Whenever i run into something like that, with clients with conflicting ideas, I usually write them both in one email, quote both of their conflicting ideas, and say "these are mutually exclusive. Could you guys work out which way you want to go with it and let me know?" and then I just let it sit until I get a definitive answer.
If none is forthcoming, I usually forward the whole thing to a higher up in the company.
GasBandit
Staff member
I've been out of town all week.
The 19 year old got the shit kicked out of him at MMA on Friday and ended up in the hospital with a hematoma in his thigh.
Naturally, this meant that all the cleanup work he'd been putting off until right before his mother and I were to get back from the trip just never got done.
Of course, the amount of cleaning he'd been putting off constituted "all of it."
So I came back to heaping mounds of food-encrusted dishes overflowing out of the sink and on every horizontal surface, dirty floors everywhere, lots of towels on floors and exactly zero hanging up, and let me tell you the place smelled bad.
You just can't teach a teenager to clean as he goes, I guess. I don't want to be the "Mom's Boyfriend" that starts handing out ultimatums but I think I'm going to have to be. The kid has cleaned fewer dishes since he came to live here than I've got fingers on my left hand. His room always stinks. No matter how many times I say "no food in your bedroom" I'm always finding crusty ramen bowls in there.
He's been living here rent free for months now. I hadn't been a hardass because we were trying to get him back on his feet, but I think now he's just freeloading instead of bootstrapping.
The 19 year old got the shit kicked out of him at MMA on Friday and ended up in the hospital with a hematoma in his thigh.
Naturally, this meant that all the cleanup work he'd been putting off until right before his mother and I were to get back from the trip just never got done.
Of course, the amount of cleaning he'd been putting off constituted "all of it."
So I came back to heaping mounds of food-encrusted dishes overflowing out of the sink and on every horizontal surface, dirty floors everywhere, lots of towels on floors and exactly zero hanging up, and let me tell you the place smelled bad.
You just can't teach a teenager to clean as he goes, I guess. I don't want to be the "Mom's Boyfriend" that starts handing out ultimatums but I think I'm going to have to be. The kid has cleaned fewer dishes since he came to live here than I've got fingers on my left hand. His room always stinks. No matter how many times I say "no food in your bedroom" I'm always finding crusty ramen bowls in there.
He's been living here rent free for months now. I hadn't been a hardass because we were trying to get him back on his feet, but I think now he's just freeloading instead of bootstrapping.
Just finished cleaning the porch in prep for Memorial Day so my father-in-law can throw his little shindig for the parade tomorrow.
Power-washed all 850sqft(80sqm) of it. And the railing that goes all the way around it. And the pillars. And the overhang. And both sets of steps. And the retaining wall part-things hidden behind all the bushes. And the sidewalks leading up to it. And another 400sqft(35sqm) worth of house on either side so the porch isn't mysteriously clean surrounded by dirty house. It took both of my days off to do it. Blew out the seal in my trigger sprayer and had to get a new one about 2/3 of the way through ($50 - a thing Power Wash Simulator doesn't simulate). Cut my hand because I handled it wrong while I was trying to get the spray to shut off.
But it's done.
Just in time for me to go to back to work tomorrow.
Yaaaaay.
--Patrick
Power-washed all 850sqft(80sqm) of it. And the railing that goes all the way around it. And the pillars. And the overhang. And both sets of steps. And the retaining wall part-things hidden behind all the bushes. And the sidewalks leading up to it. And another 400sqft(35sqm) worth of house on either side so the porch isn't mysteriously clean surrounded by dirty house. It took both of my days off to do it. Blew out the seal in my trigger sprayer and had to get a new one about 2/3 of the way through ($50 - a thing Power Wash Simulator doesn't simulate). Cut my hand because I handled it wrong while I was trying to get the spray to shut off.
But it's done.
Just in time for me to go to back to work tomorrow.
Yaaaaay.
