General Chat / Random Musings - 2021

[SoulMonster]

9 hours ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Seein the snow in NYC was so pretty. I saw the streets of Manhattan today and they were all cleared away, but the show was still all over the sidewalks. I miss snow. 

You can have mine.

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

12 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

You can have mine.

lol Well, living in Dallas I do miss seeing the snow, but I know it can be a pain to clear it up. Luckily living in New York, you can walk everywhere you need to go, so it's not a big deal. I see pictures of Manhattan on the news and already see how filthy the snow is looking. Oh well, it was pretty when it was falling down.

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

I read that Chris Jericho from Fozzy and wrestling, said he should have been the singer for AC/DC. I just laughed and laughed. Got to love Jericho's confidence. lol

[Whiskey Rose]

So Soon's been banned and Diesel Daisy has been run off with pitchforks. 

Good going people! 

Who the heck is going to keep SoulMonster halfway in check now? 

 

[willl]

Can't believe soon has been banned Is it a temporary or perma ban?

Hope the mods will reconsider. I've been a mod and admin on GNR forums for about 15 years so I know arguments and disagreements can flare up between users from time to time, but I genuinely think soon is a great asset to this community and I'm sure that whatever caused the ban will be water under the bridge given a couple of months time

[Gracii Guns]

On 05/02/2021 at 9:10 PM, Whiskey Rose said:

Who the heck is going to keep SoulMonster halfway in check now? 

Yep, all Soulie's articulately described rational thoughts and friendliness really need to be held back. You can have too much intelligence and camaraderie in Anything Goes. 

[Dazey]

1 hour ago, Gracii Guns said:

Yep, all Soulie's articulately described rational thoughts and friendliness really need to be held back. You can have too much intelligence and camaraderie in Anything Goes. 

Because what we really need is more dickstains like Facekicker to keep the place going.   

[EvanG]

@Oldest Goat dude, I don't think it's up to you to say that other people don't know what they are talking about. Fact is that a lot of people, even more than the ones who have reacted so far, really like the dude and got along with him great. It's too bad you're not one of them, but it's not going to change my opinion because he has only ever been nice to me and nothing more. Even going out of his way to reach out to me while he didn't have to. If you think that's him being fake, then too bad!

Anyway, on the plus side, action followed his little friend diesel daisy to another forum, so he will probably stop posting too. I seem to remember you had problems with the two of them as well, so at least something to be happy about, right?

[Scream of the Butterfly]

Soon was cool. From what I saw he wasn't nice to everyone all the time, but it was nothing worse than what you see on the forum all the time. Diesel Daisy was an overall good contributor as well and I liked action even though he was way off on some issues. A shame if they are all gone. I think some of you are too quick to dismiss people you don't like or agree with as "nothing but trolls". Just my opinion of course and I don't claim to know it all.

[RussTCB]

On 2/5/2021 at 11:27 PM, downliner said:

Can't believe soon has been banned Is it a temporary or perma ban?

Hope the mods will reconsider. I've been a mod and admin on GNR forums for about 15 years so I know arguments and disagreements can flare up between users from time to time, but I genuinely think soon is a great asset to this community and I'm sure that whatever caused the ban will be water under the bridge given a couple of months time

Hey, I didn't have anything to do with the banning for once! Haha

[SoulMonster]

Seen this, @Graeme?

GoPro Gets Melted by Lava and Survives - YouTube

So I think Go Pros are key to winning our war against them volcanoes. Maybe we can wear them? Like put up on our clothes so the lava won't get us? Or live in them? Like huge GoPros that are houses. Or maybe stuff the crates full with GoPros so the volcano can't spew out and disintegrate us?

[Graeme]

2 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Seen this, @Graeme?

GoPro Gets Melted by Lava and Survives - YouTube

So I think Go Pros are key to winning our war against them volcanoes. Maybe we can wear them? Like put up on our clothes so the lava won't get us? Or live in them? Like huge GoPros that are houses. Or maybe stuff the crates full with GoPros so the volcano can't spew out and disintegrate us?

I think the volcanoes are one step ahead of us, plotting to develop lava that even go-pros can't resist.

[spunko12345]

15 hours ago, Graeme said:

I think the volcanoes are one step ahead of us, plotting to develop lava that even go-pros can't resist.

I think it's clear that these volcanoes have brains.

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Well, Texans are very upset because starting today we're actually getting winter weather and possibly ice, which isn't good because Texas doesn't have the means to take care of the icy streets and highways.

I'm just happy we're finally getting colder weather. I mean, just put on a coat and hat and gloves and stop your bitching.

 And the news people on still reporting from home, so having them complain seems pointless since you are home and not outside and you can order food, and your groceries from your phone or pc. Unbelievable.

People in NYC were on line yesterday during a snow storm getting their vaccines in Yankee stadium. some of them were buying yankee stuff and not complaining one bit. God! I miss that city.

