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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Digging to Find Myself

Digging to Find Myself

by ruemara|  October 26, 202310:15 pm| 46 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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It seems I started this and forgot to publish, but if you’re wondering where I’ve been, well, I bought a house and I haven’t seen daylight in a year. Either way, open, non political, no fucted world thread. Post cat pics or recipes. I’m not the boss of you.

It seems no one has put a stop to this madness and prevented me from buying a little corner of America, This mean, of course, I am packing up 7.75 years in my little town to move to an even littler town. This should be interesting. To say I am having some trepidations about the amount of work that I have to do would be putting it mildly. It’s a whole 2 bedroom apartment with only my housemate’s bedroom not on my plate. Sort of. The housemate tripped and lightly fractured her foot. It’s that kind of a move, I see. I’m handling it with my usual aplomb. Panicking, making hesitant steps, noodling about, playing video games as stress relief then packing for about half an hour. Miracle of miracles, I’ve cleared the full library except for journal and art books (blank). 3 whole bookcases of references, comic books, sci-fi and fantasy, the entire science collection, government. But I do have a question. What the hell was I preparing for? If you need to restart civilization, I’ve got a pretty good collection. I also wrapped up the music CD collection. Time to tape up the last box and get all the binders packed.

Why haven’t I used this yet?

The cats, bless their little pea brains, having never moved, are confused but unbothered. Their time is spent watching me work, investigating the work and lying around in exhaustion from watching me work. I am causing disruption and They Will Not Have It. Hang on to your whiskers, buds. You’re going to have a bit of a ride very soon.

J’ai accuse!

Tuesday is nearly done. I hope your day was good and what’s happening in your neck of the woods. This is an open thread, so get funky. No Politics, or I’ll put you with the culled books. (tragic, really. I culled 2 After Effects pre-Creative Cloud books and less interesting Elle magazines.)

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Reader Interactions

46Comments

  1. 1.

    Jerry

    October 26, 2023 at 10:19 pm

    What with the out of control vinyl prices these days, I’ve been building a nice CD collection. They are soooo much cheaper than records now. I just recently bought the first five REM albums on CD at a used place that in total cost less than just one of those on used vinyl.

  2. 2.

    Yarrow

    October 26, 2023 at 10:35 pm

    open, non political, no fucted world thread.

    So a respite thread?

    I’ve got nothing but bad news so I’m out.

  3. 3.

    Yutsano

    October 26, 2023 at 10:39 pm

    I’m trying to avoid existential dread while waiting for one of the biggest decisions of my career to happen next week. Which means I need to make cookies tomorrow. And have a nice bake session with my mom with those unwrapped cookie sheets I bought her. Could be fun.

    Also: good to hear from you!

  4. 4.

    scribbler

    October 26, 2023 at 10:49 pm

    Congratulations on the big move!  Great to hear from you and especially with such good news.  Glad the kitties are being so helpful too.

  5. 5.

    KSinMA

    October 26, 2023 at 10:52 pm

    Good luck, ruemara!

  6. 6.

    H.E.Wolf

    October 26, 2023 at 10:53 pm

    Best wishes for the move!

  7. 7.

    Another Scott

    October 26, 2023 at 10:53 pm

    Great to see you, ruemara.

    Speaking of other folks that should post here more often…

    New York Times Pitchbot
    @DougJBalloon
    13h

    We were told a recession was coming. Now the economy is booming. Another broken Biden promise.
    Oct 26, 2023 · 1:14 PM UTC

    The White House
    @WhiteHouse
    2h
    Replying to @DougJBalloon

    10/10. No notes.

    more replies

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  8. 8.

    Ohio Mom

    October 26, 2023 at 10:53 pm

    Today we had the neighborhood real estate agent over to ask her advice about what to do about the basement — the sewer backed up a couple of months ago and we haven’t done anything since the remediation company tore everything up (insert tedious “negotiations” with the insurance company in tne interim here).

    The question was, We plan to downsize in a couple of years, what is the least we can do and still get a good price? After a look at the basement and the front of our ranch — not the bedrooms, just kitchen, family room, living and dining rooms and the hall bathroom — she suggested maybe we should talk to one of the nice flippers in the subdivision.

