The "What's on your mind?" Thread -2017

[Willowy]

Like most Aspergers people he is extremely intelligent, passed all his classes in a special school with "A's", but he can't function on his own.

As someone who probably is Aspie, with a long family history of it (not diagnosed; aversion to doctors is one of our things, lol. But it's likely my nephew will be diagnosed soon), I don't think it's true that most Aspies can't live independently. It just takes a little longer, and takes more effort. Generally, if someone is so badly affected that they can't live independently, they would have been diagnosed with more severe autism. (Side note: Asperger's is no longer a valid diagnosis. It's considered high-functioning autism now.) Someone with Asperger's is capable of being spoiled and entitled, though . But usually when circumstances force the issue, we manage just fine. I suspect your nephew's parents just let him get away with too much because of his special needs and he sees no reason to change now. But I think he'd be OK if he had to take care of himself (I say that just as a general commentary on Aspies, since I don't know him personally).

I don't know whether to call it a gift or a curse. I wouldn't be me if I were neurotypical. So it's hard to know how to feel about that. I like being me. Some things are harder and some things are easier. Everybody has troubles, are mine worse than others? Not really. Finding the right job can be hard though.

 

[LTS3]

My washer needs to be repaired

I did laundry this morning and as I was putting the first load into the dryer, I noticed that the floor under the front of the washer was wet. I figured that maybe the door leaked a bit (occasionally happens) so I cleaned that up and put another load in to wash. When that load was done, there was more water on the floor.  I cleaned it up again and got on my hands and knees to look under the washer. It's definitely coming from around the front right foot but I can't tell exactly from where. My front loading washer and dryer are in a teeny closet so there's no way I can take a look behind the machines. And the washer made a really shrill squeaking almost nails-on-chalkboard tyope noise while in a spin cycle. All I had in the wash was a normal load of whites. The cats didn't like the noise at all. Sears repair service is coming next Friday to take a look. I'm hoping it won't be an expensive fix

It's $79 just to have someone come out to "diagnose" the problem. I don't need to do laundry until next weekend and I can bring it to Mom's house to do if needed.

 

[foxxycat]

Hmm wonder if the hose has sprung a leak- or the drum is leaking. In the meantime they will need to pull it out of the closet in order to see the hoses/fittings. I know it's a pain. Kind of how I feel about fixing my plumbing fixtures..have to remove the wall cover in the other room which is a pain because it's an open space for Bee Kitty to get stuck in.

Years ago my angel Floey got her leg pulled because she tried to exit the house through the floor opening under the tub-don't ask me how this fat kitty squirmed her way under the tub-which is up about 5-6" and the cut open square is about 12 inches wide but there's piping in the way-but maybe she saw a bug and wanted it.

Well I heard back about this fiasco with Tripadvisor. I let them know that the rental was trying to make me change the dates of the rental despite already agreeing on the dates. Then they finally sent the rules but in the rules said I MUST fill out a pet application...since I already notified them in the beginning 2 times I had pets why am I now waiting on this wingnut to send me the rest of paperwork?

The agent has been trying to get a return phonecall from this jerk. And I looked up their name and they are a rental company in the cities of maine. Geeze I think I am going to do some work and put a review on Yelp. Because if this idiot doesn't answer me bet they don't answer the calls from their rental apartments. What a JERK! So I asked the question to Tripadvisor=what about a refund? If this person is not returning phone calls or emails then why would I want to do business with him? This has been nothing but a headache. Now I know why people buy some piece of land and stick a camper on it. Much less headaches than dealing with the run around. I would be happy in a camper and I would even pay to put a well in and dig a septic and run power to the camper!! and then build my OWN House!! I would do it myself too if I knew what I was doing!!!!

God ____ what a pain in the rear end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

   

 

I tell you I know I am bad at getting back to people but I at least answer texts/phone calls IF they leave a message...and this week been getting phone calls daily but NO MESSAGE!! so not sure what they want but I don't answer unknown numbers...if it's that important just Text message me!!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Holding off on the second bookcase for one more day.  I'm ALMOST over the soreness from the first, and don't want to end up in bed over this!  I can't wait to get it done, get the safety straps screwed into the wall, and start shelving books!  I am going to need at least eight bookcases before it is all over with.  I can get five in the office/library/guest room, and another couple in my bedroom.  Now, IF I can save up enough money for my electric fireplace, I can get two low bookcases to flank that...one for my DVDs, and the other for additional books.  Then I'm sunk...

