Small Talk: On The Outside

[leocadia]

15 hours ago, Halting Hex said:

And how are you still getting face emojis on this board?  My "smileys and people" category is tragically devoid of actual smileys. 

I'm not very tech savvy, but I can tell you that I'm using chrome and I got the emoji by typing semi-colon, dash, right parenthesis.  Maybe it's the dash that makes the difference?  <3*

*checking to see if "heart" works...

[Halting Hex]

Nah, I tried "frowning" both with and without the dash.  (You'll notice I edited my post…that was the edit.) No luck either way.

I guess I'll have to wait for the next "upgrade".  Or get used to using 🤘instead.  (I guess now we know where the techies went to school, huh?)

[IndyMischa]

1 hour ago, Nashville said:

KISS’s God of Thunder - especially if you can borrow Gene Simmons’ boots for the walk out to the plate.  😄 

For your amusement, and since this is the Small Talk thread... My ex is the Gene in a KISS tribute band. In other words, I've got access to the boots.

[Nashville]

22 minutes ago, Halting Hex said:

Yeah, but you couldn't slide headfirst or you'd mess up the makeup. 🙂

Sure - but slide feetfirst with THOSE boots on, and no fucking catcher in the world is gonna block the plate. 😉 

9 minutes ago, IndyMischa said:

For your amusement, and since this is the Small Talk thread... My ex is the Gene in a KISS tribute band. In other words, I've got access to the boots.

I’m really tempted to ask between the two of you, who wore them more - and hell, I guess I just did.  😄 

[IndyMischa]

2 minutes ago, Nashville said:

I’m really tempted to ask between the two of you, who wore them more - and hell, I guess I just did.  😄 

He's 6'4" (ish), with correlating feet. I did not wear the boots. Lol.

[IndyMischa]

Sorry it's been a fuckwaffle of a week, lady. If it's any consolation, your posts on the (f'ing endless) BB8 drama gave me life! 

[Halting Hex]

Well, if getting spoiled for an episode of BB is the worst thing that happens to me, I think I can endure.  Just needed to vent.  Venting accomplished.  

And, thanks!

Should I start discussing the BB9 pool frolic?  Maybe tomorrow…

[IndyMischa]

3 minutes ago, Halting Hex said:

Well, if getting spoiled for an episode of BB is the worst thing that happens to me, I think I can endure.  Just needed to vent.  Venting accomplished.  

And, thanks!

Should I start discussing the BB9 pool frolic?  Maybe tomorrow…

I didn't watch 9, but I might during the offseason, lol. 

[HartofDixie]

Will the CC evictees go home late on Friday or Saturday? I know a lot of folks on Twitter are ready to shower them with love.

[Halting Hex]

Meanwhile, I've cleverly managed to look at the feedback I've been getting for my after-the-fact posts when I play catch-up on the Live Feeds thread…and of course my pathetic need to play Sally Field ("You like me! You really, really like me!") and see the hearts and stuff means that I accidentally caught a look at some of the surrounding posts on the way out (because I'm too dumb to just hit the "back" button, I tried to go to the top of the page and click the forum link) and now I'm spoiled for the HoH result.

I mean, I'm dumber than Jessica.  There's just no excuse for this.  I have a feeling even my cat is ashamed.  Sigh x ∞.  And…feh.  :-(

[IndyMischa]

On 7/21/2019 at 1:04 AM, Halting Hex said:

Meanwhile, I've cleverly managed to look at the feedback I've been getting for my after-the-fact posts when I play catch-up on the Live Feeds thread…and of course my pathetic need to play Sally Field ("You like me! You really, really like me!") and see the hearts and stuff means that I accidentally caught a look at some of the surrounding posts on the way out (because I'm too dumb to just hit the "back" button, I tried to go to the top of the page and click the forum link) and now I'm spoiled for the HoH result.

