Dear So and So

[channlluv]

It's AZO, and it's great stuff. They have a treatment that works great for yeast infections, too. Good luck knocking out this infection.

Roxy

[maillotpois]

Oh right, duh - AZO. (It's been almost a year since my last one! :) )

And on the jeans thing, I am loving Lucky jeans right now - the fuller thigh ones. They have some straight ones that I don't think could fit over my calves. :rolleyes:

[Biciclista]

I find it annoying that Levi's makes a special cut of jeans for MALE bike riders...

[ultraviolet]

Dear self,

Find some patience, please. I know that people are being annoying, but you need to remember to breathe. Quell your instinct to tell them to STFU or HTFU, or whatever other thing pops into your mind when the b*tching, moaning and/or whining starts up. Just breathe. And walk away.

Love,
/me

[NbyNW]

Heh, I like lower-rise jeans. My torso is so short that if I wore regular-rise jeans, the waistband would be somewhere around my rib cage!

Me, too.

Actually I've had really good luck with Levi's over the years. Especially now that they have this new Curve ID thing going on.

ETA: (((Mimi))) Take good care of yourself! UTIs are no fun.

[Crankin]

I could never wear any pants that go around my waist again. I love low rise.

[Owlie]

Dearest grad program--
While I can see that you have the best intentions and that you're all busy doing other things, can you please see fit to somehow get us the information that we need? I don't appreciate being told two days in advance when safety training is, or that we'll get an e-mail (which never actually appears).

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear Mimi, good luck with it and big hugs. Also, if you can find it, Citravescent is really AWESOME for bladder infections. And I speak from experience.

Dear cyclist who overtook me this morning,

I couldn't help but notice. Perhaps your tights need replacing. Because the lycra was so thin, I could see BOTH BUTTCHEEKS clearly along with the thong you were wearing. I'm not even going to inquire about the thong. :S

[Biciclista]

A serious 24 hours of drinking lots of fluids has unclogged and returned my bladder functions to normal. strange... I'll keep drinking lots but not so much as last night because i want to SLEEP!!!!

my DH is getting more drugs at one time than he's ever had but he seems to be doing just fine too.
thanks for all the hugs.

[jelee1311]

Glad to hear everyone is doing better hope you get some sleep

[Biciclista]

to whom it may concern.
Yes, I imagine you DID think it was funny when I thought I'd cured my UTI with lots of juice. Ok ok, I went to the doctor. I hope you're happy, she even gave me a flu shot.:mad:
Sincerely,
former Bacteriology student

[indysteel]

to whom it may concern.
Yes, I imagine you DID think it was funny when I thought I'd cured my UTI with lots of juice. Ok ok, I went to the doctor. I hope you're happy, she even gave me a flu shot.:mad:
Sincerely,
former Bacteriology student

I feel your pain. I went through a period a couple of years ago where I had about five UTI's in six months' time. Honeymoon cystitis (of sorts). It was a blast. What made it even worse is that antibiotics would almost always induce a yeast infection. Needless to say, I started to have a lot of anticipatory anxiety, which is not really what you want in an intimate relationship. I ultimately started taking a preventative antibiotic called Proloprim on an as needed basis. No UTIs since. I did learn the hard way that once infection sets in, no amount of cranberry juice or water will cure it. It's better to just bite the bullet and call your doc.

I hope you start feeling better!

[Biciclista]

wow, Indy, I have been so lucky, not a single one in 40 years... but yeah, i have the same problem with antibiotics as you do.

[tulip]

Dear Homeower's Insurance Company,
So let me get this straight. If the giant tree that snapped but didn't finish falling on my house because it got caught on another branch had indeed fallen and hit my house, you would pay for $10k + to repair my house and take down the tree. But since it's dangling precariously 20-feet above my house, you wont chip in even one dollar to have it removed.

In addition, since the claim has been denied, if it falls before I can get a tree company to take it down--tree companies are near impossible to get in these parts right now BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS HURRICANE that you might have heard about--you won't cover ANY damage because in that case the homeowner (moi) would be considered negligent because said homeowner did not take immediate action to remove the tree.

On top of that, you made this decision from your office in Texas and didn't even bother to send someone out to take a look. That would explain you inane suggestion to "just hire some neighborhood guy with a chainsaw to take it down." IT'S A FRIGGIN TREE HANGING 40 FEET UP IN THE AIR!!! And do you really think that a $2 million payout to the guy's family when he falls and dies or breaks his back is a particularly cost effective way to handle taking down the tree??

Yes, I have contacted the state insurance commission and I will be moving my coverage for both houses and my car once this is resolved.

Sincerely,
Tulip

[NbyNW]

Wow, Tulip. So sorry your insurance company is not being helpful.

I take it you are documenting this situation with photographs?

[tulip]

I'm documenting every conversation, and I have plenty of photos.

Dear Power Company,
Any day now...hate to bother you, but I sure would like to stop eating out every day. But until the power comes back on and I can put things in my fridge, you're costing me an arm and a leg. I can't imagine how families are coping with this cost burden.

[Biciclista]

the homeowner is responsible for taking prudent responsible action, whatever reasonable action they can.
if they denied your claim, you did exactly the right thing to contact the insurance commissioner's office.

you might be able to do some temporary shoring up? according to my insurance adjuster husband you have done everything right.

your policy is most likely only covering the cost of removing the tree from the building and damage to the house. they won't pay to haul the tree away even. and only if it hits the house

for them to imply that you are negligent is disingenuous on the part of your insurance company but since there is no damaged covered property it makes sense that it is denied.

he says the customer service of your insurance is really bad.

and that was good to contact the insurance commissioner.

this from my DH on drugs and chemo riding an exercise bike in a hospital room. :D

[indysteel]

((((Tulip)))). What a horribly frustrating situation. You can't win. Hang in there and keep us posted.

[jessmarimba]

Ugh, Tulip, that's awful. If I knew any tree-cutters in Richmond I'd send 'em your way first.

My dad's house is still out of power too, but he's on the Powhatan/Chesterfield line and they're always the last to get it back. Unfortunately they're on well water so are out of self-supplied water too. He said he was pretty surprised that the ritzier areas (like near the country club of VA) were still out. Seems to be a pretty random process of restoring it this time.

[crazycanuck]

Dear Self,

It's a dang good thing you made that specialist Sports Dr's appt for friday...flaring up an injury thought to be making positive progress isn't a good look....Duh.. ya...:(

One day i might even get back on my bike, walk de doggies etc..:rolleyes:

:o

[tulip]

Dear Tree Down The Street That Fell On A Live Wire And Caught Fire And Exploded With Much Panache At 2AM Jolting Me And My Neighbors Out Of Bed And Cutting Power To Everyone Including Those Who Actually Had Their Power Restored Days Ago,

THANKS!!

You put us at the top of the power company's list and by 10:30 am, we all have power!

Now to go grocery shopping...

Dear Tree Company,
I sure hope you get out here today like you said you would. I thought for sure that last night's explosion was my tree deciding to crash through my little house. So did my neighbors, who came running to rescue me. But my tree is still there, hanging out and swaying in the breeze.

[Biciclista]

wow, Tulip, I am impressed!


Dear Tree Down The Street That Fell On A Live Wire And Caught Fire And Exploded With Much Panache At 2AM Jolting Me And My Neighbors Out Of Bed And Cutting Power To Everyone Including Those Who Actually Had Their Power Restored Days Ago,

THANKS!!

You put us at the top of the power company's list and by 10:30 am, we all have power!

Now to go grocery shopping...

Dear Tree Company,
I sure hope you get out here today like you said you would. I thought for sure that last night's explosion was my tree deciding to crash through my little house. So did my neighbors, who came running to rescue me. But my tree is still there, hanging out and swaying in the breeze.

[Blueberry]

Tulip-

You have my sympathies. Seems like you're doing everything you possibly can - sometimes insurance companies just really suck:(

Good luck!!

[Crankin]

Good work, Tulip! You made that tree fall.

[snapdragen]

Good work, Tulip! You made that tree fall.

Even if it was the wrong tree... :D:D:D

We had a tree issue, couldn't get the city to come out and inspect it. (We have to have the cities permission to remove street trees) Finally dad called again and asked "I just need to know who to call when this thing falls and kills someone". They were out within the hour.

[Realgone]

Dear Degenerate Gamblers,

There is no such thing as magic or luck, so quit blaming me for your losses. I am so sick of you negative degenerate a-holes, but the money is good so I put up with your BS. Want to know why you lose money, here is are a couple of hints, first of all, it is called gambling, not winning, second, look in the mirror, third, what is insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Want to know the real key to winning? Good timing!

Oh, and don't forget to tip your dealer:D

[Veronica]

Dear Coworkers;

Stop asking me why I am so successful with my students. You always make excuses for why you can't do what I do. Furthermore, I am tired of hearing about how little time you have because you have families. This is a choice you made and I am beginning to resent picking up the slack.

Dear Resource Teacher;

You placed two of your students in my class because you thought it was a better placement for them. Have you considered that part of what makes my class so successful is that I look at the needs of my students and then carefully structure my day to fit their needs? Two weeks into the year, you make your schedule and now I'm suppose to adapt to fit what you need to do. Resource needs trump classroom needs every time. The other 30 students are going to have their math time moved to the afternoon to fit your schedule.

Dear Principal;

You gave us the suckiest time for our preps - smack in the middle of morning. Our mornings are so broken up, it's a wonder we get anything done. The one student I did not want to loop with you placed back in to my room because it was better for another class, really another teacher. And frankly, I can not be expected to bring our grade level's test scores up singlehandedly. Yes, my students scored twenty percent higher than the other classes. That's because I don't make excuses. I push my kids as hard as I push myself. My peers are full of "can't." What do you expect me to do about that?

Dear parents of my Diagnosed ADD Kids,

Yes they do great at home off their meds in the summer. They're not surrounded by 31 other students in a tiny little space! They are not expected to learn difficult material! Put them back on their meds before I quit!

Dear Students Who are Working Your Tails Off,

You guys are awesome and the reason I am going to work today.

[Veronica]

Dear Self,

You need to get back into your workout routine ASAP. That will do wonders for your stress level. You need to let go of the things you can't control - stupid A$$ control freak that you are! You are doing an awesome job in your classroom and that's all you can do. The expectation that you can somehow get your peers to replicate your success is ridiculous. They don't have the same attitude you do and so what works for you, won't work for them.

Stop focusing so much attention on your distracting kids. They can't control what they are doing and their parents need to see that this lack of control is hurting their kids academic growth. Until they realize that, nothing will change.

This built up anger and resentment you have is only going to hurt you in the long run.

[Biciclista]

Dear Veronica

you rock. I hope you can let the kids out to let them run around at intervals during the day.
I'm glad there are a few good teachers left.
Hugs
Mimi

[Desert Tortoise]

Veronica, thank you so much for your drive and focus. Our kids have so much to battle and having less than stellar support from those you need it most is disheartening.

