Small Talk: Ughngnggh! Ugghhnnn!

[Anela]

I missed a free-preview weekend? I have Time Warner, and am in Ohio. I don't know how often they do them. I also wish we had HBO (and Showtime, so that I could catch up with Homeland). 

Rectify is back, but I'm too depressed to watch it right now (and tired - it must be the overcast day + my feelings). 

[nachomama]

They usually do them right around the season premiere of their big shows or for this case, the premiere premiere of West World. They wanna hook you, but I just use them to binge what I've missed.

I'm in the middle of my Hulu try out. I like it, don't know if I love it.

[SpaghettiTuesdays]

Where in the world did the poem thread go? I can't find it. May just be an idiot, but could someone help a sister out?

[OnceSane]

11 hours ago, SpaghettiTuesdays said:

Where in the world did the poem thread go? I can't find it. May just be an idiot, but could someone help a sister out?

This one?  It's in the "Fun & Games" sub-forum.

[kj4ever]

Back from Vegas...Scored a 2,500 hit on a Walking Dead machine.  They used to feature Shane and Rick but not Michonne is the star and highest paid which is a huge improvement.  Thanks for the paid trip to Vegas TWD!

[Irishmaple]

Nice! My passport is expiring so I'm restricted to Canada until I go have my photo taken and submit the paperwork for renewal. I did manage to pry a couple of days off though and I'm going away with friends for the weekend. There will be lots of wine consumed on this out of town stitch and bitch. 

[AngelaHunter]

Quote

There will be lots of wine consumed on this out of town stitch and bitch. 

Lots of wine? Am I invited?

[Irishmaple]

Bring your booze and your knitting, and we'll meet you at Union Station tomorrow. Knitting optional!

[SpaghettiTuesdays]

On 10/29/2016 at 1:04 PM, OnceSane said:

This one?  It's in the "Fun & Games" sub-forum.

Yes! Thank you!!!

[NurseGiGi]

On 10/27/2016 at 3:13 PM, nachomama said:

They usually do them right around the season premiere of their big shows or for this case, the premiere premiere of West World. They wanna hook you, but I just use them to binge what I've missed.

I'm in the middle of my Hulu try out. I like it, don't know if I love it.

Let us know how you like Hulu.  I'm thinking of giving it a try.  I've made up my mind to finally free myself from cable and just go with things like Netflix and, as I said, possibly Hulu.  Anyone out there have Sling?

[nachomama]

As a procrastinator I'm not sure if Hulu will do it for me. Without the dvr I wait too long and stuff disappears. But I too want to break free from cable/satellite. I want to try sling as well but having to get yet another thing (Roku box/fire tv stick/video game thing) to run it through irritates me. I have a smart tv can't sling just get an app? Sigh 

[NurseGiGi]

Well, I called today to get rid of Directv and they, of course, made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  2 year contract for $55 a month, including equipment and taxes and free hbo.  And a better package than I already had. Oh, and 2 free months of showtime but I don't care for showtime so probably won't watch. Also the new equipment will allow me to DVR more shows at a time.  Sigh.  The big clincher was the free hbo because now I can watch Westworld and Game of Thrones.  

[nachomama]

If they're doing it to hang on to customers then they shouldn't be gauging us in the first place!

I've been waiting on potential re-imbursement for food loss during the hurricane, I'm extremely strapped for cash. I've eaten pb & j for weeks and chicken chicken chicken and thats only because my friend Judy bought me the stuff they marked down to 49 and 29 cents a pound when they were trying to get rid of it after the hurricane. I'm going kinda stir crazy but I literally do not have 2 nickels to rub together.

[Nashville]

We're hosting Thanksgiving this year.

Did I forget to say, "Yay." ?

[nachomama]

How many people? How many people you like? Ha! 

I hate turkey. Ended up having to cook the company party turkey. I was paranoid that it would suck. I've never cooked a turkey. Because I don't want to...apparently it was ok. 

At home I just did make your own pizzas. Excellent! On naan bread. 

Then Mrs Brady died. Fuck you 2016. 

[NurseGiGi]

Make your own pizzas are the best and lots cheaper than delivery.  The last time I ordered pizza it was $20 for a cheese pizza what with all the delivery fees and then tip for the driver.  Just not worth it.

