Dear So and So

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

Who says women can't do these things?

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Not me :)

Growing up I had a neighbor with a nice wood working shop and I’d spend time helping him when I was a teen. His wife also taught me pottery and bronze casting.
The second summer of undergraduate school I bought an older house with a friend and we remolded it, including some structural/code issues, into two units. After building a good rental history we sold it to pay for graduate school and living expenses. I did enjoy the work, the process and the profit. As much as I enjoyed that learning experience, I’m also glad I bought into a recently built building when I got to the L.A. area. Maybe later in life I’ll have the time to do the designing, building or remolding thing again but just normal maintenance works better for me now….

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Originally Posted by smilingcat

Too cute to be Napoleon besides, I think he is part of admiralty ;) .

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that looks like napoleon’s cockade on the bicorne but yeah bicorne’s were also worn in a lot of the militaries back then and especially in France. :)

My mom did all the repair work around the house. She once fixed my disposal after she had tried to put artichoke leaves down there, and there was green liquid gushing out from under the sink.

Me, I take after my dad.

I have no repair talent whatsoever; I can barely put new windshield wipers on my car without help. So I'm envious of all you DIYers.

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Originally Posted by VeganBikeChick

I have no repair talent whatsoever; I can barely put new windshield wipers on my car without help. So I'm envious of all you DIYers.

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Don't feel bad, I can build a chunk of a house by myself but I can't change my wiper blades either. :p

I can do simple things, especially now that there always seems to be a youtube video to help. In my car I've replaced bulbs for tail lights, the cabin and engine air filters and the front and back wiper blades. I'm usually good at putting together furniture that requires at-home assembly, and am quite proud of my ability to put together bookcases and bedframes by myself even though you really need four hands to get it right. I once used six packs of Diet Coke to hold up the sides of two new bookcases so I could attach the bottom pieces to them. I was able to replace all the door knobs in my condo except for a couple where the holes were not properly drilled in the doors. I replaced most of the door hinges, too.

I wanted to replace all the electrical outlets and light switches by myself, and even posted here about it (years ago). But I couldn't get past the thought that everything would seem to be working fine but really something would be wrong and then the whole place would burn down. So I hired an electrician. Once I tried to put up new curtain rods, but I couldn't get them straight. Finally I called a friend who's really handy, the son of a plumber, and he put them up for me. He made it look so easy.

I tried to paint my kitchen cabinets when I first moved into my condo but I made a mess and didn't like the way they turned out. Luckily I found a good contractor to renovate the kitchen and bathroom -- with new custom cabinets in both rooms. The painters who did the other rooms and replaced all the door trim and base boards were a disaster -- they did a terrible job and dripped paint on my furniture.

I've enjoyed getting into the details of the kitchen and bathroom work, with the cabinet diagrams and the tile designs. But I didn't inherit a natural ability to actually do the work. I would figure it out eventually, I think, but would have to fix too many mistakes and probably a few disasters along the way. And I don't have the patience for that.

Blueprints and diagrams look like a jumble of shapes to me. I really cannot read them. Nor, can I follow instructions or diagrams to put together anything. Sometimes I can learn by watching someone, but it would have to be in person. Watching You Tube has the same effect on me as trying to read directions, when it's to do with assembling stuff.
This is why I don't do any of this stuff. It got me into trouble when we remodeled our kitchen and bathrooms, because I was shown plans, and said "fine," and in the end I was stunned when I saw the way the cabinets were in the bathroom. Looking at those plans gave me no clue. I get agitated just having to deal with this stuff.
Not that I don't like nice things!

I think it's all in the way we process information and the way we see the world. My wife can't put air in a bike tire, seriously; she is a highly educated and intelligent woman but no matter how many times I've shown her, she just can't get air in... and manages to let all remaining air out. She can, however, sit and learn a computer program in a very short time. I can stare at the same thing all day and it's like trying to read something written in Cyrillic. We're a good balance. :D

Dear hormones:

Enough with the hot flashes and the migraines and the water retention weight gain so I can't fit into any of my jeans anymore. Just go away. I'm so sick of you.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Blueprints and diagrams look like a jumble of shapes to me. I really cannot read them. Nor, can I follow instructions or diagrams to put together anything. Sometimes I can learn by watching someone, but it would have to be in person. Watching You Tube has the same effect on me as trying to read directions, when it's to do with assembling stuff.
This is why I don't do any of this stuff. It got me into trouble when we remodeled our kitchen and bathrooms, because I was shown plans, and said "fine," and in the end I was stunned when I saw the way the cabinets were in the bathroom. Looking at those plans gave me no clue. I get agitated just having to deal with this stuff.
Not that I don't like nice things!