 

[arouetta]

 
No, same HVAC unit. And if anything, it's more  humid this year--we've been getting more rain than normal this time of year, and while it's been cold, it hasn't been a dry cold, if that makes sense. No, the diet's the same as it was this time last year. My water intake has  changed--I've been drinking more of it. I can't help it--at work I get so thirsty (probably something to do with the fact that I greet each and every single customer twice--once when they come in and once when they get to the counter). When I first started taking supplements, I had trouble finding the right ones. (I don't know what the extra ingredients are, but for some of the brands I have a bad reaction to them.) However, I've now settled on brand, Spring Valley, and I've stuck with it for years. Now, AWM has said that, due to the increased rains and (subsequent) flooding of the water plant, there's more chlorine in the water than there was last year. (I drink bottled and filter water only--I can't stand the taste of tap.) Could that be it? 

The chlorine could be stripping the oils from your skin during showering.  Another thought could be if the water is harder (more minerals), those minerals often scour your skin.

 

[arouetta]

As someone who probably is Aspie, with a long family history of it (not diagnosed; aversion to doctors is one of our things, lol. But it's likely my nephew will be diagnosed soon), I don't think it's true that most Aspies can't live independently. It just takes a little longer, and takes more effort. Generally, if someone is so badly affected that they can't live independently, they would have been diagnosed with more severe autism. (Side note: Asperger's is no longer a valid diagnosis. It's considered high-functioning autism now.) Someone with Asperger's is capable of being spoiled and entitled, though

. But usually when circumstances force the issue, we manage just fine. I suspect your nephew's parents just let him get away with too much because of his special needs and he sees no reason to change now. But I think he'd be OK if he had to take care of himself (I say that just as a general commentary on Aspies, since I don't know him personally).

I don't know whether to call it a gift or a curse. I wouldn't be me if I were neurotypical. So it's hard to know how to feel about that. I like being me. Some things are harder and some things are easier. Everybody has troubles, are mine worse than others? Not really. Finding the right job can be hard though.

I think the intent was that like most people with Asperger's, he got straight A's, but his case is so severe that he can't live on his own.

Obviously I can't know what it feels like to have ASD but I look at how my daughter just isn't capable of living on her own because she is so impaired and how other kids her age have been on their own for half a decade and I think she would be better off if she were neurotypical.  I know I would be far, far better off if my brain was typical.

 

[margd]

 
Holding off on the second bookcase for one more day.  I'm ALMOST over the soreness from the first, and don't want to end up in bed over this!  I can't wait to get it done, get the safety straps screwed into the wall, and start shelving books!  I am going to need at least eight bookcases before it is all over with.  I can get five in the office/library/guest room, and another couple in my bedroom.  Now, IF I can save up enough money for my electric fireplace, I can get two low bookcases to flank that...one for my DVDs, and the other for additional books.  Then I'm sunk...

Then you're sunk?  Don't you mean, then you're set? 

  Or do you mean then you're sunk because you'll have easy access to all of your books and will have your nose in one constantly, all while Hekitty slowly wastes away into a wraith?

 

[arouetta]

So I am keeping all my fingers and all my toes crossed.

I had the EKG today, and I asked for a sneak peek at the strip.  It won't be properly read by a cardiologist for a day or two but I found the QT rate.  I didn't know until Google just now that I also needed to know the R-R rate to compare, but in general my 448ms squeaked by the limit.  Some sites say that less than 460ms is normal.  Other sites say that under 450ms is normal and 450ms to 470ms is questionable.  Either way, I'm below that.

What worries me is that I've had a lot of EKGs at a lot of places and I've managed to get a sneak peek at most of them.  In general, either the top of the strip says "Normal" or it lists things that look odd.  The strip today listed a lot of stuff that looked odd.  Mostly I've had "Normal" at the top of my EKG strips.  I'm hoping this hospital just has a different type of machine.  However I've had two not-normal EKGs that I know of, the one with the prolonged QT interval and the one taken 2 weeks later.  A cardiologist saw the 2 weeks later one and said that all those non-specific S wave and T wave abnormalities were absolutely nothing to be concerned about and I didn't need to see him again.  So all those oddities might be nothing at all.

