Got Cheese? 'Cause I Need a Whine Party

[ArizonaGirl]

Sing it.

We are on a major struggle bus over here. I have been working at one of our vaccine PODS many days of the week, in addition to my 40 hour a week salary job and it is taking a toll on me, but really been tough on the kids.

[hbridge]

Sing it.

We are on a major struggle bus over here. I have been working at one of our vaccine PODS many days of the week, in addition to my 40 hour a week salary job and it is taking a toll on me, but really been tough on the kids.

It's been a tough week on everybody!!!! The kids are absorbing the energy of the world around them so EVERYONE is off kilter! Last Wednesday (1/6) DC came home and announced that their entire cohort was on edge and acting crazy, we actually checked the moon calendar to see if there was a full moon and we discussed how the cohort would probably get a lecture the next day (so be prepared). About 2 hours later, the news was swirling about the capital siege. The cohort craziness was completely put behind them. Everyone is on EDGE and everyone is feeling the tension!!!

[doberbrat]

Has this week been rough on anybody else or is it just us?

It has been BRUTAL. Its not just you!

And frankly, I'm tired of the endless debates and arguments. My family, Masks, in person school, the vax, what constitutes a 'peaceful' demonstration, impeachment, whether something is discriminatory, and my personal Nextdoor favorite hot button, is it ok to throw bagged dog poop into a trashcan not your own. I feel like EVERYONE is on edge and frankly taking it out on anyone within listening or reading distance.

[bisous]

It has been BRUTAL. Its not just you!

And frankly, I'm tired of the endless debates and arguments. My family, Masks, in person school, the vax, what constitutes a 'peaceful' demonstration, impeachment, whether something is discriminatory, and my personal Nextdoor favorite hot button, is it ok to throw bagged dog poop into a trashcan not your own. I feel like EVERYONE is on edge and frankly taking it out on anyone within listening or reading distance.

Yes. For sure it has been hard. I thought it was getting better. I was feeling optimistic and less anxious but I realized how precarious my mental state really was after the events of last week!

I'm curious on feeling about the dog poop thing. I'm not a dog owner but once my trash can is out I kind of don't care what someone puts in it, lol. But I don't want to bring it up if it is going cause a problem!

[doberbrat]

I'm curious on feeling about the dog poop thing. I'm not a dog owner but once my trash can is out I kind of don't care what someone puts in it, lol. But I don't want to bring it up if it is going cause a problem!

Every few months, someone posts on Nextdoor about some HORRIBLE person putting a bag of dog poop in their trashcan. They dont have a dog, because they dont want to have to deal with poop and it makes their trashcan smell. Then, 50+ other people chime in about how awful it is, or about at least they picked it up or some its not so bad type sentiment. It is SERIOUSLY the hot button issue on nextdoor. More people chime in on those posts than politics, crime or any other type of post. The most recent post has 72 replies

[gatorsmom]

First- lizzywednesday- how are you doing? This was originally your thread and you started it again. Are things better with your dd? How about your ILs? Things ok with them? I’m sorry if you posted answers to these elsewhere, I just never saw them. And you- are you feeling a little better compared to last fall? I love the fall but personally always feel like the stress starts building and goes at full tilt at Christmas time. But maybe that’s me.

lizzywednesday, I don’t know if you are still fighting this fight, but I wanted to say that my family wants a dog too. My dd has been researching breeds and even finding the locations of breeders. I have to remind them that the dog will be their dog and then walk them through the various chores they will be responsible for. Usually that solves the problem. They don’t want to take the dog out to poop at 6am in -20degrees. I hope your family lays off that argument for your sake.

To answer your most recent question, I was really looking forward to a more peaceful January. The holidays and election are over, the vaccine is available, and there is snow here so my family members can do more outdoor stuff (which they desperately need). But no- it’s crazy here too. Ours is mainly a mix of teenage hormones and cabin-fever though. Dd just got her first period this week (thanks to COVID19, she was spared the embarrassment of soaking through her leotard and tights in front of her dance class since she takes ballet class virtually!), ds1 got his first kiss this week (he said it was worth quarantining and isolating from the rest of us until this summer and plans to do it again asap), and DS2 started driving. Lots of crazy.