I mean, I'm dumber than Jessica.  There's just no excuse for this.  I have a feeling even my cat is ashamed.  Sigh x ∞.  And…feh.  😞

Um, not that I've ever done this, especially when I'm having a terrible day. Totes never done this. But if you click on your profile, it shows your (?? not sure how many, but a couple dozen ish??) most recent posts, complete with their response icons and counts.

[Halting Hex]

And if you click around enough (I'm never exactly sure how) you can get to ALL your content, and read how witty and insightful you've been, again and again.  (Not that I've ever done that.  Not that I keep a link to the final Waybacked version of TWoP handy, just so I can periodically re-dazzle myself.  Never.)

I just never thought to use that as a safety valve to my "damn right I deserved that heart!  I slay me!" self-validation excursions.  Intelligent precaution noted.  Thanks, IM.

[HurricaneVal]

Oh dear lord, I've found my people. 

And they are on the Big Brother forums on a TV show discussion board.  I may be shallow, but I am broad.

[Scout Finch]

On 7/22/2019 at 9:53 AM, Halting Hex said:

And if you click around enough (I'm never exactly sure how) you can get to ALL your content, and read how witty and insightful you've been, again and again.  (Not that I've ever done that.  Not that I keep a link to the final Waybacked version of TWoP handy, just so I can periodically re-dazzle myself.  Never.)

I just never thought to use that as a safety valve to my "damn right I deserved that heart!  I slay me!" self-validation excursions.  Intelligent precaution noted.  Thanks, IM.

I am pathetically happy when I make the funniest people in the Live Feed thread laugh. 

[Nashville]

If any of y’all are going to be in Nashville this coming Saturday, be sure to make it to the Riverfront area downtown in the morning/early afternoon for Nashville’s Annual Dragon Boat Festival - and feel free to try guessing which boat crew I’m paddling with.  😄

[Scout Finch]

~sniffle~ Due to my mom's Parkinson's and her ending up in the hospital from a UTI (who knew that in the elderly it causes difficulty walking, weakness, and hallucinations?), I will be gone for at least a week. Sadly, when I need your humor the most, there isn't Internet service at her house and zero cell phone reception. I have to go to the library a couple of miles away for Internet or drive to the top of a hill to use my cellphone. I think it was in Sixteen Candles that a couple of nerd friends are forcibly separated at one point by a school official and exhibit major anxiety. Yep, that's about how I feel right now! Still bringing my laptop so I can watch my comfort DVDS: the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Breaking Bad box set. I really need to go pack and get on the road before noon. It's a five-hour drive. Oh, and FUCK Parkinson's Disease!

Edited September 11, 2019 by Scout Finch

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, Scout Finch said:

Due to my mom's Parkinson's and her ending up in the hospital from a UTI (who knew that in the elderly it causes difficulty walking, weakness, and hallucinations?), I will be gone for at least a week.

<snip>

@Scout Finch - you have my condolences - and thanks to my father’s experience his last few months with recurring UTIs, I fully know and feel your pain.  

And be sure to keep a cluebat handy when you talk to the doctors, because you will not believe how many of these overeducated morons automatically assume any/all cognitive issues presenting in the elderly (including UTI-related fever delirium states) are simply age-related dementia, and (over-) medicate accordingly.  Know what happens when UTI fever delerium is treated as a mental issue?  Spoiler alert:  IT JUST GETS WORSE.

Insist the doctors run the tests for infection, and then insist they look at the results - because you would not BELIEVE how lazy some of these fuckers can get.  

Hopefully, your experience will be better than what my sister and I had to deal with.

Edited September 11, 2019 by Nashville
Typo

[Scout Finch]

12 minutes ago, Nashville said:

@Scout Finch - you have my condolences - and thanks to my father’s experience his last few months with recurring UTIs, I fully know and feel your pain.  