I'm kinda sad.  Removed TWD from my DVR list.  I only watched 3 episodes last year and none this year and reading the forums has not made me think it's going to get better.  I think I've finally hit all 5 spots on the grieving checklist.  Damn you Kirkman and Gimple and AMC execs and while I'm at it I'll just throw some blame on Trump, Hillary, and Oprah.

[walnutqueen]

@NurseGiGi - I will be even sadder if you stop popping in to this thread.    :-(

Speaking of "Fuck you, 2016" : my Mum died on Nov. 22 (after almost 6 months in hospice) and I had to have my favorite backyard kitty euthanized on Dec, 5th.  My last indoor cat has diabetes and a thyroid condition & the vet bills are KILLING me.  I am ready for this hellishh year to be OVER.

[nachomama]

So sorry for your losses walnutqueen. This year has definitely been the uber suck.  

Im hanging in on twd. Mostly cuz I got nothin else to do on Sundays until other crap comes on. 

[kj4ever]

So sorry walnutqueen :(  I feel your pain.  I lost my Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and then my Dog all in a row.  I need to knock on every kind of wood surface I can find, because I've almost made it out of 2016 without a major death, and that hasn't happened since 2010.

[SoSueMe]

OMG

The furnace guy just got here for the yearly burner tune up. He looks just like :

 

Spoiler

Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Edited December 12, 2016 by SoSueMe

[Anela]

On December 9, 2016 at 5:35 AM, walnutqueen said:

@NurseGiGi - I will be even sadder if you stop popping in to this thread.    :-(

Speaking of "Fuck you, 2016" : my Mum died on Nov. 22 (after almost 6 months in hospice) and I had to have my favorite backyard kitty euthanized on Dec, 5th.  My last indoor cat has diabetes and a thyroid condition & the vet bills are KILLING me.  I am ready for this hellishh year to be OVER.

 

On December 11, 2016 at 11:50 AM, kj4ever said:

So sorry walnutqueen :(  I feel your pain.  I lost my Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and then my Dog all in a row.  I need to knock on every kind of wood surface I can find, because I've almost made it out of 2016 without a major death, and that hasn't happened since 2010.

I'm so sorry :(

I mentioned here, that I lost mum in July.  We also have had at least one major death every year starting with 2010. I won't be able to take another one. 

[Irishmaple]

Sorry for your loss, Walnut Queen. 

As promised, @nachomama,you were right and I was wrong. I'm starting another round of job interviews this coming weekend. I am not spending 2017 in this lunatic bin. 

[nachomama]

I GET SUCKED BACK IN TOO OFTEN AS WELL!!!!!! For me, I think, it's the fear of the unknown, like the next place I work could be worse or go out of business. But seriously these people suck and you should never go day to day wondering if you're set off a cave man rant. It's like having an evil brother, where there is absolutely nothing you can do right, and before words are even out of your mouth he's thinking of ways for you to be wrong. I was asking for paper, for a customer, simple and he tells me "go do your research, find out what they REALLY want" it wasn't that fucking hard.

and in other news, I had pizzadilla for dinner, that would be a mexican pizza whose crust is a quesadilla, hello white trash, you are my people. Of course I pronounce it like Napoleon Dynamite, kay-sa-dill-uh.

[nachomama]

Merry Holidays if you can call them that. Blah, omg 2016 can't go away fast enough! And it's determined to take everyone with him!

I have no specific plans, never do, gonna see the Stars Warses flick, exchange cocoa or lotion with random co-worker and sleep.

I watched The Chris Hardwick game show (relevent because he hosts Talking Dead) and it's just Plinko on crack. I've said for years that Plinko is such a rip off. Everyone goes bananas because it has the highest potential prize on the Price is Right but has anyone ever won it? Nay! The questions were ridiculously easy but the outcome is luck based on bouncing balls, ask any man, has that ever worked? Hee!

[Nashville]

Reyo yall.  Between work and life, things been busy.  Two high notes, though:

1. Off work for the rest of the year, burning off use-or-lose.
2. Wife and I celebrated our anniversary this past Tuesday - 31 years.

