The "What's on your mind?" Thread -2016

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Primula

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I wish I had mentioned that I was going to get one before I went so you could have given me that advice before I bought one without the moist heat.  I was looking at those, but I hadn't tried a moist heat heating pad before so I didn't know if they would help more or not.  I think I'll take it back and exchange it because I haven't even opened the box yet.  I just put an icyhot patch on for now.  So I shouldn't have a problem exchanging it.
Definitely take it back. There is nothing better on a sore back than moist heat. I absolutely hate those icy hot patches, which I think are a waste of money. I always have two or three regular ice packs in the freezer which I use for twenty minutes at a time which are terrific. You have to stop lifting heavy things. This sets my back off every time.
 

artiemom

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To both you and @artiesmom, yes, it is a blessing.  And no troll.  Word is that she is eaten up with jealously (I'm in a two-bedroom), and is grousing about it all over the complex, and being roundly laughed at for it.  I'd be glad to go back to a downstairs one-bedroom if she will take my dratted vertigo!

I have four gallons of water in my pantry, and I'll fill a pan for H. Renee (Hekitty Renee is her full name), so she has a good supply.  I also have several cans of tuna, and mayonnaise in those little packets, so I can make tuna salad sammiches to alternate with the PB&J.  I have until Saturday at last report.  I don't think this is going to be huge.  I'm thinking more fairly heavy wind, buncha rain, and maybe a power outage lasting 18-24 hours.  AND the weather is significantly cooler, so that's doable.

We aren't allowed to have grills here, but I'm thinking of getting one of those mini camp stoves for just such occasions.  I can hide a case of sterno very easily.  That would allow me to make coffee and such on the porch in case of prolonged power outages.  Maybe a decent sized cooler, as well, since I have a place to store one now.  A few camp style cooking vessels...coffee pot, small stew pot, small frying pan, small sauce pan...I could ride out a good bit with that...OH, and I need to buy another oil lamp or two.
Please take care!! 

yes, now that you have the room to stock things in, a supply of "bad weather' stuff is indeed a great idea. 

I am up north, and I do the same thing.. more for blizzards, and the occasional hurricane, but mostly for power outages..

I have a plastic tote filled with a small camp stove, small butane canisters for it, a couple of pans, for it, a camping coffee pot.. I also have tons of spring water, and a couple small, inexpensive camp lanterns, a couple of flashlights, and a battery powered radio...And Batteries!!!  and also plastic utensils and paper plates....(those are getting old)

Yes, it sounds like a lot...but you have to know that I lived through the Northeast "Blizzard of "78,  the Northeast Blackout, several blizzards, a couple hurricanes, and many power outages because of major automobile accidents, which took out a transformer.. also a couple of severe ice storms which downed many lines...and several water main breaks in the neighborhood....

I had to be ready for anything when my dad was alive. I could not take a chance and be stranded without anything. Now, I just keep the supply handy...

Now  I live alone, but do not want to bother relatives in other cities, for help...I am pretty self sufficient. 

Artie is all set. I always have a supply of food available, from Chewy, and the water we can both use.. even to 'flush' the toilet if there is a chance of not having any water...  and plenty of litter...

I am actually glad I am so well stocked. If I get sick, I do not have to worry about having the necessities. I can live out of my "store".....grateful that I am able to do that...
 

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Definitely take it back. There is nothing better on a sore back than moist heat. I absolutely hate those icy hot patches, which I think are a waste of money. I always have two or three regular ice packs in the freezer which I use for twenty minutes at a time which are terrific. You have to stop lifting heavy things. This sets my back off every time.
I'm just the type of person who prefers to be independent and do things on my own, rather than asking for help.  But you're right - I am going to have to start asking for help with heavy things such as cat litter.

Honestly, my back is pretty much the only reason I'm still at my current job.  Until I get a degree, it would be hard to get any kind of desk job.  Lifting heavy things is obviously something I can't handle.  Also, if I'm my own feet for long stretches, my back starts hurting.  So, working as a cashier would be out of the question because they're required to stand behind the register.

I've been told I would probably qualify for disability, but I really prefer not to go that route if I am able to work at some job.  Not to mention, it is apparently very difficult to get approved for disability due to back problems.  Granted, the debilitating migraines might get me approved - I've known of a lot of people who did get disability for migraines - but I just don't think it's right for me to do something like that if I can find a job that I can do.  There are other people who need it more than I do.  Also, I was raised with a work ethic and I'm not the kind of person to try to use any and every excuse to get out of work.  I want to work and provide for myself.  So, until I find myself completely unable to, I will.  My job does kind of suck - it is insanely boring and mind-numbing,  I get yelled at and cursed out all the time and some people are just plain stupid and can't seem to answer on scale - but it's something.

