Life | Piss and Moan

Lost gumption

Not feeling great about the status of the blog at this point. I had fours posts in April and five in May. It appears all the air has been let out of the balloon and I have lost all my gumption. A part of me really cares that I can’t get stuff on the screen and then another part of me doesn’t really care at all.

I have stuff to say, but is it worth saying? It will just piss people off and, sure, that was part of the point of this blog but at the same time there is so much hate for the truth these days (and I mean REAL truth, not the “my truth” BS). The point of the blog was just to vent and get crap off my chest because I often don’t feel I can actually talk to the people around me.

Perhaps I care too much and should care less.

Perhaps I don’t care enough and should care more.

So, if you seen my gumption laying around anywhere tell it to “Go home” or put it in a box and ship it to me.

Something different

Posted on 20 Days Ago by backuphill

Ever get that nagging feeling like you just want something different? Like, you don’t know what exactly but everything feels like if you could just do something, have something, something different than what you are doing or have now that things would feel better?

Nagging.

I just have this feeling.

Unsettled about something. I feel like I need a change, for something different that whatever is going on in my life right now. I don’t know.

Stagnation at work? Home life just not cool? The weather getting nice and I am stuck inside all the time? *shoulder shrug*

Can’t put my finger on it. Can’t wrap my head around it.

I just feel it.

Cravings hate

Posted on 26 Days Ago by backuphill

Anyone else have episodes where cravings just wanna take over their life? I mean, like, you just wanna eat everything in sight or have a craving of something very specific and it can’t be satiated even when you are consuming it?

The last couple weeks I have had a severe craving for crunchy and salty.

Terrible. Terrible for me (not that I am a health nut or anything).

I seriously could mow through a whole bag of chips or pretzels or bags of popcorn or whatever. Doesn’t really matter as long as it is salty and crunchy.

Anyone? Anyone else?

Is the change in weather? Is it the change in body needs? Is it just all in my head?

I don’t know. I just wanna snack away…

Therefore, I am going to bury my head in a bag of something…I’ll come up for air when it is gone, or EMS will find me with my head at the bottom of a Lays bag with my mouth full…

**PS – I am not a bioligist, but I know without a doubt that I am a male and I am not pregnant.**

Washer dryer

Posted on 29 Days Ago by backuphill

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Laundry for most is a chore, one that needs to be done (typically) once a week. Most people hate it. I am most people. That being said, there is another laundry task that is hated even more than washing the clothes you wear each week….washing the sheets on the bed.

Now, I know there are a lot of people who this task on a fairly regular interval because the thought of sleeping in your own body filth grosses them out. However, I would also bet that those people are probably women. LOL In my experience, men can go far longer with unwashed sheets than women can. Generalization, yes. Truth? Yes.

Anyway, back to the hated task.

The first problem with washing the sheets is it takes so dang long and it is such a friggin’ hassle. Strip the bed. Wash. Dry. Make the bed. The problem with this whole thing is the washing and drying part. In the process of making this happen, something happens in those damn machines that makes the process that much more infuriating. The washing machine twists and tangles everything all together and pulling them out of the washer to put into the dryer is a long string, of seemingly never-ending, moist fabric. It’s like that magician that pulls the boxers out of his pants and the clothes just keep coming.

The second problem with washing the sheets is that you typically have to dry them twice, which makes the process even longer. Because the washer likes to twist them into “ropes” or tangle them into balls of fabric, the dryer doesn’t undo the difficulties it just exacerbates them. Again, as the sheets tumble around in the dryer the dryer likes to make this twisted and tangled and bundled into a mess that has to be unwound if you want everything to be dried. Thus, once the first cycle is done, you have to basically take everything out, check to see if it is dry and then throw it back in for another cycle if not yet dry. Plus, if you have any actual clothing in with the sheets they will almost always end up balled up in one of the fitted sheet’s corners and almost always will still be damp. How does it know to go to the corner? A mystery for sure! But one that just adds to this unpleasant chore.

