The Ranting Thread

[Lighthawk]

It is time for the airing of grievances, in my case, towards the former owners of my house.

1) Allowing a jungle to take over the yard, a grievance requiring several sub points.

A) Planting a "garden" out front, without laying a weed liner, rocks, or mulch, without putting any sort of dividing barrier between it and the yard in general, and just letting things grow wild after doing so. Status: Fixed, after near a year of pruning, digging, rock hauling, and replanting.

B) Planting privacy bushes between the side of the house and the neighbor's privacy fence, and allowing them to grow wild to the extent that you could not blame people for mistaking it for a small woodland. Status: Still there, almost seriously considering fire as a solution. My house is brick, it'll survive.

C) Laying down stepping stones along the other side of the house without bothering to sink them into the ground at all, so that running a lawn mower over them was a risk, and again, letting everything grow up wild around them. Status: Fixed, at the cost of my spine

D) Planting a bush so close to the back fence that 1/3 of said bush grew up on the other side of the fence. Status: Removed, as of today.

E) Planting a series of ground hugging plants on the slope in the front yard leading down the sidewalk. Said plants looked like evergreen trees growing like creepers, were woody so no mower could handle them, and did nothing to stop weeds growing up through them. Status: Removed, at the cost of a shovel and lots of sweat.

F) Putting in a fence and not having it run flush against the neighbor's fence, leaving a 4 inch gap between the two that is virtually impossible to get any kind of trimming device into, thus leaving a row of wild grass and weeds that can only be tamed chemically. Status: Unresolved

G) Never, ever knocking down the dozens of dried mud nests made by wasps under the roof overhang. Status: Removed via much poking with a broom handle.

H) Leaving a large iron cauldron (seriously) in one overgrown corner of the yard for so long that it half sunk into the ground under its own weight, was literally so overgrown by weeds as to become utterly hidden, and then filled with water that turned rank and stagnant. Status: Removed and weeded, though my back still hurts just looking there and I think the smell has only just left my nose.

I) Never trimming any of the trees, even when they began to brush against the house. Status: Trimmed.

2) Removing the beautiful hardwood floor found everywhere else in the house from the kitchen and back patio room in order to lay down plain baize (and cheap) floor tile. Status: Unlikely to be fixed any time soon

A) Removing the decorative molding during the flooring process, and replacing it with unfinished 1X4s. Status: Unresolved

B) Using the same ugly 1x4s as trim in the game room when they finished the basement. Status: Replaced

3) Replacing the piping under the kitchen sink with cheap, plastic tubing and no sealant. Status: Sealant added.

A) Replacing the kitchen sink and merely setting it into the counting without caulking. Status: Caulked.

4) Improperly installing a door to the laundry room using too short screws, so that the hinges were sunk into the 1/8th inch of wood of the door frame and a bare bit of the dry wall, resulting in the top hinge popping loose. Made all the more annoying by the presence of a stud only an inch deeper, which is clearly visible as the backside of the wall is unfinished. Status: Next project

[Tyyr]

Sounds all too familiar. Too many do-it-yourselfers with no clue trying to flip houses.

[Angharrad]

warning: unabashed self-indulgence to follow. Before you say it, I know there are people much worse off than I, and I know I have a great deal for which to be thankful. But this is the ranting thread, after all...

Having type-I diabetes sucks. While I've never really had a hang-up about injections, giving yourself four shots in the gut every day sucks a lot more than not. Also, my fingertips are covered in so many pinholes and calluses that I can't even see my fingerprints anymore. I hate having to worry about doing everyday chores, like mowing the lawn; and I hate unconsciously considering it a victory if I am able to do so without going paws-up. I hate being forced to be a dick to people - for example, "Thanks for inviting me to your barbecue - now I need you to tell me exactly when and what we're going to eat." I hate people feeling like they need to make special accomodations for my diet. I hate having to tell my little girl things like, "I can't take you in the ocean right now, Daddy's got to check his blood sugar first," possibly followed by, "Sorry, honey - Daddy's sugar is low, I can't take you;" or things like, "I can't read you that story right now, Daddy's due for a shot and then he has to eat." While I appreciate the sentiment, I can't help but eventually get annoyed by people who offer me all their sage advice and judgement about how I manage my diabetes. I hate owrrying about how my wife may have to drive more than her fair sure because my blood sugar levels are off. And I really hate my temper blowing up out of all proportion to minor things because a symptom of a high blood glucose level is ill temper, completely independent of any conscious control or external factors.

