Etiquette question
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Posted:Jun 21, 2016 5:53 am
Last Updated:Jun 22, 2016 7:18 pm
12517 Views
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I know most people are here looking for some type of physical connection. I respect that. I am just here to pass some time. I've been here forever and I've made some friends along the way, I like to keep in touch with them. I enjoy the blogs. I'm here solely for online connections. My physical life is too full to add anything to it. I'm quite content.
My question is, when responding to a casual message, like "hi, how are you today?" Is it best to just respond with polite small talk or should I immediately let it be known that I'm not meeting anyone? It seems some people get offended that I've "wasted" their time by having a 6-10 message thread only to tell them I'm not interested in meeting. Not interested in meeting, and not interested in them are two totally different things. I can hear about your day, your dog, your crazy ex, I care about your life, I just don't want you in my bed.
Honestly, I don't care if I offend people. I'm just curious what the best practice would be. Engage in small talk until an invitation to meet comes up, or immediately lay down the law?
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4
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Just like riding a bike
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Posted:Jun 20, 2016 5:53 am
Last Updated:Jun 21, 2016 5:25 am
13389 Views
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After the recent few crazy weeks, a last minute decision was made to spend the weekend camping. Just me and mr. Wonderful, a quiet weekend by the lake. (A few words about mr. Wonderful... He had been very, very ill for a couple years without us realizing he was sick. We all just assumed he'd turned into an asshole, he was in fact suffering from a horrible infection, in his bones. He recently had surgery to remove the infection, I can't say he's not an asshole, but he's far more tolerable than he used to be. Back to the story....) We headed to our favorite campground, only to find out the good section is closed because of baby eagles hatching. I personally think this is stupid, the people were in the campground before the Eagles nested there, if the Eagles aren't cool with coexisting, they wouldn't have built the nest around people, right? Anyways... We back track to what I call the "ghetto campground", it's passable as a campground, but it's very crowded, no matter which direction you look all you see is other campers. I prefer being nestled into the woods, but I'm a good sport, I was all "this will be ok.... But look at all these tiny little ... gawd they better like naps." Yes I'm a camping snob, I served my time in a tent and now that we've worked are way to a rolling mansion, I want peace and damn quiet when I'm rusticating. It was all good, the went to bed at a decent hour, the obnoxious slobs on one side of passed out early and only peed in their site once (that I know of), we had a view of the lake, and really nice neighbors on the other side.
Oh I got way off track here, I recently inherited a bicycle, from my late sister in law. My last bike was circa 1968, I think it may been the first bike with gears, it had 3. It was the ultimate granny bike, the only thing missing was a basket. It was cool, but it was impossible to keep up with more modern bicycles, so it hung in the carport for years. This new to me bike is pretty techno advanced. My did a preventative maintenance check up to ensure his old mom's safety. He made sure it was all oiled, pumped up, adjusted and trail worthy in general. After he finished explaining all the features and benefits to me I said "ok, I know what the numbers 1 through 8 are on this side, but what's with the 1,2,3 on this side?" He said "you just leave that side alone for now, I'll explain that when I think you're ready for more expert operation." He's kind of a jerk, I love him, but he's 14, he's smarter than me, so I just let him go, he'll learn. So we haul the new bike to the ghetto campground, I should mention that the preferred campground is flat, the ghetto campground has hills. Saturday morning, mr. Wonderful asks if I'm ready to try out the bike, I'm not. At all. But being a good sport I hop on, well it was more of a limping shuffle and a few experiments to see which pedal I needed up to shove off and some squealing and shrieking but I got it rolling. I serpentined, played with the brakes, growing a little more confident each pedal. Soon I was riding that bad girl like I stole her. I had so many gears I could make it up the big hill even. Wind whipping through my hair. Once I was fully confident that I wasn't going to end up in the lake or dead, I started fiddling with stuff. I noticed this weird little dome with a little buttonish lever kinda thing, I hit the buttonish lever and heard a "ding." Oh my stars and garters along with shock absorbers everywhere, more gears than I'm allowed to use, and a water bottle holder, my new bike has a bell! Now that I know I'm invincible cuz I can ride like a maniac and just ring my bell and be all "ding ding ding, make way motherfuckers, fat bottom girl coming through, 'scuse me, pardon me, sorry 'bout your dog, ding ding ding, catch me if you can pussies, ding ding ding" I really pushed my limits, I zoomed. I turned sharply. To mr. Wonderful's terror and awe I took the bike jump in the playground. I'd going sailing by him singing the "doo da doo da doo doo" bit from the wizard of oz when the witch is blowing by on her bike. He'd say "ready to stop?" And I'd call back "one more lap." I felt like a again! It turns out, riding a bike is just like riding a bike. It all comes back to you when you hop on. Much to my surprise and delight, my ass isn't even sore today.