[lizzywednesday]

First- lizzywednesday- how are you doing? This was originally your thread and you started it again. Are things better with your dd? How about your ILs? Things ok with them? I’m sorry if you posted answers to these elsewhere, I just never saw them. And you- are you feeling a little better compared to last fall? I love the fall but personally always feel like the stress starts building and goes at full tilt at Christmas time. But maybe that’s me.

We had a generally good fall and DD got almost straight-A's for the first time ... ever. But what really made me proud were her "citizenship" and behavior marks - most of them were far beyond anything she's ever had before, ranging from "Satisfactory" to "Exceeds Expectations."

The only thing that got a bit prickly was planning Thanksgiving dinner because DH kept giving me the "I wanna see what my parents are doing" treatment, so I finally asked DD (who is TEN) what we should eat, because otherwise I was going to make myself eggs and to H3ll with DH. Because we purchased everything so late, we had to skip a few things, but I roasted a turkey for the first time in almost 20 years and finally got to use my new-in-box anodized roasting pan that my old manager, Jacquie, and her husband bought off my registry.

We almost hit the same thing at Christmas, but DD and I made up a menu and baked drop cookies (I just couldn't get it together to make cutouts this year) for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Spending the break together was interesting, but we managed to rest up. It was nice not to have to travel, and DD could play with her new toys and craft kits, rather than rush-rush-rush through everything so we could catch a plane.

In general, I feel better right now than I have for a while and realized that a good chunk of my frustration was due to feeling "stuck" and "trapped" - I wasn't getting my much-needed alone time. So now I block out a few hours on a weekend day to bingewatch movies or TV shows I can't watch while DD is doing school - our district is 100% remote, which seems to agree with her, but with DH on the 3rd floor working and DD at the dining room table still needing some supervision due to ADHD and the proximity of the kitchen, I have to invent things to do downstairs - and lock them both out of the bedroom to do it.

lizzywednesday, I don’t know if you are still fighting this fight, but I wanted to say that my family wants a dog too. My dd has been researching breeds and even finding the locations of breeders. I have to remind them that the dog will be their dog and then walk them through the various chores they will be responsible for. Usually that solves the problem. They don’t want to take the dog out to poop at 6am in -20degrees. I hope your family lays off that argument for your sake.

DH hasn't brought it up recently, but DD has brought it up on occasion.

I'm not willing to discuss any of it with them because I absolutely KNOW that I will be the one taking a dog out to poop at 6am in the downright tropical -8F it can be here (seriously, -20F would feel Very Cold to me), and grooming it, and training it, and feeding it, and ... well, you get the idea. Dogs are a definite "no" for me.

I just can't get myself excited about one, and while part of me wishes I could, all I see are ruined shoes, messes I have to clean up, and emergency vet bills, not to mention boarding costs when we travel - and with DH being so cheap (and, yes, he is cheap, although he describes himself as "frugal"), I can't see how we can possibly add another expense to the sticker shock he regularly experiences with groceries, clothing, and shoes!

To answer your most recent question, I was really looking forward to a more peaceful January. The holidays and election are over, the vaccine is available, and there is snow here so my family members can do more outdoor stuff (which they desperately need). But no- it’s crazy here too. ...

You have had such a full life even in the before times, these added developments sound like they're exciting but also mindblowing.

We've got our fair share of outbursts related to the "I must enforce all the rules for everybody else all the time" aspects of DD's ADHD (which I did as a kid myself ... and may be a good indication that I also have ADHD, but I haven't been evaluated), mostly on Tuesdays & Thursdays when she has Speech services during her long break from class. There is a kid in her homeroom who's also supposed to be in Speech with her, but he no-shows on Tuesdays, which sends DD into a rage-against-the-injustice spiral, so she refuses to attend or participate.

I have to email the school counselor to see how we can walk her through that, but it may end up being moot with hybrid starting on Tuesday.

[lizzywednesday]

Sing it.

We are on a major struggle bus over here. I have been working at one of our vaccine PODS many days of the week, in addition to my 40 hour a week salary job and it is taking a toll on me, but really been tough on the kids.

