This Happened

poorpete · Post by **poorpete** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 4:51 pm

ooooh. Guy has like the #2 song in America right now (pre-Drake) pretty cool sighting!

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 6:46 pm

I could be wrong? Easily wrong. People have lookalikes. His hair was flattened down like it has been lately, and they were sitting together both facing a big TV - that whole half of restaurant empty and us four little ladies on the opposite side, only others around. GF was a tall, very good looking Black woman; both dressed very casual but expensive. She had like... I want to say a nose ring but not really - It was like some kind of sparkly thing you would see in a Bollywood movie? I don't have the words. I could be totally wrong about this but... I don't know what the heck they'd be doing here but if you just went by Google reviews I guess they chose well.

poorpete · Post by **poorpete** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 6:52 pm

What are YOU doing there hehe

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:18 am

I was actually on a secret trip! My kid was feeling low and wanted to eat a big meal at this place, so we went... the option was not offered to the other kids so we had to keep it on the low. Each one kind of gets their special moments from time to time.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:43 am

Bomb threat at my son's high school. Which has also prompted a shelter-in-place at my daughters' middle school.

Tahlvin · Post by **Tahlvin** » Wed Oct 25, 2023 2:37 pm

That sucks. Hope everything and everyone is okay.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:35 am

Akiva wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:43 am Bomb threat at my son's high school. Which has also prompted a shelter-in-place at my daughters' middle school.

Whoa completely missed this yesterday. Did they get it sorted out? After the stuff going on in this country and around the world you just never know what the hell to expect.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:40 am

Phoebe wrote: ↑Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:35 am
Akiva wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:43 am Bomb threat at my son's high school. Which has also prompted a shelter-in-place at my daughters' middle school.
Whoa completely missed this yesterday. Did they get it sorted out? After the stuff going on in this country and around the world you just never know what the hell to expect.

There was no bomb, but it scared the hell out of the kids.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:48 am

I would think so! One sad reality at my kid's school is that on a weekly basis somebody either pulls the fire alarm or they have a drill pretending that there's a crisis, so they all just monotone wander outdoors every time and are sick of it. For some I'm sure it's a low level constant anxiety because they have been at school when they were actual violent events they had to stop in progress. Or they may be scared and anxious about it for other reasons. I think if they knew it was a bomb threat that would freak everyone out because it seems like a realistic possibility and not just another case of pulling the fire alarm? People are wondering why all the kids are having a mental health crisis and nobody seems to be able to connect it to the fact that their schools seem like a fundamentally unsafe place where they could be shot up or attacked at any time and they are constantly having to be reminded of that fact. This is on top of the standard violence that goes on with people pushing and shoving and hitting in the hallways in classrooms. Teachers are sick of dealing with it. I most recently went to middle school conferences where two of the teachers literally nearly broke down crying in the middle of the discussion because they're just so exhausted, and apparently it's rare to hear that they're appreciated and someone knows this is what they're dealing with.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Thu Oct 26, 2023 9:04 am

Several bomb threats in my kids' school district.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Fri Oct 27, 2023 2:09 pm

Got shoved by a student.

God I hate my job.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 10:13 am

This is terrible; I hope it works out to move to gradeschool. So many teachers are miserable and quitting, on the one hand you might want to join them and on the other hand it might create an opening in a less horrible place.
Just going on the anecdotal evidence of the few dozen I interact with regularly, I've never seen teacher so miserable as a group as they are now. Complaints about student behavior are also at top of the list. Whatever this is that comes after generation z is basically going to burn it all down.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Sun Oct 29, 2023 5:26 pm