--Patrick
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As I was coming home from work just now, I used the pedestrian crossing at Slayter St & Woodland Ave in Dartmouth. I hit the signal and waited for traffic to stop. It did. This jackass in a big black pickup truck (why is it always pickup trucks?) started inching forward just as I passed in front of him. I shouted at him and he stopped. His wife in the passenger seat shouted a blatantly snarky "sorry" so I flipped them off and kept going.
Drivers, I implore you, please don't do this. You're in a hurry. You have places to be. We all do. But inching forward like that makes pedestrians nervous, because we don't know if you're going to suddenly pull forward and hit us.
If you're at any kind of pedestrian crossing, come to a complete and total full stop. Stop inching forward. You have no idea how intimidating it is.
Drivers, I implore you, please don't do this. You're in a hurry. You have places to be. We all do. But inching forward like that makes pedestrians nervous, because we don't know if you're going to suddenly pull forward and hit us.
If you're at any kind of pedestrian crossing, come to a complete and total full stop. Stop inching forward. You have no idea how intimidating it is.
I heard from other professors who help feed the campus cats that the university used the long holiday weekend to leave out poisoned food for skunks and raccoons. Some of the local feral cats got into it as well. One of the cats that I fed regularly had been there for fifteen years. He had been fixed and had all his shots. He didn't make it. Two others that I sometimes fed died as well. Ivy, the kitten, is missing. Hopefully she's just exploring the empty campus. Daisy, Ivy's Mom, is still alive and healthy. She's the tuxedo I've occasionally shared pictures of here.
I don't know what to do. Feral cat rescues just do TNR and Daisy is already fixed. Waller County animal control would just put her down after 72 hours. The Houston SPCA doesn't take in ferals. She'd make a good backyard cat but my neighborhood isn't safe for her. She'd probably get hit by a car or mauled by one of the neighborhood pit bulls if I let her roam. Also, we don't know how she'd react to our dog. Catness became best friends with our dog but Catness was also exceptionally friendly. I had to spend seven or eight months working on Daisy before she really warmed up to me. I don't see any good options for her.
I don't know what to do. Feral cat rescues just do TNR and Daisy is already fixed. Waller County animal control would just put her down after 72 hours. The Houston SPCA doesn't take in ferals. She'd make a good backyard cat but my neighborhood isn't safe for her. She'd probably get hit by a car or mauled by one of the neighborhood pit bulls if I let her roam. Also, we don't know how she'd react to our dog. Catness became best friends with our dog but Catness was also exceptionally friendly. I had to spend seven or eight months working on Daisy before she really warmed up to me. I don't see any good options for her.
They never would have done something like that at, say, UT or Texas A&M. But my campus is in the middle of nowhere and they probably assumed that nobody would be there. It’s still a huge risk, though.
I will go to campus tomorrow and see how Daisy is doing. If she did indeed lose her last kitten (the other two were likely adopted a long time ago) then she’ll be all alone.
I will go to campus tomorrow and see how Daisy is doing. If she did indeed lose her last kitten (the other two were likely adopted a long time ago) then she’ll be all alone.
If there are any rural communities near you, it might not hurt to see if any shelters there would take in potential barn cats. A lot of farmers like feral cats around to take care of mice. You’d probably have to catch her and bring her to them though.
I’ll call my university’s agriculture annex and ask if they need a barn cat. The problem is she might just walk away from the annex and go back to her old place, which would leave her in the same situation.
I’ve checked in the area and there is nothing else.
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Update: Daisy was glad to see me when I fed her today. She ran right up to me and yelled for her food. She seems to be all right. I didn't find Ivy, though. She might be dead but the other professors who feed the cats never found her body. She hardly ever strayed from her home, so MAYBE someone took her to get fixed and she'll be back in a few weeks. That's what I'm hoping for. I spoke with the agriculture department and we'll see what we can do for Daisy.
It felt weird to feed Daisy without Cottony (the old cat) meowing for his food. One of the professors had fed him for ten years and is heartbroken. He was practically her pet but was too feral to return affection.
