Family | Piss and Moan

Communication busted

Posted on May 15, 2019 by backuphill

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Things around here are just not working.

Have you ever had a hard time talking with someone because you just don’t have anything to talk about? Or, had a hard time just because every time a conversation starts it ends up in a disagreement?

Not only do we live in a society that seems to have a hard time having a conversation, but often we find the same thing happening in our personal relationships too. There is just no way to break down the walls and just no way to carry on without conflict. So, everyone does their own thing and then nothing gets any better. Really, it just gets worse. The next time you try to engage someone the meltdown just comes that much more quickly.

What’s left is perpetual egg shell walking and no real relationships, just shallow surface existence.

The death of conversation is upon us.

Little caulk

Posted on May 13, 2019 by backuphill

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There are some things in life that require a little more skill that just a weekend warrior can handle. Tasks that are sometimes necessary, but also dreaded at the same time. A skill that can’t be improved unless you do it a lot.

I don’t get to use caulk much, but when I do I try to make a mess out of it.

OK, not really, but I sure could use more practice! No, wait, I don’t mean that either because more practice would mean more things that needs to be sealed or fixed or leaks stopped…so scratch that. Should I be wishing for more caulk in my life? How about if I am just magically bestowed with great caulking skills?

So, the weekend saw me use the sparse caulking skills I have on a project that I had been putting off for about a month. It is now done. Some places on the job turned our rather well, if I don’t mind saying. AND other places look like a blind person was doing the job (it’s sealed, but looks messy). Good thing I am not being graded on this or I probably would have scored a C- on looks (some nice beads but also messy in places) but a A- on “there ain’t no water getting through that.”

Thankfully, I don’t have any more caulking jobs in the foreseeable future.

Any weekend warriors/DIYers out there that have projects they are putting off or absolutely hate doing?

Sound the alarm!

Posted on April 29, 2019 by backuphill

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Everything is behind today. Everything, including this blog.

Alarm missed.

Backup alarm resounded.

Rush, rush rush.

Can we start over?

I woke up an hour and fifteen minutes late this morning. I generally don’t miss my alarm but I guess I must have been tired. I used the silent, vibrating alarm on my Fitbit and it usually is enough. As a back up, I have a DEAD AWAKE alarm set for “just in case” times. It got used this morning.

I was up about an hour and a half before the alarm was supposed to go off because the dog needed to pee. I went back to bed with the knowledge that there was still a decent amount of time for some sleep. Apparently, I needed more than a decent amount.

I got to work on time. Traffic and all.

Freeloading

Posted on April 24, 2019 by backuphill

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You know that song by Tom Petty called “Free Fallin'”? In case you aren’t familiar with it, you can see and hear it here.

It’s a good song. Catchy and all.

However, someone is missing the boat by not rewriting the lyrics to “Free loadin'”. I am sure it would be a huge money maker. Ok, maybe not huge but it probably would make some. I am not that musically inclined, or poetic, so I am not sure I can do it. There has to be someone with a gift for this sort of thing.

Why, you ask? Well, because we live in a society that has a whole bunch of people who are free loadin’ off of the rest of us and it kind gets a little irritating. Those free loaders should have a theme song. At least we would know what they were really up to or we could see them coming before they get here.

Oh, and while we’re at it, it looks like the 2020 presidential race is going to have a few people running for the office that could also use the song as their campaign theme song as they promise to give people everything for nothing. A whole society of free loadin’! Good golly, Miss Molly, won’t that be a utopia worth singing about?

Perhaps Tom, if he were still around, could be convinced to rewrite it himself.

Maybe he would be into that sort of thing, social commentary and economic systems. Seems like a hit to me.

What other songs do you think could be rewritten so that it more accurately reflected the current events?

Let’s hit pause

Posted on April 23, 2019 by backuphill

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Anyone want to hit pause for the day? Like just take a break from everything and just be?

Julia Roberts, as Vivian, said they could “lay like broccoli” in Pretty Woman. Adam Sandler had a movie called “Click” where he could just pause everything.

I am sure there are books out there about this. I am sure they could be helpful, if you wanted to read while you took a pause.

A deserted island. Maybe that would work. Preferably some place warm but not hot.

Maybe a day in an isolation pod would be good.

I just need a pause.

