-evaluated because we lost a tourney tonight. Jesus H. Christ, I’m 38 years old, you’d think I might have a little perspective by now. It’s just a fucking game.

130

[QUOTE=fisha]

Took eldest child to orthodontist a couple of weeks ago, $5700, 24 months. Of course 24 months entails them ripping out two teeth of a 13 year old to make it go faster. If I don’t want to rip out two of her teeth, then it’ll be more like 32 months, and about $7500. How fucking crazy is that? No, I am not going to permanently remove two teeth from a 13 year. Not even for $1800. You never know when you might need them. Sheer craziness. MissTake, I have scheduled two other appointments at others, hopefully they’ll be different.

[/QUOTE]
[Anecdote time]I had two teeth pulled when I was in eighth grade for my braces. I haven’t yet been in a situation where I regretted losing those teeth. I have, however, been complimented many times, by many people, some of whom I didn’t know, on my nice, new smile. I was much happier in high school then I would have been if I still had my vampire fangs. YMMV. Results may not be typical. Offer void where prohibited. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. Etc., etc., etc. [/AT]

131

Job hunting rants:

Big gigantic company: I know that you at least have a range of what you are planning to pay whomever you hire for this job. You employ 25,000 people. Just tell me so I can know if I actually want this job and not waste my time or your time.

HR person : Yes, the last company I worked for does not give references and instead only gives out the dates worked, the last job title and salary. Your company does exactly the same thing. And so does most of the corporate world. Stop acting like this is a strange policy that you have never heard of before. Sheesh.

132

I am really beginning to hate my seventh graders. And they’re beginning to hate me. I’m pretty sure that teaching junior high aged kids (I’m an elementary school teacher, dammit, how did this happen?) is some really baroque form of torture. In hell, we’ll probably be forced to try and cram knowledge down the throats of rude, smelly, bratty, know-it-all thirteen year olds.

133

[QUOTE=Kyla]
I am really beginning to hate my seventh graders.
[/QUOTE]

It’s sort of refreshing to hear that from a teacher. Who *wouldn’t * hate a group of seventh graders?

134

[QUOTE=Kyla]
I am really beginning to hate my seventh graders. And they’re beginning to hate me. I’m pretty sure that teaching junior high aged kids (I’m an elementary school teacher, dammit, how did this happen?) is some really baroque form of torture. In hell, we’ll probably be forced to try and cram knowledge down the throats of rude, smelly, bratty, know-it-all thirteen year olds.
[/QUOTE]

No one should be made to teach seventh-graders who hasn’t committed some horrible crime to deserve it.

On a related note, fuck you TESOL methods teacher for asking us to borderline break the law with your nebulous “needs analysis” assignment. As a matter of fact, fuck you for all of your nebulous assignments. I am working thirty hours a week, trying to rewrite my comps paper and starting to write my thesis. I need some damn guidelines for the papers that you assign so that I won’t fail and get kicked out of school right before my last semester. I can’t wait to drop your class.

135

USE THE FUCKING SIDEWALK YOU DUMBASSES! I have decent night vision, so I’m lucky, but many people won’t be able to see you at night when you’re wearing black pants, a big black coat with the hood up and walking down the middle of the poorly lit neighborhood street. That is until it’s too late and they hit your stupid ass, then you get hurt and the poor schlub that hits you feels like crap and then has to pay out the ass because you don’t deign to use the sidewalks installed for your protection, not 20 feet from where you’re walking. It’s an odd trend I’ve noticed in my neighborhood, everybody walks in the street these days, not just kids, but everybody. What the fuck is wrong with the sidewalks, you dipshits?

136

Stupid needy oven! I set you on clean last night, after we were finished with dinner and loading the dishwasher, so we wouldn’t have to deal with the heat and smell in the kitchen during the clean cycle. All well and good so far. WHY can’t you just finish with the clean cycle without beeping all night long until I came down and hit “End”. You turned off the heat, just not that damn beeper! I want to say to you what I have said to Mr. Neville when he let his alarm clock go off for a while: “Turn it off before I turn it off WITH A HAMMER”.

Lusers who IM me this way, or starting with my name: this applies to you too. Just tell me what you want me to do.

137

[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus]
I don’t see this at all…where are you being subjected to the Beatles, unless you’re listening to classic rock or oldies stations? If you go out of your way to get annoyed by them it’s like pressing a sore spot to see if it’s still sore.
[/QUOTE]

Well, there’s American Idol, which I sit through with Mrs. Jockey because she sits through The Shield and/or Rescue Me. (it’s the Lennon/McCartney songbook, which is the same) There’s a local alternative/prog rock station that, because it is staffed with aging boomers, sprinkles The Who and the Beatles amongst the Arcade Fire and Hot Chip. OK, the Beatles were dandy, but their 15 minutes is UP, man

138

NO! This is an alley, you can not stop your fucking vans and hold a fucking converstion! Move you fucking fucks! (more or less a direct quote of what I yelled this morning as I was trying to come to work) (er, they couldn’t actually hear me) (Seriously, who in their right mind thinks that stopping their car and talking through the window is a good thing to do?)

139

Gah, I pit myself and this stupid paper I’m writing. Why do I have to be such a freakin’ over-achiever that I chose a topic for my Qualifying Paper that is way too ambitious for my ability in this topic? Because when an over-achiever fails, they’re no longer a frickin’ achiever at all! Not that I’ll fail (failing means I get kicked out of my grad program) completely, just that passing is going to be long and painful. I have to do two of these papers, one in my subfield (sociolinguistics) and one outside of my subfield (in my case, phonology). This topic is (far) outside of my subfield, but I know that having proficiency in it will help in my future career. Blargh. My first draft is due Monday; my adviser wants a rough draft tonight. Pray for me.

I mean, some of the greatest minds in linguistics have attempted this problem and failed! Oh, my fucking hubris!

Oh, and I pit my adviser for for sweet-talking and flattering me into this topic even though I specifically said I wanted to do something different.

140

[QUOTE=Inner Stickler]
[Anecdote time]I had two teeth pulled when I was in eighth grade for my braces. I haven’t yet been in a situation where I regretted losing those teeth. I have, however, been complimented many times, by many people, some of whom I didn’t know, on my nice, new smile. I was much happier in high school then I would have been if I still had my vampire fangs. YMMV. Results may not be typical. Offer void where prohibited. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. Etc., etc., etc. [/AT]
[/QUOTE]

Seconded. I had to have four permanent teeth puled to make room when my braces were put in. Mom’s side has big teeth, dad’s side has small jaw, do the math. PLUS all four wisdom teeth were impacted and had to be surgically removed. Now I have 24 perfectly straight teeth. Who cares how many there are? The dentist is the only one who counts them.

They’re teeth, not limbs.