Sorry for your woes, Lola.
Definitely have a checkup, especially as Bruce says and you admit, life has been stressful recently.

My sadness is far easier to deal with.
I had planned to watch Monty Python's final show at a cinema after failing to get tickets for the live show (although thank goodness, the way things have worked out!).
It's being screened live at cinemas across the UK. But I thought it was on a Saturday.
Nope, Sunday. And it will finish far too late to get a bus back home.
The closest cinema showing it is in Bradford, and even if I had the money for a hotel/ B&B - which I don't - I start work at 07.00 on Monday morning. I have to accept it's just not do-able.

More disappointed than I thought I would be.
It's no real biggie, just would have been great fun to sit and watch it with other fans.

Stupid Pythons.
Why they gotta finish on a Sunday for?

Sundae: A disappointment as such is a real bummer for sure.

At least you know they'll show the farewell tour on TV, forever. Sure it sucks to miss the live show, but at least you'll get to see it eventually... and curse missing it live every time.;)

Fuck carcinosarcoma. :(

My co-teachers Dad had a cancer scare last year which the docs thought the got surgically. His lungs filled up with fluid, I mean over two liters full, last week. Chemo and radiation are up next. fuck cancer

Sorry, both of you. :(

aaaauurrrggh. Fucking cancer. :rar:

First, fuck cancer.

*******************************

Now, on to what's bumming my stone:

I just watched the final two episodes of 'Breaking Bad'.

:bawling:

From the first episode, right to the last, absolutely the most well-written show I've ever watched. Bar none.

The only finale I've seen that was as good, may have been the final episode of 'NYPD Blue'.

10 out of 10

5 stars

2 thumbs up

1 fantastic show

Now what?

I'm afraid I may be ruined.

Eek. :(
Fuck it indeed.

Griff ... sorry to hear that. Fuck cancer to the centillionth power.

This may ruin your day or it may get you back up and fighting mad: I have not seen ONE episode of Breaking Bad. Not the first nor the last. Don't know how I missed it; guess I was sort of busy for about ?5? years. Sorry, grav.

Glad it wasn't a let down Grav.

I watched maybe the first episode and a half, not my bag. I won't say it wasn't compelling, but I couldn't see watching such ugliness and I have limited tv interest generally.

Same with me, except I lasted about 2 and a half SEASONS before I had to stop.

Chicken Butt, that's what.

Bryan Cranston was on one of the news outlet channels for an interview with the current newsbunny.

She expressed the opinion that she wasn't sure Walter White was dead. With an absolutely perfect poker face Cranston replied:

"Well, you never actually saw a bodybag being zipped up did you?"

And the interview ended.

Don't apologize to me, you're the one missing out.

;)

I saw that.
A bit of a tease but it might be a way to hawk the upcoming series, a prequel of BrBa, called Better Call Saul. It's supposed to chronicle Saul's rise to the strip mall law office and will feature Mike and...well I also know that Michael McKean will be in it.

Walter might get a nod way later in the series, but I wouldn't count on it. Bryan Cranston, though, right Grav? What an awesome series. I'm all about Jesse Pinkman, too. And Walt Jr. And Hank...

Going a bit stir crazy. I had looked into bumming across the country on a bus and was surprised by the cost. And the cost of a train is not much better. I REALLY need to find a job so that I can go do cool stuff.

I wish I could figure out what makes my son tick.

He was diagnosed with Asperger's about 6 months ago...add to that he's ADHD and has some bipolar issues. We currently have a running battle about not eating in the living room...he can get pretty messy and leaves his trash lying around, so we banned him from eating up here.

He'll do okay for a few days, then he does it again. And he gets grounded...he was confined to his bedroom with no electronics all day yesterday. So what did he do this morning? Did it again. How do I know? Because he left the fucking plate up here!

I love him dearly, but he is such a horrible liar...and he always leave a trail of evidence. He likes to have his "me" time in the morning, but I might have to start getting up with him. His carelessness has caused us to have roaches and mice.

Did I mention that I can't wait for him to go back to school? 2 more weeks.

What about a serving/lap tray with sides and a lid that holds all his dishware and utensils? Teach him to use it properly rather than having the ban which he is fighting? It must be pretty important to him if he's gonna risk a lock down for it. Make the setup his and his to take care of.

I would hire footie for the build.

