Yet Another Issue Of, "Why Raising Kids In A Possession-Obsessed Society Is Hard":
For a film project, Impus Minor and a couple of his friends are taking $1000 worth of backpacking gear (four sleeping bags, a backpack, and hiking boots) and venturing around Albany Hill. As I think I've mentioned, Albany doesn't even make the "top 100 safest places to live in California" not because of violent crime, but because of a staggering amount of property crime.
So I made it clear to the kids: Don't leave the gear alone, not even in the car. It will get stolen.
Last night Impus Major was driving one of the kids home, so Impus Minor and the other kid were standing by the stuff. And a dark humanoid shape came out of the bushes and moved towards them. They backed away. The person kept following them. They turned out their lights and spread out so they couldn't both be cornered at once. The person kept following them. They finally went through the gate to leave the area and the pursuit stopped.
Honestly, given Albany's makeup, it was probably a homeless person, more likely than not with a mental illness, and more likely than not they just wanted to either talk to the kids or scare them off. Mission accomplished.
But once Impus Major got there and they retrieved the gear, Impus Minor came home, described the event to me, and asked honestly, "Are you OK that we left the stuff where he could get it?"
Er, duh!
I had to provide the classic, "Nothing you own is worth your life," lecture, and differentiate between, "Don't leave the stuff lying around where it might get stolen," and, "Don't let an aggressive individual who might cause you harm steal it."
Replacing gear is easy. Replacing people is impossible.
So glad they're okay!
EDIT: and I'm clothed, dang it!
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So glad they're okay!Yet Another Issue Of, "Why Raising Kids In A Possession-Obsessed Society Is Hard":
For a film project, Impus Minor and a couple of his friends are taking $1000 worth of backpacking gear (four sleeping bags, a backpack, and hiking boots) and venturing around Albany Hill. As I think I've mentioned, Albany doesn't even make the "top 100 safest places to live in California" not because of violent crime, but because of a staggering amount of property crime.
So I made it clear to the kids: Don't leave the gear alone, not even in the car. It will get stolen.
Last night Impus Major was driving one of the kids home, so Impus Minor and the other kid were standing by the stuff. And a dark humanoid shape came out of the bushes and moved towards them. They backed away. The person kept following them. They turned out their lights and spread out so they couldn't both be cornered at once. The person kept following them. They finally went through the gate to leave the area and the pursuit stopped.
Honestly, given Albany's makeup, it was probably a homeless person, more likely than not with a mental illness, and more likely than not they just wanted to either talk to the kids or scare them off. Mission accomplished.
But once Impus Major got there and they retrieved the gear, Impus Minor came home, described the event to me, and asked honestly, "Are you OK that we left the stuff where he could get it?"
Er, duh!
I had to provide the classic, "Nothing you own is worth your life," lecture, and differentiate between, "Don't leave the stuff lying around where it might get stolen," and, "Don't let an aggressive individual who might cause you harm steal it."
Replacing gear is easy. Replacing people is impossible.
I appreciate it, but the typical "incident" around here is homeless people finding groups of teenagers at night and trying to bum alcohol or drugs off of them. More likely than not the guy was just going to ask for drugs. But discretion is the better part of valor.
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Replacing gear is easy. Replacing people is impossible.
Funny you mention that... I am rereading parts of Schlock Mercenary...
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New guy (noticing me grabbing the case for the laser out of the trailer): Yesterday, don't you go humping that laser, now!
Me: I guess it's time you learn about the birds, bees, and lasers!
Now I want a poster for the Captain Yesterday: Laser Humper movie.
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Good evening, John.
I want a trailer for the Captain Yesterday: Laser Humper movie.
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Good evening, John.
I want a trailer for the Captain Yesterday: Laser Humper movie.
It's going to an expensive movie as the only actor that could pull it off is Brad Pitt (but only if he has his long hair. And takes a shower).
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After all my complaints about medical professionals refusing to communicate, I'll give Children's Hospital praise for open communication, but a bit of chastisement for no follow-up.
Impus Major had his long-awaited MRI on Monday. On Tuesday Children's Hospital posted the radiologist's report to his account so we could review it. Unfortunately, everything isn't "normal": His left ventricle is functioning at 51%, when it's supposed to be at 57-74%.
So of course questions abound:
- Is this expected at this point, or is this something to worry about?
- Can he bring this number up through exercise, or is it something he has to live with?
- Is heavy exercise contraindicated for the next few months/years/the rest of his life?
And our meeting with the cardiologist isn't until June 9, so we'll be left wondering for a LOOOOOONG time.
It is... stressful.
EDIT: Well, Google at least tells me that patients with severe cases (20-30%) who underwent medical treatment (looks like some kind of drug regimen) improved dramatically, so at least the answer is, "Yes, if it's necessary, therapy to improve this number exists."
