Rant: My parents moved in with us last July. We were having a pretty normal Friday. I went to go grab my mother's dog for a walk since she didn't like walking our farm in the dark. I found her unresponsive, slumped over in her recliner. Despite the best efforts of the paramedics and ER doctors, she passed away late that night. Two weeks ago, she went to the doctor for a check for the first time in 20+ years, and was told to just exercise a bit more and alter her diet. Her death was a complete shock and blindsided us.
Rave: Ten months of divorce proceedings behind me; we have finally reached a binding settlement agreement. The last ten months I have been living in my parent's basement, barely able to be involved in the lives of our children, required to deposit the entirety of my paycheck into our joint account only to have her withdrawal the majority of it hours later. We have been to court several times, through mediation attempts, and have racked up more in attorney fees between us than I spent on my first house. It's been a disgusting process in which I've had to defend myself against countless false allegations. In court and in public as I jumped through hoops to get our little girl's soccer schedule, medical information, and just in general as I received calls from everywhere in town about the things they had heard. We've had countless disagreements where she has done things like stopped giving our daughter prescription antibiotics because despite the ER's diagnosis because she didn't think she was REALLY sick, refused to allow me entry to the home to collect my underwear and other personal belongings, and did basically everything but disappear our children. Our children have suffered countless awkward exchanges between us. I've failed at my job in nearly every way over the last six months as my life fell apart and I tried to jump through the hoops of the FOC and my now almost Ex. Including the months where they would only schedule 'parenting time' during the absolute middle of my workday. I made every pickup and did every drop-off and enjoyed every minute of the time and have managed to hold onto employment largely through the contributions and coverings of those I work with. She ended up walking away with everything we owned together or separately, which is exactly what I offered day one... except now there is nothing left in the bank and we both have enough attorney debt to make a person's head spin. I'm nearing 40, no longer own a home, had to sign over the entirety of my retirement accounts, forfeited everything we had in the bank, and I still have to deposit my next couple of checks into our joint account before the paperwork is finalized and child support/alimony kick in... but, I got a schedule with my kids that will allow me to actually be a parent instead of a visitation and the accommodations to which days it is to work around my work schedule so that I can continue to support us all and rebuild. ... and I got a huge laugh out of things when her attorney walked out on her, because he was tired of getting screamed at, and refused to come back for a solid five minutes. Rant: Yet, somehow when I dropped our youngest off last night I still felt nothing but bad for her. As depressing as aspects of my life are at the moment I know I'll get through it all. I'm sure she's devastated and terrified because I don't think she's even capable of taking care of herself anymore. Which makes me worry for our kiddos, but for some stupid reason her as well.
Rave: When I was 19, a few of the guys I worked with were divorced and in their early 30's. They provided me with a lot of cautionary tales about marriage and divorce. I listened. I'm single at 38, and I'm absolutely positive if any of the serious relationships I've been in had turned to marriage, it would've been a bad deal. Not saying marriage is a bad thing, but if you're going to do it, you better have a damn good understanding of what you're getting yourself into.
Rave: Got a promotion today. In terms of responsibility/workload/whatever, it's meaningless. But, it is a pay bump and a title change. Two things that certainly don't hurt. Minor Rant: That does make it harder to leave here. It's a comfortable job that requires minimal effort. But it's a total dead end. Good for now, problematic in future. Rave: I had my first dentist visit in over 7 years and didn't have any cavities or any other issues. I figured I was good since I was not having pain or any other issues. But still, I was more that a little worried going in. Potential Rant: With all the good that has happened, my mind is now on guard for something bad to happen. The universe has never let me have too much joy at once and I feel like I've accumulated too much to get by without a correction.
Rant: I don't condone what those bus drivers do to students in some of the videos you may have seen online lately, but on a day like today, I understand.
Big Rave: 2 years and 8.5 months after the historic flooding we finally moved back to our home. Rant: Moving sucks .This is the fourth and hopefully last time since the flood. First World Very Minor Rant: need to sell the house we were living in the past 20 our so months. It'll be nice to get rid of those monthly mortgage payments. The market in that area hasn't been great do we may end up renting it out for a while. Very HUGE Rave: my son is back from Taiwan... Permanently. Long story short - his mother and step father decided to send him back home to Louisiana to live in a pretty nice apartment complex. He has a studio apartment that's nicer than any I've ever lived in and he's adjusting quite nicely. Now for the first time in almost 6 years, I can see him whenever I want.. No more trips to Houston or him being overseas!