That's not a bad idea. Unfortunately, I took a gander around the house and he's left a trail of destruction today. The Mrs is ready to send him back to day care.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you tried tying him up under the porch?

haggis

There's probably nothing for it but to get up with him and supervise the morning meal. Speaking as the mom of two Aspies ...

.

I tried to upload a photo of my garden this year, but failed. :(
Nevertheless, I am the mother of Aspies in both Kingdoms, and much more ...

Has he always eaten in the living room prior to this ban? how old is he? Do the rest of you eat in the living room? If it's a long-learned habit and it's something that everyone else does, it's hard enough for any teen to change, but especially if routine is their comfort zone, which is generally especially true of people with Asperger's.

Perhaps you could take some time to help him develop a cleaning up routine. Maybe feeling the blame and shame for the mice and roach leaves him seeking the comfort of his familiar habit, even though it eventually ends in more trouble. Is he interested in researching things? perhaps you could set him a project to learn how best to avoid the pests, and when he learns on his own about the food waste thing, it will help him feel more comfortable about adjusting his behavior?

He's 11 now, and we try to be careful with the battles we pick. We know it might take him some time to adjust to things and we repeat things...a lot. For example, he used to love playing with his toy cars on the steps. Well, he's a growing boy and we moved him away from playing there. It took a while, and he still does it on occasion, but he's finally gotten away from it.

He has a very hard time understanding why he can't do the things we do...he doesn't understand he's a child sometimes. Other times, he's as helpless as can be..."I can't find my socks!" And they'll be right in front of him.

He's been working with a counselor since just before his diagnosis...she comes over once a week and works with him, mainly in the area of impulse control.

He likes to have "me" time, and I've kept odd hours for years now, so I usually get up later than he does. I've decided to start getting up when my wife does now (7am...I went to bed earlier tonight, but am up for a bit). He is usually up just after she leaves.

I read a book not long ago written by a young man with Asperger's called Finding Kansas...stumbled upon the book by accident, but it gave me some insight into what might be going through his head right now.

We also struggle with his grandparents (The Mrs' dad and stepmom)...they don't believe he is autistic and think we just need to spend more time with him. Or that he's just doing typical 11-year-old stuff. Of course, who doesn't behave for their grandparents and get what they want?

He went over to a friend's house a while ago...I went out to run an errand. When I got back, I discovered his bike was missing...turns out he was riding it. Except he's not supposed to be riding it right now...he broke his arm riding it last week.

:brikwall:

I watched a movie called "Rolling Kansas"...:blunt:

[/notmuchhelp]

So is it Aspergers or Autism?


And many if not most 11-year old boys do do shit like that. They eventually grow out of it. (When they have kids of their own :rolleyes:) It's not unreasonable for the grandparents to want to believe it's something he'll grow out of. It was around round 13/14 with my elder son, younger one is showing signs of improvement at age 12 but we have a way to go.


And who doesn't behave for grandparents to get what they want? Aspy and Autistic kids for a start.

Did you explain to him exactly why he can't ride his bike? What were the ground rules you laid down about that? Did he willfully ignore them or could they have been open to a different interpretation than the one you were intending?

DSM-5 killed off the term "Asperger's"...he is diagnosed as having mild autism, but it is what used to be called Asperger's.

We try to be very clear in his rules. They are posted on a bulletin board in our living room, and when new rules are introduced, we explain them very clearly and give him some leeway in enforcing them initially. He tries to regularly poke holes in the rules though. I personally have difficulty distinguishing whether his autism is in play or if he is just being defiant (which we've seen more of recently) or if he's just being an 11-year old at times.

I'm impressed that you (and/or your doctor) know this. You'd be stunned how many medical professionals don't.

The thing about being on the spectrum, it's never outright defiance. They do what they want because they don't care about the rules, but they never do it just to piss you off because they don't care if you're pissed off. However, ADHD kids often use deliberate defiance, because the emotional drama it causes is a literal stimulant to their brain, it's a subconscious way of keeping up enough energy to function. Personally I view them as two different subtypes that almost never overlap, but often they are hard to distinguish and kids are given both diagnoses.

This. Again, a kid on the spectrum is not going to have the instinct to manipulate to this level. They will certainly try to get away with more if allowed to, but they are not going to be better behaved for the purposes of manipulation--unless your in-laws happen to be skilled at subtle behavioral therapy techniques, which I'm betting they're not.

