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Monday, September 29, 2008

Bailout Blahs Edition

Hey, Pixies! What a week, eh? Between the political news and the financial news, I'm feeling a little queasy, yet pulled by a strong force to keep watching. (Not, however, on the television news -- that way lies the need for a straightjacket, my friends.)

We have a moderately anxious partial bailout going on the home front. Adult son and the feral pirates he has been living with with are breaking up and moving out of their apartment. Son will stay with friends while he continues his job search, but all his stuff will stay with us. Also, he lost his cell phone the other day. Also, he had to go see the doctor about his asthma and get a new prescription, and he currently lacks insurance. Also, all of his clothes are falling apart, which is not helping the job search. Also, he doesn't drive, so I got to drive him around all morning. Also, could I do some research on landlord/tenant law? In antiwhines, he is staying with friends instead of moving home! (I swear I love my boy! We just love each other better from a few miles distance.)

And folks, that's not all on the domestic front. A young buck got into our yard the other day. We startled one another, as I spyed him 3 FEET FROM MY WINDOW. The poor deer was so flustered that he broke the gate and a fence post while escaping, leading to serious weekend grumpiness on the part of my beloved, the designated fence guy in the family.

What's happening with you? Bring 'em on, the big fireplacing whines and the bitty little funny ones, anti-whines of glory and the small victories as well!

31 comments:

Madeleine said...

kathy a., it sounds like you are walking the fine line on parenting an adult. Good for you.

I would like to whine (or maybe just rant) that I don't believe in the myth of the undecided voter. I mean, really, after all this time and all this coverage, if you say you haven't decided yet I think you probably have no intention of voting. Feel free to correct me, pixies, if you know of someone who is truly still contemplating whether McC or the big O is the right way for them to vote. I'm not going to tell you how I think you should vote (in this forum, anyway) but undecided? Really?

Anonymous said...

My basement is packed with all of the stuff my four children have left behind now that they've started their lives.

I agree with Madelaine. How can someone be undecided when there are two quite different candidates now left? These people must not have any personal politics if they can still be swayed at this late hour.

Unknown said...

The truth is we all depend on our "safety nets" and well-timed "bailouts" at various junctures in our life. All that being said, this is a pivotal era (moment) that we are living in.

kathy a. said...

welcome, pablo and robert! pablo, you may be up for some kind of parental fortitude award this week, what with the contents of your basement. :)

Miranda said...

You know the best thing about the financial meltdown? I am no longer irresponsible for not socking away $ for retirement, but prescient. OH, and what I am now socking away, thanks to a new job, will buy more.

Madeleine said...

Dollar Cost Averaging Award for Miranda.

Anonymous said...

Every time I hear "Dollar Cost Averaging", I think of the movie Airplane. "Looks like there's a sale at Penney's!"

Regarding being Undecided: I routinely get lumped in with Undecideds because of the limits of many polls. When I'm polled (which happens unfairly frequently, I'm afraid), I tell the pollster that I'll be voting for a third party candidate. No, I'm not voting for either of the major party candidates. It doesn't matter how "decided" I am - they always say, "I'll put you down as Undecided."

Pollsters = dumbheads.

JenR said...

No time to whine now, but I will say that I am undecided. Really. I just don't like either candidate for a variety of reasons. At this point, I don't feel comfortable voting for either of them. I may just join Amy and vote for someone else entirely. Will that person win? No, but at least I'm not contributing to a win of someone I don't want in office.

Madeleine said...

JenR, I can understand being undecided if you really don't like either candidate. I didn't think of that, I guess. Thanks for explaining and not calling me a dumbhead.

Whine: checked my email on Rosh Hashana and agreed to attend a phone meeting this afternoon. On Rosh Hashana. It's for a good cause, this being a non-profit organization.

Additional whine: in IM'ing about this meeting I realized how bad my department's budget is for the year starting now. And the whole org is so tight they declared a salary freeze, so bailouts are not possible. Additional money whines may be coming down the pike. (I won't lose my job, but I speculate that I might be asked to cut back my hours.)

Anti-whine: that wouldn't be the end of the world. And I could possibly pick up some freelance hours elsewhere if I wanted to.

Anonymous said...

Anti-whine: Baby Bella is 3 weeks old today. She sleeps a lot, except when she doesn't. Maybe she doesn't sleep long durations? I think sleep deprivation is seeping in. I think I am making less sense than normal, which I attribute to the infant lifestyle.

Whine: My son, age 4, is angry, I think. At the baby. At us. At the upending of his life. He seems to have a fist ready to punch...the only glimmer of hope for me is that he hasn't actually hit the baby. Or even me. Or any other person. He cries he doesn't want to go to school. He fusses. And he is probably reasonable to find this all horrible and hard and new and different.

