MetaChat REGISTER   ||   LOGIN   ||   IMAGES ARE OFF   ||   RECENT COMMENTS




artphoto by splunge
artphoto by TheophileEscargot
artphoto by Kronos_to_Earth
artphoto by ethylene

Home

About

Search

Archives

Mecha Wiki

Metachat Eye

Emcee

IRC Channels

IRC FAQ


 RSS


Comment Feed:

♦ RSS

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

23 December 2009

This is a pre-holiday venting thread. →[More:] Re. this Mefi post: a few days ago, I discovered that the Internet connection problems we (and all our neighbours) have been having for the past four months were caused by my not knowing how to correctly configure a Wifi router.
post by: Daniel Charms at: 13:51 | 35 comments
I've got a houseful of people mad at me because of this...
posted by Daniel Charms 23 December | 13:58
Fuckem if they can't take a joke.
posted by eekacat 23 December | 14:05
WHY AM I SICK?
posted by The Whelk 23 December | 14:07
After I got my computer science degree (in a unix environment and specializing in algorithms), my family could not understand why I knew little to nothing about fixing their virusy, fragmented-drive Windows PCs. Hell, after nine years, my father still cannot comprehend the concept of cut-and-paste.
posted by Ardiril 23 December | 14:11
The Whelk: That's what I'd like to know as well. And even more importantly, why am I sick?
posted by Daniel Charms 23 December | 14:18
But Daniel Charms, you overlook the really pressing question: Why am I sick?
posted by Elsa 23 December | 14:24
Too many things to do, not enough time to do them. And that doesn't even really count holiday stuff. GAHHH
posted by dhartung 23 December | 14:31
Daniel, I JUST commented in that thread about how on Christmas Day I will be expected to do all sorts of weird stuff with my mom's computer, which I don't even know HOW to do, and all of my, "I swear, I don't know!" kind of remarks will be interpreted as "not wanting to help" instead of "being only a few degrees less inept than you."

Then again, my mom is at my house now and has just washed ALL the dishes in my sink, which of course no one asked her to do, but she's just being all motherly and kind. Clearly I must simply LEARN how to use Windows Vista, because my ... oh my God. Is she washing the baseboards? Why is she washing the baseboards??? No. Now she's scrubbing my garbage can.

GAAAH.
posted by brina 23 December | 14:36
Also: I got you a purse. I know you don't need a purse, but it's purple, and you like purple. Oh, you don't like purple purses? Oh, you do like purple purses, but not purple vinyl ones? Do you want me to get you a pink one instead? I have a coupon.

And: Why don't you eat more? You don't like it? Well if you like it, eat some more. What do you mean you're not hungry any more? You've hardly eaten a thing. Here, have some more.

Along with: You gained a lot of weight, didn't you?

PS. I love my mother, but she is now using bleach cleaner on my garbage can, and I hardly think that's necessary. And if I tell her to stop, she will probably try to clean my bathroom instead.
posted by brina 23 December | 14:44
Ardiril - I know what you mean - you just need to focus on the practical. My brother realized that my electrical engineering degree was worth having when I fixed a soldering dry joint in his transistor radio ...
Oh yes, this is a venting thread. OK.
Our flight to the UK was canceled because of the record East Coast snowfall. We could not get another flight until Boxing Day (26th Dec. for non-Brits). So we are stuck in Philly, missing my Mum's Christmas party (and most of the family, who will have left by the time we arrive).
The good part is that we have a nice, warm house. We got the dogs back from the boarding kennel for the week. [I don't think they wanted to leave: it's so nice and comfy, plus they get spoiled rotten by the teen kennel boys and girls who work there.] And we still get to see most of our extended family. Let it snow.
Happy Holidays to all MeCha regulars (and visitors)!
posted by Susurration 23 December | 14:45
brina: thankfully, my parents only ever ask me to deal with software problems - installing updates, migrating data and stuff like that. This is mostly because neither of them speaks English. In return, my dad helps me with stuff I'm no good at - like fixing the car. I have to say, though, that he's a much more patient person than I am.
posted by Daniel Charms 23 December | 14:53
Daniel: Yeah, my mom doesn't know how to turn her computer on, so ... you know.