 

[Ocean Chick]

Congrats to you and your wife, Nash!  Best news I've read in months.  Enjoy your time off.

[nachomama]

Very nice! Congratmas

[Irishmaple]

31 years? Congratulations. That is terra incognito for me. I get twitchy and commitment phobic after 31 days!

I'm taking a break from job hunting and, possibly, apartment hunting. I'm tucked away in the boonies at a horse farm for the weekend. There will be too much food and, hopefully, too much wine. I have a whole week off before I have to work again. My room mate has her exGF sleeping on our couch at the moment but she's out Tuesday. (She broke up with her current GF) 

I have to renew my passport and once that's done I have some movies to see, a yarn sale to explore and chocolate to eat. And no work. None. Not a single person looking to me to solve their problems.  Bliss.

[nachomama]

We need to round up a posse to save Madonna. Prince, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and now George Michael all dead...there's a plot to murder all 90's pop megastars. Or hell 2016 is just killing everyone. HIDE! 

[diebartdie]

Holy shit yall, I just watched the freekin best zombie movie! Seriously, the best one Ive seen in years! Train to Busan is available on Amazon and is so very worth it if you are still into scary zombie movies.

[Raven1707]

6 hours ago, diebartdie said:

Holy shit yall, I just watched the freekin best zombie movie! Seriously, the best one Ive seen in years! Train to Busan is available on Amazon and is so very worth it if you are still into scary zombie movies.

That's the one made in South Korea? If so, I remember reading about it a while back...thanks for the reminder!

[Irishmaple]

How did my challenging 2016 end? A car ran over my phone. Yes. A car. I dropped it and a car ran over it. That just summed up my year right there.

I have a new phone which cost me $150 and the guy gave me the SIM card for free. My contacts list rebooted but I'm missing some recent additions which is annoying.

I have a feeling 2017 is not going to be a big improvement.

Edited January 1, 2017 by Irishmaple

[AngelaHunter]

IMO, best zombie movie? "Zombieland", because if you can't make a truly scary zombie movie, then make a funny one.

[Mu Shu]

On 1/1/2017 at 4:51 PM, Irishmaple said:

How did my challenging 2016 end? A car ran over my phone. Yes. A car. I dropped it and a car ran over it. That just summed up my year right there.

I have a new phone which cost me $150 and the guy gave me the SIM card for free. My contacts list rebooted but I'm missing some recent additions which is annoying.

I have a feeling 2017 is not going to be a big improvement.

That sucks.  Well.  I got the flu for the first time since 1997.  Lucky my flu shot really helped, since I was never bed bound.  But it's day 10 and it's still dragging on.   But I feel bullish about 2017.  

[OnceSane]

22 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

IMO, best zombie movie? "Zombieland", because if you can't make a truly scary zombie movie, then make a funny one.

IDK, "Zombie Strippers" was pretty good. :)

[AngelaHunter]

31 minutes ago, OnceSane said:

IDK, "Zombie Strippers" was pretty good. :)

That sounds like something I really need to check out!

Quote

We need to round up a posse to save Madonna. Prince, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and now George Michael all dead

Oh, Madonna - yes. So many blowjobs to give and so little time.

Edited January 7, 2017 by AngelaHunter

[OnceSane]

5 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

That sounds like something I really need to check out!

Here's a trailer:

[Nashville]

On 1/7/2017 at 10:12 PM, OnceSane said:

Here's a trailer:

I know this movie, and IT IS F**KING GREAT.

That is all.

[nachomama]

I feel like I'm missing out on all the Zombie Stripper action. I feel only in the ZA could I make a living as a stripper. Technically I can say I was a stripper during college but it was film stripping, wait...like Showgirls? Naw, before digital advertising it was straight up slicing and dicing ads to go in newspapers.

If I were to be in an accident I neeeeeed my phone to be incinerated along with me. There's way too much (like Zombie strippers and just some sick and twisted crap on my phone) that I don't want to explain. I also need one of you to come burn my house down so no one goes in. Ok, pretty much lets just have a plane crash into my house, that'll just about cover it.