There, I'm done. Please feel free to reply or PM with any variations on the theme of, "Yeah, yeah, things are tough all over, asshole."

[Angharrad]

My shoe laces keep coming undone!!!

Things are tough all over. In other words: Die peasant

[thelordharry]

My shoe laces keep coming undone!!!

Things are tough all over. In other words: Die peasant

Mikey, I tie my shoelaces bunny ears just like my mummy say but they still come undone!

Bella, just because the New York Yankees lost to the Cleveland Steamers, you don't have to take it out on me!!!

[stitch626]

My shoe laces keep coming undone!!!

Things are tough all over. In other words: Die peasant

Mikey, I tie my shoelaces bunny ears just like my mummy say but they still come undone!

Bella, just because the New York Yankees lost to the Cleveland Steamers, you don't have to take it out on me!!!

[Mikey]

Lighthawk - didn't you contract an inspector before you closed on the house? Anyway, most of those things can be put down to either being cheap or beig ignorant. What I don't get it replacing a crown molding with plain joists. Why would you take down something nice if you're going to put something up there again? I understand if you don't like crown molding, and take it down to paint or refinish the wall-ceiling join... but to take it down only to put wood up there again, just uglier?

Bella - thank you.

Mikey, I tie my shoelaces bunny ears just like my mummy say but they still come undone!

Time for loafers, I suspect. Or, borrow a thousand bucks from said mummy (like Hugh Hefner) and use it to build a mega corp (like Hugh Hefner) and then sit about all day in your pajamas and robe (like Hef.)

[Tsukiyumi]

...my temper blowing up out of all proportion to minor things because a symptom of a high blood glucose level is ill temper, completely independent of any conscious control or external factors...

I did not know that. I need to keep that in mind.

EDIT: And, in other news, things are tough all over, as$holes.

[Angharrad]

My shoe laces keep coming undone!!!

Things are tough all over. In other words: Die peasant

Mikey, I tie my shoelaces bunny ears just like my mummy say but they still come undone!

Bella, just because the New York Yankees lost to the Cleveland Steamers, you don't have to take it out on me!!!

[Deepcrush]

I am avenged. Guy who bitched at me last night just got his ass handed to him. So much happiness, so much bloodshed. I shall now have a nerdy moment to enjoy what has happened here. This message brought to you by the NHRA, please drive safely.

Okay, short version of the story. Guy playing Arnor who cried about me using Isengard as a good faction who then needed me to save him. Well, I saved him and he still gave me crap about it. Not a thank you, not an "okay maybe your massive army of Uruk-Hai could be useful against the Dark Lord Souron" but just crap. Today he got jumped again by forces of the "Orcs of the Misty Mountains" but this time no one went to his aid because of his rant from yesterday. In return for me pulling my troops out of his lands, the OotMM player gave me the Mines of Moria and Khazad Dum itself! So not only payback but in a turn or two I can start putting mithril armor on my Uruk-Hai!

[Lighthawk]

Lighthawk - didn't you contract an inspector before you closed on the house?

We did, the thing is really only the sink problem is anything I could seriously consider a real problem, dripping water is never to be taken lightly. But I fixed that with a $1 tube, hardly seems worth calling up the inspector at this point to bitch about that. The rest is stuff we noticed before hand and accepted as not being too terrible, without really considering how much work some of it would be.

Anyway, most of those things can be put down to either being cheap or beig ignorant.

And lazy...the yard is a prime example of being a lazy ass

What I don't get it replacing a crown molding with plain joists. Why would you take down something nice if you're going to put something up there again? I understand if you don't like crown molding, and take it down to paint or refinish the wall-ceiling join... but to take it down only to put wood up there again, just uglier?

Yeah, that more than anything has me wondering what the hell they were thinking.

[thelordharry]

I choose to lunch at my desk. I despise it when people come to my desk and say, "Hi Ben, I know you're eating your lunch but can I just.....". They should be made to be honest and say "Hi Ben, I know you're eating your lunch but I don't care so I'm going to interrupt you because I'm selfish". For the rekkid, if I ever see anyone eating/drinking when I go to speak to them, I always come back when they're done...

[Mikey]

It is, unfortunately, a universal phenomenon. Perhaps you could get a sign that reads, "Despite the fact that this is my desk, the food indicates that I'm having lunch. Come back when I'm not, or ask someone who cares."

[thelordharry]

Or pretend to cry when approached. They'll either walk off or ask what's the matter. If they ask what's the matter, I'd say "I honestly think I'm going to hurt somebody badly any minute..."

[Mikey]