The Whine thread.

[enterprikayak]

Thanks for the support, guys. Although a sabbatical is not an option I do have two full weeks off at Christmas. I think I can stay sane until then. Sometimes I just need to vent. Since you guys are pretty much it as far as my social support goes (except for my husband, who's in the same boat as I am, only worse), you get to hear it when I blow my top. Aren't ya so lucky?

<good vibes>

Seems like every doctor/dentist I know gets completely swamped in this fashion. Poor things!

[Aikiweezie]

Thanks for the support, guys. Although a sabbatical is not an option I do have two full weeks off at Christmas. I think I can stay sane until then. Sometimes I just need to vent. Since you guys are pretty much it as far as my social support goes (except for my husband, who's in the same boat as I am, only worse), you get to hear it when I blow my top. Aren't ya so lucky?

Hang in there Dis!

[enterprikayak]

:whine:

The snow isn't gone yet. And I just drove the Malahat two times with bald all-season tires. I still have an adrenaline rush. In some universes, I am at the bottom of the inlet.

What is the Malahat?

The Malahat is the term commonly applied to the Malahat Drive (or, as it is more frequently known locally, "The Malahat Highway") — a 25 km (16 mi) portion of Highway 1 running along the west side of Saanich Inlet — and to the region surrounding it. The Malahat begins in Goldstream Provincial Park, just north of Langford, and takes a famously winding and steep route over the 352 m (1,155 ft) Malahat Summit to end just south of Mill Bay. The only major, paved route linking Greater Victoria to the rest of Vancouver Island, the Malahat was completed in 1911 as a single-lane gravel road, hugging the steep cliffs above Saanich Inlet. Even after becoming a major thoroughfare, its sharp and abrupt curves, and winding descent made the road notorious for traffic accidents. Many early automobiles succumbed to flat tires, broken axles and ruined engines. In recent decades, the highway has been greatly improved, widened, and straightened though concerns for traffic safety and highway closures persist. The route is also famous for its scenic vistas of the Saanich Peninsula and Saltspring Island, and a number of rest stops have been developed to allow travellers to stop and enjoy the views. Off the highway, the Malahat area consists of rugged, steep slopes of largely second growth forest. Douglas-fir, arbutus, hemlock, and western red cedar predominate.

At least six or seven vampires fell onto my car during the trip, and I had to swerve to shake them off.

FORRRRRRRRRRRKS!

[Alelou]

At least six or seven vampires fell onto my car during the trip, and I had to swerve to shake them off.

FORRRRRRRRRRRKS!

Seriously, though. Get some decent tires. Or at least two decent ones in the front (assuming your car is front wheel drive.) Especially if you have to drive that road regularly.

(Sounds gorgeous except for the nail biting.)

[enterprikayak]

Yeah, it's distractingly gorgeous, and you don't dare look out over the vista or you can get smeared. Another local name for it is "trail of tears".

[Yashida]

Yippie!

First real snow of the year this evening! Oh, I do so love snow!

Usually it's pretty much rain, rain, rain, as a variation some mild, small hail, then some more rain, and some more rain, and oh you can probably guess yet more rain. All darn winter long. We're pretty much wishing for even the tiniest peck of snow around Christmas, just for symbolic values, but usually it never does actually snow on Christmas.

Last year it did though. It even snowed that much, everyone was woefully unprepared. Well, yeah, when you're expecting and used to rain and just the tiniest, thinest layer of snow as an exception on the rain rule just so Mother Nature can make a point, the sudden appearance of about 10cm of snow can be rather dazzling...

But maybe there's a little bit of a mini climate shift going on, because if this early real! (about 3 to 5cm) snow (in comparision to the expected almost non-existing, thin layer) is any indication, we might be getting a repeat of the 10cm of last year!

Oh, I know it's horrible for the cars and traffic in general, because, let's face it nobody here actually knows how to drive with serious snow on the roads. But I don't drive so I can still look upon snow with a child's eye and can only see the beauty of it and it's potential to play with: snowball fights, snowman building, snow forts building...

The garden covered in white...
I know of a certain little one who won't be able to get out of bed fast enough tomorrow morning when I tell him...

The only bad thing is that I have to go to work tomorrow...
There should be a thing like 'First Snow holiday'...

[Alelou]

I'm glad someone in Europe is enjoying it! It's being reported here as if you're experiencing the end of the world over there.

(Okay, I exaggerate, but not much.)

Meanwhile we're supposed to hit the 50's (10-15C) on December 1, which is weirdly warm for here. I finally emptied some pots today that still had a few stubborn petunias blooming in them.

My whine is that my husband is watching the movie "Hair" in the other room out of pure nostalgia. OMG, it's horrible. Wouldn't you expect a musical to put some effort into sound production? Maybe have some decent singing too?

[Linda]

Hair? LOL, I liked it. Guess I am not that musically astute. But I haven't seen it in years, so maybe if I saw it again, my opinion would change despite the bit of nostalgia I probably would feel.

[Linda]

Just saw your rant a page back, Distracted. I'm so sorry your work is so stressful! Makes me feel guilty because I am now semi-retired, even if it was through layoff and before I was ready for it. I too wish you could stay home and write all day because that part of your life touches me while your job at the university cannot reach me...if that makes any sense.

[WarpGirl]

Stupid whine but here it is, one of my front teeth finally chipped completely. It is so annoying. And I have to find a way to pay for the co-pay for the dentist... <sigh> The tooth was slightly cracked, anf now it's really chipped, I was stupid to wait so long.

[Silverbullet]

WG, now you can sing "All I want for Christmas if a goood front tooth"

My whine: Life hates me. I would tell it to go away and leave me alone but I don't want to tempt fate.

SB

[WarpGirl]

I don't celebrate christmas SB, but thanks for the support.

[aadarshinah]

My whine? Had a good day until paying at the oil change place for my brother's new tires (2x as much as it should have been). Brother was hungry, so we went to the olive garden next door and mom, who just so happened to be getting off work at the same time, joined us. found out about cost of tires, freaked out, walked over to talk to oil change people, leaving brother and me alone for like 1/2 the meal, and comes back all pissed off. It was possibly the most stressful meal I've ever eaten without my sister or grandparents... and, yeah. fun. so now I'm all angry because *she's* angry, and it's just not fun.

[panyasan]

I'm glad someone in Europe is enjoying it! It's being reported here as if you're experiencing the end of the world over there.

Lots of people here do enjoy the snow! I did - it has been a while since we had any snow. I started again with my work today and had to drive there by car. My kids had to go to school by bike and they complained they missed the car. My son complained about the cold - so we bought him some nice stuff to keep him warm. For a week or so, because the cold never stays long. At least it used to.

Sorry to hear about your health problems, Silverbullet. I can only hope you feel better soon.

Dis: working with people really can drain you. But when I meet a good doctor with attention for people, I think they are the best. So big for you.

[aadarshinah]

[quote="panyasan]
Dis: working with people really can drain you.[/quote]

Living with people can really drain you.