I’ll keep that in mind. The house is in North Carolina, FWIW.
{{{phouka}}} I’m sorry you are going through this. Please make the decision that is right for YOU, not others. As my therapist once told me “you have to do whatever is possible to save yourself.”
Fair enough - like I say I can’t promise what my fickle overlords want any given day, but being screwed by a careless corporation is usually a good tale. Only offered for your benefit.
Speaking of careless corporations: Our continuing saga with Death Star Telephone Company.
We got a note from them in the mail yesterday that if we didn’t pay up the past due balance, they were going to cut us off on April 9, which happens to be the day the letter reached us. If they do cut us off, there’s a $35 re-connect charge per service, which would be a total of $140 for TV, data and phone lines.
This shall not stand unchallenged. We call them and eventually find a reasonable facsimile of a human. The phone drone tells us that yes, we are overdue, and no, the autopay generally takes two billing cycles before it starts working. She says we’re supposed to pay in the usual way for those first two months. Uh, we’re on autopay, so not having to send in payments should be the usual way. We don’t get bills in the mail - how do we know what to pay? When was someone going to tell us about autopay not working for the first two months? This is important stuff that should rate being printed on bright orange paper and rubber-banded to the remote control when the installer finishes up. The humanoid failed our Turing test and had no answer for any of this.
The good news at least, is that I’ve finally got the system stable. It’s been running now for 15 days without a hiccup. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever expected to need three gigabit LAN switches in my home entertainment system.
Stress is not my friend today.
All I want to do is get my damn research paper that is due to tomorrow finished. I’ve had two more calls today. I’m sitting in the living room (in the front of the house) and would you believe it but some FUCKING lawyer has a girl out hand delivering packets of material to people who have been in accidents.
Unbelievable.
And did I mention that Bubba seems to be worse today? We may be headed to the vet tomorrow unless a miracle occurs.
If not for my paper I’d be in bed hiding under the covers with my dog by my side.
:mad:
(((((Kanga))))) and (((((Sticky Buns))))) and, of course, anyone else who needs a hug or three today.
I have been marginally productive, if you can call watching two episodes of “Upstairs, Downstairs” being productive! I have, however, just been out to see the doc and got a new prescription for my brain medicine plus I have got a registration form for their online appointment booking system. I knew they’d got an online system ages ago but it’s been six months since I’ve had to visit the surgery and you have to physically turn up to get the registration info.
But now I am all sorted and registered so I can make appointments online in future. Of course, it only covers certain things and you can’t book online to see the nurse for stuff like lady exams and travel vaccinations so I’d still have to phone for those, but it’s a step in the right direction.
For my next trick, I am going to stuff Shadow into a pet carrier and take him to the vet for his booster shots as he’ll need them before he goes to the cattery again next month. Then after I’ve dropped him back at home and fed both mogs, I will be scooting off to a friends’ house to feed their cat and five ferrets. One of the ferrets is a practised escape artist so she has to be put in a wicker basket with a metal grille and a brick on top to prevent her from making a break for freedom. All this because they need to be fed and de-pooped. And I get to do it all over again on Friday!
I also did a couple of hours of preparatory work for tomorrow afternoon’s interview although it’s been four years since my last job interview and I’m not really sure what kind of things I should be preparing for. However, I have made the effort and will probably have another look through stuff tomorrow. After all that, I don’t think I’ll have time to go to Fat Club tonight.
Well, I’m still alive. And thank you to everyone for your support and love.
I am leaving. My trip to Texas is now one way. What I have to decide now is whether I’ll stay in Dallas with my younger brother or Austin with a friend. At this point, Austin sounds better than Dallas, as I’m just not feeling very trusting of my family.
The May 1st date is now a deadline for me to wrap stuff up. I have to see the dentist to get my last two cavities filled, I need to get new glasses, and I need to see both my regular doc and my psych to get all my meds up to date for as long as possible, considering I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to find a job where I land.
Mom is walking on eggshells around me. Dad is insane. I am both exhausted and ready to tear someone limb from limb. I’m looking around, suddenly aware of all the things I’ll be leaving behind - the dog I raised from puppyhood (seriously considering taking her over Mom’s protests), the tomato plants, onions, and potatoes I planted last week, the rose bushes and lavender that I put in three years ago.