[EvanG]

We finally have some serious winter weather here too and everyone seems to be enjoying it. Lots of sledding, ice skating, people going hiking and enjoying the beautiful winter landscape. It's been a while since we had a decent cold spell that lasted longer than just a few days. It's bliss.

Edited February 10, 2021 by EvanG

[downzy]

It's insanely cold here.  Definitely suffering from cabin fever.  

Use to watch the moving The Shining in horror.  Now I can totally relate.  

[downzy]

1 hour ago, lukepowell1988 said:

What did soon do?

We don’t publicly discuss details concerning why certain members are banned.

Each member is given four warnings. Those who choose to carry on without regard to the warnings provided by the moderating team will be banned from the forum. 

[SoulMonster]

Any followers of my sporadic updates will remember I tend to have my mother-in-law staying with us for long periods of time. She has now sold her house and stays with us, and with my wife's sister, permanently. So she switches a bit back and forth between her daughters. Typically, if the tension gets too bad between she and one of her daughters, she will move. I am not really complaining, as far as in-laws go, she is pretty great. She usually stays in her room and she does a little bit of cleaning and helps out with the kids. She is also good at not sticking her nose in things she shouldn't. So I am not complaining. It could be worse.

And here is how it got worse: My father-in-law now stays with us. I don't know if I have told about him before, but he is really supposed to be at his house in Thailand now with his newest Thai wife. He was supposed to travel there last year but Corona stranded him in Dubai (as well as a few other airports), before he gave up and returned to Norway. Unfortunately, by then he had sold off any home and belongings in Norway and had to stay at a relative's cabin without water and electricity. Not ideal in winter so he came to us. He is also out of money by the way (built a swimming pool for his new wife and family back in Thailand and got them a car, you see). His big problem in life -- and only problem as far as I know -- is that he can't get back to Thailand.

My wife has been helping him apply for a visa and stuff, because he has been completely hopeless. Just as incapable as a little child. In fact, he has broken down just thinking about having to apply for a visa and going through the process with a trip to the embassy, and now he is drinking heavily in his bedroom while singing along to Frank Sinatra and terrible country music. Just depressed. And despite my wife doing all the work. He just can't cope with having to go through the process, still does nothing himself. They were in the city yesterday getting some certificates and he snuck off to buy liquor. He was so drunk and depressed yesterday he couldn't stop crying during dinner, but the kids fortunately didn't notice. My wife suggested he go take a walk to get some fresh air, and he walked to the store and bough more beer. I don't know how to help him, either. He just needs to have someone sort out everything for him and put him on a plane. But it will take weeks before he has the visa. 

Jeez. I am so ready to take away his booze the first time he makes a fool of himself in front of the kids.

[downzy]

Yikes, that sounds like an impossible situation with no quick solution. He obviously has a drinking problem that’s likely not going to get any better unless he hits rock bottom.  

I feel for your predicament. 

[Gracii Guns]

Sorry Soulie, I hope that you can work something out with your father in law. 

It's actually a profound example of something I've been pondering lately. What do we owe to family members who are a few degrees separated from us? 

Most of us at least try to be respectful and friendly. But, there are times when they demand much more from us. Yet often they are people we barely know, or wouldn't naturally click with in a friendship.

[Dazey]

5 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Any followers of my sporadic updates will remember I tend to have my mother-in-law staying with us for long periods of time. She has now sold her house and stays with us, and with my wife's sister, permanently. So she switches a bit back and forth between her daughters. Typically, if the tension gets too bad between she and one of her daughters, she will move. I am not really complaining, as far as in-laws go, she is pretty great. She usually stays in her room and she does a little bit of cleaning and helps out with the kids. She is also good at not sticking her nose in things she shouldn't. So I am not complaining. It could be worse.

And here is how it got worse: My father-in-law now stays with us. I don't know if I have told about him before, but he is really supposed to be at his house in Thailand now with his newest Thai wife. He was supposed to travel there last year but Corona stranded him in Dubai (as well as a few other airports), before he gave up and returned to Norway. Unfortunately, by then he had sold off any home and belongings in Norway and had to stay at a relative's cabin without water and electricity. Not ideal in winter so he came to us. He is also out of money by the way (built a swimming pool for his new wife and family back in Thailand and got them a car, you see). His big problem in life -- and only problem as far as I know -- is that he can't get back to Thailand.

My wife has been helping him apply for a visa and stuff, because he has been completely hopeless. Just as incapable as a little child. In fact, he has broken down just thinking about having to apply for a visa and going through the process with a trip to the embassy, and now he is drinking heavily in his bedroom while singing along to Frank Sinatra and terrible country music. Just depressed. And despite my wife doing all the work. He just can't cope with having to go through the process, still does nothing himself. They were in the city yesterday getting some certificates and he snuck off to buy liquor. He was so drunk and depressed yesterday he couldn't stop crying during dinner, but the kids fortunately didn't notice. My wife suggested he go take a walk to get some fresh air, and he walked to the store and bough more beer. I don't know how to help him, either. He just needs to have someone sort out everything for him and put him on a plane. But it will take weeks before he has the visa. 

