The Vent and Rant Thread

[Stitchawl]

Who was I kidding? I actually imagined that my trip through Bureaucracy Land was going to go smoothly. More the fool, me.
So first I went to the Ministry of Justice and got the Bank papers that I had notarized by the Ministry of Notary or whatever stamped that they were legally stamped by the Notary. That went smoothly. Then I went to the Prefectural Police Headquarters and picked up the police report saying I was a good boy. That also went smoothly. Lulled me into a false sense of serenity. So off I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get my Marriage license, Medical form attesting to the fact that I was NOT in 3rd stage of Syphilis, nor a drug addict, the Police report, and the Bank papers stamped by THAT office... and they refused the Medical reports. Silly me, I went to the Osaka University Medical Center Hospital and Center for Disease Control for Japan for the exam. Although this Hospital is a complex of 5 large buildings, it seems it is a 'private' hospital, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires medical forms to come from 'public' hospitals... They took my other forms and told me to return on Monday to pick them up. And we are busy this weekend so there is no time to get to another hospital for another medical exam before Tuesday, so I'll have to go Monday to pick up the forms I dropped off today, then back again on Wednesday to drop OFF the medical forms, then back again three days after that to pick them up again....

I am beginning to reconsider this move...


Stitchawl

[samhy]

Or maybe that could be the last straw urging you to move.
諦めないで、stitchawl!

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Who was I kidding? I actually imagined that my trip through Bureaucracy Land was going to go smoothly. More the fool, me.
So first I went to the Ministry of Justice and got the Bank papers that I had notarized by the Ministry of Notary or whatever stamped that they were legally stamped by the Notary. That went smoothly. Then I went to the Prefectural Police Headquarters and picked up the police report saying I was a good boy. That also went smoothly. Lulled me into a false sense of serenity. So off I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get my Marriage license, Medical form attesting to the fact that I was NOT in 3rd stage of Syphilis, nor a drug addict, the Police report, and the Bank papers stamped by THAT office... and they refused the Medical reports. Silly me, I went to the Osaka University Medical Center Hospital and Center for Disease Control for Japan for the exam. Although this Hospital is a complex of 5 large buildings, it seems it is a 'private' hospital, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires medical forms to come from 'public' hospitals... They took my other forms and told me to return on Monday to pick them up. And we are busy this weekend so there is no time to get to another hospital for another medical exam before Tuesday, so I'll have to go Monday to pick up the forms I dropped off today, then back again on Wednesday to drop OFF the medical forms, then back again three days after that to pick them up again....

I am beginning to reconsider this move...


Stitchawl

What else would you be doing with your time? It's not like you have any hobbies or anything, after all.

Originally Posted by samhy

Or maybe that could be the last straw urging you to move.
諦めないで、stitchawl!

Nice - Google translate is a wonder.

My mini rant is about the fact that we now have 4 days holiday over the Easter break, and I am working on 3 of them, and possibly all 4, as we prepare to go live on a new national government service that we are implementing on behalf of 31 Local Authorities, all on the same day, April 2nd. It is the most chaotic and convoluted project I think I have ever worked on, due to a myriad of factors, mostly out of our control. I will be so glad when it's done and dusted.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by orlok

My mini rant is about the fact that we now have 4 days holiday over the Easter break, and I am working on 3 of them, and possibly all 4, as we prepare to go live on a new national government service that we are implementing on behalf of 31 Local Authorities, all on the same day, April 2nd. It is the most chaotic and convoluted project I think I have ever worked on, due to a myriad of factors, mostly out of our control. I will be so glad when it's done and dusted.

Is that the NHS 111 thing?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Is that the NHS 111 thing?

No it's not. The 111 scheme seems to be fraught with issues too, I have to say.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by samhy

Or maybe that could be the last straw urging you to move.
諦めないで、stitchawl!

Thanks for the encouragement, samhy. But no last straw needed. I'm ready for a change.

Originally Posted by orlok

What else would you be doing with your time? It's not like you have any hobbies or anything, after all.

Being the eternal silver lining seeker, I've decided that having to go back to this building several times is actually a good thing. The Municipal building that houses this office is just outside of the moat surrounding Osaka Castle. And being a castlely castle, and Japanese, the grounds are filled with Cherry trees. And being the photobug that I am and wanting the best of the best photos of the Cherry trees, I will be able to see them progressing through their blooming! Right now they are still just a few days from being nice looking. A bit on the scruffy side yet. But from now on, each day I'll have my full camera gear with me, and I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVERE! (Did you hear the 'Rocky' theme in the background?)