Right now, a hut in the wilderness is sounding good. Fuck my family. Fuck my life. Fuck humanity (except you guys). And most especially, fuck Alzheimer’s. I don’t have a father anymore.
phouka does humanity?
d&r
Take the dog. You can plant more plants.
That’s my vote anyway.
Good luck, phoukaroo. You’re much braver than I’d ever be. And, yes, fuck Alzheimer’s, it’s taking my grandparents and making my dog sick, too.
Well, I’m still working on my paper. I have to leave for class in about an hour and it’s not going to be done by then. It’s due tomorrow and I think this is going to be a long night.
Damn, phouka…what a mess. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I’m with tugig; take the dog. Hugs to you.
Sticky, hugs to you too. Hang in there. I’m sending my best wishes for Bubba.
I’ve got some of my own issues, but I think I’ll just keep them to myself for now. Suffice it to say, it’s hard to concentrate, and I’m running on no sleep.
Well, I suppose I should try and do some more work.
Wow. So much happens when I sleep late!!!
Phouka - I’m glad you’re making the move. I have also recently separated myself from certain members of my family (though I was lucky because I already lived 300 miles away). My grandfather, in his old age, has turned from a curmudgeon into a complete shithead who likes to cause fights between his family members. One family member took him up on his offer to drop any shred of decency she may have had and has also turned into a complete shithead. They are now both having a blast attempting to turn us all against each other. Well, it’s not working because the rest of us decided that even though he’s dying, it’s time to tell him to fuck off and we now have nothing to do with either of them. It’s very refreshing. In my case the sick and dying person is causing and nurturing the strife in the family. In your case, it sounds like your father is causing it, whether he means to or not, and other family members are nurturing it by making it seem like it’s your duty to put up with it. Well, fuck that. You did what you can for your father. You’ve had an extremely stressful life the past few years, dealing with him and his drinking and his attitude and his budding dementia. It’s your brother’s turn now and time for you to attend to your own life.
Stickybuns Holy shit! I was in a bigger accident (my car totaled, his damaged, my sister and me in the hospital with major whiplash and me with chemical burns from the airbags). I never once got a single call from an ambulance chaser. In fact, I’ve never at all gotten a call from them, not even with a worker’s comp issue and a totally minor accident under my belt. I wonder why they’re so prevalent in your area. Good luck on your project. You have my permission to take out any frustrations on any unsolicited callers you get. 
Life is pretty tame here in the cabin. I have to leave for my haircut in 42 minutes and I’m totally not in the mood to take a shower. I pulled my usual ploy to get Sweetie to take at least one day a week to be totally lazy (for his own health and sanity) and the aftermath of that when I get home from my haircut, I get to scour the bathroom and do the laundry (what he was planning for yesterday). It doesn’t work for me to clean while he’s supposed to be lazy because he feels compelled to help me. So I have to be lazy to. Le sigh. I hate cleaning the bathroom with the storm window in because there’s no way to vent the chemical smell.
Harvey, I agree. Take the dog. And best of luck getting your ducks in a row. {{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}
Since nobody has said it yet, take the dog.
Take the dog. You’ve done everything, and more, any child could be expected to do. You walk away with clean hands.
Did anyone mention take the dog? If anyone needs and deserves the unconditional love dogs give, its you. And it needs some stability as well, I’m sure.
Might I suggest you take the dog?
Well, to be the voice of dissent here, I think kanga should take the dog. So There! 
Howdy Y’all I’m home! Just cause. Ok, I’m also doin’ some irk from home. I shall be callin’ ATT shortly as well. Dindin will be nuked leftovers.
BBBobbio you forgot pain and sufferin’ caused by havin’ to miss ten or so minutes of The Ten Commandments. They should pay for that.
Once again I killded the MMP! :eek:
Well, that was anticlimatic. I called ATT and in two minutes all the upgrade fees were taken off and my bill was as it should be. I told OYKW I was kinda spoilin’ for a fight so he should do sump’n to piss me off but he wouldn’t the spoilsport. Just as well, I guess, I really have a hard time bein’ mad at the critter.