The caffeine withdrawal headache is not to be underestimated! ouch!

You need to wean yourself off the regular slowly. Time for 1/2 a cup of REAL coffee for you

What did the sandwiches taste like?

That is hysterical, Spirit! I wish I'd seen that sign

I wish my resume didn't look so... threadbare. Blech.

Nini, you're being honest. BTW, you left out, "defeated Harold Godwin at Hastings in 1066." Just don't add "invented the internet," I did that.

Bahahaha!
Niiiiice.

Nini, send it to me and I can help you "jazz" it up.
PM me if you are interested.
Vocabulary (action words) and design do a lot!

As do you, Grazie mille di cuore.

The waltzing secretary just walked in. B1tching about our boss, yada yada yada. WHY oh WHY do I need to hear all his cr@p? Who cares? If he can't handle his job, he should get another one, or file for disability (he swears he has fibromyalgia, which mamma in law who is 65 also has, and she never misses work or projects she's on )or God knows what; but his eternal whining is so freaking annoying it does not contribute a bit to my withdrawal headache. We all have the same boss, and the only one who complains about her is the waltzer. Go figure....
This is a tiny bitty department, and things for the most part are cool as cukes... enter the waltzer and the sh1t hits the fan.
Not pleased.

Sounds like Waltzing Matilda is a real piece of work. Unfortunately he pulls this crap around women because he knows he has an audieince. The only whine men are interested in, is the one a supercharger makes. Women are better listeners in general but this guy's just abusing the process and taking advantage of the kindness and sympathy of the office. I hope your boss figures out a way to send him somewhere more appropriate, maybe the Huskies need a tackling dummy?

I have one word for you: UNION. So we're basically screwed with Matilda .
And I still have a headache.

Ugh, poor Len. *hug*

I've been browsing jobs on Craigslist Philly all day - found a couple of winners, but I'm really hesitant to apply to them until I get my resume looked at by the hubby (thanks for offering, Spirit! I might take you up on it!). Other ads I've been hemming and hawing over because they sound... um, sketchy, for lack of a better word. I'm not keen on doing any marketing whatsoever (I'm a shy lass, I am) and the ads that are promising entry-level positions to gain experience sound close enough to that. I know I sound picky

On top of that, I have to find a job which allows me to commute through either SEPTA train into the city, or by foot. Hard to find such a job when you live in the 'burbs and everything is dependent on the car

Be a dear and serve poor Matilda a nice cup of hot chocolate. I guarantee that will cure your headache.


I heard the Eagles are looking for a quarterback.

Now that would be a sight!

Nini...best of luck on your job hunt!

What's with the decaf coffee Len??

Dear Darling Len,

I dug up a story for you AND for anyone else who may be having a challenging time with a situation in their lives at the moment.

Get comfortable.
Breathe.
Enjoy.




A Cherokee Legend

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on
inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is
anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment,
inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The
other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness,
benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same
fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
"Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."



Here is the same story, but it is called "Grandfather Tells" which is also
known as

The Wolves Within

An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a
friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story.

I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much,
with no sorrow for what they do.

But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking
poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these
feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside
me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him,
and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight
when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him
into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He
cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless
anger,for his anger will change nothing.

Sometimes, it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of
them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one
wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."

Those are wonderful stories, Spirit. Thank you.

Spirit, you talk wisely as usual. I had a talk with a very special friend last night, and she told me kind of the same thing: whatever you feed, grows; what you neglect feeding, fades away. Karma, eh?

Nini sweets, I also offer to spruce up that resume sister.

Oh... and Matilda is, well.... "sick"

I am always happy to help.

I am fighting my own personal demons at the moment...and so, it is quite apropos.

We are having crazy winds today in Chicago.
Perhaps to help blow away any negative feelings.
Ha!

Yeah it's very windy.....hope it blows away the 100 seaguls on the lake behind my house that woke me up this morning...

Feels like a McDonald out there

A McDonald?

Thanks! I just had to clean up the desk here after spewing coffee through my nose. That is so funny. Hope Mephys comes back to translate that for us.

In the meantime we should amuse ourselves by making conjectures on what she means. Me first:

Mephys used to go out with a guy whose last name was McDonald. He had chronic flatulence, as did the rest of his family, so it was very windy at their house.

McDonald (Douglas) is now Boeing, but maybe she doesn't know this. Sooooooooooooooo McDonald's planes were flying by causing big winds! Whooooooooooosh!

Migrating ducks from Scotland (kin to Donald) landed on the lake behind her house. Because they are foreign ducks, she thought they were seagulls.

Old McDonald had a farm....right behind the pond with the 100 seagulls! Or Ducks...as Crikey has suggested.