So, inventers, my challege to you is to make a washer and dryer that will not bind up the sheets, tangle the clothing, knot up towels, or clump items together like a rubics cube puzzle that has to be solved. Just wash and dry the items contained within.

That is all.

I’ll go

Posted on May 2 by backuphill

Some days….lately, a lot of days…

There are a lot of days as of late that I have to admit I feel like Cameron, from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, when Ferris is trying to get him to go out for the day.

So many things these days put me in this mood – I don’t want to do it, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to see/hear/talk to people. I don’t want to work. I don’t want to do responsibility. I don’t want to adult. There are lots of reasons for feeling this way and I am in no way sick or anything like that. I just don’t want to.

But, guess what? Just like Cameron in the movie, I go.

I do it. Because not doing it means that stuff would just fall apart.

Damn responsibility…

Backing out

Posted on April 24 by backuphill

A few years ago I startedd playing disc golf as a way to get outta the house and do some walking. It was right before the global flu took hold so I played right through it. It’s now been a couple years and the buddy that I get out on the course with has now invited a couple other guys to join us and learn the game too. I like them all and generally have no complaints about them.

That aside, one of the guys that is now included in the group is getting the reputation for backing out and it’s rather annoying.

He is invited to hang out on the course with us or he even initiates and invites us to hang out with him to play. Plans are typically set to meet at a time and course and people are looking forward to it.

Then he backs out.

He usually uses the excuse that he worked all day and is too tired. OK, I get it and an ocassional instance would be one thing. We all work and obviously that can be a deciding factor but out of 10 invites he uses this as an excuse six times. If you are tired or think it will be a deciding factor for you, don’t say your are going to go. Just don’t commit.

Sometimes he uses his small child and even his wife as an excuse to back out. Again, this is understandable, but again it can also be something that can be decided before committing to meet.

Anyway, what would you do? Keep inviting or accepting invites knowing he most likely will not follow through, or do you drop him and not invite him any longer?

Dealership sittin

Posted on April 20 by backuphill

When you are buying a car, assuming it isn’t a private sale, do you consider the service department? I have purchased a couple cars in the last five years and one thing I have become aware of, that I should have thought about when I bought them, is the service department.

Sure, buying a car is “fun” as you shop for the look, style, options, etc. that you want. You get to decide on the color and all that jazz. They promise oil changes for life and tire warranties and other “incentives” to get you to buy the car. But what they don’t sell you on is their service department.

After sitting in two different service departments and going through the trouble of trying to schedule said service, I am going to offer some tips you may want to consider when buying a car from a dealership.

Check the hours that the service department actually works. If they don’t work or have weekend appointments, you are in big trouble! Why? Because that means they only work during the hours you likely work, meaning you are going to likely have to take time off to make service appointments happen (whether it is just for dropping the car off or to pick it up afterwards). The other thing about only weekdays is that there are a limited number of service appointments. As such, you will be competing against other people to try to schedule for those appointments. Sure, you would have to do that on a Saturday too but if you have a little forethought in your scheduling you can easily get it done.
Is it easy to schedule an appointment? Do they have an ample number of service advisors or are you going to sit on hold on the phone for seemingly endless hours? Can you schedule online or on an app? Again, it is important to know because it takes your time and it is valuable.
Do they have a shuttle service? Better yet, do they have a considerable number of service loaners? Shuttles are great, but relying on someone else transporting you is a pain in the rear. Loaners are better because then you can go about your day as usual and not have to worry about trying to schedule things around the service appointment.
Department amenities. If you have to sit and wait at the dealership, what amenities do they have? Does it look and feel comfortable or does it look like someone threw some furniture together? Does it have good wi-fi? Do they have complimentary food and basic drinks (coffee, soda, water)? All of these aren’t really that big of a deal, but if you have to spend time there you should be able to do so without feeling like there isn’t a way for you to relax a little.