I watched most of the Golden Globes last night, had gone to see LaLa Land (not sure it really needs allllll the awards, I liked it and I adore Emma Stone but haven't seen anything else to compare) anywho, I saw the Carrie Fisher/Debbie Reynolds retro but did they do the big in memorium and I missed it?

[AngelaHunter]

8 hours ago, nachomama said:

If I were to be in an accident I neeeeeed my phone to be incinerated along with me. There's way too much (like Zombie strippers and just some sick and twisted crap on my phone) that I don't want to explain.

I was saying just the other day that I need to put a clause in my will that when I croak, someone has to first destroy my computer with an axe and then set fire to it. Even beyond the grave I'd be mortified if anyone saw the stuff I have and I'm not talking about porn.

OnceSane - thanks for the trailer. It looks truly awesome. :p

Edited because "die" is not the same as "day" unless one is a Cockney.

Edited January 9, 2017 by AngelaHunter

[editorgrrl]

1 hour ago, nachomama said:

I watched most of the Golden Globes last night,… saw the Carrie Fisher/Debbie Reynolds retro but did they do the big in memorium and I missed it?

The Golden Globes never airs an in memoriam segment. But they put a slideshow online:   http://www.goldenglobes.com/photo-gallery/memoriam-2016

Edited January 9, 2017 by editorgrrl

[Raven1707]

Although I have not been terribly enthusiastic about the first half of Season 7 -- primarily due to Negan's needless nattering -- I have to admit, I'm counting the days until the show returns, one month from today. 

I watched the first two episodes of Westworld yesterday...eh, not impressed, although it did look to me like Dolores was living at the Richmond farm from Jericho, so maybe I'll fill the zombie void by watching that instead.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Raven1707
Correct the character's name

[nachomama]

Maybe stick with westworld. For the first few episodes I kept asking "what the hell is thandie newton wasting her time here for?" It didn't seem like they gave her anything to do. Hang on to your hats kids, gon be a bumpy ride! 

[Irishmaple]

I haven't seen Westworld because I'm not paying for HBO but a friend has it. She struggled through the pilot and thought about giving up but her son recommended sticking with it. After the third episode, she says it gels and gets really good. 

[Nashville]

 I would recommend WestWorld as well.  I admittedly started watching it with something of a chip on my shoulder - I'm a fan both of Michael Crichton's writing and the original 1973 movie, and didn't see how either could be spun out credibly over 1+ seasons.  In truth, I started watching just to see how badly TPTB would eff up things.  So far, however, the show has well exceeded my expectations.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Nashville

[nachomama]

I think I'm gonna give "Santa Clarita Diet" a try. lighthearted zombie fare.

[NurseGiGi]

On 1/14/2017 at 1:21 AM, Nashville said:

 I would recommend WestWorld as well.  I admittedly started watching it with something of a chip on my shoulder - I'm a fan both of Michael Crichton's writing and the original 1973 movie, and didn't see how either could be spun out credibly over 1+ seasons.  In truth, I started watching just to see how badly TPTB would eff up things.  So far, however, the show has well exceeded my expectations.

I wasn't sure about WestWorld, either, and for the same reasons but I ended up really liking it.  I'm looking forward to the next season out of curiosity to see how they're going to keep an ongoing series like this interesting.

I just watched the movie Hush and rewatched Sinister and watched them at night, alone, in the dark.  At night.  Alone.  And now I'm scared.  :/  My electric bill will be higher than usual, no doubt.

[Nashville]

On 7/13/2015 at 1:06 AM, Nashville said:

Sorry to be so absent this weekend, but Friday we got word through the local PD - my wife's father apparently passed away up in Peoria, IL.  It took the Peoria coroner the better part of a day to identify, track down contact info for, and notify us. 

 

What makes the situation worse is, he and my wife have been severely estranged - the parents divorced, and he ended up bailing and disappearing to dodge paying the child support.  He and my wife haven't laid eyes on each other in almost 30 years, they haven't had more than two or three phone conversations since, and their last phone conversation was about a decade ago - after which he pulled another in a series of disappearing acts (moved, no phone, no forwarding address).  He only had two children, my wife and her sister; when her sister passed away in '95 (diabetic complications), he didn't even show up for the memorial service.