If the psych NP does want to start taking me off stuff, I guess I'm just going to have to have a "vague memory" of when the old psychiatrist took me off the antidepressant so I can keep my Seroquel.

 

[arouetta]

 
Then you're sunk?  Don't you mean, then you're set? 

  Or do you mean then you're sunk because you'll have easy access to all of your books and will have your nose in one constantly, all while Hekitty slowly wastes away into a wraith?

Cats have some really good survival instincts.  If Hekitty starts wasting away in the slightest, Mamanyt is going to end on an Animal Planet show about owners being eaten by their pets.

 

[margd]

 
So I am keeping all my fingers and all my toes crossed.

I had the EKG today, and I asked for a sneak peek at the strip.  It won't be properly read by a cardiologist for a day or two but I found the QT rate.  I didn't know until Google just now that I also needed to know the R-R rate to compare, but in general my 448ms squeaked by the limit.  Some sites say that less than 460ms is normal.  Other sites say that under 450ms is normal and 450ms to 470ms is questionable.  Either way, I'm below that.

What worries me is that I've had a lot of EKGs at a lot of places and I've managed to get a sneak peek at most of them.  In general, either the top of the strip says "Normal" or it lists things that look odd.  The strip today listed a lot of stuff that looked odd.  Mostly I've had "Normal" at the top of my EKG strips.  I'm hoping this hospital just has a different type of machine.  However I've had two not-normal EKGs that I know of, the one with the prolonged QT interval and the one taken 2 weeks later.  A cardiologist saw the 2 weeks later one and said that all those non-specific S wave and T wave abnormalities were absolutely nothing to be concerned about and I didn't need to see him again.  So all those oddities might be nothing at all.

If the psych NP does want to start taking me off stuff, I guess I'm just going to have to have a "vague memory" of when the old psychiatrist took me off the antidepressant so I can keep my Seroquel.

Ah, the ever useful "vague memory."   I find that one to be extremely useful. 

Excellent news about the Q-T rate on the EKG.  Fingers crossed that all the rest of the stuff is just a long-winded way of saying "Normal."  

 

[LTS3]

 
Hmm wonder if the hose has sprung a leak- or the drum is leaking. In the meantime they will need to pull it out of the closet in order to see the hoses/fittings. I know it's a pain. Kind of how I feel about fixing my plumbing fixtures..have to remove the wall cover in the other room which is a pain because it's an open space for Bee Kitty to get stuck in.

The washer and dryer are stacked so the repair person will have to pull the entire thing out of the closet to check behind the machine and udner the machine if needed. Where the hoses are attached to the water outlets in the wall is dry so it's not leaking from there. The water is contained to the right front foot area. I stuffed a paper towel under there for awhile to catch any remaining water. The last time I checked the paper towel was still dry so I think I'm ok until the repair service. The washer is only 7 years old.

 

[pdgal9]

Just got back from a week long trip from Seattle and am absolutely in love with the city. Has anyone else been there? Favorite eats? Pike Place Market was amazing - wish it wasn't so far away so that I could go back! 

Now...back to the daily work grind

.

 

[arouetta]

 
The washer and dryer are stacked so the repair person will have to pull the entire thing out of the closet to check behind the machine and udner the machine if needed. Where the hoses are attached to the water outlets in the wall is dry so it's not leaking from there. The water is contained to the right front foot area. I stuffed a paper towel under there for awhile to catch any remaining water. The last time I checked the paper towel was still dry so I think I'm ok until the repair service. The washer is only 7 years old.

Taking the outer panels off a washer and dryer is annoying as all getout but doable.  You might be able to see what is leaking and it might even be easy enough for you to fix on your own, thus saving the $79.

 

[Primula]

Taking the outer panels off a washer and dryer is annoying as all getout but doable.  You might be able to see what is leaking and it might even be easy enough for you to fix on your own, thus saving the $79.

Unplug them first.

