Random thing you loathe right now.

Bonnonon wrote:

Oh and they want my 19 month old to wear a white dress as the flower girl when the average temperature is 3.1 degree's (37.94 Fahrenheit) and that day hold the record for most ever rainfall with 71mm of rain.

Just tell them no. It's too cold, she's too young, she'll end up sick, etc. If the bride argues she's incredibly selfish and not worth trying to appease anyway. Your duty has to be to your child. Her wedding being exactly the way she wants it would seem a distant to the point of almost non-existent second place.

I'm not a parent and don't want to be, and still feel pretty secure in that point of view being the more common one.

Thin_J wrote:

I'm not a parent and don't want to be, and still feel pretty secure in that point of view being the more common one.

As a parent, I whole heartedly endorse this non-parental point of view.

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I will pull the health card. She was after all admitted to the hospital for a couple days last month due to a severe cold and asthma that made it so she had a horrible time breathing.

Deadmonkeys wrote:
Mimble wrote:

Birthdays, and everything to do with them - esp. birthday parties.

Why all the big fuss? Plus, I have been haemorrhaging cash on b-day gifts this month. Blargh.

Spoiler:

My birthday is later this month. ;)

Mine is tomorrow, and I'm OK with having a birthday in that I am getting older - I don't mind that too much at all. It's just the rest of the stuff that goes with birthdays I'm not keen on. Kepheus and I don't do much for birthdays because we don't see the point of it. We get each other a card, and we go out for dinner - just us. And we like it that way. But tomorrow, I know I will be asked by family and friends alike (as I always am), "Ooh! What did Kepheus get you?" And then awkward silence because the answer is "A card. And we're going out for sushi." I think that they figure he doesn't care enough to buy me expensive presents and spoil me - but it's just not how we do things because that doesn't work for us. Still, there will be that moment of awkward silence and the "Oh, well,....that sounds OK." comment (and in a tone of voice that shows just how not OK they think that is).

Anyway, I think "blargh" from my OP about covered it.

LarryC wrote:

Mimble:

I'm with you on that. I don't believe in birthdays.

Hear hear!

I'm not fond of them either. Mine is the harbinger of four months of stress and all their birthdays, the expense of the holidays, school breaks, visiting relatives, and everything else. On top of the whole getting old thing.

But each year my kids write a song about how old/geeky/gray haired I am, and sing it to me and then I get them back by posting the lyrics on the internet (like here). That's the way I like to measure my birthdays.

edit: Happy Birthday, Mimble. My eldest son turns 26 on Tuesday. Small world.

I think Hobbits had the answer to the whole birthday thing long ago...

Thanks, momgamer!

Happy birthday to your son, too!

ringsnort wrote:

I think Hobbits had the answer to the whole birthday thing long ago...

I kind of like this idea...I have useless things here (useless and shiny!) that I could gift to others on my birthday.

Bonnonon wrote:

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I will pull the health card. She was after all admitted to the hospital for a couple days last month due to a severe cold and asthma that made it so she had a horrible time breathing.

1000x yes, then.

Is zilla-in-law not from around here? That seems remarkably... obstinate.

::

Happy birfday Mimble! Sushi is the best present. And can be totally just as expensive as whatever your questioners were thinking you should be getting instead.

clover wrote:
Bonnonon wrote:

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I will pull the health card. She was after all admitted to the hospital for a couple days last month due to a severe cold and asthma that made it so she had a horrible time breathing.

1000x yes, then.

Is zilla-in-law not from around here? That seems remarkably... obstinate.

::

Happy birfday Mimble! Sushi is the best present. And can be totally just as expensive as whatever your questioners were thinking you should be getting instead. ;)

Thanks, clover! And, you're right - especially given my love for tuna sashimi. I would eat my own weight in that stuff if it were possible.

Bonnonon - it's too bad you can't pull the "What, are you cracked??!!" card. I hope this is just a case of the Wedding Planning Crazies and that all will be well and normal afterward.

Bonnonon wrote:

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I will pull the health card. She was after all admitted to the hospital for a couple days last month due to a severe cold and asthma that made it so she had a horrible time breathing.

Good for you. Bride-a-saurus Rex needs a reality check.

One of the reasons I don't see the point of birthdays is that if I want to get something for my wife, I just get it (expensive items require her to okay the budget). And then I give it to her. I don't see the point in waiting half a year for something she could be enjoying now. She could be dead tomorrow.

In general, we get one or two big ticket items for each other a year. One of them will be the agreed upon "birthday present." If anyone asks, we say that.