It's teachers like you that have helped my little boy so much. He's only 5 but had special needs in preschool and through the help of dedicated teachers and work at home, he has tested out and is in regular school.

Going into kindergarten I thought he would not have the same attention as in preK because of the larger class size, fewer resources, etc and might have a hard time.

I was very wrong.:) Despite the cutbacks and all, his teachers are very dedicated and the individual attention shows in his work. One day my son pulled a fast one on his teacher, and then again later. I wanted him to learn the consequences of his behavior. He was to apologize to his teacher, pay for his actions (out of his chores money) and at home at have to deal with the consequences. He lost his electronic toys and tv for a long time. I did not expect the teacher to do anything other than an ok, got it type of thing. Not only did she understand but she offered to work with me in helping him learn from this behavior. Wow! Like she doesn't have enough to do? I really appreciate that.

You are a gem and your students are so much richer for having you.

dt

[Blueberry]

Dear Veronica

you rock. I hope you can let the kids out to let them run around at intervals during the day.
I'm glad there are a few good teachers left.
Hugs
Mimi

+1

It gives me hope for the future that there are teachers like you still in the schools!

~Blueberry

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear Veronica,

I know its hard and often crappy. But you're making a huge difference to your students and its so rare to see people who make that effort with kids at all, these days. Your students are incredibly lucky to have you. Keep going.

[bmccasland]

Dear co-worker across the cube wall,
Are you aware that we can hear your "discussions" with your family about the estate settlement and disposition of real estate - who's signed, who hasn't? Just a suggestion, but these are the types of conversations you should be having out of ear-shot of your humble co-workers. The weather's nice, take your cell phone, and go outside. I'm rather uncomfortable with what I'm over hearing.

Yes, I do have a small stack of CD's to drown you out, but that's not the point. Your "private" conversations aren't so private. :o

[indysteel]

Dear co-worker across the cube wall,
Are you aware that we can hear your "discussions" with your family about the estate settlement and disposition of real estate - who's signed, who hasn't? Just a suggestion, but these are the types of conversations you should be having out of ear-shot of your humble co-workers. The weather's nice, take your cell phone, and go outside. I'm rather uncomfortable with what I'm over hearing.

Yes, I do have a small stack of CD's to drown you out, but that's not the point. Your "private" conversations aren't so private. :o


I shared an office once with three other people. And I mean share; no cubes or walls. One of my coworkers talked to her husband repeatedly every day. Every conversation ended with something like this:

I love you.....no, I love you more.....no, I love you even more, etc., etc.

OMG; it was excruciating.

[Eden]

I shared an office once with three other people. And I mean share; no cubes or walls. One of my coworkers talked to her husband repeatedly every day. Every conversation ended with something like this:

I love you.....no, I love you more.....no, I love you even more, etc., etc.

OMG; it was excruciating.


Oh my....20 yrs old? Newlywed? both?......

[indysteel]

Oh my....20 yrs old? Newlywed? both?......

Nope and nope. We were recent law school graduates, but she was older than the average student and had gotten married at a young age. She was somewhat odd.

[tulip]

Dear tree removal company,
THANKS!! You did a stellar job with that crane. And you even stacked up some of the wood for me to use as firewood next year. I'm impressed.

Dear Insurance Company,
Somehow I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking given the right incentives.

Best,
Tulip

[Roadtrip]

Dear tree removal company,
THANKS!! You did a stellar job with that crane. And you even stacked up some of the wood for me to use as firewood next year. I'm impressed.

Dear Insurance Company,
Somehow I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking given the right incentives.

Best,
Tulip

Nice!!!!

[channlluv]

Did their incentives have anything to do with that other tree that exploded on the power lines at 2am?

I'm glad you've got your power back and your tree handled.

Roxy

[Trek420]

Dear boss of the boss of my boss,

Your floor absorbed the residents of the floor above you doubling in size (minus those who quit, retired, got fired ....). Now years later our floor is supposed to squeeze in too (minus those who quit, retired, got fired ....).

You asked the DICOMSTAS (Department In Charge Of Making Sure Things Are Safe, sort of an internal OSHA here at the ... where am I? Oh, Organic Koala Chili Canning Works :rolleyes:) if it was ok to add us. They said "no, you're too crowded". They actually said "heck no". They said something else but this is a family forum.

You did it anyway. :mad:

Now you want to add the refugees from yet another chili factory whose office is moving (minus those who quit, retired, got fired ....).

The DICOMSTAS said no, you moved us anyway and moved more people in against their orders.

Any wonder why the DICOMSTAS director was inspecting today?

There's a floor above us which has been: newly remodeled, all new equipment and desks, more room, more light, more than 4 stalls for the women :eek: the electrical system is actually designed to work for the load .... we could be there.

Why not? Your office would be smaller.

You can have this entire floor for your office and all of your junk for all we care. Let my coworkers move upstairs where it's safe. If I do get a new job soon or quit, retire, get fired I'd like to leave the Chili Works a safer place.

[OakLeaf]

Dear feral dogs who showed up at our house last year and would not leave, no matter how long it had been since your last meal - who would not be trapped, no matter how delectable the bait - and who would not be tamed, no matter how often you ate from our hands or how curious you were about our comings and goings -

It's true, for most of the past 15 months I wished you would just leave, and now that you're gone, I wish you would come back.

I feel guilty about leaving for a long weekend, even though I topped your food dishes up extra tall and left an extra water dish, even though you'd been "home" alone for that long before, in worse weather.

I know better than to hope that you might be safe someplace else. So with two wishes I will try to let go of you: that whatever happened to you was quick; and that in puppy-dog heaven you will finally experience reciprocal love for someone other than each other.

[Becky]

Geez Oak, that's heartbreaking! :( I'm sorry, and thank you for all that you did for them.

[indysteel]

((((Oak)))). As someone who had grown attached to her "own" feral animals, I know I'm in risky emotional territory myself and appreciate how you must feel. You did what you could for these animal--and more than a lot of people would have. Hopefully they're in a better place now.

[indysteel]

Dear tree removal company,
THANKS!! You did a stellar job with that crane. And you even stacked up some of the wood for me to use as firewood next year. I'm impressed.

Dear Insurance Company,
Somehow I knew you'd come around to my way of thinking given the right incentives.

Best,
Tulip


Yay! I hope that means that the insurance company agreed to cover all or some of the cost of the tree removal.

[Biciclista]

Dear Big fat comedian in the sky
I am glad you are getting such a kick out of my tribulations. Today my DH is coming home from the hospital immunosuppressed, and I have a sore throat? Yes, I looked up side effects of flu shots, and this isn't one of them. Ironically I am even taking antibiotics for another ridiculous issue, but the sore throat (yes, it's red, thank you) is still a sore throat.
What next? a plague of locusts?
Thanks for thinking of me
M

[Reesha]

Time for a warm salt water gargle? Or two? Or three? Sore throats are the worst!

[NbyNW]

I actually find that a neti pot helps with sore throat ...

Hope things clear up, Mimi!

-------

Dear buzzy stinging insect,

Thanks for keeping me up all night. I especially appreciated waking up with a fat lip at 5:30 am. My dog was happy too, as he loves getting his first walk at daybreak, while I prefer to get out of bed at a sane hour.

I am not a happy camper this morning!

[Reesha]

I actually find that a neti pot helps with sore throat ...

Hope things clear up, Mimi!



Oooo absolutely, especially if it's a post-nasal drip sore throat!

[Blueberry]

Oh Mimi - that sucks:( I'm sorry.

I will say - I've had repeated sore throats immediately following flu shots (too many times that it's not possible I was just getting sick each time). Hopefully it's just that or allergies of some form....

[Trek420]

((mimi & don))) Sending virtual chicken soup :(

[Biciclista]

it's not the sore throat i'm worried about, it's the possibility of giving it to DH!!!

[NbyNW]

it's not the sore throat i'm worried about, it's the possibility of giving it to DH!!!

We know. We're just hoping if you nip it in the bud it won't go looking for a new host.

If it's any consolation, I think my allergies have been up this week, so I don't know if that's what's causing your sore throat, but at least allergies aren't contagious.

How is Don feeling otherwise?

[Possegal]

Oh Mimi I feel for you! Back in 2008 they tried to remove my sister's lung tumor. Unsuccessful, but she still had to recover from lung surgery. I had taken off work with the idea that I could be home for up to 6 weeks helping to take care of her as she recovered. I ended up getting a wicked respiratory infection and before I could get out of their house, I gave it to her. UGH. WORST SISTER EVER. :) She kept saying - you don't know that I got it from you. I pointed out that she hadn't been out of the house for 2 weeks. Really a no-brainer there.

At least we laugh about it. Now.

Hope you are feeling better pronto and that the black cloud clearly following you around, gets lost!

[Biciclista]

The Donald feels great. He went on a bike ride in the glorious sun, while I laid down with a book -- also in the sun. We have a 100k to do tomorrow and gee, which one of us looks like they might not be up for it?? (sigh)
He is amazing, that's all I can say.

Possegal, argh, so it DOES happen. EEEEEK.

[Possegal]

Possegal, argh, so it DOES happen. EEEEEK.

Honestly, it was my own stupidity. The minute I started to feel like I was possibly getting sick, I should have told her and taken the precautions to keep my germs to myself. It was complicated and not worth explaining it all :) but if I had just said - oh hey, I think I may be getting sick, and then started sanitizing things and keeping my distance from her, even putting on a mask, I bet it would have turned out differently. So I'd say let me be the lesson and don't try and pretend it is all fine, which you clearly are not based on your post here. And we'll all keep hoping that this is nothing and you wake up tomorrow and think - well what was that all about? :)

It was so stupid considering I was the one making everyone else be cautious and keeping her healthy all the rest of the time. Seriously stupid of me.

[NbyNW]

Glad to hear Don is in good spirits! I hope you enjoy your ride tomorrow.

[Biciclista]

gargling with warm salt water seems to be helping! (Thanks for reminding me)
woke up today feeling better.
Today is day 2 of a warming trend here, so I am glad we didn't schedule the ride for tomorrow!

[Veronica]

Glad you're feeling better! Hope the ride goes well.


Veronica

[Biciclista]

Our 100k rides usually include 2-6 people. Suddenly 15 people have signed up for this ride! We think it's probably a show of support for Raleighdon. I'll let you guys know.

[salsabike]

I would only quibble to the extent that I think it's "love for Raleighdon". :) Yup, I think a bunch of folks will be there, including Chris. Have a good ride! Nice day for it.

[Biciclista]

WOW! Great news Deena!!

[redrhodie]

Dear Eddy,

Thank you for sitting and looking at the door until we finally realized Twiggy escaped. If it wasn't for you, we might not have noticed for a lot longer, and she might have gotten outside when a neighbor came in. We might have lost her for good. Good job.

