MetaChat - #ShitGoesBoom

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23 November 2011

#ShitGoesBoom →[More:] The kids ran the phone bill up by $128, Sookie cost $100 more at the vet than I estimated, and I only had a $200 cushion. Now, my airport ride and room for the first night will be out of town on business.

I'm running out of contingency plans.

post by: Ardiril at: 00:54 | 20 comments

Is there a Seattle bunny who can step in?

posted by brujita 23 November | 01:33

Oh shit.

posted by arse_hat 23 November | 01:37

Hi Ardiril, please check the email in your profile.

posted by Twiggy 23 November | 03:17

I know that now there are a whole set of rules about this now, but set up a paypal account or something. I'm hoping we can make an exception, especially in a case where such a small amount of money can make a difference.
I know my relatively poverty stricken ass would like to help somehow.

posted by ethylene 23 November | 09:58

Damn Ardiril, please try not to stress about this (impossible, I know). I am worried about your health. I know stress is not good. What do you mean by your airport ride? Your ride from home to the airport in Fresno? How far is it?

posted by msali 23 November | 10:06

I second the paypal idea, or post your mailing address.

posted by rmless2 23 November | 11:30

The ride I need is from the airport in Seattle. Sookie will have been in her tote for almost 4 hours by then, and I want to get her over to the kids' place as soon as possible. They live a mile due east of the airport, but they don't have a car. They are couch-surfing at a friend's place. I could take a taxi, but I could not even begin to estimate how much that would cost. This whole arrival in Seattle has been flustering me all along.

The real complication now is shipping my stuff up to Seattle before I leave, as I don't have a place where anyone would be home to accept it.

Maybe I will have some ideas after I get back from the post office. Thanks for the offers. Right now, though, I have a problem that money doesn't solve.

posted by Ardiril 23 November | 11:53

You could call a post office in Seattle near your kids and open a PO box and then have your stuff shipped to it and they will hold it for a few days/weeks for you.
Or just talk to them and see if you can ship it to them straight with your name on it to pick up later.

Could you tell us (or pm me) the town where your kids live that you would need a ride to and when your flight gets in? Then maybe we can set up a ride.

posted by rmless2 23 November | 12:20

The kids live halfway between I-5 and the airport terminal, just south of 176 Street. McMicken Heights? I can find a hotel for less than $50 a night, so I will probably go that route. I think I have that part covered.

I don't think USPS takes boxes this big and heavy. They would be way more costly too than sending stuff UPS. This logistics problem is what is eating me up. My brain just doesn't wrap around these things like it once did.

posted by Ardiril 23 November | 12:39

If you are able to receive money via email or another way, I will cover the cost of a taxi. Map out the route, call a taxi company to get a quote and tell me what it'll run (without tip -- I'll do that). I'll send it.

posted by Madamina 23 November | 12:41

When is this supposed to take place, again? I may have a lead on a place to stay.

PM me on MeFi for privacy.

posted by Madamina 23 November | 12:46

We had a member in Seattle with a house but he isn't active here any more.
Maybe open this up to mefi to see if someone is able and willing to store stuff/help.

posted by ethylene 23 November | 12:57

Bear with me. I am not ignoring anyone. I am still waking up to this, and my brain is acting cranky again. I have enjoyed an unusual level of clarity the last few weeks, but that appears to be disappearing on me now too.

My flight lands at 9:32 pm on Nov 30. My carry-ons will be my cat and my laptop. No luggage. I also must ship 3 boxes of clothes, a guitar, and a box of stuff. It may not sound like much of a problem, but things like this are major cognitive challenges to me now.

posted by Ardiril 23 November | 13:07

I sent you an email to the address in your profile.

posted by Madamina 23 November | 13:31

OK, that was a fruitful shower. I can ship my stuff on the day I leave to the house where I will be staying in December. It won't get there until Friday, and that gives me all day Thursday to get up there (Everett) to receive it. That still leaves Wednesday night, but at least I have broken out that part of the problem.

Too many interconnections, and it's just me, a cat and some stuff.

... and to think I was a research director ten years ago writing white papers for what became HP's scalable cloud computing.

posted by Ardiril 23 November | 13:59

One day at a time, yo. Everybody has challenges.

posted by Madamina 23 November | 14:03

I love this place.

It sounds like you've got this pretty well in hand now, Ardiril --- that's good news.

posted by Elsa 23 November | 14:13

btw, for anyone wondering, this is the curse of Fresno operating here. If I were located anywhere else right now, I wouldn't have half these issues. This town is not quite evil, but definitely blighted. Do not come here without a return ticket home and at least one other secure lifeline. I have watched the local news. This place is about to get worse, with good odds of making the national news by the end of 2012.

posted by Ardiril 23 November | 14:56

Whatever, ardiril, bring some fricking raingear with you!

posted by danf 23 November | 16:12

Ardiril, my mum lives in Everett and I'm two hours or so away from there. If there is anything I can do let me know. I haven't offered before because of what's going on with the mister, but perhaps there is something I can do around that.

posted by deborah 23 November | 17:21

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