Random Thoughts

[AnaKhouri]

Husband is watching Batman vs. Superman. I've only seen 30 minutes of it with him and I'm already annoyed this shit has devoured even this much of my life.

[Pixelated]

Mom had a bunch of dried-flower arrangements hanging all over the house. They are, as you can imagine, fantastic dust-catchers.

The one in the hallway was the worst; it was coated with dust. I decided to take it outside and see if I could hose it clean, and then donate it when it dries.

Apparently the "hosing down" process re-activated the eucalyptus on the arrangement.

I might just take it with me when I move out. It smells GREAT!

[Pixelated]

Coworker announced gleefully she's going to find some guys to set me up with.

I am not interested in being "set up" with guys, nice or otherwise. Nor girls, nice or otherwise. I LIKE my solitude. I don't WANT to change it. She seems extremely puzzled by this.

I told her if any unknown guys showed up on my front porch there was a good risk they'd be hauled away by those nice folks in blue uniforms. Hope she was listening ...

[notalwaysright]

I am not interested in being "set up" with guys, nice or otherwise. Nor girls, nice or otherwise. I LIKE my solitude. I don't WANT to change it. She seems extremely puzzled by this.

Same. At my new work the women there seemed genuinely shocked that I'm both single and childless at age 30. (and not looking) Granted, there's probably a cultural difference, but still. If I say I'm tired because of moving, and didn't have time to make lunch, they'll say "it's hard when you're by yourself." They will very often randomly reference my singleness out of the blue. At my old work people didn't comment on this. Mostly they are very sweet, it's just this issue they can't get past. There is a (single) 30 year old with 4 kids and that's normal for them I guess?

[MoonCat]

Garden walk, dinner, coffee, naked bike ride...

Wait, what?

No, I didn't take part They went past the coffee shop. I knew they were doing that in my town but didn't realize they would be going down that street.

Just another day in the village, folks...

[Aria]

I just finished a workout and managed to bike home, right into the wind. Woo hoo!

Not naked though.

[AnaKhouri]

It turns out that all you have to say is, "Whoever picks up the most water balloon pieces gets first crack at the pinata." And BAM! Clean yard in ten minutes.

[Pixelated]

Same. At my new work the women there seemed genuinely shocked that I'm both single and childless at age 30. (and not looking) Granted, there's probably a cultural difference, but still. If I say I'm tired because of moving, and didn't have time to make lunch, they'll say "it's hard when you're by yourself." They will very often randomly reference my singleness out of the blue. At my old work people didn't comment on this. Mostly they are very sweet, it's just this issue they can't get past. There is a (single) 30 year old with 4 kids and that's normal for them I guess?

Apparently that is indeed normal for them ... and yet your situation is not.

Yeah, it can be hard when you're by yourself ... I'm finding things pretty tough ATM due to various circumstances, and with nobody around to help.

However, I had a long-term relationship decades ago with a guy who, if we were still together (gods forbid), I would still have nobody around to help. So at least now I don't have the additional aggravation of knowing there's somebody nearby who could help, but is too self-centred and passive-aggressive to do so.

I seriously hope she doesn't decide to do the setup thing anyway. I don't know how much more plainly I can put it: I do know there are great guys out there ... but I like my solitude too much to give it up even for one of them.

Having said that (ironically), I just returned from a visit to Mom, and all I want to do is curl up on my bed and cry. My mother is dying, my job is disappearing in a month, in a few months I won't have a place to live ... I am really frightened for my future. Trying to keep my hopes up (there are a few positives in the offing ... like a possible job) but it's hard.

[notalwaysright]

Apparently that is indeed normal for them ... and yet your situation is not.

Yeah, it can be hard when you're by yourself ... I'm finding things pretty tough ATM due to various circumstances, and with nobody around to help.

Of course, there are pros and cons to being single, my issue was just how utterly gobsmacked they were about it. I don't think it's a big deal at all, but to them it's like... My identity? I don't care for this aspect of cultural differences.

Having said that (ironically), I just returned from a visit to Mom, and all I want to do is curl up on my bed and cry. My mother is dying, my job is disappearing in a month, in a few months I won't have a place to live ... I am really frightened for my future. Trying to keep my hopes up (there are a few positives in the offing ... like a possible job) but it's hard.

I'm sorry to hear about your mom, and I've been following the news of your job. Not that my situation is close to yours but I didn't know where I was going to live until about halfway through this month, and it was very stressful. I started my temp job the same week that I was able to get an apartment, so that was also nerve wracking. Hang in there, I guess is all I can say.

[Nunavut Pants]

...At my new work the women there seemed genuinely shocked that I'm both single and childless at age 30...