I'm pretty much on board with everyone else's Bridezilla advice, CinnaBonnonon.

Mimble wrote:

But tomorrow, I know I will be asked by family and friends alike (as I always am), "Ooh! What did Kepheus get you?" And then awkward silence because the answer is "A card. And we're going out for sushi." I think that they figure he doesn't care enough to buy me expensive presents and spoil me - but it's just not how we do things because that doesn't work for us. Still, there will be that moment of awkward silence and the "Oh, well,....that sounds OK." comment (and in a tone of voice that shows just how not OK they think that is).

I know Cracked is hardly the best source for sociology information, but there was a similar complaint when one of the female writers was listing out all the ways finding a non-diamond engagement ring was a bit of a pain. To her, a diamond ring is too expensive, supports a really screwed up labor system, and other colorful stones look prettier. But when she spoke to her other female friends about it, they all naturally assumed her fiancee was simply too cheap to get her a diamond even though she didn't want the diamond.

Our culture is screwed up.

Nexus double post. Weird.

Mimble wrote:

Mine is tomorrow, and I'm OK with having a birthday in that I am getting older - I don't mind that too much at all. It's just the rest of the stuff that goes with birthdays I'm not keen on. Kepheus and I don't do much for birthdays because we don't see the point of it. We get each other a card, and we go out for dinner - just us. And we like it that way.

That's pretty much how my family does it as well. We go out to eat somewhere, maybe there's a card, and that's the end of it.

I didn't think people actually expected lavish gifts after childhood. The birthday meal is expensive enough!

That said, a friend's birthday is a different matter. I'll usually get 'em a $20 giftcard or something along those lines.

I loathe my Movember mustache. A couple of buddies talked me into doing it with them and since I'd never grown one before, I decided that I'd commit to growing it until Dec 1st. Surprisingly, I've been told that it actually looks pretty good ("Looks like a real Navy chief's mustache") but I hate the damned thing. Still, it's sparked a number of men's health conversations, which was the point. And it's fun watching guys realise that they've been ambushed into discussing men's health issues with a doctor.

Bonnonon wrote:

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I will pull the health card. She was after all admitted to the hospital for a couple days last month due to a severe cold and asthma that made it so she had a horrible time breathing.

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't even feel obligated to pull out the health card. She's your daughter, and 'no' is the be all, end all. You don't like it, you're not comfortable with it, and Bridezilla can find the door if she doesn't like the answer.

Coldstream wrote:

I loathe my Movember mustache. A couple of buddies talked me into doing it with them and since I'd never grown one before, I decided that I'd commit to growing it until Dec 1st. Surprisingly, I've been told that it actually looks pretty good ("Looks like a real Navy chief's mustache") but I hate the damned thing. Still, it's sparked a number of men's health conversations, which was the point. And it's fun watching guys realise that they've been ambushed into discussing men's health issues with a doctor. :D

Look on the bright side; you're free to ignore March now, having gone over to the dark side.

AnimeJ wrote:

Look on the bright side; you're free to ignore March now, having gone over to the dark side. :P

March?

Coldstream wrote:

And it's fun watching guys realise that they've been ambushed into discussing men's health issues with a doctor. :D

That's pretty awesome.

... having to dig up installer disks for Pagemaker 7 and loading it onto a shiny new touch-screen computer because this user fears change.

Bonnonon wrote:
clover wrote:

Maybe you can find a frilly white little set of foul-weather gear?

I asked that question and it was shot down by my soon to be sister in law. In my part of the world it does not snow and if it does it is well past Christmas. If you want a white Christmas time wedding you need to go up into the mountains, but nope.. lets have a rainy miserable wedding. Maybe we will get lucky and it will reach the average high of 6 degrees.

*oh and she has changed the date twice and has not sent out the invitations yet...

Ugh. Wedding BS aside (seriously, I'd have a snow suit on under the kid's white dress), sorry to hear you have to be related to an insane person.

Coldstream wrote:
AnimeJ wrote:

Look on the bright side; you're free to ignore March now, having gone over to the dark side. :P

March?

Navy didn't waste any time brainwashing you. Mustache March? You know, that month where the entire USAF flying community(and any other careerfield they've infiltrated) celebrate the Glorious Mustache of Robin Olds?

AnimeJ wrote:
Coldstream wrote:
AnimeJ wrote:

Look on the bright side; you're free to ignore March now, having gone over to the dark side. :P

March?

Navy didn't waste any time brainwashing you. Mustache March? You know, that month where the entire USAF flying community(and any other careerfield they've infiltrated) celebrate the Glorious Mustache of Robin Olds?

