Whine like a baby, now with 500% more drama!

RIP my hard drive.

Not my main drive. It has been replaced for that many years ago. But it was still a good solid TB drive so I've been using it for storage. For something like ten years. Today it just crapped out right in the middle of me working on some things. I tried to save to it and all of a sudden started getting "specified a device that doesn't exist" errors. Tried to go to it through explorer, etc, restarted and it was gone. Caput. Can't be found.

I'm not even sure how much of all of what I lost. A ton of photos, some documents I'm sure I'll miss but can't think of right now, a large library of movies from back when people still used DVDs and I was ripping full image copies to build my library. ....And the porn, oh dear no... Not the porn!!! :(
 
Been clearing out the SD cards for my GoPro. I've been pretty negligent with moving files over to my computer and sorting them. I can't identify the date for any of them because the GoPro date/time settings never stay on the right date.

Anyway, as I was copying things over, I skimmed over old files from last year and trying to sort them. At least group them together by file 1, 2, 3, etc. And I found some recorded bike rides with my ex. I wound up torturing myself with nostalgia for previous good times. But I don't think we can go back to that, even if we were to get back together. There's too much pain there now.
 
Heater conked out in the night. House was 60F this morning. Hopefully not too expensive to fix.

Update 1.
Left work early to meet the HVAC guy. He crawled in the attic for a bit and came down and went outside. He brought me outside to show me a gas meter that was missing it's lower half tank thing. Charged me $90 and left.

Called gas company and asked them wtf and they said they upgraded the unit and couldn't turn the gas in because we weren't home to let them check the pilot lights.

I am waiting for the gas guys now. Who the fuck shuts gas off in winter and then doesn't say anything?!?!

On the plus side, I checked our account since it's on autopay to make sure that something wasn't wrong. Turns out we have been paying only $10 per month for the last 6 months. So, fuck them. Their meter must have been busted. Ha ha.

Update 2.
Gas guy came and turned on gas and lit pilot lights. He said he left a note but it must have blown away. Which I call b.s. anyhow, he apologized after I told him how cold my kids were in the morning.

A bit later the heater was pumping along fine and got to the set temp and kept climbing. It got up to 72F and the thermostat wouldn't shut it off. So, I turned off the unit at the breaker box. I texted the HVAC guy and he said that it sounds like he may have left a jumper cable connected in the heater unit in the attic. So I went up and indeed found his alligator clips and unhooked them and it is now running fine. For now...

Update 3
I now have a $400 gas bill. They must have gotten the usage off the old meter. Fun times.
 
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For the second time in the span of less than a year, I find myself grieving the death of a friend of mine - in both cases who is... sorry, was... younger than me.
A colleague and friend died two days ago; and for all we weren't especially close, I did consider her a friend and I am shocked and surprisingly affected by her death.

Fuck everything.
 
I wanted to start my taxes today.
But I still haven't gotten my W-2's in the mail.
Frustrated, I decided I'll just log in and download them myself.
Got the message that the download link is in a new place now because our whole HR website thingie got an overhaul.
Tracked down the link to download my W-2.
Reset my password because it's been a year since I last logged in.
Finally able to log in, get message "Oh we're down for maintenance right now check back on Monday" AAAAAAAAGHHHHH

--Patrick
 
I'm trying to do my taxes for the year and I don't understand. Last year, I got back over $2,000. According to the filing this year, I'm supposed to pay around $200. And I just don't understand where it swung THAT much the other way.

The difference in my income was somehow about $10,000 more than last year and I don't know how. Maybe more overtime hours?

I was...really looking forward to a return this year, but that apparently might not happen now? Fuck.
 

Dave

Staff member
I'm trying to do my taxes for the year and I don't understand. Last year, I got back over $2,000. According to the filing this year, I'm supposed to pay around $200. And I just don't understand where it swung THAT much the other way.

The difference in my income was somehow about $10,000 more than last year and I don't know how. Maybe more overtime hours?

I was...really looking forward to a return this year, but that apparently might not happen now? Fuck.
I would blame Trump but, you know...Canada.
 
I'm trying to do my taxes for the year and I don't understand. Last year, I got back over $2,000. According to the filing this year, I'm supposed to pay around $200. And I just don't understand where it swung THAT much the other way.

The difference in my income was somehow about $10,000 more than last year and I don't know how. Maybe more overtime hours?

