What Grinds Your Gears? :)

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Sage Ninja

I have been sick for going on three weeks

edit: small rant, I got tested for for covid-19 and it came back negative. Which is good, but at the same time that is all the walk in center seemed to care about and I did not get a straight answer as to what is actually wrong with me. Just that I do not have covid-19. I wish doctors would pay attention to other ailments other than just covid-19. There are other things that can make you sick and lay you low other than virus.

Not even an antibiotic in case it brought on some kind of sinus infection or whatnot?

I mean, I get that they can't do much for a virus anyhow and I guess they shrug off the ones that suck but don't tend to kill people or have a history of doing that, but even still.... come on, 3 weeks is excessive not to at least offer something to help clear out the gunk.

[Leo656]

I don't know how likely this was since as far as I'm aware "Covid-19" didn't exist yet, but more and more I wonder if I had a strain of SOME type of Covid back in like 2005 or so.

What happened was, I caught some type of pneumonia, or so I thought, working a 14-hour day in the pouring rain, really nasty and persistent cough. It mostly cleared up in a week, but every now and then out of nowhere I would get a VERY bad coughing fit, like a dry hacking cough with a deep rattle in the lungs but no mucous or discharge. It would happen a couple of times a day but otherwise I was perfectly healthy and felt fine.

For about a year, this cough lingered. And then one day, I woke up and it was just gone. Never came back, either. But all the talk some people have about "long Covid" sure sounds kinda like what I had.

I'unno, being sick is weird. And random. The only consistent is that it's awful.

[IndigoErth]

Wow Even if it wasn't a relative of Covid, I'd reason a guess the pneumonia or whatever it caused still did some damage or left a lingering infection that took forever to finally completely get the hell out. (Though I think the part that Covid was killing people with was itself deadly cases of pneumonia and lung damage the body couldn't recover from?)

Eesh, that would suck though!

Worst I ever had was a 2 week thing with Christmas right in the middle. And a mild case of bronchitis post-cold in one of the only summer viruses I've ever had, though I mostly felt fine at that point. (Emotionally hard year and I guess my immune system was off its game...) But nothing ever lingering on for THAT long. >.<

[Leo656]

Could'a been! I'unno, to me "sick" is sick and I just hate it. Whenever I've had pneumonia I had a good bit of mucous coming up but with that lingering cough it was just... nothing. Like you could hear the rattle but no phlegm, ever. If I took too deep of a breath, that would trigger a fit. Lasted about a minute or so, then eased off. I'd try and "hack it up" but nothing. Then one day I noticed I could take a deep breath without coughing, and it was like "Woah, okay neat."

I can't imagine what a mess I'd be if I smoked cigarettes. As it is, smoking pot is great for my post-nasal drip problem; I swallow a lot of mucous without realizing it but a good pull knocks all'a that crap right out. I mean the "cough-and-spit" part is naturally gross BUT it gets the crap out and that's what's important. But cigarettes would definitely have made everything way worse. Glad I never got into that sh*t.

[IndigoErth]

Postal service...

Rarely have issue with them, but had bought a set of TMNT figure weapons back in the beginning of the month and it kept not on showing up. Was supposed to be free 3 day shipping, but gave it a couple weeks. Seller was nice enough to refund it last Sunday.

Today after bringing in the mail this poor little abused paper envelope slipped out from between larger pieces of mail and flopped onto the counter rather defeatedly. Surprised me to even see it and even confused me for a moment to see my name on the front. Had pretty much given up any expectations that it would turn up.

Not sure what they had put it through, but good grief. Two tears on the front, holes in both side edges, the bag inside containing the accessories had small holes in one end, a pair of small swords/daggers are both broken into three pieces and the bo staff, the one I had in particular needed for a recent Donnie purchase (eBay), sans weapons, for my nephew...escaped somewhere along the way.

Glad it was a nice seller who was responsive though, feel bad for the loss on their end thanks to the postal service.

May grab another set at some point since they told me they've decided to add tracking and switched to bubble envelopes. The paper ones definitely weren't working out.

[Leo656]

Christ on a cracker.

I spent a lot of time (and money) buying loose replacement weapons for some of my vintage He-Man/MOTU figures last year-plus. The sellers would always send them in a tiny little box and the weapons themselves were wrapped in thick cushions of bubble wrap. I'd always laugh about them using a box the size of a butter dish to ship a tiny plastic sword but at the same time better safe than sorry.

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, definitely better off in a box, even if it seems silly. Think this skinny envelop had the bad luck of getting caught up in the machinery along the way.