Dear Twiggy,

I hope you like the collar with the bell, because you're wearing it from now on. I can't trust you, you sneak. Sorry if you got scared that we didn't look for you right away. Thank your brother. He's your hero.

[Catrin]

Glad Twiggy was ok!

[redrhodie]

Thanks. She's hating the collar, but the bell sounds so cute. Serves her right. :D

[redrhodie]

I'm such a sucker. It's off. What was that, half an hour?

She got her back claw caught in it, and was stuck with her leg over her head. I hate it when that happens. :rolleyes:

[Catrin]

I'm such a sucker. It's off. What was that, half an hour?

She got her back claw caught in it, and was stuck with her leg over her head. I hate it when that happens. :rolleyes:


hmmmm, she knows how to get your attention ;)

[Becky]

Dear YMCA,

Please explain to me why the swim team needs the pool for 5 hours Monday - Friday afternoons and evenings. When are normal people with jobs supposed to swim? :(

Signed,
Disappointed

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear self,

amazing, you lasted all of 48 hours after your parents returned home before the anxiety, dread, stress and crying started. Also, you resisted the urge to hurl the stupid constantly ringing phone out of your window.

Dear people who care,

I made the choice long ago that once I have enough money to do so, I'd move away from my parents' house and stop having a relationship with them. Now I do have enough money but only JUST ENOUGH. Yes, I could be putting 800 bucks a month towards grad school instead. Yes, I realize in the context of the culture we live in, to not have a relationship with one's parents and to choose to live away from them is considered immoral, bad and I don't know what else. No I don't care because this was a hard decision I finally made after too many bad things happening with my family and realizing I don't have the skills yet to negotiate a relationship with them. Its the right decision for now, because I need to learn how to relate to people without freaking out and my parents need to understand what these things called 'boundaries' are. You have not lived in my shoes for long enough to understand what issues are at play in the decisions I make. So while your concerns are very valid and I appreciate having someone finally be concerned with my life, please, please, please withhold judgment of what I want to do and just be supportive. Living with my parents and trying to have a relationship with them isn't right for any of us right now. Maybe in a few years time, it will be. But now, what I really need is to find a place, start transitioning to living on my own and just keep on being happy, stable and calm instead of starting the slide to becoming dark and angry all the time.

Dear potential landlord,

I'm calling you on your crap. Your room was available for rental until you heard that I'm local and suddenly, your 'relative' wants to come live with you and its not for rent any more? This isn't the first time I've had this kind of nonsense pulled on me and I knew what was about to go down the second your agent asked me "Why aren't you living with your family if you're local?" Please go sod yourselves. I hope that one day, when you're experiencing the same dire need to find a place to live in as I am now, that the same thing will happen to you.

[Susan126]

The salt water gargling must have worked Mimi because you were looking fine and Don well what can I say he was looking great!!!! Full of energy, happy, enthusiastic, he's truly amazing! I had a super great fun time and ride yesterday! Let me know when you and Don do your October P12! Hopefully less detours and a bit cooler though! :p

[Biciclista]

I guess i had a 24 hour sore throat virus. Throat was red, tonsils nasty, and I felt rotten too. Go figure. And Saturday I just laid around! But yes, that salt gargle worked.
I am extremely glad to be done with super hot rides for the year (and I hear all you non-northwesterns snorking) it was in the 80's!! full sun ALL DAY!!

[Reesha]

Dear Mall Parking Garage,

How dare you try to take out my roof-mounted bike when I drove into your recesses! You should know that your efforts failed: the bike is fine. You did succeed in mangling my ancient Thule tray, but that is no big thing. I still have a bike. Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya!

[marni]

hmmmm, she knows how to get your attention ;)

make sure and get her chipped if she isn't yet. It's not as good as a bell on the collar but if she gets rid of the collar and gets out it may help.

Our kitties love to run around the house naked, but I'm a mean mommy and insist that they put their collars back on. Of course they are totally house cats but rules is rules and mama don't allow no naked kitties round here.

marni

[bmccasland]

Dear Fire Gods,
I know it's a tender box out there, but could you relax a little in central Texas? You have a massive fire going out of control too close to my Dad's house. Dad has been through enough in life, and doesn't need to loose his house too boot. Granted that's true for most people.

And Dearest God of Rain - they'd appreciate a vist over in central Texas. You dumped a whole lot of water to the east. Were you directionally challenged? You should have gone WEST.

Thank you.

Sign me, worried daughter.

[Trek420]

mama don't allow no naked kitties round here.

marni

to which all the kitties sing:
we don't care what mama don't 'low
we're gonna run 'round nekkid anyhow
mama don't 'low no nekkid kitties 'round here :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi, so glad to hear that RD is feeling well after his treatment and that you had a good bike ride in the sun! :)
Good also that you got rid of the throat infection.

[Biciclista]

to whom it may concern
I really am ok with having an 80 year old mother out dating. But how do I know when to worry when she's not home when she's normally home or instead just think, oh, she's out with her new date?

[lph]

Mimi, you have a really cool family :D

[Crankin]

Mimi, when my grandmother was in her late 80s, she began dating a "younger man." He was 75. All of the other women in the condo complex were quite jealous. I guess this man was very nervous about meeting my dad, worrying that he would not approve. But, my dad flew to Florida and met him, and he was a very nice man. It didn't seem weird at all. I would not worry about your mom.

[Owlie]

Dear Printer:
You picked a very inconvenient time to stop working. Just as well, I suppose, because you won't talk to the new computer. I just don't want to spend money right now!

Dear pharmacokinetics:
You might be the course that kills me, but I'm going to go down fighting. I guess it's time to talk to the professor before he really gets going...

[Bethany1]

Dear Allegra-D company,

Now that you have made Allegra-D "over the counter" instead of by prescription I feel like a druggie looking for a fix. Handing over my driver's license to every store and then coming home with TEN lousy tablets is a joke. Is there a law stating you can only put 10 in a box? I got a month's worth just for twenty-five bucks until you made this decision.

Both DH and I use it which means we are constantly altering stores because you can't sell me TWO stupid boxes at one time.

Off to buy another box from a different store now..care to pay for my gas?

[indysteel]

Dear Allegra-D company,

Now that you have made Allegra-D "over the counter" instead of by prescription I feel like a druggie looking for a fix. Handing over my driver's license to every store and then coming home with TEN lousy tablets is a joke. Is there a law stating you can only put 10 in a box? I got a month's worth just for twenty-five bucks until you made this decision.

Both DH and I use it which means we are constantly altering stores because you can't sell me TWO stupid boxes at one time.

Off to buy another box from a different store now..care to pay for my gas?

Does the ten-pills per purchase apply to call decongestants or just Allegra-D?

[tulip]

They are coming down on meth lab folks.

[Biciclista]

yeah you can blame your friendly neighborhood meth lab for that one..


To whom it may concern,
Raleighdon is still riding, but he is slowing down. Doctor very pleased with where he is at this point. I think it would be very strange to be a chemo doctor because what they do is they poison you as much as they can without killing you!!!

As DH listed his symptoms to the doctor, the doctor nodding his head, like yes, good, next, yes, good, next.... It's the strangest thing.

[Veronica]

I have the same problem with Advil Cold & Sinus - because of the meth - but I can get more than ten pills at a time. I just ask them to give me the maximum amount allowable.

Veronica

[indysteel]

Bethany, I'll add this bit of unsolicited advice, too. I have bad allergies all year round and usually have some level of congestion almost all of the time. Unless and until it causes a headache or bad drainage or I'm already sick with a sinus infection, I try to avoid decongestants. I find the regular use of a neti pot or sinus rinse to be as effective and it doesn't elevate your heart rate or blood pressure like a decongestant can. Plus, you don't have to show a driver's license or raise a red alert with law enforcement to buy it. You might talk to your respective doctors about weening yourself off of Allegra D and switching to plain old Allegra.

[indysteel]

yeah you can blame your friendly neighborhood meth lab for that one..


To whom it may concern,
Raleighdon is still riding, but he is slowing down. Doctor very pleased with where he is at this point. I think it would be very strange to be a chemo doctor because what they do is they poison you as much as they can without killing you!!!

As DH listed his symptoms to the doctor, the doctor nodding his head, like yes, good, next, yes, good, next.... It's the strangest thing.

I'll keeping hoping for the best, Mimi. Don sounds like a real fighter, and I'm sure his otherwise superb health is working in his favor.

[indysteel]

I have the same problem with Advil Cold & Sinus - because the meth - but I can get more than ten pills at a time. I just ask them to give me the maximum amount allowable.

Veronica

My last box of Advil Cold and Sinus had 40 pills in it. I'm sure it differs from state to state, but 10 pills seems ridiculously low.

[Biciclista]

something tells me our friendly neighborhood meth labs aren't getting their ingredients from boxes of 10 (or 40) cold tablets... We're all inconvenienced and they've got a big illegal source.

[Pax]

I suggested that my local pharmacy put a scale by the register, if you're nice and plump like me you're obviously not involved with meth. :rolleyes:

[Owlie]

I miss my pseudoephedrine. Phenylephrine does nothing for me. When I lived in Cleveland, I didn't have a pharmacy nearby, so the Sudafed PE was pretty much the only thing I could get.

Not-at-all-dear headache: Please go away. I have a class from 5-7. I need to be able to actually pay attention and take notes and not flinch every time someone says anything above a normal conversational volume.

Dear body:
If you let me sleep more than three hours at a time, we wouldn't have this problem.

[jessmarimba]

Bethany, I'd also suggest that maybe you see if they can still give you the prescription for it. I've gotten prescriptions for Claritin even after it went over-the-counter, back when pharmacies advertised $4 generics but the OTC generics were twice as much.

[indysteel]

I suggested that my local pharmacy put a scale by the register, if you're nice and plump like me you're obviously not involved with meth. :rolleyes:

LOL. There's my belly laugh for the day.

[tulip]

Hey Bethany,
Do you have carpet in your house? I used to have allergies and asthma all the time, and then I moved to a house with no carpet (hardwood floors throughout). My allergies went away. Just a thought.

[indysteel]

Hey Bethany,
Do you have carpet in your house? I used to have allergies and asthma all the time, and then I moved to a house with no carpet (hardwood floors throughout). My allergies went away. Just a thought.

I wish I'd been as lucky. My allergies are no better in my carpetless new(ish) house than they were in my old carpeted house.

[redrhodie]

Get it from Amazon? 90 tablets for under $30. I bet that's how the meth cooks get it. :rolleyes:

http://www.amazon.com/Allegra-Hour-Allergy-Relief-180/dp/B004U40CYG/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

[smilingcat]

I heard that there was a new recipe for making meth. Bit more dangerous but it bypasses the need for pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

Why not just splatter on the internet with this new recipe so the idiots won't cook meth the current way.