And it's not that I look down on people who are on disability.  I don't at all - unless it's clear that they're faking it and cheating the system.  Like one woman who claimed to have migraines and used her disability to buy meth all the time.  That's just not a route I want to take.
 

Primula

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I hate asking people for help too. I can't even walk from the corner store with a bag of litter. I take my shopping cart to Family Dollar & they have 7 LB bags for $1 each, which is an excellent price, and I load up the cart with as many bags as I can.

You would not believe how many people in my 'hood are on disability. They really know how to work the system since there seems to be absolutely nothing wrong with these people - especially young men. And it burns me how they all get a free phone from the state & free minutes.

I absolutely hate migraines. I rarely get them, but they are one of the things I dread. Luckily, Excedrin Migraine works for me though it is slow-working.

One very good thing about your job - easy for me to say, I know - is that you can work at home. Sounds like someone is always breathing down your neck from what you've told us, but at least you don't have to physically work with a lot of annoying people.
 

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I am very happy about getting to work from home.  Kitty cuddles help me to keep from getting as irritated as I used to when I was working at the call center.  I wasn't sure what to think when they told me they were closing.  I'd never done the work from home thing and I was going to have get a phone connection and all that.  Also, change makes me nervous.  But, honestly, I really love it.  I can have my laptop next to me - when they closed the building, they gave anyone who wanted one a computer and headset system for free - and have it hooked up to internet and play games and whatnot.  I got a pair of earbuds and I'll just use one so I can hear the calls out of the other ear - so I can still have sound on my games and play music or watch netflix.  Considering I say the exact thing at least a hundred times a day, it's not like I really have to concentrate.  I'm supposed to complete at least 21 surveys an hour.  Depending on the day, I work 5, 7, or 8 hours a night and I complete a lot more than the minimum.  The only time I don't do at least 100 in a night is when we run out of numbers early - which happens a lot at the end of the calling month and sometimes at the beginning.  I always try to plan ahead for the weeks I expect to be light so I can still get all the bills paid.  So, when we don't run out of numbers, I end up with a little extra money after everything is paid, and I don't mind that at all.  I don't have to listen to the respondent's complaints because no matter what they say, I give the same response offering a callback.

I started working from home on August 2 so it's been a little over 2 months and the adjustment went pretty smoothly.  And it's a really good thing I don't have to drive to work anymore.  John had a scooter to get to and from work since he can drive it anywhere in town and not have to spend much on gas.  And then it was stolen.  From right outside our bedroom window.  Definitely didn't help me to feel safe and certainly didn't do anything good for my insomnia issues.  If they could steal a scooter - that was chained up, by the way - without us hearing a thing, what else can they do?

They are getting REALLY nitpicky.  The monitors at the center weren't like this.  I've been client monitored many times - by the company that pays the company I work for $8 million a year to conduct these surveys - and they've never had anything negative to say about me.  I think if the client is happy, the monitors should lay off a bit.  A friend of mine told me they got onto her for inhaling too loudly.  That is beyond overboard, in my opinion.
 
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Margret

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I wish I'd known about it when I broke my arm in three places four and a half years ago.  It was in a cast for months, and I'm still doing occupational therapy to try to regain full function in that hand.

Margret
I broke my back nearly 12 years ago and it still gives me trouble.  I woke up this morning with my back hurting like h e double hockey sticks.  I kept neglecting to get a heating pad - I've borrowed one from a friend when I've needed it recently and I just kept forgetting to get one when I was at the store.  So I ran to Wal*Mart and got a heating and some icyhot patches.  Hopefully it helps.  I don't know if I slept funny or what, but it is most unpleasant.  While I was there I got some more cat litter.  I've been getting the 40 pound boxes of Arm & Hammer litter.  It saves money in the long run.  I buy in bulk when I can.  Anyway, I lifted it into the cart by myself and about collapsed with pain so I asked if I could have someone help load it into my car and then had John unload it when I got home.  He asked if I needed him to come with me and I said I didn't because I wasn't planning to get cat litter - I just figured I probably should because they boxes are going to need a full change pretty soon.  I try to do it every 2 weeks, sometimes more often if they seem to need it.  I don't like them to get smelly and I'm sure the boys like it even less since they're the ones who need to use them.