My mini rant is about the fact that we now have 4 days holiday over the Easter break, and I am working on 3 of them, and possibly all 4, as we prepare to go live on a new national government service

Will this be a televised thing? Are you going to be a star? And working on Easter??? Who's going to hide the eggs? Do you hide Easter eggs in the UK? I can now hide my own Easter eggs. It's one advantage of getting old.


Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

No rant here. Just listening and nodding my head in agreement.

I have decided that we are not going to try and visit each of our families every summer. It is too expensive and uses up all of our vacation time. His family this year, my family next year. Riverhouse for a week with ourselves and some friends and maybe family.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Will this be a televised thing? Are you going to be a star?

No, thank goodness. I don't want to be associated with this in any way.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

And working on Easter??? Who's going to hide the eggs? Do you hide Easter eggs in the UK?

Yes we do, but as I said in the joke thread (apologies for the repetition), this year I have the opportunity to combine Easter and April Fools' and send the kids on an Easter Egg hunt for eggs I haven't actually hidden .

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

Yes we do, but as I said in the joke thread (apologies for the repetition), this year I have the opportunity to combine Easter and April Fools' and send the kids on an Easter Egg hunt for eggs I haven't actually hidden .

Thanks for the info. Yes, I saw the joke. And I think I should get some sort of award for the restraint I displayed at the time.
Of course it never entered my mind that the 'reason' you could not hide them was because it WAS a tradition in the UK.... Gawwwwd! My brains really ARE melting.... I think it's time to have reason to post in the 'What's in my cup thread.'


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

No rant here. Just listening and nodding my head in agreement.

I have decided that we are not going to try and visit each of our families every summer. It is too expensive and uses up all of our vacation time. His family this year, my family next year. Riverhouse for a week with ourselves and some friends and maybe family.

In many ways I thought myself lucky to have the family relationship that I did... which was distant. There was plenty of "Love" shown, but no need for constant reaffirmation of it. My parents had their lives and I had mine. When we got together it was enjoyable to catch up on what we all had been doing, spend a day sitting around chatting, and we were good for the next season. No need to spend a week together. We all have lives to live and vacations to take. Sometimes we take them together. Sometimes not. Because of our strange schedules, my wife and I often will take separate vacations. Often we will join up in the middle of one of them for a day or two, or over-lap for a day or two. I went up to the Sea of Japan coast to do some photography but my wife wanted to attend a 2-day lecture. After her lecture, she joined me at the coast for a day, but then "I" had to get back to town, and she wanted to stay for another day or so... It's nice to be able to do things like this. If I had said to my ex-wife that I wanted to go somewhere by myself, she would have said 'Oh! You don't love me any more!' (That's one of the reason's she's an ex...)

Take the time for yourselves too. I've often felt badly for a friend of mine who is expected to spend every vacation season with his entire family. He doesn't want to. He wants to take a skiing vacation or go sailing for a week. But he's 'required' to be with family. The family lays such a guilt trip on him that he'd be miserable if he didn't attend!

You only get one life. Live it the way you need to live.


Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

We are but I like visiting with my family. In the past we have not worried about seeing either family during the summer, we normally saw one or the other but it was not something we pushed to do. We do want Lucas to have a close relationship with his grandparents so we are a bit more interested in seeing everyone. They have been great coming to us and it would be nice to go to them.

My parents understand, my Mom said it was nuts to go to see them this year, and I know that but I like visiting my cousins and Aunts and Uncles. (shrugs) I have been going on my own since we got married at least once a year, it is weird missing a year, that is all.

That said, it will be nice to not have the stress and to be able to chill with my immediate family by the river with the dogs.

[wannabee]

Hey you! You, taking pictures of the cherry tree blossoms. Have you got a permit for that?

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I think I should get some sort of award for the restraint I displayed at the time.

Stitchawl

Atta boy Stitchie!

[Roger Parkinson]

Originally Posted by orlok

My mini rant is about the fact that we now have 4 days holiday over the Easter break, and I am working on 3 of them, and possibly all 4, as we prepare to go live on a new national government service that we are implementing on behalf of 31 Local Authorities, all on the same day, April 2nd. It is the most chaotic and convoluted project I think I have ever worked on, due to a myriad of factors, mostly out of our control. I will be so glad when it's done and dusted.

Surprising how often this kind of thing happens, ie scheduling a go-live just after Easter, or some other holiday. It's not like they can't see it coming. I know Easter moves around a bit but it's still easy to find out.

[PeterT]

Its often done that way thought to allow a longer time period for the implementation / roll-out, and a longer time period for a backout if required.