Sometimes, I think our government over reacts. Another thing that is being controlled is Ammonium nitrate. Abundant quantities are used on farm for fertilizer. Okay so it was featured on Dept. of Ag. film on its use to remove tree stumps. And it was unfortunately used in Oklahoma bombing. This horrible incident caused the government to react by imposing strict traceability, accounting and security. Last I heard is that there is only one manufacture of the stuff in US. The rest gave up and stopped producing for the farmers saying that the control was so onerous that they either couldn't comply or was beyond cost prohibitive.

Back to Meth... Now there is a paper work to be filed when one tries to sell a house in Calif.

There is one that states whether anyone has died at the house during past five years.
There is one that states whether paint on the house is so old that there is potential for lead paint.
There is one that states that the house has smoke detectors AND CO detector installed.
There is one that states that the house may/may not or have been inspected for black mold.

and...

There is one that states whether the house was used for meth manufacturing.

Time for a blunt and mellow out. jk...

[indysteel]

Get it from Amazon? 90 tablets for under $30. I bet that's how the meth cooks get it. :rolleyes:

http://www.amazon.com/Allegra-Hour-Allergy-Relief-180/dp/B004U40CYG/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

That's just regular Allegra, without a decongestant.

I gotta starting getting my Allegra online. That's cheap.

[OakLeaf]

There are a lot of reasons I don't like to buy combination drugs, but there you go with another one.

Buy your Allegra in the biggest package it comes in (it doesn't do a thing for me anyway, so I don't know how it comes). Buy your pseudoephedrine in the 48-pack. Problem solved.

[Bethany1]

I blame cycling for my allergies. LOL. I was just fine until I've been outside all summer. Once the farmers start harvesting I bet it will get worse.

Yes I have carpet. Would love to dump it, but can't at the moment.

[Owlie]

I'm pretty sure the previous residents of my apartment had a cat or two. I don't get fall seasonal allergies, and I'm vaguely uncomfortable every morning now that I'm in the new place. :(

Dear neighbors:

I don't know if you realize this, but you are not the sole residents of the apartment complex, and other people do actually want to go to bed before 3 or 4 am. Furthermore, I'd like to inform you that these apartments have thin walls and no insulation, so sound carries, and that rain under no circumstances requires screaming like a two-year-old.
And stop leaving trash on your patio. It's nasty.

-Me.

[Eden]

Bethany, I'd also suggest that maybe you see if they can still give you the prescription for it. I've gotten prescriptions for Claritin even after it went over-the-counter, back when pharmacies advertised $4 generics but the OTC generics were twice as much.

I've been told that there is no more. I was getting generic Allegra by prescription. For a while after it went OTC I was still able to get it filled ($5 for 30 pills), but the last time I went they told me that the manufacturer was no longer shipping and that I'd have to go OTC, which costs about 5-6x as much. I guess when the generics go OTC the price will come back down, but for now I'll have to grin and bear it - or maybe order online.

*edit* ooooh - Costco has it.... that may be reason enough to keep the Costco subscription going 120 generic pills for $41 - still more expensive than my prescription was, but way cheaper than Safeway.

[withm]

CVS has generic Clariton (Lortadadine) in bottles up to 120 pills, for maybe $30. Sometimes a double pack is available.

[Eden]

CVS has generic Clariton (Lortadadine) in bottles up to 120 pills, for maybe $30. Sometimes a double pack is available.

Don't know about other folks - but I do not like or tolerate Claritin well.... drys me out, gives me the jitters and doesn't touch my allergy symptoms...

[Becky]

BJs has generic Zyrtec for $15 for 300 pills :)

[Eden]

BJs has generic Zyrtec for $15 for 300 pills :)

Zyrtec is way cheaper everywhere - anyone have any first hand experience about how it works compared to Allegra? Zyrtec does *not* make non-drowsy claims, which is what has kept me from trying it. I just need to get rid of my runny nose, I don't want to be sedated...

[Becky]

Zyrtec is way cheaper everywhere - anyone have any first hand experience about how it works compared to Allegra?

For me, Zyrtec and its generics work better than Allegra. I was on Allegra for ~1 year because that's what my insurance covered. When Zyrtec went OTC, I switched back.

I can't really explain why I like it more. I guess I just feel better.

[salsabike]

Zyrtec works very well for me--no drowsiness at all.

[Bethany1]

Zyrtec is dirt cheap. DH loves it. I do occasionally but doesn't seem to do much. It doesn't make me sleepy which is nice. I just have no desire to pay a fortune for the D part of any medication. I'd rather blow it on bike or quilting stuff. LOL.

It's the coughing that gets to me the most which is were the decongestant really helps.

[withm]

Odd - Zyrtec never did a thing for me but knock me out. I had to cut them in half. Never had any problem with Clariton - real or generic.

[snapdragen]

Zyrtec knocked me on my butt, even if I took it at night I'd have a hangover the next day. Claritin and Allegra didn't work either. Then I got allergy tested -- I am not allergic to anything. I have non-allergic rhinitis -- allergies without the allergies. :mad: Swell.

[OakLeaf]

Have you tried a challenge diet? Testing for food allergies is notoriously unreliable - although testing tends more toward false positives than false negatives, it surely couldn't hurt to try a challenge diet.

[jessmarimba]

DBF:

You really couldn't call tonight? Really? Or answer the phone?

Harumph.

[Owlie]

Zyrtec doesn't make me drowsy, but then, it doesn't look like I'm particularly susceptible to the anti-histamine drowsiness, since Benadryl doesn't really do anything in that regard either. Claratin doesn't touch my allergy symptoms, but it doesn't make me drowsy. Maybe I should try Allegra.

Dear weather,
Please make up your mind. Rain, or don't. Seriously. And now you want thunderstorms tomorrow? I was going to ride tomorrow!

Dear cable company,
You've had my order for two weeks. I called you to correct the payment information two days after placed the order. What the heck are you doing?

Dear self,
Get off TE and go look up recipes and directions so you can go to the grocery store and get home before it rains.

[jessmarimba]

Dear cat who threw up in my slippers at 4:30 this morning:

If you keep that up, I'm not only throwing out all of my plants, I'm shaving all of your fur off as well.

You're awfully lucky I threw you off the bed before you threw up on ME.

Yours truly,
hairball foot.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear jessmarimba,

I feel your pain. My cat throws up at a rate of once every couple of days. Sometimes he throws up twice a day if I'm lucky. All because he'll maul anyone who attempts to groom him. I think shaving might not be the worst idea... :p

Dear friend from high school,

thank you for always being the person who offers a solid, compassionate, steadying silence when I lose my head over life. A lot of times, that's exactly what's needed. I'm thankful you're in my life and I'm thankful you are willing to be that person. Thank you. :)

[Owlie]

Dear person I'm supposed to be shadowing:
Where are you? The PI said you get here around 10. It's 11. I've been here since 8. You're wasting my time--and it's a lovely day and I could be riding my bike.

Grr.

[Pax]

Dear co-worker,

You try to be a gruff and surly guy , but in reality you're very sweet. Thanks for the coffee shop gift card and the apology for being grumpy yesterday. :)

Signed,

Your happy co-worker

[spokewench]

dear co-worker,

you try to be a gruff and surly guy , but in reality you're very sweet. Thanks for the coffee shop gift card and the apology for being grumpy yesterday. :)

signed,

your happy co-worker

nice:d

[Eden]

Dear Side Walk Cyclist,

You're probably lucky I wasn't driving and I'm not your typical inattentive person on the road.... Not only were you riding relatively fast downhill on the sidewalk, you totally blew through a solid "don't walk" after the light was green for me.... What really blew my mind is that you giggled... Had I been a typical car driver, not been able to see as well, hear you, check myself from moving as quickly and also not looking for someone to come off the sidewalk like that... I might have hit you and it really would not have been a laughing matter. It wouldn't have been funny if I had started forward and you'd T-boned me on my bike either....

I'm generally willing to defend cyclists, even if they aren't doing something popular, as long as they are at least following the rules, but you girlie were really working hard at becoming a casualty and I would not have been able to defend you at all....

[Owlie]

Dear body (especially you, leg muscles!):
I think we need to do some work when it comes to the "running"/longer-distance brisk walking thing. We'll try that again tomorrow morning before I have to go into the lab. Fear not, we're going on a ride this weekend!

[redrhodie]

Dear Boss Lady,

Stop giving me bad stuff to work on. The bad stuff takes all day, and then we can't use it, because, you know, it's bad. Only now, it's bad + cost of labor, and that's worse than starting over right away would have been.

I'm trying to save you money. Trust me (and yourself) to know when something is bad, and get off YOUR butt and start over. It's going to happen in the end anyway, so just do it from the start, without torturing me first.

Dear Handsome Men of the LBS, Vegas Edition,

Bring me that. Thank you.

[Bethany1]

Dear Allegra,

I am banned from buying you until Saturday after going to the store to get more the other day. LOL. This is so stupid.


I hate allergies but I think I'm not buying your product any more. Stupid meth addicts.

[azfiddle]

Dear parents of high achieving students

Thank you so much for showing up to conferences today. It's always a pleasure to speak with you and praise the efforts of your hard-working and cooperative children.

Dear parents of struggling students- I sure wish that more of you would join us during parent-teacher conferences. Your kids need your help and support to get through 7th grade successfully, and we'd like to communicate with you about their strengths and difficulties so we can work together.

[marni]

Dear Side Walk Cyclist,

You're probably lucky I wasn't driving and I'm not your typical inattentive person on the road.... Not only were you riding relatively fast downhill on the sidewalk, you totally blew through a solid "don't walk" after the light was green for me.... What really blew my mind is that you giggled... Had I been a typical car driver, not been able to see as well, hear you, check myself from moving as quickly and also not looking for someone to come off the sidewalk like that... I might have hit you and it really would not have been a laughing matter. It wouldn't have been funny if I had started forward and you'd T-boned me on my bike either....

I'm generally willing to defend cyclists, even if they aren't doing something popular, as long as they are at least following the rules, but you girlie were really working hard at becoming a casualty and I would not have been able to defend you at all....

Some people should just get out of the gene pool.

[indysteel]

Dear Vacation Gods: Please make our Katy Trail tour a great one. In particular, I'd like good weather and good health. No storms--thunder or thyroid, no snake bites, no sinus infections or allergy attacks, etc., etc. Comfy beds, warm showers and good food would be nice, too.

Thank you,

Your usually enthusiastic, but slightly nervous this time around, servant

[Owlie]

Fingers crossed, Indy!

