# 'Tis the season to be ranty - December Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028 "2014-12-01T14:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/161 "2014-12-11T06:16:36Z")
And do all of them seek open-plan designs with stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops? Everybody in house porn programs seems to want those. My brother asked what do I plan to do with Grandma’s kitchen once that flat is mine. I said I’m not very clear on most details, but if the contractors so much as chip that original (c. 1910) marble countertop, I’ll stick the whole thing up their asses and kick them into orbit. He said “ok, good. Can I help with the insertion?” ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/162 "2014-12-11T06:48:19Z")
Just when I wanted to use it, I discover my microwave is dead. Fine yesterday, today: blank. No button inputs. Goddammit. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/163 "2014-12-11T08:57:58Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > And do all of them seek open-plan designs with stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops? Everybody in house porn programs seems to want those. > > My brother asked what do I plan to do with Grandma’s kitchen once that flat is mine. I said I’m not very clear on most details, but if the contractors so much as chip that original (c. 1910) marble countertop, I’ll stick the whole thing up their asses and kick them into orbit. He said “ok, good. Can I help with the insertion?” Those who can afford it do indeed, because they have all turned into Suburban Pod People, tied irreversibly into the Hive Mind. They will not rest until we’re all making coffee with a goddamn Keurig (because fuck the environment _and_ your wallet), and sending out Christmas cards with photos of them and their partner and their cats. If I stood a chance of inheriting a kitchen like that I would require everyone who went in there to wear thick wool mittens and also not touch anything ever. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/164 "2014-12-11T12:33:00Z")
OMG I did not realize that by moving into a nice big house with room for our cats(!) that my partner and I had turned into Suburban Pod People. So sorry. I’ll have the (open plan) kitchen blown up immediately. As an old hippy, I am so ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/165 "2014-12-11T12:38:08Z")
My Keurig and its reusable coffee filter fart in your general direction. I make one cup of coffee at home per day. The Keurig is perfect. (My open-plan, beige-carpeted, granite-countertopped flat agrees with the Keurig. I’m not living in a hovel to meet some definition of coolness or hipness, and when I can afford it I’ll be moving someplace a little larger for me and the cats. With wood flooring instead of the carpets.) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/166 "2014-12-11T14:06:21Z")
Thinking of you this morning, **LavenderBlue**. I hope you get some good news. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/167 "2014-12-11T14:07:41Z")
Going around the office is some cutesie “I’ve been jingled” thing, and those who have been ‘jingled’ display some sort of paper elf. I have a low tolerance for the commercial side of Christmas on a good year, and this year I’m in even less than usual Christmas spirit because of health issues; I just don’t feel good 24/7. This morning, someone else in the office was “jingled”, and he had an epic meltdown because he doesn’t like Christmas for some very good to him personal reasons. His rant was a bit excessive, but I wound up siding with him in the end. I don’t like commercial Christmas, nor do I like extreme peer pressure. Christmas to me is about family and religion, not wasting money on bullshit trinkets or teeth rotting. If that makes me a Grinch, fuck 'em. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/168 "2014-12-11T14:53:22Z")
We’ve had three days of intermittent heavy rain. Guess whose sump pump decided to die sometime in the last 12 hours? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/169 "2014-12-11T15:23:23Z")
I thought that there couldn’t possibly be a worse Christmas song than ''The Christmas Shoes"…I was so wrong. I just heard a country music cover of that insipid piece of crap. : P ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/170 "2014-12-11T15:58:24Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Could you ask for a hydrocodone prescription instead? I think it has less codeine than Norco, but it has better availability. Less is better than none! Norco is hydrocodone and acetaminophen (available in 5/325 and 10/325) strengths, and as a schedule II drug, there are a lot of pharmacy chains that refuse to divulge over the phone if they have it on hand. And it’s apparent that many pharmacies prefer to not have it on hand in the first place. The point of my rant was that I was going to need to go on a wild-goose chase to fill my wife’s scrip, with no guarantee of success. I did finally give up the phone route, and decided to try the Wal-Mart pharmacy, with the proviso that if they couldn’t fill it same-day, I’d leave it so they could get some in the next day. When the pharmacist told me TWO days, MAYBE, I went to a Walgreens where, _mirabile dictu_, they had it available to dispense. I suppose next time we’ll do the smart thing and get a new scrip at least a week _before_ it must be filled. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/171 "2014-12-11T16:40:02Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > We’ve had three days of intermittent heavy rain. Guess whose sump pump decided to die sometime in the last 12 hours? Oh god, I’m so sorry. My neighbor’s pump did the same thing. Luckily they still had an old one stashed away somewhere which worked…sort of. My sump pup kept switching on so much I was afraid it was going to burn itself out :shudder: ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/172 "2014-12-11T16:56:00Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Well, I won’t give you the I’m Sorry you expect - you have a child you love and that is never something to be sorry about. Yeah, I realised mine was worded like a dick as soon as I posted. Please take my “I’m so sorry” as shorthand for “You have a daughter you love because of, not despite, her varied strengths and weaknesses, and I’m so sorry the authorities don’t see her the way you do, and are making you focus on what she might not be able to do, rather than her other talents and abilities” How did today go **LavenderBlue**? ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/173 "2014-12-11T21:21:30Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Why don’t you say to him exactly what you’ve just said to us? > > I’m a guy, and if you and i had only recently started going out, i would not be at all offended if you explained your concerns to me. I would then, depending on how i felt at the time, either say, “Hey, it’s cool, i can take care of myself at social gatherings,” or “If you want to get to know your office buddies better, i’ll just skip it and see you later.” Well, I ended up deciding not to take him to the party. I will probably be mixing and mingling with some of the other co-workers who decided to fly solo, and there are plenty of activities to keep us distracted. (Including the open bar) He told me that he wants to do something on Saturday that didn’t involve the apartment, and had mentioned a few days ago that he really wanted some wine. I suggested going to a wine bar on Saturday night, and he then said that he’d rather crack open a trashy box of wine and chill (at the apartment). So, I remembered I had an invite to a Christmas party thrown by friends of friends. I asked if he wanted to go, and he (jokingly?) said that I never want to spend time with just the two of us. I swear, I can’t win. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/174 "2014-12-11T21:22:17Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > How did today go **LavenderBlue**? The bad news? She has multiple deficits at this time. The good news? She’s going to get preschool every single weekday from 9 - 11:30. She’s also going to get occupational and speech therapy. We met with multiple people here including a speech therapist, school psychologist and her preschool teacher. She’s also going to get preschool during the summer. I am sad that she needs help but pleased that she’s going to get it. The school district will even provide her with transportation. She starts the full program in January. Thank you for your concern. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/175 "2014-12-11T21:37:43Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > I am sad that she needs help but pleased that she’s going to get it. I think this is the best attitude you can have. Best of luck to you as you navigate the process. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/176 "2014-12-11T22:48:40Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > Oh god, I’m so sorry. My neighbor’s pump did the same thing. Luckily they still had an old one stashed away somewhere which worked…sort of. > : Well, we had two lucky breaks: 1 for the past two years I’ve really been working on the decluttering, and there was relatively little stuff – and nothing we really cared about – on the basement floor any longer\ and 2 a neighbor had had, uh, I think she called them French drains? anyway, a ditch with pipes and gravel and such installed all the way around her house, and she’d passed along all her used but still working sump pumps to us. So instead of being way, way worse it truly was just a MINI rant material. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/177 "2014-12-11T23:45:03Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I thought that there couldn’t possibly be a worse Christmas song than ''The Christmas Shoes"…I was so wrong. > > I just heard a country music cover of that insipid piece of crap. : P That marshmallow song that Target has been over-using that I never heard of before has suddenly gone into rotation at all of the stores that are playing Christmas songs. Go away! ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/178 "2014-12-12T00:34:20Z")
I am blissfully unaware of the marshmallow song. (^\_^) Seriously though, that version of “The Christmas Shoes” makes the Hippopotamus Song sound like an angelic hymn. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/179 "2014-12-12T03:01:09Z")
> [@ENugent](#): > > I think this is the best attitude you can have. Best of luck to you as you navigate the process. Thank you. I have been so frightened and scared and worried I’ve barely slept at all. I finally feel as if I can exhale. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028/180 "2014-12-12T16:09:48Z")
Dear UPS, Yesterday my package was in San Pablo, about 70 miles away. It was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but when it wasn’t I assumed it had to do with the storm. Imagine my surprise to check the tracking information this morning and discover my package is now in Vernon, CA. Vernon is 460 miles away. You suck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tis-the-season-to-be-ranty-december-minirants/706028.md?page=10)