It felt weird to feed Daisy without Cottony (the old cat) meowing for his food. One of the professors had fed him for ten years and is heartbroken. He was practically her pet but was too feral to return affection.
I'm suffering from an intense pain in my right shoulder. The doctor said it's a muscle/tendon inflammation, it'll probably take a week to fully subside.
The bad news is that I have a lot of cases due at work this week, so I can't take too much time off work.
The good news is that I am actually quite proficient in typing with only my left hand.
The bad news is that I have a lot of cases due at work this week, so I can't take too much time off work.
The good news is that I am actually quite proficient in typing with only my left hand.
figmentPez
Staff member
I've been without power for 10 hours. This would be a great time to read, if it weren't so hard to focus on reading while I'm anxious about the power being out.
I got these and ate the entire pack in less than a day.
figmentPez
Staff member
Still no power. Estimated restoration time isn't until afternoon tomorrow.
figmentPez
Staff member
By the power of Energy, I HAVE THE POWER!
Got my electricity back well before the estimate. Was still without power for over 23 hours.
UGH, I feel like shit.
Glad you have it back. I know a little north of you we’ve had crews running around the clock to try to get everything fixed and they’re running out of parts to get it done. We haven’t had a progression of spring storms like this in a few years and of course that means that cutting the trees back from lines has become more and more ignored/behind because of the constant need and cost.
In the category "absolutely tiniest of rants": after a long weekend of driving all over the country, our car's odometer was at 199983. I was going to drive to work tomorrow and reach the 200k.
Now, because she overslept and was going to be late, my wife decided she'd go to work by car today as well... And she doesn't care about numbers at all, and I miss out. Whaaaa!
Now, because she overslept and was going to be late, my wife decided she'd go to work by car today as well... And she doesn't care about numbers at all, and I miss out. Whaaaa!
GasBandit
Staff member
Irreconcilable differences, Your Honor.In the category "absolutely tiniest of rants": after a long weekend of driving all over the country, our car's odometer was at 199983. I was going to drive to work tomorrow and reach the 200k.
Now, because she overslept and was going to be late, my wife decided she'd go to work by car today as well... And she doesn't care about numbers at all, and I miss out. Whaaaa!
Me noticing my car only just last week upon arriving home from work:In the category "absolutely tiniest of rants": after a long weekend of driving all over the country, our car's odometer was at 199983. I was going to drive to work tomorrow and reach the 200k.
Now, because she overslept and was going to be late, my wife decided she'd go to work by car today as well... And she doesn't care about numbers at all, and I miss out. Whaaaa!
--Patrick
Well, I called around and the agriculture department has enough barn cats. They reached out to some staff who might want a pet but they JUST adopted some new dogs. Cottony also came back, meaning the cat skeleton with a gray tail was probably Ivy. That's a shame because Ivy was starting to become more outgoing. Daisy and Cottony are going to stick around for a while longer. In the meantime, the animal hospital I use will spread the word to anyone who wants a barn or backyard cat. The hospital is on the outskirts of town and I know that farmers and ranchers use it. Daisy is friendly and would be an ideal outdoor cat. She follows me around, headbutts me, and demands attention even when I'm running late for a meeting.
Btw, when I spoke with the agriculture dean he sounded appalled that anyone had left poisoned food out. The farm animals could have gotten into it too, and some are expensive animals used for husbandry and research purposes. It could be that the poisoning was not done with any official approval.
Btw, when I spoke with the agriculture dean he sounded appalled that anyone had left poisoned food out. The farm animals could have gotten into it too, and some are expensive animals used for husbandry and research purposes. It could be that the poisoning was not done with any official approval.
Poisoning (even rat poison) is usually discouraged not only because it's hard to discriminate between vermin and wildlife, but also because the wildlife will eat the poisoned vermin, earning you a two- (or even three-)fer.
--Patrick
Someone killed a feral hog that was at least 200 lb. The first day there were like 4 vultures picking at the carcass. The next day some farmer took the carcass away. When I went to work the next morning the entire East Texas Sanitation Commission was sitting on the fence looking for the pig. I wish I stopped to get a pic of 30 vultures looking for the pig.