 

[tallyollyopia]

 
My washer needs to be repaired

I did laundry this morning and as I was putting the first load into the dryer, I noticed that the floor under the front of the washer was wet. I figured that maybe the door leaked a bit (occasionally happens) so I cleaned that up and put another load in to wash. When that load was done, there was more water on the floor.  I cleaned it up again and got on my hands and knees to look under the washer. It's definitely coming from around the front right foot but I can't tell exactly from where. My front loading washer and dryer are in a teeny closet so there's no way I can take a look behind the machines. And the washer made a really shrill squeaking almost nails-on-chalkboard tyope noise while in a spin cycle. All I had in the wash was a normal load of whites. The cats didn't like the noise at all. Sears repair service is coming next Friday to take a look. I'm hoping it won't be an expensive fix

It's $79 just to have someone come out to "diagnose" the problem. I don't need to do laundry until next weekend and I can bring it to Mom's house to do if needed.

My big concern would be water damage to the floor. You've got to be careful or rot will set in.

 
Hmm wonder if the hose has sprung a leak- or the drum is leaking. In the meantime they will need to pull it out of the closet in order to see the hoses/fittings. I know it's a pain. Kind of how I feel about fixing my plumbing fixtures..have to remove the wall cover in the other room which is a pain because it's an open space for Bee Kitty to get stuck in.

Years ago my angel Floey got her leg pulled because she tried to exit the house through the floor opening under the tub-don't ask me how this fat kitty squirmed her way under the tub-which is up about 5-6" and the cut open square is about 12 inches wide but there's piping in the way-but maybe she saw a bug and wanted it.

Well I heard back about this fiasco with Tripadvisor. I let them know that the rental was trying to make me change the dates of the rental despite already agreeing on the dates. Then they finally sent the rules but in the rules said I MUST fill out a pet application...since I already notified them in the beginning 2 times I had pets why am I now waiting on this wingnut to send me the rest of paperwork?

The agent has been trying to get a return phonecall from this jerk. And I looked up their name and they are a rental company in the cities of maine. Geeze I think I am going to do some work and put a review on Yelp. Because if this idiot doesn't answer me bet they don't answer the calls from their rental apartments. What a JERK! So I asked the question to Tripadvisor=what about a refund? If this person is not returning phone calls or emails then why would I want to do business with him? This has been nothing but a headache. Now I know why people buy some piece of land and stick a camper on it. Much less headaches than dealing with the run around. I would be happy in a camper and I would even pay to put a well in and dig a septic and run power to the camper!! and then build my OWN House!! I would do it myself too if I knew what I was doing!!!!

God ____ what a pain in the rear end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

   

 

I tell you I know I am bad at getting back to people but I at least answer texts/phone calls IF they leave a message...and this week been getting phone calls daily but NO MESSAGE!! so not sure what they want but I don't answer unknown numbers...if it's that important just Text message me!!

Good luck getting your money back. I hope Tripadvisor. I hope they send some goons out to collect it.

 
Holding off on the second bookcase for one more day.  I'm ALMOST over the soreness from the first, and don't want to end up in bed over this!  I can't wait to get it done, get the safety straps screwed into the wall, and start shelving books!  I am going to need at least eight bookcases before it is all over with.  I can get five in the office/library/guest room, and another couple in my bedroom.  Now, IF I can save up enough money for my electric fireplace, I can get two low bookcases to flank that...one for my DVDs, and the other for additional books.  Then I'm sunk...

 
The chlorine could be stripping the oils from your skin during showering.  Another thought could be if the water is harder (more minerals), those minerals often scour your skin.

Where I'd spent summers as a kid with DD the water was very hard. I was still fighting oily skin. Now, the chlorine is new. 

 
So I am keeping all my fingers and all my toes crossed.

I had the EKG today, and I asked for a sneak peek at the strip.  It won't be properly read by a cardiologist for a day or two but I found the QT rate.  I didn't know until Google just now that I also needed to know the R-R rate to compare, but in general my 448ms squeaked by the limit.  Some sites say that less than 460ms is normal.  Other sites say that under 450ms is normal and 450ms to 470ms is questionable.  Either way, I'm below that.

What worries me is that I've had a lot of EKGs at a lot of places and I've managed to get a sneak peek at most of them.  In general, either the top of the strip says "Normal" or it lists things that look odd.  The strip today listed a lot of stuff that looked odd.  Mostly I've had "Normal" at the top of my EKG strips.  I'm hoping this hospital just has a different type of machine.  However I've had two not-normal EKGs that I know of, the one with the prolonged QT interval and the one taken 2 weeks later.  A cardiologist saw the 2 weeks later one and said that all those non-specific S wave and T wave abnormalities were absolutely nothing to be concerned about and I didn't need to see him again.  So all those oddities might be nothing at all.