Oh wow; I'm still trying to wrap my head around the queue and scheduling and logistics of the rollout and-and-and here in NJ.

I have a friend who is an EMT, so she just got her first dose ... and my friend in FL who is dealing with Long COVID (because, wouldn't you know it, she and 3/5 of her kids had it) had asked a FB question about whether you'd get the vaccine or not, but our EMT friend was nervous. We didn't know she was nervous, but we ended up doing some sci-comm that she found reassuring, so I guess we did well.

It's been a tough week on everybody!!!! The kids are absorbing the energy of the world around them so EVERYONE is off kilter! ... Everyone is on EDGE and everyone is feeling the tension!!!

Yeah, we don't watch the news (I prefer to read my news so I can absorb it slowly, look things up that don't ring true, and verify with 2 other sources when I feel like I'm swimming in my own bias), but did see reports about the Capitol attack in real time on Twitter.

It has been BRUTAL. Its not just you!

And frankly, I'm tired of the endless debates and arguments. My family, Masks, in person school, the vax, what constitutes a 'peaceful' demonstration, impeachment, whether something is discriminatory, and my personal Nextdoor favorite hot button, is it ok to throw bagged dog poop into a trashcan not your own. I feel like EVERYONE is on edge and frankly taking it out on anyone within listening or reading distance.

I went through my FB friends list and did another cull. Then I culled my Twitter. And I can breathe easier now.

Yes. For sure it has been hard. I thought it was getting better. I was feeling optimistic and less anxious but I realized how precarious my mental state really was after the events of last week!
...

I won't lie, I'm still anxious, but I have been doing a lot of writing to my representatives, one of whom was exposed to/diagnosed with COVID after sheltering in place with anti-maskers who were violating the House's own masking mandate almost gleefully.

Well, thanks, you just put a 70-year-old cancer-surviving grandmother into the hospital because you couldn't be bothered to think about someone else's health over your own agenda.

I will continue to write letters, and I may even make phone calls. I hate phone calls, but I have a few resources that make it easier.

[lizzywednesday]

If I don't kill DD's BFF for phoning at 7:45am on Monday to ask if DD could play (because, apparently, BFF's mom gave her a snow day instead of having her log into remote learning) which resulted in DD refusing to work AND making herself vomit on the bathmat (AGAIN!!) so I'd sign her out ... and then insisting that DD demand extra video game/tablet time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday ... and all of her anxieties ... and ...

But, really, that's not the b!tch.

The b!tch is ... DD decided that today was a great day to have a 6-hour-long temper tantrum, not log into class, scream at DH and me, and, as the grand finale, hurl her (school-issued!) Chromebook across the room, completely breaking the POS thing after she decided to spend all day slamming the keys and f^cking around instead of, oh, I dunno, actually doing her f^cking work.

Now I get to lend her my Macbook tomorrow because, by the time DH let me email the teachers and the tech department, it was after business hours and I don't have any responses.

And did I mention that I'm supposed to job-hunt, too? (And I do admire the gall and irony when HE can't work while DD is throwing her tantrums, but I'm supposed to?)

[jgenie]

If I don't kill DD's BFF for phoning at 7:45am on Monday to ask if DD could play (because, apparently, BFF's mom gave her a snow day instead of having her log into remote learning) which resulted in DD refusing to work AND making herself vomit on the bathmat (AGAIN!!) so I'd sign her out ... and then insisting that DD demand extra video game/tablet time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday ... and all of her anxieties ... and ...

But, really, that's not the b!tch.

The b!tch is ... DD decided that today was a great day to have a 6-hour-long temper tantrum, not log into class, scream at DH and me, and, as the grand finale, hurl her (school-issued!) Chromebook across the room, completely breaking the POS thing after she decided to spend all day slamming the keys and f^cking around instead of, oh, I dunno, actually doing her f^cking work.

Now I get to lend her my Macbook tomorrow because, by the time DH let me email the teachers and the tech department, it was after business hours and I don't have any responses.

And did I mention that I'm supposed to job-hunt, too? (And I do admire the gall and irony when HE can't work while DD is throwing her tantrums, but I'm supposed to?)

I’m so sorry! I wish I lived closer so I could drop off a care package for you!