Random Ramblings

alldatndensum wrote:

Quote :

My in-laws moved to Tennessee and they are talking about the fires.

What part of Tennessee might I ask?

We've had wildfires here before, but it is usually in the summer months.  It is odd to have them this time of year.  They have arrested someone now for arson in the east Tennessee fires.

The lack of rain and warmer than normal temps have really dried things out.  As I said, it has been nearly two MONTHS since we had measurable rainfall.  Usually, we are much more rainy this time of year as temps move towards winter level.  So far, I have had some frosted windows and wear a light hoodie in the morning but don't need it in the afternoon.  We will still be in the 70s for the highs for the next couple of days.

Crossville

Staybrite wrote:

I only give blood if they have cookies!

At my employer they have cookies, pizza, trail mix, chips 'n salsa and more. Someone said "if you throw in a back massage I'll give blood" so now they also give back massages from a therapist.

That's about 1 1/2 hours from me, but that does put them in the wildfire zone.

MikeInFla wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

I only give blood if they have cookies!

At my employer they have cookies, pizza, trail mix, chips 'n salsa and more. Someone said "if you throw in a back massage I'll give blood" so now they also give back massages from a therapist.

I can't even get my employer to sponsor a blood drive...

MikeInFla wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

I only give blood if they have cookies!

At my employer they have cookies, pizza, trail mix, chips 'n salsa and more. Someone said "if you throw in a back massage I'll give blood" so now they also give back massages from a therapist.

If they offered the massages at my wife's work she would become anemic giving blood every day. 

Beardad, wish you coulda caught me about 10 years ago. I got rid of over 300 Christian cassettes, including every heavy metal band you can think of. I did the final transition to CDs and LPs back then and no longer wanted the tapes. I'd bring a few stacks to church each Sunday and had a sign out that said Free to Good Home. 

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

Beardad, wish you coulda caught me about 10 years ago. I got rid of over 300 Christian cassettes, including every heavy metal band you can think of. I did the final transition to CDs and LPs back then and no longer wanted the tapes. I'd bring a few stacks to church each Sunday and had a sign out that said Free to Good Home. 

Yea, but 10 years ago my tape deck was gathering dust in a closet right along side the boxes of cassettes. I hadn't yet gotten old enough to be nostalgic and miss "the good o'l days" of cassette and vinyl.

Being a manager isn't easy sometimes.

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Being a manager isn't easy sometimes ever.

Fixed that for you.

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Being a manager isn't easy sometimes.

I completely agree. 
We hired a new drafter and after only her first day it seems quite obvious her skill level is not at all up to par.  We will give her a few weeks of her probationary period to see if she can improve (substantionally), but will likely have to let her go and find another replacement.

ishmael81 wrote:

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Being a manger isn't easy sometimes ever.

Fixed that for you.

How this?

Staybrite wrote:

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Being a manager isn't easy sometimes.

I completely agree. 
We hired a new drafter and after only her first day it seems quite obvious her skill level is not at all up to par.  We will give her a few weeks of her probationary period to see if she can improve (substantionally), but will likely have to let her go and find another replacement.

That's the worst. You hire somebody, you're excited about their potential, they're excited about a new job and then? Sorry, it's not gonna work, good luck... Sucks.

ishmael81 wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

Being a manager isn't easy sometimes.

I completely agree. 
We hired a new drafter and after only her first day it seems quite obvious her skill level is not at all up to par.  We will give her a few weeks of her probationary period to see if she can improve (substantionally), but will likely have to let her go and find another replacement.

That's the worst. You hire somebody, you're excited about their potential, they're excited about a new job and then? Sorry, it's not gonna work, good luck... Sucks.

Worst part is that she is a fantastic person, and it is going to be horrible to have to do it.

Yep, letting people go is part of the job, unfortunately.

I am SO not ready for Christmas.  BAH HUMBUG!!!

Isn't there that passage in Romans 14 where some esteem days to be all the same, whereas some have special days? I fall into the former category, especially when it comes to Christmas and Easter and other holidays. My mom falls into the latter. It's a source of tension in the family.

Driven wrote:

Isn't there that passage in Romans 14 where some esteem days to be all the same, whereas some have special days? I fall into the former category, especially when it comes to Christmas and Easter and other holidays. My mom falls into the latter. It's a source of tension in the family.

I'm with you. My wife and kids always want to go somewhere for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, usually my folks' place because they're only a couple of hours away while my wife's folks are a couple of days away. And each day has to have so much pomp and circumstance, with more food than an army can eat. Me? I'd rather just relax and enjoy the time off of work, and if the meal truly needs to be special, at least don't cook so much.

BearDad wrote:

Driven wrote:

Isn't there that passage in Romans 14 where some esteem days to be all the same, whereas some have special days? I fall into the former category, especially when it comes to Christmas and Easter and other holidays. My mom falls into the latter. It's a source of tension in the family.

