Hope you all are having a lovely day today, whatever this day means to you (or doesn’t). Consider this an open thread, to discuss whatever, from presents to politics to cats to whatever holiday stress you might be feeling.
And here’s some stuff I found on the Twitter.
— David, who is hanging in there
Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎄🎅 pic.twitter.com/YfyTsQ95de
— Maggie Serota (@maggieserota) December 25, 2017
At this time of year, take a few moments to remember who Christmas is truly about… pic.twitter.com/TQ9tSP5EED
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) December 24, 2017
I haven’t laughed this hard in a while. I needed this. pic.twitter.com/2aQFpugdis
— deray (@deray) December 7, 2017
Brian Eno, Paris, 1973 (with Christmas 2017 augmentation) pic.twitter.com/hRwMDTOUKv
— Brian Eno News (@dark_shark) December 25, 2017
“Fun” pic.twitter.com/tsAdsZeez8
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) December 24, 2017
#MerryChristmas 🎄🤶🏻 pic.twitter.com/IahMZhf5gc
— Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) December 25, 2017
Same. pic.twitter.com/kcNPdrLy6R
— Adrenalin (@adrenalindenver) May 24, 2017
🎈🐾🐅🎈🐾🐅🎈🐾🐅🎈🐾🐅🎈🐾🐅
All of a sudden …
🐾🐾🐾🐾 pic.twitter.com/fza8NZioI0
— The Cult Cat (@Elverojaguar) December 25, 2017
Human: My cat has an easy life
Me: pic.twitter.com/e8kvlVhUdR— Curious Zelda (@CuriousZelda) December 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/awwcuteness/status/945193410662682624
Bermuda effectively repealed marriage equality today. Replaced same sex marriage with civil partnerships.
In a sort of bad mood again,
I have been waiting on a check from my mom’s estate, I called the stock brokers myself today to see what’s going on.
On the paperwork the lawyer submitted to them – there was one box left unchecked. Hung it all up.
THEY emailed me these forms to resubmit, which I can do, and also deal with them directly. 5 minutes after I called them, I have the forms in my email inbox.
He also neglected to tell me that that paperwork will only put it into the “estate’s” name. After that happens, THEN I will have to call them to give them the sell order, to sell the stock, and then get the check. He gave me the idea that this was all done, and a check was coming.
Wrong.
I’m surprised that I’m not more pissed about this. And you bet – I’m pissed. But I can deal with it and now I know.
I think what upsets me most, or a big cause of anxiety is – I can’t stand not knowing what’s going on. Uncertainty and confusion – are the things that make me most anxious
Well, now I know what’s going on, anyway.
This has put me into a huge financial bind also. I am literally down to my last $20. And I have no idea how I’m going to carry on here until this check comes through. And I’m going to have to beg for extensions on all of my bills.
It’s a nightmare! But, at least I know what’s going on, with some of it, anyway.
I’m rather pissed about this all, but at least I know.
This calms my anxiety greatly.
Milo News!!! 😛
His lawyers in his case against Simon and Schuster have stopped representing him. He wants to represent himself now.
The court slaps him around a bit. (Link is to the court filing transcript)
@Z&T,
I don’t remember where you said you lived (if you ever did), but I would advise you to hunt down some local charities and your Township Trustee (or the local equivalent) as soon as possible. Your current situation qualifies as an emergency, and they should be able to help you stay afloat long enough to start getting your checks. They will also direct you to the local food bank(s) if any are available, so you can get enough food to last a few weeks, at least.
There is help around you, if you know where to look. Though knowing where to look is admittedly the trick….
Well, it looks my grandmother is starting to deteriorate hard and fast. She’s 92, so it’s not unexpected, but it still sucks.
She’d been in the hospital since last Tuesday with this respiratory thing that’s been going around. She had pneumonia about 5 or 6 years ago and has had bad lungs and been on oxygen ever since. She finally came home this afternoon. We live in a townhouse with her in one side and me and dad in the other.
Seemed fairly normal this evening. We watched Wheel of Fortune and a little of the Olympics and then she went to bed.
About an hour ago she knocks on the door. I only heard it because Bailey barked. She was all confused and didn’t know where she was. She kept saying this isn’t her house, not her bedroom, where’s the nurse, etc. We convinced her she was at home and she went back to bed. Dad’s sleeping on her couch in case she wakes up confused again.
I really hope this a one time thing brought on by the stress of being sick and then coming back home. She’s not supposed to walk around too much right know because that’s when her oxygen levels really drop. And she could get hurt wandering around in the night. But she’s adamantly opposed to going to a nursing home and would probably not survive long in one. So the whole thing is just bad.
Anyway, cute animal gifs and pics would be appreciated if anyone has anything.
Shit, wwth. I’m sorry. Hope this works:
Kittens always work.
Good. 🙂
http://oi66.tinypic.com/hvtm2r.jpg
Second try!
