# Winter's a-coming! Season of Death Mini-Rants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 18, 2010, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833 "2010-09-18T09:03:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 37
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/721 "2010-10-26T22:47:56Z")
Speaking of Heart Attacks… A little over a year ago, my then 71 year old mother took a header down the stairs and spent the night in the Emergency Room. Never did hear too much about what may have caused it. A couple of weeks ago she took a nasty fall. Again, never heard why. Sunday she was passing out in Church, so some nice friends drove her and her car home. Monday she had a Doctor’s appointment. She strangely asked me to come along and I declined. My father was there in the room when she asked. She didn’t press the issue, he didn’t say anything. Doctor’s verdict: Blood Pressure 180 over 120. HOLY FUCKING REVERSE VAMPIRES, MOM!!! So now she’s on meds. But she continues to drive all over the planet during the day. We’re not allowed to have our cellphones at work anymore (damned stupid people!) so I leave mine in my car. About had a stroke myself when there was a message waiting for me today. Fortunately, it was only my Vet, calling to check on my cat. But I’m waiting for that call. The one where she passes out behind the wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/722 "2010-10-26T23:18:30Z")
…so I told her where to go. Literally true. A confused hospital worker showed up at my office door with a plastic bag of something, and explained that she had a stool sample and didn’t know where to put it. I really don’t need any more shit in my office so I directed her to the clinical laboratory. > [@SpazCat](#): > > People, if you’re going to ask me a question, don’t just hover until I look up. A soft cough, an “excuse me,” even a “Hey bitch, look up!” will do. I don’t like having multiple heart attacks when I look up from what I’m doing to find someone staring at me over the desk. It could be worse. You could look up to find someone in your doorway with a bag of shit. Even that is preferable to having Ms. Jolly Time rapping on your door while simultaneously saying “Knock Knock!!!” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/723 "2010-10-26T23:22:45Z")
Why do people in my village insist on parking over the sidewalk? It’s a sidewalk, not a sidepark! Given the number of elderly and infirm in this town who use the sidewalks with their walkers and scooters, you’d think people would realize that forcing others to walk either in the street or across the grass is a bad fucking idea. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/724 "2010-10-27T00:51:34Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Giggedy. Ah. I did not know that. > [@Chimera](#): > > \ > But I’m waiting for that call. The one where she passes out behind the wheel. I’m torn between being angry at your mom for endangering herself and others (mostly the others who have no say in it), and wanting to tell the joke about hoping she dies peacefully in her sleep, not screaming in terror like the people in the other car. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/725 "2010-10-27T01:26:42Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I have a followup to the rant (probably in the other thread) about the mechanical pencil/headphone thief in my office…apparently, one of the cleaning crews had been bringing their sticky-fingered brats in with them. Lovely, espcially from an insurance point of view! :mad: Oh, that is just ASKING for it, especially if there’s anything at all dangerous, like, say, bleach. Or electricity. While I can sympathize with a parent trying to save money, bringing a kid into a workplace and letting him/her roam the space, taking whatever catches his/her eye is a dandy way to get fired. Or for the kid to cause a fire, or for the kid to compromise security. The cleaning person needs to either find child care in some way, or find another job that IS kid-friendly. Because this is unacceptable. Has the cleaning person been told that the company knows about this kid and his/her sticky little fingers? ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/726 "2010-10-27T02:38:49Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > By alledgic sinusitis if makin’ me blue… got any paint left, **Bibliovore**? ☹ > > Seriously, I get to the point where getting my nose unclogged is so hard it may count as exercise. All GPs tell me is “have some OTC antihistamine”, but none of them has seen an actual episode; the antihistamines seem to be doing less and less. No idea whether an allergologist would take it more seriously without actually seeing me go “aaagh, ngggggh, hrrrk, hrrk, HRRRK! Aaaaah, air!”, though. Have you tried a [Neti Pot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neti_pot)? My husband has really, really bad seasonal allergies, and I get bad sinus colds - both of us have started to use the Neti Pot and it’s amazing, especially if you consistently do it a couple of times a day. ETA: I have had those “can’t blow my nose how hard I try” sinus colds and this broke it up and flushed it all out within two uses. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/727 "2010-10-27T02:42:51Z")