Went ahead and put in a new order since they said they've changed how they are shipping them. Price went up, but understandable. It's a 6 piece set and cost per piece still better than what some people sell just one piece for and with shipping costs. Hopefully it will go better this time.

Originally Posted by Leo656

Christ on a cracker.

I think Cheez-It Christ will be my new go-to shocked/exasperated response.



edit: Now if only these slow-ass "shipping partners" for two DVD orders would get a move on...

Oh good grief. One only coming from Jersey, that I ordered on the 18th and as of yesterday had STILL not gotten out of Avenel, NJ... now finally moved and... hopped over us and is in Elkridge, MD. What in Cheez-It Christ are they doing.

They could drive it all the way over there to MD to another of their own facilitates, but can't stop midway to just hand it over to USPS who is still waiting for item.

At this rate the other slow one from Minneapolis (ordered the same evening) and already made it to York, PA...but has now gone father north to Harrisburg... might make it here before the one from the neighbor state does.

[Leo656]

I did get a few in envelopes but even then they were usually bubble wrap envelopes and inside the weapons themselves would still be all wrapped up in a bunch of it, too.

I had one (1) toy shield snap its handle off when trying to place it in the figure's hand but that's not the fault of the seller or the packaging - this particular piece actually came in a custom-carved styrofoam "brick" that was carved to the precise contour of the shield to hold it firmly in place no matter what it endured during shipping! So they really went WAY above and beyond to protect the thing in transit... but the 35-year old plastic and the cold temperatures of the environment in the moment I tried to put it in the figure's hand simply conspired and said "Ya f*cked." Ah well. It happens.

It cost FIFTY F*CKING DOLLARS all by itself and is one of the rarest weapons in the entire vintage line, but I guess possessions are fleeting. They turn up, one day if I can't Gorilla Glue the one I have I'll just bite the bullet and snag another one.
------------------------

More personal Grind, this is the last day of my entire life that I'll ever get to say, "At least I'm not f*ckin' 40."

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

I think Cheez-It Christ will be my new go-to shocked/exasperated response.

Cheez-Its are one of the things that actually makes me believe in God. No way human minds came up with something so savory and magnificent.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Leo656

It cost FIFTY F*CKING DOLLARS all by itself and is one of the rarest weapons in the entire vintage line

Ohhhh... OUCH. Hope the gorilla glue works. Recently tried using it on something plastic and it couldn't have cared less.

More personal Grind, this is the last day of my entire life that I'll ever get to say, "At least I'm not f*ckin' 40."

You're gonna join the 40+ crowd?? Yeah, that one hurt, still stings a little... but eh, I guess it kind of becomes the new 30 and better than being 50?

Happy almost birthday!

Cheez-Its are one of the things that actually makes me believe in God. No way human minds came up with something so savory and magnificent.

Love those, but also still really miss their zingier cousin, Cheese Nips.

[Leo656]

For some reason I cannot STAND Cheese Nips. I can instantly taste the difference and my tongue immediately rejects them. Believe me, I have tried. It's like how some people can't eat avocado, I can't handle Cheese Nips. Might partly be the aftertaste.

Those newer "half-burnt" Cheez-Its they've had for a while now are a great illustration of my poor impulse control. Last time I got a box of them I ate the entire thing in an hour and ended up throwing up. Considering my total inability to ever do anything in half-measures, Thank God I never tried smoking crack.

I've had some good luck with Gorilla Glue, but the thing is packed up in a tote in the screenhouse and I can't get to it. We'll see what the future holds.

Yeah, it'll be "Official" as of about 10:30pm Saturday. At least I'm still gorgeous.

[IndigoErth]

I dunno, I liked that sharp after taste, though I also like cheddar cheese as sharp as possible, too. Was a nice contrast that made them and Cheez-Its different and able to co-exist. Though no worries... Cheese Nips, around since apparently 1955, is one of the things that died in 2020, the company deciding Cheeze-Its were too much competition.

Have you tried the PUFFED Cheeze-Its? In truth... they just seem like Cheeze-It's foray into the chip aisle with a square cheese puff, but those things could be trouble. Would be way too easy to eat the whole bag in one sitting.

[Leo656]

I have, but they're not my jam. I'm old-fashioned in many ways. I even balked at the "burnt" ones at first like "Why mess with perfection? That's like putting kitty ears on a naked supermodel... I appreciate the effort but is it necessary?" BUT THEN after I tried them I had to shut my f*cking mouth and learn to live with the fact that change can sometimes be a good thing.