In other news, I am usually invited to 3-4 meetings a week. As I mentioned, this week I'm taking Impus Major to multiple medical appointments. So of course I got invited to one meeting Monday, two yesterday, and this morning is SIX meetings that conflict with the medical appointment.
WTH, people? What's so important about today?
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I'm in an All Hands meeting about our annual self-evaluations, and one of the things our SVP considers critical is personal growth: How will I grow over the next year?
And the cynic in me looks back at him and asks, "I'm already at the top level in the company, so I'll never again be promoted. So why, exactly, should I work on improving myself?"
The problem with putting a low ceiling on employee promotions.
(For the record, most companies provide at least 4 levels of promotion above "basic hire" so that over a 20-year career an "average" employee can get promoted at least once every 5 years. Shiro's company had eight. Global Megacorporation has three. Yes. Three. I came in as a senior contributor already, I've been promoted twice, and I'm done. So why, exactly, should I "improve"?)
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Have I mentioned how much I love Children's Hospital in Oakland?
This morning I brought him in for his heart stress test. Once the nurse had finished her preliminary questions and outline of the process, I asked her about the MRI. Not only had she already seen and reviewed it, but as soon as I expressed concern she promised to follow up with our primary cardiologist.
Once the test was done, she was blunt: "I didn't see anything abnormal in the first view, but I want to go over it in detail to be sure. And I spoke with your cardiologist and she says everything in the MRI looks perfectly normal and she's happy with it. Oh, and they were specifically looking for scar tissue and they didn't see anything, so everything we've seen is good news."
A short, optimistic reply that was exactly what I wanted to hear.
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Hoping for the best for the Impus.
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And in other news - movie news! - LIB is thrilled to announce...
drrr dlluddrr! Drr drr drr drr drr drrrr!
A 21st Century FaWTL production, in partnership with Retro Goblin Slayer...
STARRING:
WEIRD AL JANKOVIC as CAPTAIN YESTERDAY: LASER HUMPER!
FREEHOLD DM as PRINCE RAYMOND LE MILFIÈRE!
NOBODY'S HOME as SPACETRIARCH PRIMUS ABD IMPII!
LISAMARLENE and GOTHBARD as THE TWIN QUEENS OF BAYARETEX!
GRAN REY DE LOS MONOS as MAYOR LAUNDROS HOTELERON!
VANKYRE as CYBER BAHAMUT!
THE 698th REGIMENT OF FOOT (Napier's Rapiers)
LIMEYLONGEARS as 'MASHLOS', the SINGING POTATO DEMON
TACTICSLION as A LION, with SOME TACTICS!
Coming soon to a 3am slot on a public access cable channel near you!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I haven't got a role in that one?
Hmm...
Well, yeah, okay, that's actually better for the movie. It might even end being watchable.
Shame about the paycheck, though.
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Former Coworker and his guy are working across the street and so yesterday they got done with their job early so they came over to see if I needed help (I had them bring me blocks and tools I happened to need).
Anyway, so his guy immediately trips over one of the string lines I have set up and stumbles into the laser tripod I have set up and he says "Is this a job site or a supervillain's lair?!" To which former coworker says "When Yesterday is in charge it's both!".
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I haven't got a role in that one?
Hmm...
Well, yeah, okay, that's actually better for the movie. It might even end being watchable.
Shame about the paycheck, though.
Paycheck?! I was told this is just a vanity project and their wouldn't be a paycheck...
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Feeling a lot better about building Impus Major his own computer last month. Global Megacorporation approved a new laptop for me on May 10th. My manager says they're up to a 7-8 week lag.
For a crappy, run-of-the-mill, corporate laptop.
That's pretty amazing.
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Paycheck?! I was told this is just a vanity project and their wouldn't be a paycheck...I haven't got a role in that one?
Hmm...
Well, yeah, okay, that's actually better for the movie. It might even end being watchable.
Shame about the paycheck, though.
Freehold told me he needed funding for his hentai library project...
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Sometimes, you want to be enraged at your kids but you remember what it's like to be a teenager.
Today was Impus Minor's Senior Ditch Day at Stinson Beach, about an hour away from us. He told Impus Major he'd need to be picked up by 2. I reminded them that they absolutely, positively had to have the Prius back by 5 because tonight's GothBard's game night in Fremont.
So of course Impus Major had a friend come over, and they drove all over the place (2 trips to downtown Berkeley, 2 trips to each house, because they kept forgetting things), then didn't even leave to pick up Impus Minor until 2. By 3:30 I was harassing them and reminding them they had to be back by 5.
They continued to perform shenanigans until they were 10 minutes late (a minor miracle they weren't later), so Impus Major tried to show off what a hurry he was in by trying to park at 15 mph. And plowed into the curb and burst the tire.