Old curmudgeon

Posted on April 22, 2019 by backuphill

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Maybe I really don’t have a heart. Maybe it is just a dark spot in my chest. A black hole of emotion, if you will.

I am sure you are all aware it was Easter over the weekend. There are two sides to the holiday – a Christian celebration or the commercialized side. Most people pick one or the other, or there is some kind of mingling of the two.

Sometimes celebrations bring out the curmudgeon in me. I don’t know why. It just does.

As I was wandering the yard and the grandkids, nieces, and nephews were hunting for candy and change filled plastic eggs I realized this is a really stupid practice. The whole dying eggs, or filling plastic ones, hiding them (or dropping them in plain sight) and then “finding” them – what a dumb ritual.

OK, I can hear the groans and eye rolls from here. “C’mon, it’s fun for the littles!”you say. It might be and their smiles might be a sign of the enjoyment. But I still don’t like it or enjoy it. I did it for my daughter when she was really little, but I didn’t especially enjoy it.

I know. I am an old, un-fun fogey. A grump. A curmudgeon.

Anyone else have a strong dislike for this Easter Egg hunt thing?

I can do without

Posted on April 19, 2019 by backuphill

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There is an old saying out there…”April showers bring May flowers.”

Yeah, I could do without the flowers. Just saying.

Wet, wet, and more wet.

Does it rain a lot in Washington? That is a question I get a lot when I travel and people find out where I am from. Yes. It rains a lot.

I don’t need flowers. I don’t even really need May.

Let’s just get to summer already.

Coffee disaster

Posted on April 17, 2019 by backuphill

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If you have followed the blog long, or gone back and looked at the past writings, you’ve got some idea that I have a need and desire for coffee – and my complaints about the office coffee maker are frequent.

Anyway, I am not too picky when it comes to coffee. Thus, I can drink just about anything. So, at home, if there is leftover coffee in the pot I just make sure the thing comes on early and the coffee is warmed up while I get ready, thus it is hot when I leave for work.

This morning, that first sip of hot coffee on the way out the door was barely lukewarm…I double checked, the pot was one and had been for a little over an hour…so I think maybe the burner on the pot may be going out. This is not a good situation. It may, in fact, be an emergency. I am not panicking yet, but it may come down to that.

Oh, BTW, I drank the lukewarm coffee anyway – because coffee is life!

Now, let’s see about hot coffee from that office coffee maker…

Hey, I’m driving here!

Posted on April 16, 2019 by backuphill

person holding red umbrella walking on street

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I sure hope you aren’t one of these people. I hope you aren’t a rude slow poke.

I’ll venture a guess you have experienced this though…

You enter a parking lot and proceed to look for a parking space. In the time that you are slowly driving around looking for a space, you inevitably encounter people who have exited the store, or perhaps are even headed into the store, and are walking right down the middle of the “road.” Thus, blocking you from moving any further as you wait for them to move.

Sometimes there are multiple people, walking shoulder to shoulder, creating a line across the roadway and preventing you from passing. They are oblivious to others around them, just walking and talking, taking their sweet time as your crawl at a snail’s pace, if you can move at all.

Rude? You bet! Frustrating? Of course. Wanna run over them? OK, keep that one to yourself as sometimes silence is the best policy…

GET.OUT.OF.THE.WAY!

Really, it’s not like I am in a hurry. In most cases, I am patient and can wait. But it is the principle of the thing – let’s not just be concerned with ourselves, shall we?

What are your parking lot pet peeves? Do you have bad habits you are can admit?

There she goes

Posted on April 15, 2019 by backuphill

silhouette of girl running on the seashore during golden hour

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Strange things have been happening around here. My little one has turned 16 and a new form of freedom is upon us both.

I love it!

I hate it…

It feels very weird. I mean really weird.

Yesterday, after having her license for three whole days, was the first time she got in a car and drove away by herself. There was no one in the car…except her…

After 16 years, it is time to do a little letting go and I have to admit it is scary. I mean, I love watching my daughter grow and mature and become her own person, but inside the pride is mixed with hurt. Not the kind of hurt that is caused by someone that has done something to you, but a hurt that just aches because you know the “little girl” is gone.

It was surreal watching her drive away. Away to a place of her choosing. She has many more destinations ahead of her and I am not going to be able to protect her as she goes.

Man, growing old is tough. These new adventures my daughter is taking me on are tough.

There she goes…