I also picked up a cat grass kit for them and a few more of those cheap catnip mice - the first ones I got them were their favorite toys even after I got them all that stuff off Amazon, but they're looking kinda grungy so I decided to go ahead and replace them.  And I got them a crinkly cat cave bag.  They only seemed halfway interested in it, but they're in their sleepy cycle.  They get a random burst of energy and go all psycho at certain times of the day - I could almost set my watch by them - so we'll see how they like it when they're in play mode.
If you absolutely must lift a heavy thing by yourself, bend with your knees, grab it, and then straighten your knees to lift.  This is what they mean when they say "Lift with your knees, not your back."  Of course, if you also have bad knees it doesn't work so well.

I had an old pair of giant blue jeans left here by one of the unwelcome house guests.  I cut off about 10 inches of a leg, sewed one end closed, added about 3 cups of uncooked rice, and sewed the other end closed so I could heat it in the microwave to use as a hot pad when I was having trouble with bursitis.  Then a friend began having really debilitating menstrual cramps, and I gave it to her.  Don't think I'll ever see it again, but it does seem to be helping her out.  At least I still have my hot water bottle and my rice sock, and I can always make another in a pinch.
Alicia, try to buy a heating pad that has moist heat. It is the very best for a sore back. Mine has a thin sponge that you rinse in water & then place next to the heating pad. I could sit with that thing for hours. Don't lift heavy things! Cat litter is the worst.
  Good idea.

Margret
 

Alicia88

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I've done the rice sock thing a few times but I don't eat a lot of rice anymore and haven't bought any to make a rice sock.  I left my last one in California because I couldn't afford to check more than one bag.

So, some woman called me a dumb bitch because it was the wrong number.  Is that necessary?  I ask for the person and she says, "you have the wrong number" and as I'm politely apologizing she yells "ya dumb bitch!"  Some people!
 

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Dried beans and even uncooked oatmeal will work just as well in a homemade heating bag
Dried cherry pits are popular now. An old sock works well as the "bag" but a cut off pant leg or shirt sleeve would work if you need something larger.
 

Primula

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Why is it Alicia that you work at night? Because that's when your employer expects more people to be at home for the night?
 

Alicia88

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Yes, that's exactly it. The call center had daytime projects, too, but they were all moved to the call center in Ohio when they closed the building. They mainly closed it because they were having a hard time keeping it staffed. This is a pretty small area and a good part of the population is college students who will take leaves of absence to go home for the summer or whatever. Since it has moved to an at home job, I can move anywhere in the country - and several other countries and keep my job. I just need internet and a phone line. Anyway, I got a bit off topic there. The daytime projects were business surveys - for instance a large brewing company conducts surveys with bar owners, restaurants, and the like. Those calls were always made during business hours. As far as the rental car thing goes, we are calling individuals so evening is more suitable because they will be home. I have, of course, called people at work because they put their work or numbers on the rental agreement and they were working late or something and more often, when we get someone at work who says they're unable to talk because they're at work. Less often, I call people at home and they refuse to do it because they want to be called during regular business hours. Can't please everybody, I guess.
 
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Margret

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I've done the rice sock thing a few times but I don't eat a lot of rice anymore and haven't bought any to make a rice sock.  I left my last one in California because I couldn't afford to check more than one bag.

So, some woman called me a dumb bitch because it was the wrong number.  Is that necessary?  I ask for the person and she says, "you have the wrong number" and as I'm politely apologizing she yells "ya dumb bitch!"  Some people!
Politeness seems to me to be decreasing lately, but maybe I'm just becoming cynical in my old age.  Or perhaps my perception is being skewed by the current state of what passes for political discourse in the U.S. right now.  Or perhaps the current presidential election is giving people de facto permission to be rude, in which case my perception is correct.  (Does that sound like circular reasoning?)
 
Dried beans and even uncooked oatmeal will work just as well in a homemade heating bag
Dried cherry pits are popular now. An old sock works well as the "bag" but a cut off pant leg or shirt sleeve would work if you need something larger.
As I understand it, the advantages of cherry pits are that they smell good and will also work as a substitute for an ice pack.  However, I haven't tried them so I can't say for sure.  I believe the disadvantage to making your own cherry pit heating bag is that if you're not able to grind them up a bit they'll tend to dig in.

Margret
 

Alicia88

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From what I see recently, manners are rare anymore. It's almost midnight and I just called in a noise complaint on the college kids across the street. I barely slept last night so I'm beyond tired and its a bit hard to sleep when you keep hearing shrieking girls and drunk sounding guys.
 