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3
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Just keep swimming
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Posted:Jun 15, 2016 8:52 am
Last Updated:Jun 21, 2016 5:27 am
12812 Views
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My life is usually just a comedy of errors. Lots of things going on all the time. It's like a wheel, with many spokes, and I'm the nut that holds them all together.
Last night we discovered a dysfunctional septic pump, that was remedied easily enough with a pair of dykes, some strippers, a razor blade, and some wire nuts. Luckily the septic system is well downhill from even the lowest floor drain. Mr wonderful learned a lesson about setting the system alarm to silent mode.
This morning's fiasco was a dead van, just lost power and died on me. Luckily I was off the main road and far enough up a hill that I could drift backwards into a field. I called the who's had her permit for almost 2 years but hasn't found time to take her license test yet. I tried her cell twice, then called the home phone and screamed her name into the answering machine. She didn't pick up. I tried her cell again, she answered that time, I assured her she could drive the mile and a half between home and the vans final resting point. 20 minutes later (don't ask, I don't know what the fuck took that long) she came to my rescue. I gave the refresher "this is how you jump start a car" course, but it was a lesson in failure because the van wouldn't stay running when I took the cables off. So a few phone calls and a guy with a chain later, the van is still dead, but in the driveway at least. When we got home the said "it was so weird, I woke up because I thought I heard you yelling my name and then you called, it's like telepathy." i said "oh wow that's spooky..... I was actually yelling through the answering machine."
My next adventure is breaking the tractor, or mowing the grass, we'll see which way it goes.
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8
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Family memories
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Posted:Jun 12, 2016 7:12 pm
Last Updated:Jun 21, 2016 5:27 am
7295 Views
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Years ago we bought a camper. We thought it would nice to get away. Enjoy nature. Make fun family memories.
We were reminiscing over memorable events this evening. It seems that a lot of the memories are funny, but weren't so fun.
There was the time I caught the in our camping group launching themselves off the top bunk, through the opening into the living room. I will never forget the expression on the face of the boy who was in midair when I opened the door to see what all the thumping was. The all skedaddled out of there, except the one boy who was hiding in the closet and afraid to come out. I damn near stabbed him when he came out 20 minutes later.
There were the injuries and illnesses. A fever of 103. Three with a stomach bug. A fall 20 feet off a swing. A face plant over the handlebars of a tiny bicycle, lots of blood, some prematurely lost baby teeth. Same wiped out on a bigger bike years later, again, lots of blood, but he tucked and rolled and saved his teeth. The tooth through the lip in the swimming pool. The toe smashed against the rocks while tubing. The with the torn up toe promptly fainting upon alighting from the truck tailgate that hauled her back to camp. That same weekend another eyes swelled shut during an allergic reaction and mr wonderful took a nasty spill off his bicycle and in my panic and haste to render assistance I got tangled in my bike and went crashing to the ground myself, still entangled in the bike. My only thought on the way down was "thank god the oldest can drive us to the hospital".
There were also discipline issues. Mostly when went missing. The 9 year old following the "big " on a hike without alerting the parents. The pied piper middle making friends everywhere she went and getting lunch from 3 or 4 families of strangers, in one day. Finding the baby 's boots, but not being able to locate the baby . After a 20 minute search of campers he was found sleeping soundly in a bunk bed. Discipline also had to be handed out when the camping group declared war on the seasonal who acted like they owned the playground. Yes, those brats had it coming, but people can't throw rocks. They just can't.
Our camping excursions have been far from the tranquil experiences we envisioned all those years ago, but memories were certainly made.
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3
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When you're almost 102
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Posted:Jun 9, 2016 5:44 pm
Last Updated:Jun 10, 2016 12:59 pm
6073 Views
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when you're within a month of your 102nd birthday, you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want.
You can go to lunch with your great great grand and come back to the home with your stockings bunched down and proudly announce "I been drinkin'!"
You can yell "where's the beef?!" Every time a cheeseburger in placed in front of you.
You can tell someone they're "a damn fool", just because.
You can threaten to bite the guy across the table.
If you ask for a magic wand, someone will stop at Dollar Tree on her way to work and buy you one.
You can tell the person who "doctored up" the baked beans that the beans "taste like hind end."
You can demand waffles on French toast day.
You can eat your dessert first. Every meal.
You can tell a cancer survivor "your hair looks like it was mowed with a weedwhacker."
You can do all of this, and much more, and everyone will love you for it, and a few of them will consider you a blessing.
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4
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The 92 year old ninja.
