I am here in the Big City preparing for the Meeting That Will Unite Us All. They even called in a facilitator for it which seems a bit like overkill unless the meeting's true purpose is a bit more nefarious than it's seemingly banal third hand agenda would suggest. I kid you not, the agenda boiled down to talking about Stuff and not stuff that should mean several us needed to travel to the Home Office in person from our far corners of the Great Lakes region. In the old days of not so distant past, I would try to be a standard bearer and Fight The Good Fight and now?
Since my whining must be constrained, please share yours. All of yours. Let us all support you and help you find the energy to continue fighting the good fight.
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46 comments:
W: fax machines at medical offices apparently do not work as well as regular people fax machines. They require a "heads up, I'm sending you a fax" phone call AND a "did you get that" phone call.
Also, W: fax machines? Do we not have some more efficient means of sending an unnecessary referral letter?
Yes: medical fax machines, and everything requiring fax is the absolute worst.
W: Bark 2: Revenge of the Bark: The Bark Continues: The Barkening.
She's not entirely sick, but every couple days, something happens that makes E bark. On Thursday night, it was the sensitive stomach and the too-quick rush back to non-BRAT foods. On Saturday morning, she choked a bit on her breakfast and threw up. This afternoon, Mr. Q held her upside down, too soon after a snack. Will someone please send me a carpet shampooer?
AW: in a few weeks, we'll be moving into a place that has 100% lino. I think that's the right move for us, at this stage.
W: oh, also she was so tired that she screamed through church and we left early.
AW: in spite of all this evidence, she seems to be improving.
Oh, a trip to the Mothership? With both a non-transparent agenda and a "facilitator"? My radar is all twitchy, not in a good way.
I need a fax for at least one set of things; and the stupid scanner in that machine refuses to work, although that scan function would be useful for all other "here's the document" matters. Grumble. But yeah, calling is the way of the fax.
QWP, sorry about the bark. Some kids just seem extra-barky. I would point to my daughter; but my parents would have pointed to me, famous back in the day for carsickness and general barkiness.
OK, I'm trying to do the back in the saddle, fight the good fight thing. And someone gave me a good tip on something useful; and I tried to copy/paste the part I needed. Every. Single. Word. On. A. Separate. Line. Finally got that mess straight, fighting through the source's weird formatting and something funky with my browser, but ya know??
There is a whole complicated unbloggable W about contacting SIL's ex so he can tell SIL's son that grandma died -- and it is really late, and the dad has some other issues, but I talked my beloved into letting me making the call already, and think it went well. We're OK now on all the issues. whew. yay. sigh.
Oooh, AW: The very best thing this month has been thinking about my upcoming college reunion. And I have a concept for table decorations! My class always has the best ones; no "look, we called the florist" for us. Yes, this is what I want to think about -- a happy party with flowers and candles and snacks and and dated ephemera and stories and people I saw every day, once upon a time.
I have already had one awkward moment. A manager asked me out for dinner with her and my former boss and I horrifiedly said NO. My former boss works for this manager and it was the first time they were meeting. I felt like I was being asked in Switzerland kind of way and, whoa, not a chance. If you knew the personalities involved, you would understand. My boss will not be here today due to jury duty.
My dinner was with a good friend of mine here. I don't think we stopped laughing for three hours. Ugh, time to go get ready for this thing. I am meeting my team this morning too for a bit. Ain't no rest for the wicked.
QWP, bark is awful. This too shall pass.
Kathy, my friend here was having similar document issues yesterday. It must have been a Monday thing.
I'd wish a pox on fax machines but it seems like the medical ones have that covered, esperanza. Sigh.
See you on the flip side. If my phone cooperates, I will try to update you from the airport.
Miranda, I hope things go well today. I'm glad that you had that nice dinner with your friend.
I'm glad there's been some progress/resolution on the unbloggable, kathy.
Is it possible for a toddler who hasn't been barky until the past week (seriously: last Sunday was the first time she ever barked, other than spitting up when she was a tiny baby) to become a long-term barky toddler? Asking for a friend.
Good call Miranda. Being Switzerland over dinner = no fun at all.
If the entire medical community feels the need to use fax machines (and apparently they do) - they should encourage the Smart Computer Development People to make one that works!!
QWP - so sorry about the ongoing bark. I too was a barky kid. Still don't like sitting in the back seat of the car for long trips.