I was...really looking forward to a return this year, but that apparently might not happen now? Fuck.
Welp, tried adding medical expenses, but it did diddly squat. So $200 payout it is. I hope the money goes towards building a new bike lane or something.

It sucks because I was looking forward to that return. I was going to pay off my credit card and maybe get an Oculus Quest 3. So much for those plans.
 
Did the extra 10k push some of that to the new tax bracket and then work didn't tax that accordingly because your base would have typically been under? I remember one year that hurt me.

1708474741666.png


I can't recall what province you're in but this too.

1708475525663.png
 
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Did the extra 10k push some of that to the new tax bracket and then work didn't tax that accordingly because your base would have typically been under I remember one year that hurt me.

View attachment 47384
Yeah, not to get too personal on income and such, but
(putting this behind spoilers, because I feel paranoid talking about my annual income)
I went from around $25,000 in 2022 to around $36,000 this past year. I think I happily took a lot of overtime and got some decent commission payouts, so that played a factor I guess. So I jumped up in the tax bracket.
 
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Yeah, not to get too personal on income and such, but
(putting this behind spoilers, because I feel paranoid talking about my annual income)
I went from around $25,000 in 2022 to around $36,000 this past year. I think I happily took a lot of overtime and got some decent commission payouts, so that played a factor I guess. So I jumped up in the tax bracket.
Yeah that's why I'd just done screen grabs and also not asked outright for the amounts too. Sorry things don't look like they will work out for you this year. Can you still contribute to a TFSA to bring that amount down that's owed? I know it sounds like you're needing the $$$ so probably not in a position to but worth checking out. My guess is the amounts to reduce the 200 down are gonna be a lot more than is available but at least then it goes to you .
 
The doctor told us we can’t give her more than 3oz per bottle. Which was fine because it would take her like 3 and a half to 4 hours to get hungry. But in the last few days it’s only taken 2 and a half hours, which is really fucking annoying.
 
After getting onto stupid online arguments about the difference between "mentally stunted" and whether it's the same as the r-word, I started looking into the meaning of mentally stunted. It came back with a result about being "emotionally stunted." And...

Fucking hell, I know it's bad to self-diagnose, but it seems like I fit a lot of it. :(
 
I know this is a petty whine but it's what we're here for.

I really don't like Ragu sauce. It's too smooth and watery, like what you might get at a school cafeteria. It also has that too sweet Chef Boyardee aftertaste, like the onions had caramelized too long. The chunky versions have a marginally better texture but the taste remains. When I make pasta, I tend to buy Classico or the artisanal brands such as Rao's or Michael's of Brooklyn. A little on the expensive side, but delicious. I will even make my own sauce if I have the time.

The wife grew up eating the sauce her folks could buy from Walmart or Dollar General. Guess which sauce that is? If we have spaghetti when we visit her family, I'll eat it without complaining. I was raised to eat whatever is put in front of me if I'm a guest. At home, she still wants me to make spaghetti with Ragu. I do the cooking so I'm supposed to decide but telling her "then make it yourself" would be uncalled for and would definitely result in a fight. We've reached a compromise so we alternate sauces whenever I make pasta. We'll do my fancy sauce one time, and then that Ragu slurry the next time, and so on.

We have turned into the married couple that bickers over tomato sauce.
 
I know this is a petty whine but it's what we're here for.

I really don't like Ragu sauce. It's too smooth and watery, like what you might get at a school cafeteria. It also has that too sweet Chef Boyardee aftertaste, like the onions had caramelized too long. The chunky versions have a marginally better texture but the taste remains. When I make pasta, I tend to buy Classico or the artisanal brands such as Rao's or Michael's of Brooklyn. A little on the expensive side, but delicious. I will even make my own sauce if I have the time.

The wife grew up eating the sauce her folks could buy from Walmart or Dollar General. Guess which sauce that is? If we have spaghetti when we visit her family, I'll eat it without complaining. I was raised to eat whatever is put in front of me if I'm a guest. At home, she still wants me to make spaghetti with Ragu. I do the cooking so I'm supposed to decide but telling her "then make it yourself" would be uncalled for and would definitely result in a fight. We've reached a compromise so we alternate sauces whenever I make pasta. We'll do my fancy sauce one time, and then that Ragu slurry the next time, and so on.

We have turned into the married couple that bickers over tomato sauce.
It happens. Me and my ex-wife would bicker over chicken and dumplings: Drop dumplings made with bisquick or dumplings made from cut up Grands biscuits.
 