And be sure to keep a cluebat handy when you talk to the doctors, because you will not believe how many of these overeducated morons automatically assume any/all cognitive issues presenting in the elderly (including UTI-related fever delirium states) are simply age-related dementia, and (over-) medicate accordingly.  Know what happens when UTI fever delerium is treated as a mental issue?  Spoiler alert:  IT JUST GETS WORSE.

Insist the doctors run the tests for infection, and then insist they look at the results - because you would not BELIEVE how lazy some of these fuckers can get.  

Hopefully, your experience will be better than what my sister and I had to deal with.

Luckily, they figured it out the same day she was admitted. The doctor immediately started her on antibiotics. I'm actually amazed because even though she suddenly had no use of her legs on Monday and called an ambulance, her mobility is extremely poor to begin with. Also, one of the Parkinson's medication can cause hallucinations, which she started having a few months ago. Her neurologist had her reduce the dosage a little and they went away. However, in the last two weeks she started getting them again, and much more frequently this time. Thankfully, 90% of the time she realizes that what she's seeing isn't real but when it involves a person--like thinking her caregiver had brought a little boy with her--it takes her longer to figure it out. 

So for the doctor to quickly realize that this didn't have anything to do with the Parkinson's is great. And she's in a small town, too, not some big hospital.

[BK1978]

The site refused to let me post in here last night.  I just wanted to say that I am glad that they found out that it was not Parkinson related.  Both my parents have had UTI's in the past four years and they are no joke.  My mother seems to be completely fine, but my dad (who is 81) has not been the same since. 

I am not sure if this is UTI related or not but neurologically he just has not been the same since his second UTI.  He was always forgetful but now it is a constant thing, he no longer seems to laugh, and other parts of his personality has changed.  Like I said I am not sure if it is age related or due to the UTI or a combination of both.   

[Nashville]

Hope everybody had a good weekend; me, I hung out with a few friends:

[Lamb18]

My local coffee shop is selling hats w/"Love Your Melon" on them.

Edited October 4, 2019 by Lamb18

[Scout Finch]

On 9/12/2019 at 8:58 PM, BK1978 said:

The site refused to let me post in here last night.  I just wanted to say that I am glad that they found out that it was not Parkinson related.  Both my parents have had UTI's in the past four years and they are no joke.  My mother seems to be completely fine, but my dad (who is 81) has not been the same since. 

I am not sure if this is UTI related or not but neurologically he just has not been the same since his second UTI.  He was always forgetful but now it is a constant thing, he no longer seems to laugh, and other parts of his personality has changed.  Like I said I am not sure if it is age related or due to the UTI or a combination of both.   

My mom ended up dying back on September 26th. What I didn't know is that even though she only had the slightest touch of dementia, a UTI can speed up the deterioration almost overnight! The first week I started looking for adult foster care down there (five hours away) and the following week I realized, duh, I should bring her up here and find foster home for her (she couldn't handle the stairs in my place). Briefly went home for about 48 hours to get more clothes, medications, and look at a couple of places for her. By the time I got back she was really out of it and was combative and paranoid that week. However, there was enough consciousness that she chose to die and when I got back she had stopped eating and drinking that day. I knew how miserable she had been about the severe physical deterioration of her body. Weirdly, I had finally been able to tell her a month and a half before that if it got to be too much I didn't want her to keep hanging on for me, which she had said she was a few times in the last year. So that third week it was just waiting. She had stopped eating and drinking on a Saturday but didn't pass away until the following Thursday. It wasn't so easy when I was actually in that situation to let her go but she was SO miserable and in pain that I had to keep telling her it was okay. When the emotion would build up too much--and I never let her hear me sobbing because I didn't want her to feel at all burdened--I would go out to my car and scream several times. I spent every night in the hospital that last week.