If the psych NP does want to start taking me off stuff, I guess I'm just going to have to have a "vague memory" of when the old psychiatrist took me off the antidepressant so I can keep my Seroquel.

Good for you!

 
The washer and dryer are stacked so the repair person will have to pull the entire thing out of the closet to check behind the machine and udner the machine if needed. Where the hoses are attached to the water outlets in the wall is dry so it's not leaking from there. The water is contained to the right front foot area. I stuffed a paper towel under there for awhile to catch any remaining water. The last time I checked the paper towel was still dry so I think I'm ok until the repair service. The washer is only 7 years old.

Here's a question; is it only when the washer is running that water leaks, or is it all the time.

 
Just got back from a week long trip from Seattle and am absolutely in love with the city. Has anyone else been there? Favorite eats? Pike Place Market was amazing - wish it wasn't so far away so that I could go back! 

Now...back to the daily work grind

.

At least you had a good vacation. Wish I could get one.

I woke up from a dream where I was trying desperately to find Slipper--and then I woke up and realized it's been almost a year since she died. 

 

[NewYork1303]

 
Just got back from a week long trip from Seattle and am absolutely in love with the city. Has anyone else been there? Favorite eats? Pike Place Market was amazing - wish it wasn't so far away so that I could go back! 

Now...back to the daily work grind

.

@pdgal9  I live twenty minutes from Seattle. It is definitely my favorite big city, but not my favorite to drive in. 

The cats and I now have an official time each day for them to go in and watch gerbils. After they hear me finish feeding the gerbils, they meow at the door until they are allowed in so they can sit on the bed and watch the gerbils eat and dig around. 

We spent the day working in the yard and working on getting everything ready so we can have 8 yards of dirt delivered for our new garden beds. 

 

[tallyollyopia]

Well, my manager made a statement that made my eyes pop out for a moment. She mentioned how she was ranting to someone complaining about not being able to do everything that "Tally does it all, and more, on third shift with no backup!" 

 And all I could think was, I'm  the bar for my coworkers? I don't feel like I'm doing a good job; or at least not as good of a job as I was doing three months ago, before I was exhausted and running on fumes. What? This makes no sense  to me!

 

[foxxycat]

Well it DOES make sense! you don't give yourself enough credit!!! You may not see yourself as a bottle rocket but everyone else sees you as one!! And that's a good thing!!So cut yourself some slack darling!!

Can you believe not much is on my mind? Other than some dumb rumor going around about June 1 being D day for us. I heard grumblings about it. I remember they said something a year ago that if we didn't get enough work that they would have to let a good amount of people go. So for now we just do the best we can and whatever happens happens. At least they have to pay severance pay for those who they let go then the 26 weeks of unemployment. Time will tell what happens. And here we go again. I will keep you guys updated on what's going on.

 

[segelkatt]

So very true. It never ceases to amaze me to hear this stupidity coming out of the mouths of allegedly smart and educated people. Since these same people usually have some kind of position that ,makes them appear to be some kind of authority the people to whom you refer to as morons and who are in the majority will promptly go along with whatever they have been told and thus the US is way behind the rest of the civilized world when it comes to any kind of social programs. Ever noticed where the immigrants are from who have come here in the last 30 or more years? Mostly from the Third World where things are indeed worse than they are here. The rest of the world prefers to stay home as there is little to attract them to come here unless they are genuine tourists. 

 

[artiemom]

 
Well, my manager made a statement that made my eyes pop out for a moment. She mentioned how she was ranting to someone complaining about not being able to do everything that "Tally does it all, and more, on third shift with no backup!" 

 And all I could think was, I'm  the bar for my coworkers? I don't feel like I'm doing a good job; or at least not as good of a job as I was doing three months ago, before I was exhausted and running on fumes. What? This makes no sense  to me!

You are an amazingly hard worker. You put the others to shame. It is good that your manager acknowledges it. It would be better if she acknowledged it with improved working hours and a huge raise, but at least she realizes it. 

Now, when it is time for review.. hold this up to her... write it down.. and remember!!