Family | Piss and Moan

Surprising

Posted on January 26, 2021 by backuphill

Photo by Zsu00f3fia Fehu00e9r on Pexels.com

There are some fruits that I can’t stand. Many of them I developed an aversion to when I was younger and have avoided them ever since. It’s probably because of texture or because of flavor, but I decided way back when that I didn’t like them and have maintained that stance since then.

Yesterday, I was surprised. I had a grapefruit I actually liked. Normally the fruit is kinda nasty to me, so the fact that I even tried it was surprising.

Interestingly, I liked it enough to try it again today and I still liked it.

Now, this is probably an anomaly since they are so sweet. I don’t know exactly the variety, but they look like a traditional pink grapefruit. I have no idea why it is so sweet, but the grapefruit I pulled off the tree in my parents’ yard in Palm Springs is just downright tasty. I have now decided that I would eat at least a half of grapefruit every morning while I am here. It is almost like candy…except supposedly better for me.

I doubt this will change my outlook on them when I return home though. I will probably avoid them like before.

But for a short time, I am going to enjoy the surprising treat.

Just like home

Posted on January 25, 2021 by backuphill

I don’t want it to be just like home.

Vacation. When you leave home for vacation, especially when you live in the Northwest where it is cold and wet all the time, you want to leave for a place that will be warm and sunny. Whatever happens, you want the weather to be different than what you had at home.

Palm Springs hasn’t delivered yet, and the forecast says it won’t the rest of the week either. Last week it was in the 80’s.

Yesterday, the first day here, it was cold, wet, and windy. It was actually stormy. Today, the sun is out to some degree but the dark heavy clouds are zipping my at a high rate of speed since the wind is blowing harder than the blower at the end of a car wash.

Disappointing, to say the least. I was expecting some warm weather down here. Not so much.

Guess there really will be time to relax since I’ll be stuck inside.

Bummer.

“Up to here”

Posted on January 14, 2021 by backuphill

I am sure you probably heard it growing up. I know I did more than a few times.

Well, I can’t tell you how many times I have uttered those words directly at my children, but I do know that I have said it mentally or muttered it under my breath thousands of times. Maybe tens of thousands..

I have had it up to here… *motions with hand at a level*
– said by every parent in the world at one time or another

Up to my armpits. Up to my neck. Up to my chin. Up to my nose. Up to my eyeballs. Up to my ears. Up to the top of as high as my arm will reach…up to here!

Again, there is a certain child and his family that I have had it up to here with…the never ending, always needs help, continuously makes bad choices, can’t catch a break, needy child. Up to HERE!

Actually, when I think about it, there are a lot of things I have had it UP TO HERE with:

Politics.

Liberals.

Lockdowns.

Family.

Covid-19.

Media.

Social Media.

Can you feel me? There are a lot of things to have had it up to here with…

I am just gonna sit here, in the dark, and ignore everyone and everything for 15 minutes. Maybe more. Until my “up to here” level has gone down.

What’s got you having it “up to here” these days? Hit the Comment button and dish!

Word up

Posted on January 11, 2021 by backuphill

I didn’t know this word existed and I actually thought maybe I was making it up, until I Googled it. So much for being original…

Manctuary.

What is that? Well, it is basically another way to discribe a “man cave.” Urban Dictionary had a good definition, of course, but I think it really goes beyond the man cave.

I guess I see a man cave as something a bit less sophisticated and more about being loud and using tools and working on some sort of automobile. I know that isn’t probably the best description or working idea, but that is how I see it in my head. I see it more of a cross between an auto-shop and a bar, which I am sure is appealing to a lot of guys. But not me.

I see a manctuary as something a little more on the “den” (3) or “study” (3) side.

I don’t think a manctuary has to all high brow (high-back leather chairs, smoking jackets, monocles, etc.) but I think it can include some class. It should be, however, a place a man can go for some solitude. Space. A place to enjoy time away from others, pursuing things he enjoys, highlighting his collection of things he is proud of, and the like.

All this to say, I need a manctuary. No, I desire a manctuary.

Whatever the case, I want a space to call my own. Sure, the garage is a place of refuge to some degree. But my garage is more a place of storage than a place to hang out. It isn’t a place I seek to go, other than when I really need a place to get away. It isn’t built for comfort or cozy. It doesn’t have all the amenities of a manctuary. It doesn’t say “this is my space” like a manctuary would.

Am I being selfish? Do I really NEED a place such as this? Do guys REALLY need this kind of space?

What do you think? Any of my readers out there have anything like what I am describing, man cave or manctuary? How did you make it happen? Did you regret it once you had it?

Wait times…

Posted on December 30, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by cheptu00e9 cormani on Pexels.com

“Wait times maybe be longer than usual due to higher than anticipated call volumes.”

We’re all familiar with that little phrase, right? We have all be stuck on hold with companies that play this over and over while you sit and wait for someone that isn’t a robot recording to pick up the actual phone and talk to you. In times of an emergency or in times when your system isn’t working as designed, I can see a legitimate reason for getting this message.

What is irritating is that you don’t have the ability to answer a high call volume should it happen or you have purposely caused your system to be overloaded because you caused it to be by your actions.

Case in point:

You send an email to all your subscribers with an offer to add something to their account for free for a limited time.

BUT, in order to take advantage of this offer you have to have your customers actually call you, thus clogging up your phone system.