This too shall pass?

Sleep deprivation means I don't wake up at 4 am worrying about this, at least.

The closest I come to political comment: I am very much decided (Go O!). We moved to a fairly conservative area and I am nervous about our yard sign (on order, arriving soon, I hope). I am just generally non-confrontational. I somehow want to put out the sign, want Obama to win big, and never need to discuss it with rancor.

Anonymous said...

last night I took my turns 3 in Nov daughter to her gymnastics class. It was my first time taking her and I was really shocked to find out that my kid is the worst one in the class. Seriously. Apparently jumping with both feet in the air at the same time is a skill I thought they got a little later in life but poor Regan is the only one that can't do it. Is it possible that every other kid is super advanced and my kid is just regular?

kathy a. said...

hugs to sarah and diane! that sleep deprivation sure is something. sarah, son probably is reacting to all the changes -- i'm all for a little directed spoiling during those times. diane -- preschool gymnastics is all about the fun! they all gain skills at their own paces, and achievements at age 2 do *not* go on the permanent record. xoxo

Madeleine said...

what kathy a. said.

Unknown said...

Waiting for brisket to 'rest'. Last week I was in the hospital for WW and totally missed it. I spent 3 relaxing days laying in a hospital bed watching TV and ended up with an entire left arm bruised and battered from IVs. I am still not better.

If my son does not stop overreacting to EVERY word said to him, I am stapling his mouth shut. I am tired of being yelled at.

Daughter did not bring home any good treats from Panera.

Ringo is now peeing UNDER my bed every single day. It is so rank I can't even begin to describe the horror. WHY ME?

Money. Job. Money. All of which are impossible right now.

Love to all of you, and have a sweet and happy new year.

KLee said...

My demon student is slowly killing me. He is oppositionally defiant, doing the exact opposite of whatever we tell him, and Father is under the gross misapprehension that "we must have misunderstood", or "it was an accident." Yeah, it was really an accident when your son smiled at me and then headbutted me in the face and laughed about it. I want to spank the ever-loving crap out of this child, and then give the father a good whaling while I'm at it. And I'm against spanking!

Liz Miller said...

((KLee))

Elevated Risk to Sarah for "infant lifestyle."

Whine: I am leaving before 0600 tomorrow to drive four frickin' hours to a 3-day conference for my volunteer gig.

Which means I am already up past my bedtime.

I'll bring my computer with me. I am hopeful that there will be some wireless available down there for me to use.

And today my job requirement was to answer repetitive questions while staring at a blank wall and having my heart beat recorded! The things we do up here in the nation's capital, I swan!

Anonymous said...

HELP!

So, last week, my daughter came down with pinkeye, and I (I admit it) dosed her with last year's antibiotic eye drops. They were not expired, and I followed the directions. Sadly, the pinkeye has returned, and now I really should take her to the pediatrician for something stronger, but I don't want to 'fess up to what I did.

Are there any experienced parents out there this morning who can tell me what to say to the ped or expect?

Bonus Whine: THIS ISN'T EVEN WHAT I WAS GOING TO WHINE ABOUT THIS WEEK!

Madeleine said...

Amy,
I think you can tell the truth, since you were conscientious -- it's a common, easily diagnosed ailment and you prefer to avoid exposing every other kid in the doctor's practice. The drops were not expired -- you checked the date. Perhaps the manufacturer was overly optimistic or perhaps she has a resistant microbe.

Bonus hugs for your bonus whine!

Sue said...

Wow, talk about whining timing - we're moving next week - yes, NEXT WEEK!! It even looks like it might be on time and we won't end up with any homeless days to worry about (we're hoping - so far it looks good)

Anyway, with two adult children, we told each of them that when they moved out, they could leave one (big) R*bbermaid trunk full of childhood stuff that they wanted to keep but didn't want to move to the fifteen apartments they would have by the time they turn 30. That's it. One trunk each. Everything else went with them, or to charity.

I felt like a terribly mean mom, but our home is so small, I just can't be a storage unit for them.

Anti-whine: I think they still like me anyway.

Whine: My cell phone died last night. Because of the move, we've given the contractor AND EVERY UTILITY COMPANY my cell number as the primary contact number b/c we didn't know when the land line would be ready.

Anti-whine: I get to go today and pick out a new and possibly fancy new cell phone.

MAJOR ANTI-WHINE: I will miss you all next Wednesday, but it will be Moving Day!!! eeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Hugs and sympathies to all the pixie whines (I wish I could help with the pink eye and the infant lifestyle, but alas, it has been too long for this lass...)

Happy Rosh Hashana to those who are celebrating.