Dear university pool:
Thank you so much for having your open swim times be exactly when I don't have time! If they were in the evening (like 6pm-9pm), that would be great, but no, they're 12-6. I'm in class during all those times two days a week, and during the other three, I'm in a lab and my schedule is totally unpredictable. While I could theoretically swim on weekends, that's my riding/housework/catch-up on homework time.
Gr...
(Also, thanks for charging exorbitant locker fees.)

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear Allegra,

I am banned from buying you until Saturday after going to the store to get more the other day. LOL. This is so stupid.


I hate allergies but I think I'm not buying your product any more. Stupid meth addicts.

Bethany, UGH. That's...all kind of ridiculous.

Dear Pear Izumi shorts,

You guys were my last hope for trying to like padded shorts. Unfortunately, out of three rides, you've given me saddle sores TWICE. No amount of vaseline, antiseptic powder, scrubbing with soap before and after rides and Savlon would help. I'm sticking with the Orca 226 shorts from now on.

Now what am I to do with a perfectly new pair of tri shorts that suck?

[Eden]

Dear Allegra,

I am banned from buying you until Saturday after going to the store to get more the other day. LOL. This is so stupid.


I hate allergies but I think I'm not buying your product any more. Stupid meth addicts.

It's not Allegra's fault....(it will be the same with any decongestant of any brand)
If you want to blame someone it is the meth addicts and the FDA.....
You can get as much regular Allegra as you want, just not the decongestant kind.

[Biciclista]

Dear Alexis
you can sell your shorts here on TE. I have two pairs of shorts i have bought from other TE ladies and .. NO REGRETS!

[Crankin]

Dear MA Association of Mental Health Counselors,
You have a lot of nerve charging 400.00+ dollars for your exam review course. I've had 2 days of you reading to me from the book, all in preparation for today's simulations. This could have been done in 4 hours.
Plus, a presenter who has word finding problems and falls asleep when he other person is speaking is not fit to be a presenter. I know I chose this profession so I could work until I am old, but really, does this woman fall asleep when she is listening to her clients????
And your publications/transparencies are filled with spelling errors.

I won't even talk about the people in this class who have failed the exam 5 times and are out there working. How did you get a graduate degree?? I know it wasn't where I went to school.

[Owlie]

Dearest K:
I cannot imagine how difficult it was for you to share that...and how immensely more difficult it must have been to tell your family, given their religious background. I hope they're being as supportive as you deserve, and I hope you're doing better, physically and emotionally.

[jessmarimba]

Dear airlines:

Please cooperate today. I know I'm pushing it with this flight schedule but I'm already going to be up for 23 hours and I'd really really really like to make it home to sleep in my own bed tonight. Err, tomorrow morning.

Sleepily yours.

On the flip side, anyone in Oakland, CA want to grab coffee this afternoon?

[tulip]

Dear Neighbor,
In case you hadn't noticed, the hurricane is long gone and we've had power back for weeks. The fact that your life is so chaotic isn't any of my business. EXCEPT when you don't pay your electric bill and run the <beep>ing generator for the last two weeks. The neighbors have been more than generous with giving you plenty of time to get your act together and get the power back on. That has ended, and I have called the cops to report you. I will continue to call the cops until you shut the damn thing off and keep it off. Given your past and ongoing troubles with the law, I'm sure you'll be thrilled at this development.

Your sleepless neighbor,
Tulip

PS, and don't give be any BS excuse about not having income because your "business" dried up. If that picks back up, you can be sure I'll start calling the cops for that reason, too. If you haven't noticed, we don't like drug dealers on our street. The most blissful week around here was the one you were in the slammer.

[Bethany1]

Dear Store Clerk,

I can't believe store policy is to ask for my birthdate just to get Nyquil now. I suppose that's going to be behind the counter soon as well? I'm not mad, just found it absolutely hilarious given my Allegra-D issues.

At least my cold is over now.


Dear DH,

Thank you for taking care of me while I was sick.

[Catrin]

Dear Local Television News Cast,

I understand that we haven't had a good rain since early June, I get that. Is that, however, any reason to send your anchor out into the pre-dawn rain to report on it? Why is a simple rain news-worthy outside of the weather report, or at least more than a seconds reference? Surely the news isn't THAT slow...

Perplexed

[Owlie]

Catrin,
It probably is that slow. You guys don't have Over-the-Rhine to make up for otherwise-slow news days. ;)

Dear self--
I know the internet is all shiny and everything, but get off it and at least go to campus to pay your bill. The interwebs will be here when you get back.

Dear Case sweatshirt:
Sadly, you are getting to the point where you are no longer wearable anywhere but home. Clearly I need a replacement...eventually.

[Biciclista]

Dear so and so.
now my doctor is retiring? I finally found a female doctor that I feel comfortable with, who is wise, understanding, listens and she's retiring!???
Now I have to go find ANOTHER doctor, but now someone much younger than I am who just doesn't get a lot of the stuff my doctor and I have gone through together??
AM I really getting THAT OLD??

[Crankin]

Mimi, my ob-gyn is in her forties, but she is a tri athlete, so she totally understands my lifestyle, which is more than i can say for my pcp. I used to see her at the gym at 5:30 AM! She also lost 160 lbs. a few years ago, and really pushes the healthy lifestyle bit on patients. One of my (overweight) friends stopped going to her because of it.
So don't rule out someone younger...

[Biciclista]

she's in the wrong state! :(
I know they're out there, I just have to find one... but I was happy with the one I had...

[Pax]

I hear you Mimi, my much beloved dermatologist is leaving the area. She takes her time, listens, is very careful and thorough... now I'll have to go back to the guy that zooms around the room like the energizer bunny on crack. I could have a 6"x6" patch of skin cancer on my face and he'd miss it. :mad:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi, for years I went to a series of female nurse practioners for my gyno needs and checkups. I was happy with them. Then for various reasons I needed to change and wound up getting a man gynocologist- something I thought I'd never do again. Well after all my doubts, turns out I got lucky -he is very in synch with my own beliefs and I feel like it's a great match of doctor patient. Sometimes changes actually work out for the better even when it seems unlikely. :)

[tulip]

Dear Police Department,
Seriously, running a generator day and night for weeks on end when there's no power emergency is not illegal? There's not some public nuisance law or noise ordinance or something, ANYTHING? This guy can just run his generator day and night, night and day and no one can do anything about it? We haven't slept in weeks, see, because this bozo idiot drug dealer felon guy on our block chooses not to pay his electric bill and then runs a generator all the time. He obviously chooses to pay his cable bill, though, because he's watching football every night there's a game. And there's only one reason I can think of to run a generator all night, and it is not because of the fridge. Grow lights take alot of energy. Just sayin' might want to check the basement next time you get a call to go to that house, which will be EVERY NIGHT UNTIL HE TURNS OFF THE DAMN GENERATOR!

* * *
Dear Neighbor,
You suck. Everyone on the block has given you time and understanding, and you pay us back by running your generator for weeks without any regard to anyone else. Somehow you cannot find enough money in your life to pay the electric bill, but funny, you seem to have cable running...for all the football games...hmmm, how does that work? Oh, and you might just want to keep that dealing a bit more under wraps. Police might take more notice from here on out. Just sayin'.

[Owlie]

Dear chain tea retailer:
Really? I could live with you discontinuing my favorite (possibly now second-favorite?) oolong. I could also live with you discontinuing one of the flavored black teas--it was good, but it wasn't *that* good. But my black jasmine, that one Chinese black tea and my absolute favorite Assam? :mad: I have the feeling that all but your most expensive "straight" black teas are all on the chopping block and will be replaced by something not noticeably better but much more expensive. I'll be buying a few more ounces of the stuff I like before it's gone. I wish I could say "sayonara" forever, but you do have a couple teas I really like that I can't find elsewhere. Grr.

[jessmarimba]

Tulip, I'd wonder if the cable is legal either. Maybe you should report that, comcast or time-Warner or whoever might react faster!

[Becky]

Tulip, it may not be a noise violation, but it may be an environmental one. Might be worth looking into....

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this deadbeat :(

[Eden]

Dear online retailer,

I'm going to give you a chance to make this right, but we're now playing by my rules.... After waiting for you to ship for nearly two weeks after I ordered said item, and two inquiries about when you would be sending it, you sent me the wrong item (a cheaper older version of what I actually ordered), so the ball is in your court to fix it. If I don't get either an exchange for what I actually ordered (now listed as unavailable on your web site) with you shipping it overnight and including a shipping label for me to send the incorrect item back or an offer to let me keep what you shipped, while immediately refunding me the difference, plus a discount (because not only is it not what I ordered or really wanted, but the box has been opened the item has been used and there is a piece missing....), I'll be taking the matter up with my credit card company (and maybe the BBB, the NY state atty general... who ever else I can think of).

You have a lousy reputation and I've now read other people's accounts of very similar situations.... but if you think you can scam me, you've got another thing coming.... I have a part time job, free long distance and a lot of patience...

[Pax]

Eden - could you share the name of the company so the rest of us can give them a wide berth?

[lph]

Dear male downhill instructor,

just because we're women, haven't tried downhill before and are over 35, some of us even over 45, does not mean that we're:
a) stupid
b) nervous
c) unathletic
d) timid
e) completely unacquainted with bikes. (I mean honestly... :D)

Between the six of us we have something like 100 years of collective experience with trail riding, road riding, bike repair, horse racing, xc skiing, telemark, snowboarding, rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing, kayaking and river kayaking, which we would gladly have told you if you'd bothered to ask... and your telling us things like: "it's ok to be nervous girls", and "nah, that suspension is fine, you don't know what it's supposed to be like" just made you look pretty stupid, to tell you the truth.

Oh, and that's why we didn't come drink beer with you that evening, btw. You ignoring us to chat and highfive with your buddies whenever they were around wasn't too endearing either.

Dear downhill rental bike shop,
when I asked, nicely, for a woman instructor if you had one, this is pretty much the reason why. Women are rarely that dumb. :rolleyes:

[Eden]

Eden - could you share the name of the company so the rest of us can give them a wide berth?

It's not bike related, but rather the professional side of my life... but I'm more than happy to let everyone I can think of know to steer clear...

I order a small back drive/viewer (its basically so that I don't need multiple memory cards when I travel - it has a CF reader and you simply dump the card onto the viewer - it stores the photographs and has an LCD screen for looking at them) for my photographs from an online camera store called Tristate Camera. The only reason I went (with reservations) with this company is that I didn't really need or want a huge drive, and this was the only place I could find selling the 40GB version of the brand I wanted. Everyone else has the newest models, which start at 120GB.

They sent me an older model with a much smaller LCD screen (the size of which is entire reason for the price difference and also why I wanted the particular model that I ordered - I wanted the bigger screen...). Not only that the box had been opened (scotch taped shut) and there was an item missing from it and no (but not sure if there ever were any) warranty cards. This model is listed at $60 cheaper than the one I ordered and was charged for (and which is out of stock on their web site now....)

