Dear So and So

Someone actually called the ambulance when his back froze after the ride on Friday morning when the whole thing started. He refused to be taken to the hospital so I figured a weekend of rest won't hurt him and if he still can't walk today, he's going right to the ER. Thankfully, he started walking about a little with the help of a stick this morning. We're headed to the doctor's to see what's wrong with his back.

In other news I heard today:

Dear Local Sports Council and Local Amateur Cycling Association,

It is a royally STUPID idea that you've conceived stating that no one is allowed to ride the local BMX track without paying 30 bucks for a 'certification' test that consists of:

1) an introduction to the 'history' of a 'bike park' that has been in existence since 2005 2) an introduction to the sport of BMX 3) Watching a video on 'good' and 'bad' BMX riding 4) how to use a helmet and protection 5) rules and regulations of the track and safety aspects of BMX riding. Not to mention helmet and bike fitting and a 'test' on a rider's ability to ride a bike (WTF??!)

If you're so passionate about maintaining safety standards, go provide these classes for free seeing as how all these information can be gotten off GOOGLE FOR FREE. Because right now? It just looks like shameless profiteering. I'm not waiting around for you to tell me I need to pay for a 'certification' to mountain bike, I'm headed up north to race there instead. Better terrain and competitors, lower entry fees and less officious BS.

Dear weather/mother nature,

Enough!!!! You've ruined crops, livelihoods, families & infrastructure. Give SE/Central QLD, northern NSW, gascgoyne region of WA, (possibly parts of SA & Vic soon) a break.

At least people outside of the major flood affected areas have the opportunity to think about where thier food comes from & perhaps support local producers?

Dear Arsonist,

If the people in Lake Clifton ever find out who you are...!!!! 7 ignition areas???!!! Go and find a brain.

7 ignition areas??? o.O

Dear SNF, thank you for taking good care of my Dad, you are doing what my mother and I cannot. But. It's really not necessary to call me at 10:30 at night to let me know that you are starting the IV that I already gave the doctor permission to do, his chart would say I'm aware of it.

*sleepless in san jose*

Dear Twiggy,

Running upstairs, into our neighbors' apartment, and under their bed is not good kitty behavior. That the lady happens to love cats, and offered to take you whenever we go away, is not an open invitation for you to visit her whenever we open the door (although she may disagree). This apartment is yours, the rest of the building is not. Now stop mewing at the door to go out again. You live here.

Twiggy's reply:

That nice lady said I could come over any time. I think now is good. The rest of my house is so big! Why do you keep me cooped up in this place? I want to 'splore.

Dear software developers,
THANK YOU for developing such awesome software to help me keep track of my pennies. Your software is making being financially responsible actually fun! I look forward to getting my mail, and I'm amazed that I've managed to "find" several hundred bucks this month. Bucks that would have been frittered away before I found you.

So thanks alot, it's making a big difference already!
-Your Friend and now smart money chick, tulip

Tulip, please do tell what you're using?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sgtiger

Tulip, please do tell what you're using?

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You Need A Budget (ynab.com). Very aptly named.

Truly revolutionizing for me (I have never been good with money, and this is helping me be really good with money).

PM me if you want more details of how it's helping me.

Like figuring out how to pay mortgage, rent, and now a whopping VISA bill for the auto repairs that I'm getting?

Dear eyes -

Please stop conspiring to bankrupt me and/or keep me from running and biking. I can take the bad vision, but being allergic to my own sweat is not cool!

Or - Dear work - pleaase please please please, I'm begging here, will you look into a vision plan that covers something besides 15% of lasik? any sort of prescription coverage would be fantastic! (to compare, the cost of breaking my back was about equal to two years of eye care)

Thanking you blindly.

Dear health insurance company--
You majorly suck.

Dear pile of stuff--
Please fit in the car!

Dear bike--
I'm sorry that I'm not taking you back. It's going to be icky until April, there's nowhere to put the trainer in the apartment (or the car!), and I don't want to risk taking you on a four-hour drive in potentially nasty weather, particularly with all the salt around. Remember Thanksgiving?
If the weather over spring break is good, DBF and I will take you and your "boyfriend" :rolleyes: out for lots of long rides to make up for it, okay? Oh, and we'll have you tweaked to fit me properly too!
Me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tulip

You Need A Budget (ynab.com). Very aptly named.