> [@dzero](#): > > When you have really bad allergies, it’s time to consider desensitizing shots. I don’t know if this considered real medicine or voodoo, but I was a mouth-breather as a child. Late in grade school I think it was I got tested by an allergist and we started the shots. Being as oblivious to most things as I am, I’m not sure when they started to work but I was on them for several years. When I finally finished the process, I looked and felt almost human. And I think you can start them at any point in your life. I used to work with a guy who began treatments and he was in his late 50’s or early 60’s. Missed this one too - the husband is also going through this process right now. Apparently there is a pretty high success rate with it. Guess we’ll see in the spring! The only downside is that you either need to go in weekly, then every two weeks, then every month, for a shot. Or, you can get someone at home to learn how to do it for you. I do my husbands for him - they’re SC. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/728 "2010-10-27T06:11:10Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I have yet to discover a prescription antihistamine that was more effective than benadryl at releiving allergy symptoms. Puts you to sleep, too, so it solves 2 problems in one. I take Singulair, which stopped my lifelong allergies in their tracks. I had to use a RX nasal spray that I think was steroids at first as well as the Singulair, in order to deal with the secondary symptoms, but once my sinuses got back to normal, I was able to quit that. Before I found this little wonder drug, every available space in my head would fill up with snot as long as there was something blooming, or blowing in the breeze, or shedding. Now I’m on year 12 with no symptoms at all. IANAD and all that, just hoping that it will work for others as it did for me! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/729 "2010-10-27T08:39:24Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Why on earth aren’t you trying a \*prescription \*anti-allergy medication yet? Just say, “OTC drugs aren’t working, I would like a prescription anti-allergy medication.” It’s not like you’re asking for morphine, FFS. Because they won’t give it to me! And I move too much for the batteries of tests allergologists run, according to my main doc (well, to my last two main docs). ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/730 "2010-10-27T15:51:01Z")
Can \*anybody \*in this fucking company get \*anything \*done other than at the _last fucking second_? Seriously? Ugh. (I mean, _come on_. Our color printer is a piece of shit, your meeting is at 11, and you’re still working on your materials at 10:15?) > [@Nava](#): > > Because they won’t give it to me! And I move too much for the batteries of tests allergologists run, according to my main doc (well, to my last two main docs). Well jesus fuck, woman, _find a new fucking doctor_. Someone who insists on a battery of tests for what are probably seasonal allergies instead of just giving you a fucking script for a fucking \*allergy \*medication that’s been out so long it has a generic and will probably cost you $5 for a six-month supply is fucking power tripping and deserves to be kicked to the fucking curb. ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/731 "2010-10-27T17:23:08Z")
We got an email today stating that “Friday Oct. 29, we will be turning the heat on due to cooler weather.” It was 81 degrees out today. Once the heat is on, it is not turned off until sometime in March, and we do not have access to thermostats. We have maybe 15 days of cold weather in this town. I am not sure why, with all the marvels of modern technology surrounding us, that they cannot have a heating and cooling system that is adjusted at will. I guess it is just too advanced. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/732 "2010-10-27T20:37:46Z")
So I’m the monkey who is updating copy on a website with copy provided by a professional advertising agency. Lady at said agency says that she has marked up changes and deletions in blah blah way, so that’s cool. Except when she misses some of the changes. And then project manager tells me to either check word for word or just mass copy and paste the new copy. Fuck that shit. How about going back to this chick and telling her ‘hey, your copy is fucked up, fix it’? Not to mention the fact I had to fix a typo. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/733 "2010-10-27T20:48:46Z")
Why in the world do some men think it’s okay to mention they would kill my cats if they had the chance? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/734 "2010-10-27T21:24:54Z")
