Dear So and So

[marni]

cold tea and teabag compresses help, especially if it gets on you face.

[Sky King]

Dear DH, Okay,after five days of over 100 degrees, I will be more open to the idea of a visit to west Texas where the high is 92...

[skhill]

Dear grass waterers,
Surely you noticed that we had nearly 2 inches of rain over the past two days? So why were your sprinklers going this morning, watering grass of all things? I'm sure they are programmed but come on, take some responsiblity here. And why water grass anyway? Sure, it'll go brown if we get a prolonged dry spell in the summer, but it'll green right back up as soon as the rain returns. It's a yard, not a golf course, for pete's sake!

[Owlie]

Dear mom--
Yes, I realize you want me to clean stuff out of my old room, and that I'm not home very often and you're trying to be helpful. However, no one touches my books. I've already taken what I want to get rid of to Half-Price Books. The rest of them are either books that I enjoy reading multiple times (I know you don't quite get that), books that I'm attached to (and those I think you agree with me on), or a couple that I haven't read yet. Hands off the books!

[OakLeaf]

Dear kinesiology tape manufacturers,

How many applications call for 5-strip fans? (not too dang many.) How many call for either a "Y" or a half strip? (lots) So how come the backing is marked only in 1-cm strips? Folding in half and cutting is a PITA.

Brand loyalty to the first one of y'all who puts a line down the center of the backing...

[Sky King]

Dear Self

When are you going to start listening to the sage advice from your brain!!! You know participating in any sort of side to side activity is recipe for disaster. So here you sit with leg in the air and a bag of ice and probably a week off the bike. At least it is the week of over 100 temperatures but still WTH were you thinking

[marni]

dear One hour ac,

On Tuesday you came and did a yearly routine check on both ac systems and marked everything as good. By thursday it was getting warm and the outside fan quite on Friday. We just spent the hottest weekend (for us) of the year in a house that we managed, just barely , to keep at 89 degrees by dint of non stop running of fans. So much for your warm reassuring words about service members getting priority service since when we called Saturday early, you scheduled us for a Monday afternoon appointment which you have just infomred me will be "sometime on Tuesday" instead. Can I also suggest that you guarantee of "competent professional drug free service technicians" is a bit suspect when the technician shows up on Tuesday, does his thing and the ac starts to go out a day and a half later whereas it had been functioning and cooling perfectly before the check. Obviously somebody forgot something, like sealing off the coolant, or fixing the possible puncture or whatever.

Call me a nasty customer if you will but I think I want my money back, after you fix the ac and don't charge me that is.

hot and definitely grumpy

[thekarens]

Someone would have to die Marni!

[katluvr]

Dear everyone or anyone that cares,
I know I don't have HUGE problems but the past few months all the small things have added up. No one wants to hear me list the things so I'll just do it here!
So mom completed her chemo for her BC reoccurrence, but the resulting neuropathy and mobility issues are really not fair. She was difficult enough to deal with before all the added issues. Just a bit more stress for me (and poor dad).
April our beloved bird Shakey died, although we knew it would happened it still seemed sudden when he died in our hands in the few hours after we returned from vacation. Miss that noisy bird. Oh then my SO lost her job. Financially we are ok, but the emotion of getting laid off, fighting with unemployment, applying for jobs and trying to figure out what she wants to do was tough. To do what you love doesn't pay, getting back into the IT world again--is that the right thing for her to do? Wish we could retire now!!
On trip with my parents to my niece's graduation with some bumps and stress only to be called my pet sitter that our beloved Pepper (cat) was refusing to eat (never happens). By the time my SO gets home he is very sick, I make it home to spend one night with him before he passes the next day. This was devastating. He was such a presence in our house.
Lastly (maybe) I have never had an issue with my boss. But my current supervisor is horrible. She has no idea what me and the other members of my team do, really no concept. Nor does she ever come to see us, check in to see how we are doing. But she will f*&% with our schedule! I love my co-workers and what I do, but she is making me think about looking for a new job!
So lots of little stressors that at times weigh on me. I know things could be worse but I really hate it when people say that to me!

[Sky King]

Dear everyone or anyone that cares,
I know I don't have HUGE problems but the past few months all the small things have added up. No one wants to hear me list the things so I'll just do it here!
So mom completed her chemo for her BC reoccurrence, but the resulting neuropathy and mobility issues are really not fair. She was difficult enough to deal with before all the added issues. Just a bit more stress for me (and poor dad).
April our beloved bird Shakey died, although we knew it would happened it still seemed sudden when he died in our hands in the few hours after we returned from vacation. Miss that noisy bird. Oh then my SO lost her job. Financially we are ok, but the emotion of getting laid off, fighting with unemployment, applying for jobs and trying to figure out what she wants to do was tough. To do what you love doesn't pay, getting back into the IT world again--is that the right thing for her to do? Wish we could retire now!!
On trip with my parents to my niece's graduation with some bumps and stress only to be called my pet sitter that our beloved Pepper (cat) was refusing to eat (never happens). By the time my SO gets home he is very sick, I make it home to spend one night with him before he passes the next day. This was devastating. He was such a presence in our house.
Lastly (maybe) I have never had an issue with my boss. But my current supervisor is horrible. She has no idea what me and the other members of my team do, really no concept. Nor does she ever come to see us, check in to see how we are doing. But she will f*&% with our schedule! I love my co-workers and what I do, but she is making me think about looking for a new job!
So lots of little stressors that at times weigh on me. I know things could be worse but I really hate it when people say that to me!

That is alot of not so little things. Be kind to yourself and your SO. Be sure to communicate with those around you, even your boss. It is much easier to shut down but do remember to say to others that there has been quite a bit of change in your life recently (you don't have to do the details) and that you are doing your best to grapple. That way if you fly off the handle, etc. they will hopefully be a bit more compassionate and not just assume you are being a B**** - been there more than once

[OakLeaf]

((((((((kat)))))))) You have every right to be sad and upset. I don't know where people get off comparing your problems to other people's as if it's supposed to make your pain less. Take the space you need to grieve, and I hope other things get better for you and your family very soon.

((((((Muirenn)))))) just ugh ...

[malkin]

...Wheat belly.

This made me laugh!
My parents can be like this too.

[Owlie]

Dear grad school:
I hate these orientation "icebreaker" questions. I can never think of an answer that's appropriate, especially when you want an "interesting fact."

[Fredwina]

my new car. so close and yet so far:

Looks like I'm going rack shopping

[luvmyguys]

Dear local cycling club,

I checked Facebook this morning to find a picture that a friend took of you guys on your Saturday morning ride, with the caption, "Only when I'm running late." Please stop. You're making it harder for the rest of us. State law says no more than two abreast - bunching up like you're riding the race of the year, three and four abreast, on a two lane road such that no one can safely pass you is not cool.