The Vent and Rant Thread

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Wear head phones, to appear that you are listening to music? It’s said to be the universal signal now, but I don’t know how well it works!

I have to agree that it works pretty well. Wearing my Logitech Pro headphones works well to keep me from being interrupted. I may have snapped and snarled a few times when I first started wearing them but most people now understand that even if the office is on fire, don't bother me until my toes are about to get toasted.

[DiapDealer]

I've tried to convince myself all morning that my tolerance for stupid must be lower today, or something. But I'm done. The levels of stupid in my locale are clearly very elevated today. We're at what I'd call a DUMBCON3. Borderline DUMBCON2. There's just a hell of a lot of dumb going down today.

[DiapDealer]

The fact that you're entering a place of business that pays a cleaning crew has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not you (or your entourage) should wipe your ice/mud/salt-encrusted boots/shoes on the provided rug before moving past the entrance. Are we animals?!

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The fact that you're entering a place of business that pays a cleaning crew has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not you (or your entourage) should wipe your ice/mud/salt-encrusted boots/shoes on the provided rug before moving past the entrance. Are we animals?!

We have the opposite problem when there's snow on the ground; some people come into our entryway stamp the snow and ice off their feet and continue on their way.

The last time we had snow/ice we got a couple of those big rubber doormats and put them outside, mostly because the stone tiles outside our building get very slippery, but it also made people clean off the snow off their shoes on those instead in the entryway. I'd rather sweep the doormats outside free of ice and snow than deal with a drenched entryway.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I'd rather sweep the doormats outside free of ice and snow than deal with a drenched entryway.

I'd rather deal with a drenched entryway then clean up the muddy, salty trail that leads down two sets of stairs, a hallway, across a giant room and into the commercial kitchen. Where they sit down and let the boots continue to drip, drip, drip. All because people want to walk across the yard instead of using the sidewalk.

No matter how many mats I put in their way (inside or out) they just walk across them without wiping.

[Rumpelteazer]

The first night in a new place is always not a good night for me. But this first night on vacation was exceptionally crappy. I think I might have gotten a couple of hours of broken sleep.

It was not helped by the fact that a bird has been singing all night near my cottage. As a city person I'm used to birds being quiet until just before dawn. Tonight I'll put in my earplugs.

It's now almost 6.30am, I'm waiting for the supermarket to open at 8am to get some fresh bread rolls, after that I'll take a shower, eat breakfast and then probably take a nice long nap.

[Hitch]

(Not here for sympathy, I swear it. Just being the Princess Proselytizer of Vaccination...)

So, as some of you may recall, sure 'nuff, I started with the Shingles disease/illness/whatever, on Friday the 13th, apparently (shoulda known...) and was disgnosed with it being acute/severe on the morning of the 17th, January. I posted here about it, urging all of you to get the vax. (Just the Vax, ma'am!)

Anyway...So, a few things. The doctor combo inadvertently tried to kill me, by prescribing a few things together that suppressed my breathing. Hooray, that was fun. Had to cut back on that combo (duh) and while my breathing improved immeasurably, so too did the freshness and brightness of the PAIN. So, now taking even more opiates, with less relief. Hooray for that too, eh.

The rash may or may not have "relapsed," they're checking. It's weird. One half is almost numb to the touch and dry, but beneath the skin is a lava-pit of pain. The other half (rear/back), where the rash is far less "dry," or whatever, is a network of live nerve endings on the skin. I have always been a sucker for exceedingly SOFT clothes, natural fibers, etc. and I'm grateful for that quirk of my personality now, lemme tell ya.

So, thiis is NOT to elicit sympthay, or anything like that. I just wanted to stick my head up again and say to thee that have not yet gone--get thee gone and and getteth your VAX. Tarry not!

I mean, sure, it's only 18 days out of a lifetime, but bygod, these are the longest 18 days of my life. And each day feels like it's a month long--and not that old, "time slows down into Slo-Mo so that we get to enjoy everything to the umpteenth," way, but the whole "let's see if we can waterboard her and make her remain conscious for 48 hours straight" kind of awareness of time...

When I think of my online areas, places and associates, I always think of MR as "the smart ones." So.. you wiseguys, if you have not--please do.

And this has been your Hitch-wrought Public Service Announcement for the Day. Now I'm off to see if I can punch out a remotely comfortable negotiated settlement with my sofa, my down pillows and my cat. (sigh). Probably not. I have a suspicion that the cat is paying off the mediator, because he seems to always win these things...

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Huggs … wow, you are still undergoing that! Ugh, ugh, ugh!

To clarify for any others what I posted earlier: since the beginning of this year, Medicare part D is supposed to cover the Shingrix vaccine. Presumably Medicare Advantage plans must too, but ask.