Here’s an email I got today (Wednesday, after 2:00 pm) from a co-worker, one if five people in our little team from hell. It was addressed to two of us on the team: "I ordered a Birthday Cake for (boss) on Thursday…it will be delivered bright and early. Anything you would like to give is appreciated. The Cake was $50 and (co-worker 1) & (co-worker 2) gave $10. Cheers - (Dipshit co-worker 3)" No discussion in advance, no options as to what might be ordered. She just ordered the cake, and then treated the rest of us to this brown-nosing blackmail. Of course I knuckled under and gave her 10 bucks. Now, I like my boss fine, and would be happy to help her celebrate her birthday, and I don’t care much about the $10, but this is about the least classy way for this co-worker to set about it I can think of. This, by the way, is the same loud obnoxious dame who laughs at everything she says and talks too loud, but is the princess and the pea if anyone else makes any noise. She is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/735 "2010-10-27T21:26:11Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Why in the world do some men think it’s okay to mention they would kill my cats if they had the chance? WTF? It’s nature’s way of marking the creepers you should stay the hell away from. ---
**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:** [October 27, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/736 "2010-10-27T23:10:18Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Oh, that is just ASKING for it, especially if there’s anything at all dangerous, like, say, bleach. Or electricity. While I can sympathize with a parent trying to save money, bringing a kid into a workplace and letting him/her roam the space, taking whatever catches his/her eye is a dandy way to get fired. Or for the kid to cause a fire, or for the kid to compromise security. The cleaning person needs to either find child care in some way, or find another job that IS kid-friendly. Because this is unacceptable. > > Has the cleaning person been told that the company knows about this kid and his/her sticky little fingers? The cleaning company was contacted regarding this…while the cleaner who was bringing her kids will probably not be fired, it’s my understanding that she was so severely reprimanded that she will not be bringing the kids in again. I also found out that this particular cleaner is assigned to show up at 2 AM. :eek: And yes, we have all kinds of dangerous stuff laying around…and lots of “original copies” that have never even been scanned. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/737 "2010-10-27T23:27:14Z")
I pit myself. I laid in bed this morning for 15 minutes after the alarm went off. I have an extremely mild case of the flu, nothing worth bothering with, but I felt kinda crappy and, more importantly, I’m feeling kinda burnt out and really didn’t want to go to work. But I went anyway. Half of our important systems were down for a major chunk of the day, causing no end of difficulties. Shoulda fucking stayed in bed. Gotta stop allowing my brain to override my intuition. It’s like when it’s 45 minutes before my scheduled lunch time and I have this overwhelming “time to go to lunch” feeling, but I decide to take one more call. I can bet money every freaking time that I’m going to get a bad call that will take an hour or more. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/738 "2010-10-28T00:03:01Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > \ > > Well jesus fuck, woman, _find a new fucking doctor_. Someone who insists on a battery of tests for what are probably seasonal allergies instead of just giving you a fucking script for a fucking \*allergy \*medication that’s been out so long it has a generic and will probably cost you $5 for a six-month supply is fucking power tripping and deserves to be kicked to the fucking curb. I think having the tests is a great idea, because you will know for certain what it is you’re allergic to (not cats for me which surprised me, but trees and grasses were a four plus reaction!), but they can give you prescriptions based on symptoms for everything else; I don’t see why he can’t give you one for these. **Nava** , I mean, not you, **Shot From Guns.** ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/739 "2010-10-28T05:05:07Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Why in the world do some men think it’s okay to mention they would kill my cats if they had the chance? WTF? Say what? They just “mention” this out of the clear blue sky?? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833/740 "2010-10-28T08:44:49Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Well jesus fuck, woman, _find a new fucking doctor_. Someone who insists on a battery of tests for what are probably seasonal allergies instead of just giving you a fucking script for a fucking \*allergy \*medication that’s been out so long it has a generic and will probably cost you $5 for a six-month supply is fucking power tripping and deserves to be kicked to the fucking curb. Yes Mom. They’re not seasonal, but in any case I’ll try a plastic syringe and a saline solution and not try to explain Spanish bureaucratic structures here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winters-a-coming-season-of-death-mini-rants/554833.md?page=38)