Truly revolutionizing for me (I have never been good with money, and this is helping me be really good with money).

PM me if you want more details of how it's helping me.

---

I tried the YNAB free trial for a month. I really liked it. I haven't made the leap to buy it yet, but your recommendation is swaying me in that direction.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by limewave

I tried the YNAB free trial for a month. I really liked it. I haven't made the leap to buy it yet, but your recommendation is swaying me in that direction.

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I bought it last year but I didn't stick to it. I thought I'd give in another shot this time around...and I'm serious it's paid for itself several times over already. For the first time in a very long time, I'm looking at not being broke at the end of the month--I've already got a buffer of a few hundred and could end up with even more if all goes according to plan. And I'm not starving myself or anything, either.

I'm combining with some very important lessons by Dave Ramsey. It's waaaaay overdue for me.

I'm actually pretty good with budgeting but I'm in the process of shopping around for something other than Quicken. Not that I'm not happy with it but I'm forced to upgrade every couple of years and it's getting annoying. I never end up using all the bells and whistles that they add. Their helpful suggestions are a pain to deal with sometimes too.

WOOHOO!

Work answered my pleas - we're going back to the health insurance we had until this past year, and glasses are soooo much cheaper!!

Not-dear-at-all ex-friend,
Blast it all, why do you have to be the one giving the bike/ped advocacy workshop here? I thought at last I could safely participate in all the bike/ped advocacy I wanted without risking running into you since we've both moved to different cities. Once again I'm faced with that awful decision of foregoing a bike/ped advocacy opportunity that I'm passionate about--or interacting with you. You can have all the rest of the world, just leave my little town for me. Will my own mistakes 4 years ago ever stop haunting me?
Frustrated Me

Dear Recession,

I hate you. I despise and loathe you. We had a plan, we were on good career paths. We were just getting started and then you had to sweep the rug out from under us.

I'm tired of working two jobs. I want my life back. I want to spend time with my kids. I want to take a day off of work to take a day off--not to work another job. When my kids are sick, I want to be able to stay with them, not send them to yet another babysitter. I'm exhausted from working 7 days a week.

I miss vacations. I miss being able to buy something when I need it.

You are crushing me. I have never claimed to be super-woman or to be able to do-it-all. I'm not one of those amazing mother's that we hear about all the time. I just can't do that much.

Please let up. Give us a break. We need it. I need it. My kids need it.

I know there are many others out there much worse off than we are. I feel selfish for even writing these things. If you could just let up for a moment, I'm sure I can rally again for the long haul.

Limewave

Dear Sleep,

Thank you, I needed that. Feeling a lot less desperate and ready to tackle what's ahead.

Limewave

(((Limewave))) I hear ya! C'mon, economy!

Glad you got some sleep.

Dear Today Show:

I'll admit it. I'm not a regular Today Show viewer. I'm a children's librarian and I spend every morning in an elementary school library reading great books aloud to some of the kids who are our nation's future. I also spend time helping kids choose books. "Miss Roxy, can you recommend a book for me?" I hear it all day long. The kids in my school are hungry - HUNGRY - for quality literature, and there are millions of kids just like them all over the country.

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the ALA Youth Media Awards ceremony on Monday morning. I sat a few seats down from the brilliant and funny author Lisa Yee, whose books I regularly recommend, and to one of the most powerful publishers on the planet, Arthur Levine, who helped bring Harry Potter to American kids, among many other high quality literary works. I also sat next to a librarian from Pennsylvania who joked about not being in a big hurry to get back home to the snow. We talked about the books we enjoyed, and as the lights went down and the ceremony commenced, the energy in the room was one of excitement and anticipation. With each name that was called, there were cheers and hoots of joy. These people, these librarians, writers, editors, publishers -- these READERS -- they love their books. These are the people who are influencing America's future. These people. These wonderful, smart, funny, thoughtful, LITERATE people are the ones creating and promoting the books our children read.

Thank god.

What you did, to promote this trashy reality TV star and her faux book at the expense of sharing two new, wonderful, smart, funny, thoughtful, literate creators of high quality children's books is an act of aggressive stupidity. One that is more a reflection on you and your producers than the state of children's literature.