Also, she just tried to clean my bathroom but I stopped her when I told her she'd just thrown out my last sponge!
posted by brina 23 December | 14:57
Okay, "venting" means "saying what pressing stuff is in my head," right? All right then:

YOU GUYS ARE THE AWESOMEST AND I LOVE THIS PLACE. Whatever else I have to kvetch about, and there's plenty, I know how lucky I am: a warm home, a loving partner, a pantry full of food, a loving if exasperating family, and good friends in person and online.

Happy everything to all of y'all, and thanks for many good times. Here's to many more in the New Year!
posted by Elsa 23 December | 14:59
Guy left this morning for his parents' ski house but I don't get to go until January! Sister won't be home until the day after Christmas. I've been so busy a) preparing to teach in January & b) trying to find another job & c) feeling sorry for myself that I have done no Christmas baking. I just got my ten year law school reunion announcement and can't get over how old (and such a failure) I feel.

Every year, it's just that much more obvious how different everything is here on the down slope of life! Right now, because this is a venting thread, I can let all the loss and all the change and all the difference that comes from being past the middle point of the average American life expectancy overshadow that I have a good life
posted by crush-onastick 23 December | 15:18
There is still nothing to eat in this house! I don't understand how anyone survives!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 23 December | 15:21
I haven't wrapped any presents yet. I still haven't gotten the present for my brother in the mail yet. I really hope it's either in the mailbox downstairs or that it will be delivered today.

I'm secretly hoping my mother has actually followed my wish for gifts this year in the form of cash or Amazon gift certificates. I do not feel like getting more clothing that does not fit and household appliances that will just take up space somewhere instead of actually being useful. Or jewelry that is too expensive to wear anywhere. Plus--I want money for dance stuff, but I can't actually come out and say that because I don't want to put up with the racist/xenophobic/sexist comments that will ensue.

I've got the next 4 days off. I'm contemplating a minor bender, just for kicks. I'm hoping my downstairs neighbors are going away for the weekend so I can play my zills at full tilt. I need to work on making my arms pretty.
posted by sperose 23 December | 15:58
*whuffles for brina*

Nothing to vent about this year. Have listened to the Messiah, either live or on a recording, the usual 5+ times. Have realized that a lot of my worrying about others (i.e. mom wearing herself out throwing a party) doesn't matter to anyone else but me, certainly not to mom, and therefore I can stop doing it. Co-worker is describing to me the trials and tribulations of Christmas with her family, the latest episode being how her daughter "forgot" to get a secret santa gift for school, and her son "forgot" to bring home a notice from school inviting parents to contribute to a party, thus necessitating extra trips out and aggravation.

It's all made me realize that I don't have it so bad. Thank you bunnies.
posted by Melismata 23 December | 16:05
I'm sorry. I don't need whuffles. I'm being ungrateful. I mean, my mom came over to my house and made me food and cleaned my kitchen. There is nothing to complain about there.

... Wait. How did she clean the bathroom without a sponge???

Elsa, we love you too, but you are making us look bad. :)

TPS, wanna come over to my place for some kimchi soup? It's homemade.
posted by brina 23 December | 16:37
Yay, the gift for my brother finally arrived and he just called me to tell me that we need to actually book the lunchtime cruise for our parents. (Even though I keep telling him this is a bad idea because they hate each other, oh well.)
posted by sperose 23 December | 16:50
I would vent but it would sound very depressing, so I won't.
posted by JanetLand 23 December | 16:55
The relatives are about to descend upon my house like locusts in six or so hours. We have spent about $600 on food and booze for 16 or so people and five kids under five (my worst nightmare come true!), and you can BET YOUR ARSE that someone will make snide comments about us not buying Christmas presents this year.

Plus it's going to be 35C and our plans for installing a proper air-conditioner went out the window with the Urgent House ReWiring Disaster of 09.

I'll swap sunshine for snow with any bunny who wants it, just as soon as I can find a box to stuff Summer into. The only bonus is that it's Christmas Eve already! Yay Southern Hemisphere time zones!

