Listen

photography of person peeking

Photo by Noelle Otto on Pexels.com

It really sucks to see stuff happen to people.

But then again, there’s a reason the phrase “I told you so” often comes up in conversations after the fact. So, maybe it doesn’t suck. Dare I say it’s deserved?

It’s weird, isn’t it? How someone may (or may not have) ask for advice and you give it, and they ignore it. Then, almost as predictable as a fat kid near cake, what you predicted would happen happens and the only thing you can do is shake your head and bit your tongue as you think, “I told you so.”

When you ask someone with more life experience and they give you advice I would recommend you listen. Don’t just ask because you think it is the right thing to do or because you are looking for confirmation on the answer you want to hear. And if you don’t hear the answer you are looking for, certainly don’t go charging into the *insert problem/issue/dilemma/etc. here* without some serious other considerations. Ask more people. Sleep on it. Consider other options. Change course and see if something else will happen or something better comes about.

I hate being right.

No, actually, I don’t. I like being right.

Call me a jerk, if you want. But deep down, I know you like it too. And, secretly, we all like to be vindicated when we give advice and someone ignores it.

Are we bad people? No.

Should we celebrate in it? No. But we can secretly break our own arms patting ourselves on the back…go ahead and do it.

Feels nice, right?

At least that is better than sitting in public, pointing, and laughing. Of course, there may be a place for that too. But that’s a topic for another day.

Got away

man s hand in shallow focus and grayscale photography

Photo by lalesh aldarwish on Pexels.com

I’m late.

Sorry.

The day got away from me. I started working on a project for work and just lost track of time. I supposed that means I won’t Piss and Moan about anything…

Or maybe I will!

Life sucking, or money sucking, family members.

There. How do you feel about that?

There are members of families all over the world that seem to be the parasite, a leech, a blight upon the family. The neediness doesn’t stop and when some people in the family try to stop it, others of the family continue to enable it.

It might be the individual’s fault, or maybe just bad luck (or no luck at all), or maybe they are just the victim of circumstances, doesn’t really matter because they still seem to need something all the time. Want. Need. Whatever. Hand’s always out, looking for something.

“Help.” “Can you lend a hand?” “I was wondering…?” The approach may be different and sometimes it’s even a little veiled to make it look like they aren’t asking for help, but in reality they are. It’s always the same, but different.

Tiring. That’s what it is.

Last minute

round silver colored wall clock

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile on Pexels.com

Despise.

Irritation.

Annoyance.

Let’s just say, I don’t like it when people wait till the last minute to do something and then act like it is everyone else’s fault when it doesn’t get done on time. Oh, and they take it out on everyone around too!

Like seriously? You had all freaking day to get it started. It’s not like the schedule right now had ya so busy that you didn’t have time. So why exactly did you wait until the last minute to get started?

Want me to help? OK. Fine. I can do that. Wait? Gonna yell at me because of the way I am helping? OK. I’m out. I’m done. Handle it yourself. I’ll be over here minding my own business while you scramble to correct your procrastination. Good luck with that.

Co-workers? Spouse? Kids? Extended family? All of them – check!

What is with people? Why do they do it to themselves, let alone others?

Anyone else had it up to their ears with these kinds of issues? Especially these days since our daily lives and schedules aren’t as full as they used to be?

 

 

Day 5

man sitting and closing eyes on teal bench

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com

Vacation, Day 5:

The last day of official vacation.

It has been one for the record books. Not so much that it was epic but more like it was about as uneventful and boring as if I was sitting at home on the couch. Oh wait! I was doing that…mostly.

Today’s plans? More of the same. The sun is out but should I be optimistic about sticking around? Come on, do you know me by now or what? LOL Maybe I’ll go for a drive and reacquaint myself with some countryside I have seen in a while. Maybe not.

The only thing that isn’t the same today is that it is my youngest’s birthday. She is 17 today. There was already a Zoom birthday party for her in the middle of last week (queue the cancelled vacation plans this week), so I am not even sure I’ll get to see her today other than virtually. That sucks, but as she is getting older with more responsibilities so I know it will become more common regardless of a lockdown or not. Still, not sure what today holds for that and her.

I am pretty sure I’ll end today with a fire and a beer. Can’t decide if the fire should be in the fire pit or just set the house on fire and enjoy the fireworks from the front lawn.

This was the most uneventful and worst vacation ever.

Day 4

Vacation, Day 4:

Irritation. Irritability. That’s what’s on the agenda today.

No plans and it sucks.

Mother Nature decided to give us the gift of sunny weather this week for spring break (it wasn’t supposed to be, plus this is the PNW where it rains all the time). The downside of this gift is that everyone is stuck at home: vacation plans cancelled, with money but don’t want to spend it on big projects because no one is sure how long the lockdown will last, and no place to go but the yard.

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

I guess I’ll wander aimlessly in the garage again today and see if I can find something else to put away or organize. I guess there is always more to do in there…

Vacation, Day 3 Update:

The murder plans went well. All the spray has been used. The results should be evident starting as soon as today, but for sure in a couple more days . No humans or pets were harmed.

Oh, and I started working on a project yesterday that didn’t go as planned (actually just finishing up something started long ago). So I am still stewing over that too. Don’t you hate it when things don’t go as you envisioned them in your head?

This is going to be the worst vacation ever.

Day 3

Vacation, Day 3:

Plans for today? Murder.

Not of people, but of plants. Not to say the former hasn’t been considered (jk internet police!), but the later is definitely taking place. Well, actually, it already has.

I got up early this morning and mixed the weed killer into my backpack sprayer three different times and wandered the yard in the cool morning sun and took care of (crossed fingers) the offending plants. Dang, there are a lot of the little jerks! Why do I need to do this every year? Why can’t this death sentence be permanent?