Obviously I don't know your kid. But everything you're saying says you should be approaching this from an ADHD (or maybe bipolar like you mentioned, I don't know as much about that) treatment perspective, not an autism perspective. And I'm sorry to say it, but it sounds like he does need more supervision, regardless of why he needs it. Have you ever heard of the "Love & Logic" series?

I might have been misunderstood before...I don't think he is manipulating my in-laws or vice versa. They do seem to have fewer issues with him, but they also indulge him. I don't know how you guys were as kids, but I always tended to behave better around my grandparents.

He has a really good counselor, and she was the one that told us about the change in diagnosis. She has two ADHD kids of her own that are now adults. We have been trying to adjust his medications to get the maximum benefit without making him a zombie. He has been on the current ones 2 or 3 months now, and we're thinking he may need a change.

I've heard of Love & Logic...I'll have to look into it more.

I appreciate the input ladies! I needed another perspective(s).

What's bumming your stone today?
 

Stevie Ray Vaughan died 24 years ago today.:shred:

:sniff:

:blackr:

RIP.

My initial estimate on my car repairs is 1200 bucks. They still have to pull the transmission out to find where the oil is coming from. The headlights are stupid: both sides behaved the same way (no DRLs at all, very dim low beams which were useless at night, high beams were fine) yet they said a bulb replacement was needed on one side and the other side has no voltage...so there's more investigation (i.e. labor) to figure that out.

It could hover around 1500, or shoot to...oh I don't know, 3 grand. When I told my friend who said it'd probably be a couple hundred bucks and I replied 'not with my luck, with my luck it'll be a couple grand' I wasn't fucking kidding.

Could one thing go right? One? Can't have a job until my transportation is fixed.

I keep going forward and keep going forward, against all odds, and something in the universe wants to just keep kicking me back down.

Oh well. It'll all work out. It always does. Eventually. For a while.

Shit. I'm sorry. Cars suck.

I'm bummed that I can't make a thread.

Poor thing.

I'm bummed that I can't start a thread.

Hmmm

Infi that's awful!
It's the reason I gave up driving. Well, car-ownership at least, I still have a licence.
It's not just the initial cost, or even the day to day, it's the expense when things go wrong.

Same with pets, but a car doesn't come and bite your chin at 02.30 to get some more cat milk... Oh, wait...

Seriously, sorry for your woes darling.

Thanks.

I wish I could give up car ownership. It's impossible here. There's no public transport to speak of and there isn't much within walking distance. Even if I, say, moved into town and got a job somewhere nearby I'd still need to get to my family's places. I know a couple women who don't drive, though. But they have husbands and don't go to see their families often. Being carless would take away my independence...and I'm the absolute worst in asking for help.

It's just bumming me out. Still waiting for the call with the final estimate.

I appreciate that you care. It's really just first world problems but still...

Actually I had intended to say I know things are different here, but brain to finger communication failed.
I've chosen everywhere I've lived because of access to public transport; and that's not censure, it's just something that is possible here.
It's hard and it hurts when I'm so far away from home, but it IS cheaper and it IS accessible and that is the difference.

Yeah, tell me all about first world problems.
My Mum and my Godfather are having Masses said for me. Because I am depressed and alcoholic. I know they mean well, I know I mean a lot to them. But why should I mean more to God than orphaned African children born with AIDs, or people with no access to clean water, or 12 year old addicts in favelas who started out as drug runners and now shoot up to cancel out what they have seen?

Eta - the above is aimed at me and the futility of my existence and not at you.
It's all relative, and I don't for one second think your problem is unimportant. One of the remaining Strawberry Festival Queens has to keep her head above water.

What's bumming your stone today?
 

Well, first, I woke up. Then, I continued breathing. And then, I didn't fall over dead.

It's pretty much been downhill from there.

Ah well, it'll all be over with sooner or later...

...just, when?

Well - it's a start :p

It ain't over til the fat lady sings. Imma gag that fat bitch just to make sure.