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It took some time for me to figure out the cabinet diagrams for my kitchen, but I was glad I did. The contractors left out a spacer in the corner, and the result was that I couldn't open one of the cabinet doors. I was glad that I was able to figure out the problem and the solution before calling the contractor -- it made the fix much easier and faster.

But of course there are plenty of other things that agitate me! I so wish I had an executive assistant to keep my life organized for me. For starters I would like someone to go online and get all my health insurance EOBs for the year, figure out why the FSA people are accusing me of trying to use my funds illegally again even though I only ever use them for doctors, prescriptions and contacts, and get reimbursed for all the copays that have been building up for months. And call the insurance company or FSA company as needed to resolve any issues. If someone would just take care of that for me, it would be awesome.

I guess I make up for my lack of visual-spatial and fine motor skills by being very organized and verbal. I don't like doing the stuff you mentioned, and DH always is on those thigs immediately, but I know what to do and how to handle it. I seriously don't know how some of the people I work with survive. They don't do their notes and are months behind in treatment plan reviews. Of course, it's the director's fault that she allows this. We went to electronic medical records last week and now it's going to be a little more in your face if you haven't done stuff. They refuse to do work at home (where I do everything, except my notes, which I do immediately after each person), and now we can do it without getting permission to be on the server or breaking HIPPA laws.
OK, that's my rant.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I guess I make up for my lack of visual-spatial and fine motor skills by being very organized and verbal. I don't like doing the stuff you mentioned, and DH always is on those thigs immediately, but I know what to do and how to handle it. I seriously don't know how some of the people I work with survive. They don't do their notes and are months behind in treatment plan reviews. Of course, it's the director's fault that she allows this. We went to electronic medical records last week and now it's going to be a little more in your face if you haven't done stuff. They refuse to do work at home (where I do everything, except my notes, which I do immediately after each person), and now we can do it without getting permission to be on the server or breaking HIPPA laws.
OK, that's my rant.

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I'm not very good at repairing physical things. I hated doing puzzles that involved 1,000 pieces. But I have to remind myself that sewing, viewed as somehow "lesser" because it maybe not as dirty work /involving infrastructure parts, is also quite technical with abit of artistic vision thrown in. For the several decades, I wondered why my mother would choose boring, bland colours to sew garments. Yet, she could draft simple garments without using a pattern OR use a complex sewing pattern without her ability to read English and create a well-fitted garment for other people of different sizes and shapes. Or take an existing garment, rip up nearly half it up and create a completely different style. That too is technical ability. I have strong sewing skills but not like my mother's.

I'm different, I do have natural artistic ease /tendency to compose visuals, layouts from complementary shapes, colours and natural using the Golden Mean for aesthetically pleasing proportion of space. My mother doesn't really have this. But she has natural mathematical skill which will never be fully realized. She would do certain calculations in her head while my father watched, waiting for her to spit out the numbers. Yes, my father was more artistically inclined..again never fully realized. It reflected in his interests also.

Amazing how we just have to see natural abilities/skills in others in a way/totally different light that requires several ....decades of understanding.

Only recently I've come to realize that I honestly think creatively in a non-linear way as well as linear, simultaneously. This skill/style has become accentuated because of my jobs in past few decades... You would not believe it, but some reference librarians have to sharpen simultaneously analytical/logical thinking PLUS creative, non-linear thinking to help clients....within a matter of a few minutes.

The end result is me is spouting off thoughts that sometimes jump off into another direction suddenly.... :p I love interdisciplinary thinking, cross-fertilization of subject matters for something new/ a solution.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

I've enjoyed getting into the details of the kitchen and bathroom work, with the cabinet diagrams and the tile designs. But I didn't inherit a natural ability to actually do the work. I would figure it out eventually, I think, but would have to fix too many mistakes and probably a few disasters along the way. And I don't have the patience for that.