NOT, make it available to be done on your website with a special code to make the discount apply when it would normally be done there in the first place.

Yeah, that’s good marketing!

Who came up with this idea? Why would you require an action be done over the phone when said action could be done on the website you have for doing said action? Makes no sense.

Irritating and takes advantage of your customer’s time.

Other

Posted on December 21, 2020 by backuphill

Ever had a tough time not thinking about “the other”? Specifically, “the other” things you could be doing or “the other” person/people you could be with?

Sometimes I find it hard to make it through the day without thinking about “the other” things. I am sure this is just a focus issue and somehow I have developed a little ADD in that I am isolated each day in my home office (garage). There are so many other things I could be doing. So many other things that I want to do (or maybe need to do) instead of actually working. LOL

I know, I know. Work provides the income that allows me to actually do other things when I am not at work. It is a necessary evil.

It’s just, do I have to? I mean, really? Do I have to?

The other things seem like they would be way more fun. The other people seem like they would be way more entertaining.

I suppose this could just be a case of “the grass is greener” and what I am really experiencing or feeling isn’t necessarily the truth. But still, “the other” thing, person, people, activities, job, entertainment, whatever, seems way better than what I am doing right now.

I could be wrong.

But there is no way of knowing.

So, I ponder and think about “the other” still.

IBAF

Posted on December 16, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I am creating a new acronym. IBAF. There you go.

Actually, it isn’t new because apparently there are others out there that use it for inane purposes like the name of organizations or something like that. For me, think if it as a new text acronym.

I am sure you are familiar with “WTF,” right?

Think of this one along the same lines.

IBAF = Irritated Beyond All F*cks.

How is that defined? When someone does something that is so beyond comprehension AND irritates you to a level you haven’t known before, you just stop caring but can’t at the same time.

Yes, I know that makes no logical sense. But, if illogical can explain the illogical, then it is logical. Make sense?

Ah, never mind. I don’t expect that you can understand.

Just know that I am irritated enough that I am making things up just to deal with it.

Bailing, again

Posted on December 15, 2020 by backuphill

Why do I feel like we are constantly responsible for bailing out the adult children? Good grief, it is never ending.

“Can we borrow the car?”

“Can we live with you?”

“Can you watch the kids?”

“Can we use the house?”

“We need help…”

“The kids need…”

“Can you help us find…”

“Can we do laundry at your house?”

“Can you keep this in your big freezer?”

“The car broke down again…”

“Will you co-sign with us?”

Choices. It all has to do with choices and theirs are continually poor. Much of it stemming from the fact that they rarely think about the future. Vision for the future and putting in a little thought about consequences and what might happen if…thus, the lack of forethought constantly has them stamping out fires of their own creation and never allowing them to head in the right direction.

Once again, we are being asked about borrowing a vehicle and providing a place for them to hang out while they have appointments in town. They are the ones that chose to move over an hour out of town (“We like living in the country”). They are the ones that made poor financial choices and only have one running vehicle, which also happens to be providing the only manner of income at the moment. They are the ones that have chosen to have four children on little to no income (supposedly the last two were unplanned, but we know better…).

These adult step-children are killing me. They know they are the source of friction in my home and yet they do nothing to help. It is a constant stream of needs, wants, and demands (or at least putting us in a position where it feels like a demand, leaving us with little choice).

The problem is, when I try to mitigate the help and limit the aid, it comes back to bite me in the ass. The wrath and second guessing in the household becomes palpable. Winter inside, and outside the house.

Yeah, good times…

Here we go again…

Wrenches

Posted on December 11, 2020 by backuphill

Day started well, even though I knew there would be one interruption that I didn’t like but was at least aware of. Well, what was supposed to be a brief interruption has turned into a prolonged one and that totally throws a wrench into my day. I had plans. Those plans, out the door.

I hate it when this happens. I wasn’t real fond of the idea of the interruption to begin with, but I can’t keep the other person in the house from just doing stuff so I relented and had just made plans to cope. Unbeknownst to me, there were still other plans in the works that I didn’t know of and now the house has been totally taken over by people much longer than I had planned for. (Remember, my work from home office is in the garage, but I still need in and out of the house.)

So, looks like I will literally spend all day in the garage in order to avoid the people in the house. Totally throws a wrench into my lunch plans for today…and basically into most of my evening and weekend now.

Ugh.

Big ass monkey throwing wrenches into the gears all day, every day.

Not gonna do it

Posted on December 8, 2020 by backuphill

The one man show continues. Well, technically it is likely two men, the governor and the top health dude in the state that he appointed. But, that guy can only make recommendations so it really comes down to one guy, Jay Inslee.

He is extending the limits he put in place before Thanksgiving. Of course, he would like to spend his holidays alone because no one likes him anyway, but he wants others to suffer the same fate as himself.

Well, I for one (and many others I know) aren’t gonna do it. Not gonna have it and not gonna participate in it. We shall see our families as we see fit. We shall celebrate as we see fit.

Enough is enough.

It’s been 12 days since Thanksgiving and there has been no significant spike reported. I think that is proof enough that things are under control and the fear-mongering, power hungry governor is out of place. He said, “…we still don’t have a clear picture…,” so this decision is based purely on fear (and little to no data).

Thanksgiving celebrations with family were great, and so will Christmas to.

The governor, well, he will be getting a big fat lump of coal anyway.