You can take off the gag,
I promise not to sing again.
(but leave me my lips. They shape words even in silence)

Two women at work bum my stone. They feel a need to be snippy to me and the only reason I can see is that I am not pitiful, I am happy most of the time. My solution is to avoid any kind of personal conversation. I don't know how else to deal with a situation where someone has a chip on their shoulder and they are always approaching me to knock it off. :eyebrow:

Eh, Nirvana...some women are just like that at work. We've come a long way, baby. Sometimes. I would want to just smack them, but I wouldn't. Vent here, so you don't do some much needed bitch-slappin'! ;)

I'm carless for the whole weekend. (Not careless, carless.) I've trusted this mechanic for years, though some have bad stories. That's how that world works. "Oh, you should've taken it here, or you should have taken it there." Well thanks. Where were you with your oh so sage advice when I needed to get my car fixed? Whatever. Everybody has all that great "you should have" shit when I already tried to do something. I love being told I did stuff wrong. Makes me feel young again.

They were supposed to call me on Friday to let me know a final estimate. No call. I hadn't the mental energy to overcome my phone aversion and call and ask them. At this point 'no news is bad news.' And I couldn't stop in because, well, no car.

They stopped being open on Saturday years ago. Making too much money I guess. When my friends took me to the store today we drove by and I waved at my car, sitting outside in the lot.

I guess having no transportation and not going where I want, when I want, is a humbling experience for me. But hopefully, with the holiday weekend and all, I'll have a car Tuesday or Wednesday. Meantime, can't go hang with dad, brothers are both on long weekends away, and I'm bummy bum bum.

Have you tried masturbation? (ya might try it on the mechanic, too)

It'll pass the time anyway...

IM - you can probably fix your head lights by going to Auto Zone or O'Reillys and getting help putting in the bulbs. Your headlights me frosted also. They have a kit for that. I have seen ladies in distress at these part stores. The staff and gear heads are always glad to help.

Oil leak? It might be the rear seal. Crawl underneath and look for it. When you find it, wipe it clean and slather the area with Goop. Some guy is likely to do this for you too. These places run diagnostics for free and even loan tools.

The main thing to do is look helpless and let your eyes tear up. Mean will be tripping over each other to help.

I have a sore throat. I'm not sure if it's a cold coming on, or from karaoke on Friday night. I also feel exhausted, but that's because I've had a couple of crazy weeks. this week is a looking fairly quiet so far, so I think that's good.

Sarge,

The headlight issue is recurring. The low beams are really really low. Like candles. Not frosted. Apparently it's a thing with Beetles. I did look online for directions on changing bulbs, the first time it happened...and it's not something I'm prepared to attempt. Well, I did start an attempt until I realized when they said it's very difficult 'cause everything is jam-packed in there they meant it.

Same with oil leak. Mark the Mechanic had to degrease the whole damn thing and they had to pull the transmission to find the leak in the engine. This is the other thing I am waiting for news for. Yep, everything is jam-packed in there.

Also, they said I need new brakes and rotors. Might as well get it all done and bite the bullet now. If they don't pronounce it dead. GAWD I'm freaking out.

Someone like glatt would probably have the skills to deal with the headlights (except, did I say before, they say there's no voltage to one side and have to trace that?) but I don't think most people are equipped to pull a transmission out.

It ain't looking good.

Picture is not my car but same make/model/year.

p.s. My own personal make/model/year doesn't net me much of guys tripping over themselves to help me anymore. They used to. And I hated that! Well, sometimes. ;)

p.p.s.

My friends took me to the store the other day so I have everything I need, and though I'd like to go see my dad the rest of the family is out of town, and I don't really need to go anywhere, and a friend already called this morning to see if I needed anything or needed to go anywhere...but it's so weird not just jumping in the car when I want. It's like I've lost an appendage. I've had some sort of car to drive for almost 32 years. I can see why older people can be reluctant to stop driving; it really puts a damper on independence and that isn't a pleasant feeling.

All over a car. A material object. A 'nothing' in the grand scheme. Eh.

Where's my cottage with a garden and a horse that will carry me through the woods to the village where I can sell and purchase wares?

I look at that engine and it just pisses me off. It's pretty typical of modern engines, so it's nothing unusual. But it's not designed to be worked on. You lift the hood and you still can't even see the engine because they put damn covers on top of it. There is no room in there to do anything.

So ya hafta take it to the dealer.


Just like they designed.

:yelsick:

No, I didn't take it to the dealer. I took it to my long-term mechanic. As much as it's gonna cost, a dealer would cost way more.

Unless, of course, he tells me I'm gonna need to take it to the dealer.

Take Me To Your Dealer. Or not. Job hunting and all.