Subject: Re: arrgh my tooth - freaking virus
When I was first married, one night I rubbed my eye so much the whole... jelly of it - got inflamed. Like, a boil or blister. It was pretty freaky. So we went into the ER. They were like, "OMG! Come in here and sit down," when they saw it. It was like a horror show effect.
So, he sits me down, on a bed, across from an eye chart, and goes, "Ok, read the chart..."
I do...
He goes, "Ok, now do it with your bad eye..."
"That was my bad eye..."
"It... uh, what?!?"
They gave me some steroid drops, told me to stop rubbing my eyes, and sent me home.
At the eye doctors office, my dad would go in, read the copyright at the very bottom of the eye chart as he walked past it to go sit down. "what is the lowest line you can read".... heh
we are a laugh a minute in my family.
2020-12-06 07:49 from ParanoidDelusions
My daughter, who is a Native Born Californian, spent most of her
formative years in Ohio, then moved to Chicago for school, only to
have her first Semester upended by Covid-19 and the 2020 election -
was raised on digital communities like Twitter and has very left
leaning sympathies.
After a second semester in a very authoritarian, locked down,
scared-of-its-own-shadow Chicago, has decided to opt for online
learning for her 3rd semester.
And is also far less argumentative when Dad suggests that the
policies of the Left on Covid are neither healthy nor productive.
There's a couple thi different threads to tease apart here.
First: March was a very dark time. Nobody had any point of reference for what was about to happen, and nobody knew what to do. There was no testing yet, and people were scared shitless. Things feel a bit more relaxed, even now. The prediction from my previously-mentioned data-modeller propellerheads is that the second wave here in NYC will likely peak around 20-25% of the last wave's peak, in terms of hospital beds required. My gut instinct, based on the data and simple assumptions about exponential growth, tells me that's a little optimistic. But whatever; can't argue with the pros. The point is, things are settling into a certain kind of groove. Even those of us who work from home, are still finding ways to get out of the house and enjoy life. Lockdowns have happened, but they haven't been China-style...
Second: I am very familiar with the family tension that arises between those on opposite ends of the political spectrum. The only real solution? Stick to the facts, and avoid epithets.
relaxed, even now. The prediction from my previously-mentioned
data-modeller propellerheads is that the second wave here in NYC will
likely peak around 20-25% of the last wave's peak, in terms of hospital
This prediction, by the way, incorporates a lot of cell phone mobility data provided by Facebook. In other words, it's based, among other things on the knowledge that people's behavior is different than it was in March.
Even that can be difficult, when some of the people have their own version of facts. Its best just to stay away from some topics in general when your family ( or friends ) isn't 100% in agreement.
Sun Dec 20 2020 17:46:37 EST from LoanSharkSecond: I am very familiar with the family tension that arises between those on opposite ends of the political spectrum. The only real solution? Stick to the facts, and avoid epithets.
Second: I am very familiar with the family tension that arises between
those on opposite ends of the political spectrum. The only real
solution? Stick to the facts, and avoid epithets.
I dunno ... my sister has political leanings similar to mine, and I still can't stand to be around her. I'd rather spend time with my left-leaning friends.
I dunno ... my sister has political leanings similar to mine, and I
still can't stand to be around her. I'd rather spend time with my
left-leaning friends.
Yeah. Sure. I figured that out a while back or I wouldn't be logging in here anymore. My crazy family on the other hand... there's a few people I've lost all respect for. If I told you the #1 story behind all this, you'd be appalled.
That sorta sets perspective on everyone else, in fact: if you're not as crazy as LoanShark's crazy uncle, maybe you get a pass ;)
You are exchanging stories, I will exchange one as well.
I have a niece that doesn't lean to the left, she falls over and buries herself in it. Some years ago the family was on a family vacation and some of us were having a conversation. I don't remember what the conversation was about, perhaps some news story. She became upset, mentioned republicans crushing woman's rights. The conversation wasn't about politics or women, somehow she blurted out that statement. We were all confused by it but let it go.
To keep in touch the family uses the Viber messaging app. She was in at least two of the family's group chats. We have several chats, one is for friends and family, another for one of the niece's children, another for just family discussions.
During the 2016 election cycle on September 11th, Hillary was very ill. My mother, her grandmother, texted "Hillary was very sick today." That is it, nothing else. No other comments were made by anyone. My niece stated she was leaving the family chats, and she left. She barely spoke to the family for the longest time. It was a neutral statement, but apparently she is so far to the left she took offense to the statement.
We are not a political family, we don't discuss it often, but my niece lets everyone know how far to the left she is and if we are not as far to the left as she is, we are part of the problem. Her facebook page is filled with every crazy like and share over simplified leftist meme. There was no discussing it with her.