I should be glad that I am dealing with it better than I thought I would--and overall I am--but it's also rather disconcerting. For YEARS I've been saying losing her was my biggest fear and I would even start crying just thinking about it. I've also thought that one of two things would happen: I'd have a mental breakdown and never fully recover or I'd kill myself because I didn't want to live without her. I know how incredibly strong I am but I thought this is the one thing that would break me. I did plan to kill myself when she was in the final hours but the absurdity of my plan made me laugh because I am too responsible: "okay, I can't do it right away because I need to go through her things and take care of the house and that will take a while, and then I need to home and go through all my things and figure out who should get what because I don't want to leave a hassle for my friends. Plus, find a new home for the cats (which is the one thing that would give me pause because they are lifelong family members to me)...so it's going to take several months and then I can commit suicide." Of course, after that length of time I'd be a lot more adjusted to the new normal and no longer wanted to. Still, it can be hard to deal with the simple fact that I don't want to be without her. One line kept popping into my head that last week because I had watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy for the umpteenth time for comfort and it was Samwise's plea to "Don't go where I can't follow!" and that was fit so well.

I was so torn that last week...I wanted it to be over finally, and yet I could still touch her and see her and couldn't bear the thought that soon I couldn't.

It's been a month now but it didn't even dawn on me until three days ago as to why I've been dealing with it so much better than I ever imagined. I've been SO sure all this time of what would most likely happen but when it did...my world didn't go off its axis. Also, although she made the choice to die, I also made that choice for her to die and had the hospital staff just do comfort care that last week. I loved her so much that I didn't want her to suffer like my dad did before he died in 2016 (he was in critical care after a car accident for three months and kept being expected to make it until someone FINALLY was honest with me, and then he died about a week after. He was mainly unconscious through most of it but it still breaks my heart that he had to suffer even a minute of those three months!). I'm an only child, too, so everything has fallen on me.

I still can't guarantee how I'll ultimately do...am dreading fall and winter because of the early darkness and cold, which will put me in an unhealthy mood. When I'm not at work I'm alone the majority of the time and normally don't mind at all But I know that right now I need to push myself out of the house and be with people. 

At least I'm also covered through the middle of winter because of a trip partway through. My mom had a large amount of savings in cash hidden in a safe on her property and was adamant that I have it when she first went into the hospital. I found an inexpensive archaeological tour company and booked a dream trip to see prehistoric cave art in Southern France. The sophistication of the paintings has always taken my breath away! But that's not until next June so I was also looking at their cheaper off-season "bare bones tours" and decided to go on the Pompeii tour in January. After I sent links to my trips to my best friend, who lives in another state, she asked if I would mind if she also went on the Pompeii tour. Of course not!! Then, her mom, who was widowed back in March--and lives near me and I socialize with--said it sounded like fun, so she's going, too! I know I'll be fine come June with people I don't know on that tour because we'll all be so passionate about the art, but it will make me feel better in January for the first trip to have some friends as part of the tour. 

Sorry for the novel!

Edited October 26, 2019 by Scout Finch

[Ellee]

@Scout Finch 

So many of us understand exactly what you have said and are feeling. 

Sending all the positivity that I can your way. 

[BK1978]

@Scout Finch:

I am so sorry for your loss.

[HartofDixie]

Hope everyone is enjoying BB this season. It’s a welcome break from our new normal.

[Nashville]

So, this evening was an adventure....

We decided tonight was a takeout night and the wife wanted me to pick up a few things from the convenience store, so I hopped in my Jeep and took off; she’s occasionally cantankerous  (a 2000 TJ Wrangler Sport, in case there are any other members of Jeep Nation out there 😁) and the starter’s started dragging some in the past week or so, but I’m inordinately fond of her anyway.  Stop by the convenience store first, get her stuff, hop back in the Jeep, hit the key, and - nothing.  Not so much as a click.  That dragging starter?  DOA.  
Fortunately I was able to get her pretty much rolled back out of the parking space - but then I had to cut the wheels back the other way, push this 4400+ pound vehicle enough to get her turned and rolling down a slight incline, jump back in, roll-start her (thank god for manual transmissions), and drive her back home.