{{{bulk spare wuffles}}}


posted by ninazer0 23 December | 16:58
I am not happy that I was invited to a get together for this Saturday night, yesterday. I love my friends but they informed me that they bought something for my kids so this means I must go out and buy something for their kids and I do not want to go out into shopping hell. Also, I will have to bring some sort of homemade treat since they are supplying egg nog and booze. Gosh darnit all to hell. I am really not happy about this. My mind is mush and I have no idea what to buy an infant and a four-year-old that has everything.
posted by LoriFLA 23 December | 17:32
LoriFLA: a really cheap drum set for the 4yo.
posted by Ardiril 23 December | 17:34
Oooohhh, looks like it's time for another installment of ColdChef's patented "Hey, it could be worse" instant perspective:

Last night, on my way back from a funeral, I got a call from my mom. My next door neighbor's mom had been shot in a domestic dispute and she was not going to make it. My neighbor is a good kid in his early twenties. He's got a really sweet wife and a nice little boy. My neigbor's an only child and he had no idea what to do about his mom. A funeral home in Mississippi is handling the services, but I called and offered my professional assistance at no charge if there was anything he needed. I said for him to call if he had any questions.

This morning he called me. His mother's only brother had died overnight and his mom was supposed to be handling his funeral, but since she was just removed from the ventilator and they expected her to die within the day, he really just needed to know what was involved with planning two funerals in one week.

And that's the most depressing thing I've heard in a long, long time.
posted by ColdChef 23 December | 17:37
oh ColdChef, that is awful beyond words.
posted by pinky.p 23 December | 17:48
Damned if that doesn't pop things back into perspective, ColdChef. Thank you for the reality check - I really needed it.
posted by ninazer0 23 December | 17:50
This is why friends stop taking my phone calls around this time of year. I'm a walking holiday mood buster.
posted by ColdChef 23 December | 17:53
That's so sad, ColdChef.
posted by essexjan 23 December | 18:06
TPS, wanna come over to my place for some kimchi soup? It's homemade.

I totally would, but I'm in Florida! Thankfully, we got to Publix tonight, and have enough to feast on for awhile, yaaay. Rain check for after the holidays?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 23 December | 18:06
Brina, I hear you! As I walked away from the computer, I heard how sanctimonious I might have sounded. I promise you, I wrote that after laughing myself silly over your mother and the sponge, and after deleting a less-funny and more-irritable mother story of my own. I saw that I had gone past humorous irritation and right into grouchy unpleasantness.

I was just trying to change my own mood, to get a shift in perspective, which ColdChef has given us, and how.

But you know what? Even when we acknowledge the ways in which we're lucky and the grief and sorrow that others have suffered and we have escaped... we're still allowed to give vent to our irritations, and there's nothing wrong with it. It's all a spectrum.

So here's where I am: man, we can't all kvetch at once: really good kvetching needs someone listening, and today I'll be that person, in part because I cannot afford to start dwelling on my troubles and annoyances.
posted by Elsa 23 December | 18:36
My condolences to your neighbor, ColdChef.
posted by halonine 23 December | 22:26
brina, I had no idea we were related.

ok, time for me to vent: this chick I've never met "likes" everything my husband does on Facebook. Every. Single. Thing. He could post a photo of his boogers and she'd "like" it. She can't be that ill-intentioned because she is also friends with my sister- and father-in-law. But it's weird behavior.

I just sent her a friend request.
posted by desjardins 23 December | 23:14
gah,ColdChef!
posted by brujita 24 December | 02:21
Oooohhh, looks like it's time for another installment of ColdChef's patented "Hey, it could be worse" instant perspective

Oh dear. Thanks for the reality check.
posted by Daniel Charms 24 December | 03:53
ColdChef and his perspective. I take back all complaints I have ever written/uttered.




(My mom is awesome.)
posted by brina 25 December | 02:44
← There will be no Photo Friday this week, as it's Christmas Day. Instead ... || HOLIDAY DECORATIONS! →

HOME  ||   REGISTER  ||   LOGIN
All posts and comments © their authors