So, remember when I posted about this shitshow last year?
Eastlink was able to renegotiate and get all the Corus channels back.
Except now you have to pay for a pack of channels. And in order to get ALL of them, you must have the new TiVo Stream service that Eastlink launched about two years ago.
They're expecting us to be swamped with calls. Probably a lot of returning customers.
I'm expecting a lot of angry customers who either don't want to pay more for these channels or hate being forced to upgrade with new equipment.
On the bright side, it means an end to reduced hours. I'm working my regular 900 to 530 again (instead of until 430), and an extra hour for today and tomorrow.
And then...I'm on an 11 day vacation! So that's a minor victory.
Eastlink was able to renegotiate and get all the Corus channels back.
Except now you have to pay for a pack of channels. And in order to get ALL of them, you must have the new TiVo Stream service that Eastlink launched about two years ago.
They're expecting us to be swamped with calls. Probably a lot of returning customers.
I'm expecting a lot of angry customers who either don't want to pay more for these channels or hate being forced to upgrade with new equipment.
On the bright side, it means an end to reduced hours. I'm working my regular 900 to 530 again (instead of until 430), and an extra hour for today and tomorrow.
And then...I'm on an 11 day vacation! So that's a minor victory.
I have had two flat tires in two days. My commute takes me past a lot of construction. When that stormed moved through several weeks ago a lot of fences in my neighborhood were torn down. My neighbors are repairing the damage but they’re not too careful about where they leave their nails.
Yesterday I had a flat and I took my car to the tire shop. They found two nails in the tire. I have a warranty on all my tires so it was easy to replace and I just had to pay a nominal fee. When my wife got home today she told me to have another look. A different tire is completely flat, and I mean totally. I don’t want to risk damaging the car so we’ll need to call a tow tomorrow morning. It won’t cost me anything but it will still throw a wrench into my plans tomorrow.
Yesterday I had a flat and I took my car to the tire shop. They found two nails in the tire. I have a warranty on all my tires so it was easy to replace and I just had to pay a nominal fee. When my wife got home today she told me to have another look. A different tire is completely flat, and I mean totally. I don’t want to risk damaging the car so we’ll need to call a tow tomorrow morning. It won’t cost me anything but it will still throw a wrench into my plans tomorrow.
Update: I called Geico and they called a towing company that would tow my car free of charge. It was supposed to be an hour wait. After an hour, I got a call from a really shady dispatcher who said the driver was on the way. Twenty minutes later, the driver called and said he was running late. Seriously, they sounded like scammers from Mumbai complete with the Apu accent. That is when they could even be contacted at all. It turns out their outfit has a lot of one-star reviews. I got on the phone with Geico and had them a different towing company.
This new company has 4.9 stars. They didn't speak in choppy English. ETA one hour. I waited over an hour and nobody showed up. I called the dispatcher and he said there was a high call volume, but they should be there in about 45 more minutes. They called me again twenty minutes later and said it would be another 45. I've spent my entire afternoon waiting on a tow.
Apparently everybody on Houston roads is getting into a wreck today. At least I'm waiting at home instead of on a dusty road out in the sticks.
This new company has 4.9 stars. They didn't speak in choppy English. ETA one hour. I waited over an hour and nobody showed up. I called the dispatcher and he said there was a high call volume, but they should be there in about 45 more minutes. They called me again twenty minutes later and said it would be another 45. I've spent my entire afternoon waiting on a tow.
Apparently everybody on Houston roads is getting into a wreck today. At least I'm waiting at home instead of on a dusty road out in the sticks.
Well, yes and no. If they know you're in a safe location (home, work, etc) you get a lower priority; there's a tier list. "side of the highway", "middle of nowhere", "reasonably safe", "safe".
So if you're in a totally safe spot lots of people will come later and be served sooner.
I’m not trying to be snarky or anything like that, but is there a reason why you couldn’t use the spare/doughnut to get the car in for service?