GothBard got to get off work, learn that she had to take the Celica to Fremont (a nightmare in rush hour traffic), AND had to drop the kids off at their friends' house because they'd left Impus Minor stranded picking up food. I'm SURE they got an earful during the drive.
And yep, for the first time Impus Major is going to pay for a new tire and learn just how painful owning a car can be. Because that was a stupid, stupid day.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
And in other news - movie news! - LIB is thrilled to announce...
drrr dlluddrr! Drr drr drr drr drr drrrr!
A 21st Century FaWTL production, in partnership with Retro Goblin Slayer...
STARRING:
WEIRD AL JANKOVIC as CAPTAIN YESTERDAY: LASER HUMPER!
FREEHOLD DM as PRINCE RAYMOND LE MILFIÈRE!
NOBODY'S HOME as SPACETRIARCH PRIMUS ABD IMPII!
LISAMARLENE and GOTHBARD as THE TWIN QUEENS OF BAYARETEX!
GRAN REY DE LOS MONOS as MAYOR LAUNDROS HOTELERON!
VANKYRE as CYBER BAHAMUT!
THE 698th REGIMENT OF FOOT (Napier's Rapiers)
LIMEYLONGEARS as 'MASHLOS', the SINGING POTATO DEMON
TACTICSLION as A LION, with SOME TACTICS!
Coming soon to a 3am slot on a public access cable channel near you!
Damn. You've finally forced my hand.
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
I haven't got a role in that one?
Hmm...
Well, yeah, okay, that's actually better for the movie. It might even end being watchable.
Shame about the paycheck, though.
You're not in the cast because you're in the FX department as Lead Monster Wrangler.
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
And in other news - movie news! - LIB is thrilled to announce...
drrr dlluddrr! Drr drr drr drr drr drrrr!
A 21st Century FaWTL production, in partnership with Retro Goblin Slayer...
STARRING:
WEIRD AL JANKOVIC as CAPTAIN YESTERDAY: LASER HUMPER!
FREEHOLD DM as PRINCE RAYMOND LE MILFIÈRE!
NOBODY'S HOME as SPACETRIARCH PRIMUS ABD IMPII!
LISAMARLENE and GOTHBARD as THE TWIN QUEENS OF BAYARETEX!
GRAN REY DE LOS MONOS as MAYOR LAUNDROS HOTELERON!
VANKYRE as CYBER BAHAMUT!
THE 698th REGIMENT OF FOOT (Napier's Rapiers)
LIMEYLONGEARS as 'MASHLOS', the SINGING POTATO DEMON
TACTICSLION as A LION, with SOME TACTICS!
Coming soon to a 3am slot on a public access cable channel near you!
BEASTS, MONSTROSITIES, HORRORS FROM BEYOND SPACE & TIME, &c, provided by DREJK HAIRYHOSEN STUDIOS!!!
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm pretty excited, should be able to completely finish my job today but we're also expecting rain to move in sometime in the early afternoon. Which means it's basically a race against the rain.
Challenge accepted!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
He also sometimes provides pierogi.BEASTS, MONSTROSITIES, HORRORS FROM BEYOND SPACE & TIME, &c, provided by DREJK HAIRYHOSEN STUDIOS!!!And in other news - movie news! - LIB is thrilled to announce...
drrr dlluddrr! Drr drr drr drr drr drrrr!
A 21st Century FaWTL production, in partnership with Retro Goblin Slayer...
STARRING:
WEIRD AL JANKOVIC as CAPTAIN YESTERDAY: LASER HUMPER!
FREEHOLD DM as PRINCE RAYMOND LE MILFIÈRE!
NOBODY'S HOME as SPACETRIARCH PRIMUS ABD IMPII!
LISAMARLENE and GOTHBARD as THE TWIN QUEENS OF BAYARETEX!
GRAN REY DE LOS MONOS as MAYOR LAUNDROS HOTELERON!
VANKYRE as CYBER BAHAMUT!
THE 698th REGIMENT OF FOOT (Napier's Rapiers)
LIMEYLONGEARS as 'MASHLOS', the SINGING POTATO DEMON
TACTICSLION as A LION, with SOME TACTICS!
Coming soon to a 3am slot on a public access cable channel near you!
Pierogi are the best!
Sometimes, you want to be enraged at your kids but you remember what it's like to be a teenager.
Today was Impus Minor's Senior Ditch Day at Stinson Beach, about an hour away from us. He told Impus Major he'd need to be picked up by 2. I reminded them that they absolutely, positively had to have the Prius back by 5 because tonight's GothBard's game night in Fremont.
So of course Impus Major had a friend come over, and they drove all over the place (2 trips to downtown Berkeley, 2 trips to each house, because they kept forgetting things), then didn't even leave to pick up Impus Minor until 2. By 3:30 I was harassing them and reminding them they had to be back by 5.