Anyway....Old McDonald is looking to diversify, so he's now using power generated by huge wind turbines. Quite common in Illinois actually....



That Old McDonald...he's quite a guy!

*checks to see if this is the off topic thread*

You are all hilarious.

Mephys, were they screaming, "Mine, mine mine!!!"
If they were then you can be sure they were into the fries already.


As for this being The Vent Thread, I will take a moment to vent something.

The words hilarious vs hysterical.

Most people do not discern these.
Hysterical comes from days of old...where some supposedly brilliant white psychologist-types thought all women get hysterical and should be medicated.
It comes from the Greek word (of course, hee hee) that means womb.
Really the word hysterical has nothing to do with being funny and everything to do with oppressing women.
"Oh look, she is hysterical. Get her on Valium."
So 50's huh?
Meanwhile the truth was (is) is that men will never truly understand women, as we can never truly understand men.
Leave it alone and do not even try.
Just love and accept....or move on.
Ahem.
Okay, I'm okay now.

Whoa. I need to check the dosage on my medication. I understood that and thought it was funny. lol

So, in the interests of organization I called U-Pack in Calgary today (I originally booked on the phone with the main call center).

She says oh! I was going to call you today (the relocube is to be dropped off tomorrow and picked up on Monday BTW).

I say yes, well I read here that I was supposed to call you 2 days before the cube is dropped off

Here is the thing. Apparently, because of Calgary's volatile weather - they don't actually drop off the relocube alone, as in lift it up on a forklift and place it in your driveway.

They either bring it on a flatbed truck or within a full size truck trailer!! First of all the ground is dry dry outside, while they do forecast flurries tonight, I dont think this is going to be a big deal.

I mentioned that we don't live on a farm, we live in the city and I don't know that even in the back we have room for a 28 foot trailer (plus we have to allow at least 10 feet for the ramps). I also said it would have been good if someone had mentioned this to me a month ago when I booked the relocube.

Anyway, she was going to go back and check with someone, I'm supposed to be out measuring the driveway areas, plus I called the main U-Pack number. She called Calgary and they told her the same thing they told me.

The only possible solution I can think of is that they wait and drop the trailer off Monday and we have it picked up Monday evening. That way we won't need a permit from the city to park the thing (it's ok to have a moving trailer as long as it isn't parked for more than 24 hours on the street).

Anyway.....it's a tad annoying.

Another day in the life of an emigrant. What a pain the butt that is, Trailmix. Sheesh.

Trailmix daaahlin' ... that's what we did. But we actually rented the trailer. They were prompt and on time with drop-off and pick-up. You will be fine. I just know it

Thanks for the canalien support, I needed it!

Ok, so just got off the phone with them and they are dropping it off early Monday morning, didn't say what time, I'll call back Friday to see. So that's all good, will park it on the street if need be

Glad you got that straightened out trailmix, and things look like they're good to go! Wow....can't believe you're leaving in less than a week!! Wooooooohoooooooooo!

I HATE COMCAST!!!

I am in serious venting mood right now. ...I am trying to get all the paperwork to send out by next week, right after we got married I called ALL Utilities to add me on the bills.

Oh but COMCAST! NOOOOO! We cant do #### but sit on our F'N asses all day and get paid. They WORTHLESS, WORTHLESS I tell you.
I have been on the phone for 2 and a half hours now. They cant even send me out a letter with mine and my husbands name on it.
I have talked to 5 people. 5 and no one can help me.

Comcast.... I have no idea what you're talking about. And I did not send them a complaint and a suggestion in the mail this morning. No indeedy.

WTF? That's insane sister, keep at it. We have both names in our Comcast bill - but we did move in at the same time. I am SURE they can add you --- azzholes.

Well they did add my name HOWEVER, it wont show till next billing cycle (April 15th) and I am sending my AOS and all on the 8th come hell or highwater.

So i basically refused to get off the phone with them till I got to somone with Higher Authority , (I am what they would consider a "difficult Client" my ### if I could get Customer Service I wuldnt be LOL). He finally told me to come in and he would see what he could do. Grrrrr

Did you hear about the old lady in WA that went into Comcast with a hammer and crashed the teller's window and god knows what else? it was hilarious. Bren calls her the psycho-grannie.

Even if you don't have both names in yet, send copies of the ones you have - showing same address.

Good luck sister!

Whoa. Hang on. Those are MY # keys!

Ok people, step away from Crikeys god-given (ok, BY-given) right to be the #### holder of the week. And that's that.

Where's Mumsie when one needs him?????