I'm with you. My wife and kids always wants to go somewhere for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, usually my folks' place because they're only a couple of hours away while my wife's folks are a couple of days away. And each day has to have so much pomp and circumstance, with more food than an army can eat. Me? I'd rather just relax and enjoy the time off of work, and if the meal truly needs to be special, at least don't cook so much.

That is the Hallmark Movie Dementia showing.  Christmas movies have pushed people into believing the fallacy that Christmas is something magical, something romantic, and bigger than life itself.  The holidays are to be done with excess to be relevant at all. 

Our modern Christmas has little to do with Jesus.  It is the celebration of American greed and narcissism.  Its about spending and making everything bigger and bigger.  Its all about "me" and what I want.  That, to me, is the antithesis of what Jesus taught.

So, BAH HUMBUG!

Our idea of Christmas is to make it a special time for our family.  We do the lights and trees and modest decorations, but we don't feel like we have to outdo anyone and we are constantly telling our parents to back off the spending for the kids because we don't want them to get the idea that Christmas is about the presents.  We also have a birthday party for Jesus, which the kids love (not just because of the cake).  We have made a concerted effort to emphasize that yeah it is fun and we get to open presents, but it is about Jesus.  Our 6 year-old SO much wants to believe in Santa, and we let him ask all the questions he wants, and we stick with our position that Santa is a symbol and an idea.  When we answer questions about how Santa does stuff, we always answer in terms of what the stories say or what the legends say or what people think about it.  It is hard to walk the balance between being truthful and allowing him this childhood pleasure.

messiaen77 wrote:

Our idea of Christmas is to make it a special time for our family.  We do the lights and trees and modest decorations, but we don't feel like we have to outdo anyone and we are constantly telling our parents to back off the spending for the kids because we don't want them to get the idea that Christmas is about the presents.  We also have a birthday party for Jesus, which the kids love (not just because of the cake).  We have made a concerted effort to emphasize that yeah it is fun and we get to open presents, but it is about Jesus.  Our 6 year-old SO much wants to believe in Santa, and we let him ask all the questions he wants, and we stick with our position that Santa is a symbol and an idea.  When we answer questions about how Santa does stuff, we always answer in terms of what the stories say or what the legends say or what people think about it.  It is hard to walk the balance between being truthful and allowing him this childhood pleasure.

Just make it easier for yourself and celebrate Life Day

My wife and I put down a boundary when our son was 3 that Christmas Day was ours. We open gifts, eat a late breakfast (usually my wife makes chocolate chip pancakes) and we watch Elf, A Christmas Story or Fred Claus. Then about 4 we go eat at a Chinese buffet close to us for dinner. My son thinks this is hilarious because it's like Christmas Story...

That night, we watch Charlie Brown Christmas (since it explains why we are celebrating) and I read the whole story from the Bible to the family. Once our son is in bed, my wife and I watch It's a Wonderful Life while she has a glass of wine and I enjoy a couple craft beers or bourbon sours.

alldatndensum wrote:

BearDad wrote:

Driven wrote:

Isn't there that passage in Romans 14 where some esteem days to be all the same, whereas some have special days? I fall into the former category, especially when it comes to Christmas and Easter and other holidays. My mom falls into the latter. It's a source of tension in the family.

I'm with you. My wife and kids always wants to go somewhere for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, usually my folks' place because they're only a couple of hours away while my wife's folks are a couple of days away. And each day has to have so much pomp and circumstance, with more food than an army can eat. Me? I'd rather just relax and enjoy the time off of work, and if the meal truly needs to be special, at least don't cook so much.

That is the Hallmark Movie Dementia showing.  Christmas movies have pushed people into believing the fallacy that Christmas is something magical, something romantic, and bigger than life itself.  The holidays are to be done with excess to be relevant at all. 

Our modern Christmas has little to do with Jesus.  It is the celebration of American greed and narcissism.  Its about spending and making everything bigger and bigger.  Its all about "me" and what I want.  That, to me, is the antithesis of what Jesus taught.

So, BAH HUMBUG!

Maybe for Thanksgiving, but not so much for Christmas and Easter, at least for us. Jesus, who He is, and what He represents, has always been a focal part of our Christmas and Easter. Even when our kids were little the gift exchange and egg hunt stuff that "tradition" has essentially forced on all of us was very controlled and minimal. For us it's more a time to get together with family (this Thanksgiving my parents will have all three kids home for the first time in a dozen years or more.) The excessive meals is more a case of everyone wanting more than they really should ("should we have green bean casserole or sweet potatoes ... I can't decide ... ok, both!", "pumpkin pie for those that don't like pecan pie, and pecan pie for those that don't like pumpkin pie", etc.)

I agree with the bah humbug because I don't like going to such extremes and I don't like driving.   But I don't think we (my family, both up and down) are narcissistic.

The main occupants of my house (I live in the basement and they have the upper two floors) are currently listening to Stairway to Heaven.

What're you working on?

5 o'clock

I mean, right now.

Lunch

Through The Dark Radio wrote:

What're you working on?

5 o'clock

I mean, right now.

Lunch

I know it isn't but this seems like dialogue out of Office Space...