Posts made by Auspice

@Packrat

I do this often. Is that an anxiety tic? I thought it was an 'I am a stupid crazy person' one. My cat is 10 and is, AFAIK, perfectly healthy (I mean she was last vet visit so!). But every morning if I wake up before her I have to check......

@RightMeow said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Auspice

Is there a resource in your town helping with meds maybe?

I'm not sure. I already use GoodRX, but most of the ones I take haven't had discounts on there in a long time.

Also, @Seamus
It's not really the... singular cost of a medication, unfortunately. It's the fact that I take 9 things. And honestly there's stuff I should get refilled before the anxiety meds.

@silverfox said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Auspice

Man, I'm ON my meds and today has been one long fight with the knot in my chest where I just start sobbing at the drop of a hat because of anxiety.

I can't even imagine being without them. I'm so sorry.

Thank you. It's not easy, but I did get some time in with a good friend playing Stardew Valley. That's a really good game for just sitting on voice chat and relaxing. The most stressful thing in that game is 'goddamnit where did the [in game] day go?!'

I am off my meds until these stimulus checks come in because meds without insurance are just way too expensive.

I've been most worried about my depression hitting me hard.
What I didn't expect was the generalized anxiety.

I've been going into anxiety attacks suddenly and without warning since last night. I don't know why I'm anxious (I mean there are REASONS to be but I can't identify which it is so I can work through it). I just am.

@Packrat said in Covid-19 Gallows Humor:

@Auspice I am in the UK here so indoor/outdoor cats are very much the norm with keeping them inside all of the time largely considered to be cruel, along with being lucky enough to live in quiet suburbia so there is maybe one car every ten minutes down my road.

So most of the time they are free to head out and do cat stuff in my garden or those of my immediate neighbors (they are girls and so do not roam very far). Both houses alongside mine are owned by people who like cats and feed them treats for that matter, I know the braver of my two spent portions of last summer approaching barbecues then demanding and receiving a tribute of sausages.

That's good.
I used to let mine out more, but my family losing two cats in short order (one to a car and the other to a coyote) a handful of years ago got me firmly on the 'nope, you guys stay inside.' Mine love the balcony, but I also know one has sort of a panic if he can see the sky so balcony is their (and my!) happy medium.

I will note, re: cats, that the study that gave this data was... -handwiggle-

***=because the article made me super sad so***

click to show

they put highly, HIGHLY, concentrated forms of the virus up the nose of a number of kitties. Like, a higher concentration than ANYONE will come into contact with, period. About... half? the cats contracted it and some had to be put down (this is where it got me really depressed and I am sorry if you are now too ) and of those that didn't get badly ill, they got put in with healthy cats and a couple of those contracted it.

so, yes, kitties CAN get it, but it's extremely unlikely and their mortality rate is low as is their infection rate.

HOWEVER.
THAT SAID.
I am a proponent of keeping cats inside ALWAYS because the world is a dangerous place full of cars and shitty people.

@Darren said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Auspice said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Darren said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Auspice While I was in Lowes yesterday buying mulch, a guy tried to push his way past the the line to get in, claiming that "he was tired of waiting". One of the guys he cut in front of took exception and pulled him back out of the store. I thought for a minute that a fight was going to break out but the assistant manager showed up and then, a moment later, a deputy. They served the guy with a notice not to trespass and ordered him off of the premises. Everyone in the line cheered

Man that's nice to hear.

I get waiting sucks, but it's sort of where we are right now. Do it because it's a civic duty.

My sister was texting the family (-1 shitty brother) group text about how she's down to one roll of TP but too lazy to stand in line.

(Whereas I was able to find a 20 pack of TP and I figure I'm set for months!)

You're lucky!

I have not been able to find TP anywhere since this all started (for my area, anyway) two weeks ago. Fortunately I was able to uhhhh liberate most of a case of it from work (kidding, the boss actually suggested we help ourselves to the TP and paper towels).

There were only a few 20 packs left. And it was the cheapest (in make) kind.
But I have it.

CostCo I hear is staying decently stocked.

@Darren said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@Auspice While I was in Lowes yesterday buying mulch, a guy tried to push his way past the the line to get in, claiming that "he was tired of waiting". One of the guys he cut in front of took exception and pulled him back out of the store. I thought for a minute that a fight was going to break out but the assistant manager showed up and then, a moment later, a deputy. They served the guy with a notice not to trespass and ordered him off of the premises. Everyone in the line cheered

Man that's nice to hear.