I'm glad the family situation is starting to resolve kathy. It's been, and continues to be, a long road.
Miranda, glad you got a wonderful dinner with your friend!
QWP, it could easily be that she's just taking some time to bounce back from the bug.
QWP, my (non-faxed, entirely uneducated)opinion is that, since she had frequent barking recently, the stomach acid probably irritated her thingie at the top of the stomach, her esophagus and other parts upstream. Therefore, they are more sensitive to overeating, being turned upside down, etc, than normal. In other words, I'd give it some time and be a little more careful so she can heal up. What kathy said.
Miranda, dinner with a friend sounds much better than awkward dinner with undercurrents and too many bosses. Good choice.
Heading home for the afternoon. Need dark room, ice pack, blah blah blah. I have a meeting this evening, so let's hope a lie-down helps.
Sigh.
Why isn't it next week yet??? Where's a good time-traveler when you need one?
((( Sue ))) So sorry about the headache demon. Yay for next week, and some relief. xoxo
Tech Whine Shuffle Haikus
Couple years back, I
signed a lot of things, and still
get email each day.
Caller ID is
great, and now I know just how
many bad callers.
Every online
spot intends to sell me things;
creepy, this stalking.
Junk mail used to be
the thing I hated, but that
is recyclable.
Here's some more material for your haiku collection, kathy: emails now seem to require a text message saying, "I just sent you an email. Check it." Sigh.
Sue, sorry about the headache. :(
QWP, I second the irritated esophagus. It's probably spasming mildly or just extra-sensitive. I'd recommend getting back to BRAT, and doing small portions more frequently.
Well, I don't text and don't feel the need. Especially after this report, Esperanza.
I've gotten particularly irritable about repetitive annoying emails admonishing me for not signing some petition. Seriously? You want my name on your "permanent record," and you think shaming is a selling point? Pfffttthhhhh.
Yes, Liz and Esperanza are right about gentle foods in small portions.
The BRAT diet is what's been frustrating me the most: E's been on it (and small portions) for the whole time she's been sick, and she's tired of it and losing weight quickly. She's particularly sick of applesauce, and spits it out now. We've had some success with small adaptations to the diet (I have GERD and had awful pregnancy nausea, and so I know the drill), but none of that has prevented the last two bark episodes.
Sorry for the rant. This show recovery is getting to all of us.
(Slow, not show.)
Just keep at it. OK to add other gentle foods so she has choices -- just not maybe lasagne and a ton of strawberries; and vigorous upside down could maybe wait a bit. The food going down the wrong way could happen to anyone.
I highly recommend sorbet for the soothing of the esophagus, but avoid citrus (highly irritating).
If you've got electolyte fluids in the house, can you make some ice-pops?
And I concur on the no upside down or round and round for at least another week.
I'm so not a sports fan. But when a team owner brings dishonor to his team, the sport, and humanity in general, gotta say that the NBA is capable of taking care of it.
Well, we got through a day without any bark. I'm learning patience from this whole nonsense. (Two and a half more weeks, and then we'll be living in a home that has waterproof flooring. You can tell that I have a toddler because this is the biggest selling point about our new suite, right now.)
W: procrastinating, because the teaching application is due tomorrow. I have everything written, technically, but the teaching philosophy needs editing, and mostly it's scary because I haven't done any of this stuff in several years, and I'm starting into the self-doubt game again. Deep breaths.
AW: I did it! I moved around the teaching philosophy, said "Good enough," and submitted everything. Now I'm peeking through my fingers, because this is scary!
Yay, QWP! You can do it! The pixies are behind you!
Good strategy, QWP! If you can't see it, it can't see you!
Yay QWP!!!
AW: Rain instead of snow
W: Yesterday's major head pain has become today's major head pain. Brain fog is the theme of the day. And Grumpy. Definitely Grumpy.
W: Another meeting tonight, but I think I can graciously excuse myself from it.
You can definitely graciously excuse yourself, Sue.
Go away, major head pain!
Too bad cluesticking the head pain only makes it worse.
(((Sue))) Absolutely excuse yourself. I'm so sorry about the rough time you're having with migraines.
Yay for finishing, QWP!
Good on you, Sue, for graciously excusing yourself. Sending soothing head thoughts. xoxo
Weather: lovely, but it got hot yesterday, and will be hot hot today. No a/c; and hot doesn't work so well for me. All fans are ready to spring into action.