I knew something was up when I had to contact them twice just to get them to ship - and it took 10 days just to get the thing to UPS, then another week to ship..... (I ordered on Sept. 2). I figured they didn't have it and they would make excuses, try to get me to buy something else and cancel the order, but when they did ship it, I had hopes...

I called them on the phone this morning... the guy didn't seem at all surprised or even question me about it being the wrong item.... All he would do is blame "his supplier" and tell me that he was cheated too (actually he tried to say they just get them shipped directly from the manufacturer - which was a blatant lie - the manufacturer isn't selling that model themselves anymore and I called him out on that....), but anyway the thing was shipped with their invoice, from their address so that's a load of bull cocky anyway.....

They offered to refund the difference plus $10 (which is only about 5% of original price) and I said not acceptable - it is not what I ordered, not what I wanted and $10 isn't equal to the amount of hassle that I've been put through, not to mention the opened state of the item, the missing piece.

I told him that I wanted a full refund and that I wanted a pre-paid shipping label and he did at least send me that - but he also sent me return paperwork that only offers a trade or credit (I wrote in refund), specifies a 35% restocking fee and charges for both shipping both ways.... I included a letter stating that it was their mistake and I expect a full 100% refund with absolutely no money deducted period.

We shall see what happens when they get it back... I'm not afraid to get the BBB and Visa involved... I wonder if Visa ever revokes the credit privileges of companies with multiple complaints...

For me... I'm going to suck it up, order a new model off of Amazon... (the 120GB new models are only about $75 more) at least I know I can trust them...

[jessmarimba]

Eek! I've pretty much always used B&H for camera stuff. Thanks for letting us know!

[Hi Ho Silver]

It's not bike related, but rather the professional side of my life... but I'm more than happy to let everyone I can think of know to steer clear...

I order a small back drive/viewer (its basically so that I don't need multiple memory cards when I travel - it has a CF reader and you simply dump the card onto the viewer - it stores the photographs and has an LCD screen for looking at them) for my photographs from an online camera store called Tristate Camera. The only reason I went (with reservations) with this company is that I didn't really need or want a huge drive, and this was the only place I could find selling the 40GB version of the brand I wanted. Everyone else has the newest models, which start at 120GB.

...snip


For me... I'm going to suck it up, order a new model off of Amazon... (the 120GB new models are only about $75 more) at least I know I can trust them...


Sorry about your problem. Tristate has always had a bad reputation, as do many of the electronics/photography stores. Starting in 1980 (Yes, I know that's almost prehistoric :o ), I've ordered a lot of photography related items via phone and internet and the only stores I trust are B&H and Adorama. Amazon has always been reliable too. I hope it all works out okay for you.

[Eden]

Eek! I've pretty much always used B&H for camera stuff. Thanks for letting us know!

Yeah - I get stuff from B&H too, never any problems ordering from them - unfortunately they don't have any of the smaller drive ones.... they do have the 120GB at the same price Amazon does, so maybe I'll just go with them.

It's not that I don't know that there are a lot of less than reputable electronics/camera goods dealers in Brooklyn....but really, I figured this thing would be relatively safe... it wasn't actually a smoking deal or anything as far as value for the money the new ones are probably actually a bit better, but even the smallest one now has so much more hard drive space that they automatically start at a higher price... it's not an item that you can really up-sell, there aren't (as far I as I know) gray market versions of it... geeze... how wrong can you be...

Sigh.... I didn't really want to to spend $300 on this, when the 40GB drive would do just fine.... I could just chuck it all and buy some more CF cards. One of the reasons that I was going with the drive was that it worked out to be about the same amount of $$ GB per GB as buying (cheap) CF cards and I could use it to show photographs. I do need something though. I'm going away for a whole month and I'm not taking a computer...

[Crankin]

MY DH had a horrible problem with a camera place online a few years ago and I am wondering if this is the same place. It was in NY. He put out some horrible reviews online, somewhere, and received a call from the place to PLEASE stop and they would fix the situation. Maybe you should do this, if you don't get satisfaction.

[Eden]

MY DH had a horrible problem with a camera place online a few years ago and I am wondering if this is the same place. It was in NY. He put out some horrible reviews online, somewhere, and received a call from the place to PLEASE stop and they would fix the situation. Maybe you should do this, if you don't get satisfaction.

Oh indeed - I've been searching down every review site I can find and I'll keep doing it....

I've come up with a solution. I found a used 1st gen 64gb Ipad at a local and reputable dealer. I'll get the camera connection kit and then I'll have my storage and a very, very nice display... It was a bit more expensive than a stand alone store/viewer, but not much... and it will be useful for other things too.

[bmccasland]

Dear Knee,
Would you stop hurting?! :mad: I didn't do that much to you today, why the grief? Little bit of twisting to load luggage, then a stroll in the city park. Stop! Enough! I see 800 mg of motrin in my future.

[jessmarimba]

Oh indeed - I've been searching down every review site I can find and I'll keep doing it....

I've come up with a solution. I found a used 1st gen 64gb Ipad at a local and reputable dealer. I'll get the camera connection kit and then I'll have my storage and a very, very nice display... It was a bit more expensive than a stand alone store/viewer, but not much... and it will be useful for other things too.

Very cool! Someday I'd like an ipad, it would make flying so much more entertaining.


Dear contact solution makers:

4 ounces has not been an acceptable travel size for FIVE YEARS. Do you realize how much money you're missing out on? And how frustrated you make all of us contact lens wearers? You pick the ONE thing that I can't just buy in bulk and repackage, and still can't make it right. aowiejfa;iwj;awijefa;oija;oegh.

*sigh*

[Becky]

Dear contact solution makers:

4 ounces has not been an acceptable travel size for FIVE YEARS. Do you realize how much money you're missing out on? And how frustrated you make all of us contact lens wearers? You pick the ONE thing that I can't just buy in bulk and repackage, and still can't make it right. aowiejfa;iwj;awijefa;oija;oegh.

*sigh*

It is....if you go through the hassle of declaring it :(

Check with your eye doctor. They often get 2-oz. sample bottles. I was able to get a travel bottle of RepleniSH this way. Thankfully my solution of choice, Clear Care, is available in 3 oz. bottles.

[Owlie]

Dear line at coffee shop:
I realize the fact that I didn't eat breakfast this morning was my fault, but could you leave or dissipate or something? I'm hungry!

[Desert Tortoise]

Dear gyno,

You can be a good doctor and understand women's health very well, but do you have to do be so harsh about it? I tried explaining what a rough last year and half have been, my struggle to drop the weight regained and you just tell me I need more exercising and better eating. And not very kindly. Didn't you hear the part about how I understand all of that, it's the getting back into the routines and not feeling so darned tired all the time. I'm mostly used to your ways and have learned to not dwell on them. So....

Dear allergist,

Thank you for being so warm and kind, listening to my health struggles and interested in working to find a solution. AND you were genuinely happy for me that I started biking regularly again and encouraged me to keep it. You were also happy for me that I'm dropping weight again. When I complained of the glacier pace, you said it said as long as it's going down and am exercising I am moving in the right direction. You were awesome to focus on what's right. Thanks, I didn't realize what a lift I needed and you did it.

[Blueberry]

Thankfully my solution of choice, Clear Care, is available in 3 oz. bottles.

And the Costco box has been re-done, and now includes 2 large bottles and a 3 oz bottle. Hooray!!

[Becky]

And the Costco box has been re-done, and now includes 2 large bottles and a 3 oz bottle. Hooray!!

I was so happy to discover that! Not only is it (a lot) cheaper at the warehouse store, but it's now more convenient :)

[Owlie]

Dear self: Get off the internet and do work. And plug your computer back in...

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear week,

Is it the moon phase or something? This week at school has been....I don't actually have words for it. Its been the funny, infuriating, amusing and I really don't know what else.

[Owlie]

Dear cyclist outside: You need new bar tape. Seriously. It doesn't seem to be attached to anything!

Dear week:
Are you done yet? And do I have to go to this conference on Friday?

Dear self:
Get on a schedule or something. I know you're a night owl, but you have to get up early.

Dear universe:
Getting up at 6 or 7 am so I can park and go to class at 1pm is slightly absurd. Please somehow persuade the undergrads that they don't really need to go to class every day.

[Biciclista]

Dear Week
i am already through with you. worn out, families with loved ones getting cancer treatment SHOULD NOT entertain more than 2 guests, even a pot luck. crap, have to get through today and tomorrow. bleah.
how come LAST week was so much faster than THIS week?
m

[lph]

well... if there is a God, I'm pretty sure (s)he does have expert bike handling! :D


though I can't say I've seen much of it recently

[Blueberry]

Dear Week
i am already through with you. worn out, families with loved ones getting cancer treatment SHOULD NOT entertain more than 2 guests, even a pot luck. crap, have to get through today and tomorrow. bleah.
how come LAST week was so much faster than THIS week?
m

(((((mimi)))))))
Here's hoping the rest of the week goes smoothly and quickly.

[Blueberry]

Dear New Hairstylist:

You rock. Thank you!! You listen, you ask questions and you're awesome. Plus, you're a LOT less expensive than the last person I saw. I can tip you well and still come out less expensive!

[smilingcat]

Dear bicycle,

Why are you making my rides so hard!!? :p

[maillotpois]

Dear older wiser dog - why are you suddenly blatantly eating the cat food -right in front of us?!?! Even the younger, stupider dog is smart enough not to do that. Is there doggie Alzheimers?

[emily_in_nc]

Dear older wiser dog - why are you suddenly blatantly eating the cat food -right in front of us?!?! Even the younger, stupider dog is smart enough not to do that. Is there doggie Alzheimers?

Yes... http://holisticvetpetcare.com/cognitive-dysfunction-syndrome.htm

But most likely, your dog just likes the cat's food! :D

[PamNY]

Dear Week
i am already through with you. worn out, families with loved ones getting cancer treatment SHOULD NOT entertain more than 2 guests, even a pot luck. crap, have to get through today and tomorrow. bleah.
how come LAST week was so much faster than THIS week?
m

Ah, Mimi. Hugs to you.

Do you need some encouragement about setting limits? Just let me know. I am, at long last, an expert on such things.

[maillotpois]

Probably - but it is such aberrant behavior that is seems odd. This was the perfect dog, and this is just willfully bad behavior.

[Bethany1]

Dear Doc,

Since you decided to take 4 vials of my blood, you had better find something. I just hope it's something simple and easy to fix. I'm tired of sleeping 24/7 and not being able to enjoy life right now.

He's thinking my thyroid is off causing all the problems this summer, but is doing more testing since Mono is going around the schools and I have had teenagers at my house all summer. I think he was going to check for diabetes as well.

[Bethany1]

Dear Nurse,

Thank you for doing such a great job in getting the blood tests done. So many nurses can't find a vein and end up digging for one since my veins don't like to show up.