Wow. Four years in the USAF and I've never heard of it.

Standing up underneath an open cabinet. Also bruised scalps.

Tanglebones wrote:

Standing up underneath an open cabinet. Also bruised scalps.

Ugh! I KNOW how that hurts. Though with me it's usually on the hatchback of the car when loading or unloading groceries. You'd think I'd learn eventually...

I know this may come off as a bit harsh, and I know today being Veterans Day is not the best time, but I'm tired of the oversatuation of the "appreciate the veterans" stuff. Every sports game and every charity it seems like it's "appreciate the veterans". Trust me, I get that they risked themselves. They probably had friends that didn't come back, too. BUT I feel that it's a bit much when every corporation does it no matter where I go, and I have to acknowledge their sacrifices. Is there such a thing as too much for this, or is it sacred and off limit?

Maybe it's because I go to a lot of sports games, but I'm starting to feel like not standing up and clapping anymore. There's only so much clapping quietly can do.

Vrikk, you can basically replace "Veterans Day" with a lot of stuff and you'd get the same feeling I have.

However, my cousin went and fought and had to deal with some horrible sh*t. I'd like a reminder of how comfy my life has been in comparison. Of course, that's not really why people do it. "Honor Veterans!" "Why?" "Because it's tradition!" "What does Honor even mean?" "Worthless platitudes and free meals and discount coupons!" "Yeah, that'll surely make the PTSD go away..."

America: the only way we know how to celebrate holidays is through capitalism or worthless platitudes. And bumper stickers.

Some veterans do prefer not to be thanked.

http://vuurwapenblog.com/2013/10/18/...

Vrikk wrote:

I know this may come off as a bit harsh, and I know today being Veterans Day is not the best time, but I'm tired of the oversatuation of the "appreciate the veterans" stuff. Every sports game and every charity it seems like it's "appreciate the veterans". Trust me, I get that they risked themselves. They probably had friends that didn't come back, too. BUT I feel that it's a bit much when every corporation does it no matter where I go, and I have to acknowledge their sacrifices. Is there such a thing as too much for this, or is it sacred and off limit?

Maybe it's because I go to a lot of sports games, but I'm starting to feel like not standing up and clapping anymore. There's only so much clapping quietly can do.

I mentioned to somebody earlier that there must have been a record for empty gestures set today. I'd like to see a comparison of how much money they spend telling people that they appreciate the veterans and how much they actually give to help them. I bet that motorcycle Geico had made to honor the troops really does a lot.

I've actually heard from several veterans today that they, too, are a little uncomfortable with these frequent expressions of "thank you for your service."

Changing politics and national demographics are largely to thank, er, to blame.

Take the World War 2 generation. Almost 12% of the US population served in uniform during that conflict, a staggeringly large number. Additionally, the whole country experienced total war mobilization. If you were an able bodied US citizen and you worked in manufacturing, communications, agriculture, energy, transportation, whatever...a major percentage of your labor went directly or indirectly into the war effort. Everyone in the US experienced shortages and rationing of fuel, food, and durable goods. The nation was galvanized together to achieve one goal. Defense of the nation. Imagine that generation's shared experience of fighting together, grieving loss of loved ones together, working together, and eventually the shared joy of the war's end.

Compared to today's wars, the situation couldn't be more different. ABC News here in the US has the number of uniformed soldiers today as a minuscule 00.7% of the US population. Beyond the individual families who have moms, dads, brothers, or sisters in uniform, there is no "homefront." There's no shared sacrifice, no shared rationing, nothing really at all that impacts the lives of everyday American citizens that would even remind us that we're at war, that we've actually been at war for longer than any other war in US history. Yet, despite this fact, if you never hit the news sites, it's quite possible to forget that a war is even going on.

Part of me wonders if this whole hyper attention to recognizing those who serve (or who have served) isn't compensation for how sterilized and painless the war experience has become for those of us here at home. Some of the motivation may come from memories of how awful Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned from that war. And, of course, with the dying out of the WW2 generation, our national memory of the country's great shared struggle and sacrifice during war is fading away. *People who truly share an experience don't typically feel the need to thank each other.*

I don't know what the answer is here. I just know the whole situation make me feel kinda sad.

EDIT: Incomplete thought, clarification.

Edwin wrote:

Some veterans do prefer not to be thanked.

http://vuurwapenblog.com/2013/10/18/...

This divisiveness on whether they even like it or not is why I personally tend to shy away from it.