I'm still not going to watch your show. We only have so many minutes on the planet. Why in the world would I want to waste any of my precious minutes on someone like Snooki? No thanks. I'm going to go read Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, the 2011 Newbery Award Winner.


(I posted this on their viewer comments section, too, but I doubt anyone there actually cares enough to read those comments.)

Dear Dad,

I suppose it's just swell that you want to help your dysfunctional daughter through yet another of her crises. That's awfully fatherly of you, but she's not a part of my life for a reason, so it's irritating when you call me repeatedly for guidance as to her latest bankruptcy case. Given that's my expertise, however, I am willing to help, so that's not what's bugging me.

What's most upsetting me is that it's the only reason you ever even call me. You never call just to talk to me about me. It's always been pretty obvious that you and mom only really pay attention when there's a crisis. And because I rarely, if ever, have a crisis, guess who doesn't ever get any attention?

Now I wouldn't trade my relatively sane life for anything, but it would be nice if recognized in your advancing years how much you've played into your elder daughter's emotional problems by enabling and encouraging her behavior. I will not stoop to her level, however, just to get your attention.

I thought about calling you back last night and telling you how hurtful your lack of attention is, but really, what's the point? I'll just talk to my therapist about it. Again. And get a hug from Brian. For better or for worse, I'm beyond letting you know that I actually need you. It just hurts to much to tell you that and to still be ignored. You'd probably take it okay, but Mom would see it as yet another opportunity to tell me that she's just never felt like I wanted a mother. That so turns parenting on its ear and distorts our family's history; I'm not going to go there again.

So have fun with the time and energy suck that is my sister. Let me know where it gets you.

She's just making the rounds of all of the shows... i think she's gross, but I love the Today show. I just don't get so excited about who is on what. I'm a former English teacher, so I understand what you mean about quality children's lit.
I feel out of it, because I no longer know what is "in" middle school lit.

Dear So and So,

Please let Pansy go in peace, with grace and dignity. That is all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by withm

Dear So and So,

Please let Pansy go in peace, with grace and dignity. That is all.

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Oh no. :(

If she must go, please, with grace and dignity.

((((((withm, Pansy, and all who love either of them))))))

Quote:

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Originally Posted by withm

Dear So and So,

Please let Pansy go in peace, with grace and dignity. That is all.

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Amen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by withm

Dear So and So,

Please let Pansy go in peace, with grace and dignity. That is all.

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Indeed (((Withim and Pansy)))

I do believe she IS going with grace and dignity. She is an incredible lady, has inspired dozens and dozens of people, and the way she put it just a few weeks ago, she's got an arm lock on that cancer and will drag it to HELL with her.

To whom it may concern:

- how do you break up with a friend anyway?
and
- why is it so hard to break up with someone who hasn't treated you well?
and
- how is it possible to feel relieved and sad and slightly desperate and optimistic and aggrieved all at the same time?

and to the person in question:
- please have the decency to respond well to my letter, phrased as positively and maturely as I could. I can't stand any more recriminations now, and I do honestly wish you well, whether you believe it or not.

Pansy passed sweetly away at midnight FYI

(((((Mimi))))))

So sorry to hear the news.

I'm so sorry!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6708156_n.jpg

Don't be sorry for me, be sorry for the whole world that she's gone!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5565344_n.jpg
here she is with her loving husband

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...54_71265_n.jpg

and here she is when she was young and just as outrageous

mimi, those pictures are *fantastic*

I never got to meet Pansy, but I knew of her from lurking on Bike Journal. I knew she would be someone I'd love to meet - such an outrageous and wonderful personality. She will be missed, even by those that never had the chance to meet her.

I agree, the pictures are great. I love the one with her hubby.

I picture her in heaven, trying to put red lipstick on all the angels........:p

Pansy sounds like a fantastic woman. May her vivacious spirit live on!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snapdragen

i never got to meet pansy, but i knew of her from lurking on bike journal. I knew she would be someone i'd love to meet - such an outrageous and wonderful personality. She will be missed, even by those that never had the chance to meet her.

I agree, the pictures are great. I love the one with her hubby.

I picture her in heaven, trying to put red lipstick on all the angels........:p

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+1,000,000 :(

What an inspiring person Pansy was, in so many ways. May she rest in peace.