# Welcome to Twenty-Twenty-Sucks (January Mini-Rants) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** monthly-mini-rant\ **Created:** [January 1, 2026, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231 "2026-01-01T07:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/261 "2026-01-22T08:22:58Z")
Yet more snow, reducing to a 40% probability over the next few days. Then, incredibly, a sunny day predicted for Saturday, but colder than a witch’s tit. Followed by … yes, you guessed it, more snow! La Nina can fuck right off. Snowplow Guy is doing his thing, and so are all the maintainers of streets and parking lots, but there’s inevitably going to be messy, slippery, and corrosive slush. ---
**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:** [January 22, 2026, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/262 "2026-01-22T14:04:34Z")
Got sprayed by a brine truck on the way to work this morning. 🤬 I was even in a spot where I could pull off the road a little, but that stuff just billows everywhere. I guess I should be impressed that the state is already treating secondary roads? We’re supposed to have rain first though, so it’s going to wash away. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/263 "2026-01-22T18:30:22Z")
I’m so tired of this weather and I’m so tired. My husband shoveled yesterday and it appears the wind is blowing the snow from our roof and dumping it in a big pile exactly where he shoveled. It’s very unpleasantly cold outside and only getting worse from here. So I guess I have to go out there and do something. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/264 "2026-01-22T21:59:29Z")
I had a telephone consult with my medical specialist today. I felt terrible about missing a previous tele-consult, which resulted in a recorded message from some office person about missing the appointment. So I made very sure to be on hand for this one. And sure enough, the phone rang right on schedule. A young perky-sounding person on the other end asked me a lot of questions, which I answered, but eventually in frustration I demanded “do I get to talk to Doctor “x” at some point?” Imagine my horror when she replied “I **am** Doctor “x”!” 😲 In my defense, she was a renowned specialist in her field and I didn’t expect to hear from someone who sounded so young. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/265 "2026-01-22T22:39:26Z")
I’m sure she gets it a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/266 "2026-01-22T22:56:24Z")
Planned on flying to Paris for a long week this Saturday. Flying out of DFW, which will probably have delays or cancellations due to weather. So we are leaving today. Two extra days of vacation. Life is hard. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/267 "2026-01-22T23:42:44Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Imagine my horror when she replied “I **am** Doctor “x”!” 😲 > > In my defense, she was a renowned specialist in her field and I didn’t expect to hear from someone who sounded so young. I constantly applaud our wonderful health care system here in Canada but it does have its faults. In my capacity as a professional lover of vodka and rum, my hepatologist is referring me for a transient elastography (aka: liver fibroscan). Which for some mysterious reason that can be explained by no one is **not** covered by OHIP! The test will cost me $150 of money that would be much better spent on rum! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/268 "2026-01-22T23:45:27Z")
My family spends $30,000 a year on medical care. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/269 "2026-01-22T23:59:15Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I constantly applaud our wonderful health care system here in Canada but it does have its faults. In my capacity as a professional lover of vodka and rum, my hepatologist is referring me for a transient elastography (aka: liver fibroscan). I read that as “her_ **pe** _tologist” and I was wondering why you were working with a reptile/amphibian scientist. Maybe to regenerate a new organ using spliced DNA? But that’s how Marvel Comics villains are born. (If you need a supervillain name when you inevitably transform and rampage, I suggest “Saurus Caesar”, which works on multiple levels.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/270 "2026-01-23T00:41:54Z")
Our oven is broken, and I haven’t had a chance to schedule a repair - what with the weather and life being fucking insane. Well, tonight our microwave also broke. I may have broke with it. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/271 "2026-01-23T01:23:59Z")
We’re bugging out for a few days to avoid the potential ice storm here. Not going to Paris, though! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/272 "2026-01-23T01:42:02Z")
nm, nm ---
**Author:** ![illoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a3d4f5/32.png) [@illoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/illoe)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/273 "2026-01-23T05:16:02Z")
@spiceweasel You are about the strongest person on here. Certainly one of the funniest and most generous. At some point, I’m sure the universe will stop flinging shit your way. You’ve got a bunch of folks rooting for you. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/274 "2026-01-23T10:22:45Z")
☝ Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/275 "2026-01-23T14:52:05Z")
[subsequently read the rest of the thread, full of weather-related complaints…] 25th anniversary of the 1st Lord of the Rings film, Fellowship of the Ring. So someone decided to re-release them, the extended editions to be exact, into the theaters, this _January_… During one of the **nastiest** cold snaps in recent memory. Since I found out about this a week ago, any attempt to go out and view a matinee has been foiled several times by new snowfall and/or frigid temps in the morning of the showings, including today, apparently the last day for FotR (apparently followed by phased showings of the next two films). I **won’t** go to a nighttime showing, where I’d have to shuffle out to my car near midnight in the dark and drive home in single digit temps. Nope, couldn’t wait until the _actual_ 25 year anniversary, in November which is when they were originally released, or even spring sometime. Welp, I still have my DVDs and big screen TV, so I’ll watch it here tomorrow night, avoid the ticket charge and all the overpriced unhealthy food. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/276 "2026-01-23T14:54:29Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Nope, couldn’t wait until the _actual_ 25 year anniversary, in November which is when they were originally released, or even spring sometime. > > Welp, I still have my DVDs and big screen TV, so I’ll watch it here tomorrow night, avoid the ticket charge and all the overpriced unhealthy food. Good plan. I have my extended edition Blu-rays. I think I know what I’m doing tonight. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/277 "2026-01-23T14:56:08Z")
Hope they don’t pull this crap again with Star Wars and its 50th next year for you light saber geeks… ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/278 "2026-01-23T15:30:06Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Flying out of DFW, which will probably have delays or cancellations due to weather. So we are leaving today. Have a friend who was supposed to co to Colorado to go skiing on Sat, via DFW; she’s trying her damnedest to get out today because it doesn’t look like a lot is going thru there tomorrow. I told bossman that I was cxl’ing today off due to event being cxl’d; however, I was going to take Monday off due to the storm & somewhere in the neighborhood of 1’ of snow forecast. He said I didn’t need to take off & that he expected most people to work from home. I told him I didn’t want to work from home, that I wanted to be outside _playing_ with all of my winter toys. So three day weekend for me, just not the day that I had planned or doing what I had expected. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/279 "2026-01-23T16:28:35Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I **won’t** go to a nighttime showing, where I’d have to shuffle out to my car near midnight in the dark and drive home in single digit temps. What’s the problem with driving in the cold? You’re inside the car. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2026, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231/280 "2026-01-23T16:35:59Z")
A car which typically takes 15-20 minutes to warm up enough to actually have the heater work, and in low temps it’s going to take longer, which it will right around the time I’ll be parking at my place. Plus my back keeps spasming in the cold. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/welcome-to-twenty-twenty-sucks-january-mini-rants/1026231.md?page=15)