 

Now, after all that, he's dead - and as my wife is his only living relative, she/we now have to start making funeral arrangements and figuring out how to sort out the estate of somebody with whom we've had almost zero contact since Reagan was President.  Toss in on top of that everything my wife has to process through, and I think you can understand what I mean when I say we've had better weekends.  :(

 

P.S.: Did I mention he died in Peoria - as in, some 450-odd miles away from Nashville?  So right now we're trying to coordinate all this long-distance - although it's already becoming rapidly apparent I'm not going to be able to avoid having to take several days off work to drive up to Illinois to deal with this....

Some of you may remember this post - or maybe not; it was about a year and a half ago, after all. :)

So here's the thing: for that past year and a half, my wife and I have been fighting the uphill battle from Hell which is:

• Administering probate for the estate of a man who died without a will - and doing it from out-of-state, 400 miles away.
• And that of his mother, who had died the year before (August 2014) and whose estate he was still probating when he died.
• And that of his wife, who died 6 weeks after his mother (Sept. 2014) - and ditto.
• And that of his wife's mother (Dec. 2014) - ditto.

Sensing a pattern here?  :P 

For the past year and a half, a major portion of our lives and sanity have been chewed up in dealing with this shitstorm.  And the man didn't write down ANYTHING.  So we've had to do things like canvass every bank in central and southern Illinois searching for bank accounts, and safety deposit boxes.  Go through tons of scrap paper to find things like invoices for storage units (the man had crap spread all over the state from Springfield on south) and other bills.  Sell vehicles.  Sell property - a condo - and before that, deal with the contents of the condo.  And so forth.

The reason I mention this whole mess is because tomorrow at/about 8:45 AM, our lawyer presents the final paperwork to the probate court - and the court will direct probate be closed - and our responsibility for administration of the estate dissolved following final distribution of the estate's assets.

And we get our lives back.

So forgive me if you don't see me here very much Monday, because I'm taking my wife out for dinner to celebrate. 

And we're having steak. 

And dessert is none of your business.

;>

 

P.S.: If you have kids and you love them, MAKE A WILL.  And WRITE SHIT DOWN.

[NurseGiGi]

I DO remember your post and can't believe it has taken so long.  And I'm glad you reminded me of making a will.  Each time I'm off I say I'm going to do just that (and haven't yet, obviously) but I will go ahead and make the appt tomorrow.  I also need to go ahead and pre-arrange for the inevitable funeral.  My parents did both and things were so much simpler for me and my sister.

But golly gee whiz, who would have thought a year and a half!!

[Nashville]

12 hours ago, NurseGiGi said:

I DO remember your post and can't believe it has taken so long.  And I'm glad you reminded me of making a will.  Each time I'm off I say I'm going to do just that (and haven't yet, obviously) but I will go ahead and make the appt tomorrow.  I also need to go ahead and pre-arrange for the inevitable funeral.  My parents did both and things were so much simpler for me and my sister.

But golly gee whiz, who would have thought a year and a half!!

The primary boat anchor on the process was real property - specifically, a condominium in Springfield, IL.  

Now, it is entirely possible our expectations on how quick the property would sell were unrealistic.  Here in the Nashville area the real estate market is insanely red-hot; buyers regularly make offers well above list price to try snatching properties before other prospective buyers can get a bid in, and most properties are sold within a week - many within the first 48 hours of listing.  Heck, our house isn't even on the market and we've had cold calls from people offering us nearly 3x what we paid for it.

In Springfield, though...?  Not so much.  The central Illinois real estate market is about as hot as a Frigidare in Fairbanks.  The condo went on the MLS in May of last year, and didn't sell until a couple of weeks ago.  And it was a nice piece of property - in good shape, with new (<2yo) roof and carpeting, and priced significantly under the going rate per square foot for the area. And we still had to drop the listing price twice before we got a buyer.  On two occasions we had strong prospects, only to have each of them string us along for a couple of months before their financing fell through.  And I'm sure the condo association fees (over $200/month) didn't help.

But that's in the past now.  The property is sold, the estate probate is finally closing - and if I never have to make that 7-1/2 hour one-way drive to Springfield Illinois again in my lifetime, I'll take that as a sign there IS a God who does like us on occasion.  :)