We were all surprised when she found a man who seemed to calm her down. He leans to the left as well but not as crazy as she was. He did calm her down. We were invited to her wedding, we never thought she would get married, we never thought it would be this quick. COVID-19 hit, the state closed all the wedding reception venues. She and her husband were married by the Justice of the Peace. When they got married he took her last name.
At least she is speaking to the family and more tolerant of the family.
My right leaning sister gets a little crazy at times. I am not sure if she is joking or serious when she talked about JFK jr coming out of hiding and JFK Jr, showing his support for Trump.
We are not a political family, we don't discuss it often, but my
niece lets everyone know how far to the left she is and if we are not
as far to the left as she is, we are part of the problem. Her
We all have our personal Overton Window, things we find unacceptable. I mentioned my cousin earlier in a more private discussion; the one who lives upstate with the tricky relationship with her dad. She's a little like that, on Facebook: prone to making statements like "if you support this or that thing related to Trump, just hit the unfriend button."
She's lost a friend or two over it. She's slightly younger than me, and maybe slightly more liberal (I'm less dovish on foreign policy than I was when I was younger), and there are times I try to get her to calm down on that stuff, in a gentle way. She's OK. But she doesn't get along very well with her dad--in part because her dad is an extremist, full of propaganda. Possibly in part because of other abusive stuff.
This isn't unusual, anymore. There is a young generation that believes that Obama was too conservative.
And they're puzzling to more reasonable people - because they do this kind of thing.
Mon Dec 21 2020 19:52:03 EST from zooerYou are exchanging stories, I will exchange one as well.
I have a niece that doesn't lean to the left, she falls over and buries herself in it. Some years ago the family was on a family vacation and some of us were having a conversation. I don't remember what the conversation was about, perhaps some news story. She became upset, mentioned republicans crushing woman's rights. The conversation wasn't about politics or women, somehow she blurted out that statement. We were all confused by it but let it go.
2020-12-21 21:44 from ParanoidDelusions
This isn't unusual, anymore. There is a young generation that
believes that Obama was too conservative.
They're called the DSA, and they *need to go away.* A blight on the country.
A nearly 1 Trillion Dollar Pork Project.
Every last one of them should be tossed in to prison, lose their pension, forfeit everything they own.
So sick of DC i could scream.
What does DSA stand for?
Mon Dec 21 2020 22:05:42 EST from LoanShark2020-12-21 21:44 from ParanoidDelusions
This isn't unusual, anymore. There is a young generation that
believes that Obama was too conservative.
They're called the DSA, and they *need to go away.* A blight on the country.
And yet another childhood friend has decided that I'm a racist, without my ever expressing a single word's worth of opinion on the subject of race. Because [CURRENT YEAR].
2020-12-23 15:04 from nonservator
And yet another childhood friend has decided that I'm a racist,
without my ever expressing a single word's worth of opinion on the
subject of race. Because [CURRENT YEAR].
devout socialists will say that about anyone who support immigration limits, and/or takes a centrist view on mideast policy... sad really
(cue previous coments about the DSA... toxic people.)
Are you white?
Do you think you're not racist?
That is exactly what a racist would say.
Wed Dec 23 2020 15:04:57 EST from nonservatorAnd yet another childhood friend has decided that I'm a racist, without my ever expressing a single word's worth of opinion on the subject of race. Because [CURRENT YEAR].
A couple longtime friends of mine just 'discovered' i'm a Conservative ( with libertarian leanings ) and decided we cant be friends anymore, as i'm a Nazi or some such nonsense. Um, we were friends for 40 years before this and it didnt matter ( still doesn't to me ). Or at least i thought we were.
Any attempts to Kafkatrap me like that to my face will result in a hearty laugh and "Fuck your commie bullshit". Done backing into a corner. It's completely pointless to point out hypocrisy, double standards and false equivalence, and yet I'm constitutionally incapable of letting it slide.
I quit Facebook, but I kind of miss my conservative and reasonable friends.
I've considered just going back and defriending everyone I don't want or need in my life. Many people would be shocked to find out they're on the wrong side of that equation. If I decide to go back, I think it is going to happen, though. I don't have time in my life for those people.
Thu Dec 24 2020 09:48:19 EST from nonservatorAny attempts to Kafkatrap me like that to my face will result in a hearty laugh and "Fuck your commie bullshit". Done backing into a corner. It's completely pointless to point out hypocrisy, double standards and false equivalence, and yet I'm constitutionally incapable of letting it slide.
I keep it around mostly for keeping in touch with family, in one convenient place. I joined up kicking and screaming, but it has proven to be helpful in that regard.
other than that, its a cesspool.
Thu Dec 24 2020 12:13:33 EST from ParanoidDelusionsI quit Facebook, but I kind of miss my conservative and reasonable friends.
I've considered just going back and defriending everyone I don't want or need in my life. Many people would be shocked to find out they're on the wrong side of that equation. If I decide to go back, I think it is going to happen, though. I don't have time in my life for those people.