I didn't notice they stopped selling Nips, but I did notice my mother-in-law stopped buying them a while back. I think she preferred those, too. Now she just buys Cheez-Its and hides them, or else she buys flavors like "White Cheddar" she knows I'm less likely to eat. "There's Cheez-Its on the kitchen table." "Oh... thanks, I don't really like that flavor." "Oh... well, good." BITCH I SEE YOU SMILIN' YOU AIN'T SLICK!!!

I guess it's a rough market. I can't imagine being responsible for trying to sell a non-A1 steak sauce, for example. "Dude... what is even the POINT of this, dawg?"

[CyberCubed]

My cousin is getting married so my entire family is first invited to some sort of lunch party. I don't really want to go, but I'm being forced to against my will. I don't mind going to the wedding, but this lunch thing is meh.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

My cousin is getting married so my entire family is first invited to some sort of lunch party. I don't really want to go, but I'm being forced to against my will. I don't mind going to the wedding, but this lunch thing is meh.

Nothing like being forced to participate in family things that feel like a chore and it's hard to get out of it without looking like a jerk...


Personally, I'm struggling with my nephew's play being next weekend... They're doing Sleepy Hallow, I think at a farm or something so they'll have an actual horse. But the place they found is up in Chester, PA, a bit of a drive, we'd probably have to take more than one car, esp because my sister needs to have him up there at least a couple hours early so we wouldn't be going up together, my mom isn't going to want to drive it, I don't really want to drive it as I'm not great with going places I am not familiar with and she's just going to stress me out the whole damn time, my uncle doesn't drive, no idea if my brother-in-law is going or when... and on top of that it costs frigging $15 to watch a bunch of kids struggle through a play. I can catch a blockbuster budget film for cheaper than that....

[Leo656]

Dude I've gone to weddings of people I barely even know, a free meal is a free meal god dammit. What kind'a stoopid'a you?

That play thing sounds like a real hassle. I'm glad nobody ever expected me to participate in that kinda stuff, it was usually just the kid's parents who'd go, not aunts or uncles or extended family. They'd get like pictures or a videotape, nobody was gonna like take off work or rearrange their weekend or whatever to go drive X hours round-trip to see their niece or nephew's awful play. In my family you don't even ask those kind of questions, it's just assumed that if it's not your kid you're not involved in that stuff (unless you specifically ask to be).

[NeonTurtledude]

There are some gatherings and events I don't really enjoy either when there's not much to do or quiet rooms to go to, sometimes I like talking to people at them but it depends on the person and sometimes my "social battery" is low and I just don't have the energy, so I just chill at the snack bar with my phone.


but I agree with Leo, the free meal is usually positive to those events, I love the bread slices and butter given at wedding parties before the main dishes are prepared, I just love my carbohydrates, but the main dishes of sausages, chicken etc are usually great too.

as for things bothering me recently, I've just felt quite drained and foggy, offline things were stressing me and it was quite overwhelming, I'm ok now and I do try to get enough sleep and all that, it's probably just my hormones and the stress.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Leo656

That play thing sounds like a real hassle. I'm glad nobody ever expected me to participate in that kinda stuff, it was usually just the kid's parents who'd go, not aunts or uncles or extended family. They'd get like pictures or a videotape, nobody was gonna like take off work or rearrange their weekend or whatever to go drive X hours round-trip to see their niece or nephew's awful play. In my family you don't even ask those kind of questions, it's just assumed that if it's not your kid you're not involved in that stuff (unless you specifically ask to be).

Only issue is that we all live here on the same property (split between the main house and an added addition in the back), so it makes saying no rather awkward.

Esp when my sister had already messaged me (while at work) because she doesn't want my mom backing out over probably not wanting to drive up there herself, but if we all went at the same time we'd be hanging around for a couple/few hours before the thing even happens....

If it was closer to home and like $5 I'd be more enthusiastic.

[Leo656]

It's so weird that it's so far away. That's balls.

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, I guess they wanted it somewhere they could actually have a horse and a farm up there or whatever is who accepted.

I guess my brother-in-law is gonna drive. Sister already put in the $15 for me to be paid back later... yay for not getting to say yes or no.




Oh we're doomed... Why did the gulf storm have to get the "I" name? I know it's a coincidence and all... but seems the I's are the ones with the most retired names. And are pretty much all the ones that have affected us the most locally... Isabel, Irene, Isaias, Ida... Nice knowing you guys. Anyone in FL or elsewhere in its path...or this initial path if it really does swing back in to make a second coastal hit ... be safe.

[Coola Yagami]

Last wedding reception I was at, I found out it they paid for open bar so hellz yah, Tequila Sunrises til it was over.