Anonymous said...

This seems like the only place I can not feel guilty about screaming this from the rafters..... I AM NOW IN MY PRE MATERNITY JEANS!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!
It's not like I was a size zero before or anything but still - I'm pretty darn excited.

Amy - blame it on your husband. Always, always blame it on your husband.

Sue you should get an award for stating that you're moving but not whining about packing.

And whoever gave me my bouncy seat when I had Regan I totally heart you. For reals. Best. Invention. Ever.

esperanza said...

I'm limiting myself to antiwhines today:

Though it hardly seems possible, the Sweet Baboo is a year old today!

There have been lots of whines over the last year (oh, who am I kidding...for a while before that too). Thanks to all the pixies for providing a listening ear and advice and a place to whine.

kathy a. said...

WOO! Happy Birthday, Baboo! Happy Birthday, Baboo!

JenR said...

Yay epseranza!

Sarah... I can come over and you can nap - just call. For your boy.... Do they still make those big inflatable clowns/bowling pins/whatever that are weighted on the bottom so you can whack at them and they pop right back up?

On to my whine... remember the cold and teething from last week? Turns out it is a cold, two teeth, and two ear infections. Poor baby. And now mama has the ear infection, and daddy has the cold. Someday we will all be healthy.

Sue said...

Happy Birthday Baboo!!! Yay!!

I nominate myself for the Dumb As A Bag Of Hammers Award.

We don't move next week.

We move the week after that.

Excited much, yes?

Duh!!!

As for the packing - mostly it's done. We have movers packing the breakable dining room stuff and doing all the heavy lifting. We more or less just have to sign a lot of paper and walk in the door of our new condo.

Whine: I'm nervous about starting work next week, but also very thankful to have a job to go back to - so many don't have work that I just can't quite complain about it.

Sue said...

Welcome pablo and robert!!!!

Anonymous said...

I <3 you guys. I will remember your words of advice the next time I do something that's bound to get me in trouble with the authorities.

In a sweet, delicious moment of luck, the ped's office *just* went paperless, so I 'fessed up to the nurse (who I know is nice) and she said, "Oh, we'll just say your daughter completed the course of drops last week, and the doc will never know who prescribed it or when, unless she wants to dig through the chart, which she won't."

So, I <3 her too, because it worked. The doc assumed I'd seen someone last week. HA! HA!

And what is it with basement treasures surfacing this week? My mom called me when I was driving home from the ped's to ask me if she could throw something of my brother's out. (He passed away nearly 20 years ago.) It's a sculpture he did of himself sitting in his prized Mustang, but it's broken now. I asked to see it one more time before she pitched it, but still - is there something in the air or the economy that's sending people to their basements to purge?

Uccellina said...

Esperanza, Happy Babirthday!

Whine: It's insanely hot out and my throat hurts. The Santa Ana Winds blow. In both senses of that word.

kathy a. said...

hugs to margalit and klee.

sue, i've been sorting through the awards bin, but it turns out we have a rule against hammering on pixies. outta luck.

yay, amy!

uccellina -- oy, those santa anas. crossing fingers for fire season to end already, and hope you feel better, too.

Miranda said...

Ugh. I hate the tactic The Powers That Be are using to railroad this stupid bailout bill through Congress. Just add enough pork barrel spending on it so that those up for reelection can't help but support it or else face the negative adds.

And while I have a candidate I support a lot, I also can't wait until the election is over so that I can go back to talking about fluff with all friends and not have to disagree with them all the time. I'm kind of like Sarah at Ratatat like that.

Best wishes to all the pixies this week! Happy Birthday to the Sweet Baboo! I missed congratulating the births of new babies over the last month.

I've noticed this party lacks refreshments so I offer up some warm apple cider and cinnamon sugar donuts. With my broken foot, I can't get out to the cider mill so I thought I'd share them with you all here instead. :)

Anonymous said...

This is my third try whining! My whine is that the program keeps eating my whines!

The dog and I were back at the vet yesterday, for more steroids and bigger antibiotics. She seemed all better by Sunday, then her face puffed up again and developed a "necrotic spot" over 24 hours.

She hates the cone, she hates me for making her wear the cone, and we are both sick of this.

Oh, and I am not enjoying the dissertation analyses.

Courtney said...

Just voting. Nthing to report here.

hugs to redzils over dissertation analyses (plural!) and for her dog over the cone. So embarrassing... my dog tried to hide when she had to wear one -- which was just sad, because she would try to hide in spots she couldn't fit wearing the cone, like under the bed.

Klee -- eek and double eek. Baboo: happy happy!

I'll offer some homemade hummus with pita wedges. That sounds so good I might try to make it in real life.