Just that thought of the weeds kind of pisses me off. When I think about it, weeds are kind of a metaphor for people in society. There are a lot of people who seem to thrive in the worst of circumstances with barely any resources and still they seem to spread their jerkiness to the rest of us…do you feel where I am going here? Yeah, maybe not the best analogy, but that’s what you think about when you are by yourself in the early mornings with a little coffee in the system. But still, how do irritating people continue thrive in bad times and good people get overwhelmed by the bad people in their lives?

A serious question to consider.

I am not sure what other plans I have for the day. I am liking the sun today though. That was a little unexpected because the people who do whether forecasts are wrong more than they are right. Anyway, if the weather holds, maybe there will be a fire in the fire pit tonight.

But still, this is going to be the worst vacation ever.

Day 2

white blank notebook

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.com

Vacation, Day 2:

Plans are rather sparse today.

The weather doesn’t appear, at least at the moment, that it will cooperate like it did yesterday for more outdoor activity in the yard.

So, what to do, what to do today?

Well, at least for part of the day I am going to put on my mask and venture out to get some propane and weed killer. I don’t think we have any other needs in the supply area at this point so it should be a fairly quick trip outside the confines of these four walls.

After that, who knows? Perhaps I’ll set up some scaffolding and begin painting on the ceiling…or get out a toothbrush and clean the grout between the tiles in the kitchen floor…or maybe I’ll even read a book…

With no plans on this vacation it is hard to decide what to do with so much time.

Time. We always say we need more of it so we can get things done. Now I have it, but can’t get things done because we are supposed to limit our travel to “essentials” needs, which means the stores I need to go to for supplies to get things done are “open” but mostly off limits. Plus, we don’t know how long this whole lockdown thing is going to last so is it really wise to spend money on big projects I want to get done when that money might be needed for something else more important in the near future? Yeah, it’s a question that is sorta like “Why did the chicken cross the road?” There is no right or wrong answer, just an unending philosophical, circular thought.

This is going to be the worst vacation ever.

Vacation, Day 1 Update:

So, the chores and nice weather won out. this was the progress made in the front flower bed. Not much to look at because over the years many of the plants that were there to fill the space have now died due to insects and cold. So, lots of empty ground. But, at least there are no weeds in there now. At some point it will get replanted…but should it happen before landscape improvement or after?

Day 1

white flower photography

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Vacation, Day 1:

It’s sunny outside. Finally.

After weeks of rain off and on, and short periods of dry but not dry enough to do yard work it is finally sunny today. the high is supposed to get to 60 (of course, that is only a prediction).

It’s sunny outside. BUT, I have done activities outside the last two days despite it not being sunny and warm. It was dry however and so I took care of things like gutters, the lawn, splitting kindling for firepit/campfires, and little chores here and there.

Now that it is sunny, I don’t have any motivation to do any other yard work. I know I should, but I don’t. The flower beds need cleaned up, weeded, and bushes trimmed. All things I know I should do, but don’t really want to. Well, I want to but I don’t want to, know what I mean?

Maybe my attitude will change as the day goes along. Perhaps this afternoon it will be better.

Day 1 of vacation is nothing to write about, yet I am. Nothing exciting will take place today. There is nothing on the agenda that is exciting. There is nothing exciting to even put on the agenda. Lockdown has killed even things though could have been possible plans.

This is going to be the worst vacation ever. LOL

 

Dug out

agriculture backyard blur close up

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

For those of you paying attention, here is an update from yesterday’s assigned task from work…

It is nearly complete! I have about four or so hours of work left on it and then it will be ready to submit for review and approval (those are relatively quick because I am good at what I do!). Not to brag or anything.

So, after I complete this project, I need to get dug out from all the email and other little projects I was working on. It’s still gonna be a long day. Unlike many people in the U.S. right now, my co-workers and I have plenty to do. I am thankful for that.

Now, if I could just find the motivation to get dug out from all those projects and things I mentally make note of, “Oh, yeah, that needs to be done,” around the house and yard.

Maybe life is just one big project. Like, you just wander around for X number of years identifying things that need to be done and then do them. Well, I guess that is the case after the age of 18. Prior to 18, you don’t have to identify the projects – they are all given to you! LOL

Happy FRI-YAY, ya’ll! Try something different today. Sit in a different chair than yesterday. Shake things up while you’re in “house arrest.” Drink coffee out of a different mug. Put your pants on starting with the opposite leg than normal. Go crazy.

In house

man looking out of the window

Photo by Ian Panelo on Pexels.com

One can only watch so many TV shows, movies, and play so many video games. I didn’t think it was possibly, but there is a limit.

I wouldn’t call it cabin fever, per se, but I am ready to at least be outside in my yard. But Mother Nature is being uncooperative in the PNW. She is teasing us with breaks of sun, followed by downpours of rain that give you the impression you are in the shower. Everything wet, everything drenched, everything starts the drying process…again.

It’s got me mumbling under my breath. More than usual, anyways.

Just about the time I think, “Ah, a break in the weather. Perhaps it will be dry enough to get out of the house and do some yard work,” another cloud bank comes rolling through to douse those ideas. And the process starts all over again.

It’s not that this is surprising. That happens all the time this time of year. That’s the PNW for you. BUT, this time is different because we are literally confined to our homes and there isn’t much to do anywhere else. So, yard work. Not that I am excited about doing yard work, but it is something different (and the grass is still growing and the weeds are still trying to take over the yard).

Mind you, I am not desperate enough to go out and do it in the rain or between rain showers. Not yet at least. But, there may be a day in the near future…