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When I was helping the wood worker he wanted me to see the design of what was being built and went through the sequence of steps to the end…..and then he would let me help him on the project. He taught me to think through beginning to end, a few times, before I start….and to expect the unexpected but with a positive attitude. The planning part did help a lot on the remodel we did though.……still mistakes, but hey I just adjusted and learned, well sometimes maybe with a flash of crazy too

Dear Michael….it’ll be interesting to see if your attitude changes because of this…..i doubt it but there is always hope.

I was doing some work in San Onofre this past week. Michael is one of the people I work with each time I come. He’s the ‘and why aren’t you attracted to me’ type with overtones of misogyny…..and why someone would think that’s a good attitude escapes me. He talked a few times about his bicycling prowess after I told him I ride a little bit…..long story short he actually wanted to race me on a 12 mile stretch of a really nice quiet side road along the coast starting at the work site. After a few taunts over the last few times there I finally said sure and this time I brought my bike and we did it. I had enough time at the finish to drink some water and do some stretches before he showed up. I was gracious and kind in thanking him for the challenge.

i'm kinda glad this contract is finished in January

Love it, Rebecca! You brought a smile (gracious, not taunting, I hope) to my face this morning. Okay, I'm actually giggling.

That is flat out funny, good job Rebecca!

Dear downstairs neighbor,

I'm in my living room, as far as I can be from my bathroom, and the smoke from your barbecue grill under my bathroom window is burning my throat despite having the door closed since before you started cooking. I'm pretty sure your grill location violates local law, and I've decided to rat you out.

Dear MacBook:
If you had told me your hard drive was failing, I could have ordered a replacement SSD weeks ago. And started backups to my new Time Capsule.

PS If you had told me how bad things are, I could have paid Amazon to hurry up. But I see that you are still in denial: You still claim the S.M.A.R.T. status is "verified". That's not very smart!

Awesome story, rebeccaC |-D What was he actually expecting, anyway... to beat you, and you be all impressed and happy about it?

for me it was just about riding a really hard effort on a nice scenic road without much traffic...he was kinda irrelevant....
I see the ‘Michael’s’ as helping me learn more about dealing with the separation of personality and work…..works for me :)

Dear El Nino

After two days of commuting in cold very windy rain your beginning is noted.
I’ve got a feeling your going to give me some interesting rides this winter. Looking forward to the adventures! After my ride home yesterday though I was thinking I’m going to need lots of chocolate for the hot chocolates that will be needed to get through this. I’ll send you the receipts for reimbursement.

rebecca

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Originally Posted by rebeccaC

Dear El Nino

After two days of commuting in cold very windy rain your beginning is noted.
I’ve got a feeling your going to give me some interesting rides this winter. Looking forward to the adventures! After my ride home yesterday though I was thinking I’m going to need lots of chocolate for the hot chocolates that will be needed to get through this. I’ll send you the receipts for reimbursement.

rebecca

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Indeed. I saw video of flooded highways in southern California on the news. I hope they're getting the word out to not try to drive on flooded roads -- all sorts of bad things can happen.

Perhaps TE still has some good rain gear in stock? You can probably get a good deal if they haven't moved to the new warehouse yet.

Some areas of southern ca are going to have problems with a lot of rain over a few days like what happens during an el nino winter, especially those areas that also had fire damage last summer. The areas I live/travel in/work/ride in have a good infrastructure to deal with it though. I have some good rain gear and kinda welcome the different riding these next few months might bring…..and the center of a good storm can have a couple days of great riding!!!!

I’m sure the rei's here are doing well in selling rain gear this year :)….and we need to think a little more about the bike room at work :eek:

eta

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Originally Posted by ny biker

Indeed. I hope they're getting the word out to not try to drive on flooded roads -- all sorts of bad things can happen.