Oops Crikey! I will have to come up with some other ones then, thanks to my siciliian mom I tend to get carried away with those ones. LOL

Ok Hubby just came back with Wonderful fresh ground coffee and a few of my favorite cookbooks. So sweet, I've been on edge getting all this paperwork out!

You rang????

As long as you weren't charged Len. Mumsie's opinion of Comcast? I only have one thing to say, Omerta.

BTW Steph, you can try to go in person and see if you can get a current bill with your name on it. It has worked on occasion, even without the hammer.

Blaaaaaah. Homesick woes. It's gotten to the point where Bee has offered to give me a ticket home for the weekend. Not like we can afford it either so it would mean that we'd be eating oatmeal for weeks

Your problem with this is.....

Azzzzz. It wasn't me I've heard however that she was somehow related to Laura, cuzz there was a foul smell all around when she entered Comcast headquarters

And Omerta is indeed, THE word.

Shame on you, trying to bring poor Laura into odium....too late. Stinky twin powers activate, form of a turd blossom...

Awwww Nini! Big hugs for you! Bee is so sweet! Now I could eat oatmeal and cream of wheat all week without being given a plant ticket!

You are all hilarious.
And stinky.
Phew!


Am I in The Vent thread?
Check!

Okay here goes:

After my Battle with the Wallpaper, it is over.
It has won.
And I have won.
Ha!
I, for the first time in my life am giving up...giving in...to what is and what will never be. Bahaha!
That wallpaper either needs dynamite or for the walls to be replaced (which BTW I can do).
However, I did do half that large room (it is an attic style) and after realizing that I was loathing doing it, and in turn loathing this house, I decided I had better stop in order to not completely destroy any spark left in my (still new) relationship: with my sweetie, with this house, with this city.

So

I gave up.
Let it be known.

My fear was that I can never give up on anything because that meant I would be giving up on me.
Strange I know...it's metaphysical.
(Oh if you could peer into my brain...run run run away!!!)

I will be calling someone to come and give me an estimate on how much to finish it and to prep for paint.
The walls are a disaster underneath...too much for me to tackle alone.
And I do have refurbishing experience...homes/boats.
Ya Basta!

Plus with us planning on leaving ASAP, it is time to let others finish it and come and redo the entire bathroom while we are away.
That would be so awesome. Put it for sale/rent, and move downtown with less head-aches/woes.

I must vacate the burbs!

Yes.

No worries Spirit, you gave it the college try!

So, in the interests of - something - I am going to tell more of the RBC story.

My Husband went in to the bank on Wednesday, to see Marco, Marco insisted that one of us had to come in to deposit our U.S. draft that we had from closing our 'Borderless' account with our 'real' bank, the TD.

I told Marco I would not be coming in, just my Husband as we are quite busy, as he can imagine.....no problem.

So my Husband takes in:

- Bank Draft from TD - U.S. dollars.
- Print out from TD that we have closed our U.S. account and taken the money in a draft.
- Receipt from TD for the draft
- Our Borderless account bank statment from December (he wanted this, as mentioned earlier, I don't know what this proves).

One HOUR later Husband leaves the bank, we now have an RBC U.S. dollar account as well! The theory is:

- Deposit bank draft in RBC U.S. dollar account
- Draft clears in 5 days (he made a point of mentioning to my Husband that it would take 5 days - he even printed it out - the regulations - and showed it to him).
- We then transfer the money in to the Centura account, pick up our bank cards in Nebraska - all good.

Then Marco calls yesterday, I pick up the phone and he asks to speak to my Husband.

Slight glitch - they are going to hold your money for 15 days!!

Blah blah blah. Ok I'm furious at this point, so after the bank guy babbles on for several minutes I grab the phone from my Husband and hang up

So bank guy calls back and I answer, he says something like 'I don't know why the phone cut out like that but anyway....you didn't come in with your Husband yesterday, I didn't know you weren't going to come in?? -blah blah blah'.

That was when I lost my cool. I told him exactly how I felt about how he had handled this whole thing. I told him I needed to speak with the bank manager.

Long story short - I spoke with her yesterday and gave her a reference (bank manager) at our TD bank branch. She said to me (she is a very reasonable woman and I don't think she actually had the whole story before I spoke to her), that she is going to call our bank manager at TD (luckily I had her contact info as she wrote the bank letter we had to send with the affidavit of support).

According to the bank guy they are holding the money due to 'U.S. banking regulations'. Whether this is accurate or not I don't know at this point - they keep saying how we are new customers to RBC.

Anyway, RBC bank manager has left me voice mail to call her, so I guess I will and see what they have come up with.

The saga continues! This story gets more bizarre each day! I LOVE that you hung up on Marco. Keep us updated!