USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Manonthestreet]

Off today voluntarily. Boss called and said there isnt enough work did I want the day off. Being the model employee I am I readily agreed. Wife and I didnt take a vacation this yr so I have days to burn before the July rollover. I can roll over some and and or get and extra check for the yr.

So far have not been called to jury duty.

 

[Ringel05]

When we moved back to Albuquerque in 2018 we bought new phones, I bought the iPhone XR which came with Airbuds which I never used........, until today. Now wonder they want so much for them!!!! I have a couple of very good (not great) headphones and the airbuds blow their sound quality out of the water. Just ordered a highly recommended Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone on sale for $80. Can't afford the $200 + pro headphones.

 

[Ringel05]

I've noticed as of late that traffic on the USMB in general has slowed wayyyyyyyy down over the last 6 months. Of course there are the usual "my politician is better than your politician" grade schoolers upstairs but even that group appears to have thinned out quite a bit.

 

[Oddball]

Saturday morning (for realz this time)!

Droopy es muy suave.

Let the cartoon begin!

 

[saveliberty]

It's been a while since I've been in here, the CS not the board. Last Monday I fell into a music rabbit hole some of which you all have already seen. However I finally listened to Pentatonix for the first time today. Yes I know most of you know who they are but I never heard them before. Heard of but never listened too. Their rendition of Hallelujah and Sound of Silence just blew me away, best renditions I've ever heard!!

Yes! I like this group very much.

 

[saveliberty]

I've noticed as of late that traffic on the USMB in general has slowed wayyyyyyyy down over the last 6 months. Of course there are the usual "my politician is better than your politician" grade schoolers upstairs but even that group appears to have thinned out quite a bit.

Because USMB was an early adopter of censorship, aka political correctness etal.

 

[saveliberty]

Working the US Postal Service, not so much USMB. I'm legal to collect social security now, but will take a hard pass for 6 to 8 years. Maybe I'll run a presidential campaign from my basement in 2032.

 

[Foxfyre]

I've noticed as of late that traffic on the USMB in general has slowed wayyyyyyyy down over the last 6 months. Of course there are the usual "my politician is better than your politician" grade schoolers upstairs but even that group appears to have thinned out quite a bit.

There has always been an ebb and flow to the Coffee Shop--times when we filled hundreds of pages in a fairly short time and times when it was very quiet. But I agree it has been more quiet than usual lately. We haven't really replaced all the old timers who used to come here frequently, i.e. Welfare Queen and Sherry, Ernie, Peach, NosmoKing, BigBlackDog, Spoonman, many many others who are no longer at USMB. Others like yourself who were more active are less active now, just check in now and then, as lives move on and priorities change.

But I very much enjoy those who do participate, those who check in now and then, and hope all will remember and maybe use again the Coffee Shop as a place of refuge and congenial fellowship separated from the unpleasantness that can be found on much of the Board. And who knows, we could see a flurry of activity

I usually at least check in every day because my icon for USMB automatically opens in the Coffee Shop.

 

[Foxfyre]

Working the US Postal Service, not so much USMB. I'm legal to collect social security now, but will take a hard pass for 6 to 8 years. Maybe I'll run a presidential campaign from my basement in 2032.

(((((Save)))) So good to hear from you. Have you retired from the postal service? I think about you often, especially when I see Harper at the top of the Vigil List when I post it. Hope life is good for you.

(And the way things are going, I think I might just as well vote for you in a basement as anybody else. )

 

[saveliberty]

(((((Save)))) So good to hear from you. Have you retired from the postal service? I think about you often, especially when I see Harper at the top of the Vigil List when I post it. Hope life is good for you.

(And the way things are going, I think I might just as well vote for you in a basement as anybody else. )

I will probably stay at the post office until 70 or so. I need to keep myself from idle time. Harper is due for another surgery in about a month. They are having the worst time trying to close the back of her palate.

Life has required a lot of repairs recently. Two tires, rear brakes, dryer timer, washing machine lid lock (keeps the washer from rinsing and draining, who knew?), electrical mast torn from the house in an ice storm, sewer line blocked, and a leak in the roof I replaced last Fall. That's just so far this year. lol

The ice storm referenced above kept us without power for four days. House was a balmy 44.

That said, things are okay. My ex mother in law passed a few days before Christmas. She remained a friend despite the change in status. In fact, my wife became good friends with her. Strangely at her passing, my mom and wife were there when it happened, along with two of my daughters and exwife. The support network is good, weird, but good.

Hopefully i got all the bugs worked out for 2023.

 

[Foxfyre]

I will probably stay at the post office until 70 or so. I need to keep myself from idle time. Harper is due for another surgery in about a month. They are having the worst time trying to close the back of her palate.

Life has required a lot of repairs recently. Two tires, rear brakes, dryer timer, washing machine lid lock (keeps the washer from rinsing and draining, who knew?), electrical mast torn from the house in an ice storm, sewer line blocked, and a leak in the roof I replaced last Fall. That's just so far this year. lol

The ice storm referenced above kept us without power for four days. House was a balmy 44.

That said, things are okay. My ex mother in law passed a few days before Christmas. She remained a friend despite the change in status. In fact, my wife became good friends with her. Strangely at her passing, my mom and wife were there when it happened, along with two of my daughters and exwife. The support network is good, weird, but good.

Hopefully i got all the bugs worked out for 2023.