A very funny and silly cat, for wwth ???
Ok, that one made me laugh out loud for real. As opposed to when people type “LOL” but aren’t really laughing.
It’s nice to see that cats learn at a very young age to get right up and pretend like that undignified fall didn’t really happen.
Milo Y suing his publisher and representing himself gives a whole new meaning to “show trial”.
I sort of expected it. (reminds me a bit of that cartoon katz did about judgybitch and her lit agent).
Who’s got the odds on the dolt deciding he’s a sovereign citizen next? 😛
What about infinite energy by cats running in a wheel ?
My sympathies and a kitten Didga video for you, wwth.
https://youtu.be/zh-Biuq33ic
My mother is also 92. About 6 months ago she had a kind of fall, as a result of being very delirious and totally confused about where she was.
My not-a-doctor experience, and that of my friends with elderly parents, has been that when old people get infections they are more likely to become delirious, and less likely to feel (or admit to) other symptoms. The default treatment in Australia at least seems to be “assume it’s a UTI or other infection, treat it with antibiotics even if you can’t find a focus, and see if it gets better”
If she’s recently been in hospital for a viral respiratory infection, maybe she has gotten a secondary bacterial respiratory infection, or maybe a urinary infection, especially if they had a catheter in her. (I am not a doctor, but I am a medical microbiology scientist who works with urinary specimens, and I know the usual criteria to rule out UTI do not apply to the elderly). Please have a doctor see her, in case treatment is appropriate. Many elderly people bounce right back.
Sadly my mum also had increasing dementia symptoms well before this, so though she became lucid again after a course of antibiotics, the general downward slide has continued. Putting a Pollyanna face on it, at least this has dragged a lot of medical professionals into her orbit and made it harder for Mum and Dad to keep denying there is a problem.
I have many many rants about dealing with an undiagnosed dementia parent and the healthcare system, but this is not the time for my tales of woe, because this may not be the problem.
But I urge you to have her checked out by a doctor, for both signs of infection and signs of altered cognition.
And I am ready anytime to share experiences with others in the same elder-minding boat.
Random clusters are absolutely a thing, and as @mrex says, financial troubles tend to cluster, because you skip maintenance. I think there’s also extra clustering due to stress. You’re much more likely to forget to lock a window (and therefore get burgled) while, say, your mother’s dying. Or be momentarily distracted while driving and have an accident. Or eat a crappy diet and not exercise and be full of cortisol and adrenaline which is likely to cause health problems if it goes on for a long time.
Conversely, if you just sold your novel, you’re more likely to have the confidence to try for promotion or whatever.
So I’m wishing for virtuous circles for all mammotheers
Virtuous circles for the win! ?
@Croquembouche, wow. That’s hard stuff. All the best to you and your folks.
Here is another kitten for you, and wwth:
@occasional reader,
I love those cat wheels. They have one at the Cat Cuddle Cafe here, and it’s a hit with the resident cats and customers 😀
@Z&T:
This is the same lawyer who earlier got an address wrong that should have been rote repetition by then?
Maybe you should give serious consideration to firing them and finding a new lawyer who is actually competent.
I have that as well. It can be a big thing (why have I stopped receiving rent receipts? They don’t think I’m in arrears, do they?) or a little thing (where the hell is “Gotham”, the TV show? It never came back from Christmas break. They haven’t said anywhere that it’s concluded or cancelled, either. So it’s in limbo? Whyyyy?) but I want to know WTH is going on. Stop leaving me in the dark, various people and giant faceless monolithic institutions!
@Mish:
There is a “Cat Cuddle Cafe”?
@Surplus,
There is indeed. I think there’s quite a number of them around the world now, but Cat Cuddle Cafe was Australia’s first.
It’s a proper cafe, but also a shelter with a fostering network. There’s a small fee to visit the cafe, which goes to the shelter.
Inside are lots of cats and kittens! (although it’s carefully regulated to prevent cat stress). They’re also super-strict on adoptions.
Rather lengthy answer – I get a tad excited when this comes up 😀
Seems Richard Spencer is having a couple more problems:
White nationalist can’t find a lawyer to defend him for Charlottesville
Guess he did nazi that coming.
@ Shadowplay:
I doubt that would make a difference in this case – isn’t he the one suing the publisher?
http://www.cavaldonatocommunication.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/it.pinterest.com_-e1494147234828.jpg
Hold on — this so-called “cafe” has a door charge like a nightclub? Ouch. Not that it matters. There surely isn’t one anywhere near me anyway, and if I can’t afford places with door charges I certainly can’t afford places reachable only with plane tickets.
Um …
Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon predicts that the “#TimesUp” movement against sexual harassment and assault will be “bigger” than the right-wing Tea Party movement that gripped the Republican Party starting in 2010.
Backing away now without breaking eye contact.
@Shadowplay
Odds of Steve Bannon being one of the accused: 1-1