Grievances
by Scott Hardie on March 8, 2009
I haven't written about my life in this blog for a while because I haven't liked to think about the state of my life. Things could always be worse, but I still don't feel much optimism these days.
- We're being pinched by the economy. Kelly is out of a job. I've been downsized out of management, and I'm working many late nights to cover the workload of others laid off. It's why I haven't been around on the site as much these last few weeks. I actually really like my new position, but I'm frustrated that I can't do it well as long as there's much more work than one person can do. There's well over a hundred hours of work a week in this position, and so far I'm surviving by delegating as much of it as I can. To bring in some extra money while Kelly's out of work, I'm looking at some freelance opportunities, but that would eat up what's left of my time.
- Our cat is sick. She's dropped from 12 pounds to 7 pounds in a few months. She spent the last few weeks throwing up daily. So far the vet can't tell what's wrong with her, but we're hoping all those expensive tests will tell us something.
- We're struggling not to be evicted. Ironically it's not because we can't afford rent, which we still can. It's because the apartment complex has come down on us for letting the place get messy since the layoffs (Steve saw it in a similar chaotic state during GooCon), but they're still being tough even after we cleaned it thoroughly. We've had two nights this week of staying up past midnight frantically cleaning, and we're going to have a third one tonight. Hopefully this next inspection will be the last because we can't keep going on like this. On the bright side, our apartment is incredible right now. I feel like passing out on the nice clean floor.
- My foot became increasingly pained a few weeks ago, and the initial diagnosis was a hairline fracture. It was not anything dramatic like Tony had, but enough to be too painful to put any pressure on it. Hundreds of dollars in tests later, they determine it's a tendon problem and give me steroids that take the pressure off the foot. The pain slowly went away, but it hurt like hell while I had it.
- Kelly's brother had to cancel a visit to Florida to repair his car's dead engine. I didn't have any vacation days left to spend much time with him myself, but Kelly was really looking forward to the visit as a way to lift her spirits while jobless, and it was just plain going to be a lot of fun to spend a few days doing touristy things with him. On the upside, I guess we saved that money.
The good news is, we have hobbies that merrily distract us from all of this, we're surrounded by good friends who make us happy, we're more or less healthy and so are our families, and honestly, we still have it a hell of a lot better than most people these days. Here's hoping all of 2009 isn't going to be as bad as its first two months.
Four Replies to Grievances
Russ Wilhelm | March 10, 2009
This has been a rough beginning of a year for you. I hope things turn around for you and Kelly soon.
Has the vet checked you cat for thyroid issues. Our cat had the same issue where he was throwing up one to three times a day. May not be it, but if they haven't checked...?
And if they give you meds, go liquid, no pills, trust me on this.
Scott Hardie | March 10, 2009
Thanks. The vet came back with a dianosis of hyperthyroidism today, so good call. Most cats apparently have a thyroid level of 1-4, and 5-10 is considered high. Ours is at 31.8. Ouch. She's on pills starting today, which will cost $25/month if she continues, but I'll inquire about liquid.
Jackie Mason | March 16, 2009
[hidden by author request]
Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
Let the Bodies Hit the Floor
Damn it. After The Sims 2, I'm not ready for another glitch to ruin a game. Elder Scrolls IV has always been a little buggy, tending to lock up my Xbox when it gets too excited for instance. Go »World Trade, Like, Something
I love it when two teenagers ring up and bag my groceries. "Did you ever see that Nicolas Cage movie about 9/11? I watched that last night, and, like, it got me thinking about how bad that was." Go »Hello Stupid
I don't know why car companies insist on calling their products "vehicles" now. Apparently "cars" became a dirty word and I missed it. But if you're going to change the term, consider your marketing messages carefully: As a matter of fact, yes, I have heard about radar, sonar, and infared technology in vehicles, such as submarines, aircraft carriers, and helicopters. Go »Something Comes Along to Intervene
I've been enjoying "Meddle" and "Remedy" by Little Boots, two great electropop songs with catchy hooks, perfect for summer. But I didn't really take her seriously as an artist until I heard "Stuck on Repeat." It's pop music on acid, like Kylie Minogue produced by Captain Beefheart, and the unlikeliest hit song of the year. Go »No News is Good News
Yesterday I spent eight hours in a hospital waiting room in Tampa while my mother underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff. She's recovering well, but the harm inflicted on me by eight hours of cable news has yet to wear off. It happened to be Fox News Channel, but that's irrelevant; all news is boring when you're in the hospital and are stuck watching it at length, because the newscasters only repeat over and over the breathless update that they have nothing more to report and here are the things they don't know yet. Go »
Amy Austin | March 8, 2009
[hidden by author request]