I'm old and fat and while I don't want to be fat, I accept this is the way it is over the course of time. I am not like a moist tender vegetable anymore, I'm like a decorative gourd. Still great but you know... It's a decorative gourd and not a moist juicy vegetable. In this fat ugly state I took myself out into public. Gentlemen kept striking up those random how you doing conversations and giving me the little side eye. Some of them were older which I'm used to but some of them were younger which I am not used to. I do not look good on this day in particular, with not even one speck or drop of makeup. Not like the fake no makeup selfie but like the real no makeup selfie. Here it is in all its unvarnished glory, so why the hell are you chatting me up? Are ya blind or just super extroverted? Got back to the car and realized I'm wearing my harlot outfit: a sweatshirt bearing the distinctive label of an expensive single malt whiskey, which you can't really get unless you go there, thus marking you as a serious Scottish whiskey pilgrim. Pretty sure this has come up before but either way I need to write some kind of book about how to pick up men in old age and it's going to have one page:
Get yourself a fancy single malt scotch clothing and wear it around in public with a pair of leggings that show your butt. Done. Cannot vouch for the quality but it is a law of nature at this point.
It just occurred to me it's probably nothing to do with me whatsoever - It's that they may think I'm giving out samples. God that makes so much more sense.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Mon Oct 30, 2023 10:03 am

Phoebe wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2023 10:13 am This is terrible; I hope it works out to move to gradeschool. So many teachers are miserable and quitting, on the one hand you might want to join them and on the other hand it might create an opening in a less horrible place.
Just going on the anecdotal evidence of the few dozen I interact with regularly, I've never seen teacher so miserable as a group as they are now. Complaints about student behavior are also at top of the list. Whatever this is that comes after generation z is basically going to burn it all down.

Unfortunately I'm stuck in this school district--I need the benefits (especially the pension). I should be able to retire in about 13 years.

I'm doing to look at non-classroom positions I might qualify for, but there are probably very few of them.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Mon Oct 30, 2023 10:24 pm

Definitely worth trying - maybe younger ages as well where the disciplinary issues are different? Or older ones?

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Thu Nov 23, 2023 8:44 am

Darrel Hall is suing John Oates, and filed for a temporary restraining order.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Nov 23, 2023 6:52 pm

Oof! If those two can't make it, what chance do the rest of us have?

Kyle, were there any hints of this in the book?

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Sat Nov 25, 2023 7:06 pm

Hall said some pretty spicy things about how he was the musician and the other guy was his business partner...

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Mon Nov 27, 2023 11:44 am

You know, I got the impression from the book that things had cooled off in more recent years. But Oates did say so many good things about Hall and his talent. But there might have been subtext in there that was just between the two of them, and we couldn't pick up on it.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Fri Dec 01, 2023 6:54 am

It sounds like Hall is alleging that Oates is trying to sell his half of their business without Hall's approval.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Tue Dec 05, 2023 1:54 pm

At least two fights in my school today.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Wed Dec 06, 2023 8:30 am

Not that this will make you feel a lot better but I do think that's normal these days. Around here apparently that's a slow day. I really don't know how teachers do it and I wish you well.

I was just in the school office by the by, when I saw this family coming in - The mom had about seven children in tow, and could only handle the infant and the toddler while the others were running around the office so I did some spontaneous Momming while I was waiting. A random mom can be very entertaining when they pop up out of the blue, I guess, and have new jokes you haven't heard before. Anyway, the woman was there because her child was being violently threatened by other children! Apparently there had been confrontations in the past. I couldn't begin to tell you who's right or wrong but the level of violent threat and the level of concern... Just unbelievable this is going on in a middle school.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:51 am

Schools open 2 hours late!!

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 10:32 am

My subconscious hates me.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Tue Jan 09, 2024 7:35 am

Two hour early dismissal due to heavy rain this afternoon.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Thu Jan 11, 2024 12:10 pm

Have to get a new roof for our house. Not fun.

Mando · Post by **Mando** » Thu Jan 11, 2024 4:16 pm

Akiva wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 12:10 pm Have to get a new roof for our house. Not fun.

Insurance going to help any?

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Fri Jan 12, 2024 7:18 am

Mando wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 4:16 pm
Akiva wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 12:10 pm Have to get a new roof for our house. Not fun.
Insurance going to help any?

I seriously doubt it.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:13 pm

I've literally never heard of dismissal due to heavy rain, That's wild! I've heard of school being let out because of an impending possible tornado storm but more often than not they lock it down even longer in those situations.