And it's nice to know my blood pressure is 113 over something. Before I started cycling it was much higher. However; I still think your weight scale is rigged.

[Owlie]

A friend's dog has doggie Alzheimer's. He doesn't know where home is any more, so if they let him out into the backyard, someone has to go with him to make sure he doesn't run off somewhere. :(

Dear professor:
It seems like you expect us to know the content of your course before we get here. What would be the point of taking your course (other than the department requiring it), if that were the case? Stop treating us all like we're stupid for not getting it the first time around. It would also really help if you would actually explain things instead of waffling around them and hoping your slides are correct. (Not all of them are, by the way.)
While we're at it, it would be nice if you would give an answer to my questions, rather than saying "I'll be covering that next quarter" and going off on a tangent...like asking about something that I haven't seen for at least two years and acting like I'm stupid for not remembering it.
Also: I don't know if your ignorance is showing, if you're trying to be funny, or if you genuinely are a jerk, but saying things to the international students that hint that their home is a third world country isn't a good idea. (And making potentially politically-charged comments about said country isn't a good idea either.)
I'm also not entirely convinced that you think I'm a native English speaker...

[Becky]

Dear jack@ss at the pool:

Yes, I realize that you don't want to share a lane. Most people don't. But it was crowded this morning, so suck it up, buttercup. Asking me to go swim somewhere else was just rude. Also, you were by no means "faster than anyone else", as if that somehow precludes you from splitting or circling. Fortunately, the elite triathlete in the lane next to you is nicer, more humble, and more accomodating. Unfortunately, you managed to ruin my swim and my morning.

In talking with some of the nicer swimmers, I learned that you already have a reputation for being a jerk, for having terrible form, and for being the last person that anyone wants to share with due to your ability to clobber people on your recovery stroke.

I just wish that I knew your name. Since I don't, I'll let karma take care of you.

Smoochies,
Angry

[Biciclista]

dear Maillotpois
you know, when dogs get older, one of the things they specialize in is manipulation. If an older dog THINKS he can get away with eating cat food, he's going to try it. Give him points for thinking outside of the box!

[OakLeaf]

Give him points for thinking outside of the box!

Based on dogs I've known, I'd give him points for thinking outside the litterbox. :cool:


Dear Mimi: ((((((hugs))))))

[jessmarimba]

Dear self:

Stop deciding to put important things "someplace safe." You'll never find them again.

[Pax]

based on dogs i've known, i'd give him points for thinking outside the litterbox. :cool:


lol!!! :D

[azfiddle]

Good one Mimi!

[Owlie]

Dear self:

Stop deciding to put important things "someplace safe." You'll never find them again.

This is what happens in my family. We've lost spare keys, photos and a variety of other things this way.

[maillotpois]

dear Maillotpois
you know, when dogs get older, one of the things they specialize in is manipulation. If an older dog THINKS he can get away with eating cat food, he's going to try it. Give him points for thinking outside of the box!

I like this!


Dear self:

Stop deciding to put important things "someplace safe." You'll never find them again.

I did this with our passports once. :rolleyes:

[Biciclista]

Dear self:

Stop deciding to put important things "someplace safe." You'll never find them again.

my mother has lost more stuff this way. It scares me. I tell you, when we have to clean out her house (when she is no longer with us) it will be a treasure hunt. We'll have to be really careful to check EVERYTHING and not just toss stuff.

[PamNY]

Dear Occupy Wall Street protestors,

You are not occupying Wall Street. You are occupying a small park near my home which is our only green space. It's where working people eat the lunch they bought from street vendors, who are now losing money thanks to you.

You are not bothering the captains of industry with your all-day drumming and shouting. At night, they are driven to their suburban homes with big lawns. It's me who listens to your endless noise, and I don't control Wall Street.

Bless your idealistic young hearts, we want our little park back.

[jessmarimba]

This is what happens in my family. We've lost spare keys, photos and a variety of other things this way.

I've been missing the spare key (actually the real key) to my car for two years. I went to pull a laptop bag out of the closet for a trip to Cleveland a couple days ago and the key was in a mesh pocket in the front. Must've been where I decided to pack it when I moved. I'm leaving it in the middle of the kitchen counter for the time being so I can't lose it again!



Dear "friends" -

I don't understand why ALL of you ignore my calls/texts/attempts to communicate. Obviously I am the common denominator, so I must be the problem here, but will one of you tell me why you're ignoring me?

Signed,
Bored and lonely

[Reesha]

Dear people who stole my scooter,

You suck!

Ima gonna stick a GPS tracker in my next one so the cops can bust your $$@ if you lay your sticky fingers on it.

Have a nice day :)

[jessmarimba]

Oh, and dear bike clinic -

Offering to comp me a spot at the camp this weekend since I paid for a camp I couldn't make in August was very sweet. Telling me two days before the clinic that you don't have room for me (despite the fact that I can still register - if I pay again - on your website) is just crappy. Thanks a lot. I hope that $35 was worth it to you, since it was a week's grocery money for me.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Probably - but it is such aberrant behavior that is seems odd. This was the perfect dog, and this is just willfully bad behavior.

Actually, cat food is higher in protein than dog food. So it contains more meat and is probably much, much tastier. When I have a dog over, I leave the cat's food on top of a table where the dog can't get to it...

[Pax]

Dear people who stole my scooter,

You suck!

Ima gonna stick a GPS tracker in my next one so the cops can bust your $$@ if you lay your sticky fingers on it.

Have a nice day :)

Thieves suck! Sorry bout your scoot Reesha. :(

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear world and everyone around me,

I am VERY tired of navigating social interactions this week. Please stop making me have to do that or pointing out my mistakes in socially interacting with others or trying to make me laugh at my own mistakes. Its a really sensitive point for me, I know I don't do it well or right just about all the time, CUT ME SOME SLACK.

[Biciclista]

Dear Alexis_the_tiny (I love that name) here is some slack use it liberally.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Mimi, you made me laugh, thank you. Hope you're doing well, have a nice big helping of slack if you need some of it too. :)

[Owlie]

Dear parents,
While it's great that you're going to come up today, couldn't you have told me when sometime before 10 this morning? I could have gotten a ride in!

(Well, okay, I couldn't have, because I was asleep, but that's not the point...)

Dear body:
We got a whole 9 hours of sleep last night! I know we've been short the whole week, but please stop wanting to crawl back into bed. We have things to do.
Oh, and left calf--please stop hurting. I don't think I actually did anything to you.

[Crankin]

Dear Men's Clothing Manufacturers,

I guess vanity sizing has now entered the men's market. I am looking for a simple, but nice birthday present for DH. I know what brands fit him, yet no store (I am so desperate that I went to the locally owned active wear store that charges twice what I would pay on line) has a size small. Now, he is not super skinny, but he is thin, and he's 5' 7". Why don't you carry size small?
His birthday is Monday and it is looking like he will be present-less.
Of course, I can't give him what he wants... not to be 55 years old!

[snapdragen]

Actually, cat food is higher in protein than dog food. So it contains more meat and is probably much, much tastier. When I have a dog over, I leave the cat's food on top of a table where the dog can't get to it...

Which is why dogs also loooooooooooooove cat poop. :rolleyes:

[snapdragen]

Dear Men's Clothing Manufacturers,

I guess vanity sizing has now entered the men's market. I am looking for a simple, but nice birthday present for DH. I know what brands fit him, yet no store (I am so desperate that I went to the locally owned active wear store that charges twice what I would pay on line) has a size small. Now, he is not super skinny, but he is thin, and he's 5' 7". Why don't you carry size small?
His birthday is Monday and it is looking like he will be present-less.
Of course, I can't give him what he wants... not to be 55 years old!

55 is a lovely age!

snap "soon to be there too" dragen.

[OakLeaf]

Actually, cat food is higher in protein than dog food.

It's true, I never knew a dog who wouldn't eat cat food given the opportunity. But you made me think, if this is new behavior for maillotpois's aging dog, maybe he's having absorption issues and needs different food???

[NbyNW]

Which is why dogs also loooooooooooooove cat poop. :rolleyes:

Oh! that explains A LOT.

[ultraviolet]

Dear new neighbor,

Please learn how to park your car. You shouldn't leave it hanging over into the alley, because that inconveniences everyone and increases the chances it will be hit. And you shouldn't pull it up to the very edge of the other parking area behind our building because that blocks the walkway for all of us and makes it difficult for me to pull into or out of my space without almost hitting your car. You're a PhD candidate, for crap's sake (in a field that's all about understanding and solving human problems, no less). Surely you're smart enough to figure out that what you've been doing is an annoyance for many. So, are you stupid or just inconsiderate?

On the other hand, thanks for being one more example of why I'm extremely skeptical about the intelligence and capabilities of people who have come out of that particular graduate program. I haven't hired any of you yet, and I think that trend has a strong chance of continuing.

Love,
Me.

[Blueberry]

Dear World:

Enough already. Do we really need a roof leak (that we can't afford) on top of everything else?? The economy stinks, jobs are short, we're doing everything we can, and it's still not enough. I have my doubts that anything anyone in Washington is doing or thinking about doing would help us even one little bit:mad::mad:

Signed,

Tired and Frustrated

[Biciclista]

Dear Blueberry, I think you are right. :(

[Owlie]

Dear pharmacokinetics professor, AGAIN:
Either your slides are wrong, or every other source is wrong. Also, it would help if you could define variables in your presentation...

[Pax]

Dear Blueberry, I think you are right. :(

Yup.

[feral1]

Dear Flying Squirrels,
I know it's warmer in my bedroom on cool nights and I am a "rodent lady" after all but I wish you would stay outside. I don't like being woken up at all hours to catch you and then have you squeek at me like I am killing you. You are however entertaining my cat who thinks it's enjoyable to just watch his toys come alive and run around the room! So anyway could you cute little squeekers please stay OUTSIDE I have enough animals to take care of..........

Love,

The lady with the socks on her hands

[badgercat]

Dear local cycling buddy's body,

It's not fair for you to be failing on someone so young and full of life. We're going to do everything we can to help him make it, and we're prepared to put up quite a fight on his behalf.

Sincerely,
friends, customers, and local cyclists

PS: any TE'ers who believe in prayer / warm thoughts / good vibes, some would really be appreciated for the success of a very major procedure he's having tomorrow morning. <3

[azfiddle]

Badgecat- I will be thinking good thoughts for your friend to get through the procedure.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear local cycling buddy's body,

It's not fair for you to be failing on someone so young and full of life. We're going to do everything we can to help him make it, and we're prepared to put up quite a fight on his behalf.

Sincerely,
friends, customers, and local cyclists

PS: any TE'ers who believe in prayer / warm thoughts / good vibes, some would really be appreciated for the success of a very major procedure he's having tomorrow morning. <3

Badgecat, loads of good vibes your way. Hope he'll come out of it doing great..