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as i rode to work the first morning i actually was remembering how deep some of the pot-holes, especially the alley ones, were :)

Talked to my brother in San Diego. It's bad there... thankfully, his home is OK, but one street away, flooding, 2 feet of water running in the street and into driveways.
We had "100 year" floods 2 years in a row, in Phoenix, in 1979 and 1980. It was hell. The bridge over 1-10 was washed out, I had to leave for work at 5 AM and leave an hour early to get home in 2-3 hours, for 6 weeks, the second time. The first year, I lived/worked on the same side of the river (normally a dry wash), but I couldn't go anywhere else, including to my parents' 4 miles away, outside of Tempe. I hope the infrastructure is better today because the rain is heading east.

I remember those Crankin- I wasn't living in Phoenix but worked on the Colorado River as a field biologist and we would go over to Tempe where our project was based- trying to get around to get paperwork done before a birding trip to Mexico and I remember it was a mess.

Yeah, be careful with those potholes. I have a friend who broke his neck at the very end of a ride when he hit a pothole filled with water, not realizing how deep it was. Very thankfully the fracture was non-displaced and he's back to 100%.

Dear me:

Put the laptop down! Get your a$$ out of the comfy chair and get changed and set up the bike on the indoor trainer and do some pedaling! NOW!!!

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Originally Posted by ny biker

Dear me:

Put the laptop down! Get your a$$ out of the comfy chair and get changed and set up the bike on the indoor trainer and do some pedaling! NOW!!!

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Did it work? :D

Dear cancer. Go to hell.

Rest well David Bowie and Alan Rickman

Dear Snap,

Well said.

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Originally Posted by Pax

Did it work? :D

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Yes!

Dear jerk who stole my bike-

You were pretty brazen to steel a bike in broad daylight on busy street in front of a business! Yeah, my insurance will cover a new bike, but whoever you are, it's pretty low. Yeah, I know it was my fault to leave a road bike there for 10 minutes, and I should have brought it into the See's Candy store with me even though it had big windows and I checked on it once. Once I get over being mad at myself for being complacent and at you for stealing my bike, I might get excited about buying a new bike- but I'm not there yet.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/355/1...653b4339_k.jpgUntitled by Sharon Goldwasser, on Flickr

Ms. Speedwell, I'm going to miss you.

Dear Azfiddle - I'm so sorry. Let yourself off the hook. Hopefully this perspective might help. Spoiler: his bike wasn't stolen. But still - being too careful can significantly interfere with you quality of life.

And also - make sure to call local shops, police, pawn shops, check craigs, etc. You know the drill.

Dear Bike Thieves - You suck. So much.

Ugh, azfiddle. That stinks. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

I'm sorry, Azfiddle. I've been a victim too. It's such a violation. Hugs.

D*mn! So sorry, azfiddle. She was a real beauty. That was brazen, and low. :mad: :(

It's only a thing- not what really matters in life, but the 2016 models are not nearly as pretty. Plain vanilla white or charcoal gray with pink. I might look at other brands, although I know the Ruby was a great fit for me.

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

It's only a thing- not what really matters in life, but the 2016 models are not nearly as pretty. Plain vanilla white or charcoal gray with pink. I might look at other brands, although I know the Ruby was a great fit for me.

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I wonder if Wahine could help you? As I recall, she is a guru at figuring out which bikes will work based on measurements - maybe she could tell you what's similar?

Sharon....the emotions connected to a theft aren’t fun to go through. I had a bike stolen when I was in college and for a couple of days I had thoughts ranging from wanting to stab the thief in the liver to just hoping they take good care of the bike I spent so much time and savings to build up to be exactly what I wanted/needed. Be thankful you have insurance coverage and can get a new bike soon!!!!! It took me too long a time to save the money to build up a good replacement for my brevet addiction at the time.

I have a hidden gps/gms tracker on my seven and waterford so if a thief can actually get past the lock that can help in finding them.

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Originally Posted by rebeccaC

I have a hidden gps/gms tracker on my seven and waterford so if a thief can actually get past the lock that can help in finding them.

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Rebecca--can you tell us a little more about this? Sounds interesting.

I'd like to know about the gps tracker too.

Dear Allstate claims agent:

Thank you so much for all you did to get my claim settled so quickly, and for explaining to the adjustors that cycling was so important to me so that they agreed to send the full replacement amount up front. I am starting to get excited about a new bike!