Margret

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From what I see recently, manners are rare anymore. It's almost midnight and I just called in a noise complaint on the college kids across the street. I barely slept last night so I'm beyond tired and its a bit hard to sleep when you keep hearing shrieking girls and drunk sounding guys.
Yes, that's very rude.  It's also very young, and very self-absorbed, and really not new.

My parents lived in Oregon, two blocks from the beach.  Over 20 years ago we were visiting them for Christmas, and the people across the street from them had rented their house out for the holidays, to a bunch of young adults who also were partying loudly at all hours.

When I was in college, over 40 years ago, I once went on an early morning walk with several other people, one of whom burst into joyful (and very loud) song just as we were walking past the dormitories.  Fortunately, the rest of us had the sense to immediately hush him, but not before he had awakened quite a few people who really needed their sleep.  And I should add that hushing him was extremely difficult -- he was in full-blown holier-than-thou mode -- he was awake and joyful at 6 a.m., so everybody should be awake and joyful at 6 a.m..  I'm reasonably confident that he has outgrown this attitude since, though I haven't kept in touch.

On the other side of the coin, look at @Mamanyt1953's new next door neighbor, who is polite and neighborly, unlike the apartment troll who is complaining about Mamanyt1953's new apartment.  Or my neighbor across the street, who is at least as old as Roger and I are but who makes sure our sidewalk is shoveled all winter long.  That's way beyond politeness; it's active kindness.

Margret
 

Mamanyt1953

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I knew cats provided a lot of health benefits but I didn't know they could help a broken bone.  Something to keep in mind if I ever break myself again.  I don't have a huge history of broken bones - just broke my left middle finger twice and my back once.
I read a rather long article about it that I can't find right now, but I did find this:  http://www.dailyinfographic.com/the-healing-power-of-cat-purrs-infographic
 
I wish I'd known about it when I broke my arm in three places four and a half years ago.  It was in a cast for months, and I'm still doing occupational therapy to try to regain full function in that hand.

Margret
I know, right?  And you with a purr factory at your fingertips!
 
Why can't people just be happy for each other. All that time you've been imprisoned on a second floor anyone worth breathing your air would be filled with joy that you're free. Stay safe in the storm.
You know, when ever she would do some little thing to try to make life harder for me or another neighbor, I would think to myself, "The worst punishment she could ever have, she already has.  She has to live in her own skin!

Right now the storm looks like it will get close enough for some fairly hard winds and a bunch of rain, then u-turn, head back south and east, and hit the tip of Florida again!!!    It kinda reminds me just a little of Hurricane Elena in 19853, with the backtracking.  We had to evacuate three times for that lady-dog.  But as for Matthew, more and more it is looking like more of a PITA than an actual danger to this area.  We may actually lose power for a few hours, but I'm ready for that.  In this weather, it won't be a hardship, like it is when we're still in the middle of that killing heat.
Yes, that's exactly it. The call center had daytime projects, too, but they were all moved to the call center in Ohio when they closed the building. They mainly closed it because they were having a hard time keeping it staffed. This is a pretty small area and a good part of the population is college students who will take leaves of absence to go home for the summer or whatever. Since it has moved to an at home job, I can move anywhere in the country - and several other countries and keep my job. I just need internet and a phone line. Anyway, I got a bit off topic there. The daytime projects were business surveys - for instance a large brewing company conducts surveys with bar owners, restaurants, and the like. Those calls were always made during business hours. As far as the rental car thing goes, we are calling individuals so evening is more suitable because they will be home. I have, of course, called people at work because they put their work or numbers on the rental agreement and they were working late or something and more often, when we get someone at work who says they're unable to talk because they're at work. Less often, I call people at home and they refuse to do it because they want to be called during regular business hours. Can't please everybody, I guess.
I worked for about three years for Convergys, in the AT&T Global Sales and Service division.  That was an experience.  I know how to say things that my mother would wash my mouth with soap for in at least 17 languages.  I've been called everything in the book in more languages and dialects than I even knew existed.  It was an experience.  I particularly enjoyed the Kurdish curses.  Don't ask me why.  OH...and I learned where Djbouti is (besides hanging off of your hips).  AND I learned that there are two Sheiks there.  Which, if you say "two sheiks of D'joubi" very fast, is true in more ways than one.
 