Was I irritated? Yeah, a little - guess I’m not going to be able to put off messing with replacing that starter a couple of weeks or so like I hoped I could - but on the whole I was feeling pretty positive about the whole experience.  I’m starting to breath down the neck of 60, but:

1. I’m still strong enough to get 2+ tons of vehicle rolling at a decent clip unaided.
2. I’m still limber enough to jump in the damn thing once it’s already rolling.
3. I’d be pretty damn sure that in this day and age, knowing how to roll-start a vehicle is a vanishing skill.

So how has your evening been going?  😁

[Melina22]

16 minutes ago, Nashville said:

I had to cut the wheels back the other way, push this 4400+ pound vehicle enough to get her turned and rolling down a slight incline, jump back in, roll-start her

This is utterly terrifying. Imagine if it had gone faster than you expected, or you were slower than you expected. 😱😱😱

[Nashville]

7 minutes ago, Melina22 said:

This is utterly terrifying. Imagine if it had gone faster than you expected, or you were slower than you expected. 😱😱😱

Another good thing about getting old is you get pretty damn realistic about what you can and cannot do - and if at any point I thought it even had a chance of getting away from me, I wouldn’t have tried in the first place.  Fortunately I’m a pretty damn capable guy.  😄

[Lamb18]

6 hours ago, Nashville said:

We decided tonight was a takeout night and the wife wanted me to pick up a few things from the convenience store

But what did you get to eat? Was it chicken nuggets by any chance?

[Melina22]

7 minutes ago, Lamb18 said:

But what did you get to eat? Was it chicken nuggets by any chance?

I can't count how many times I've watched someone eat something on TV then had a huge craving for it. But it never tastes as good as it looks when the TV people eat it. 

It must have to do with how my brain is wired, but almost every kind of food looks good to me on TV. One time, and I'm not making this up, I was watching a moose on a nature show standing in a lake eating some kind of water plant. And it looked so good! Juicy and refreshing. 🌿🌿🌿

I'm the kind of person advertisers count on. 😁😁

[leocadia]

12 hours ago, Nashville said:

I’d be pretty damn sure that in this day and age, knowing how to roll-start a vehicle is a vanishing skill.

Impressive all around!  I, on the other hand, have mastered the art of calling for roadside service, lol.  Not quite as impressive.

[IndyMischa]

57 minutes ago, leocadia said:

Impressive all around!  I, on the other hand, have mastered the art of calling for roadside service, lol.  Not quite as impressive.

Don't feel bad - I don't even do that. I'm a grown adult woman, perfectly capable of handling my own business. And I still call a male friend or my dad to handle any vehicular crisis. 

[Nashville]

42 minutes ago, IndyMischa said:

Don't feel bad - I don't even do that. I'm a grown adult woman, perfectly capable of handling my own business. And I still call a male friend or my dad to handle any vehicular crisis. 

In my circles, that’s usually me.  😁

[IndyMischa]

1 minute ago, Nashville said:

In my circles, that’s usually me.  😁

And I'm sure they appreciate you!! 😁 

[Nashville]

1 minute ago, IndyMischa said:

And I'm sure they appreciate you!! 😁 

At midnight in a deserted and poorly-lit parking lot in South Nashville?  Probably.  😄

[Guest]

Is anyone here a current dungeon master,  a previous dungeon master, a D&D player, or have any knowledge of how to play D&D?

[Nashville]

16 hours ago, CuriousParker said:

Is anyone here a current dungeon master,  a previous dungeon master, a D&D player, or have any knowledge of how to play D&D?

Sure - back when Reagan was still on his first term.  Nowadays, I’m not sure I even remember how to roll for attack.  😄

P. S.: I only ever did AD&D.

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Nashville said:

Sure - back when Reagan was still on his first term.  Nowadays, I’m not sure I even remember how to roll for attack.  😄

P. S.: I only ever did AD&D.

I've been noodling on creating a game for the BB off-season.  Would you be willing to go over basics with me; so I can try and cannibalize it into a new game?