They continued to perform shenanigans until they were 10 minutes late (a minor miracle they weren't later), so Impus Major tried to show off what a hurry he was in by trying to park at 15 mph. And plowed into the curb and burst the tire.
GothBard got to get off work, learn that she had to take the Celica to Fremont (a nightmare in rush hour traffic), AND had to drop the kids off at their friends' house because they'd left Impus Minor stranded picking up food. I'm SURE they got an earful during the drive.
And yep, for the first time Impus Major is going to pay for a new tire and learn just how painful owning a car can be. Because that was a stupid, stupid day.
*sigh*
Been there before.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sometimes, you want to be enraged at your kids but you remember what it's like to be a teenager.
Today was Impus Minor's Senior Ditch Day at Stinson Beach, about an hour away from us. He told Impus Major he'd need to be picked up by 2. I reminded them that they absolutely, positively had to have the Prius back by 5 because tonight's GothBard's game night in Fremont.
So of course Impus Major had a friend come over, and they drove all over the place (2 trips to downtown Berkeley, 2 trips to each house, because they kept forgetting things), then didn't even leave to pick up Impus Minor until 2. By 3:30 I was harassing them and reminding them they had to be back by 5.
They continued to perform shenanigans until they were 10 minutes late (a minor miracle they weren't later), so Impus Major tried to show off what a hurry he was in by trying to park at 15 mph. And plowed into the curb and burst the tire.
GothBard got to get off work, learn that she had to take the Celica to Fremont (a nightmare in rush hour traffic), AND had to drop the kids off at their friends' house because they'd left Impus Minor stranded picking up food. I'm SURE they got an earful during the drive.
And yep, for the first time Impus Major is going to pay for a new tire and learn just how painful owning a car can be. Because that was a stupid, stupid day.
*sigh*
Been there before.
I think we all have. My first major financial outlay was replacing the struts in the Volvo after I tried to pull a U-turn at 30 mph.
Once I learned I had to pay for the car repairs I incurred through stupidity, I became a much safer driver.
Colonel, surely?
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I'm pretty excited, should be able to completely finish my job today but we're also expecting rain to move in sometime in the early afternoon. Which means it's basically a race against the rain.
Challenge accepted!
Challenge complete! Flawless victory!!
Just as I was setting down the last cap I'd just cut it started to thunder.
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I find it amusing that Freehold disparaged Funimation for perfectly valid reasons, but my #1 complaint is their utter inability to understand a simple request of, "Shut the h*** up!"
Got an account. Found the email preferences page. Turned everything off.
For the next 2 days in row got a bunch of "Welcome!" and marketing emails. Clicked the Unsubscribe link. Said, "Unsubscribe me from everything."
Had one day of quiet, but this morning I got another 2 emails from them.
I swear. I already subscribed. They're ignoring my contact preferences and spamming me with email. I may well cancel my subscription before ever paying them a dime because I'm so sick of these emails.
What kind of business model is this, exactly?
I find it amusing that Freehold disparaged Funimation for perfectly valid reasons, but my #1 complaint is their utter inability to understand a simple request of, "Shut the h*** up!"
Got an account. Found the email preferences page. Turned everything off.
For the next 2 days in row got a bunch of "Welcome!" and marketing emails. Clicked the Unsubscribe link. Said, "Unsubscribe me from everything."
Had one day of quiet, but this morning I got another 2 emails from them.
I swear. I already subscribed. They're ignoring my contact preferences and spamming me with email. I may well cancel my subscription before ever paying them a dime because I'm so sick of these emails.
What kind of business model is this, exactly?
Even back in the day, Funimation was the future. I remember when they were asking for email addresses to send catalogs back when it was cool to have a big name at a con.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I swear. I already subscribed. They're ignoring my contact preferences and spamming me with email. I may well cancel my subscription before ever paying them a dime because I'm so sick of these emails.
What kind of business model is this, exactly?
One that works. Most people will just ignore the emails - myself included, I check my email maybe once every other week, if that - and carry on using the product uninhibited. Most people don't consider the irritation of constant spam to be enough to drive them away from the product.
I haven't set an alarm yet this year and haven't missed my wake up time.
One that works. Most people will just ignore the emails - myself included, I check my email maybe once every other week, if that - and carry on using the product uninhibited. Most people don't consider the irritation of constant spam to be enough to drive them away from the product.I swear. I already subscribed. They're ignoring my contact preferences and spamming me with email. I may well cancel my subscription before ever paying them a dime because I'm so sick of these emails.
What kind of business model is this, exactly?
Oh man, I have something like 13k unread emails.
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Impus Major's physics final came back yesterday, and his stress came back today.
He passed his first full-time semester back at school with two As, a B, and a C.
The stress test came back 100% healthy.
Good news all around.
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