    She assured us they wouldn’t low ball us. This actually could make sense. We don’t mind living in a house with the original 1976 kitchen and bathrooms, but a buyer would.

    It would be, put our money into updating everything or get pretty much the same amount less for selling it. A wash.

    Obviously we are not making any decisions right now. This is all theoretical. The main thing I’m thinking about tonight is how hurt my feelings are that my house is flipper bait.

  9. 9.

    CaseyL

    October 26, 2023 at 10:55 pm

    If you announced the house purchase previously, I missed it, so: Congratulations!  Welcome to the joys of home ownership!

    I hope the move goes well and the kitties don’t hate you for too long afterwards.  How far do you need to go?  Do you have just stuff and not furniture?

    I’m so excited for you!

    I got some very good news today: My latest A1C (blood-sugar test) result is 6.0.  I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes about 4 years ago, with an A1C of 7.75.  I’ve brought it down to either the lowest end of “diabetic” or the highest end of “not diabetic,” depending on how you want to look at it.

    If anyone is interested in knowing:  Yes, I did cut most starch, and practically all sweets, out of my diet.  But I think just as significant is that I eat barely any processed food at all now.  (I do let myself off the leash once in a while, like if I go out to dinner, but even those excesses are nothing compared to what was normal for me 4+ years ago.)

  10. 10.

    Anne Laurie

    October 26, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    Congratulations on the housing upgrade, and may your move continue to go as smoothly as is possible!

  11. 11.

    Ohio Mom

    October 26, 2023 at 11:02 pm

    @Yarrow:

    @Yutsano:

    I feel for both of you. Keeping my fingers crossed for Yutsano and hoping the universe provides Yarrow  a moment of peace and rest.

  12. 12.

    Dan B

    October 26, 2023 at 11:06 pm

    @CaseyL: Good job!  My partner is having high blood pressure so there may be some changes soon.  He loves to get breaded deep fried chicken with very sugary sauce from a Chinese take out place in a Japanese grocery.  He also loves cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate shake from Dick’s Drive In.

  13. 13.

    Dan B

    October 26, 2023 at 11:08 pm

    @Yutsano: Does this involve relocating?   Is the dread soviet of Seattle involved?

    (Or is it the smoldering ash pile of the horrible Seattle riot of 2023?)

  14. 14.

    ruemara

    October 26, 2023 at 11:12 pm

    Lol, guys, I did this last year. Most expensive birthday present ever. That’s right, I got the keys on my birthday. So this marked 1 full year in the house. Who the fuck thought I was responsible enough for that?

  15. 15.

    Maxim

    October 26, 2023 at 11:19 pm

    @ruemara: And yet somehow catastrophe has not occurred! How long did it take the kitties to forgive you?

    @Ohio Mom: Ouch. My sympathies.

    @CaseyL: Well done!

    Sending good thoughts to everyone who’s having a rough time.

  16. 16.

    ruemara

    October 26, 2023 at 11:23 pm

    @Maxim: FOREVER. Odo freaked out about being in the carrier and he developed a nervous fur gnawing habit. Ate his fluffy pants off. We’re getting better and they enjoy their own room that they graciously allow me to use as an office.

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 26, 2023 at 11:25 pm

    Watching YouTube camping videos.  Gonna listen to a podcast later (political, so I’m not gonna name it).

    We got some rain coming in tonight (gotta keep Lake Michigan topped off).

    And here’s America’s Test Kitchen’s Memphis ribs recipe.  I’ve done these in the slow cooker a few times.

    More recently, used their spice rub (but subbed minced garlic rubbed on after the spice rub for the garlic powder).

    And oven baked them, 325F for 90+ minutes (h/t Glen and Friends Cooking).

    Hope your move is mostly unstressful.

  18. 18.

    Yarrow

    October 26, 2023 at 11:25 pm

    @Ohio Mom:  At least your house is worth renovating and flipping and isn’t just a tear down worth lot value. That’s good! I get the hurt feelings though.

    @Ohio Mom:  Thank you.

  19. 19.

    CaseyL

    October 26, 2023 at 11:30 pm

    @Dan B: Oh dear.  Yeah, deep fried anything is out.  I feel for him: it isn’t easy giving up foods you love.  On the bright side, if he can stick with revamped food choices* long enough, he may find he no longer loves those foods quite so much, or even at all.  It’s worked that way for me.