I get waiting sucks, but it's sort of where we are right now. Do it because it's a civic duty.

My sister was texting the family (-1 shitty brother) group text about how she's down to one roll of TP but too lazy to stand in line.

(Whereas I was able to find a 20 pack of TP and I figure I'm set for months!)

My peeve today: people blatantly ignoring social distancing rules.

I gotta go shopping. There's shit I need. I don't WANNA be in the store, but ffs. They have marked off lines/areas for a goddamn reason. If I'm waiting for the elderly lady in front of me to get situated, that's not a sign for you and your kids (who you're also letting touch everyone and everything) to PHYSICALLY PUSH PAST BOTH ME AND HER to get in the store.

And I understand the employees not saying/doing anything. I wish they would, but I get it. They're tired, stressed, and don't wanna risk the confrontation.

But goddamn people.

@silverfox said in The Work Thread:

@Auspice I'm not going to lie, I'm rather upset with the stimulus as passed. There isn't a way to say, "no, please." My husband and I are so amazingly lucky to be employed right now - yet we are getting the same assistance as others. It just doesn't feel right.

What Macha said. Maybe donate it to someone in need?

The problem is if they'd picked/choosed, they would've been hurting people somewhere. Like, the cut-off for a married couple is Xxxx, but what about areas with higher/lower costs of living? Or people with kids in college that they're helping support? Or.......

I think donating it somewhere is a perfectly reasonable response, but I understand your feeling. For people like me? It's a blessing. But I have another friend who was kinda like.... shrug? I don't need this?

@Seamus said in Good TV:

@Auspice said in Good TV:

Finally watched this week's Zoey and homg. Fight Song in ASL.

Excuse me, there's onions all up in here.

OMG yes. I took me a minute to figure out the melody, but once I did.. There were LOTS of onions around. It was an epic scene.

It's one of my favorite songs, so I noticed it on the opening cords and then she began signing and just TEARS.

Finally watched this week's Zoey and homg. Fight Song in ASL.

Excuse me, there's onions all up in here.

@Aria said in Covid-19 Gallows Humor:

Rob Lowe got so bored, he did a Tiger King cosplay from his house.

Rob Lowe is a goddamn treasure.

The best part of this is knowing Rob Lowe owns that shirt.

@Darren said in The Work Thread:

I applied for unemployment in MD two weeks ago today but have yet to hear anything back from them.

I have $237 left in my bank account and am facing the prospect of having to liquidate some of my investments just to get bills paid. If this goes on for more than a couple of months, I honestly don't know what I am going to do.

So, good news on two fronts:
a) Another friend in MD who filed said his is now processing, so it looks like they're getting things done.
b) Most states backdate payments to when you first filed, so while it may not happen exactly when you need, you SHOULD get covered.

Also: stimulus checks are gonna start going out around this weekend (last update I saw) to everyone who has the direct deposit done. Mailed checks will take much longer. So if you filed taxes last year or this and used direct deposit, you should be getting some relief soon.

Also:
I have a lead on a contract job I can share with people. State of Kentucky is looking for people to do at-home customer support for the unemployment office. 40 hours a week, 3-month contract. I'd be happy to forward the details along to anyone interested.

Downside: it pays just $13/hr (which is too low for where I live, but might work for people in multi-income households or areas with a lower cost of living).

More of a sweet note.

One of my coworkers from the security gig I worked last year texted me out of the blue today. Saying he misses our talks during shift, etc. Suggested I come back.

Which, I mean, I liked my coworkers, but the job was p bad. And apparently they have a new account manager who makes it worse. Also: it'd pay less than my unemployment is and that alone makes me nope. Not gonna stress myself out, put myself (in this covid-19 times) at risk..... to be even more broke.

@RightMeow said in The Work Thread:

Just a vent. Not looking for a fix.

So I decided to take leave. I've mentioned this. --- My four week /unpaid/ leave is soon to be up. I message my employer and go, okay. I guess I come back on the 19th.

I get a message back from my boss. That they are happy to have me back but this is still a very high risk job area. She's willing to extend my leave if I want.

Now part of me is like awww.. thanks for caring a little bit. The other part of me is like, I need money. Bills, cars, insurance, etc don't pay themselves. Since I'm on a 'leave' I don't get unemployment. Hello rock. Hello hard place. Fuck Covid.

Some states are opening unemployment for those who can't work due to various types of furlough. I'm not sure which one you're in else I'd dig around a bit.

(because funny gifs are necessary rn)