I felt like I dodged a bullet at my previous job; one of the managers felt she had to be a mom to everyone, which included insinuations about "grandchildren". She pestered one guy about being single until he went home and got married (both he and the boss were from the same country, which isn't where we currently are). It did take a few pointed comments about my age (middle- or older!) and how I had gotten married just the previous year, and she gave up on the kids thing. At least, with me.

It didn't help that I would show photos of our cats when anyone asked about children... Or, rarely, our cars...

[Pixelated]

Of course, there are pros and cons to being single, my issue was just how utterly gobsmacked they were about it. I don't think it's a big deal at all, but to them it's like... My identity? I don't care for this aspect of cultural differences.

A former coworker was in a situation like that ... cultural ... her parents (not sure if it was both or just Mom) were really pushing her to marry, as an unmarried woman was looked upon in their culture with disdain as a "leftover" with all the negative connotations that implies. I can't imagine how many daughters married totally unsuitable partners just to get one or both parents off their backs ...

I'm sorry to hear about your mom, and I've been following the news of your job. Not that my situation is close to yours but I didn't know where I was going to live until about halfway through this month, and it was very stressful. I started my temp job the same week that I was able to get an apartment, so that was also nerve wracking. Hang in there, I guess is all I can say.

Thanks, notalwaysright. I'm trying to keep hopeful and also to keep in mind some ways of possibly improving my current situation (aside from a job, of course!) One decision I've made is that in all likelihood I will apply for an early Canada Pension Plan. I'll be 62 in October, and the normal age for a full CPP is 65, so I'll lose some in terms of the per-month amount ... but OTOH, as a friend pointed out, I will also get the money for three years longer. (If you apply for early CPP you get a reduced amount and it doesn't go back up when you hit 65. However, there are other boosts to your old-age income at that time.) I don't know the numbers yet, but they will be helpful no matter what they are.

If I knew for sure that that office job was coming up in the fall, I might be willing to hang on for a while longer, but for all I know he's hired somebody else or changed his mind entirely about hiring anybody. Also, I'm putting in for a transfer to the coffee side of my current job, but there's no guarantee I'll get a job. So whatever the CPP amounts to, it will at least be a guaranteed amount per month. That will take some of the stress off.


Does anybody wonder I'm more and more in favour of a Guaranteed Annual Basic Income??
(P.S. No Fratching, please ... if you want to debate the matter, please take it to the appropriate site. )

I felt like I dodged a bullet at my previous job; one of the managers felt she had to be a mom to everyone, which included insinuations about "grandchildren". She pestered one guy about being single until he went home and got married (both he and the boss were from the same country, which isn't where we currently are). It did take a few pointed comments about my age (middle- or older!) and how I had gotten married just the previous year, and she gave up on the kids thing. At least, with me.

It didn't help that I would show photos of our cats when anyone asked about children... Or, rarely, our cars...

Oh, well done, Nunavut Pants! I suspect it was those photos that made her give up, since you obviously weren't taking her hints at all seriously ...

[AnaKhouri]

I realize now that Jaime Lannister is the Starbuck of Westeros. He knows the ship is going down, he just can't make himself leave. But jeez, even Ahab was more charming than Cersei.

[Kit-Ginevra]

It turns out that all you have to say is, "Whoever picks up the most water balloon pieces gets first crack at the pinata." And BAM! Clean yard in ten minutes.

That's all well and good as long as you're not using these water balloons





*same day post too...spooky :P

[mjr]

I think it'd be funny to write a "bowm chicka-bowm bowm" story, but use the scientific/medical terms instead of slang...

[Kit-Ginevra]

1

I'll be 62 in October, and the in terms of the per-month amount ... but OTOH, as a friend pointed out, I will also get the money for three years longer. (If you apply for early CPP you get a reduced amount and it doesn't go back up when you hit 65. However, there are other boosts to your old-age income at that time.) I don't know the numbers yet, but they will be helpful no matter what they are.

If I knew for sure that that office job was coming up in the fall, I might be willing to hang on for a while longer, but for all I know he's hired somebody else or changed his mind entirely about hiring anybody. Also, I'm putting in for a transfer to the coffee side of my current job, but there's no guarantee I'll get a job. So whatever the CPP amounts to, it will at least be a guaranteed amount per month. That will take some of the stress off.


Does anybody wonder I'm more and more in favour of a Guaranteed Annual Basic Income??
(P.S. No Fratching, please ... if you want to debate the matter, please take it to the appropriate site. )



Oh, well done, Nunavut Pants! I suspect it was those photos that made her give up, since you obviously weren't taking her hints at all seriously ...[/QUOTE]