I've had enough of school being canceled due to snow, thanks. I can practically see the brains of the children leaking out onto the floor through atrophy at this point.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Sat Jan 20, 2024 10:33 am

Pardon me, people at the grocery store and the coffee shop, but my child is 16 and requires specific parenting methods based on her personality. I'm well versed in this child's ways. This is the type of child with whom you cannot have a contest of wills because you are going to lose. Stalin would lose against this child. Note that my spouse wanted to name our dog Stalin and I'm really glad we didn't do that.

Anyway, the reason I'm walking among you in 20 below weather without an outer coat of any kind, grocery store humans, is that my child entered the vehicle wearing her concert black attire without the black jacket. Just the cotton Oxford shirt. And I said child, you better get yourself a coat right this minute. I won't drive the car until you get a coat.

She got a coat and promptly let it go on to the floor of the car. And then she stepped on it with her wet boots and made it all mashed up and wet and muddy and unwearable. So I figured, like a sane older person does, I'm wearing a very warm hat and a very warm sweater and I'll just go without a coat myself rather than see this foolhardy child go without a jacket all day at all. I forced her to wear my own jacket - I peeled it straight off my body and forced her to wear my fashion free old lady Costco jacket. That is why I'm going around like this. Now you can place your bets on the likelihood that my jacket is going to be thrown on the floor of the school somewhere and trod upon by numerous children with wet, dirty boots.

And coffee shop people, Yes, it upsets me when I try to drop off my child to pick up the drinks from the counter and the young man who just got his order stops cold in his tracks, tries to peer into the reflection in the window to further check out my innocent small baby child as she is standing at the counter, and then decides to change course and sit at a table within the coffee shop so that he can further observe her and attempt to make conversation. Man I'm about to come in there and personally separate your esophagus from the rest of your body. I am not okay with it. This is some type of grown ass man at least 18, that's all I know. I'm a poor judge of age. He's between 18 and 30 and he's risking his life, without knowing it. This is what it's like to have a teenager. Lord have mercy.

Post by **Mike** » Sun Jan 21, 2024 5:46 pm

I assume that the old lady Costco coat made her look much older than her years.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Mon Jan 22, 2024 3:00 pm

How dare you! That coat is probably the reason - he was attracted to the coat!

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Tue Jan 23, 2024 10:53 am

Was pleased to find myself a few extra minutes to pop by the grocery store... Quickly took advantage... Got to the entrance door and discovered I am wearing matched fleece sweatsuit (aka wintry pajama) and my "MURICA" socks that are sticking out quite visibly below.
Note to check self in the mirror before going in public.

Update: a gentleman immediately fetched me up a shopping cart. Maybe I should appear like this after all. He may have been scared and checking to see whether he was safe in the store with me.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:17 am

Having a shitty day.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Thu Jan 25, 2024 11:08 am

Boo to shitty days! Do something nice for yourself!

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Thu Jan 25, 2024 3:05 pm

It's 36° and there's all kind of melted water visible on the lake and yet they are ice fishing. And I'm just saying... I will call the ambulance but I don't have a rope to throw you and even if I did I don't want to fall in myself. So... Good luck and MAGA

No: My bad it's actually 38°

Tahlvin · Post by **Tahlvin** » Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:11 pm

I have to serve on a jury at a trial on Thursday. It's supposed to be just a one day trial, so I only miss one day of work. I've always been a bit curious what it's like, so I'm kind of looking forward to it. But details will have to wait until after the trial concludes.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Tue Jan 30, 2024 7:03 am

Tahlvin wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:11 pm I have to serve on a jury at a trial on Thursday. It's supposed to be just a one day trial, so I only miss one day of work. I've always been a bit curious what it's like, so I'm kind of looking forward to it. But details will have to wait until after the trial concludes.

I've always wanted to serve on a jury. You'll have to let us know how it goes.