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Posted:Jun 8, 2016 3:41 pm
Last Updated:Jun 9, 2016 3:21 am
6025 Views
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Today I was sitting in the living room with a resident at work, sharing some one on one time and giving her a manicure. I had my back to the hallway, but I heard a resident, who I'll call Ella, go down the hall. Ella has jingle bells tied to her walker and one slipper is loose so you hear a little flap noise when she steps with her left foot, along with the jingling. When she hurries she's a one woman band. She only weighs 79 pounds, but she's easy to keep track of. I knew Ella was heading to her room for a nap. I continued working on the manicure and talking to the other resident. Approximately 1 minute later a visiting nurse walked into the room and started to say hello, it came out as "helELLA!!!" I spun around and there, sitting calmly on the floor, about 2 feet behind me, was Ella. No slippers. No walker. Just Ella. I never heard a sound. Nothing. no quiet thud. No gasp of surprise. Nothing. I called for an aide and we checked Ella out, she seemed fine, we helped her up and got her comfy on the couch. I asked what happened, she said she had no idea, she went to bed and the next thing she knew she was on the floor. I asked why she didn't yell for help, she said "I was 2 feet from you, I didn't want to yell and startle you, but judging by the look on your face I startled you anyway didn't I?" Yes Ella, you stealthy little imp, you startled me.
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The last day.......... Kinda.
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Posted:Jun 2, 2016 3:53 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 2:14 pm
5211 Views
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It's the last official day of school. The last morning of catching a bus.
For one , this is THE last day of high school. Graduation is tomorrow. This is done with proms and homecomings and varsity letters. College starts soon though.
For the baby of the bunch, this is the last day of "real" school. This had a rough year, got a nasty concussion in October, has had academic struggles ever since. The school did help (not enough in my opinion, but that's another story), but summer school is in this lil darlin's future. 2 sessions, then there will be a "credit recovery" coarse next school year. It's been a frustrating, infuriating school year.
It's the last day, but yet it's not. It's more of just a transition point, not really an ending.
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Shine on you crazy diamonds
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Posted:Jun 1, 2016 4:59 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 2:14 pm
4936 Views
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It seems that lately, a similar situation has come up in several areas of the three ring circus that I call my life.
Someone really wants to do something that I feel is a terrible idea, but I'm going to let them do it anyway. Explicitly forbidding the action, or trying to talk them out of it,would go against my fundamental belief that people are gonna do what people are gonna do and my job is to cheer them on, in spite of any fears or concerns that I have.
So I say go for it. Whatever floats your boat, do it.
Want to pick up every crumb off the floor because you want a clean house for your long dead husband, who you still see? I'll give you a bag to put them in.
Want to spend a midsummer week marching your 86 year old body up and down a mountain at scout camp because that's what you've done for the last 53 years? I'll tell your non supporters to sit down and shut up.
Want to add a second major in hospitality on top of a major in wildlife biology and a minor in photography, in hopes that you can get a job doing something, anything, at Disney World in case your big dream of being Pocahontas doesn't pan out? Why not?
Do it. Whatever makes you happy. I'm not going to throw a bushel over that little light of yours. I'm not going to scuff your surface to mess with the way you reflect or refract light. I want to see you shine.
"Come on you raver, you seer of visions,
Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!"
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Oooh, the irony
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Posted:May 30, 2016 6:10 am
Last Updated:Jun 2, 2016 3:54 am
5004 Views
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Ok. I'll admit I have a pretty easy job. I'm paid to goof around. I have recently volunteered to cover another position at work. It's not a hard job either. I was fine working long stretches, 13 days straight, 15 days straight. It's not terribly hard to do when you enjoy it.
Friday, before leaving work I realized that I've only had 2 days off in the last 4 weeks. I was really looking forward the having three whole days off. Three entire days to relax. To unwind.
What has actually happened over this long weekend is that I have crippled myself. I spent the weekend working in flower beds and planting a garden. Muscles I didn't remember having are screaming at me. Plus, I'm sunburnt!
I can't wait to go back to work tomorrow so I can recuperate!
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2
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Why is it a surprise?
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Posted:May 26, 2016 12:44 pm
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 2:14 pm
4555 Views
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Why are members surprised when I reply to their invitations to meet with a polite "thanks, but no."? Am I the only one replying to people? I feel that anyone who reads my profile and still has the balls to message me is worth the 20 seconds of my time that it takes to fire back a message.
What the fuck ever happened to courtesy?
Remember...... Be nice.
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10
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People!
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Posted:May 24, 2016 4:13 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 2:14 pm
4554 Views
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I've been around forfreakinever. A long time. I've taken several breaks because, well, people.