    Best of luck to you both!

    *I don’t call it a “diet” because diets are temporary.  These changes are not.

  20. 20.

    Yarrow

    October 26, 2023 at 11:38 pm

    OMG, I thought this was a joke. It’s real.

    Elon Musk wants X to be the center of your financial world, handling anything in your life that deals with money. He expects those features to launch by the end of 2024, he told X employees during an all hands call on Thursday, saying that people will be surprised with “just how powerful it is.”

    “When I say payments, I actually mean someone’s entire financial life,” Musk said, according to audio of the meeting obtained by The Verge. “If it involves money. It’ll be on our platform. Money or securities or whatever. So, it’s not just like send $20 to my friend. I’m talking about, like, you won’t need a bank account.”

    X CEO Linda Yaccarino said the company sees this becoming a “full opportunity” in 2024. “It would blow my mind if we don’t have that rolled out by the end of next year,” Musk said.

    You won’t need a bank account. Hahahahahaha. Money or securities or whatever. “Someone’s entire financial life.” Okay, sure. Sounds totally legit. Who wouldn’t want to give Elon all their money?

  21. 21.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    October 26, 2023 at 11:39 pm

    My moving tips, FWIW: make sure new place has a shower curtain & cleaning supplies. Make sure you check the medicine cabinet, bathroom vanity & freezer in old place before you surrender the keys. Make sure you have enough boxes (liquor stores are great for getting lots of free, sturdy boxes). Makes sure you have lots of tape, scissors, newspaper, sharpies & label every box as soon as it’s packed no matter what. Make sure you have a way to keep track of things that must not be lost, such as passports, blank checks, key documents etc. People will show up to take anything listed on Craigslist under free.
    Im sure there’s more just can’t think of them right now.

  22. 22.

    Sure Lurkalot

    October 26, 2023 at 11:41 pm

    Snow (and the first real frost) expected this weekend after the most glorious autumn I’ve ever experienced in Denver. I’m going to try hard to like winter this year, it is very pretty if I don’t think about the cold and treacherous parts.

  23. 23.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    October 26, 2023 at 11:43 pm

    @CaseyL: one way is to not eat anything deep fried unless you deep fried it yourself. That really cuts down on deep fried foods. Also sign up for a farmers CSA; a box of fresh veggies every week really makes you cook with fresh veggies, because every week you’re like, how do I use this stuff up?

  24. 24.

    Noskilz

    October 26, 2023 at 11:47 pm

    Best of luck with the move – seems like moving is always kind of a hassle even under the best of circumstances.

  25. 25.

    brendancalling

    October 26, 2023 at 11:51 pm

    With 5 weeks to go til marathon, I spent the 5th week sick.
    This week, my freakin’ back went out—it’s on the mend, but cost me two days of running. I’m still getting my last long training run this Saturday. Twenty miles. Almost 3 weeks to go…

    I still feel ready despite these few setbacks.

  26. 26.

    eclare

    October 26, 2023 at 11:58 pm

    @Ohio Mom:

    Huh.  That is something to think about. I have the same issue, a really old kitchen, but I’m not looking to sell.  And it’s kind of handy not caring what I do to/how I care for countertops.

  27. 27.

    eclare

    October 27, 2023 at 12:00 am

    @ruemara:

    Yay!  Congrats!  It’s nice being your own landlord.

  28. 28.

    eclare

    October 27, 2023 at 12:00 am

    @CaseyL:

    Good for you!

  29. 29.

    eclare

    October 27, 2023 at 12:03 am

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Whoa, any ribs done in a slow cooker are not “Memphis” ribs.  As G&T said in a previous thread, this is a hill I will die on.

    Charcoal, preferably wood, or step off.

  30. 30.

    Wapiti

    October 27, 2023 at 12:09 am

    @Yarrow: At least your house is worth renovating and flipping and isn’t just a tear down worth lot value.

    My brother’s most recent tax appraisal was something like: Lot: $1 million. House: $10 thousand.

    His spouse was offended. My view is – hey, the county is being realistic and telling you that nothing you do to your house is going to be worth it. Developers will buy the lot, which is 3-4 blocks from a new light rail station.

  31. 31.