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Tue Jan 30, 2024 9:17 am

They never pick me because I’m a lawyer.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:31 pm

Also jealous, also never picked. *sobs*

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:35 am

I am such a fucking failure.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Wed Jan 31, 2024 7:30 pm

I refuse your analysis! No. Won't accept. You're here, you're doing the thing. Good enough!

Tahlvin · Post by **Tahlvin** » Fri Feb 02, 2024 4:04 am

The trials is done and I can talk now.

Scene: A laundromat. A homeless black man (English is not his native language) who has been using the facility's restroom was told earlier in the day that he was not welcome to return to the facility. Later that evening, said gentleman returns to the facility. Despite being told by an employee that he was not supposed to be there, he began using the restroom to clean himself. Employee calls the police. Two young and fairly inexperienced police officers arrive and find the suspect in the bathroom in just his undergarments, ask him to get dressed and to come with them. He dresses and exits the bathroom. As they are walking through the facility from the bathroom, an officer on each side of him, they each go "hands on" to hold his arms, remove his backpack and effectuate an arrest. He reacts by pushing one of the officers away, hand to the officers throat, against a stack of dryers. The officer then falls to the floor, the other officer pulls a Taser and tries to subdue the suspect but the probes don't land enough to transmit the charge. Meanwhile, suspect grabs a chair and swings it, saying he was defending himself from the Taser. They struggle over the chair for a few seconds, the suspect then lets go of the chair, and they arrest him. Suspect is now charged with resisting the officers, assaulting an officer (for pushing the one against the dryers), and attempt to assault an officer for swinging the chair at the other one.

We found him guilty of resisting, but not guilty of the assault and attempted assault. The sticking point on the two assault charges was one of the things that needed to be proved was that he intended to hurt the officers. The instructions say you cannot look into a persons heart and mind and know what their intent was, so you need to let their actions guide you in determining their intent. I could have gone either way. But the fact that the inexperienced officers did not tell him he was going to be arrested before they went "hands on", enough of us had reasonable doubt that he actually intended to hurt the officers rather than was just reacting out of self protective instinct.

Incidentally, after the trial, the judge and bailiffs met with us jury members and answered questions, etc. The bailiff told us that he and some other experienced law enforcement officers had watched the security camera footage of the incident that was submitted as evidence, and they all agreed that the moment the suspect's hand was at the officer's throat was enough that they would have reacted with lethal force, reaching for their firearms rather than the Taser. So while the officers inexperience may have played a factor in setting off the suspect, it also happened to be the reason the incident didn't have a much more ugly outcome.

Overall, an interesting experiment, a long day, and I'm glad I don't have to do it again for at least 4 more years.

Tahlvin · Post by **Tahlvin** » Fri Feb 02, 2024 9:30 am

By the way, it's Wisconsin other than Milwaukee, so the jury was all white. I recall the pool of people that showed up on Monday morning for possible jury duty, and it was overwhelmingly white.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:02 pm

Phoebe wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2024 7:30 pm I refuse your analysis! No. Won't accept. You're here, you're doing the thing. Good enough!

It's nowhere near good enough.

Akiva · Post by **Akiva** » Wed Feb 14, 2024 8:24 am

My school started using metal detectors this morning.

And there was a big fight in the hallway by my classroom today. Great way to start the day.

Mando · Post by **Mando** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:40 pm

I have 2 hives of bees now!
We drove to Birmingham on Saturday and picked them up.

Post by **Mike** » Tue Feb 27, 2024 9:27 pm

Mando wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:40 pm I have 2 hives of bees now!
We drove to Birmingham on Saturday and picked them up.

That's cool as shit!

By "have", I assume you mean "own". These aren't just rentals or something, right?

Kyle · Post by **Kyle** » Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:50 am

Yeah- that's pretty cool. I've actually thought about renting a hive for a period of time to see if it's something I wanted to make the purchase on.

Phoebe · Post by **Phoebe** » Sat Mar 02, 2024 10:00 am

That's exciting, wow! You will have to give an update on how that turns out. Apparently small hives are proliferating and becoming a more common hobby.