W: You know how when things are tense for outside reasons, and you say something you think is neutral and (because of baggage and raw nerve endings) it gets interpreted as some kind of condemnation of the person you're talking to? Yeah.
AW: Possible foster kittens tomorrow! Squeeee!!!
Re: your W, kathy a: All. The. Time.
Kathy a: Yup. Actually, I'm bad because this happens to Mr. Q a lot, and then I always assume he's mad at me.
AW: I had lunch with my MA supervisor today, and it was great and encouraging. He's on the lookout for opportunities for me now. There are many kind people in my life who are willing to help me, if I ask. I need to remember that.
Now that you mention it, QWP, I might be guilty sometimes on the receiving end.
Great about your adviser and other helpful people!
Dear ducks, it is hot! House has been well over 80F for hours. I'm meeeeellllttttiiiinnnngggg AW: nobody can call me an ice cold B, although I'm just about to dive in the freezer for some relief.
LOL, kathy a. I believe we've had this conversation before, but we set our AC *on* 80 in the summer.
I could never ever live in Texas. Nor could I move back to L.A. Speaking of which, it turns out that for the reunion in L.A., they stuck us in a dorm that is not only uphill and cinder-block ugly, but has no AC. Is that right??
I mean, I can think offhand of some perfectly ugly dorms that aren't uphill and a couple also have AC nowadays. This is probably punishment for complaining about the loud class last time.
I totally get that kathy! Sorry about the melting. It was hot here once... It was a long time ago. :) I do understand how uncomfortable it can be.
And kittens!!
Yay for supportive colleagues QWP!
sue's makin' fun of me...
(vague whine ahead): People who are overly sensitive *and* assume the worst of others' intentions. Must be a tough way to live.
So true esperanza. So true.
Just funnin' ya kathy!
It's May, which means it's a month and a few days until our backordered dishwasher arrives. Today that qualifies as a whine of the admittedly first-world variety.
Sue deserves an award, because that's a freakin' long time to wait for a dishwasher.
Squeeee!! Incoming foster kittens! Tonight!
I may have just totally embarrassed myself concerning a proposed gift to my old boss who is dying. The item was a gag gift kind of thing, a talent show award at a very serious conference, and he proudly displayed it above his desk for an entire year on behalf of serious persons in our state. I found a quality replica, but need it to be some kind of group gift. My theory is that dying people should get to remember the good times and laugh. Crossing fingers that the gang I queried sees things the same way.
That sounds like a fine gift kathy. I agree - it's always a good idea to remember good times.
This has been a very long week. I both traveled and had to work five very long days. Before you play a tiny violin on my behalf, I work a flex schedule so that I can have every other Friday off. With Easter and other commitments, I have had a long weekend for several weeks in a row and am out of practice working a full week. Plus I am taking Tween Son to a Nerd Convention. He's excited. I'm excited.
That is my way of saying awards will probably have to come today sometime and be relatively brief.
AW: The work trip went very well. I was able to showcase my talents effectively and I found myself engaged in the Good Fight. I needed the jolt of professional self-esteem.
AW: Family Member with Mental Health Issues is doing much better. It was more of a normal dip rather than a downturn. I am very grateful.
W/AW: 4 dates with 4 different men this week. All but one were first dates so it's not that scandalous. They are all very different people so it will be interesting to see if anything comes of it. I had a good time on all four.
W/AW: Family Member with Legal Troubles has a trial date next week. The pretrial seemed to go well enough that a charge was dropped and I am feeling less anxious. Probably because I was carrying enough anxiety for everyone and I decided that wasn't going to actually make anything better.
Miranda! So glad the work trip went well; yay about family member with MH issues!; yay about nerd convention!
Glad that at least some of the anxiety went away re FMwLT; all this is out of your control, but crossing fingers.
Wow, about 4 dates! -- on one level, that sounds fun and you deserve fun -- and on another level, the whole idea of dating sounds terrifying. Nevermind 4 of them.
The foster kittens are all lovey, and so far so good, and OMG teh cute! They eat like horses, play wildly, and snuggle in an excellent fashion. One is very purry. Everybody piled on the bed with daughter last night! The resident pets are all VERY curious about what's going on, and want to meet the babies; but there is a no mingling rule.
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