I am currently sitting in a service waiting room for a 60K mile service. It’s a longer service, so I had to take the day off to make this appointment happen. It took three phone calls to finally connect with someone to schedule it. There is a popcorn machine that isn’t on and hasn’t been run. There are two vending machines, both with sighs that say they are out of order. There is coffee, but it’s terrible. The chairs and couches are showing signs of being worn out. There is wi-fi, so I can type this blog entry.

All this to say, don’t just get caught up in the shiny new car. Ask questions. Check out the service area because it should be part of your buying decision.

Anything else you would add from your buying and ownership experience?

Into the groove

Posted on April 18 by backuphill

Post vacation observation: Getting back into the groove is difficult.

I am sure you have noticed for yourself that this is true.

You are away from the job, on vacation and enjoying yourself (for the most part) and then you have the reality that you have to go back to work when you return. This realization gets more difficult (for me) the longer the time is spent away from that responsiblity.

I have returned from a near two week vacation and the groove just isn’t happening. I find my mind wandering and thinking of other things I’d rather be doing, going, or not doing. LOL It seems making myself work and focus on tasks at work is a job in and of itself. I just don’t want to. It’s a groove I’d rather not have to get back into, quite frankly.

Raise your hand if you’re with me? Have you noticed this as a problem for yourself?

Day before

Posted on April 3 by backuphill

Alright, I am sure I am probably preaching to the chior here, but is it really necessary to go to work and actually do work the day before a vacation? Asking for a friend.

So, I am going on vacation to AZ tomorrow. I know, I know, I’ve said I wasn’t going to take vacations to see family and more and I really just wanna go play some place but it is what it is. Beside, I am taking my disc golf bag so I am hoping to get in a few rounds down there (that might make a little happier about not doing something I want to do).

Anyway, the question still stands. Is it a requirement to do work today?

I mean, everyone knows that people don’t actually work on the day before their vacation. Yes, they show up, they go through the motions but are they really doing anything of value?

I think from henceforth, the day before vacation should just be an automatic day off to prepare for vacation. Let’s be real. Our co-workers know we aren’t doing anything. The boss knows you aren’t doing anything. Heck, they don’t do anything when it’s their turn to take vacation. So, why do we all pretend we are doing something when we aren’t?

The day before vacation should also be an automatic vacation day, but not technically a vacation day (cuz we don’t want it to count against our actual vacation day allotment).

Make it so.

Another fee

Posted on March 30 by backuphill

Accessing health care in the US is problematic, at best. The overall debate on whether it should be free to all (via government funds and a huge increase in taxes) or whether it should be something each individual should be responsible for is one I am not going to talk about today.

However, we all know that the cost of health care in the US keeps many people from accessing the care they need. People have to think about how it will impact their overall finances and whether or not they can afford to see a doctor. Obviously when you don’t think you can afford to get care you don’t go.

Yesterday, at a doctor’s appointment that is an hour away from home, I noticed the large facility that the appointment have been at for almost a year had new signage up in their parking garage and in the elevator areas. The signage basically said that “Parking is on us until we get the technical difficulties figured out.”

SAY WHAT?

So what has been free for at least the last year is now going to have a fee? I imagine at some point (based on construction and existing facilities) that there was parking for a fee previously. Not sure why it has been free up to the point of the visits.

But, it raises a larger question about yet ANOTHER FEE to access health care.

Should you really have to pay a fee just to park so that you can access health care?

It seems almost unfair for people who may already be struggling to access health care to add yet another fee.

I know of at least one other health care facility in the Seattle area that charges parking at it isn’t cheap – almost $10 an hour.

Something feels really slimy when thinking about people getting charged just to access their health care. They are already being gouged when paying for the care they need, but to add insult to injury they are now going to be charged to even access the building.

Imagine if you had to pay for parking at a grocery store so you could go inside and buy food (maybe this already happens in big big cities, I don’t know)…awkward right?

Gives me a really icky feeling. I am all for making money in places that make sense, but to punish the public to access something so vital almost seems underhanded – especially since they become a pretty captive audience one they’re in the parking garage.

How do you feel about these “hidden access fees”?