Sounds like you have it all under control. And are a handy guy to have around. And Harper was the inspiration for the Vigil List and remains on it. Sorry she has to go through another of these awful surgeries though. Hopefully she may be old enough now to be able to understand and help with the recovery and healing process?

For the newcomers who don't know the history, Harper is Save's granddaughter and we have been with him and her since she was born with some congental issues that have required multiple surgeries. Beautiful little girl.

 

[saveliberty]

Sounds like you have it all under control. And are a handy guy to have around. And Harper was the inspiration for the Vigil List and remains on it. Sorry she has to go through another of these awful surgeries though. Hopefully she may be old enough now to be able to understand and help with the recovery and healing process?

For the newcomers who don't know the history, Harper is Save's granddaughter and we have been with him and her since she was born with some congental issues that have required multiple surgeries. Beautiful little girl.

About a year ago she asked her mom when one of her sisters or brother would have surgery.

 

[Ringel05]

One has to be careful navigating these music videos. Since the pandemic Austin (high tenor for Home Free) has also branched out on his own. I saw one he did a cover for and thought I recognized the name of the song I forgot who originally did it until he started singing it. Of course I immediately thought of my Kat and the tears just started to flow.
Tears in Heaven written by Eric Clapton after he lost his 4 year old son.

 

[Foxfyre]

For myself, the stress level is about 800 on a scale of 1 to 10 right now. My Aunt Betty, age 96, decided it is time to move to an assisted living facility and we have been researching those and finally settled on a lovely place close to our place and going through the process of moving smaller items from her house to the new facility--the furniture and large boxes will be moved on Thursday.

But she is completely unable to handle all this on her own so it has been up to me to call a realtor--easy since we have one we've used for years but we met with him and Betty to do the preliminaries and then again to sign the sales contract.
--Arrange for the moving company and meet with them and Betty
--Arrange for the estate sales people who will sell all the stuff she doesn't move--I've arranged for an appointment but we don't meet with them until after the move
--Arrange for a plumber to fix an ailing jacuzzi in the master bath
--Arrange for an electrician to fix an outdoor security light that isn't working
--Arrange for a handy man to paint three places of trim on the rear of the house that needs that and do a bit of minor stucco repair.
--Finish getting her very complicated 2022 taxes ready for the accountant
--Convince our friends and family who are assisting with packing and transferring stuff that the house has to look great for the realtor's photographer who will go there on Tuesday.
--Arrange for comcast to transfer service to her new place
A million and one other details.

And it is occurring to me that I'm too old for this.

-

 

[Foxfyre]

One has to be careful navigating these music videos. Since the pandemic Austin (high tenor for Home Free) has also branched out on his own. I saw one he did a cover for and thought I recognized the name of the song I forgot who originally did it until he started singing it. Of course I immediately thought of my Kat and the tears just started to flow.
Tears in Heaven written by Eric Clapton after he lost his 4 year old son.

It is amazing how the emotions can be overwhelming hearing a song, a comment, a special place. Sending you a virtual hug.

 

[Foxfyre]

Good night, afternoon, morning wherever you are darlinks. I really do love you guys. May the Coffee Shop always be a virtual family for those who need or enjoy one here.

And we pray or send positive thoughts or keep vigil for:

Harper, the inspiration for the vigil list. Another surgery coming up.
Nosmo King for healing and health & wholeness.
Big Black Dog for the very best treatment and outcome for the rest of his days.
Gracie for solutions and peace.
Ringel for continued wellness and his brothers' family for relief from adversity and illness.
Hombre & Foxfyre's son for continued wellness & their nephew dealing with ALS.
Beautress's friend Ken for healing and wellness.
Dale Smith for quality of life.
Boedicca's nephew for healing/adversity and baby Alex for strength and healing.
Mindful for successful impending radiation therapy.

And we keep the light on so others who have been away can find their way back and we hope they will.

Tonight's the night to spring forward everybody.

 

[saveliberty]

Lord help Ringel through his grief and remind Foxfyre you never give someone more than they can handle. Still, make their paths easier and fill them with hope and love.

 

[Ringel05]

Lord help Ringel through his grief and remind Foxfyre you never give someone more than they can handle. Still, make their paths easier and fill them with hope and love.

I thank you and God has given me peace. Yes it still hurts and probably always will but the pain is no longer overwhelming. I even have one of my favorite pictures of her on my desktop and I can look at her with love without breaking down. It's just every once in a while something triggers the loss and I start crying, that's normal for most everyone who has lost someone they love.

 

[Foxfyre]

I thank you and God has given me peace. Yes it still hurts and probably always will but the pain is no longer overwhelming. I even have one of my favorite pictures of her on my desktop and I can look at her with love without breaking down. It's just every once in a while something triggers the loss and I start crying, that's normal for most everyone who has lost someone they love.

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I so understand. My mom, for instance, has been gone for 40 years. The incidents are infrequent and don't last long any more, but there are still things that can trigger almost overwhelming emotion; I can see her doing something; hear her say something.

 

[Foxfyre]

We think inflation is bad here. We can't hold a candle to Japan for pricey specialties. This is an actual photo recently taken by a friend visiting a Japanese market in New York City:

According to my friend that is the price for one melon. These are apparently cultivated in only one green house in Japan with only one melon per vine to concentrate all the plant's energies into a single fruit. The melons are gently massaged and turned daily and are generally given as luxurious gifts to important people. Recently two of these extra superior melons were sold at auction for $22,500 for the pair. Rated the most expensive fruit in the world.