Jeez. I am so ready to take away his booze the first time he makes a fool of himself in front of the kids.

Would it be silly of me to ask how he was planning to travel there last year without a visa? Also do you possess any firearms?  

[SoulMonster]

8 hours ago, Gracii Guns said:

Sorry Soulie, I hope that you can work something out with your father in law. 

It's actually a profound example of something I've been pondering lately. What do we owe to family members who are a few degrees separated from us? 

Most of us at least try to be respectful and friendly. But, there are times when they demand much more from us. Yet often they are people we barely know, or wouldn't naturally click with in a friendship.

That's interesting. I recently went through an experience with my brother where I was ready to sever all connections. My father was hospitalized and my mother was struggling to be alone for the first time in 50 years. I had already spent time with her but I needed to return to my home city because of family and work, so I asked my brother if he could spend some days with her, just to make it easier for her. He refused for no apparent good reason. It was just not something he was willing to do. I couldn't fathom it at the time and I still can't. I was so infuriated and actually thought about just giving him up, entirely. Just admitting to myself that we are so different by nature that there is no point in trying to make the relationship between us work. That was probably me thinking in affect because I was frustrated with the situation and sad. As it turns out, my brother did help my mother in various other ways and took a week to stay with her as our father got worse. In the end, as brothers, going through the whole ordeal with our father actually probably made us stronger, despite that one time when I felt he let us down. I still don't think we have much in common, though.

[SoulMonster]

8 hours ago, Dazey said:

Would it be silly of me to ask how he was planning to travel there last year without a visa? Also do you possess any firearms?  

He had a visa last year. The reason he couldn't successfully get into Thailand was because of flights getting cancelled as we was enroute. I mean, he had bought the cheapest tickets and not from one airline, just like, he bought a ticket from Trondheim to Amsterdam with one airline (because it was the cheapest), then from Amsterdam to Paris, or wherever it was, with another airline (because it was the cheapest), then from Paris to Bangkok with yet another airline (because it was the cheapest). So although in theory it would get him from A to B, and save money while doing it, the journey as a whole was disconnected and as soon as the first flight (from Amsterdam to Paris, or something, was cancelled), the other airlines had no responsibility to rebook him, so the whole journey was lost. He then decided to buy single trip to take him closer to his target, resulting in him criss-crossing around Europe and eventually ended up in Dubai. From there he couldn't find a ticket taking him to Bangkok cause by then all airlines had stopped flying there, or something, or maybe he ran out of money. By then he had also spent 5-6 days travelling without ever getting out of an airport and he was of course completely exhausted - poor, old man. So this kind of sapped his will to travel, and live, and his wallet. But he had a visa. It has expired now, though.

Yes, we are Norwegians so somewhere in the house are the components to put together a hunting shotgun. I occasionally rummage through boxes in the basement looking for stuff and come upon ammo or some piece I vaguely believe belongs to a gun. 

Seriously, I believe he will be leaving our house on Monday, though. I think my wife has done all that needs to be done by then, and he just have to wait to get an appointment with the Thai embassy in Oslo. And then, for once, we will not have any visitors, I believe. 

Going with what @Gracii Gunssaid, I don't really feel anything for the man. He has never been really much around. My kids don't really know him -  my youngest asked me what his name was very recently. My wife gave him up ages ago. The bond between him and my family isn't really there. Still, we want our kids to have a good relationship with their granddad and I want my wife to reconnect more with him because I suspect it would be good for her. I think working on the visa application might help the two of them closer. But he is so utterly helpless it makes me feel more annoyed with him than sad for him. I am more inclined to kick his ass than comfort him. He is really putting my humanity on test, here. Because he has never been there for anyone in his family, and now in this period he expects everybody to be there for him. He has been terrible to all his children and by building the house in Thailand it means they won't inherit anything from him, either. And now he sulks in his room while singing along to country music while texting messages to his kids about how he has failed everybody interspersed with messages about how much he loves his new family in Thailand. And he has let everyone down and made amess of everything here in Norway, but then he just needs to start fixing things, yet he chooses to just drink.

[dontdamnmeuyi2015]

Snow has come to Texas!  So damn happy!

got my food and water and staying inside today. The roads are a mess so can't go very far. Texas doesn't have enough sand trucks to do the whole city, so it's best to stay inside.

It does looks so pretty!

[EvanG]

18 hours ago, dontdamnmeuyi2015 said:

Snow has come to Texas!  So damn happy!

got my food and water and staying inside today. The roads are a mess so can't go very far. Texas doesn't have enough sand trucks to do the whole city, so it's best to stay inside.

It does looks so pretty!

So... you finally have snow and you love it, but you're going to stay inside? I mean, I understand not wanting to go anywhere by car, but you can go for a walk or whatever, right?

Edited February 15, 2021 by EvanG