[Nashville]

4 hours ago, CuriousParker said:

I've been noodling on creating a game for the BB off-season.  Would you be willing to go over basics with me; so I can try and cannibalize it into a new game?

I wish I could help, but I’d be of no use to you; I am absolutely not kidding nor exaggerating when I say it has been more than 40 years since I last rolled a d20.  My son-in-law has been trying  to get me to join a regular game he DMs, but I don’t want to embarrass him or myself.  Best I can do is pass on a couple of links I’ve run across in the process of trying to refresh myself:

• https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/introduction
   
• https://youtu.be/jvurtRb6mPI

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Best I can do is pass on a couple of links I’ve run across in the process of trying to refresh myself:

I'll check them out.

[Thalia]

I'm watching the Challenge from the beginning for the first time ever, after catching a few episodes last summer when I realized there were some old BB players.  I learned this year that there ARE ALWAYS a lot of BB players on the Challenge, because apparently BB and Survivor in particular funnel players to this show, and, hey! it is better than getting a new job.  

Josh has apparently been on the Challenge A LOT.   He also IS, and not just apparently, still a hothead and a bully when he doesn't get his own way.  

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, Thalia said:

I learned this year that there ARE ALWAYS a lot of BB players on the Challenge, because apparently BB and Survivor in particular funnel players to this show, and, hey! it is better than getting a new REAL job.  

FTFY 

[30 Helens]

2 hours ago, Thalia said:

I'm watching the Challenge from the beginning for the first time ever, after catching a few episodes last summer when I realized there were some old BB players.  I learned this year that there ARE ALWAYS a lot of BB players on the Challenge, because apparently BB and Survivor in particular funnel players to this show, and, hey! it is better than getting a new job.  

Josh has apparently been on the Challenge A LOT.   He also IS, and not just apparently, still a hothead and a bully when he doesn't get his own way.  

I watched the last season of Challenge USA— thought it was ok, until it fizzled out at the end. I watched the first episode of this season, but there was a Paulie (uhhh…) then a Tyler (nooo..) and lord help us, a Josh (FFS) and then I was out. 

It’s not that they funnel BB and Survivor players, it’s that they funnel a certain type of BB and Survivor players. And in most cases, once was enough for me.

[Nashville]

Wow, this thread hasn’t been dusted off in a while. 😄

Got three shots today - COVID booster, flu, and RSV - so expect me to be an extra crotchety mutha for the next 2-3 days.

[30 Helens]

HA! I’m going to get my shots tomorrow, so I should also be good and riled up, just in time for Thursday’s show. 

[Dewey Decimate]

I got my covid booster earlier this month, getting the flu shot on Friday, but have a cavity to be filled at the dentist tomorrow. Nonetheless, the pain will probably be greater tomorrow night when Jag wins veto at the DE and America or BFJ goes to jury. 

[Guest]

Y'all look at this thing of beauty that I got today.

He makes me laugh and laugh.

[30 Helens]

z

On 11/7/2023 at 6:56 PM, CuriousParker said:

Y'all look at this thing of beauty that I got today.

He makes me laugh and laugh.

I know this wasn’t the last thing POSTED in this season, but it was the last thing I SAW, and somehow, in some weird twisted way, it sums the whole thing up.

Go possum.

Edited November 10, 2023 by 30 Helens

[Lamb18]

Hey @Nashville, this will be a personal question so if you don't want to answer it, that's fine. In the BB Feeds thread last summer (2022) you mentioned you were going to be a grandfather around Thanksgiving. So I've been wondering about it. I hope all went well!

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, Lamb18 said:

Hey @Nashville, this will be a personal question so if you don't want to answer it, that's fine. In the BB Feeds thread last summer (2022) you mentioned you were going to be a grandfather around Thanksgiving. So I've been wondering about it. I hope all went well!

Her first birthday was last week, and she’s the most f#%^ing beautiful thing in the world.  😊