People feel the need to complain. A lot. Doing a fly over blog land, I see the same complaints over and over. Most recently, it seems there's issues between top bloggers. The members are the voting body on top blogger. If you don't like another blogger, sit down and shut up. Stop drawing attention to them, you are pushing their numbers up because your readers will trot their happy asses right over to the other blog to see what the big stink is. Blog land is pretty representative of our culture as a whole, it's a melting pot. Accept that. Keep doing your own thing and leave everyone else alone. Top blogger isn't that big of a deal. I've been top blogger, back in the day. There's no fabulous prize. No new car. No trip to Tahiti. Your name is just first on a list. Get over it. Be nice.
Another common complaint is "it's not fair that women get free gold memberships." Showing up here with tits doesn't guarantee a free gold membership. I've had free gold, I've been just standard. I don't care. The free gold comes when I'm active on the site, blogging, commenting, chatting. It's given to those who keep the site active, there's no reason men can't earn free gold. Yes, it's harder for men, but I hate the thinking that women just show up and get free gold.
Sorry for ranting first thing in the morning. I want to enjoy blogging again. I miss the community. In time I'll learn who's who again and I'll know which blogs to skip right over. Right now, it's like a minefield, I'm not sure what I'm stepping on when I click a blog.
Remember.... Be nice.
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3
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Crazy talk
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Posted:May 5, 2016 7:21 pm
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2024 2:14 pm
4413 Views
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Most days, my wildest conversations happen at work (I work with dementia patients). Today some of the craziest words came out of my family members mouths.
Mr. Wonderful had some pretty extensive oral surgery today. Some highlights of his conversations throughout the day.....
Upon awakening after surgery
Mr. W: Awww you're here, you came to see me
Me: How are you doing?
Mr. W: what time is it?
Me:12:30
Mr. W: there's a sock in my mouth
Me: that's gauze....DON'T PULL THAT OUT OF THERE!!!
Mr. W: what time is it?
Me: 12:31
Mr. W: pretty sure this is a sock in my mouth
Me: it's a clean sock, it's ok... STOP MESSING WITH THE SOCK!!
Mr. W: what time is it?
Me: 12:31
Mr. W: already?!
On the drive home
Mr. W: sings various tunes from the Mario Cart game, the denum denum denums at red lights the doodoodooo doodoodadoodas on the highway......... The entire 30 minute drive home
At home:
Mr. W: you are my nurse, if you allow me to be in pain I will cause you pain by whining
Me: dug through cabinet to find the leftover painkillers from the last 's wisdom teeth surgery..... Gave him 2... Ran to pharmacy to get his meds
Upon the youngest returning home from school
Mr. W: hey buddy
Youngest : hey dad, how are you feeling?
Mr. W: your mother peed in my face and the dr put a sock in my mouth
Me: I gave him a bag of frozen peas to use as an ice pack
Youngest : pea packs are great, they wrap right around you
Mr. W: (sings)oats peas beans and barley grow
Youngest : a sock?
Me: it was gauze
Mr. W: you think I don't know a sock when I have it in my mouth?
Youngest : can I go do homework?
Me: yep
Mr. W: I hate peas
Hanging out in the laundry room with the middle
Mr. W: are those underpants or a napkin?
Middle : daaad
Mr. W: do those even cover your butt? The doctor put a sock in my mouth
Middle : moooom, how many painkillers did you give him?!
Me: just enough..... It was a clean sock
Upon the oldest 's arrival home from work
Mr. W: hey spunky
Oldest : I'm not 5 anymore..... I brought you jolly ranchers
Mr. W: your sister wears napkins as underpants and the dr put a sock in my mouth
Oldest : ok then, I'm making a booze tea slushie... Want one?
Mr. W: surrrre
Me: NO! But I'll take a double
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5
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No, I'm just a crabass
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Posted:Mar 22, 2016 4:56 am
Last Updated:Mar 23, 2016 4:19 am
4971 Views
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"are you a Dom?" "You're dominant, right?" "Will you spank me?" "Based on your profile, I think we might be a good fit, I'm a very naughty boy" I guess I need to work on my profile, because these are questions I'm often asked in messages. I might whoop your ass, but I'm not going to spank it.
I'm not a Dom! I'm just cranky. I'm tired. I spend most of my life managing things. What's for dinner. Which needs to be where when. How to be in two places at once, when one is done at practice at 5 but another has an orthodontist appointment at 4:45. My life is full to the brim with tasks that need management. I'm certainly not in a place that I can add things like administering discipline to naughty boys.
The trick is reworking the profile so the pendulum doesn't swing too far the other way....
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7
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To link to this blog (racyredlace) use [blog racyredlace] in your messages.
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