I know this is a petty whine but it's what we're here for.

I really don't like Ragu sauce. It's too smooth and watery, like what you might get at a school cafeteria. It also has that too sweet Chef Boyardee aftertaste, like the onions had caramelized too long. The chunky versions have a marginally better texture but the taste remains. When I make pasta, I tend to buy Classico or the artisanal brands such as Rao's or Michael's of Brooklyn. A little on the expensive side, but delicious. I will even make my own sauce if I have the time.

The wife grew up eating the sauce her folks could buy from Walmart or Dollar General. Guess which sauce that is? If we have spaghetti when we visit her family, I'll eat it without complaining. I was raised to eat whatever is put in front of me if I'm a guest. At home, she still wants me to make spaghetti with Ragu. I do the cooking so I'm supposed to decide but telling her "then make it yourself" would be uncalled for and would definitely result in a fight. We've reached a compromise so we alternate sauces whenever I make pasta. We'll do my fancy sauce one time, and then that Ragu slurry the next time, and so on.

We have turned into the married couple that bickers over tomato sauce.
Have you considered something like this so you can both be happy?
 

GasBandit

Staff member
We have turned into the married couple that bickers over tomato sauce.
It happens. Me and my ex-wife would bicker over chicken and dumplings: Drop dumplings made with bisquick or dumplings made from cut up Grands biscuits.
My girlfriend likes to eat at Chili's and Cracker Barrel. Gag me. Fortunately both places serve steamed broccoli as a side, so I can just get that.
 
I stayed up way later than intended due to my ADHD wanting to sort and arrange old GoPro footage from last year.

And because I'm clearly a glutton for punishment, I started skimming through the biking adventures I had with my ex last year. Before things turned to shit for multiple reasons.

Between that and her taking back her three cats today, suddenly my place feels so quiet and empty. And part of me is asking myself if I made a mistake in ending things. The more i think about, thinking on the less happier times and why we broke up, I realize, no, it was for the best. I don't think we can go back to what we had before.

But fucking hell, I feel so lonely all of a sudden. I was just about to climb into bed and realized I didn't have to shoo away any cats so I'd have room. And for some reason, seeing my solitary pillow, without any other pillows (like hers) made me feel even more lonely, even though it's been like that for months already.

I really am going to die alone.
 
Have you considered something like this so you can both be happy?
That could work.

After we got engaged, I told her that she'd be seeing a lot less Walmart and a lot more Williams Sonoma. Since I buy the vast majority of groceries, we have largely phased out the Vienna sausages and Great Value stuff in our pantry.

@ThatNickGuy - Maybe you should get a new kitty? There are many cats who need a loving home. The universe might be opening a door for you and one of those critters.
 
That could work.

After we got engaged, I told her that she'd be seeing a lot less Walmart and a lot more Williams Sonoma. Since I buy the vast majority of groceries, we have largely phased out the Vienna sausages and Great Value stuff in our pantry.

@ThatNickGuy - Maybe you should get a new kitty? There are many cats who need a loving home. The universe might be opening a door for you and one of those critters.
I've thought about it. It's been less than a day and the place already feels so much lonelier.

And...there is a bonded pair of void cats up for adoption right now.
 
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Tuff and Ruff are adorable! You should totally go for it!!
Most people rename their new pets, but I think I'd keep them in this case. It breaks my inexplicable rule of naming my favorite pets & characters starting with D (Digby, Doug, Dill, Diomedes; seriously, I only noticed this many years after the fact).

But Ruff & Tuff is too perfect. They sound like a tag team. I'd just need to give them a tag team name. The...Damage Brothers?
 
I was woken up by a flight delay notice. I have like 20 minutes in Montreal to change flights now. That’s not possible. No way will I make it there before they close boarding. Bleh.
 
Most people rename their new pets, but I think I'd keep them in this case. It breaks my inexplicable rule of naming my favorite pets & characters starting with D (Digby, Doug, Dill, Diomedes; seriously, I only noticed this many years after the fact).

But Ruff & Tuff is too perfect. They sound like a tag team. I'd just need to give them a tag team name. The...Damage Brothers?
So, I submitted the application form to adopt. Dad is even going to help cover the costs. It's $300 per cat, BUT it also includes all of the following. Altogether, it probably would've cost more for all that bringing them to the vet, myself.

Screenshot_20240302_104803_Outlook.jpg
 
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