Rave: Just went and got 5 months insurance on my motorcycle. Probably Rant: Will probably rain sideways for the next week.
Rant: I commissioned some wall art from a local gal who had some other stuff for sale that I liked. She kept me in the loop through her process. We agreed to meet. She stood me up. ??? Surely she wants her money. I just don't get people sometimes.
RANT: Concert ticket prices. Why does it cost me almost my whole paycheck to get decent seats for a concert!? MY GOD. I can't decide if I'm being old and crotchety about this or I should just suck it up and deal. I remember when I was in college, which wasn't THAT long ago, I could afford to go to 5 concerts in one summer. Now I can barely afford one!! WTFFF
Rant: My work place used to be common sense safety, now it is going full retard safety. Want to use a pressure washer, you better use safety googles with a safety face shield.
Rave: Ribs in the Instapot and then finished in the broiler. I was pretty snobbish about only making smoked ribs, but these give them a run for their money. Pretty damn good. Rant: Job is insane.
RANT: Driving a performance car in this town is a major pain in the ass. On the way home tonight 3 bald old guys in a convertible Mini were putting along at 35mph in a 45. We were coming up to a light so I pulled into the next lane because I wanted to do the speed limit. The light turns green and the Mini shoots away from it and by the time I hit 45 they're 200 feet in front of me. Then he pulls into my lane. I figure if they're going to drive like that I don't have a problem with them being in front of me. The very next stop light I accelerate like normal and I'm climbing right up the limp dicked bastard's ass, people are passing us on both sides and the dumb son of a bitch tops out at 30 mph now. This shit happens constantly. The exact same car and driver is Mario Fucking Andretti next to me at a light and Mr. Magoo if I'm behind them. Cock suckers, I'm not fucking racing you....just drive like a fucking human being. Assholes.
RAVE: Finally got my little girl communicating! She was diagnosed with autism and Fragile X, and on top of near crippling anxiety and global developmental delays she has a really tough time communicating her needs. So much so at times that I feel like I barely know her. Anyways, after nearly two years of spending every waking moment working on her words, and signing, and eye contact, and pointing, etc, she’s at a level where figuring out her needs isn’t a goddamn guessing game anymore. Shout out to the dozen or so SLPs who’ve been backing our play, and the other social workers and teachers who’ve made this possible. Special thanks to her big brothers who have taken point at school and aren’t letting anyone fuck with her. Best part is they explain why their sister can’t talk and haven’t needed to tune anyone up yet.
Rant: I think I may have bricked my computer last night. Got hung up installing some Windows updates and I got impatient and shut it down, and I think I just made the problem worse. Can't restore, get into safe mode, reboot from last good config, nothing I've tried works. Though maybe this is just my computer telling me to get a new one since I've had this one for a decade come fall.
Rant: Some asshole(s) have spoofed my business phone number. I keep getting random calls from real people saying they have a missed call from my number, Motherfuckers. Die in a fire.
Rant: For the second time in the last two years a racoon has knocked out the power at the house by hitting the transformer. I swear the neighbors feeding birds and cats is drawing the damn things in.
Rant: About $350 vet bill because one of my goats decided to come down with pneumonia on the weekend. Rave: Worth it. He's still not out of the woods, but we're doing IV fluids, antibiotics injections, etc. and he was eating heartily this afternoon. Hoping he's doing better in the morning. It may sound silly, but I love these little shits.
Rant: Australians seem to think that coal is still a viable source of power and that they're not destroying the country by subsidising an Indian company Adani to build the countries biggest mine and dredge out the Great Barrier Reef. Rant: Election results, party with no discernible climtae policy gains power after the other party fucks itself six ways from Sunday. Rant: For a supposedly progressive advanced country, Australia has worse internet speeds than many third world countries.
Rant: ffs people don't bring drugs to work they just found some weed on the seat of the of the reach stackers. these guys make 100k+plus a year.
Rant: Fucking computers. My streak remains. I use my MacBook as a basic internet computer. Don’t tax it at all. Had to get a new power cord and decided to spring for a new battery. Few weeks later it’s crashing on startup and won’t power on in safe mode. I’m becoming a boomer and don’t know where to start. I’d probably spring for a new one if I didn’t know my luck would brick a freshly paid for computer in a week flat.