[badgercat]

Thanks azfiddle and alexis_the_tiny... if this is successful (which we won't know for at least a couple days), we can be cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to wait for an organ transplant that he needs. Scary, scary stuff, but we're all hoping for the best.

[Trek420]

Yup.

Yup.

[bmccasland]

Azfiddle - warm healing thoughts to your friend. Had a colleague that got to be in the "severe effects" statistics group from having mono. Too dang young to need a liver transplant, which fortuately he received in time.

May your friend's stint on the wait list be short with a long-life outcome.

[limewave]

Dear Co-Worker,

Your statement to me "I apologize if you thought this was approved . . ." followed by a long list of changes was more off-putting than you can imagine. I thought it was approved because you told me it was approved AND you checked it off AND your signature is clearly written on the "Approved" signature line. Corrections and changes . . . no biggie, that happens, I understand. However, condescension, denial and displacing blame I do not.

And you wonder why there is dissension between our departments.

Sigh.

Limewave

[lph]

Yuck. That's like saying "I'm sorry if you feel hurt", and expecting it to sound like a real apology.

[badgercat]

Thanks for the warm thoughts for my friend... the procedure got pushed back to tomorrow, pending insurance struggles. More waiting...

so, Dear Money--why don't you grow on trees?
or better yet: Dear American Health Care System--why are you so bass-ackwards sometimes?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yuck. That's like saying "I'm sorry if you feel hurt", and expecting it to sound like a real apology.

There is a world of difference between "I'm sorry if you feel hurt" and "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings". The first one takes no responsibility for the event and creates a distance between cause and effect- makes it clear the hurt feelings have nothing to do with them but rather are your own baggage.

I recently received an even better response from a 'friend' recently after I felt I just had to let her know that her repeated actions on two occasions really hurt my feelings. I figured she'd want to figure out together with me how to fix things. Instead, and I quote her email directly:
"Im sorry if this hurts you. That was not my intent."

Classic therapy-speak! :eek: :mad:
Like I should be happy with that? and like it's perfectly fine to continue doing things that hurt someone's feelings as long as you don't set out to do it intentionally? She went on to matter-of-factly list her reasons for what she did, with no further references to my feelings at all. Hmm.

Needless to say, her priorities became clear to me, I get the message, and she's now an acquaintance rather than a friend.

[VeganBikeChick]

Dear Friend,

We've been planning to see the concert tomorrow night for over a month now. It's just like Murphy's Law for your kids to get sick today and you cancelling for tomorrow. When will my black cloud disappear?

Signed,
Forever Destined to Bad Luck

[Bethany1]

Dear Santa Fe,

I'm sorry I haven't been able to get you to the dealer to see why the check engine light is on but did you have to pick today to finally die on me?

I only needed to drive to Lincoln for several important errands/appointments and to take you to the dealer and get you fixed. I hadn't forgotten about you. Really.

Please be something simple.


Your driver

[withm]

Before you drive your car with the check engine light on, I'd call the dealer first and discuss it. It may be on because it's time to change the emmissions sensor.

Or it may be on because something is SERIOUSLY wrong with the car. You should probably get it towed.

The towing bill will be a lot less than replacing the engine, or the entire car when it dies 10 miles down the road.

Learned the hard way.

[Bethany1]

I called up the local Ford dealer 3/4 of a mile away hoping they could look at my Santa Fe. Last thing I want to do is tow it 80 miles to the dealer. They came over and said I needed a new battery and would run a diagnostic check. Probably cost me a fortune just to have them come down the 3/4 mile to start it up.

I'm getting what they had, a portable battery starter. Cables suck because you need another car. I have 70,000 miles on it so any sensor work would be covered under warranty.

I'm just grateful it died in the driveway and not somewhere else.

Everyone around me works or I would have had some help from a neighbor and driven it down.

[indysteel]

FWIW, you don't necessarily need to go to a dealer to get a check engine light checked. Most repair shops should have the diagnostic tools needed, especially for domestic cars.

[Bethany1]

Dear Ford Dealer,

Thank you for putting in a new battery. It's nice to know you had one for my Santa Fe. You didn't charge me a fortune and didn't take forever to do it.

[marni]

Dear Ford Dealer,

Thank you for putting in a new battery. It's nice to know you had one for my Santa Fe. You didn't charge me a fortune and didn't take forever to do it.

this is one of the reasons that I appreciate my premium AAA membership. They have come promptly,(to the driveway) checked out my battery/ignition, towed or fixed the problems, both times at no additional charge to me beyond materials. It has paid for itself.

marni

[channlluv]

+1 to the premium AAA memberbship. I've used it several times.

Roxy

[tulip]

+1 to the premium AAA memberbship. I've used it several times.

Roxy
And the AAA car insurance rates were/are over 50% less than Gieco's for me. I'm very pleased with that.

[OakLeaf]

Dear drunk guy at the concert who was yelling so loud and at such inappropriate times that you actually distracted the singer and made him start a verse over again, then chatted through all the songs so that everyone else was distracted too,

I hope you woke up this morning with a screaming headache, remembering everything, and were mortified at your behavior.



Dear driving instructor who buzzed me on Saturday,

I hope you heard and understood what I said when I caught up with you at a stoplight and hollered, "Teach them about safe passing distance, okay, thanks." I just wish I'd paid closer attention to what school you work for so I could have reported you, but I was really trying hard to be polite and educate you.

[indysteel]

Dear drunk guy at the concert who was yelling so loud and at such inappropriate times that you actually distracted the singer and made him start a verse over again, then chatted through all the songs so that everyone else was distracted too,

That is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's hard to buy a concert ticket anymore for less than $50, so why do people go and then talk and drink all the way through it? It seems like it would be a lot cheaper to just hang out with your friends at a bar.

[bmccasland]

Dear People who had the project before I did,
Thank you ever so much for NOT coordinating with the state regulatory agency. I really enjoyed today's meeting where I found out just how broken things are. :mad:

Instead of shepherding through the final regulatory stages, I get to fix the mess. :mad: I would have been much happier knowing there were design issues - to the point it's been questioned certain components will even function. OOOOh I can't wait to have the contractor who did Phase I to help me out of this Phase II hole.

[jessmarimba]

Dear People who had the project before I did,
Thank you ever so much for NOT coordinating with the state regulatory agency. I really enjoyed today's meeting where I found out just how broken things are. :mad:

Instead of shepherding through the final regulatory stages, I get to fix the mess. :mad: I would have been much happier knowing there were design issues - to the point it's been questioned certain components will even function. OOOOh I can't wait to have the contractor who did Phase I to help me out of this Phase II hole.

Ooh boy I hope that wasn't me!!

[alexis_the_tiny]

Badgercat, I hope all went well for your friend. Insurance problems stink...

[Biciclista]

Dear Highly Esteemed Wonderful Physicians
thank you for the good news (that the cancer is receding due to radiation and chemotherapy) I am glad that each of you thinks that just your medicine (or your surgical procedure) is all he needs but we really need to do the best thing for DH. Can't you guys arm wrestle or something and figure it out?

[SheFly]

thank you for the good news (that the cancer is receding due to radiation and chemotherapy)

Mimi - that is AWESOME news! Hopefully the medical staff can figure out what needs to happen to keep things going in this direction.

Hang tough! And best wishes to you and RaleighDon.

SheFly

[indysteel]

Wow, Mimi! That is awesome!!!! I sure hope and pray the trend continues.

[azfiddle]

Mimi- yay for positive news! Hope they figure out what is working the best to keep the side-effects as minimal as possible.

Sharon

[spokewench]

Yea Mimi! Doctors are so hard to deal with - you need a psychology degree sometimes!

[maillotpois]

Fantastic news Mimi !!!

[Catrin]

Wooot Mimi! Congratulations!

As for me, I am waiting news of the results of my mother's PET scan this week, should know in a couple of hours. They seem pretty sure she has lung cancer...she is a breast cancer survivor. I can't imagine what she must be going through waiting for the news. She finds out today.

[Pax]

Wooot Mimi! Congratulations!

As for me, I am waiting news of the results of my mother's PET scan this week, should know in a couple of hours. They seem pretty sure she has lung cancer...she is a breast cancer survivor. I can't imagine what she must be going through waiting for the news. She finds out today.

Warm healing thoughts to your mom.

[indysteel]

Wooot Mimi! Congratulations!

As for me, I am waiting news of the results of my mother's PET scan this week, should know in a couple of hours. They seem pretty sure she has lung cancer...she is a breast cancer survivor. I can't imagine what she must be going through waiting for the news. She finds out today.

((((Catrin)))). I'm so sorry to hear this. Please keep us posted. Hugs to both of you.

[Biciclista]

Wooot Mimi! Congratulations!

As for me, I am waiting news of the results of my mother's PET scan this week, should know in a couple of hours. They seem pretty sure she has lung cancer...she is a breast cancer survivor. I can't imagine what she must be going through waiting for the news. She finds out today.

{{Catrin}} so sorry to hear this.

[Catrin]

{{Catrin}} so sorry to hear this.

Thank you, and there is news. There is no doubt that she has lung cancer, and the fact she has emphysema doesn't help. Apparently there is a chance the surgery will collapse her lung :eek: I will probably head down in mid-October for a week to be with her, just have to work. Thankfully she lives with one of my younger sisters so that is a comfort. At this point they don't know if this is a new primary cancer, or secondary to her breast cancer a couple of years ago.

[indysteel]

Catrin,

I'm so sorry for your mom, you and your family. I'll keep you in my prayers.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi- what wonderful news about the D and his treatments.

Catrin- I send my hopeful wishes for your mother's situation. May she recover to have more good years ahead.

[Sardine]

Catrin,

I'm very sorry to hear this and am hoping for the best. Keep well.

[Crankin]

Catrin, I am sorry about your mom. It's good that you can go there in a couple of weeks.
Mimi, that is good news about DH. Maybe you should convene a meeting with all of the docs and let them duke it out!

[Sardine]

Biciclista, really pleased to read your post. Your husband sounds like a remarkable person and I hope that he makes a speedy recovery. I've admired your strengh and spirit throughout this difficult time.

[OakLeaf]

Mimi, that's terrific.

Catrin, oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. :(

Sending positive thoughts both your families' way.

[PamNY]

Dear Highly Esteemed Wonderful Physicians
thank you for the good news (that the cancer is receding due to radiation and chemotherapy) I am glad that each of you thinks that just your medicine (or your surgical procedure) is all he needs but we really need to do the best thing for DH. Can't you guys arm wrestle or something and figure it out?

Hooray for the good news! And if they do arm wrestle, could you get photos?

[azfiddle]

Sorry Catrin....
I hope your visit with your mom will be a good one and not too hard.

[NbyNW]

Yay, Mimi and Don! Hope things keep going in the right direction

(((Catrin)))