    Maxim

    October 27, 2023 at 12:10 am

    @ruemara: Aw, poor babies. I’m glad they’ve got their own little place in the house where they feel at home. (The fact that it’s your office probably has something to do with it, hurt kitty feelings notwithstanding.)

  32. 32.

    CaseyL

    October 27, 2023 at 12:11 am

    @Chacal Charles Calthrop: Good tips!  Though giving up deep-fried foods was comparatively easy for me (other things, not so much). What about air fryers?  Are foods cooked in them still delicious and crispy, or just dried out and sad?

    I keep wanting to join a CSA, but I’m single and even making my way through one small box would be quite a challenge.   I mostly get veggies from an organic market/upscale grocery.

  33. 33.

    Maxim

    October 27, 2023 at 12:12 am

    @Yarrow: I knew he wanted to add financial services, but not that he expects people to hand over all their money. He really is deeply delusional.

  34. 34.

    Maxim

    October 27, 2023 at 12:13 am

    @CaseyL: I love the idea of a CSA, but same — I always struggled to use up all the veggies in a week.

  35. 35.

    Sister Golden Bear

    October 27, 2023 at 12:15 am

    @Yarrow: Yeah it’s the same dream hallucination he’s had since 20+ years ago when he was the CEO at a company that later became PayPal — which he also wanted rename “X.”

    It got him deposed as CEO in an internal coup. Among other things aside from the same managerial dictatorial shenanigans, the company was issuing loans without doing credit checks, with predictable results.

  36. 36.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 27, 2023 at 12:24 am

    @eclare: I’m just quoting the video.

  37. 37.

    Yarrow

    October 27, 2023 at 12:25 am

    @Sister Golden Bear:  Yeah, the article mentions the Paypal and previous X thing. He’s such an idiot.

    I know Linda Y must be awful to have taken the job but I still can’t believe how she’s just a glorified cheerleader for his mess.

  38. 38.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 27, 2023 at 12:27 am

    @CaseyL: I have very limited experience with air fryers, but the food cooked with them has been good.

  39. 39.

    Ohio Mom

    October 27, 2023 at 12:29 am

    @eclare: Yes! We would trash a nice kitchen. I am perfectly happy with one that is broken in.

  40. 40.

    Yarrow

    October 27, 2023 at 12:30 am

    @CaseyL:  My neighbor grows okra in the summer and “fries” it in the air fryer. I haven’t been invited to sample it yet but she and her husband love it.

  41. 41.

    Ruckus

    October 27, 2023 at 1:54 am

    @ruemara:

    Good to hear from you, moves are almost always more work than one thinks. Congrats on the new place.

    I’ve moved a number of times cross several states and that was fun…. But seriously folks, it hasn’t always been a pain in the you know where. It’s also fun to start over – sometimes. OK most of the time. It helps if you don’t look back too much. But then I adopted a look forward attitude a fair number of decades ago and that makes most moves less tedious and backbreaking.

  42. 42.

    Ruckus

    October 27, 2023 at 1:58 am

    @Yarrow:

    Who wouldn’t want to give Elon all their money?

    Or any of it…

    That would be me. Not interested in what he’s selling. Automobiles, words, the next coming, bull and shit, no sir, just not interested.

  43. 43.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    October 27, 2023 at 3:41 am

    @Yarrow: I wouldn’t trust Elmo with my lunch money, never mind all my money. And this after he gutted the staff responsible for maintaining Twitter’s infrastructure in its far more limited role?

  44. 44.

    grandmaBear

    October 27, 2023 at 4:47 am

    I feel for you, I bought my first house last January and still have the occasional I wonder where I would have put that moment. Also, how could I lose the vegetable peeler? It’s not like I ever took it out of the kitchen.

  45. 45.

    satby

    October 27, 2023 at 6:33 am

    @Another Scott: Not including DougJ and TimF there are 12 front pagers here, but for some reason we mainly only hear from one. They probably have to throw elbows to get a word in edgewise.

  46. 46.

    Glidwrith

    October 27, 2023 at 9:19 am

    @CaseyL: It’s true: don’t eat the fast food for a while and stick with unprocessed foods and the store bought stuff starts to be disgusting. You can taste the sugar and salt overloads that pass for flavor.

    Let’s hear it for Penzy’s seasonings!

    Ruemara, great to hear from you!

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