Actually — rescind those huggs, Hitch … I’m sure you don’t want them just now! Does ice or hot water do anything positive for the pain? keep on with those opiates, since they help, and DO please keep breathing!!

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

... and DO please keep breathing!!

Damn right!!!

Hope you get well soon.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Huggs … wow, you are still undergoing that! Ugh, ugh, ugh!

Yup and it's why I posted again--just in case the incentive had worn off, from my last post--we all know what procrastinators we are!--I wanted people to think, "damn, hasn't it been at least..." and reconsider whether they wanted to roll the dice!

To clarify for any others what I posted earlier: since the beginning of this year, Medicare part D is supposed to cover the Shingrix vaccine. Presumably Medicare Advantage plans must too, but ask.

Actually — rescind those huggs, Hitch … I’m sure you don’t want them just now! Does ice or hot water do anything positive for the pain? keep on with those opiates, since they help, and DO please keep breathing!!

Yes, as much as I love you all, belay the hugs for now. The odd part is, there's almost very little topical (heat, cold, calomine, etc.) that seems to have much of an effect. Yes, if you pat me, I'll jump and yelp--I get this oddball delay and then a spike of pain.

The (other) unprovoked (?) pains seem to shoot below the skin. Sure, you can cause it (with hugs, backslaps and all that) but the typical for me is that you're just sitting there, minding your own business and abruptly, you get God-tasered with a bolt of pain that shoots from point a to point b, somewhere in my torso. The frequency at the moment is the one thing that seems--seems--to be declining, so I am hopeful.

Like just then--like those old "stitches" you'd get, in school, elementary school when you'd run too fast or too far and you had to bend over to catch your breath--but mine get this coating of lava, at least, with this Shingles stuff.

Originally Posted by Thasaidon

Damn right!!!

Hope you get well soon.

Thanks, big fella. I appreciate it.

Hitch

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Yup and it's why I posted again--just in case the incentive had worn off, from my last post--we all know what procrastinators we are!--I wanted people to think, "damn, hasn't it been at least..." and reconsider whether they wanted to roll the dice!

Thanks for the original post and this follow-up post. My first shot (of two) now booked. It's 12 years until I'm eligible for the free NHS one, so I'm paying for this one myself.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Thanks for the original post and this follow-up post. My first shot (of two) now booked. It's 12 years until I'm eligible for the free NHS one, so I'm paying for this one myself.

I hate to see you spend your dosh/readies, Paul--but if in the universe of odds, there were any odds that you'd get this...hell, 30% as badly as I did, you'll be glad you spent it.

Last night--I'm in the Little Captain's Room (yes, yes powder room) and I'm pulling down my 3-sizes-too-big tee-shirt, post-ablutions.

Now, you can all imagine, I've developed dancer- and gymnastics-champion-like-devoutness around clothing, hands, and all that, right?

I literally don't [remember precisely what happened--either my shirt, (?) or a fingertip or...? something, lightly, (I think?) touched a piece of the rash on my back.

Next thing I know, I'm on the floor. I received this jolt of...I don't even know what to call it, like I said above/upthread, The Taser of God, and I was sitting/lying on the floor. I have almost no recollection of the touch or incident, the shirt, the pain...just sitting on the floor, feeling like the "after" in those TV shows and movies where people get tasered. ZAAAP and then, the floor. Bizarre is the simplest word I can choose for it.

And damn, who realized that 15-16 years later, Travertine floors would be so hard for bony old broads to sit on, abruptly? LOL.

¯\_(⌣̯̀⌣́)_/¯


Hitch

[isarl]

Hitch, as somebody else “lucky” enough to have experienced shingles, I offer my sincerest wishes that you beat it soon, and an enthusiastic second of your advice to get the vaccine if eligible. If you're not eligible, then familiarize yourself with the symptoms and if you ever think you might have shingles, seek treatment immediately, as when I had it, there was some treatment which can be undertaken if the infection has not yet set in too much, which can help lessen its severity.

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

(Not here for sympathy, I swear it. Just being the Princess Proselytizer of Vaccination...)

I hope it's better soon for you Hitch!

I look into getting one, but you can't get one in the Netherlands until you're 50, except for certain circumstances (HIV, have had an organ transplant, etc).

[Rumpelteazer]

I had planned on making taco's tonight, I was really looking forward to it. But the supermarket on the vacation park only sell pre-seasoned minced meat. Which, my guess is, won't do when I want to add my own taco seasoning.

So tonight it'll either be pasta, pesto with some vegetables or I'm going to put together a board with cheeses, meat (chicken and miniature meatballs), some bread rolls and various dips. I'm leaning towards the latter, it's less work.