Alicia88

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I read a rather long article about it that I can't find right now, but I did find this:  http://www.dailyinfographic.com/the-healing-power-of-cat-purrs-infographic

I know, right?  And you with a purr factory at your fingertips!

You know, when ever she would do some little thing to try to make life harder for me or another neighbor, I would think to myself, "The worst punishment she could ever have, she already has.  She has to live in her own skin!

Right now the storm looks like it will get close enough for some fairly hard winds and a bunch of rain, then u-turn, head back south and east, and hit the tip of Florida again!!!    It kinda reminds me just a little of Hurricane Elena in 19853, with the backtracking.  We had to evacuate three times for that lady-dog.  But as for Matthew, more and more it is looking like more of a PITA than an actual danger to this area.  We may actually lose power for a few hours, but I'm ready for that.  In this weather, it won't be a hardship, like it is when we're still in the middle of that killing heat.

I worked for about three years for Convergys, in the AT&T Global Sales and Service division.  That was an experience.  I know how to say things that my mother would wash my mouth with soap for in at least 17 languages.  I've been called everything in the book in more languages and dialects than I even knew existed.  It was an experience.  I particularly enjoyed the Kurdish curses.  Don't ask me why.  OH...and I learned where Djbouti is (besides hanging off of your hips).  AND I learned that there are two Sheiks there.  Which, if you say "two sheiks of D'joubi" very fast, is true in more ways than one.
I just barely managed to keep from cracking up while reading the last paragraph.  Because of course someone picked up the phone at that moment.  Haha

I've gotten cussed out so many times.  Probably more often than I realize because I only speak English, military, sarcasm, and bitch so I don't know many foreign cuss words.  And I don't even try to sell anything!  I don't know how you could handle working in sales over the phone.
 

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Actual conversation with my friend, Natalie:

Me:  Time to boot up WoW.

Me:  Can't.  Apparently the boys had my mouse again.  The battery and back are missing.  They need a class on the proper type of mouse for cats to kill.

Me:  Found it

Natalie:  That was fast.
Me:  The mouse was on the floor by the couch.  So I just worked in a circle from there.  The battery was in their crinkle tube thing and the back was in their crinkly cat cave.

Natalie:  They aren't a bit spoiled.  How many toys do they have?
 

Mamanyt1953

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I just barely managed to keep from cracking up while reading the last paragraph.  Because of course someone picked up the phone at that moment.  Haha

I've gotten cussed out so many times.  Probably more often than I realize because I only speak English, military, sarcasm, and bitch so I don't know many foreign cuss words.  And I don't even try to sell anything!  I don't know how you could handle working in sales over the phone.
Oh, it was much worse than sales.  I worked in the billing adjustment department.  I'm who they called when they talked to someone 150,000 miles away for two and a half hours during peak service times and didn't have a calling plan on their account, and got charged full price.  The only selling I had to do was try to get them on a danged plan so it wouldn't happen again.  But I have heard some rather inventive language.  The Scots are best at it.
 

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Wow, I bet that sucked. I used to have AT&T but I switched cuz I got sick of having to call to get my bill fixed every month. And I mean every single month. They would overcharge me by at least $50 and once as much as $150. It was always something different, too. My sister got pregnant at 16 so I added her to my our cell own cuz I figured a cell phone would be important for a young man trying to go to high school. And I wasn't dumb. I got her unlimited texting. For the first 3 months she had it, they were charging $0.10 a text and I kept having to call and have them take that off because if I'm paying for unlimited texting, I'd better not also be paying per text. And then they said we went over our minutes, but we hadn't because I'd gone to the next plan up and it just went on and on. And even though it was AT&T's mistake, I was polite and didn't act like a female dog. I just went to Verizon because I got tired of spending at least half an hour on hold every month. Lol
 

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So, John got some major brownie points.  I had to completely restart World of Warcraft because I couldn't remember my old account info.  He didn't have that issue so he had a bunch of stuff and whatnot.  So he sent me like 7 pet cats, including a black one in a witch's hat that rides a broomstick.  So cute!!!  Yeah, I'm over the moon.  They're technically "battle pets" but I don't feel like chasing people down to battle pets with them.  I just like doing the quests.  So for me, they're cosmetic and they follow me around and look adorable.

I'm wondering what he's sucking up for . . . lol
 

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So, that is my night elf. And my mount. And the pet that helps me fight. And my witch kitty.
I like this character class. The fighting pet and mount are the originals. I haven't upgraded. I'm not sure I will. I like kitties.
 
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